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Dakota Bar

3.2 (100 reviews)
ModerateCocktail Bars, Irish
Open • 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

Dakota Bar Photos

DAKOTA BAR ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Classy
Casual
Moderate noise
Outdoor seating

Recommended Reviews - Dakota Bar

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Reviews With Photos

William G.

Great! Service was good! Place was busy! Pasta dish was excellent! The beer was fresh. Lots to see sitting out front in the patio. Will go back for the pasta again.

The Dakota in Dublin, Ireland

I guess in general the reviews influenced my opinion on whether to have dinner there ... the restaurant looks like it would be a beautiful place for dinner. But, I arrived at 6pm and there is not a soul there ... I choose to visit another local restaurant ( it was busy). After my dinner at 9:30 pm ... I decided to walked back by The Dakota and still almost nobody was inside.... So, I'm not sure what the real issue might be at this restaurant.... But when you walk by many other restaurants in the neighborhood and they are busy and The Dakota is not! It's not a good sign of something! Too bad the staff seemed nice and the restaurant looked clean & Beautiful inside!

Fish and Chips and nachos
Syyu C.

I was looking for a place for a quick, inexpensive lunch on a Tuesday while in Dublin- so the 2 Course Lunch Special for €9.95 at Dakota Bar caught my eye. Since then, I regretted eating here, as I thought it was the meal was complete waste during my short time in Dublin, as both the food and service were below expectations. On the lunch menu - you have either a choice of Soup, Chicken Wings, Beef Tacos, Hummus, or Nachos as starters, and for the Main Course - there's the choice of a Chicken Wrap, Beef Burger, Goat's Cheese Tart, and Fish & Chips. The menu was completely limited and there were barely any choices. Absolutely none of the options appealed to me, but I already sat down and it would have been rude to get up. I ordered the Fish and Chips, as well as the nachos, and both were bland, oily, and unappealing. My boyfriend had the Beef Burger and chicken burgers, and there was nothing good about the food. On top of that, the service was slow and inattentive - to get a waitress was impossible. What a poor choice in restaurant - I would advise to avoid this place if you are looking for a good dining experience in Dublin. Would not go back again.

Jameson + Ginger pale ale and Sierra Nevada :)
Galadrielle H.

As we came back from a museum, my other half and I decided to go for drink in Dakota. 1* For the staff: They were really nice, all of them. It was a warm Sunday afternoon or maybe they had a raise... We will never know. 1* For the service: It was super fast! Like really fast, and the place was actually busy. Not too much but ok busy. That's nice surprise. It shouldn't be because it's a basic customer satisfaction point. But these days service tends to take so long it has to be noticed when things go well! 1* For the drinks: I had a glass of Jameson with ginger ale and my beau had a pint of Smithicks. Noice! 1* For the place: On a Saturday night this place would be crazy packed. On a Sunday afternoon, it is back to normal with a fresh crowd - who probably didn't party the night before - brunching away and enjoying the last bits of the weekend. 1* For the experience: I am happy we decided to go there. This was a relaxing moment and it convinced that Dakota is a hot spot for a lazy Sunday. I will definitely keep it in mind for next time! Let me know what you think and I will get back to you asap. Have a lovely day :)

Jo M.

Ooooh try the dessert! Yum yum! For a fiver you can choose from sticky toffee pudding, chocolate brownie, some crazy raspberry cream concoction, apple and blackberry crumble and I'm sure there's something else I've missed. I took a bunch of Canadians here the other night and they loved it. The desserts were amazing (although very sickly sweet - I would opt to share in future, but that's just me!) They did say though that this bar could be 'anywhere' - they didn't feel like they were in Dublin anymore. A good or a bad thing, depending on your outlook, I guess?

Alexandra M.

Once one of my regular watering holes back when I worked on South William Street, nowadays I don't go half as much as I should. There's a sense of elegance when you walk in. The decor is classy with its long dark wooden tables, dim lighting and leather booths. Candles and flowers add to the ambiance as well. This atmosphere draws in an upper class clientele like the people who live in D4. During the day, it can be quite quiet and the ideal spot to read the newspaper or chat with the barman. Dakota has a lunch menu but it's a bit pricey. At night, the pub fills up and it becomes the place to meet friends for drinks after a day at the office.

Goats cheese salad
Ellen S.

