The food was excellent, service quite good. Was totally satisfied not to have one more Irish meal. A pleasant alternative!

This was my very first stop for a meal in Dublin. It was a bit busy when I came in--on a Sunday, too. However, when they got to me I was given a warm welcome and a table for one. I had the pink bruschetta, which was delicious and a more hearty portion than I expected. I'd probably share it with someone if I ever ordered it again. I also had the gnocci with seafood--clams and shrimp, in this case. Good texture on the gnocci, 4 nicely sized shrimp, and some open shell clams scattered about. After having this and the bruschetta, I was completely stuffed. The venue itself is cozy, with a bar and a couple tables on the first floor, and an upper level that I actually didn't get to see. There is also space for seating outside. To say staff was friendly is a bit of an understatement. It's a small place, but small places don't always have good service. Here, I felt like they really cared about whether I enjoyed my experience. Checking on me to see if I enjoyed each course, if I was thirsty, wanted anything additional, etc. There were two people working when I arrived, and three by the time I left. They all checked on me and were very personable. I usually don't make repeat visits when I'm out of town, but I might have to make an exception here. read more

La Dolce Vita - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

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"Gracias! Mwah mwah" The newspaper Corriere della Sera strewn on the adjacent table. The Italian flag pined to the wall. Awful Italian pop music playing - yes this place is authentic. I'm always surprised at the amount of continental Europeans in Dublin, during the course of my food a Spaniard came in and they yapped away. I was craving some Mexican breakfast but my favourite spot was closed due to Mexican festivities so by chance I stumbled into this little hole in the wall drawn in by the designer mart that happens every Saturday. The listing was not even up in Yelp! Talk about intimate and the place to bring a lover, yup got me feeling all romantic. They do breakfast till 4pm so I bastardized what ever the Italian is for poached eggs and ham, she kindly guided me through the foreign vowel sounds like one toilet trains a dog. Don't be in a rush folks. I thought - eggs & ham, very easy. Oh no, they rock out with this slab of ham leg and start cutting pieces off it, I loved the ceremony of it all. Menu is a bit too expensive for lunch/breakfast but I understand why as all the ingredients are authentic as is the execution but part of me also thinks it's competitive out there so you have to try to have more reasonable prices. The ham was amazing, salty but so flavoursome. The bread was fresh, usually I prefer a crumpet type deal for my poached eggs but this rustic version worked really well. So tasty. Oh free wi-fi too, woot! It is: eircom27625707 Password: 71a209fe5d2d read more

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La Dolce Vita - it certainly is the sweet life in this little hole in the wall off Cow's Lane in Dublin's city center. Find a seat upstairs at one of the tables for two or four. Or, if posible, see if you can score the bench in the corner - sweet! Order a glass of wine (reasonable prices) and the gorgonzola and honey toast. Heaven, my peeps. Heaven. The vibe is very cool, the peeps are casually lounging(*), and the eats are delicious. (*) couples were so comfortable and casual that there were a couple make-out sessions surrounding us which was 'interesting' to say the least... but, hey, 'when in Rome' ... or better, yet, 'when on Cow's Lane' ;) To the sweet life! read more

La Dolce Vita - La Dolce Vita - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

Lovely, cozy place I never noticed until a friend of mine suggested we go there for an evening of Italian food & music. Loved our corner seat upstairs, lovely cushions, very cute. However, as the place got busier, the warmer it got, to the point where both my friend and I used menus as fans :-) It was better when we went downstairs to listen to the live band after the meal. The door was open, music was entertaining, atmosphere was great as almost everyone in the band and the audience smiled at one another, clapped to the rhythm of the song...Very friendly! My pasta carbonara was OK, expected it to be more creamy, but I enjoyed it regardless. My friend was delighted with pasta arrabiata she ordered. Tiramisu was cold and refreshing, just what I needed :-) We had a glass of beautiful Shiraz, good chat, and great fun! I will definitely go back to this place to try other specialties and enjoy the atmosphere. read more

La Dolce Vita - Stefano, Federico & Loretta, great entertainment for the evening - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

