What a wonderful surprise! This was my first trip to Dublin from the USA and a local suggested La Cava for dinner. My first thought was "who comes to Dublin to go to a wine bar?" but my first thought was totally wrong. I absolutely loved La Cava! It's such a cozy intimate restaurant. It gave me lots of West Village (NYC) vibes. Be careful when looking for the restaurant because you can walk right by it, It's a little place right off of Grafton St. It's also located downstairs! Such a hidden gem! We did the 3-course pre-fixe. The burrata was amazing, so fresh! The service was excellent. You were given plenty of time to enjoy your food without being rushed for the next course. The duck was perfect, and the lamb was delicious. For the dessert, the creme brulee was grand. I can't think of a single bad thing to say about this restaurant. The prices were reasonable! I highly recommend having dinner here if you're in Dublin. Note, the restaurant is small, so you'll be sitting very close to other people. Personally, this didn't bother me, but some people might not love that. But be aware, that they don't accept AMEX! read more

Living in the USA I travel to Dublin as often as I can. Hadn't been here in several years because of Covid. I'm happy to say that LaCave is still as amazing as ever!! I was by myself so I sat at the bar. Just a few seats and quite cozy. Perfect!! Had the pleasure of Jon taking care of me. Started with a sparkling rose' while looking at the menu. Decided on the 2 course Prix Fixe. Chose the mussels and then the fish duo. Of course had to have wine. I honestly can't get enough of this place. Can't wait to return!! read more

See all

Fantastic wine selection and lovely staff. I arrived late and wanted to grab a bite to eat and they were great about accommodating me. I enjoyed the mussels and bread and butter. The wine was delicious and i had a hard time choosing which one I was going to try. I settled on a wine from Montepulciano. read more

See all

My wife and I felt our recent dinner at La Cave was good but uneven. Perhaps the issue is that we ordered off the early bird pre fixe menu. (We arrived at 6:15.) If you make reservations online the day of your meal, be aware the restaurant won't have your reservation. They operate on a paper basis, so it took some time for them to realize our reservation was made about five hours before our dinner. If you are being cautious during the pandemic, this may not be the place for you. We walked downstairs to find the cozy room quite crowded. Being in basement, there are no windows to open. On the night we dined, cases in Ireland were up 300% in a month, so we almost declined and exited given how close patrons were seated. Luckily, they had a room on the first floor (two flights up), so we were able to have our meal in a room with just six other diners. The early bird/pre fixe menu started well. My French onion soup was tasty and had a proper amount of cheese (and loads of onions). My wife's Baked Goats Cheese Salad with Apple, Honey and Walnuts had a great deal of cheese and was a little sparse on salad, but it was tasty. Neither of us were very happy with our main course, however. My Prime Irish Minute Steak Pepper Sauce was pretty awful--a tough piece of meat made a little better by a tasty pepper sauce. (I asked the server if she'd recommend it, and she said how great the steaks were. I would disagree.) My wife's Ravioli Spinach was better, but while the ravioli was tasty, it was swimming in a rich, oily sauce--it began to separate in her bowl, leaving an oily sheen on the surface. Dessert was better. The Warm Chocolate and Raspberry Génoise and French Cheeses were both a nice conclusion. The place is charming and quaint if a bit dated. The menu is interesting. And two of our courses were good. But, the main course was disappointing. read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - The dining room on the first floor at La Cave. - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

This place is a hidden gem in the middle of Dublin. The quaint location in the basement is just the start. The service and food were fantastic. One of the best meals we had on our trip to Ireland and Italy! Highly recommended!! read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - Lamb shank - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

See all

Delightful! Wonderful ambiance. Very small and intimate. There is an upstairs bar area that seemed fun. We had a French Sauvignon blanc, mussels, goat cheese salad and Irish steak. All were flavorful and perfect. Staff was very nice and informative. read more

