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    The Bad Ass Cafe

    3.1 (79 reviews)
    ModerateNew American, Burgers, Pizza
    Open 8:00 am - 1:30 AM (Next day)

    The Bad Ass Cafe Photos

    THE BAD ASS CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Touristy
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - The Bad Ass Cafe

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    Laura R.

    Cute little Irish bar that we couldn't get into the night before because it was so packed. Big rum barrels as tables were neat but hard to sit at so we moved to the bar where we had a pale ale beer. It was just ok.

    Outside
    Jon H.

    First stop Thursday night in Dublin's Temple Bar district was Bad Ass cafe! Live music was flowing and while it wasn't packed yet (later there was a line out the door) it was amazing! While this is a cafe during the early hours (including breakfast and lunch) make no mistake it's a typical Irish Pub at night. Great vibes and tons of fun!

    Lou M.

    Service was slow, my pizza, the "Funky" was very good..... BUT, the bathroom attendant staring at you while to try to use bathroom..... extremely not necessary. 100% a turn off and doesn't make you for comfortable at all. Creepy as heck. No tissues were in the stahl, no soap in soap dispenser and you had to ask him for a towel after washing hand. Totally unnecessary. 2 thumbs down!!

    Chicken and chorizo linguine
    Hart P.

    Probably a fine place for drinks but not food. They brought the wrong meal and then listed the mistaken meal on our tab. I found the chicken and chorizo pasta dish flavorless. The chorizo hadn't added flavor.

    Fish and Chips
    Devin F.

    The Bad Ass Cafe is a bar and restaurant located in the heart of Dublin's bar scene. The fish and chips were better than Leo Burdocks across the way. Server was awesome! Got seated and served as soon as possible even with how busy they were. Live music downstairs with seating upstairs for food.

    Peter M.

    We got to Dublin late so just went anywhere for dinner. The Guinness is fantastic and the bangers and mash were great. The wife ordered wings and they were served with mayonnaise idk if thats a thing here but whatever. Food was good beer very good and Lu e music was great. All in all was pretty expensive but I'm assuming everything in this area is.

    Shannon M.

    I recently came back from my dream vacation to Dublin, Ireland. I liked this spot for a few reasons - the menu was pretty good (they have really good burgers if you're looking for something to go with your Guinness) and there was live music on both floors! The musicians were even taking requests. This is a place I would highly recommend for tourists who are looking for some fun in Temple Bar. Only downside - I couldn't hear ANYTHING inside (even when the music stopped playing) because it was so packed inside.

    Aw nice friends:)
    Caroline C.

    Lovely venue in the heart of the temple Bar area. Nice high ceilings and a really good live band playing in the corner. The food looked good too!-. Impressive sparklers on birthday cakes-I thought they were more like distress flares!! The bar upstairs looked fun, but sadly it was closed when we went to check it out.

    Bad ass salad, calzone stuffed with meat and margarita pizza
    Vanessa M.

    After a long morning of flying and roaming around Dublin, a few friends and I stopped in for a late lunch. We were all starving and thoroughly impressed. I ordered the bad ass salad, which is basically a taco salad, served in a tortilla bowl and stuffed with lettuce, peppers, tomatoes and chicken. Very good! One of my friends ordered the calzone with meat, which was enormous and yes, larger than the size of her head. The little voice inside of me was wishing that I had gotten it too! But alas, I played it safe. If you're hungry and exploring Temple Bar, I'd suggest stopping by just once if you get a chance.

    The freaking best Margherita pizza ever! Thin crust, not too cheesy!
    Valerie K.

    So I can see that other people might not have liked this place as much, but luckily the service wasn't bad when we went and the food was honestly amazing! I was really surprised, since it was just one of the many bars in the Temple Bar area, but honestly I ordered a margherita pizza and it was one of the best pizza's I've ever had! My entire table thoroughly enjoyed their food as well, so it was a win! My only complaint was the waitress forgot to bring a couple of drinks over so we had to ask and she had forgot, but it wasn't a huge deal. Solid place for lunch, definitely

    Kate M.

    This is a really fun place to eat - right in the heart of temple bar. It's casual and there's always a great atmosphere. It's mostly American style food - burgers, pasta, pizza, southern fried chicken etc. Just simple easy food. This would be a great place for kids or families, but at the same time you could go here for a few drinks and a meal with your mates. Last time I was here I had the pizza and it was really good. My favourite thing about here is how they take the orders - there's little lines running overhead and when they take your order they put the piece of paper in like a little box/cup thing, attach it to the line and then pull the string. It then whizzes down to reception, where they input the order. I mean it's totally pointless, but kinda fun!

    Jo M.

