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Restaurant Reviews

Restaurant review: The Libertine's sophisticated take on snug pub grub calls for seconds

S Restaurant review: The Libertine's sophisticated take on snug pub grub calls for seconds

The Libertine styles itself as a ‘lounge’ and the interior has a lot more cushioned, comfortable seating than bar stools.

Restaurant review: Salty Dog's new Cork spot almost top tier despite some menu dissonance

S Restaurant review: Salty Dog's new Cork spot almost top tier despite some menu dissonance

Restaurant review: Striking a note of Euro cool in Dublin with dishes that intrigue

S Restaurant review: Striking a note of Euro cool in Dublin with dishes that intrigue

Restaurant reviews: I tried two new Marina Market food spots while searching for fried chicken nirvana

S Restaurant reviews: I tried two new Marina Market food spots while searching for fried chicken nirvana

Restaurant review: Monty’s new wine bar has a legendary wine list and sophisticated atmosphere

S Restaurant review: Monty’s new wine bar has a legendary wine list and sophisticated atmosphere

It is early days for Monty’s Wine Bar but I already love its points of difference, I can see it fitting brilliantly into Dublin’s wine bar scene.

Sun, 06 Sep, 2026

Restaurant review: West Cork's Harnen delights after passing of Pilgrim’s

S Restaurant review: West Cork's Harnen delights after passing of Pilgrim’s

My next trip to Harnen will happen very soon and we plan on popping open a bottle and letting lunch linger right through until closing time.

Fri, 28 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Ómós has a bold, visionary concept that is brilliantly executed

S Restaurant review: Ómós has a bold, visionary concept that is brilliantly executed

The tasting menu (the only option) costs €175 per person, which is not cheap but is comparable to what you would pay for a similar meal in many of our fine dining restaurants

Fri, 21 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Kelly's is a nostalgic taste of fast fading delights in Cork

S Restaurant review: Kelly's is a nostalgic taste of fast fading delights in Cork

Entering Kelly's made me step back in time. One minute I was strolling through sun-blasted and cosmopolitan 21st-century Cork city, the next minute I was in an upstairs restaurant I last visited a full half-century ago

Fri, 14 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Is Dublin’s trendiest viral sandwich worth queuing for?

S Restaurant review: Is Dublin’s trendiest viral sandwich worth queuing for?

Does Morso’s most Instagrammed sandwich live up to the hype?

Sat, 08 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Catch of the Day flounders where Lennox's flourished

S Restaurant review: Catch of the Day flounders where Lennox's flourished

I will be handing out no merit badges here. Maybe Lennox’s wasn’t so bad after all.

Tue, 04 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Marina Market's Street Frites is love at first bite

S Restaurant review: Marina Market's Street Frites is love at first bite

I rock up, readymade scepticism to hand, doubting they will come any way close to those I had tried in Brussels. I am wrong.

Sat, 01 Aug, 2026

Restaurant review: Mongoose should be top of your list for great value dining

S Restaurant review: Mongoose should be top of your list for great value dining

Mongoose is a gem — I can’t wait to return

Fri, 24 Jul, 2026

Restaurant review: Sandwiches and cakes are a quiet triumph at this West Cork deli

S Restaurant review: Sandwiches and cakes are a quiet triumph at this West Cork deli

The owners bring experience and passion to The Pike Deli in Clonakilty

Mon, 20 Jul, 2026

Restaurant review: Uncle's Deli has a great concept but falls behind its English Market peers

S Restaurant review: Uncle's Deli has a great concept but falls behind its English Market peers

The recently opened English Market restaurant was possibly over-concerned with nailing a US-style concept rather than nailing a really good sandwich.

Fri, 17 Jul, 2026

Restaurant review: Sano Pizza's remarkably good value bucks the trend of expensive city dining

S Restaurant review: Sano Pizza's remarkably good value bucks the trend of expensive city dining

A delicious slice of real value in a time when eating in cities like Dublin, Cork, and Galway has become more and more costly

Sun, 12 Jul, 2026

Restaurant review: Habibi Grill on Cork's Northside will convert more Corkonians to Syrian food

S Restaurant review: Habibi Grill on Cork's Northside will convert more Corkonians to Syrian food

This delicious, homely fare, is elevated by the sophisticated spicing born of an upbringing in Aleppo

Sun, 05 Jul, 2026

Restaurant review: Faux Old-style Irish pub almost seems novel

S Restaurant review: Faux Old-style Irish pub almost seems novel

I should be critical of the fakery, but it is quite well done, so I was happy to block it from my mind and go with the flow.

