On my trips to Ireland I 've thrived both budget wise and gastronomically on pub meals....
I fear, however, that the reasonable prices of the past are gone. Can any recent travelers confirm or deny?
Jean

I guess it depends on what you think is reasonable. I'm just back from London and found pub meals are still mostly cheaper than restaurants.
What causes the price to rise for me are the muliple pints I must have along with the meal....

I agree with you cavan97. During my recent trip to the U.K. [Scotland and England} I found that the quality in pub food has gone down and the prices up. I think a number of them buy pre packaged microwavable entrees which is probably more economical. As a matter of fact I found the identical dishes in different pubs even though they were not owned by the same breweries. It was quite disappointing.

I agree,I think pubs are still less expensive than restaurants. We use The Good Pub Guide when we're in the UK, it has led us to some great pubs with wonderefully inventive food. Yes some of these are pricey but it provides price details. We also use Camra's Good Beer Guide to find pubs. Just like with restaurants, all pubs are not created equal!

I don't know when your most recent to Ireland was so I have no 'old price,' 'new price' comparison. Since the introduction of the Euro, prices for everything have increased. The weakness of the U.S. Dollar vs the Euro adds to the equation. You can still get a good 'Carvery' meal in most places for 7.50 to 8 Euros. With the Euro at $1.20 that pushes you near the $10 cost. Add a pint of Guinness at about 3.50 Euros and you figure it out.

I recommend the Carvery Lunch at Madigan's on Middle Earl Street in Dublin, Finches on George's Quay in Limerick City and the Queen's Hotel in Ennis. The most inexpensive Carvery meal and the cheapest pint I found was at the Railway Hotel, just across from the Limerick City Rail & Bus station. There's a Hotel, the name of which I can't remember (at the top of the main street) in Ballina, County Mayo, that also serves a nice Carvery lunch.

My figures are from Summer, '04.

Had one yesterday (First in a year!) I would say 8-10 euro including a drink. I am referring to Carvery meals which would be veg, meat potatoes and stuffing with gravy. You will be stuffed for the day. I certainly do not consider this Gourmet or the best food by any means but once in a while is OK. Wedon't have the Gastro Pub culture that is currently in the UK but I hope it will catch on here and improve the pub grub!

I still think pub meals are a great value and good food - I tend to stay off busy areas - live in North London - you can get a great meal for around 5-6 quid. Also there are sometimes pub gastro guides that can help you find the best of the lot. In Ireland I found the fare a bit simpler but still well priced.

We had some decent pub meals on our recent trip to Scotland. Not cheap, but nothing is cheap there.

Actually, I thought the best lunchtime values were at those little tea houses, where you could get a fairly decent sandwich for 3 euros and a pint can of Tennants if you want one. Not the same ambiance, of course, but usually fast and friendly.

a sandwich shop/cafe may be a better value unless you want to fill up for the day.

Yes I agree that a typical pub meal would be about 8-10 euro for a main course with trimmings. But there are increasing number of places that serve restaurant-quality meals in a pub setting and charge accordingly. In those places 10-15 euro is common. They almost always have a printed menu posted outside so you can check prices before going in.

Has anyone had a pub meal in London at the Antelope?

sprin2 - I to carry the "Good Pub Guide of Britain" with me, every time I return there, for a driving holiday. The book is invaluable, and I usually dine in the Inns indicated as the "Best Dining Pub" of a particular shire. As you say, not all pubs are created equal. I have friends who complain about english pub food, but then they don't have a copy of the Good Pub Guide.
One of my favourites, is the "Wild Duck" Inn at Ewen, not far from the source of the Thames River.

On our 2002 trip to the UK, we partook of a "two for 9.95 pounds" deal at a local pub - fried fish, chips and peas (green, not overcooked to a mushy grey), and it was quite acceptable.

Just got back from Ireland last week. Start looking for dinner early - say, 5-ish? Can't remember exactly... Noticed that prices went up significantly for 'real' dinner time.