    The Bad Ass Cafe is somewhere I'd wanted to eat for ages, so what better time to tuck into some hardcore beefy burgers than on a huge struggle of a hungover day? At the moment they're doing an earlybird dinner special from 5-7pm - 9.80 for a starter and a main. Now I'm not usually the biggest meat eater and would usually be too ashamed order anything like buffalo wings or spare ribs, but the delicate state of my stomach necessitated it, and besides, I wanted the authentic Bad Ass experience. So the friendly staff sent a serving of buffalo wings my way. I've got to say, I was impressed, and might not turn my nose down at them so much in future. Pretty damn good feed, and generous serving for a starter. Then on to the main, where I went for another signature dish - the cheeseburger. I'm not sure whether it was the taste of the burger or the rapid decline in my ability to deal with life in general (which I find often happens the day after you've consumed your body weight in alcohol) but I wasn't able to get through the burger. At all. I just couldn't stomach the thing. The bread was too soft, the cheese too cheesy, the chips too fat-saturated... However I did enjoy the overall vibe of this very family-friendly restaurant and would go there again for pre-pub eats with a bunch of mates. The mains are sufficiently diverse to please any tastes - from the usual burgers and pizzas to pasta and salads. Not to mention the mouthwatering desserts menu. Think American diner, service with a smile, lots of people and a cheerful, upbeat atmosphere.

    Cathal C.

    Going to The Bad Ass Cafe really brings it all back for me. My parents must have brought us other places when we were small, but The Bad Ass Cafe is the place that really sticks in my mind, probably because of the pulley system by which they send your order to the kitchen, but also because of the brass horseshoes that lead to the doorway. Once you saw them, that's when you got excited, because you realised where it was that you were going. Plus there was the name. 'Ass' in the title. Hee hee hee. But enough of this nostalgia trip. In the present day and age, The Bad Ass Cafe is a damn fine restaurant. Nice food, but in a really casual setting. They do fairly standard fare - burgers, pizza pasta, and they do a fairly serviceable Caesar salad. It's more of a place to go to lunch with friends than on a date or anything. If you have kids, I cannot recommend it highly enough. They give you pictures of the eponymous Bad Ass to colour in. Really pleasant little spot.

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    4 years ago

    One of the best pizzas I have had in Dublin. Drinks were great and the service was prompt. Music was loud and they had a good crowd.

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    Page 1 of 2

    The Bad Ass Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Bad Ass Cafe

    First stop Thursday night in Dublin's Temple Bar district was Bad Ass cafe!

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Bunsen - Double burger

    Bunsen

    4.6(81 reviews)
    0.5 kmSouth Inner City
    €€

    When traveling we always try to eat the local cuisine. Ireland is known for its grass fed high…read morequality beef among other things. During our research before we left we saw a video talking about Bunsen. Just seeing the high quality of the ingredients made it one of our must try stops in Dublin. As we do when traveling, we start and end the day eating throughout the day. We popped into Bunsen to finally try the legendary burger around 4:30 pm. Because we were there at such an odd hour, we were the only people there. When you visit Ireland, the pub culture is real and most pubs start to get quite busy around 5:30 pm. Since Bunsen isn't a pub and wasn't located in a particularly touristy area , it didn't surprise me they were empty at that time of day. What stuck out the most at first was the super friendly service right from the door. We were sat at a small banquet of tables against the wall and checked out the menu from QR code link on the table. We were there for their original burger so that is what we ordered. No sides and water to drink. I couldn't be filling up too much yet. It was pretty early after all and we had a lot of places to stop yet. The menu isn't huge. They focus on doing one thing well and keep it at that. I like a restaurant that doesn't try to be everything. Our burger came out within 10 min and it was juicy, hot and fresh. Presented beautifully wrapped. We shared this one burger because, we knew we had lots of food to eat later. Immediately after eating the last bite I wanted to order another. It was really that good. Such perfection! This will be the burger I compare all others in Ireland to.

    Asked for no onions and they forgot my drink and gave me a burger with nothing on it other than…read moreonions and no response for a week now

    Photos
    Bunsen
    Bunsen - Cheeseburger (€9.95), shoestring fries (€4.95)

    Cheeseburger (€9.95), shoestring fries (€4.95)

    Bunsen - Cheeseburger (€9.45), shoestring fries (€3.95)

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    Cheeseburger (€9.45), shoestring fries (€3.95)

    Camden Rotisserie - Southern fried chicken burger, very nice

    Camden Rotisserie

    3.9(58 reviews)
    1.2 kmHarcourt
    €€

    Was wandering on the street after a stressful Monday and bumped into this American Southern style…read morechicken and beer place. Casual decor, open kitchen and beer fridge, lighting was on the dim side. Had a Pitburger pilsner beer. Although a bottle beer, it was very crisp, malty, clean, and a bit sweet, very suitable summer drink. Also had a Southern fried chicken burger. Chicken was fried very nicely, the crust was crispy but not overly hard, inside was juicy and piping hot fiber, nicely seasoned with a bit of spices, went very well wtih the fresh veggies and sauce in the burger. The buns were soft and warm, though I might want it toasted a bit more. Also the price might be slightly on the high side (€11.95) for a standard size burger. Nonetheless, taste matters the most.

