FX Buckley on Crow Street presents a classic steakhouse exterior: polished, inviting, and…read moreunmistakeably traditional in its presentation. This is their second location after the original FX Buckley on Pembroke Street opened in the 1980s; but the Buckley family has been serving premium cuts of Irish beef since the 1600s! The restaurant's interior leans into rich, warm tones with dark woods, leather seating, an open kitchen, and an atmosphere that feels both refined and approachable. Make sure to check out the massive dry-aging fridge in the front of the space, where scarlet-hued meats are displayed through transparent glass panes.
We made a reservation for 4 at 6:30pm on a Sunday night through OpenTable, and the restaurant was about half-full when we arrived, but filled up throughout the course of our meal. Our server immediately brought over a tray of their six cuts of meat (all 100% Irish and dry-aged for 28 days), including ribeye, striploin, filet, and variations on the bone. Additionally, there's chalkboard graphics on the wall with detailed descriptions of each cut, which was very helpful in our selection. All steaks are cooked in their signature Josper charcoal ovens, lending a lovely touch of smoky flavor.
The menu reads "classic steakhouse", with plenty of different cuts and weights of steak, refined starters, plenty of sides, and a variety of options for non-beef-eaters. We also appreciated the fact that each steak comes with your choice of one of three sides (chips, mashed potatoes, or salad), as well as your choice of sauce (bernaise, bone marrow jus, garlic butter, or pepper sauce). Additionally, all steaks on the bone are served with crispy fried onions. Their wine list is highly lauded, with bottles from all around the world, and a master in-house sommelier.
As two members of our party weren't too hungry, they split a Caesar Salad (€13) and the Free Range Chicken (€29) between them. The Caesar Salad was a fresh salad of lightly-dressed, crunchy romaine lettuce, topped with an almost snow-like shaved Parmesan, and Crowe's smoked bacon. The variety of textures and flavors made this a surprising hit. The chicken was tender and juicy, served with a rich truffle cream sauce and salted kohlrabi, as well as your choice of side (she chose the Sauteed Chestnut Mushrooms with Watercress, which were so tender that they cut like butter). While we found the portion of chicken to be a bit small, the ability to choose your own side (which are normally €7-8 on their own) was much appreciated.
My brother opted for the 22oz Ribeye on the Bone (€90), which was a hefty portion of well-marbled ribeye on a dramatic tomahawk bone. It was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, with a signature reddish-pink center, and paired nicely with their sharp Pepper Sauce. His Beef Dripping Chips were thick-cut steak fries, with a delightfully crispy exterior, and a pillowy soft interior. Lastly, the fried onions tasted like an elevated version of French's Fried Onions (bringing back memories of Thanksgiving green bean casserole).
I chose the 16oz Striploin on the Bone (€49.50) - one generally wouldn't associate the word "value" with a top-line steakhouse, yet this was truly a steal of a dish. Cooked to a perfect rare (cool red center) with a decent amount of marbling, yet still incredibly tender, this was one of the best steaks I've ever had. The bone marrow jus tasted like a rich gravy, yet not too decadent for the sumptuous steak. I chose the Organic Leaf Salad as a side, which was an assortment of mixed leaves, thin-shaved carrots and onions, and a tangy vinaigrette; I appreciated the lightness of the dressing when paired with the meat.
We were so full from our generously-portioned entrees that we couldn't fathom ordering dessert, though some of their options were quite tempting (particularly their Bailey's Espresso Cheesecake). Additionally, their Sunday Roast (€29.50) is a much more affordable way to sample some of their Irish meat, though note that it's only served between 1-4pm on Sundays. If you're in the market for a proper steakhouse experience in Dublin with quality ingredients and thoughtful execution, looking no further than FX Buckley!
