This is owned by the same family who have the takeaway next door (Terenure takeaway) and they apply the same attention to detail to the food but with very different results. The takeaway deep fries everything to perfection... really,, it is very good! The restaurant bakes and fries and produces the same happy customers. The wine list is healthy but possibly could do with a little work... for example, there are better chiantis to be had at similar prices elsewhere! read more

Lisa's Trattoria & Restaurant - Lisas - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

This restaurant came recommended by Paolo Tullio ... ok I don't know him personally, but that's one of the awards posted on the door, along with Leading Restaurant and Best Restaurant Awards for the past couple of years. I've taken Paolo's recommendations on other restaurants and I haven't been disappointed and I figured that he would be even tougher on an Italian restaurant. i'm glad to say that I can still trust good ole Paolo. The restaurant's decor was a bit dated, but the food was in no way as understated. The flavours were authentic and delicious; i nearly was expecting to walk outside to a horde of motorinis on a Roman street. read more

Lisa's Trattoria & Restaurant - Italian Near Me - Dublin, D

Dont know what the fuss is over this place. Its always seems to be busy but there are so many better options nearby. Admittedly we've only been here twice, but on both occasions the food was just average. Coupled with the tired interior and abrasive waiter service we certainly wont be back. read more

I'm afraid I can only afford this establishment two stars. Maybe two and a half, maybe, at a push. A bunch of us arrived in here for an early Sunday dinner (5:30pm, ish) and were the only customers in the place. Unfortunately the waiter is either very inexperienced or is unable read and write, as dish after dish came out incorrect and even a number of dishes that weren't on our order. (not sure who did order those phantom order as we were the only people there!!). Beer ordered never materialised either. The one saving grace, and reason I can give them some stars, is that the food was actually pretty good. So at least it wasn't adding insult to injury. So, in summary, if you like Italian food, go here. But beware - its a bit Russian roulette. read more

Hmmm... i guess i will start with positive point about this place... well... i got a free beer and a good company so that deserve a star. Ok, everything else... not so great. They didn't have what i wanted and feels like they were going thru food shortage or something. Also, the place feels like extremely "dirty". I felt like i needed to get vaccinated after i left the place. Bruschetta and Melon-prosciutto appetizer was awful. Felt like everything was done wrong... Now my main course... i like salty food, but my mushroom risotto was very salty (that means alot). I recommend this place if you want to experience "what da hell" feeling read more

I remember this place best as somewhere I would go if I got good results in exams or a birthday. I really think it is a great spot. The family that run it are always very friendly and will spend a long time chating away to you. The food is always incredible. The lasagne is the best Ive ever had. The pasta carbonara is always cooked to perfection. The desserts are really top drawer. Ive had the ice cream selection loads of times and its always the same brilliant standard. Ive been here at least 10 times and thats all I can come up with;-) I was here about a month ago and its still as good as always. Im giving it five stars because of memories too. San Lorenzos that was right across the road until it burned down would have got 5 stars too. New place just after opening there now. If I get any cash in my pocket Ill try it out and yelp all about it Funny 2 rival Italian restaurants like that. Very Sopranos like. That cant be an original thought. Goodfellas more like. Dont mess with Lisa read more

Part of me is reluctant to sing the praises of this local restaurant, as I would weep if I had difficulty getting in here on those nights I crave comfort food, a show and some stand up comedy, little of it intentional, all of it in the same venue. Something of a local institution Lisas is owned and run by the same family as have been serving awesome chips in Dinos next door for what feels like eternity. Chips are good but do not a dinner make, wander in to the reasonable priced eatery next door for something really special. Fabulous pasta dishes with sumptuous sides, and portions which will keep you fuelled for 24 hours or more; there is nothing to fault about this place. I am something of a creature of habit and have always gone for one of the pasta dishes, many of which are vegetarian, but I have been assured by my omnivorous amigos that the meat meals are well up to par, and there are plenty of kids options too, with half portions of adult meals available. I can also promise the house white will work well with the creamier dishes and they are as generous with the drink as the food. Staff are friendly, chatty and hilarious, but with them being family I have been in hearing distance (as has most of Terenure) of many a heated family row in the restaurant, which strangely seem less aggressive than those in my home, when conducted in Italian. And I would not let a little familial animosity turn you off trying here, as I have spent years conducting my own experiment, and can confirm, Italian women cook with passion, the angrier Mama is, the better the food! read more