    Had tried to come here for lunch but was a little too early, they open at noon weekdays. Ended up…read morecoming back for dinner. The restaurant is quite small and there are long tables that they seat parties together at. We had to squeeze in the middle which was fine just a bit hot and cramped. The chicken was well seasoned on the burgers but the bun was wayyy too much bread, could use a different bun we think. They do offer everything in a bowl which is nice so would probably do that rather. The onion rings were also super good. Guessing the man working the room was the owner as he seemed invested and seemed to know some of the customers. All in all good food and we'd give it another go.

    Photos
    Camden Rotisserie - Interior

    Interior

    Camden Rotisserie - Pitburger pils

    Pitburger pils

    Camden Rotisserie

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    The Counter - Party of 14, easily accommodated. Everyone happy. Delicious array or burgers with unlimited combinations. Highly recommended

    The Counter

    3.8(117 reviews)
    0.3 kmSouth Inner City
    €€

    Heaven help me for patronizing an American chain eatery (even a relatively good one) while…read morevacationing abroad, but the reality of travelling with a large group is that sometimes you have to play the middle of the road. With vegetarians and other conservative eaters in our party, we found this place a godsend for a midafternoon pre-Trinity-College-sightseeing meal. Actually, it's pretty good on its own merits. I've eaten at other Counters and I like the setup...but there are too many choices! Patty, bun, cheese, toppings, and sauce. So many options! But if you enjoy culinary creativity and/or control, you will not go wrong here. The sides are good too, except that they were out of fried pickles. Sad face. We enjoyed regular fries, sweet potato fries, and grilled vegetables. Everyone enjoyed their burgers, so the meal was a success. Ironically, The Counter has table service, so it's not quite as quick as you might hope. But their sodas are from a fountain (yay, American style) so you can get refills. Plus, a bonus--their soundtrack of classic rock and respectable 80s and 90s tunes inspired at least four individuals in our multigenerational group to sing at various times. Clearly, they are all about variety.

    You know what? Kudos for having a delicious veggie patty. It was good. The guac cost me an extra…read more€0.50 and it was very so-so. Giant bottle of Staropramen for a good price rounded out the positives attributes of my meal. Hubs' sweet potato fries were the 2nd best I've ever had (after the defunct 501 Club in Minneapolis). Unfortunately the rest of the meal was overrun with immense amounts of oil. My burger bun arrived. It was the color yellow and the consistency of a soggy sponge. That means somebody dipped it in Golden-Flo cooking oil before crisping it back up. Yes, it tastes delightful...the same way deep-fried Twinkies taste delightful. The guilt of eating it manages to cancel out the enjoyment. Also ruined by oil were the onion STRINGS. Confession: I thought they were onion rings. With just an 'R'. I was duped and disappointed when the STRings arrived looking all skinny and limp. Sure, they were promisingly covered in tasty batter...but as soon as I grabbed the first one, the underneath strings crunched the pile, which subsequently disintegrated into an oily pile of fried dough and stringy onion film on the plate. Not cool. The oil-to-food ratio ended up leaving me with hours of tummy feelings the equivalent to a brick buried in a pit thrown into a black hole. Had to take a dinner coma nap on the couch when I got home. Oh and I am from California so I am allowed to say this: For a California-based and California-themed restaurant, it feels nothing like California. This place feels vapid and sterile and I would never call California sterile. Vapid, maybe. Not sterile.

    Photos
    The Counter
    The Counter - Sweet tato fries

    Sweet tato fries

    The Counter - Those fried onion strings

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    Those fried onion strings

    Bunsen - Cheeseburger and shoestring chips.

    Bunsen

    4.3(4 reviews)
    2.5 kmRanelagh

    Our first night in Dublin and we wanted something quick and familiar. Bunsen didn't disappoint…read more Simple menu great burgers!! Shoestring chips were our preference. We came in right before they got slammed and still received great service! Relaxed atmosphere and good for families. Highly recommend.

    Briefest menu I ever saw. It is literally printed on a business card. Basically, burger - single or…read moredouble - or cheeseburger with handcut, shoestring or sweet potato fries and, um, that's it. Served in true fast food joint style, fries on paper plates and tightly wrapped bundle containing the burger. Washing up overhead nil. We both had cheeseburgers with handcut fries after agonising for literally seconds over our choice. Service was brisk and meals appeared within a few minutes. I have a 'thing' about burgers. I like my steaks medium rare but I always insist on a well-done burger for hygiene reasons which, in fairness, this was. My companion had ordered hers medium but it looked very much on the rare side to both of us but she was happy enough. Frankly, I thought it was all pretty meh. Nothing memorable or good enough to drag me back. The burger bun did maintain structural integrity throughout the process which was a plus but the whole thing was decidedly only ok. It was cheap, however, so there's that. Apparently, they have long waits at busy times. No idea why and I'd be furious if I had had to wait in line for a mediocre burger.

    Photos
    Bunsen
    Bunsen
    Bunsen

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    The Bad Ass Cafe - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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