Fri, 26 Jun, 2026

Restaurant review: I went to Adare Manor for a €185pp Michelin-starred dinner at The Oak Room

S Restaurant review: I went to Adare Manor for a €185pp Michelin-starred dinner at The Oak Room

The Head Chef Mike Tweedie still has the drive needed to succeed

Fri, 19 Jun, 2026

Restaurant review: Tábla is exactly what you want from a local restaurant

S Restaurant review: Tábla is exactly what you want from a local restaurant

Au contraire, French cuisine is thriving

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

Restaurant review: My Goodness Café's vegan food is both tasty and affordable

S Restaurant review: My Goodness Café's vegan food is both tasty and affordable

This café brings thrilling taste and a fine food philosophy

Sun, 07 Jun, 2026

Restaurant review: The Muddlers Club is packed with charm, finesse, and attitude

S Restaurant review: The Muddlers Club is packed with charm, finesse, and attitude

The Muddlers Club's name traces its origins back to the 1798 Rebellion

Fri, 29 May, 2026

Restaurant review: Aniar's 24 courses of theatrics should be on your bucket list

S Restaurant review: Aniar's 24 courses of theatrics should be on your bucket list

The special Irish restaurant offers a dining experience few others can claim to

Fri, 22 May, 2026

Restaurant review: A talented new chef brings art and value to the table at hip Margadh RHA

S Restaurant review: A talented new chef brings art and value to the table at hip Margadh RHA

Margadh’s wine list is a reason to visit on its own

Fri, 15 May, 2026

Restaurant review: Oar fails to make a splash — but there's time to right the ship

S Restaurant review: Oar fails to make a splash — but there's time to right the ship

Oar would be a far better restaurant if it could truly embrace simpler cooking of the local larder.

Fri, 08 May, 2026

Restaurant review: I paid over €400 for dinner for two at The Morrison Room — here are my thoughts

S Restaurant review: I paid over €400 for dinner for two at The Morrison Room — here are my thoughts

Learn the Head Chef's name, you will be hearing about him for a long time to come.

Sun, 03 May, 2026

Restaurant review: Bastion in Kinsale is a secret treasure just crying out for discovery

S Restaurant review: Bastion in Kinsale is a secret treasure just crying out for discovery

Noonan and McDonald prefer, as the old cliché goes, to let the food do the talking on the plate

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Restaurant review: This Laois restaurant is the main reason to leave the M7

S Restaurant review: This Laois restaurant is the main reason to leave the M7

Bramley is the apple of our eye

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Restaurant review: Clare eatery offers a meal as comforting as an old country pub

S Restaurant review: Clare eatery offers a meal as comforting as an old country pub

Young chef James Vaughan, third generation in the family business at Vaughan’s Anchor Inn, can cook and assemble flavours well.

Sun, 12 Apr, 2026

Restaurant review: This Galway gem has some of the finest fine dining in Ireland

S Restaurant review: This Galway gem has some of the finest fine dining in Ireland

Lignum's chef-proprietor Danny Africano’s cooking harks from the minimalist school: ‘bass notes’, those deep, plangent flavours, are used sparingly; mid-range and treble, his most preferred area of expression

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Restaurant review: I'm still smiling from my visit to the brilliant Ox in Belfast

S Restaurant review: I'm still smiling from my visit to the brilliant Ox in Belfast

This was one of my best meals of the last 24 months

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Horizon - Adare Manor

S Restaurant review: Some of the finest ‘traditional’ cooking in Ireland can be found in Adare

Brilliant 1826 boasts skill and substance

Fri, 13 Mar, 2026

Restaurant review: Too many misses in Spanish-focused dishes at Dublin’s Bang Restaurant

S Restaurant review: Too many misses in Spanish-focused dishes at Dublin’s Bang Restaurant

It is relatively early days for Bang, so I’m sure they will tighten things up in the coming months

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Restaurant review: This Killarney spot serves one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had in Ireland

S Restaurant review: This Killarney spot serves one of the best pizzas I’ve ever had in Ireland

It is one of the best hospitality offerings in the Kingdom and, yes, we are deeply smitten

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Restaurant review: What it's like to dine in Ireland's original two-star Michelin restaurant

S Restaurant review: What it's like to dine in Ireland's original two-star Michelin restaurant

Yes, we had a misstep in our meal but it was more than compensated for

Fri, 20 Feb, 2026

Restaurant review: This Adare café nails each dish every time — I left a very happy diner

S Restaurant review: This Adare café nails each dish every time — I left a very happy diner

Even in the depths of winter, Cafe Logr shines like summer

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Restaurant review: Soulful homeliness and a welcome sense of place in dishes at Spitalfields

S Restaurant review: Soulful homeliness and a welcome sense of place in dishes at Spitalfields

I last reviewed Spitalfields in September 2019, shortly after it opened. Stephen McAllister’s menu arrived fully formed, full of instant classics, most of which are still on the menu today

Sun, 08 Feb, 2026

Restaurant review: Market Lane is turning 20 soon — here's what it's like to dine there

S Restaurant review: Market Lane is turning 20 soon — here's what it's like to dine there

Cork very lucky to call Market Lane its own

Sun, 01 Feb, 2026

Restaurant review: The menu at Hang Dai Chinese will get you through the January blues

S Restaurant review: The menu at Hang Dai Chinese will get you through the January blues

Hang Dai’s menu is a mix of small and larger plates, with everything designed for sharing, and there is also the option of a ‘family style’ tasting menu

