Exceptional Service From the Recommendations to the Table Service this Lovely Venue was Everything I Expected read more

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This two star Michelin didn't disappoint. But the noise level took one star from the me giving it a five star rating. The service is perfection and the food from start to finish is extraordinary. We had requested a quiet table and were put next to a table of eight people in a room that didn't muffle the sound. The noise was definitely distracting. The food was really exceptional my only comment was that the four course menu had pigeon which has a limited appeal. If the noise factor wasn't an issue it is definitely a five star! read more

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Chapter One was good but I expected better. The restaurant comprises a number of rooms in a basement level, with mostly modern decor except for some exposed old stone walls. It has white table cloths, art on the walls, and lighting that makes the dishes at your table look like works of art themselves. I liked the decor but I found it a little spare and not particularly interesting. We got the tasting menu with wine pairing, which was six courses plus canapes and three bread courses. All of the courses were very good but had some room for improvement. For one, they overused citrus flavors, which was present in at least half the dishes; in particular, I did not care for the citrus in the lobster dish. Also, I was very disappointed in the bread courses: one was a very basic milk bread and another was very basic white rustic bread -- snooze on both counts. The service was pretty good overall. For example, staff briefly explained each dish and our wine pairings, they folded napkins when we got up to use the restroom, they put dishes on our table in unison. One exceptional part: when we ordered the wine pairing, the sommelier told us how many glasses we would get, with which courses, and what sizes (half or full). This is something I wish more restaurants would do, so you can pace your drinking better with the food courses. But there were two pieces that could have been better. First, the sommelier's accent and the loud (at times) volume in the room made it impossible to understand some of the wine descriptions. Second, I told them it was a special occasion when they emailed me to confirm my reservation, and they didn't acknowledge this at all -- no verbal mentions, no card, etc. Literally nothing. This is table stakes at a high caliber restaurant. So, a good meal overall, but I would say they are more at the one Michelin star level. read more

Chapter One - Lobster dish with lame milk bread - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Fantastic meal, wonderful service. Would recommend many times over! We hope to be back soon.

It started out good the food was creative but was overwhelmed with a Smokey flavor that continued through several dishes and a bit too salty. The service was up to par with a 2 stared restaurant unfortunately fell short at the end. I didn't not feel we received the value for the cost. read more

The ambience is remarkable, welcoming and chic. The food spectacular and delicious! However the service was even better. We arrived almost an 45 minutes early and we were graciously seated. Through I only asked for a glass the sommelier could not have been more helpful. The price point was more than reasonable and the entire experience was memorable! Dublin is always exciting but chapter one was outstanding. Please consider this dining experience equal if not superior to Daniel or per se in nyc. read more

My husband and I came here for dinner while we were in Dublin for the weekend and had a lovely time. The only hiccup in the meal was that they accidentally served my husband gluten on one of the courses (the duck came with a crisp on top that he shouldn't have gotten), but they were extremely apologetic about it, nonetheless that is the reason for the 4 instead of 5 stars. Everything was delicious, and if you like Irish Coffee, be sure to order it as they make it for you table side! read more

Back for dinner in chapter one with the family for my birthday. As always, a fantastic experience from start to finish. Incredibly welcoming staff seated us immediately and two and a half hours later, we all left fully satisfied. The sommelier selected a fantastic wine and the service throughout the evening was exemplary. The restaurant has mastered the art of providing a fine dining experience while still remaining warm and friendly, without any sense of stuffiness. It was a really nice place to spend an evening as a family and at €45pp for the three course pre-theatre menu, represents incredible value for money. I've eaten here several times over the years and while the food is always faultless, it is their customer service which always sets them apart. Could not recommend enough. read more

Chapter One - Ravioli starter - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Awesome place to dine with a loved one. Wait staff is courteous and time conscientious. We never had to wait for a course nor did we feel rushed. Very enjoyable experience! read more

Chapter One did not disappoint! This was our first restaurant on our "tour de Ireland" and we were still talking about it at the end of the week. We did the pre-theater menu which was very reasonable in regards to price - at this time, the restaurant was nearly empty so we had a nice quiet corner of the room to ourselves. Each course had so many elements that all worked together. The chocolate mousse dessert was probably the best dessert I have ever had!!! They even brought us some candles on our cheese plate for our anniversary :) read more

