You would go out of your way to go to the Tolka House, but if you live in Glasnevin it will do. Situated beside the Botanic Garden, this pub is one of many family orientated bar. During the day, parents can bring their children and enjoy a nice carvery lunch for a very reasonable price. Sundays are pretty much taken over by screaming children so if you don't have a little one then give it a miss this day. The beer garden is popular with all ages both day and night time. You can hear the Botanic stream near by so for once the term "garden" applies. It's a nice change to be in a quiet residential area where you don't have to listen to too much traffic. In my opinion, one of the best times to visit the Tolka House is around Christmas time. Everyone in the neighbourhood seems to congregate here to celebrate the holidays. I have some very fond memories of meeting up with old friends and having a grand old time. read more

Tolka House - Photo taken from dublinpubscene.com - Gastropubs Near Me - Dublin, D

Love it here, my new favourites have to be beef burger with jalapeños or their pulled pork Sambo. Great out door area, even in the winter. Lots of seats heated and screens. 2min walk from the botanic gardens. Also the cemetery which you can now enter through the gardens. Great spot lunch or dinner, or booking a table for a small get together. Children are OK till usual 9, once they are behaved. Nice big fires in the winter too. Many screens available! A large projector up front for many sport, but they are happy to put on what ever your looking for on a screen closer to you :) read more

See all

I'm going to preface this review with the confession that: Yes, i am biased towards this pub as I go there quite regularly. And not because it's convenient, it's not my local, but it's completely worth the 30 minute walk it takes me to get there. The staff are great and very friendly no matter how busy it gets. Admittedly it never gets insanely busy on a regular night- but at X-Mas or on match nights it can get very busy and very hectic but the staff never miss a beat. The bar staff are above criticism and the floor staff clear tables before there's ever a chance that empty glasses could build up at a busy table- and while they're at it they'll take gladly offer to take your order if they notice your current drink running low. It's also one of the best pints of Guinness I can rely on- I never drink Guinness unless it's from here! The smoking area underwent a decent upgrade a while ago. Now, attached to the lounge, is a spacious outdoor smoking area, with a tv on one side (well, that was there the last time I smoked, though admittedly I've given up a while) and the Tolka River on the other. All in all, I've honestly never found a better more relaxed place to go for a drink- which is why it's one of the only pubs in Dublin that I'll go to on a regular basis. read more

A stones throw from the Botanic gardens and 5 min walk from Glasnevin cemetery. The 'Tolka, as its known local, is quite, comfortable and price impressive. Run well, and kept that way it is the only pub in the Glasnevin area worth a visit these days. This bar is my favorite. The pint of Guinness is second to none, right up there with Mulligans on Poolbeg street or the long hall on Georges street (such comparison is a great feat). The newly installed beer garden is covered and well seated, with a television and heaters. The food is a carvery during the day, and a menu in the evening, i've had both, and have no complaints! the steaks are my recommendation, but the stir fry is worth a look too. Suitable for families, seen especially on Sundays. What i like most is that no matter where you are sitting you will be in view of whatever sport is on the TV (everything is shown, except the ivy house the only place in the area that shows rugby, guaranteed!) and wont be left waiting at the bar, there is also waiting staff that will serve you your drink also. As a residence of Glasnevin, and so well acquainted with the Glasnevin/Drumcondra locals, the Tolka house is the only choice out of the plethora of pubs in the area. read more

This is a decent local pub. Set in a great location beside the Botanic Gardens, it represents a good place to meet friends for a pint and a chat. I grew up and still live relatively close by, and i still meet my old school friends here every Xmas eve.... I was in the other day, and unlike many local pubs, they are making an effort, with bands playing on selected nights and trad sessions where one can join in. Good to see the effort being put in. read more

Came here for a pre-christmas dinner and it was fantastic food overall, but the service was a bit slow. I checked the reviews 2 hours or so before and saw that we should try to get a reservation but it was already booked up (on Dec 16th!). We tried for it anyway and sat at the bar for 10 min or so then got a table. The other people were still leaving and the staff was still cleaning it so it was a bit awkward. I got mac and cheese for an appatizer and it was more parm than anything else so, of course, it was dlecious! I think I will ask for double that next time! I then got veggie stir fry which had a bit too much salt for me (and I love salt) but was still really good. My friends got the sheppards pie (best she has ever had!), chicken, and burger and everyone ate everything on their plate--so I would say that was great! Only real problem was that the service was a bit slow. I guess there were a lot of tables taken, but they were not large groups so I feel it should have been a bit faster (asked for the check then waited 10 min). read more