I like to come here once in a while on weekdays because they have very comfy couches and it's reasonably quiet! I love to just sink into one of those soft big sofa's and chill with a bevvie and some food (the chicken wings here are to-die-for!) On the last occasion, I decided to opt for something else than the wings (how adventurous right!). Their menu is actually quite okay and has plenty of healthy options. My seafood chowder was not haute cuisine, but did the trick (still my hunger). The service was a bit scattered really. Also the table was greasy and sticky. I asked the waitress if she could clean it...and even though she gave it a wipe, the table remained very sticky. EW!

Kate M.

I had my birthday in Dakota earlier this year. My brother, my sister's fiancée and I were all celebrating it around the same time so we decide to have a joint bash. We booked two tables in Dakota and organised a couple of platters. There was no charge for the booking but I thought the platters were only ok and way overpriced. My sister organised a cake and they were very courteous about letting us bring it in and picking it up the next day. I go here every now and again for drinks and I always like it. It's never too busy and the bottles of wine are really cheap. Love that!

Qype User (RedDev…)

One of my regular stop offs on a night out. Can be entered on either street as the bar runs between 2 (St William Street and Drury St). Great mix of music. Dublin prices for drink but no shock there. Usually a good mix of young and older in the crowd. Open plan so pick the right spot and you can view a good section of the bar if you're trying to catch somebodies eye.... Bar along one side only but fast friendly staff. Toilets downstairs and smoking at either entrance.

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11 years ago

Great atmosphere and wide open space - a nice change from other pubs. Prices were comparable to surrounding cocktail lounges.

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11 years ago

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18 years ago

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10 years ago

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15 years ago

Overpriced, and very slow service. The only positive thing going on for this place is the location.

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10 years ago

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13 years ago

I paid €14.90 for a Pint of Heineken and a Barcardi and coke on Friday night......Thats expensive. Its a pitty cause I do like the bar.

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Dakota Bar Reviews in Other Languages

Review Highlights - Dakota Bar

“The bartenders and wait staff were very sweet and welcoming.”

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Vintage Cocktail Club V.C.C - Menu art

Vintage Cocktail Club V.C.C

4.4(241 reviews)
0.3 km•Temple Bar
•€€€

4.5 STARS Date:…read moreMonday, June 22nd, 2026 Time: around 10pm Party of: 4 *Weathered Storm (€16) *Wee Dream (€16) *The Cobblestone (€17) *Se 'ye T'amaro (€17) *Service Charge (€6.60) Last stop on an evening bar crawl of sorts. Nice since this wasn't too far from our hotel. Setup is kinda disconnected. Lots of floors with different vibes. We were on a chill floor with plush seating. Can't remember if we were the only people on this floor, but we could hear the party going on upstairs. Kinda made me want to be a part of it. Lol! Three of the cocktails were dark and stiff, so definitely my type of drink. We walked in with no problem. I think the hubby read up on how to get in. But like most hidden speakeasies, just find the nondescript door. In this case, it's just a grey metal door with stickers spelling VCC. Fun last stop of the night. REVIEW #4118

Extensive menu of cocktails and bites and while not bad it was also not super memorable. The…read moreservice was good however. Inside are three floors of cozy cocktail lounges with antiques, art, and decor to match the name. The dim lighting added to its speakeasy vibe. Good for relaxing compared to the noisy bars nearby. Located in the middle of an alley - look for a plain metallic door with the letters VCC and ring the doorbell. A reservation is highly suggested though our small group did a walk-in.

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Vintage Cocktail Club V.C.C - You've arrived

You've arrived

Vintage Cocktail Club V.C.C - Menu art

Menu art

Vintage Cocktail Club V.C.C - Cobblestone cocktail

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Cobblestone cocktail

The Blind Pig Speakeasy - Bar area

The Blind Pig Speakeasy

4.2(97 reviews)
0.2 km•South Inner City
•€€€

A cozy speakeasy hidden away beneath an unassuming Italian restaurant serving bespoke cocktails,…read moresmall plates, pastas and more. It's a pretty small place and it feels very hidden so making a reservation is probably a good idea. How it works: walk downstairs (look for the neon sign that says "sshhh!") and GENTLY press the pig head on your left at the bottom to open the secret door. Our server was a gem and helped us navigate the extensive craft cocktail menu-I LOVED THE "breakfast of champions " and my wife enjoyed the noonin which was a bit of a riff on a margarita. We started with the creamy burratta with grilled pears and bread-heavenly and so fresh. For mains I got the pasta with beef and onions(yum!), but the standout was the braised short ribs with creamy mashed potatoes-amazing! -and at €30 a fantastic value. In fact everything was very reasonably priced and cocktails were only €15 each. Out entire bill was just €120-at least 50% less than a comparable meal at a quality restaurant in the US. Highly recommended (shhh!)