See all

Wow! Such a disappointment. Once frequented this Dublin gem at least once a month, so imagine my surprise to receive Beck tickets in Dublin @ Trinity College for my 60th?!! The one restaurant I wanted to Dine during my long Dublin weekend was La Cave. I raved about this spot to my French girlfriend, whose Father was a French Chef in Brittany, worked for Marriott Corp, and then, owned his own French Bistro in the US. So...I immediately wrote an email to La Cave, requested a reservation for my 60th, and received a glorious 'Granted' reply. Initially, we reserved 'table for 2' at 7pm on Monday, 04Jul, but found ourselves running a bit tardy and had our hotel call and change to 8pm...No problem. We arrive, I was giddy w anticipation as we descended into 'La Cave' via the tiny staircase, and were led to a table next to the kitchen door...uhh, only one other table was present and about to depart?!?! So, this 60 yr old asked for another table... We started w some water and a bottle of wine and more conversation...we were glowing from Beck the night before; venue and all. The service was matter-of-fact, noun and verb. We both decided on Pre Fixe, though different selections...Anne ordered the Sea Bream over risotto and I chose my absolute favorite: Lamb Shank. Our starter was the infamous Goat Cheese salad...fantastic, both visually and edibley. Next Course, the Mains...Anne's fish entree...delicious...my Lamb...inedible...think shoe leather, bounce a Euro (heads or tails?!)...I gag Now thinking about my one and only bite!! Anne insisted I let the server know...so we waited and waited. Finally, he arrives, takes my entree back to the chef, returns (no apology!) and says there is another lamb shank but in the same condition: dry, old, say What?!? Translation: should have Never been served/left the kitchen!! I am handed a menu to select another Main, all the while Anne is finishing her entree. I order the Duck, but quite frankly, the meal was over ...couldn't erase the tasteof that rotten Lamb shank! So, had our server wrap it up for 'take away'. On to dessert....delicious creme brulee and coffee and more delightful conversation. Time to pay the Bill...I had a 60€ (did i mention my 60th!) voucher from yet another Fabulous friend, knowing I was on my way to Dublin and La Cave has Always been our Favorite...what a generous gift! Again, very little interaction except when there was a problem/frustration on how to calculate voucher...3 attempts w Manager present...and Done! 100 € later, No Apology, No Thank You's...ugh! A horrible experience and Definitely Not the La Cave I Once Loved! So sad! read more

So happy we found this place. It's located in a basement and we'd almost missed it but, once inside, we were utterly charmed. It's most definitely a favorite of the locals. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and customers, reasonable prices, and the best meal we've had in our short time in Dublin. Highly recommend! read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

Le Cavé is a great late night spot and if you haven't had the pleasure of falling down its well trodden steps in the early hours of the morning its also opening during the day and is a pretty good wine bar. Although I've never had a meal there the menu looks pretty authentically French. But your probably going to come here for the wine more then anything else, they offer 350 wines, 30 by the glass, you don't have to drink them all at one time either. They also do a late night menu(after 11) and is open till 2ish, so was always a bit of a last chance saloon. No lunch on Sunday as they don't open till 5. read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

Walking into La Cave, I felt I had time travelled to Paris circa 1970. The décor seems a bit dated, but is warm and cozy. We were seated upstairs, instead of down in the cellar and I was glad as the cellar felt a bit claustrophobic (great spot for an intimate dinner date though!) They have a special menu - which is on all evening, 2 courses for 22 euro. Very good value! It didn't have the duck on it though, and I really, really wanted the confit of duck. It was served with some lovely veggies and potato gratin. It was absolutely delicious and at a mere 16 euro I was one happy little bunny. For starter we shared a meat and cheese platter, with yummie fresh bread and butter. Their wine list is absolutely endless. I'm no wine connoisseur, but I do love my Chablis and the bottle was only 30 quid. Obviously had 2 of those. read more