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I wanted a Michelin star experience during my trip to Dublin and I picked Chapter One. I'm not a stranger to Michelin-starred experiences, so I'm not going to complain about small portion sizes or whatever. I got the two course lunch. The restaurant's decor is what I'd call classic modern - clean, unfussy lines, but still staying true to a classic and traditional form. There were some charcoal/lava-like table pieces around that gave a little more edge. Service was excellent - I felt like I was attended to appropriately, and not overly interrupted or ignored - isn't this the true mark of a great host/hostess? Unfortunately, the food was a bit lacking for me. I was started off with a complimentary amuse bouche, which was a choux pastry filled with cheese. It was a yummy cheese ball, but not particularly... refined? Next came the bread, which was probably my favorite part of the meal. They offered me a choice of soda bread, multi seed and sourdough. I got the soda and sourdough and boy, were they delectable. Loved the crunchy sourdough crust and the wholesome flavor of the brown soda bread. They offered me more bread beyond my two slices. Anyhow, I had similar feelings about my cod entree. I loved the purée, I think there was some pumpkin seed oil in there too, and the fish was cooked to perfection. However, I thought the mushy langoustine dumplings only detracted from the fish, and could have used more asparagus. I also didn't really see the point of the accompanying 'seaweed' potatoes shaped like scallops - there wasn't much of a seaweed flavor. Dessert was also disappointing. I got a chocolate whiskey cream with flaky pastry and gooseberries. The best part about that dish was the light textured vanilla ice cream with cookie crumble. The whole gooseberries were difficult to pierce and I didn't find the taste to compliment the dish. The pastry was decent and the whiskey cream was tasty, but it didn't strike me as a very elegant dish. I think Chapter One is entirely deserving of its Michelin star and my harsh judgment may be due to my last stellar Michelin experience at Germanium in Copenhagen. read more

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This is the place to be seen, if you are into being seen. Personally I'm into really amazing food and this is a taste bud high, like a crackhead I keep craving a fix but it comes at a price... A very expensive price. You have to book ahead because this place is so popular, it's closed on Mondays. The food is French styled and infused with some serum that makes you lose your mind to it's sheer tastiness. The interior is understated chic, you immediately are made feel like a treasured guest the moment you walk in. Also, dress well, it's a very up market place but the staff are just wonderful, extremely attentive when I was there. They made me feel like I was one of the people to be seen, even when we all knew that I was just a wannabe for the day. I'm so glad they played along with the charade. read more

Chapter One - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Not often I refer to a restaurant visit as an experience, rather than just a meal but Chapter One certainly delivered! The lunch tasting menu and pairing wines was superb every step of the way. The beau and I found it hard to pick our favourite course but the cured mackerel with crab salad and smoked haddock were particularly outstanding. The wine with each course was beautifully matched and generously poured, with names we found harder to pronounce as the meal went on... #tiddly Service was friendly and good-humoured, which was a relief as overly formal waiters stress me out - "should the fork be pointing up or down?!" We enjoyed ourselves so much that we have agreed to make this an annual event! read more

Chapter One - Lunch tasting menu - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Emailed them about a month in advance for reservations and managed to get the 9pm slot for a Friday night. We had the 4 course for 70 euros pp and it was well worth it! It was a lot more food than I had expected. The place is very unassuming from the outside. Go down a couple steps and you'll find someone opening the door for you from the inside. Surprise! You'll be led down a corridor into a bar area. You'll notice that there are NO windows here, which might've bothered me anywhere else but for some reason, it just made the dining experience more intimate and exclusive. We had a glass of prosecco while waiting to be seated. The staff here are VERY attentive and polite. We were given menus while waiting to be seated at our table probably because we had a late dinner. A seasoned man came and shook our hands and took our orders. For food: (I am oversimplifying the ingredients so my brief description won't do it justice) -japanese mushroom tapioca pearls (think risotto and cheese, but less heavy) -feta (this was all I remember from this dish but it's DELICIOUS! Great combination and refreshing. Great way to start the meal) -duck and cabbage (my favorite part of the meal! Light and savory, great textures from the cabbage and the sauce is awesome) -poached oysters with roasted seaweed (if you're a fan of oysters, you must get this! HUGE pockets of yummy deliciousness) -lamb (unfortunately I didn't get to try this because I had to work on my own plate.. Mind you we've already had a ton of food! Portions here are pretty substantial for a 4 course.. Anyway the lamb was done 2 ways.. Shoulder and rib.. Boyfriend was very happy with it) - I asked what they recommended and was told that the rabbit was the star and I must say it was. Rabbit loin wrapped with pancetta, with sausage and carrots and risotto. YUM. Cooked perfectly! -lemon curd (beautiful plate, tart and light) -chocolate coffee mousse (awesome flavor combination) -we were also given complimentary chocolate truffles with thin sheets of cookie To drink- - prosecco - Bordeaux medoc - Sauvignon blanc - tableside made Irish coffee!! Really great way to end the meal! He grated nutmeg in a pan, then caramelized brown sugar, added coffee to it, then 2 shots of Jameson.. Fire! Then he poured it into a glass and topped it with fresh cream. Yum! We were offered a tour of the kitchen after our meal. Chefs had went home already at this hour (11:45?) the kitchen was spotless! After given our jackets, our waiter got us a cab! Again, impeccable service. Food is fantastic. Space is quaint and intimate (we sat in the alcove where the whiskey used to be stored) a well deserved Michelin star restaurant! read more