Date: Monday, June 22nd, 2026 Time: around 7:45pm…read moreParty of: 4 *Nonin (€15) *Attache (€15) *DCI Swanson (€15) *Shin Kicker (€15) It was our first day in Dublin and we just finished a whiskey tasting. What to do after that? Our answer was to hit a cocktail bar. We didn't have a reservation, but they told us if we were quick (like an hour or less), we could be seated. (They had a rez afterwards.) We only wanted a round, so that was fine by us. I was on a refreshing cocktail kick so I got the noinin. On the menu it was listed as "Dublin's Best Margarita 2018" so I had to try. It was what I was craving. Slightly tart, not too sweet, etc. Tho I prefer a lil more spirit forward. But it was a good drink to have after pours of whiskey earlier. Vibe is boisterous. Decor is a little cave like. Walking thru an italian resto was in the spirit it being a speakeasy. Glad we stopped by. REVIEW #4115

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The Blind Pig Speakeasy
The Blind Pig Speakeasy - BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Malt & Pot Still Blend Irish Whiskey - BP Brown Butter Lemon Curd - Sour OJ

BREAKFAST OF CHAMPIONS Malt & Pot Still Blend Irish Whiskey - BP Brown Butter Lemon Curd - Sour OJ

The Blind Pig Speakeasy

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Capitol Lounge - Courtesy of Capitol Lounge website

Capitol Lounge

2.8(54 reviews)
0.2 km•South Inner City
•€

Capitol Bar is one of those places that you lie about the next day when, for some reason, you did…read moreend up here. Or at least that's what I do. A cocktail bar with a large selection of cheapo drinks, dimly lit and frequented by about 85% girls and 15% hopeful boys. The cocktails aren't good but they are cheap. A fiver buys you an Irish Mule (Jameson, ginger and lime) or even a mojito, for 6 Euro you can get a passion fruit margarita. None of the cocktails taste the way they should but they come in big glasses and the night is young. So is the average age, clearly attracted by the prices. In fairness, what they do, they do well: there are plenty drink specials like 2 for 7euro on Tuesdays, plenty of comfy seats, a separate bar that serves only shots (all a fiver), the venue is clean, there are plenty toilets and the staff is alright. If you don't mind the terrible hangover caused by too much sugar in your drink and too many different kinds of booze or you are young enough to handle that sort of thing, try Capitol Bar. My only advice is to stay clear of the ones that you haven't heard of before and you should be ok.

My sore head today is a reflection of this place's cheap cocktails. 5 euros a pop before midnight,…read moreyou can't beat that! Great cocktail menu, the bartender I dealt with was charming, he even deviated from the menu to do my favourite cocktail. It's moderately sized, interior is modern, comfy couches. Music is chart, the DJ was abit too volume happy so we had to shout to talk and then we gave up and just focused on drinking the cocktails. At one point I thought I was at convention celebrating the show Sex & The City which then shifted to me thinking I was in a lesbian bar. It was thronged with well done up young women and hardly any men. Boys if you want to score a chick, this is the place for you! Girls if you want to score a chick this also is the place for you but in a very Sex & The City hook up kinda way, that is they will be straight again the next morning. The only reason why I am giving it three stars is that it would not be my scene and the music is too loud but it's a great place to pre-game it with some cheap well made cocktails before hitting another spot.

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Capitol Lounge
Capitol Lounge - Courtesy of Capitol Lounge website

Courtesy of Capitol Lounge website

Capitol Lounge - Large choice of cocktails!

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Large choice of cocktails!