See all

I feel like I'm entering the 1970's or strolling into the Moulin Rouge - Still love it though! This cosy little place (very little) is located just off Grafton Street. Although it's located centrally, it may not be the easiest to find for the first timer (It's just opposite GBK and Gotham Cafe). Typically they'll have a menu outside displaying their early bird and a la carte menus - that's how we found it! You have to walk down a stairs to reach the restaurant which is quite cosy, coloured red and has a collection of France-inspired items hung on the walls. Okay I have to say it's a little tacky and is quite dated, but the food and wine are very good. As far as I can recall, they offer a 3 course early bird for 25 euro, which is not too bad! We both had the quail for starters, venison for main and creme brulee for desert. The staff are also very nice and welcoming, which is always a good thing. read more

See all

We stumbled upon this place with the recommendation from a waiter at a cocktail bar nearby. It feels cozy and hidden away and reminded me of Paris. The wines we tasted were lovely and affordable for Dublin. The service was also great. Absolutely one of my favorite spots we visited. read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

See all

I hate writing bad reviews, but in this case there were enough issues that I think it's warranted. The lamb shank was not braised sufficiently. It was flavourful but tough. It took way more work than a well-braised shank should. (which is no work at all). The tart tartin was, I think, more like an American pie than anything a self-respecting French chef would produce. The crust was soggy and it didn't look like it was constructed like a proper tartin. It was actually a little heart breaking. In short, it was not French. read more

What a little hidden gem , I have been here a few times recently and every time is the same . The same friendly services, the same great atmosphere and of course the same delicious food , I had the goats cheese starter and the ravioli, The were mouth watering , the decor is so intimate and they have a extensive wine list , This is a one restaurant not to miss ! read more

See all

Stumbled down into the bowels of this restaurant after a long day of sight seeing in Ireland. My mate and I were staying not far and had some bubbles here and noted how authentically French the place was. I promptly made a reservation for dinner the following weekend. That Saturday night we were so excited to go, have a nice dinner, a bottle of bubbles and relax. La Cave did not disappoint! We had a lovely dinner, enjoyed at the pace of a typical French meal. As a self proclaimed Francophile, I consider myself a connoisseur of French onion soup. The French onion soup here is Le bomb! The best I've ever had. Instead of overpowering you with a hunk of unnecessary cheese, it has the perfect layer of cheese and onions and delicious broth. The chicken tarragon was so flavorful and melt in your mouth. The tartine was also authentically French. La Cave is a must if you're craving a bit of France whilst in Dublin. read more

I returned here for a meal on New Year 's Day - seeing as all other restaurants were closed. Myself and two friends wanted a girly catch up and no-where else would oblige. Thank goodness1 this turned out to be a great choice. It was snug. The decorations were cute, the atmosphere festive and they even let us move because we caught a bit of a draft from the kitchen at our table. The wine list was excellent. I was going to buy champagne but the girl behind the bar recommended a pink cava instead. It was a perfect choice. The food was delicious. I cannot get a blue steak in Dublin - I love my steak as rare as you can get. I'm used to Argentinian steak, succulent and inviting. Guess what? They cooked it rare and it was really good. Just the right size, texture and heat. My friend loved her generous swordfish steak and the lamb was extremely tender. Even the mash was lovely - I don't normally like mash! Service was lovely. The girl behind the bar is really helpful and sweet. The waiters were speedy. They couldn't remember which order was which, but in the scheme of things - that didn't matter because they were so efficient and friendly. read more

I always thought that La Cave was a very fancy place and that it had old school charm. We booked dinner here to take an agency over from the UK and it wasn't at all what I expected. Down the dark stairs into the dark restaurant, we found our table. It was a few tables put together around a couch and some chairs so we were all on different heights. A little bit funny. The atmosphere was pretty intimate too, so probably not the right choice for our work dinner. We had a mixture of meals. Mine was nice, I had lamb which was lovely. My colleague had the vegetarian pasta and it was dripping in oil. Not so good. We basically all had mixed feelings about it. The other problem was that it's pretty expensive. My lamb was €20. For this price, you'd expect something better. It's a funny spot, maybe good for couples, but a little bit hit and miss for me. read more

