I visited this place with friends a few weeks ago and we had strange slow service when it was quiet and the coffee was very average. One in the group also took home a bag of coffee which we tried together and it was not great at all. We tasted it side by side with some other Irish roasted coffee and The old barracks coffee was miles behind. The cost, however, was €8 more expensive for the Old barracks Coffee that was lacking in flavour (€18 for 250g!!)
Anyway, we decided to go back to really give it a run for it's money. We visited today, just two of us, when it was quiet again. Again the service and welcome was not spectacular, but we proceeded to order and pay for a traybake cake each, an espresso, flat white and a filter coffee. We tested them, asked questions about everything and ordered a variety of Origins (as they offer any coffee, brewed any way). Well we regretted it. I don't know who got that idea but they are really spreading themselves thin thinking they can correctly serve all of these to spec everytime. It is a difficult job to serve coffee properly, and we are forgiving of busy shops that try, but here they were just making coffee for the sake of it and serving it with a fancy card that tells you what to taste.
The Indonesian coffee would turn any stomach and was sharp, bitter and kind of like black pepper water.
The Kenyan coffee was under roasted and kind of pea nutty. Like peanut butter, but sour. I had never drank anything like it.
The Ethiopian coffee was very sharp and acidic and really left an ashy, lingering stain on our tongues until we left. We both commented on the stain on our tongues.
I am not going to recommend The Old Barracks to anyone that asks, and won't be giving it another chance. We paid €25 in total and to us, they should not be serving coffee at that price. Most cafes around Ireland would charge around €15-17 for coffee and cakes of easily better quality.
Thanks The Old Barracks, but I won't be visiting you again or your new cafe wherever it is. read more