9 Below Bar - Behind the bar

9 Below Bar

4.6(9 reviews)
0.3 km•South Inner City

And down below, in the basement of the former Stephen's Green Hibernian Club, built in 1756, where…read moremost of the interior is historically protected, is where the alchemical magic happens. A team passionate & dedicated about creating delectable flavor profiles that are unforgettable The space is luxuriously moody, openly intimate & comforting chic as it presents itself successfully on so many various levels. The cocktails, think art in a glass. Many pre-batched for flavor profile consistency with their syrups made in-house. I will yearn for their Mirage 9Below- their riff on an Old Fashioned-probably forever. And their terrific staff! Real standouts in the industry. A special shout out to one of their masters behind the bar, Connor; easily the best barman in Dublin...maybe the world.

Stunning 5/5! We…read morefirst arrived at 9 Below on a Sunday evening with no reservation. The kind host let us know right away that without a reservation, we were out of luck. The entire joint was booked out, including the bar seats. Disappointed, we left & found another cocktail bar within walking distance. Out of curiosity, we checked out the 9 Below Open Table, & saw that there was availability in just over an hour. We decided to book 2 spots & wait it out. When we returned, the host remembered us & remembered that we prefer to sit at the bar. They showed us to our reserved spots - at the bar! We first admired the interior. Underground! Somehow low-lit, archaic, well-lit, & modern, all at the same time. Lively but not noisy pop music was playing - Dua Lipa, etc. The actual physical menu was so cool. It was a beautifully designed picture-book inspired menu, with each cocktail having its own separate & artful page. I'm looking back on the menu & I think the drink I ordered was "Fight Club" (Don Julio Blanco, mango, Falernum, camomile, lemon, & sugar) & it was phenomenal. The bartender scorched a hot pepper & carefully placed it on top, which MADE the drink. He also made my partner a Paper Plane with Scotch. Delicious. Speaking of the bartender, he was a real champion. Such a nice guy with a bit of flair to his style of bartending. We really enjoyed chit chatting with him. It also seemed like the staff really vibed with each other & everyone was having a good time. Great atmosphere. The next time we're back in Dublin we will definitely be back to 9 Below Bar.

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9 Below Bar
9 Below Bar - Clarified cocktail

Clarified cocktail

9 Below Bar - Clarified cocktail

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Clarified cocktail

The Library Bar - What a Christmas scene :)

The Library Bar

4.0(64 reviews)
0.1 km•South Inner City
•€€

Such a nice relaxing atmosphere here. Really comfy chairs and nice cocktails. The wine isn't bad…read morealso with the price being similar to most. Nice to see some of the city from above. Never noticed how pretty the red brick building that houses dunnes stores is so that was a bonus. A hen party came in later so was glad it was an afternoon drinkies for us.

This is a nice little place that you wish less people know about so you could enjoy it more often…read more There is not a whole lot of seating and it's really a gamble when you show up if you'll get the chance to stay. Though, I can't fault them on that because their seating is all oversized, comfy armchairs that you just sink into, so that is a sacrifice I can appreciate. But again: often crowded. There is a fireplace and vintage furniture, makes for a great atmosphere when you want a quiet drink, though it can get pretty loud because it's often full. They do have a nice selection of drinks though it's not as huge as some bars, but it's a nice place for a Port or Whiskey. I am a little put off by the staff, but it depends on who's there. Sometimes they're fine, not going out of their way to be nice, but decent. Though, one particular bartender is... tactless and comes off rude. Ordering from her is off putting because she doesn't really listen or answer your questions. It's too bad because when we come in and see that she's working the bar it kind of puts you off. It doesn't stop us though because we love the ambience and cozy feel to this place. Definitely somewhere you'd bring people visiting because the style and mood is hard to match.

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The Library Bar
The Library Bar - Nice bar

Nice bar

The Library Bar

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No Name Bar - Interior

No Name Bar

3.7(88 reviews)
0.1 km•South Inner City
•€€

Highly recommend visiting if you're in the area. This bar is nicely tucked away from a lot of the…read moretourist destination bars. Look out for the entrance or you might miss it! Great for both beer and cocktails. Watching the bartenders craft drinks was an art form. Service was attentive as well. Lots of great seating, both indoor and outdoor. We opted to sit outdoors on a mild November night which ended up being a really nice experience. It was pretty busy even on a Sunday night. If you're in the area, definitely add No Name Bar to your list!