I am a fan of this place. It's my second time in just over a month and I have not been disappointed yet. In fact, there is such a great selection of fantastic wines at all prices that I felt that I could experiment with wines from different regions. The atmosphere is also very cozy. I love the French posters and postcards, red walls, dining area and the great smell of French cuisine coming from the kitchen. The only issue I had was the cheese plate. We were given quite a small portion for nearly 13 euro. I've had better cheese plates in other wine bars/cellars in this city. I had waited a long time to go to this place and I haven't been disappointed yet. Looking forward to returning again. read more

Well hello Paris! And all that without the hassle of flying. Me likey! An unassuming sign above the tiny entrance, narrow stairs leading to the first floor which reveals itself bathed in candlelight, dark red velvets, dark wood and just basically everything warm and dark. At the small bar, a few ladies enjoy their first glass of red before continuing on downstairs for their wine tasting evening. No one wears feathers or fascinators but neither would be out of place here. It is seriously cosy, not crowded, not too loud. I really like it. We get handed 3 kinds of menus, plus wine list. The do an early bird for 17.50Euro for 2 courses, a 2 course set menu for 19Euro (which isn't advertised on their website) and a la carte dining. They also do a fine dining a la francais for 55Euro for 5 courses. We start with mussels and goats cheese salad, both very nice. Our mains were venison veneur with mash. Sooo nice. Seriously! The wines we had (Chilean Merlot and South African Pinotage) we both pleasant and our waiter was very attentive without being too 'in-your-face'. Overall, a surprisingly great little restaurant right in the heart of Dublin! read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - venison veneur with mash - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

You can eat here on a Saturday with no hassle. The first thing you notice is a comfortable vibe and actual French music. I love foreign themed restuarants that play linguistically matching music. Something about Christine Aguilera over Pad Thai....just gets me. I was tired of looking for reasonably priced shoes when I thought I'd break protocol and eat alone. I caved at The Cave Winebar and Restaurant. I did not drink wine (boring American alert), but the service was good, the decor is unique, parisian styled, and you can tell they made an effort. I don't really go to restaurants to look at art or make an interior design judgement. Ever. Props for having real candles lit at early afternoon hours. Not electric ones. I had the goat cheese honey and apples, and the gran spinach ravioli. I will not need to eat another meal today. The salad was superb. The ravioli was filling. I also ordered an Earl Grey. The total came to about $16. I am used to Brooklyn and Manhattan prices so this was great. With all things considered, this was as a "good as it gets". They need one of these in the Queen Anne's Hotel San Francisco! (Review throwback) I was served by a Christine McVie look-a-like and other nice lady who were great service. As they say on goodreads, would read again. I would go here if: 1. I were on a first date and wanting to keep that balance between classy and quirky 2. Tired of knocking into people on that shopping stretch in the City Centre 3. Hungry and agitated by all the people and buskers on that shopping stretch in the City Centre 4. Looking to talk to people who seem to know an awful lot about wine 5. French 6. French music enthusiast and wine lover read more

Don't let the decor deter you! Yes... it's dated in a sort of pillar box red 1960s wine bar kind of way, yet the food, service and ambiance are all quite good. I found it easy to find a gluten free option for nearly all courses on the menu and found the waiting staff very attentive. The confit of duck a l'orange is sublime and the goats cheese is something to savour! With the right company, this little gem offers quite an intimate experience and might just win you over with substance over style! read more