Some smaller cafes were very reasonable. Ask where locals eat.

Beer, on the other hand, seemed to stay the same price all the time.

-Helen

Many pubs do not serve after a set time and Carvery tends to be for lunches unless its the weekends. Some do not serve food at night or do a restaurant menu service.

I don't feel pub lunch in Ireland is restaurant quality but many are decent basic coooked meat and spud dinners. There tends to be more a gourmet feel in the UK gastro pubs but you will pay for it as well.

Many places don't serve food between 2-5 or 6. Look for places that say "Food Served All Day".

Pub meals have always been and are still good value. Of course there are plenty of places that serve bad food, particularly along tourist routes.

I also tend to avoid cafes in Ireland, except for breakfast. They are usually really cheap for a reason.

Cafes to me would be small places that serve lunch and teas is that the same up North Ann? I though cafes were more sit down chippers with tea! I.e. The metro Cafe in Dublin and Busy Feet and CoCo Cafe would be lunch and sanswich style places that are open till late and serve coffees/teas/ sambos etc

cavan97 - don't know how big your appetite is, but if i need a quick pint and quality tucker i usually pop into The Market Bar, Fade St, off Georges St, they do delicious (and authentic) Tapas, a serve of Spanish meatballs and Patatas is about 6 euro. A pint is less than 4 euro.

Recently 4 of us ate at The Porterhouse on Parliament St, a large
Mussels, 3 burgers (very filling) with chips, and a Coriander Chicken, came to 45 euro ... about 9 euro per dish.

The Bank on Dame St also offers a quality Carvery at lunch, and well priced a la carte menu (10 - 15 euro)in the evenings.

The cost of dining out in Ireland has become a contentious issue of late -most people feel publicans and restauranteurs have raised prices out of greed rather than need. I don't mind paying a little more for a good night out with professional service and impressive food - but i do object to 25 euro nouvelle cuisine mains served up by disinterested staff ... this is my biggest problem with dining out in dublin, and the rest of the country for that matter.

It's a bit of a catch 22 situation - while it's great that Ireland has finally caught up with the best of european food trends (remember when a pub meal was a 'heart attack on a plate' for a fiver) - it also means goodbye, for the most part, to 'reasonable prices of the past'.

The Market Bar is good but I think Cavan is looking more for a carvery Lunch. (I still like Havana for tapas and music and dancing!) Someplace like The Duke on Duke Street in Dublin is what I would think you are looking for Cavan. If you like dinners then carvery is for you. I can't manage to eat that much and every day either. I ate too much of it as a kid and now hate it

Saying that i would still eat elsewhere for a main meal. The porterhouse is more of a busy bar and not where I would go for dinner but maybe a quick snack. Value for money is better at lunch or early bird specials in Restaurants (Even odessa has one) or a few other places like

Wagamamma (Asian)

Cafe bar Deli - Georges Street

Acapulaco (Mexican) Georges Street

Havana (Tapas) (Off Camden St not sure??)

Trentuno (Pizza/Pasta) Wicklow St off Graftom Street

Blazing Salads - Drury Street Take away great health salads, veggie food and soups. Take away only

Soup Gragon - Capel Street near the Bridge. Best soup in town usually 10-15 kinds and VERY fillig. All are homemade.

Zaytoon - Persian Kebabs with veggie options. Eat in and good Value on Parliament Street across from the Porter House pub

Silk Road Cafe - In the checter Beatty Library behind Dublin Castle. Huge portions of salads, curry's, chicken etc. All under 10 euro. Fantastic arabic cakes and pastries.

Gruel- Dame street. Kept in Business by all the tribunals in Dublin! I have not eaten here but it get great reviews and lunch and dinner are hearty food at excellent prices. Not a glam place but funky.

Never realised myself there is a world of food at lunch thats not carvery and still filling for a good price!

Enjoy. All the above are in Dublin City Centre