After a full day exploring the historic grounds of Trinity College, we crossed the street for…read moredinner at The Pig's Ear, a Michelin-recommended restaurant that reimagines traditional Irish cooking with creativity, refinement, and genuine respect for the country's culinary heritage. We began with one of the evening's standout dishes: A layer of finely seasoned beef tartare topped with a plump oyster. It was essentially surf and turf in an oyster shell. It may sound like an unlikely pairing, but the briny sweetness of the oysters and the rich, velvety tartare complemented each other perfectly. Warm Guinness bread served with creamy Irish butter followed--a simple offering elevated by exceptional ingredients and flawless execution. For our mains, we chose two classics that perfectly captured the restaurant's philosophy. The Dublin coddle transformed a humble working-class staple into an elegant, deeply satisfying dish without sacrificing its comforting soul, while the Barnsley lamb chop showcased outstanding Irish produce through expert preparation and an impeccable sauce. Chef Stephen McAllister has built a menu inspired by centuries of Irish cookbooks, folklore, and family recipes, elevating familiar dishes through modern technique rather than reinventing them beyond recognition. It's a thoughtful approach that honors tradition while delivering a dining experience worthy of its Michelin recommendation. The setting is equally charming. Housed in a historic Georgian townhouse overlooking Trinity College, The Pig's Ear feels intimate, welcoming, and effortlessly elegant. Warm wood finishes, leather banquettes, soft lighting, and whimsical pig-themed accents create an atmosphere that invites you to linger. We arrived just after 5:15 p.m. and were fortunate to be seated by the front windows, where we enjoyed views of the college grounds as the evening light settled over Dublin. As with many historic buildings, there are practical limitations. The restaurant is spread across multiple floors connected by steep staircases, making it inaccessible for wheelchair users. During my visit, the sink in the men's restroom was out of order, making handwashing difficult. It was a noticeable oversight in an otherwise polished dining experience. No restaurant is perfect, and the restroom issue should certainly be addressed. Still, the quality of the cooking, the warm hospitality, the beautiful setting, and the restaurant's heartfelt celebration of Irish culinary tradition far outweighed that minor inconvenience. I would happily return the next time I'm in Dublin--and perhaps tuck a small bottle of hand sanitizer into my pocket, just in case.

If you need a break from pub food and want a real meal in Dublin, I can't recommend The Pig's Ear…read moreenough. Easily the best meal I had in the city. The chicken pie was incredible. It is perfectly cooked with great texture, and the subtle curry spice added something really special without overpowering it. The cheesecake was also a highlight, not just for the flavor but for the presentation. For some reason, it comes in a glass jar tucked inside a paper bag. The wait staff were attentive, friendly, and made excellent recommendations. The whole place has a warm, classy atmosphere. This makes it ideal if you're looking for something more elevated while still feeling comfortable. Highly recommend.

Had dinner while visiting Dublin at the recommendation of some of our well traveled foodie friends…read moreand loved it. The views alone are worth a stop as it's right along the water so you can see out from both floors of the restaurant. We ordered the soda bread and charcuterie board as an appetizer and then slow cooked pigs on pork neck and duck breast as our mains and wow it did not disappoint. We were throughly impressed with our main dishes. They were so flavorful. The staff was quick and attentive and gave great recommendations. I would highly recommend if you're in the area

We got reservations, kinda last minute, but they were able to accommodate and even took us 30…read moreminutes early. We had average expectations going in on a Saturday night with some availability. We were pleasantly surprised. My wife's haddock with Irish chetter mash was one of her favorite meals, ever. She kept raving about the tender fish and rich flavors. I got the cod, with asparagus and capers, I like cod, but this was outstanding. The sear was spot on, and the fish was perfectly tender. Cod is easy to overcook, I was impressed. They had multiple affogato options, which was a fun twist for after dinner sweetness. Bread pudding with a side of port was a great ending to a great meal. The service was friendly and attentive. We never felt rushed, and they helped us understand their menu. By the time we left it was packed, we felt the luck of the Irish came through on an impromptu dinner in downtown Dublin.

We chose to have lunch at the Millstone and both enjoyed our meals. I had the Salmon salad and my…read morefriend had the steak frites. I'm a huge fan of salad with amazing, flavorful dressing and ingredients. This one nailed it. The salmon was perfectly cooked, capers, lemon pesto was absolutely delicious. We sat near the front windows enjoying daylight and comfortable spacing between tables. The service was simple, attentive and kind.

This was a quick find and enjoyable. A fun place to relax for a bit in Temple Bat that is a bit…read morequieter and with good food and beer. We enjoyed our beer and apps with friendly service.

Excellent meal here last night. Very small space, walked past it due to bar next door. On row of…read moremaybe 6-8 tables. Open kitchen so you can see what's happening. I had the couscous with prawns and the Asian beef. My ladyfriend has the goat cheese salad and the smoked salmon. Dessert was great as well. Service was attentive and helpful. Would return.