I went here solely for a wine and a dessert and my nostrils were assaulted by so many delicious smells that I have vowed to return to try every individual main that La Dolce Vita have on their menu. I've been assured they play lovely old-timey films and the place can get very lively (and warm) at times when they run events. The tiramisu and creme brulee were both to die for and the vino glasses were generously poured, tasty and reasonable. In the word's of Former Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger: 'That was yummy!' read more

La Dolce Vita - Our amazing half-eaten desserts. - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

Came here with a group of 10 and they were able to seat us on the patio with a little rearranging of tables. I was impressed by their willingness to help us. One weird observation upon entering the restaurant. At the bar was a young woman crouching on the bar stool. Just kind of spaced out. It looked like she wasn't wearing pants. I'm surprised no one told her to snap out of it, as she was the first thing you see upon entry. Weird girl aside, the ambiance was lovely and we enjoyed a nice meal. I was hoping they had more fresh seafood and pasta-less dishes. But the oysters were very good and made up for it. My truffle pasta dish was not huge on flavor and the meat was finely ground, which made it difficult to get a good sized bite of protein. Not the most memorable meal, but it was better than getting stuck with pub food. read more

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This place is so good! I mean, you can never really go wrong with Italian food, it's always a good choice, but oh my! My friend and I had so much food here. For starters, we go the bruschetta and a caprese salad. It was so good. I then had the gnocchi, and my friend had the pasta with truffle and mushroom. Both dishes were amazing. And then of course, delicious tiramisu. The place is super cosy, there's a place for you to sit and have coffee by the stairs. They have a cute outside area. I can't believe it took me so long to try them, but definitely coming back! read more

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One of the best Italian restaurant I have tried. I love their pasta and the house wine! It's hard for the Italians to like Italian restaurants abroad but this is a must try! read more

La Dolce Vita - Buonissima Pasta con broccoli e guanciale you should try this one! - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

Big fan of all things Italian, and this is about as authentic as it comes in Dublin. Small, but perfectly formed cafe/bar/trattoria/jazz venue/cinema...yep, it ticks a lot of boxes! Good quality ingredients and friendly staff are the key here - most things are cooked fresh in the miniscule kitchen behind the bar (no really, it's tiny) and there are always new specials on the board for reasonable enough prices. Does a mean espresso too. Friday nights are the best, talented jazz musicians play from 8pm onwards, or put your feet up with a glass of wine and a serious selection of dried meats while watching arthouse and italian films on their projector screen. La vita is certainly dolce in here. read more

Had another amazing evening at la Dolce Vita last night. The food is great, the service is great (I had a hiccup in the past but it was a one time thing), the music is great, the experience awesome. I'm amazed this place doesn't have a line all the way down Cows Lane. I guess most people don't want to be sitting on a lovely terrace outside in the warm summer evening, enjoying food and good drinks and would rather go pile up in pubs. There seem to be a lot of regulars and the atmosphere is that of a tiny village café, relaxed and friendly. The menu is very exciting and the portions generous. It's also a great place to come for a drink if, like me, you'd rather have a glass of good wine than a beer. read more

My absolute favourite chill out bar in Dublin. Excellent wine, friendly people, relaxed alternative international atmosphere. Love the film nights and the jazz. Also love the quiet times on Sundays for a relaxed leisurely drink inside with the papers. Great coffee here too, especially with the odd addition of Sambuca! I don't eat here often as too busy guzzling the Valpolicella but, generally the food is good and authentic. The risottos and clam linguine are particularly tasty. This is not a place for people in a hurry. It is Italian so just relax and you will get served when you get served. Smile! Enjoy the atmosphere and be nice to the staff. They'll look after you well and maybe even hug you next time ;-) Reminds me of a favourite bar in Valencia which is also very chilled out in all things. Even has a great little terrace for the warmer months. Wish I could move in... I truly love this place! read more

The decor and sense of pokeyness had always put me off this place, but I was never so glad to find my intended destination closed of a Sunday as when I wound up here for a plan b bowl of pasta instead. It was as good as anything I've tasted in Italy and better than most. Excellent pasta as dente, perfect balance of flavours in the sauce, all-round happy glow. For the elbows on the table feel of the place the prices aren't cheap, but for the taste it's more than worth it. That the cooking area is just bigger than a postage stamp with two stove rings at its disposal makes it all the more of a wonder that they can produce such good fare. If you appreciate good Italian food, this is a good stop for an informal lunch or dinner. read more

