Spotted Shouk on Dublin's The Eater Essentials and we booked this dinner res as our first night…read more Overall, the food was fantastic, great price point. and portion sizes were fantastic. Shouk's interior is very cute, with high ceilings and an open set up allowing you to dine outside, in a room connected to the outdoor space, or a darker, "indoor" area. food: Fantastic. As someone who is GF and was worried about this when traveling abroad, the GF options where fabulous and the restaurant is very accommodating. The food was fresh and served warm right as it was finished - huge plus service: Servers were kind and lovely :) Every table reservation gives you 1hr and 45 minutes to dine. if you're running late, you won't lose your table but you'll just be seated for a shorter amount of time - keep that in mind :) ambiance: The only reason I'd give Shouk 4 stars is because of the distance of the tables. In the room connected to the outdoor space where we were seated, things did feel a bit cramped. The restaurant has an "open kitchen" where you can see your food being cooked and come out which is great, but we did sit right next to the kitchen and things got a bit stuffy, despite the doors being open outside. Not sure if this was ventilation or the fact that there were many tables and folks dining that night, but that's the only thing i'd change about our experience.

We schlepped across to the north side in search of a special midweek late lunch. Very handy parking…read morearound the corner. The restaurant is right beside Drumcondra railway station, tucked into a corner of the Old St Vincent's Centre for the Deaf. Inside a cosy but buzzy dining room greets you with an impressive number of hungry diners tucking in to the Middle Eastern/Lebanese fare. We ordered a large mezze to share together with a Batta which is mostly roast sweet potatoes stuffed with lamb mince, yoghurt and spices. Absolutely fantastic. The mezze came with plentiful flatbreads which we hungrily filled with deliciousness and devoured. As it was lunchtime, we decided not to have any wine but I'd be pretty confident it would only be better with a crisp Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. As it was, we had some sparkling water instead and agreed it was a standout meal that was filing but also vaguely healthy. Service was speedy and attentive and we emerged into the sunshine to begin, once again, the odyssey across the Liffey. We will be back.

Absolutely deliciously authentic! As someone who's extremely particular about traditional Easter…read moredishes and Mediterranean flavors, I was genuinely impressed. Every bite tasted like it came straight from a cherished family recipe. This cozy, family-run restaurant radiates warmth and hospitality from the moment you walk in -- you instantly feel like part of the family. The hummus and baba ghanoush are out of this world: creamy, fresh, and full of flavor. The shawarma was perfectly seasoned and tender, and the Lebanese potatoes were crisped to perfection with just the right touch of garlic and spice. We finished with strong, fragrant Lebanese coffee and flaky, melt-in-your-mouth baklava -- the perfect ending to a fantastic meal. Every dish was clearly made with love and attention to detail. It's the kind of hidden gem you feel lucky to discover. Tucked away in Dublin, this place deserves far more attention. And as if the food weren't reason enough to fall in love, the lovely lady proprietor is warm, welcoming -- and a Metallica fan! Seriously, how cool is that? Highly, highly recommend!

Stopped in at Cedar Tree for dinner and absolutely loved the vibe. It's super welcoming and the…read morebeautiful mosaic tiles on the walls really make the place feel special. I went with the chicken mansef for my main course and it was seriously good. The chicken was tender, and the rice was perfect, but the best part was definitely the texture and flavor burst from the pomegranate seeds scattered on top. That little bit of sweet and sour pop really made the dish stand out. Excellent food, a gorgeous atmosphere, and friendly service.

Delicious food, excellent service and very comfortable and welcoming. This restaurant is an…read moreabsolute delight and a perfect venue to go with a group of friends or for couples. It's a real gem with an excellent selection and veggie/vegan/gluten free options. They don't require a deposit for group bookings and the table is always ready for us whenever we arrive. I highly recommend it and am delighted to have found it!

Everyone should try out this amazing new Palestinian restaurant, you will thank me later…read more Tucked away in a little side lane, so easy to miss. But trust me, have a look for it. Starters/mezze are around 6/7 Euro and mains only around the 14 Euro mark. There is so much choice, you will have a hard time deciding what to take. There is a lot of vegetarian and even vegan options. Of course, we ordered way too much food as portions are massive. The hummus, halloumi, Baked prawns and falafel for starter came with lovely fresh bread. We were already stuffed when our mains arrived. I got some chicken in fermented yoghurt sauce. The rice served with it was full of nuts and pomegranate, delicious! To make things even better: This is a byob restaurant with only 4 Euro corkage. The waitress was super sweet and made us feel very welcome. Seriously go!

