Change in Plans - It was a short trip to Dublin with 15 year old daughter; now it is a short trip to Dublin with husband! Restaurant recommendations please.
 

Well, my short weekend trip to Dublin with my 15 year old daughter has now been changed to a short (3 night) stay with my husband instead. And we are leaving in two weeks. My daughter and I were booked at the Merrion and while I can move that reservation for the new date, I am also looking at the Fitzwilliam. (daughter did not like 'modern'). My husband and I would like to have some nice meals while in Dublin and are looking for suggestions. We are open to most anything and like nice dining, but a bit on the more casual side (no jackets/ties!). We would not mind pub suggestions as well, now that we don't have to worry about the underage daughter! Thanks, Susan

Susan, I cannot think of one place that requires a jacket and tie in Dublin unless its a private club so don't worrk. If you want to blow the bank stay in the merrion and eat there...but It is probably one of the more expensive meals you will ever eat! Also there is a restaurant in the basement of the hotel that is quite nice and the cellar bar is before it. It is great for champange cocktails!

Chapter one has a great early bird and the food/chef/restaurant tends to win all the awards for the past few years now. Peploes is on st Stephens green and is lovely but you need an advance booking quite a bit ahead. There is a bar area for a drink and lighter snacks (lunch?) and the main restauraurant to the right. The food is excellent if not a little pricey.

La Mere Zou is also very close on the Green and has French/Belgian foos.

Ely wine bar on Ely street is just down the road from the Merrion and serves organic meats from there farm and has a good wine list..hence the wine bar :-). Tartine at the entrance to Dublin Castle gets good reviews and is a small cafe serving French food at reasonable prices. It has good reviews.

For cheaper eats and listings click on my name for posts about restaurants in Ireland.

I have been checking out restaurant recommendations on this site and I would still like some advice, my dollar does not go far right now and I would like to spend no more than about 26-28 euro per entree. And I am not a great meat eater, I prefer fish. Although my husband loves the meat dishes. Any good ideas for where we should have our dinners? Thanks, Susan dinnerdinnee Any tn about IwekqouldtheSio

hi susan - we were in dublin for a night recently and ate at the old mill restaurant in templebar after reading excellent reviews from one of the food writers here. it was very good - i ordered a sea bass and got an entire fish (not the usual skinny little fillets) for only 21 euro. excellent value. very friendly quaint little place. if booking ask for the table by the window if possible. you can watch all the comings and goings of temple bar from it. would definately go back.

the unicorn in a little mews just off stephen's green (ely place i think) and just down the road from your hotel is also very good. italian fare, reasonable prices but very busy.

have fun in dublin!

catherine
www.welovedonegal.com

btw, if you do decide to splash out (up to 50 euro per main course) i can recommend patrick guilbaud's and also thorntons. you can check out their menu at www.restaurantpatrickguilbaud.ie and www.fitzwilliamhotel.com/thorntons_menu.htm

i think they both do lunch and if you do not want to go the full hog and pay many euro for dinner then you could always take the lunch option.

catherine
www.welovedonegal.com

I have not eaten in the Old mill in years but i think there are better places for that price range. I consider 26-28 euro an entree a pricey place. You can eat well in lots of places for less.

In that try
FXB http://www.fxbrestaurants.com/temple_alacarte.html

Also any of the Fitzers restaurants. One is on the squatre in Temple bar and the other on Dawsion street which is parallel to Grafton street.

There is a Burdock Chipper in the Epicurean food hall on Liffey street and a good stop for lunch any day as there is a huge variety of food outlets.

Mermaid Cafe is Mor seafood than meat www.mermaid.ie. Beside it is Gruel and it is great food in a cheap looking dining area...a bit funkly but clean and excellent food at cheap prices. Small salad last Thursday 4.50 euro and it was massive with potatoes, green beans, Goats cheese etc. try this place and don't let the decor put you off.

The Unicorn is good but VERY pricey fro itailian and I would reccommend The wine bar and restaurants in Millenium Walkway enotecca della Langhe (Antipasti and wines by the glass/bottle or Bar italia at the front ehich is a restaiurant. Great people watching at the wine bar!

SiobhanP - Thank you for the recommendations. I also think 26-28 euro is high, but when I looked at the prices at other recommended restaurants I was seeing many entree prices quite a lot higher! So I thought that as a top I could go this high. We would love nice meals at lower prices! Susan

OK where I go would be Bar Italia and Enotecca della Langhe in the Millenium Quarter. LAso Peploes has a smaller cheaper menu in the library area beside the bar that are similar to the main restaurant dishes but less of them and lovely for lunch and early evening meals. Sometimes we go for a drink at the bar before eating elsewhere. It gets packed as the night goes on and the bar is bvery small.

I also haveing been going to the Odessa restaurant for the past 10 years and its located at Dame court off Exquecer street. Across from the Stags head pub (Diaginal from it). see www.odessa.ie. This is a place we go once in a while and its a funa atmosphere and good food. I like the basement area for seating as its cosy but a funky decor.

For fish I forgot about Mackrel in the old Bewelys on Grafton street. It gets rave reviews its in the 20's for a mains for sish but meant to be excellent http://www.mackerel.ie/menus.php I cannot comment as I do not eat fish!

For a lovely Indian Meal Jaipur on Georges street is modern Indian food and gets excellent reviews http://www.jaipur.ie/ I have not eaten here but many friends of mine have.

I really Like Moloti (Indian again)http://www.diningtreats.com/search.p...;order_by=> They serve nice cocktails, the food is modern Indian again and very tasty.

Darwins
16 Aungier Street Dublin 2
Phone:01 475 7511
This place is on the pricier side and meant to have excellent steaks and overall good food. I was recommended it by a couple we started chatting to on our way for a meal one night. I have nort eaten here but it's on my next time list. See this review http://www.forkncork.com/content/sho...p?threadid=532

I do also go to Wagamamma for a lunch or early dinner on the erun. the food is excellent and well priced but not a cosy environment (Its communal seating). Also for lunch I would go to the Chester Beatty Library in the Silk Road Cafe. Go for 12:30 before the lunch rush and the foos is superb. This is behind Dublin Castle.

Also for a much cheaper and fun evening try Havana on georges street for Tapas and Mexican beers and Mohito's. The music is fun and they have the occasional live salsa band. They take no bookings but get there by 8pm and you should be fine.

These are where I would go on a weekend for a meal. Enjoy!

Once again typing to fast and apologies for all the spelling errors!

SiobhanP - No apologies are necessary, your postings have been wonderful and I have now finalized my itinerary and all my lists of restaurants. We leave next week for our long weekend in Dublin, thank you and everyone else on this board for all of the help. I will post a trip report when we return. Thanks again, Susan

Let me knopw your opinions on restaurants etc. It's always good to get a different point of view from someone outisde the country.