The stars are mostly for the starters and desserts. Service was warm and friendly, the ambiance is…read morejust amazing, such a cute little space but decorated with lots of fun musician inspired aesthetics. It is a bit of a tight space but makes it such a unique and cozy space. For a set price, they have a menu (I assume it rotates based on what is sourced for the week or season?). We started with some olives, and some bread with duck butter "Navettes of bread/Achill Island Sea salt/duck butter". The duck butter was so good, I wanted to lick the serving container. I resorted to scraping as much out as I could. My starter was absolutely amazing. It was the "Foie gras crème/Brioche/apple/sauternes/grape". So delicious, I am still thinking about it. The main I had was the Skeaghanore duck breast. The sauce was amazing, however the duck was just ok. I think if it were sliced into smaller medallions, it would have been easier to eat. I struggled to cut it into bite sized pieces even though I was provided with a good knife. The 2 pieces were a hearty serving as well. It would be more palatable (I found it a bit tough) if it were presented with smaller cut medallion pieces (with crispy skin would be amazing!) I had tasted my friend's filet of prime Irish beef, and while it is a nice presentation, they both left their sides untouched. Overall, I feel like The Vintage Kitchen had a few hits and misses. Still fun spot to try out though! Desserts were amazing, we just were so full by then! The price at the time was €72 and although there were hits and misses, the portions served imho was worth the price.

On our last day in Dublin, we had an early dinner at Platform 61, which we discovered through Yelp…read more-- so not quite a best-kept secret, but certainly a terrific hangout on South William Street. Usually, the dining room comprises an underground hideaway that is quite sleek and intimate. However, due to the lockdown measures, we had to do outdoor seating directly on William Street while we were there. The experience was still beautiful, thanks to the surrounding scenery. The cocktails were grand between the P61 Signature Cocktail and the Hugo -- both prosecco-based cocktails. The former was delicious between the peach puree and prosecco, while the latter was a little more tart with the elderflower cordial. For dinner, we kicked things off with gluten-free bread with a trio of dips that were quite tasty. The Tortellini I ordered was exquisite and scrumptious with how it was prepared between the goat cheese, asparagus, red onion, wilted spinach, cream sauce, and bacon. I applauded this lovely dish with the last bite. I devoured the warm almond flour brownie for dessert, served with chocolate sauce and gelato, which my wife could also enjoy since the dish was gluten-free. Overall, Platform 61 was a great way to conclude our second Irish journey. We will return, especially to enjoy the underground dining area.

If you are visiting Dublin or new to the area, Platform 61 is a MUST! Our entire group absolutely…read moreloved everything we ordered (gnocchi, pesto pasta, risotto, cheese board, pork belly) and everyone agreed it was some of the best food we had on the entire trip! The ambiance is very nice as well, romantic but also good for a fun night out with friends. 10/10 recommend adding this to your itinerary for dinner!

What a beautiful event!…read more i've noticed events like this creep up in popularity around Dublin and isn't it a richer place for it. I know it sounds cheesy, but it's nights like this that instill in you a pride in being Irish, and a pride in our past, present and future. Honestly there were some parts that gave me goosebumps, the type I get every now and again when I'm wandering around the city and realise that after eight years away, I can honestly say there is no place in the world I would rather live right now. It's hard to decide what the highlight is. I won't go into massive detail as those before have, but allow me to point out the bones of what makes this into such a gorgeous way to spend a Saturday; - The setting. Old Georgian wooden stairs that are worn down in the middle by hundreds of years of stepping on them, the old crumbling cornicing, the candle lit old antique tables. - The food. Each course was a perfect size, and the perfect representation of modern x traditional Irish cuisine. Quality ingredients, beautifully presented - The talks in between courses by food historian Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire. Funny, informative, nostalgic, and funny again. If you didn't pick up on it already, I would highly recommend this as a night out. For any age, those who live here and are visiting, those who grew up here and those that are now making Ireland their home.

This night was the ultimate night of magic and delicious food - I just had the best time ever here,…read moreand am still thinking about it now. It's a wonderful way of enjoying some Irish history, poetry and music with delicious food. I knew we were in for an amazing night from Emily C's review but I was still totally blown away. Sure, the building itself is a little old and run down, but once we were seated and enjoying the food and wine, that didn't matter. Our host for the evening was awesome, lots of banter and amazing stories. It was really captivating and enjoyable hearing him speak, since and recite poems between courses. Everything was linked back to the food which was just as amazing - traditional Irish scran but served up a bit fancier than normal. Kind of like if your Mum went to a class to learn how to plate her Sunday meals in a nice way? I really enjoyed the food and only the main needed more sauce but they happily delivered us some. Yum. What a fabulous evening, this was a beautiful way to experience Dublin in all its glory.