Previously I had given this restaurant a very poor review 2 years and had been reluctant to return. However, that said, I am very happy to have stopped here for coffee today as it seems to be back to the high standard I had considered it to be prior to the unfortunate incident 2 years ago. The staff who served me today were wonderful and extremely attentive, quick and friendly. My coffee was so good that I ordered a second(!). The coffee here is proper Italian coffee, smooth and 'rounded', strong but not too bitter. The place was exceptionally busy (always a good sign!), but I was still looked after very well by my waitress who procured me a pen for an emergency and who ensured my table was cleaned the moment I arrived. I cannot give a 5 star review as I didn't try the food this time but if it is anything like the service and coffee was, I would. As a smoker, their smoking area is wonderful and I would highly recommend going to La Dolce Vita to anyone looking for a catch up with friends over cigarettes and coffee. (For the non smokers, the outdoor tables are spaced far enough away from each other to not be smothered by others' nasty habit). I am happy to be back and happy to see La Dolce Vita back to how I remembered it. I will 100% be returning soon to try the food (and to hopefully be giving it a 5 star review). read more

It is a lovely spot if you can sit outside and weather is good. It doesn't try too hard to be something it is not. In fact it is a bit laid back in terms of service etc. sitting inside can be a bit stuffy especially upstairs but it is still nice. I like the food, good value and simple but tasty. Don't go expecting to be waited on hand and foot or that they will have everything on the menu. It is the kind if place to not expect much but be pleasantly surprised. Staff are friendly and happy if a little absent as others have said. It is good value and there is a nice selection. Fun place. read more

La Dolce Vita is such a cool spot at the weekend. I called in with a group of friends for a few glasses of wine and something small to eat - the service, wine and food were fantastic but the best thing had to be the band playing on the stairs and the film playing on the screen upstairs! read more

I ate here a good while ago. Great place for a date on Friday nights, when they have live jazz, though it books out early enough. We ordered a bottle of wine, but he brought a different one to our table explaining the other bottle was out of stock but we would like the replacement. I did like it, very much so, a delicious white wine from Siciliy, I think. Was a bit disappointed by the bruschetta, the toppings weren't anything special. We shared a platter of meats & cheeses which was of good quality & quite tasty. I'd definitely go back. The staff were also very friendly, though relaxed and not in a rush to serve you or anything! Very authentically European ;-) read more

This is a small restaurant with a great heart! It's like being transported back to Italy! More people sit outside than inside, and you will hear more Italian spoken than English. The food is defiantly hearty Italian, wonderful tasty dishes, I have never been disappointed with a single choice! The only gripe I have about the menu is there is no ice cream! No pizzas either, but you can see they are stuck for kitchen space so a pizza oven would take up too much room. Anyway, Riccardo the owner/chef turns out many other splendid dishes. It's a real friendly spot, great staff and there is live music at the weekends. read more

The food is good but I found sometime impolite waitresses, we ordered coffees and some food and after 1 hours we asked when we could have our order and they told us they forgot (the place was almost empty), after 30 minutes more we still didn't see our food :( read more

I've often strolled along temple bar and cow's lane, occasionally having a serious nose into what other people are doing/wearing. My attention is inevitably focused on this little Italian Bistro, with it's mix of Italian cuisine and decor and occasional Brazilian party/BBQ/dancing/and all things free and arty. Yet, until last night I had never ventured inside. Let me just say that I was drawn to the restaurant by the smells of sauce and meat and cheese that I could sense metres away. When we walked in, we sat ourselves down, picked up the menu and hoped someone would come and take our order before I went to cook my meal myself. Luckily, the owner came to take our order, a Parmagiana for me and cheese and meat plate for my friend. What can I say? Don't judge a book by it's cover perhaps? Yes, maybe you're right. There are so many fantastic Italian restaurants in Dublin, with excellent service and tasty food. Why do I have to settle for a 3 star? read more