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Came here to celebrate our long-awaited honeymoon. We booked our reservation back in January 2018. Our email stated they'd "allocate a nice table" for us. Instead we were shoved all the way in the back next to the bussing/ordering station - probably the busiest waiting-staff thoroughfare in the restaurant. Waiters were buzzing around us and kept knocking the back of my chair without apology. Not a pleasant experience. The food was disappointing. My husband and I had trouble finishing the first three of the tasting-menu courses, leaving a fair amount of food on our plates. Some of the dishes just weren't palatable. In fact, one of courses - essentially a plate of raw fish with jellies made me want to gag a bit. We are from Southern California and are used to eating lots of raw fish specifically sushi so it is out of the ordinary we'd be turned off by a dish like this. The waitstaff seemed completely tone deaf. We didn't finish our first few dishes and they seemed genuinely shocked by this. I think the waitress said something to the effect of "Oh wow!" Was that really necessary? We have dined at Michelin Star restaraunts in Edinburgh (this trip) and Valencia (last big trip) - and those were out-of-this-world amazing and worth every hard-earned, dutifully saved penny. They almost felt like performances. This one fell dramatically short in hospitality, service and food quality. When my husband and I were leaving, I asked if he had everything on him because there was no way I'd ever go back again - even to retrieve a lost item. By the way, I saw a nasty-worded response from the restaurant front manager to a recent TripAdvisor reviewer so I'm bracing for a similar one here. To give you a flavor of how they signed off their TA reply, here's what they said: "It is fortunate for you that good manners are not a criteria for entry." Does that sound like a Michelin Star restaurant to you? Decent restaurants typically let bad review slide or address them gracefully. Not here, I guess. Either way, I stand firmly by this review. Could go on and on - but you get the message. Parting note: Want to see how a genuine Michelin Star restaurant operates? See my review of where I dined in Edinburgh, our previous stop. read more

2nd visit on December 23rd so I guess it's become a Christmas tradition. We even had the same table (table 9 which is in the corner and so quiet and private) We decided to go for the tasting menu with wine pairings. What a feast! The portions don't look that big in the photos but after seven courses I was definitely stuffed leaving. Not a bad thing eaten but my highlights were the smoked haddock, the deer, buttermilk ice cream and the Irish coffee. OMIGOD the Irish coffee. They bring out a trolley with a stove. A copper pan is placed on the stove and sugar is heated. When the sugar is ready coffee is added to the pan. For theatre whiskey is added and that's a bit of theatre!!! The Irish coffee is then assembled and a hint of nutmeg is added. I think the server probably had the attention of the whole room! Best Irish coffee ever!!!!! The staff are amazing. Attentive but not intrusive and there's no stuffiness. Marina was the name of the girl who mainly took care of us during our visit. She was brilliant - explaining the elements of each dish and the paired wine. Yes it is expensive but I love everything about here. I definitely suggest here if you're looking for something special. read more

Where to go for a nice girls night out when you want to be treated like a princess? Well, to answer the question every girls asks herself once in a while - no better place then Chapter One. From the minute you enter this place your swept off your feet by the excellent service and the great atmosphere. The waiters are super friendly, take your coats, bring you to your table, even bring you (yes you heard right, not only show you but personally bring you) to the entrance of the restroom. The menu is on the pricy site, but it is well worth it if you want to treat yourself for a lil something something. The meal starts off with delicious home-made bread and water as a little refreshment whilst you are mouldering over the exquisite menu and wine list. Between me and my girlfriend we decided to go for the Rib of Irish Angus beef, acidulated onion and sage compote, girolle mushroom cream, sauce fleurie - a main course for two. It was divine. The meat was tender and beautifully cooked (medium rare), the side dishes were yummy and complemented the meat. It was a feast for true princesses - unfortunately our eyes were bigger than our stomach and the meal could have easily be split between 3 little girls (or in other words, the portions are huge). At the end we were glad having past on the starters. Since we underestimated the size of the main courses we had to pass on dessert too, but were extremely surprised when a plate with delicious complementary chocolates arrived. The outstanding service combined with the delicious food and excellent wine menu is well worth the additional costs and every girl out there should spoil herself once in a while to a true royal treatment. If you want to save some money (since the royal chambers are not always stuck sky high with coins these days) there is also the early bird / pre-theatre option (3 course meal for under EUR 40) or for the extremely adventures who do not want to miss out on anything there is also the option of the tasting menu. Girls, if you want a sheer evening off bliss Chapter One is your place to go =-). read more