Was inspired by the restaurant name since I'm a lover of the shakshuka I've experienced in Tunisia…read more Their version of it was accurate by taste however far short of the sumptuous varieties of vegetables and meats found in the homemade offerings from Tunisian kitchens. Shakshuka is a small room with a linear layout which when crowded with the maximum number of occupied tables, creates a noise level so high that one must shout to be heard by a friend sitting directly across the table. The interior is somewhat reminiscent of Israeli culture but not representative of a whole lot of planning or investment of time and materials. The bathroom does however seem to be Middle Eastern in that there is one room for both sexes and one stall for each sex for those who are not sensitive to the combined concept.

It disappeared. No longer there which is too bad because I really enjoyed the food about a year…read moreago, last time I was in Dublin.

Fantastic waitstaff! Very friendly and attentive. The vegetarian moussaka was great. The raspberry…read morecheesecake was good too. BOYW was fantastic too. Liquor store is around the corner too. Come here for a fantastic meal!

Visiting Ireland for the first time, I did my best to read up on good places to grab breakfast,…read morebaked goods in Dublin and Brother Hubbard popped up on a few lists, Reddit posts, so I put it on my list to try and I'm glad I did! I walked in on a Wednesday morning, right as they opened at 9am, and was seated immediately. The sit-in part of Brother Hubbard is bright, relaxing, spacious with plenty of tables inside and there's a patio outside with plenty of tables as well. The waitress came over with a menu and gave me plenty of time to look it over. She was very courteous and pleasant, checking in throughout my time there, never hovering. For breakfast, I ordered an Americano, a ginger scone, and their Irish Oat Porridge - Classic. Their porridge is organic oats made with milk and with ordering it as "Classic", it was served with cream and honey. Starting with the ginger scone, this was another case of a perfectly baked scone - Crispy, golden exterior with a moist, buttery interior. The flavor of ginger was perfectly balanced and the raisins inside were a nice supplement to the scone. The porridge was really good, I loved the creaminess of it! Both did a nice job of filling me up and setting me up for the day of walking to come. Funny enough, around 3:30pm, I stopped here again to grab a mid-afternoon treat and ordered the chocolate and hazelnut Babka, their soft bun filled with chocolate and toasted hazelnuts. This pastry was crazy tasty! A slightly crispy exterior with a croissant-like inside chocked full of chocolate and those toasted hazelnuts. This was so rich and truly decadent. Brother Hubbard is a gem of a breakfast and pastry spot! I appreciate the relaxing café environment with friendly staff and high-quality food. I know if I come back to Dublin, I'd come back to grab breakfast, or perhaps another Babka.

I heard Brother Hubbard was the restaurant to eat at to start your day, so finally checked it out…read moreon my last day in Dublin. Brother Hubbard is a solid spot for breakfast and brunch, serving entrees, lighter fare and offers a pastry assortment that will have you pondering about getting takeout. I visited Brother Hubbard on a Sunday, half an hour after it opened and was able to be seated immediately. However, the brunch rush came afterwards and by the time I left, the entire place was filled. It's popular. And yes, it's the same spot Phil Rosenthal ate at. I even saw the owner who was featured on the show here, helping out with clearing tables and so forth. I ordered the traditional Irish breakfast and an iced chai latte. The food was good and actually, not as heavy as I anticipated. It came with an egg, sausage, bacon, beans and a pudding, which I had to look up. It's ground meat with oats and is molded into a patty. It didn't taste bad, so can see why it's served around these parts of the world. And the meal also came with another item I had to look up, colcannon bread, which was a potato bread with kale. And it was my favorite part of the breakfast! Delicious. If you're looking for a breakfast spot in Dublin, then I'm pretty sure you already know about Brother Hubbard, which is popular, all for good reason. The food was tasty, service was friendly and I loved how bright and welcoming the restaurant was. I was satisfied.

We wanted something not fried as most of the pub food was starting to get a bit much so we found…read morethis gem about a 15-20min walk from our hotel. Here's how it went! Greeted and sat quickly by the owner who put us at his table and welcomed us himself. He apparently was a big local name in immigration as it took him 18yrs to get legal status apparently. From Syria and the nicest guy. We had great conversation for over 30min and he kept apologizing for "boring" us but we assured him it was wonderful to have such great conversation. He shared his family a bit and we ours and some books and educational conversations. He was very well read and super to speak with while at the same time his food was amazing. The hummus was the best I have ever had and I've had a lot over the years from different areas (Jordan, etc). Highly recommend for a nice evening and great conversation if you happen to get the pleasure to meet the owner!

