Hello Gurus of Travel,

My wife and I have a last minute trip to Dublin next week that was not planned.
We are going to be staying at The Westbury Hotel which I believe is fairly central and near or on Grafton Street.
I wanted to ask all of you for recommendations on good restaurants - casual for lunch and a little nicer for the evening. I personally don't like fussy places but something modern with a good vibe/crowd and great food. Or perhaps for lunch a dive/pub with excellent grub would be fine too. Your suggestions will be much appreciated.
Besides general sightseeing are there any pubs that you really enjoyed?
Just don't want to be at the mercy of the concierge and would like some first hand opinions to bolster my research
Would really love your opinions and thank you in advance.

Sleeplesstraveler, can't recommend any particular restaurant but you will LOVE the Westbury! Have a great time...

Brazen head has become a favourite on the odd occasions we are over in the City

http://www.brazenhead.com/

link to Dublin's Pubs some at least

http://publin.ie/

The Westbury is on Harry St, very close to Grafton St. Just in front of it are two pubs. I'd favour McDaid's; it has hardly changed in decades, and is an authentic traditional Dublin pub. But for preference I'd go a small distance further, across Grafton St on to South Anne St, and head into Kehoe's (we are on a scale of tens of yards here).

There is a wealth of dining opportunity close to the Westbury. I'd go to l'Gueuleton on Fade St. for lunch if I were in the area (but I like French-style food).

Two restaurants I like for dinner and that are close to the Westbury are Coppinger Row (just behind the Westbury away from Grafton Street) and Peploes. Both are relaxed and have a great buzz though Peploes is a bit pricier.

You can check them both out online and if you like the look, book directly or get the concierge to book for you. Coppinger Row probably doesn't take bookings for less than 6, but you can get there earlyish and have a drink at the bar while waiting for a table

The Westbury is a great location. Another pub I would recommend very nearby is Neary's on Chatham Street (parallel to Harry Street where the Westbury is located) - no piped music, no television, just a real Dublin pub (with, indicentally, a great selection of Irish whiskies if that's your thing). They also do good sandwhiches at lunchtime if you're peckish.

Two streets behind the Westbury on South William Street is Grogan's - a Dublin institution. Some love it, and some hate it but it's a real Dublin literary pub.

On Fade Street, opposite L'Gueleton (which is excellent - but doesn't take bookings) is a lively bar called The Market Bar (which also does tapas if you're hungry). There's also a bar right beside L'Gueleton called The Bar with No Name which is worth checking out.

Finally, attached to the Westbury is a good - if noisy - Asian fusion restaurant called Saba. Very popular at weekends so you may need to book ahead.

"indicentally" "sandwhiches"??? I'm getting worse!

I just stayed at the Westbury. It's in a perfect location! For casual food, turn right out of the entrance and walk to the end of the street, cross and go around the corner to the Hairy Lemon. It's small, can be crowded, but friendly and popular. The right side is a restaurant, the left is a pub. After dinner we stayed, moved over, and watch a soccer match with the crowd. Very fun.
The Literay Pub crawl leaves from DUKES most nights (check schedule) at 7:30. It one block away from the Westbury, off Grafton St.
For breakfast, just outside the hotel, on Grafton St is Bewley's. We went often; talented baristas, lots of choices includning delicious porridge (served 5 different ways).
For a lovely dinner, make a reservation at FIRE (again walking distance from the hotel).
The concierges were all very helpful (not stuffy) just really pleasant. You'll have a wonderful time!

My friend took us to this pub (its out of town, so a taxi ride away) and we had a great time: http://www.jfp.ie/

Thanks so much for the replies thus far everyone. Much appreciated.
Has anyone ever been to Pig's Ear, Chapter One, Cornucopia, The Port House (for pre or post dinner drinks), L. Mulligan Grocer, 101 Talbot.
I have read about these but would love to hear if anyone has any personal experience with them.

sleeplesstraveler -

We dined at The Pig's Ear on Nassau St. and enjoyed this cozy, busy little spot. Good food.
Try dropping into The Kilkenny Shop almost directly below it for a bit of great shopping beforehand.

Another casual spot we tried and enjoyed, was The Winding Stair on Lower Ormond Quay.

Hi Sleeplesstraveller
I've eaten in them all! Pig's Ear is - as already stated - small and cosy with a nice view over Trinity College. Food is on the hearty side - nice if it's a cold day!

Chapter One is the best restaurant in Dublin and you may not get a reservation. It is fine dining at its bests - really gorgeous. It's a bit of a walk away from the Westbury in a not so salubrious area of Dublin so I'd recommend a taxi to and from your hotel. Food is divine! Bill is expensive but the early bird is worth a try if you're on a budget.

Cornucopia is a popular vegetarian restaurant - good for lunch. Very healthy food and excellent if you're a vegan or have a restricted diet such as wheat free or gluten free. It's self-service and portions are huge.

The Port House is a tiny tapas bar in a cellar, only lit by candles. My husband doesn't like it because he's tall and he says that he feels like a giant there! I love it though. Full of character. Becuase of its size it fills up quickly.

L.Mulligan Grocer (not to be confused with another famous pub, Mulligan's of Poolbeg Street) is a terrific gastropub in Stoneybatter - a suburb on the north side. You'll need to take a taxi or the Luas tram to get there. Good hearty food. Wonderful if you're a beer lover - they have a fantastic selection of microbrewery beers (don't ask for Guinness). Because it's a bit out of your way, again, I'd recommend a reservation before you travel there.

101 Talbot is one of those restaurants that won't set the world on fire, but can always be relied upon for a nice meal. Good value and popular with people attending the nearby Abbey and Gate Theatres. It hass managed to hang on in there despite being on one of the ugliest streets in Dublin. I've eaten there so many times over the years and have yet to have a bad meal there.

Second the recommendation for the Winding Stair - plus, the dining room has lovely views across the Liffey.

You're on the right track with any those restaurants - they're all very nice. Just stay away from Temple Bar - it's horrible, the beer is expensive and the restaurants are terrible.

For lunch: best chowda I ever had was at Ryan's FXB Grill.