Chapter One - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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Absolutely enjoyed our experience at this restaurant. Food and drinks were delicious, great value for the premium pre- theater experience. Service was 1st class. The icing on the cake was I left my Umbrella, and they mailed it to me in Chicago! Can't ask for better service. Solid 5 stars! Will definitely be back when next we're in Dublin. Highly recommend. read more

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Now a Christmas tradition. This place in my view as good as it gets. Michelin star food and service without the pretentious stuffiness you get elsewhere. We had the tasting menu paired with wines which was so good and so well orchastrated. Finished with a table side Irish Coffee which was the best I ever had. A wonderful experience which isn't cheap but well worth it. Looking forward to next time. Btw table 9 is a lovely 2 seater and quiet. We book it for that reason read more

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First time in Dublin. First time tried out Chapter one. We had four course dinner. I really like all the delicious beautifully presented plates and the service was great. My favorite was the dessert with raspberry and cream. My boyfriend ordered Irish coffee. I guess it's a must order item if you like coffee and whisky. What makes this so special is that they will make Irish coffee right in front of your table. read more

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Had the pleasure of dining in Chapter One last weekend and it was an absolute treat from start to finish! The front-of-house are on another level - charming, courteous, super-efficient - they are superlative at what they do. We went for the pre-theatre option, which comes in at less than €40 for three courses...it's basically an absolute steal for the dining experience that you get here! Myself and my partner were headed for a show in the Abbey at 7.30pm and the hostess assured us that they'd have us fed and watered and ready to leave in plenty of time to make the curtain, which they managed to do without making us feel rushed in anyway -as I said, the service is just outstanding! Now for the food - as expected, it was beautiful...precise, elegant and cooked to perfection, everything that you'd hope a fine-dining meal would be. My starter of asparagus with a ravioli of aged parmesan and a lemon sauce was the highlight of the meal for me - the light, fresh, asparagus that was blanched to perfection married beautifully with the richness of the cheesy al dente pasta, which was undercut by the light citrusy sauce. It tasted like springtime on a plate, and I was sorely tempted to lick the plate it was that good!! Thankfully I'd spared a bit of the delicious sourdough bread that we'd been served before the starters to mop up the sauce, it was too good to miss out on a single drop. Mains were also excellent - my duck was served with a stuffed purple carrot and was as beautiful to eat as it was to look at. The Asian inspired flavours of the dish were really well suited to the duck which was succulently cooked. My partner raved about his dish of rare-breed pork and having tasted a bite I could see why - the pork simply melted in the mouth, it was soft and buttery and you could have eaten it with a spoon - a real delight! It was my dessert of hot chocolate mousse with coffee ice-cream that won the dessert round though - it was simple, elegant and packed such a flavour punch that it left the other dessert of a citrus white-chocolate bombe a little in the dust. It was a lovely dessert but lacked the intensity and exquisite balance of flavours that mine had in abundance. The most deliciously decadent Irish coffee I've ever had the pleasure of drinking rounded off the meal for us...made at the table, with the method explained by the waiter, it was the undoubtedly the best I've ever tasted. The fresh nutmeg and mace added a new element to the drink and really complimented the whiskey - my mouth waters at the memory of it - this alone would be worth a trip back!! I couldn't recommend Chapter One strongly enough, it's definitely the place to go for a special occasion and I cannot wait for my next visit. read more

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Came here for a lovely dinner. Very nice atmosphere with the loveliest waiters and waitresses. All of them were really warm and helpful and even brought us around to see the restaurant. Was contemplating hard between the tasting menu or the 4 course. Finally went ahead with the 4 course menu. Appetiser - chestnut soup with an freshly baked onion brioche bread: the perfect warm start to a cold winter. The soft pieces of chestnuts would slightly melt in our mouth before softly biting into them. - feta cheese mousse: the creamy texture of the mousse paired with the most beautiful crunchy texture of the walnut and the sweetness from the beetroot at the bottom was a party in the mouth! First main - cured salmon with Atlantic crab: the sweetness and freshness from both the seafood was simply amazing! With the slight tinge of sourness from the cheryblossom dressing really gave it the oomph factor! - cured duck breast with marinated foie gras: the duck breast was sliced so thinly and was really good. The smoked taste from the duck complemented the soft emulsifying foie gras. Though I felt the dish was overwhelmed with the nuts and was rather a heavy dish for a first main! Second main - venison: the best dish for the night. Seared beautifully on the sides and topped with a pinch of salt. Over a bed of wonderfully cooked and seasoned cabbage. Rustic taste of the venison paired so beautifully with the elderberry sauce to add sweetness to it. - halibut: the fish itself was crispy on the outside. The mushrooms were definitely the star in my opinion! Succulent mushrooms together with the shrimps to add that flavour to the fish. Both main came together with a side of creamy mashed potato infused with mushroom and a slight truffle. It was the best mashed potato I ever had! The other side was just broiled potatoes which was slightly less amazing since the mashed potato was already so good! Desserts - milk ice cream: the meringue drizzled with honey was really good. The honey itself was the star of the dish. It went really well with the milky ice cream. With the additional texture of the meringue - potato pain Perdue: warm "bread-like" toast with milky ice cream and toasted oats. I really like the play of texture. The sweetness was then contrasted with the buttermilk around the plate. A really good dinner set meal for €70/pp! I thought it's amazing! P.S. Do book at least a month in advance! The place was packed and I booked it about 5 weeks in advance. Was also greeted very warmly by the chef himself during dinner. He's really friendly! :) read more