Okay I have always thought this place looked like an awful disgusting chipper - but one day my boyfriend said we'll try it just once don't be a snob so I finally agreed. We walked in it was empty and it smelt like toilet cleaner but we stayed because I was being a snob! Waiter was so friendly and nice took our coats etc The starters were nice - hard to go wrong with a Caprese Salad or a Bruschetta though. It went very down hill from there and all night after and today I feel horribly sick. Firstly we ordered two fruit jusices for 2.50 each which turned out to just be cordial and that really annoyed I have to say, simply wasn't what it said - but I still said nothing. Then we had spaghetti carbonara, sauteed potatoes and a risotto marina (mussels, prawn etc) They were all terrible, the potaotes weren't sauteed they were definitely deep fat fried and more than once with so much salt you could see it all over. The carbonara was like it the dish was boiled as a whole-and over done I might add. No distinction of flavours between spaghettie, ham or parsley - was just slop. I feel the mussels are what have me sick now so enough said. We said to the waiter it wasn't great and next of all it turns into a 40 minute scene out fo Fawlty Towers. Some big guy who I think is a son comes over and starts questioning us admittedly trying to help us but then ignores all the food issues and starts shouting at the waiter about why he didn't bring us orange juice - which I didn't ask for. The place is also pretty cold. He then went on to say in a very gesturing flailing armed way about his mum being nuts and he should have been there sooner but Sunday buses you know how they are etc etc We really just wanted to leave and after we said it's fine don't worry we don't want tea, coffee, replacements etc he doesn't even bring th bill - he just goes back to the kitchen about 3 feet away and starts shouting in Italian and then the mother I think comes out and stares at us, then more shouting and then nothing for another 20 minutes or so and still no bill. I feel sick and my boyfriend was just unsatissfied and we really just want to leave! Another ten minutes then we finally get to ask for the bill and then out of the blue this older man in a chef uniform who I think was the dad comes out and gives us the third degree apologises in the worst way, we've to tell him again what the problem was and then he goes on to say it's our fault.! It was our fault because other restaurants we've been in don't have real italians cooking, other restaurants all pre prepare food but there's is fresh and we aren't used to it!! the deep fat fried potoatoes were apparently sauteed with garlic and rosemary both very obvious flavours and rosemary is flipping green for god sake - taste or sight of this! But of course no point in arguing with that sort of person and we were just dying to leave, the service was quicke we were in at 4.15 on a Sunday and we weren't out until past 6pm and we didn't finish our meals. Just the worst experience we've had in a long time - have to say I'd rather be a snob as it seems to work out! read more

I had dinner in Lisa's with my wife and thoroughly enjoyed fresh food and excellent service. I started with Calamari followed by Veal served with a side order of Vegetables (very generous helping enough for two) My wife had the Mussels starter, and a main course of Veal served with salad. Food is freshly cooked and very tasty. Helpings are very generous. We finished with fruity Cassata. Our waiter was delightful and the restaurant has a real authentic Trattoria atmosphere. Food is mid-priced and very good value for the quality of the ingredients (Veal and fillet steak is priced around €15.00!) I have eaten In Lisa's before and always enjoyed the quality of the food and service (love the Meatballs). The menu is very broad in comparison to other Italian restaurants. We will go back again and again. read more

I just moved to Terenure a month ago and thought Lisa's always looked nice when I passed. I suggested to my housemate that we go one evening because they had a reasonable early bird price. On Saturday afternoon, I called Lisa's to check what time their early bird was that evening. The woman with whom I spoke said the early bird was on that evening - Saturday - from 5:30-7:30. So, we went to Lisa's. When we arrived, we were getting ready to order from the menu and there was loads of yelling in the back. The manager (a giant angry man) came over to our table and said, without any hint of remorse, that "one person says one thing another one says another" and "ah, that's just family." He told us if we ordered a starter and a main it would be the same anyway. This is not true. It would have been twice as expensive. The manager did not seem to think the fact that his employee/family member has told us the wrong info and did not offer us any compensation and was quite rude with us! We were fairly astounded that we were being treating this way - especially as the restaurant was entirely empty - and decided to leave. Glad we did! Not going to Lisa's again, that's for sure. read more

I have never been disappointed any time we visited Lisa's Trattoria. The food is the best ever (better than absolutely anywhere else on Earth, honestly) It use to be very cramped, lots of tables on top of each other but they have reduced the number of tables and reorganized them so there is a pleasant amount of space between each table now. The food on my last visit was every bit as good as it always has been (if only I had their meatball recipe). The portions are large but you can always ask for what is left on your plate to be boxed up so you can take it home with you. I'm not a wine drinker but my husband is and he was very happy with the house red. On our last visit husband had the meatball starter (delicious as always) and I had the scampi which was the lightest and tastiest that I have ever had. Hubby had steak for his main course and it was quite a large steak too, cooked just as he asked for it and very tasty. I had the chicken with asparagus in cream sauce, heavenly. The portion of select vegetables was also cooked perfectly, not over done, not underdone, just right. My sauteed potatoes were incredible and naturally hubby's chips were perfect (well what would you expect when they also run the chipper next door). For desert I went with the waiter's suggestion of cassata. Not a desert I would normally go for but on hearing that it (as with everything else) was homemade I thought I would give it a try and I was not disappointed. Hubby went for the tiramisu which was excellent as always. The food is cooked by someone who obviously wants the food to be enjoyed. Each different taste must have been carefully planned. Diners should understand, this is a family run Italian restaurant. Think of it as a whole and authentic experience. Like being invited into someones home and you too will not be disappointed. read more