Wow, where do i begin... To start with, coming in the door of this place is like stepping into the 1970 and the menu is about the same. Very old school, very overcrowded & a little cramped. All that said i would have formerly enjoyed an occasional glass of wine in the place with friends. Until my last visit... My fiancé got the idea to try to book us a wine tasting experience followed by a meal in the place as a birthday present for me, something that should have been relatively easy considering their website claims they have 37 wines by the glass available! He emailed to see if it was possible to book this for me & the reply he received from Rosie stated that a wine tasting was not possible for such a small group. My Fiancé responded explaining that all we required was a somewhat knowledgable member of staff who could sell us a few glasses of wine & provide a little information on each glass, to which we got a reply from Margaret saying that it WOULD be possible & to let them know when we wanted to do this wine info event. So he booked it in the next email & even got a follow up email from a third person to confirm the wine tasting & meal. We arrived in to the cellar restaurant, were shown to our seats between a coat-rack at the bar & a stairway & handed a food menu. When my fiancé explained we were there for the tasting the server said "oh i remember your email, i told you we couldn't do that". My fiancé tried to explain numerous times what conversation had occurred between him & the other staff members & the server (who i believe was Rosie) proceeded to interrupt my fiancé each time he spoke & was overall quite rude & unapologetic. She told us we could still have our meal & she would recommend a wine to suit each course but to be honest as a result of her poor attitude & the evidently awful communication by staff in the place i was no longer interested in spending our money in the establishment! I can safely say i will not darken the door of La Cave again! If i could give them a lower rating than 1 star i would! read more

Love this place! I have been there a number of times and have never been disappointed. Friendly, helpful staff and lovely food. A great selection of wines. read more

I think it's great that in an era of veganism and industrial light fittings, places like La Cave stay the course. There's cheese in everything. There's nothing Scandinavian, raw or locally-sourced about anything on the menu. You can walk in and there'll always be a table in a corner awaiting you, beneath a Flemish lamp, overseen by a French maitre de who knows his Beaujolais from his Bordeaux and his chevre from his camembert. But doesn't gloat about it. Actually, La Cave is very much like Christmas Day - jolly, predictable and unusually red. (I'd be stoked if someone brought me here on a first date. Though beware, your date may love the French waiter more than you by the end of the night.) read more

Fine dining experience! Great wine selection and desserts were great. The main entrees were over the roof good! Great atmosphere and servers were right on the whole tine! read more

Best little mussels I have had, taste clean and fresh and wine flavor, amazing! Price is not that crazy expensive either. Expect walk-in on a "unlucky" busy night ;-) read more

We've returned to La Cave a few times now and it has always been a lovely experience. Cozy atmosphere, nice wine list and wonderful food -- especially the goat cheese salad with honey and apples - divine! read more

La Cave Winebar and Restaurant - Goat cheese salad with honey and apples. Paired with Gewurtztraminer. - Wine Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

Well - this place reminds me of a cave. Dont get me wrong. It is a cozy little place. I like the simple dishes here like the bread and cheese platter with a glass of red wine or 2. I am not sure what it is. But it just hit the spot after a long day at the Dublin office. I come to this place every time I am in Dublin. read more

First things first: La Cave looks like a brothel inside. It does. It's hidden away in a basement and it's all red plush and dim lighting. Half the little room is taken up with dining tables, and there's space for drinkers around the bar. You shouldn't come here if you're not serious about your wine. It would just be rude. Their wine list's a book, and choice is excellent and reasonably varied in price. Go mid-range, and don't be afraid to go by the glass and have everyone in your group test something different. The food's really good, too. read more

A cosy atmosphere, an upstairs room to ourselves for a group of us, 3 courses of delicious French food, waitresses on hand to make sure our glasses were never empty (its byob - though with a corkage of €8 for wine , €10 for prosecco), left to enjoy the meal for as long as we wanted (didn't leave till midnight!) - somewhere I'd def return to read more

You'd never know La Cave existed without walking down its tiny staircase. It's a converted basement in the heart of Dublin's culinary district. Inside is a throwback to 1950s France; red predominates, and pictures of dead French people stare you down from the walls. The staff are friendly, but rushed - understandable, given there's two of them for ten tables and a bar. On to the important bits. La Cave's wine list is superb. I had the Fleur du Cap 2014 pinotage, and loved it. Chased the wine with house-made salmon gravlax, which remains the best fish I've had in Dublin during my year of living here. The bill for a carafe and a salad was €30 - on the upper end of reasonable, but still absolutely worth it. Conclusion: Be romantic in the cave. You won't regret it. read more