This place goes by two names, depending on if you are looking at Google Maps, or on Yelp. Google…read moreMaps calls it "The Bar With No Name" (and so do it's proprietors in the hotel above). But Yelp calls it "No Name Bar." Late at night, this is the place to be. The music is loud, the place is hoppin', and everyone is movin' and groovin'. It's LOADS of fun, I can't express that enough - but it DOES get packed! If you are staying in Kelly's Hotel up above it, you MUST visit at least once to see what all the fuss is and why your hotel room is rattling until 2 or 3 in the morning. They have DJs playing every Friday and Saturday "from 10pm until late" as it's billed on their website. It's connected to the hotel, so if you are staying there, you can just head down the stairs to enter. From street level, use the entrance with the snail hanging above the black door with the address number of "3" on the door. It's so easy to walk past and not notice it. The entrance is JUST past the sidewalk patio for L'Gueuleton.

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No Name Bar
No Name Bar - Our gorgeous bartender and my lovely spanish friend, Anita...

Our gorgeous bartender and my lovely spanish friend, Anita...

No Name Bar

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The Chelsea Drugstore - But sometimes you get what you need (light dinner and a cocktail)

The Chelsea Drugstore

3.6(18 reviews)
0.1 km•South Inner City
•€€

Not a bad little place, if maybe a bit swanky for my tastes. Probably more a 3.5 if the truth be…read moreknown as the staff were really friendly - but the fairly average beer selection let this place down in my book - with myself opting for a pint of Guinness (which is never a problem in Dublin in my book!) It's actually the front of a fairly big bar in the back and you can go inbetween the two and drink in either venue, the loos are also in here and to the back. The guys I was with all enjoyed their cocktails and the music was laid back and cool - if you want a cocktail then make sure you check it out.

Swanky, sophisticated and smooth - three words that best sum up the feeling of Chelsea Drug Store!…read moreA real minimalist feel to a bar but not at all pretentious as some of these places tend to be. A group of us went here after dinner and we were treated like lords! As soon was we walked in we were treated to a bottle of tap water whomever browsed the menus. Embarrassingly I picked a Brooklyn beer to drink when there was a whole host of extravagant and elegant cocktails on offer! The bar itself was truly stunning, it was lit by candle light giving a real intimate feel, even though there were 10 of us there. It kind of felt like a secret club. Really top notch in my opinion, I wish there were more places like this in my City.

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The Chelsea Drugstore - For Rita Cocktail

For Rita Cocktail

The Chelsea Drugstore - Light & Stormy

Light & Stormy

The Chelsea Drugstore - Gin & tonic and popcorn, courtesy of TCD.

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Gin & tonic and popcorn, courtesy of TCD.

Bar Rustic - Natural afternoon light in Bar Rustic

Bar Rustic

4.5(2 reviews)
0.1 km•South Inner City
•€€

We're fans of the Rustic Stone ... sooo, when we bumped into the Bar Rustic signage on our way…read morehome, we had to take a look! And, we looked, and then we sat, and then we ordered, and then we drank and then we smiled and laughed a little bit more than we expected to in the middle of Saturday afternoon. Go on up to the second level. Grab a comfy seat in one of those black leather chairs. Order the fruity gin and tonic - it's served in a huge goblet that will have you smiling before you've taken your first sip! The vibe is actually sexy. And, the view overlooking the street is pleasing. The bartender is smooth. And, the natural light in the daytime makes this a must stop if you're up for drinking the afternoon away in a spot that's far from your standard, dime a dozen corner pub. Now this is a cool bar - Mr. McGrath is on to something! Cheers!

I've been a few times to Bar Rustic and I have brought quite a few friends along. Many of them seem…read moreto like it too. They have done a great job on it- I like the uplit bar and the brick walls. My favourite thing though are the upholstered chairs- they are lovely ! I have to say in general the staff here are very friendly too- even when its busy. I think the bar has become busier since they opened the first floor as Taste at Rustic. This has made the bar busier which is good for them. I dont like it as much though as it can take a while to get a drink. I had the Elderflower Martini tonight and it was lovely. My friends Martini with Passionfruit was a hit with him. This is a great place for a quick drink before dinner here or elsewhere.

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Bar Rustic - Fruity Gin and Tonic at Bar Rustic

Fruity Gin and Tonic at Bar Rustic

Bar Rustic - Bar Rustic

Bar Rustic

Bar Rustic - Lemongrass sidecar and salted caramel cocktails

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Lemongrass sidecar and salted caramel cocktails

Dakota Bar - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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