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Restaurant review: Sadler's in Tipperary falls far behind the rest of the pack

S Restaurant review: Sadler's in Tipperary falls far behind the rest of the pack

If this meal was a steed, the racecourse vet would be slipping behind a screen to put it out of its misery

Sun, 18 Jan, 2026

Restaurant review: Old school classics to bank on at Díon Rooftop Restaurant and Bar in Dublin

S Restaurant review: Old school classics to bank on at Díon Rooftop Restaurant and Bar in Dublin

We started with cocktails because it is that kind of space

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Restaurant review: This Cork favourite puts the Izz into Palestinian pizzazz

S Restaurant review: This Cork favourite puts the Izz into Palestinian pizzazz

Izz Cafe is a truly special restaurant, with lovely staff serving great food.

Sun, 04 Jan, 2026

Chef characters set. Cartoon chief cooking in restaurant. Cook with tray and different meals. Food industry. Vector illustration

The biggest dining trends of 2025, from pop-ups and chef collabs to traditional Irish produce

Shorter menus, comfort food, and a ‘vibe-cession’ are some of the factors influencing dining out

Fri, 26 Dec, 2025

Restaurant review: Italian flair both fair and flavourful at Gloria Osteria Dublin

S Restaurant review: Italian flair both fair and flavourful at Gloria Osteria Dublin

Gloria Osteria arrived in Dublin in late November, having fully refurbished the corner of Westmoreland Street and College Green

Fri, 19 Dec, 2025

Restaurant review: Ten years in, Bastible balances precision and pleasure

S Restaurant review: Ten years in, Bastible balances precision and pleasure

Even brilliant restaurants fail sometimes, so when I realised Bastible was 10 years old this past November I decided it was worth a revisit.

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025

Restaurant review: New team breathes life into Kenmare’s Park Hotel

S Restaurant review: New team breathes life into Kenmare’s Park Hotel

"They still treasure the venerable old building and that aforementioned hospitality, but the premises has been streamlined."

Sun, 07 Dec, 2025

Restaurant review: I am excited to see what Cairo 2 Cork food truck does next with its menu

S Restaurant review: I am excited to see what Cairo 2 Cork food truck does next with its menu

I first heard of the Cairo 2 Cork food truck upon learning the Egyptian ambassador to Ireland had written to its chef-proprietor Nivene Sadick to congratulate her on being the first to serve Egyptian food in Ireland.

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Park yourself at Dublin's Amy Austin for a fine meal — sans wheels

S Restaurant review: Park yourself at Dublin's Amy Austin for a fine meal — sans wheels

"Jerk marinade ‘comote’ (€16), aka sweet potato, was also rather diminutive but this time we didn’t mind as it was outstanding — the dish of the evening for me."

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Washington Street's latest eatery brings the Soul to a busy Cork thoroughfare

S Restaurant review: Washington Street's latest eatery brings the Soul to a busy Cork thoroughfare

"As he did in the iconic Liberty pub — just around the corner — with Resistance, a speakeasy cocktail bar on the first floor, Soul proprietor Stephen O’Sullivan has once again created a canny visual concept on a tight budget."

Sun, 09 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Kaldero's Filipino focus brings charm and flavour to Dublin 2

S Restaurant review: Kaldero's Filipino focus brings charm and flavour to Dublin 2

You will find some Irish ingredients, but this is not fusion food, simply food that “reflects where we come from and where we are now”.

Sun, 02 Nov, 2025

Restaurant review: Kerry's 505 is near enough the best meal I’ve eaten this year

S Restaurant review: Kerry's 505 is near enough the best meal I’ve eaten this year

'One of the smartest moves I’ve made all year was to wangle a booking for newly-opened 505 on the Saturday night of the Dingle Food Festival and Blas na hÉireann awards'

Sun, 26 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: Table 45 is a Dublin home away from South American home

S Restaurant review: Table 45 is a Dublin home away from South American home

"Hogan Place is between Fenian Street and Grand Canal St Lr, just around the corner from Holles St. so right in the heart of the Dublin city, yet it still somehow feels like a secret space."

Sun, 19 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: We wait for our mains for over an hour after ordering at Thompson's

S Restaurant review: We wait for our mains for over an hour after ordering at Thompson's

If steak is your USP, it needs to be top drawer every time out

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: This Dublin osteria does nearly everything brilliantly

S Restaurant review: This Dublin osteria does nearly everything brilliantly

"Thanks to the room’s former incarnation as a bank there are high ceilings and parquet floors but the room also has a modern feel with exposed beams, and copper-hued filament bulbs providing a warm glow."

Sun, 05 Oct, 2025

Restaurant review: Cork eatery Mantra has the spice — but more would be nice

S Restaurant review: Cork eatery Mantra has the spice — but more would be nice

"Once home to the pizza restaurant Burnt, where almost everything was coated in black in a rather nihilistic style, the space has now been cleverly redesigned into a vibrant, welcoming room."

Sun, 28 Sep, 2025

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