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We were visiting Ireland/Dublin over my birthday and after reading a Food and Wine magazine article where Chef Cathal Armstrong (http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/dublin-restaurants-cathal-armstrong)advised Chapter One was one of the best in Dublin for fine dining, I decided this would be the perfect spot for my birthday dinner. I called a little too late to get a dinner reservation, but was able to book the pre-fixe theater menu dinner for Friday 9/11. My husband and I visited the Writer's Museum located above the restaurant prior to dinner, which was an interesting Upon entering the restaurant we were greeted warmly and taken directly to our table despite being a bit early. They also kindly checked our "brolly" so we did not have to worry about a wet umbrella at the table. The restaurant was beautiful with dark gray walls and clean white décor. We were seated in a nice corner table and immediately provided with bread (I LOVE BREAD! Always a bonus and Ireland had the best bread and butter ever!) from the bread cart. Our drink and food orders were taken promptly and the meal was nicely paced despite the 5:30-7:30pm window for the theater pre-fixe. We did not feel rushed at all. Below is what we had and I can honestly say it was my favorite meal in Dublin, if not one of my favorite meals EVER. I highly recommend Chapter One to anyone looking for a lovely fine dining experience! Sean: Beverage: Jameson, neat. 1st Course: Irish pea soup, fricassee of fresh peas with smoked rapeseed oil 2nd Course: Achill mountain lamb with broad beans and salt baked celeriac, Madeira sauce with caper flowers Dessert: Irish sourdough cheesecake with muscatel gel, malt ice cream and rye tuille Mary: Beverage: Fatalone, Primitivo, Gioia del Colle DOCG 2010 1st Course: Terrine of rabbit with apple puree, beluga lentils with mustard and hazelnut dressing, onion bread crouton 2nd Course: Loin of rare breed pork with pata negra crust, creamed cabbage, fricassee of vegetables and smoked buttermilk mash Dessert: supplemental cheese plate consisting of: +Cashel Blue Produced by Jane and Louis Grubb, Cashel, Co.Tipperary (A cow's milk blue with a pleasant firm and cream edge, and mouth-watering tanginess) +Coolea Produced by Dick Willems, Coolea, Macroom, Co Cork (Pasteurised Cow's milk, classic Gouda style cheese, almost toffee like flavour and crystalline consistency) +Hegarty's Cheddar, Whitechurch Co Cork (Traditional cloth bound cheddar, a distinct earthy flavour and a pleasant crumbly texture) read more

Chapter One - Achill mountain lamb with broad beans and salt baked celeriac, Madeira sauce with caper flowers - French Near Me - Dublin, D

We had dinner here a few weeks ago to send off a friend who is moving away. As it was one of his last meals in Dublin he booked us in at the Chef's Table. We arrived at our reservation time and started with martinis before settling in at our kitchen (-adjacent) table. Our service cannot be faulted. We loved our server and the chef came by to explain the majority of our courses in advance. The standout courses for me were the brioche, smoked haddock, and the chocolate dessert with salted butter ice cream. The Japanese pearl tapioca, pig's tail and the dry aged lamb were also pretty good. The dishes I would not want to repeat were the cured mackerel and the veal terrine. The wine pairing was a great option as they had a nice variety and we received generous pours. Our overall experience was a good one but there are so many amazing restaurants in Dublin that I probably won't come running back too soon. read more

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Great food, great service. This one-star michelin star restarant used to be the home of Jameson, and definitely worth checking out if you are in town. We came for dinner on a thursday night without reservation and were promptly seated. We had the 3 course pre-theater dinner for EUR 37.50, which was not bad at all. read more

Chapter One - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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This is the best restaurant in Dublin. I love everything. The decor, the staff, the food, the wine, the chef. If you want a memorable dining experience of contemporary Irish food then this is the place to go. The lunch tasting menu is a steal at €55 and it would be a sin not to add on matching wines for around €40. Thoroughly recommend! read more

