Where To Eat in Dublin, Ireland (Restaurants I Loved!)

Trying to figure out where to eat in Dublin? Yeah…same. Honestly, between historic pubs and Michelin-starred spots, the Dublin food scene is overwhelmingly good. Which is amazing, but it also means it can be hard to make a decision.

When I went to Dublin on a solo trip, I knew I wanted to try some fantastic restaurants but that I also didn’t want to be getting outrageous bills for every meal. And I also didn’t want a whole week of eating Irish pub food.

Thanks to some online recommendations (and also, honestly, reading Stanley Tucci’s page of Dublin eats at the perfect time in this book), I had some amazing dining experiences that struck the perfect balance between fine dining and quick bites.

So here are five restaurants I loved in Dublin that I can recommend for your trip!

Hawksmoor

An elegant interior of a grand restaurant featuring a domed ceiling with ornate architectural details, black columns with intricate capitals, large arched windows, and warm pendant lighting, creating a luxurious and classic ambiance. — The beautiful interior of Hawksmoor Dublin.

Hawksmoor was definitely the most high-class restaurant I went to in Dublin, as evidenced by the fact that I had to confirm I had a reservation before they even let me in the door and I felt just *barely* appropriately dressed in black pants and a cute t-shirt and white sneakers (which is what I had been wearing walking around Dublin all day).

But once I sat down and soaked in all the luxury of this beautiful building and started getting my food, I forgot all about feeling a bit out of place and absolutely loved my experience here.

Hawksmoor is a steak house, known for their amazing cuts of meat. They have locations throughout the UK as well as this location in Dublin and locations in New York and Chicago. Their Dublin location is right on College Green near Trinity College in an absolutely beautiful historic building.

A gourmet steak dinner served on a white plate, accompanied by a copper cup filled with golden French fries, a cast iron dish of sautéed mushrooms, a small bowl of ketchup, and a metal sauce jug filled with a creamy sauce, all set on a tan-colored tabletop with a glass of water nearby. — My meal at Hawksmoor…it was all so good!

Everything I got here was amazing. I had the filet steak with peppercorn sauce, and it was so tender and flavorful and the sauce was perfect. I honestly couldn’t decide if I liked the steak better without the sauce or with it because both ways were so good.

But honestly, the sides here shine just as much as the steaks. I had beef dripping fries and the garlic mushrooms. The fries were the perfect crispness that snapped between my teeth but were still fluffy on the inside. And the mushrooms were garlicky and buttery and I loved adding them as a topping for a few bites of my steak.

A decadent rectangular chocolate dessert topped with candied nuts and sea salt, served alongside a scoop of vanilla ice cream on chocolate crumbles, with drizzled chocolate sauce artfully streaked across a white plate. — I’m still dreaming about this chocolate peanut butter dessert from Hawksmoor!

Things kept getting better throughout my meal though, because my absolute favorite thing I had here was dessert. I ordered the Peanut Butter Louis, which is based on a similar dessert at Le Louis XV (a 3 Michelin-star restaurant in Monte Carlo). It’s a layered dessert of chocolate and peanut butter elements and for a peanut butter and chocolate lover, this was maybe one of the best desserts I’ve ever had in my life.

Hawksmoor is the place to go if you want a fancy date night in Dublin! Everything was absolutely fantastic.

Note

A plate of crispy polenta fries generously topped with finely grated cheese, served on a rustic wooden table in a cozy restaurant setting. — I was obsessed with these polenta fries at Note.

Note was another fine dining experience in Dublin that I absolutely loved. This is a modern restaurant with upscale yet casual vibes and dishes that are just experimental enough while still being recognizable.

I’ll also say, this is the restaurant where I probably had the best and most friendly service in Dublin!

Their menu may be a little different than what you’re used to, because the dishes list flavors more so than descriptions of what the dish actually is. The menu also changes seasonally, so what I had in October won’t be what you can have in January or May.

A rustic ceramic bowl filled with a creamy, savory dish topped with a poached egg, foamy sauce, and a dusting of seasoning, served on a wooden table with water glasses and a candle in the background. — My appetizer at Note, which was kind of like a deconstructed hollandaise.

For my appetizer here I ordered the Griolle mushrooms, Vin Jaune Hollandaise, egg yolk. It even had an onion jam in it, and y’all, I don’t even like onions, but I loved everything about this. I’ve never had anything quite like it.