We had a good meal here, but not tremendous. The greens are good here, I had a nice green salad, and then pasta fungi. Nice thick sauce, freshly made, good chicken meat. My son's pizza was probably the best. Other dishes were less good. Pasta dishes with red sauce were rather dry. My other son had a ceasar salad, which he said was solid, but not better than 3 stars. It was a ceasar with many mixes of greens hmmm, rather than romaine, interesting, very fresh looking. Overall good value, but the place doesn't really feel Italian, or look Italian either. As one other reviewer has said, good for a quick bite, before the museum. A place with an identity crisis, especially with items like fish and chips on the menu. read more

Ah I love this place! Cool relaxing decor, excellent food, lovely service, and a very inspiring wine list. The last time I was there, we shared one of the antipasti plates. Everything was exactly how it should be, and the bread is moreish (coming from a French person, this positive comment weighs twice as much). Some people had the mussels which were a festival of flavours from what I could sample. I went for a very traditional fare of spaghetti carbonara and didn't regret it. I wish I could have gone for dessert but I was already sitting back grinning a very satisfied grin. read more

Always a great vibe at this place. Fun to go with friends or solo. I'm so glad my friend introduced me to La Dolce Vita as soon as I moved to the area as it has quickly become one of my faves. read more

I had been here a few times before and enjoyed it. Last night I went with a friend. We were told we had a 10 minute wait for a table - this was ok as we met people we knew and sat outside with them and asked to be told when the table was ready. Some time went by and we went looking for our table which was ready. We waited for our order to be taken. Then we went to the counter to order to be told to sit down and a waitress would come over to us. Finally she came and told us that they had just gotten a big group in and we had to leave. I complained but she didn't care. AND they charged us the the glass of wine we had each!! Se we ended up spending quite a bit of time there and never got fed! I hope the group they threw us out for are locals - we are and we won't be going back Edited to add : I registered with Yelp specifically to do this review. There was no opportunity to discuss the issue with the waitress - she told us our table was gone and then she was finished with us read more

First of all, let me say the food is here fabulous, so that's not the reason for the one-star. I am visiting here from Boston, MA in the US on a business trip, staying across the street at the Hilton Kilmainham Hotel. The place was recommended to me by a co-worker, who did mention something to me about having a problem using a credit card but I didn't remember that. My co-worker and I had our dinner, then asked the waitress for separate checks because we are each using our own expense account for work. She said she couldn't do that. Then I handed her my credit card and she said "we don't take credit cards". I told her I only had dollars, and the idiot told me to go to an ATM machine to get Euros. I told her I'm from the US (which I'm sure she knew by my accent), and don't have an Irish bank account. I then asked her what should we do? She went away for a few minutes, then came back and told us the pub downstairs would let her use their credit card machine. I asked her why they didn't have a sign on the door stating they don't take credit cards, which is obviously rare in a metropolitan city like Dublin. Her answer was it is up to me as the customer to know ahead of time what the restaurant's policies are AND that most restaurants in Dublin don't take credit cards, which is absolute BS. These people either need to get up to speed with the rest of the world or have a sign on the door that says they don't take credit cards. I mean, they are across the street from a Hilton Hotel, and this must happen a lot. I'm sure there are just as good Italian restaurants in Dublin that people customers with respect AND take credit cards like the rest of the world. read more

Just had lunch in this lovely little bistro - ended up here as the Queen of Tarts next door was full. Food was delicious and very good value for what seemed to be good ingrediants. Very accomodating of our two small boys - no problem getting a pasta dish divided into two portions. Can't wait to come back some evening, minus the kids, for a few glasses of wine. read more

Good food, but very bad customer experience. The lady who gave us bill and told the CCs are not accepted has a very rude attitude and they made us feel like they don't like foreigners. Guys, there are so many good Italian restaurants in Dublin, don't go get yourself beaten up here. read more

WOW - Amazing Italian restaurant in Dublin sounds unlikely, but this place is delicious. We shared the razor clams, melted cheese with prosciutto and then I had the truffle and mushroom pasta and my friend had the linguini with clam sauce. Everything was delicious. Best meal I had in Ireland. read more