An excellent venue for booking a corner or a few tables for a small event, the finger food is very tasty and moreish!!!! The carvery menu was plentiful. The staff are friendly enough and quick to serve. The smoking area is large and an excellent additional area to this bar....acts as a beer garden too!! My only gripe with this venue is that if they book areas for events such as communions/christenings, they should expect kids to want to move around and they didn't. But overall a good pub read more

This is a great example of a suburban pub that has moved with the times whilst also remaining true to it root. A great place to enjoy a carvery lunch and a pint. Chec out the magnificent smoking area and the vista over the Tolka river into the Botanic gardens. read more

Great band on here tonight it's a shame there's not enough people in the tolka house to enjoy the live music. The band is called Rogue read more

Tolka House - Live & loud - Gastropubs Near Me - Dublin, D

Brilliant food, TV, Great for a few drinks, Nice area, A few meters away from National Botanic Gardens of Ireland for me 4/5 read more

Tolka House - Tolka house, dublin - Gastropubs Near Me - Dublin, D

Dropped on the Tolka for a pint last Friday night. Ordered a pint of Guinness that was my first mistake when it came it tasted sweet very unusual for Guinness, asked my brother to taste without telling him why, his response was that it tasted fruity. Brought it back the bar tender gave me a vacant look when I told him my issue that was all np apology or kiss my ass. I ordered two pints of some craft brew ale, left the nearly full pint at the bar as the dummy wasn't going to replace it. We're sitting at our table and I get a whiff 0f vinegar.......smelles like buffalo chicken wings. Well we are both partial to hot wings so we got a menu and sure enough they were on it. We ordered the large portion second mistake. Asked server for wings hot as you like and asked if they came with REAL BLUE CHEESE sauce not mayo or ranch......oh yeah its real we were told. Wings arrive in a smallish metal bucket. First thing I smell is bbq......WTF we tasted and sure enough they're smothered in a bbq sauce asked waitress thinking we go the wrong order oh no she said they're hot wings Blue cheese sauce was nothing more than some type of watered down mayo crap not a crumb of blue cheese. They did put one piece of celery on the plate Wahoo My advice to the owners if they even look at comments is to stick with what you do well. I used to work as lounge boy in this bar and it was my local for many years during the 80s. When Carl ran the joint it was always good. Prior to that Tommy Keogh was the manage back in medieval times Would I go back hell no. read more

This restaurant/pub was down the street from my air bnb. We initially entered because the setting seemed cute and they had Guinness on tap. While the setting was in fact a cute cozy pub setting the positives end there. It took half an hour to get two Guinness's as I watched them settle from across the room. As we ordered a couple of fish and chips the nice waitress brought out oil and vinegar for the table. There were four dead flies in the vinegar. Four. The flies seemed to surround us as we ate our poorly fried cakey fish and chips. In addition the bill was not cheap at all, quite pricey for a disappointing experience. read more

My review is not just about the food quality or how nice the services were. Its more about how we came to this place by accident and ended the loving the manager (Tim) and the Irish. I will try to be as curt as possible. Me and my wife were in the vicinity at the National Botanical Garden (NBG) next to the pub, the stupid tourist that we are visiting from Canada fogot that we had parked our car in the NBG and wandered off. And by the time we came back the parking was closed. We were leaving for Canada the next day and the car with our passports and documents were locked in the parking lot. We tried calling out and different entrances nothing worked. We decided to go to the near-by pub and call 'Guarda' (or Police) which didn't help on a Saturday evening. Here comes TIM the manager, we explain him the situation. Turns out he was quite popular with his customers and he managed to find the contact details of the director of NBG. While we waited for the call back, this kind man walked with me to NBD, stood by me for an hour or so giving me company, while I waited for a guard change or a glimpse of security personnel. After a point when I said I might have to jump the gates to get my documents, he went ahead and offered me a ladder. I almost cried inside, because of this stranger who was trying to help us. Lo-behold the phone rings, he's managed to reach Shawn or Sean, who is an american living inside the NBG compound, who welcomed me 'Hello thr, my friend from North of the border'. I was super relieved and I got my car and my documents back. I went back to pick up my wife who was elated. I asked how could I repay this man for his kindness, he took nothing and offered me a coffee for all the troubles. I'm touched by this person, his friendly and kind demeanor . His willingness to help a stranger in need. I will forever remember this man. Please visit this pub, its a friendly place run by real human being. Thank him for me (Neil with car locked inside NBG), he'll remember. Thank you Thank you. read more