This was my favorite meal of the trip. Only ~$100 USD no additional tips needed with NINE COURSES…read morepacked with local seafood and produce The waiter even said they picked the mushrooms from ACROSS THE STREET Had the best time here - not pretentious, open space, super approachable and open, great staff +phenomenal flavors Definitely a MUST SAVE already dreaming about going back

Incredible chef's tasting menu paired well with delicious wines that accented the courses…read moreperfectly!! Service was impeccable and the passion displayed by the chef, sommelier and staff made for an unforgettable experience. Most importantly the food was outstanding!!! This place is a gem and we will return !!

Love it! Best fondue in Ireland Friendly staff and authentic…read moreSwiss food in an upscale cozy environment. Great selection of wines to be paired with their fondue.

I am SO delighted that I was too exhausted to walk any further through Ranelagh village in search…read moreof some food last night because it meant I just marched straight into this place, hoping for the best, and oh holly balls was it the best!!! I got the vegetable gratin, which was so moorish and satisfying, and then followed it with the "Swiss Dream" dessert which used Murphys icecream, so safe to say it was the dream. My friends all equally gushed over their meals. The guy serving us was so nice too and let us taste a few of the different wines because we automatically opted for the cheapest one and he felt the others were well worth a try! Really sound but also a great business strategy because we all ended up with one of the more expensive wines which really were delicious! Already looking forward to bringing another group of friends back -more people need to try this place!

101 Talbot was wonderful! We were there the first night they reopened, and they weren't busy - I'm…read moreseriously wondering why local fans weren't counting down the minutes. My husband and I each had a starter, main, and shared a dessert. He had the soup (of the day? I can't remember), and I had the hummus. Soup was sweet potato and red pepper, he said it was great. Came with brown bread. The hummus was really yummy, came with pita and raw veggies to dip. For the mains, I had the chicken supreme and he had the fillet. Both of us ended up stuffed, but very happy. Neither of us had tried sticky toffee pudding before, so we ordered that for dessert. I'm glad we shared - it's VERY sweet. But we enjoyed it anyway. Highly recommend everyone flock this place now it's reopened. Quick note: the restaurant is upstairs, so the sign is pretty small and discreet, but they also had an A-frame out front when we were there.

We had just arrived in Dublin and wanted to grab some lunch close to the hotel before check in…read moretime. After wandering around a bit and seeing McDonalds and Burger King and thinking NO. I don't eat there in the states and I'm not eating there here. We pulled up Yelp and found this place and I'm so glad we did. Our server was friendly and really sold me on the lunch special. The lunch special was a pulled pork sandwich on a brioche bun with a cup of soup of the day. It wasn't like the pulled pork we have in the states. It was more chunks of pork than strands. It was delicious and the soup was very good. The restaurant is upstairs and overlooking the street. They have wi-fi so I was able to get caught up on travel plans and such.

I waited too long to review so some of the details escape me. Such as the appetizer we shared:…read moreConfit Pork Shoulder Croquettes, with quince puree, pickled shittake, and celeriac remoulade. The entrees were more memorable. I had the Fillet Of Irish Beef. I hardly ever order filet mignon but I'm glad I did. It may well be the best I've ever had. With Café de Paris butter, shallot pureé, pepper sauce, rocket (arugula), and a side of french fries. The flavor of the meat itself was incredible and the three sauces complemented it perfectly. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare as ordered. French fries aren't normally something to get excited about but these were a gastronomic masterpiece; the insides soft and sweet, not starchy, the outsides browned and subtly crisp, and I don't know what they were fried in but these had so much flavor it must have been beef tallow or duck fat. I'd come here again just to have a platter of these amazing fries! The wife's Coq Au Vin Façon La Maison (chicken breast braised in red wine, smoked bacon, mushrooms, baby onions, roast carrot, pomme purée) was equally memorable. I've never considering ordering this, thinking it too simple or plain. Not this. The red wine sauce really elevated a simple braised chicken. And how do they make even a simple carrot taste so good? We each had a wine from the ample selection of by the glass offerings and shared a gingery dessert which we both enjoyed. The service was good and not rushed. Just don't be intimidated by the waiter, who announced when he brought the bill that tip was not included; it seems this could have been handled more subtly.

It was a blustery grey Dublin day -- one of our last in the city as we prepared to head to France…read morefor a month. What better place to celebrate than at a French bistro in Dublin? La Maison was a delight! It was rainy but we wanted to sit outside, and there's a covered outdoor area with lots of smaller 2- and 4-top tables, so we were seated there. It is on a side street in downtown Dublin, so not as busy as main streets but still lots of food traffic, which added to the lively ambience. It was cold outside, but we stayed warm under here. We had a lovely meal. We started with a bread basket and shared shrimp appetizer, which were both great. For the main course, I ordered the duck breast, which was prepared perfectly. My husband had the steak which was also cooked nicely. To drink, we had a couple of glasses of wine each; La Maison has a solid wine menu with lots of delicious French wines and a few Italian wines as well. The service was pleasant and friendly, and the prices were just about right for the food and wine quality. Overall we had a lovely experience and would dine here again.