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. Even minus stars. It was an awful awful awful experience. I'd previously been here a number of times for their prawn pil pils and each time was very impressed with the dish, even if it seemed a bit pricey for the amount of actual prawn. But they're succulent prawns. Considering the good experiences, I decided to book it for my college graduation back in September. What a mistake. Firstly, I tried to call them 2 weeks ahead to book, their answering machine seems not to work as they never bothered to call me back. Then my sister went in to book face to face. We booked for 5 people. A few days later my partner managed to get time off work so, based on their apparent non-working answering machine or indeed phone, I popped in to change the booking to 6 people. And luckily I did! They didn't have the booking apparently! Not good. Anyway, I felt so lucky I had gone in, thought 'whew, that could have been a mess.' If only we hadn't gone, So, after graduation on September 22nd, we drive up, park around the corner (quite awkward to find spaces and my mum had to drive over to the North side of the Quays in the end to find parking....). The rest of us pop in and they tell us our table is ready upstairs, Upstairs we go. A lo, a miniscule table for 4 people, 4 chairs crammed around these two tiny tables with a wooden bench acting as the last 2 seats shoved into the corner right beside the toilets. And lo even more! No baby chair for my niece (who we had told them was coming! Who they had MET when my sister had first booked the place but as already said, they were mystified by the mystery incident of the lost booking in the nighttime) Anyway, obviously this isn't going to work, what with there being 6 of us, plus a baby. I went to grab a waitress, politely and apologetically calling her over to explain the problem. She actually rolled her eyes at me and shrugged, before realising that she had actually expressed her terrible attitude. She recomposes herself and then SHE asks ME what I want to do with the problem and is there even a problem? And gestures towards these two tiny coffee tables that she expects us to wedge ourselves around. I'm momentarily speechless as really, that is unbelievably rubbish service. I suggest we grab another table and she clicks her tongue in irritation and WALKS OFF. So my boyfriend and I end up sliding the tables down a tiny bit to a single pathetic and tiny table near enough. She comes back and I explain that we simply could not fit around the corner section they'd put us in at and that with the baby, it would be too awkward with people walking past to get to the bathroom. At least her attitude subsided for a moment but I was not impressed with the fact that we had literally had to take matters into our own hands! But it's perfect timing as my mum and my sister arrive only a few minutes later. But uh oh, there's no baby chair. Not at all in fact to accommodate a child (and yet I have seen babies and toddlers in there before?). So my sister, her partner, my mum and I end up taking turns holding my niece during dinner. Which is awkward to say the least. You probably don't think this can get worse but wait. We order the starters and, to be fair, most of them are good, the others ordered the bruschetta, my boyfriend and I the prawns. Eating away, the prawns taste a bit, bland, but so be it thinks I, I must have been overly nostalgic. Then I go to bite into the 3rd prawn and things just go to hell. The prawn is rotten. I don't mean tastes funny, I mean rotten. Like the mouldiest bread you can imagine rotten. I nearly vomited from the taste! I ended up having to spit it out into my napkin and leave the rest of my dish. My boyfriend now, obviously, is concerned his prawns might also be off. We do a bit of excavating but luckily his seems to be okay but now he's reluctant to eat any in case there's a risk of rot and I can't as I've lost my appetite. We call the waitress over and explain the situation about my prawns (not his, only my dish) and the look she gave us. If looks could burn I would still be in the ICU Severe Burns Unit, oh my god! She clicks her tongue and snatches the plate and that's the last of it. The others give me pits of their starters out of pity but I only nibble some bread with oil in an effort to cleanse my mouth of rotten shellfish flavour. Bring on round 2. The mains. Mum and partner get a decent enough carbonara, boyfriend and sister's boyfriend go for a creamy tomatoeyish 'spicy' sausage pasta (not spicy at all but whatever). My sister, who is lactose intolerant and was breastfeeding her lactose intolerant daughter speaks to our new waitress (obviously the other one couldn't stand us? But we're happy!) and explains her dietary problem and explicitly says she can NOT, repeat, CANNOT, have cow's milk, at all. That dairy willl make her extremely unwell and also prevent her from being able to breast feed my niece as the b read more