Chapter One - Note to my nephew in his cook book from the head chef/patron. - French Near Me - Dublin, D

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Never in my life have I had a better dinning experience. It is not just the fabulous food but the welcome, the way you are received like part of a family and even the one to one time with the head chef. If you managed to get a booking, do not hesitate. It is an unmissable experience. read more

My friend was coming to town and demanded a Michelin star restaurant experience. While many were booked until next year, Chapter One had availability for lunch. We got 5 star treatment as soon as we walked in. The restaurant is beautiful, and not stuffy. But it's a brilliant step up from most restaurants in town. We had the set menu with wine tastings, which was seven courses and 5 glasses of wine. We left feeling full and very happy. The food is quite delicate but a bold and refreshing take on Irish ingredients. The Chef was kind enough to stop by our table for a chat. Our servers were quite knowledgeable and skilled. Overall, we had a wonderful experience and I'd go back. read more

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My partner, child and I had the lunch tasting menu here in April 2015. And we had a great meal (even the little one!) Our waiter explained every single dish to us, and patiently answered my numerous questions. My wife and I particularly enjoyed the Japanese pearl tapioca, Mulloy's smoked haddock & Atlantic scallop; I quite enjoyed the poached rhubarb as well. The wines went well with the dishes, and I couldn't fault anything. In fact, we recommended this place without reservation to a couple who was visiting Dublin. Overall, excellent value for a lunch with wines. Highly recommended. read more

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The Birth of a Legend. I will start this review by saying that I am not going to mention the food, the décor or indeed the service! I have eaten here before and was as impressed as the other reviewers. They have said it all, and my humble mumbles would end up as tiresome repetition of their already ringing endorsements. However, I will tell you a story which has become a modern day urban legend. But is it an urban legend? Is it indeed an urban myth? Or is it an undeniable truth? That is for you to decide. It started when two 'ladies who lunch' type ladies went for dinner to Chapter One. Let's call them Ailish & Aoife. They were seated and proceeded to order their meal from a 'fabulous' staff member. Shortly thereafter Ailish spotted a certain Mr Bono arriving with his entourage. 'Look, it's yer man Bono' 'Bloody Nora' expleted Aoife. 'Go on, ask him for his autograph?' 'Are You joking? In a place like this?' Ailish decided that it wasn't the 'done' thing and both of them continued to devour their meal. They had just finished their splendid main course when Aoife decided she was gummin' for a smoke. Out she went, and upon lighting up was joined by one Bono's dining partners who was also out for a puff. Aoife decided to go for it. 'Listen, I don't want to be rude but I couldn't help noticing that you were sitting at Bono's table. And, I was wondering if there is any chance you could get me his autograph?' 'Sure' says the guy with a grin. He stubs out his smoke and heads back inside. The rest of their meal was taken up by scandal ridden conversation interspersed with mouth watering morsels, gooseberry laden antipodean wine and the odd furtive look in the direction of Bono's table. They had just ordered their Bailey's coffees when Bono's party upped and proceeded to leave. As they passed by the 'smoking' chap placed a bit of paper on the ladies table. 'Bono's autograph, as requested' he said with a smile and headed out after his dining mates. 'It worked!' erupted Aoife with an inappropriately high squeal. What a truly wonderful night they had had and the autograph really was the icing on the cake. They called for the bill but were told that their meal and drinks had already been paid for. 'I don't belieeeeeve it' screamed Ailish. 'Bono has paid our bill'. 'Well actually no' replied the waiter to the dumbfounded duo. 'It was Bono's dinner guest - Mr Springsteen who paid it for you!' Now, whether this is an urban myth or an urban legend matters not a jot. The key thing is, that Chapter One has become the biword for an exceptional dining experience. And the fact that it is talked about so readily by people who have never been lucky enough to dine there, really does make it a true blue, dyed in the wool, fully paid up, card carrying, modern day - Urban Legend! read more

This is a difficult review to write, as it is very hard to compare Chapter One with other restaurants, so I'm going to give some context. I have eaten in Patrick Guilbauds, L'Ecrivian and Wilde at the Westbury, plus some other fine dining establishments on my travels. So I would firstly say that in Dublin Guibauds is the best I've been too, Wilde is the best value by a long shot and L'Ecrivian would take the best all-rounder medal. So where does that leave Chapter One? Read on... This is an aoutstanding restaurant and they have also trimmed their food prices somewhat. But judging on the service/food we received I would not say they have skimped on either. The greeting we got was great, made us feel really welcome/wanted, and it was never imposing. There are a few choices of menus, the 4-course dinner, the tasting and the vegetarian (which is really just items from the other menus). We opted for the 4 course dinner menu which has a decent choice, but be warned you don't always get what you expect; i ordered a taste of tomato salad and damsons (with various other items in the title I can't remember), but I got a soft tomatoe/basil infused jelly, with very small pieces of tomato and dried damsons on top. It was however very, very yum! All the rest of the food was excellent, with 2 exceptions, my mash wasn't great (slightly over worked) and my wife's rib of beef was not seasoned. The coffee/tea comes with an amazing array of chocolates and cakes..., happy faces all around! Guys, this is worth a try and I would recommend the Irish Coffee to finish your meal, well worth it! However careful on the wine, as it runs up your bill somewhat :) I had this in as 4 stars, but I've just read through my review and changed it to 5.........joint marks with L'Ecrivian. read more