Great experience! Too bad that Dine in Dublin only lasts 1week :-(. We went for the special menu - 3course meal plus two glasses that goes well with the selected dishes. I went for a duck pate that was accompanied with glass of Pinot Gris (bit too sweet for my taste but nicely match with the sweetness of pate). My boyfriend had a French onion soup and matching Hugel Gewurtztraminer. We liked that wine so much that we went to the wine shop to find the same one. I've had Sirloin Steak for my entry and the glass of Malbec. Dish was relatively small so good combination for the 3course meal. My boyfriend had Ravioli, bit overcooked in my opinion but he enjoyed it. It was also matched with red wine. For desert we both had cream Brûlée which was nice, but somebody put too much sugar on it and it wasn't fully malted. I guess in this place the whole experience is not only about the food. It's also about the atmosphere and the service. The waiter who was looking after us was exceptionally well educated about the wines, regions and the grapes. I really enjoy the service, I'd say it was one of the best in Dublin! I will definitely come back! read more

See all

Guy from the cigar shop around the corner recommended this place to us and we are grateful. The duck pate was delicious. My lamb was outstanding and my husbands chicken in a wonderful mushroom sauce was also great. My french pino gris was crisp. We enjoyed its odd location and funky stairwell. read more

You are now entering the Twilight Zone. Expect the unexpected... I want to love Le Cave. I want it to be a great wine bar. It is the oddest place in the city. Without exception every time I go there something bizarre happens. So I only go there when in need of a late night bottle. From getting into a full on bar brawl with some drunk prick who decided to harass and abuse one of the girls in our party to being served positively warm red wine, to very lightly chilled white, to dance music so loud we sat staring at each other, to arguing with the waiter about oxidised wine, to being asked to pay before we even taste the wine, to overhearing the strangest old wino pervert types mumbling into their glasses, to randomers belly dancing or dancing on the tables to blaring middle eastern music..... They are only a few nights of the nights that I can recall. This place is whack. We got kicked out for the fight and for knocking over the stools that time but it was a great night all the same. Yes I have been loads of times, coz we could get late wine and cheese after work and because it is seedy and fun. But don't expect class. Wine is overpriced also! And the glassware is lousy but I have a soft spot for it all the same. read more

Decent 14 euro 2 course lunch. Good bistro food

A small well decorated cove, La Cave offers a selection of well prepared French classics. The two-and three course early bird options with the wine of the month make the meal quite affordable. We started with goat cheese and quail salads. Both were quite tasty. The venison was well spiced. The bream was delicate and served in a light butter sauce. Both came with a sliced mushroom garnish and choice of mash or gratin. We finished off with excellent chocolate ice cream and a perfectly done crème brûlée. I would say there are two issues with this restaurant: first, it suffers from overcrowding, and hence is also quite loud. We went there years ago and it was more enjoyable with fewer tables. Second, and I find this with many similar restaurants, the meal would be better balanced with a bit more "legume". Mushrooms don't quite cut it. Spinach or beans would be an excellent addition. Except for the dessert, this restaurant is not well suited for children. read more

Salmon was meh. Its very small like 6 tables, we had a party of five, waited only 5 minutes at 8:30pm on a Tuesday, but my colleagues had no room to move their chairs with a stairwell behind them. This restaurant was recommended by our hotel. Pricing was ok. Service so-so. Decor a-ok. Music meh. My colleagues said the wine was meh. I like there are pubs nearby and its easy to get a taxi back from here. read more

Had dinner here last night. Such good service. The two staff that were on (Lorenzo and another woman sorry didn't know her name) were amazing. So helpful. The pretheater menu is really good value. So is the dinner menu. My friend had the fillet steak and he loved it. I had the goats cheese tart to start which really good. Drank yummy pinot noir. It's cute, kitsch and cosy inside. A hidden gem just off Grafton street. Thank you guys for all the good service and food! Also good bread. read more