Emilio! Amazing job working us through the menu and allowing us to explain what we were looking…read morefor.Followed by his recommendations as it equaled to an amazing meal! Highly recommend! This place is so good!

The UK and Europe have a heavy Middle Eastern influence, and this adds to the diversity and…read moreregional flavors. We were walking around Swords and needed a place for a late dinner. We came across Zaytoon and wanted to give them a try. The ambiance was nice. It had a nice cafe feel. Plenty of booths, tables and spots to plug in and charge a phone. What blew me away was the hospitality! The staff were all extremely friendly! They wanted to give us a sample of everything! After the meal, we checked out the dessert menu. When we mentioned liking the ice cream they offered a sample, then a full portion! The meal was perfect too! We both got the chicken kabobs and accompaniments. It was so fresh and delicious! The freshness of the produce and meats here is next level! The mango ice cream at the end was a wonderful way to end the meal. I'm not sure if this is a chain or a mom and pop, but it definitely gave the feel of a stand alone restaurant.

For a quickie meal or takeaway, this was top notch and had fantastic and ample food. Walk up,…read moreorder, they will bring it to the table. I loved the stuffed aubergine- so, yes, vegetarians have good choices here. Hubby had chicken and also loved it.

Dada is such a beautiful restaurant, with a wonderful team of staff who deliver exceptional service…read moreand just create such a friendly environment. The food was 5 stars! so stunning. They also topped up our bread for free with the humus/dips starter. Dada also have a wide range of vegetarian options too. We also celebrated a friends Birthday, and they gave a free desert and sang Happy Birthday to her, which was a great little touch. Then at the end of our meal, they offered us complimentary peppermint tea and allowed for us to relax and enjoy our tea. Another bonus, which I only realised when I read the menu, but it's "BYOW(wine)" however, you need to buy at least 2 courses to avail of this. Great addition if you were having a gathering and wanted to enjoy a couple bottles of wine at a lower price.

Honestly perhaps we're just spoiled living in Los Angeles, but the food was so mid and…read moredisappointing. We did the "early bird" and the price ended up being higher than the normal cost of those items on the menu! The flavor was so bland and the dips were weird colors and tasted very off except for the tdaziki dip. The Mediterranean bowl could have been good if it were served warm with warm roasted vegetables, but it was ice cold. The cous cous royale was okay but could have been better with more seasonings and flavor. The pastine was dry and bland and disappointing. The only tasty thing we ordered was the ginger lemonade which was out of this world. Also the portions were large and presentation was nice and the restaurant itself has great decor, which is why it gets 2 stars. Someone would have to pay me to eat here again lol

After a week of stews and fish and chips I was craving something more familiar so I popped in here…read more I'll start with the good. The decor is on point. The space itself is small and intimate, and this venue isn't a place to go if you have more than 6-8 in your group. It's dimly lit and the perfect date spot atmosphere wise. Service itself was pretty good, and the food presentation was perfect in the traditional cookware. The best part of the entire dinner for me was the Moroccan mint tea I ordered at the end. It also was served in traditional glassware and the waiter refilled it several times. Now the not so good. The main dishes themselves...didn't even come close to tasting authentic Moroccan or Arabic. I ordered the lamb tagine with the couscous as a side. I'm not saying the dishes themselves were bad. They weren't. But if you're coming here for a good authentic Arab dish, I didn't find that. If you want a more western fusion on Arabic dishes then you'll more likely be in luck. It just needs to be advertised as such to consumers.

A gem of a restaurant! You must climb two flights of stairs after walking into the restaurant's…read morefront door to reach the dining room. It's a cozy room but with enough space to be quite comfortable. It seems like a great place for dining with a significant other - date, spouse or whatever works for you. Tonight, the food and service was outstanding. My wife and I had the mezze for two. We had a Moroccan red wine. It was our first Moroccan wine. It was good. It was slightly sweet, and paired nicely with our much sweeter main courses. From the pre-appetizer olives and wine through desserts and mint tea, we savored every bite. It was only my third time eating Moroccan food, so I cannot speak about "authenticity" but I can tell you that every dish was delicious. I highly recommend giving Moroccan food a try, and i don't think you can go wrong trying it here!