This is my hundredth review, so it had to be somewhere special- and Chapter One definitely gets high marks for special. The three-course pre-theatre dinner menu will only set you back €37.50 (an even €40 with tea/coffee. And thank God they don't count that as one of the three included courses, as so many other restaurants do!) This is disgustingly affordable considering the calibre of service and the experience you will have. Coats whisked away, shown to our table, offered drinks to start, given menus, and discussed wines with that many different specialists. You feel like you've been made king/queen for the evening. Play along, it's really great fun. The pre-theatre menu's limited to four items in each course but it's still hard to choose with so many gorgeous options. I recommend starting with the feta mousse - there were so many flavours to combine that I'm not sure I ever got them all in one bite. Presentation was so stunning I wanted to take a photo... but didn't, for fear of being impolite. BF had the cured trout and liked it. For mains he had the daube of beef while I chose the blanquette of veal. Very tasty, but I wasn't as blown away as I had been by the starter. Portions were normal-person-sized, as opposed to other Michelin-starred places where you might get three bites' worth per course! By dessert we were both on the far side of full as well as dazzled by the first two courses. I do remember that the apple financier was a kind of cake and came with white chocolate-coated creme brulee ice cream (heaven) and salted caramel on the side, while his mousse-jelly-honeycomb-more mousse-ice cream layered dessert also got raves. Our service was consistently polite, quick and attentive, and the courses come out faster than in many restaurants with lower expectations. One downside is that vegetarian options are limited to one dish per course (except, presumably, the desserts, which aren't mentioned in the "vegetarian menu" on the website). End of the story: Put on that dress, the one you never wear for fear of being overdressed, and let yourself feel fancy for the evening. Go back often; the menu changes with the seasons. read more

Ya know, with Dublin prices being what they are, I think the lunch pricing, 30 Euro for three tongue-tantalizing courses, is a great excuse to splurge a bit on your tastebuds. Take the opportunity to experiment with flavors that you can only find at places like this, and experience the Michelin Star for yourself. I went out of my comfort zone with an Ox Tongue and fried lamb sweetbread starter (OMFG), had the pheasant main and finished with a generously sized chocolate mousse confection, which kept changing textures as I ate my way through it. The wine selection was broad enough to have good choices and there were some reasonable bottles on offer. And some high end ones if you're really going in for the treat. All the staff seemed to enjoy their jobs, and the relaxed manners that they all demonstrated didn't seem like the "gosh we're so hip we're cool" posing that one sees often in places like this. Bottom Line-Did I say tongue tantalizing? I meant tantalizing tongue... read more

Chapter One is rated the number one restaurant in Dublin in various publications, and Michelin starred, so we made it a point to dine there as our "special meal" while touring around Dublin. I was happy to secure a reservation on a Tuesday evening for their pre-theatre menu which is frankly value-priced at €36.50 and served for a 5:30pm seating. Chapter One's main dinner menu is served after 7:30pm and priced at €70.00 (you get one more course than during pre-theatre), so compare the two and the choice is clear. Everything at Chapter One was excellent, from the doting but approachable service, to the delightfully presented plates and the generous portions. The three-course pre-theatre menu had terrific offerings and I enjoyed the curry butternut squash soup and the veal, both of which were prepared and presented with flair. The emphasis at Chapter One is on locally and sustainably sourced ingredients which is not obnoxiously flouted, but still a nice concept to support. The atmosphere at Chapter One is delightfully unfussy. It's not a pub, but it's also not the kind of you place you feel like you can't laugh out loud. The dining room is plain in its décor but tasteful, and again, the staff were exceptional. The wine and cocktail list is extensive, and the wines can delve into the "astronomical" territory, price-wise, but there are a few affordable options. We found it satisfactory to have a martini to start, and did wine by the glass. Overall, Chapter One is a fine option for a very elevated meal in Dublin if you're looking for a special night out while in town! read more

Chapter One - what an experience! I was over in Dublin for work and in an attempt to break up the lonely nights, I decided to take myself out to a nice restaurant. Nice is sort of an understatement. Firstly, the welcome received was so warm. At first I thought this might be because I was dining solo but it turns out they are that kind to everyone. The departure was just as impressive but I'll get to that later... I did the pre-theatre menu which, at 30 something euros for 3 courses, is a bargain. I had a sweet corn soup which showcased the intense sweetness of the corn but was then cut with these delightful parmesan raviolis - their saltiness and pungency contrasted perfectly with the sweetness. The main event was the duck. This perfectly cooked piece of poultry was surrounded by different flavour explosions - everything from the sesame seeded pumpkin, to the flash fried kale, to the best potatoes I've ever had. Harmony, synergy, how many other synonyms are there for that? Finally, to round off the evening I had the cheese plate. What I loved about this was that you got a cheese menu and could choose 3! This was great because I'm not a big blue cheese lover and inevitably, whenever I do get a cheese plate, it comes stacked with my least favourites. The maitre'd brought me over the house cook book (which, it turns out is available for purchase). It only took a few flips through the pages to 1) appreciate the massive amount of work that goes into each meal. Round that off with a quick look at the kitchen and meeting Mr. Michelin star himself, it was a fabulous end to a great meal! read more

Stellar Irish coffee!!! Great meal, excellent service... But seriously... Go just for the Irish coffee - simply amazing!! They make it right at your table. Check it out!!! read more

Chapter One - French Near Me - Dublin, D

Yes, the Irish coffee is a show -- but is entirely unnecessary. Save a little money over dinner, and maybe get to dine here sooner -- order the lunch tasting menu. You will leave impressed, satisfied and if your experience is anything like ours was, really amazed at what a team of 14 chefs can do at lunchtime. I've been to my share of four- and five-star restaurants in the US and elsewhere, but this was one of the best lunchtime tasting menus I've ever experienced. It was innovative without being over-the-top weird, and delicious. And it's a beautiful place to dine, chat and people-watch for a couple of hours in the middle of a day. Almost worth a return trip to Dublin just to go back! :-) read more

It's as famous restaurant as you'll get in these parts, and its reputation goes before it for excellent food a la serieuse. So undoubtedly you come to it with the bar set high. It fell down for me on a couple of levels. The food lacked wow all round. The vegetarian option isn't worth talking about, as is so often the case in French restaurants - it's not traditionally a part of French cuisine as a main dish so perhaps it makes sense. Then again, in this day and age, surely it's time to get over it? That was my companion's dish - I had fish, but again, it was middle of the road. And had that sad dearth of potato accompaniment that makes your tummy feel glum - a tasty croquette but, man, I need more than a mouthful! I prefer a lower key style of maitre d-ing - this is very front and centre. There was quite a bit of regaling our medium-sized party with guests from overseas with anecdotes, and the performance felt a bit too intrusive at times. We were going to be fixing up a hefty bill and a silly debacle over cheeses at the end (one of our party didn't want dessert, wanted to taste some cheeses but not a big cheese board which was around 35 quid) brought the whole experience down. There are times when exceptions should be made to avoid fuss, even if the fuss occurs later in the kitchen. I do not doubt that Chapter One has earned its reputation of excellence, and has worked hard to maintain it over many years. I don't knock for the sake of it - and things that I might not have enjoyed could lift the experience for someone else, especially perhaps a tourist eager to sample the delights of ebullient Irish hospitality. If the food had wowed, no doubt I would feel very different - for you come somewhere like this not to have a nice meal, but to be bowled over. It wasn't there. Maybe it was a bad night. read more

Chapter One is without a doubt the best restaurant in Dublin if you are looking for somewhere special. The food is incredible but most importantly it lacks the snooty atmosphere that seems mandatory with every other Michelin star restaurant. For a special occasion four of us went and experienced the tasting menu which was a six course extravaganza of the best food you will ever taste from sea trout and scallops served with mandarin to a magical chocolate souffle which disappeared in your mouth. A carefully chosen wine was served with each course and while the portions are small you will struggle to walk out of the restaurant. Though not cheap at about €80 per head for 6 courses incl wine, this is definitely my number one choice now for any special occasions and for the tasting menu I would recommend going with a group as the food is so good you it will be the topic of conversation all night! read more

In a word, service. We did a pre-theater dinner because we were, well, pre-theater. They asked if we had our tickets and when we said that we still needed to pick them up, they went and got the tickets for us. Really? The staff were relaxed and very fun. The food is French yet the staff are so very pleasantly Irish. How refreshing. And I think they had the same number of staff as guests on a busy night! The restaurant has a small, cozy feel. The food?, oh yeah, it was 5 star. Drinks? The same, 5 star. This is a must for visitors and Dubliners alike. Best. read more