For my main dish I had Cavetelli, courgette, riccotta. It was a pesto based pasta with eggplant three ways: in the pasta, fried and salty on top (I want to make it this way at home!), and chopped into small pieces and incorporated in the pasta. Every part of it was absolutely irresistible.

A white bowl filled with cavatelli pasta in a green sauce, topped with crispy fried eggplant and dollops of soft white cheese, set on a wooden table with a candle, glass of water, and parmesan-covered fries in the background. — My main pasta dish at Note, with eggplant 3 ways.

And then for my side I had the most addictive polenta fries. Seriously I could not stop eating these. They were salty and cripsy and cheesy and maybe my favorite thing of the evening.

A rich dessert featuring a scoop of vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel, resting on a bed of chocolate mousse and chocolate crumbles, served in a rustic ceramic bowl on a wooden table. — My chocolate/coffee dessert at Note Dublin.

For dessert I had coffee, chocolate, buckwheat. It was really good. I’ll be honest here, I am NOT a coffee fan, but I am a chocolate fan. So I ate around the biggest parts of coffee (the sauce on top) and really enjoyed the rest of it.

Note is a really great restaurant if you want a date night in Dublin that’s a bit more casual feeling but still has upscale food. And if you want dishes you probably can’t get anywhere else, Note is a great place to go!

Fish Shop

Fish Shop is a tiny little casual restaurant, and you DEFINITELY need a reservation! I think there are like 12 seats total in the place. But I promise this is the best fish and chips you will ever have in your life.

And really, the menu is as simple as that: fish and chips. Although they also have some appetizers that include oysters, mussels, and other seafood. And since there is a €25 minimum and my fish and chips wasn’t quite going to come to that, I did order a bit of bread although I didn’t really need it.

A plate of golden beer-battered fish served on thick-cut chips with a ramekin of creamy tartare sauce on the side. The dish sits on a white plate with drinks and glassware faintly visible in the background. — My fish and chips from Fish was the best I’ve ever had!

The fish here is so fresh and lightly fried. It’s amazing to me that such a basic dish (fried fish) can be so different in so many different places, and that restaurants like this can stand a cut above the rest and serve such a perfect dish.

Seriously, if you want fish and chips while in Dublin, get a reservation here. I think it’s a perfect lunch spot.

Sano Pizza

A freshly baked wood-fired pizza topped with melted mozzarella, thin slices of ham, and roasted mushrooms on a tomato sauce base. The crust is golden and blistered, served on a wooden table with glasses and a menu in the background. — Sano Pizza

Sano Pizza is a spot for a more family-friendly night out in Dublin. Because who doesn’t love pizza?!

Sano is probably one of the most popular pizza spots in Dublin. I went to the location in Temple Bar, and they only take reservations during certain timeslots so be prepared to wait. I’m glad I did wait though, because the pizza was really good!

I had Proscuitto E Funghi pizza and it was pretty good, except for the fact that they just put ham on a pizza and called it proscuitto. The pizza was great quality though, so I think I’d just order something else next time.

I also got a hazelnut tart for dessert and really loved it (although it doesn’t appear to be on the menu anymore).

I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a perfect restaurant. The whole ham on my pizza situation, there was a mix up with my drink, and it was SUPER busy so sometimes hard to get the attention of a waiter.

Still, I’d definitely recommend this spot for some great pizza. And don’t forget to walk back by the bar and look down…there is a glass floor where you can see the kitchen working on pizzas below!

Bunsen Burger

Modern burger restaurant interior with terrazzo-style bar counters, tan leather bar stools, and hanging globe lights. Black-framed windows and mirrored ceiling panels reflect the stylish, minimalist design. — Interior of Bunsen in Temple Bar

Now, for the most casual spot on this list: Bunsen Burger. Honestly, I was a little hesitant about this place. It’s a casual chain burger restaurant in a touristy area. In fact, there are multiple locations in the main tourist area of Dublin, which gave me even more pause.

But it was my best option when I needed a quick and early lunch where I was, and I’m honestly SO glad I ate here because I was so pleasantly surprised. This is a solid burger place with high quality meat and fantastic fries. They just do burgers and they do them well!

A small menu card from Bunsen restaurant featuring prices for burgers, fries, and drinks. Options include hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hand cut and sweet potato fries, soda, and milkshakes, with listed toppings like pickle, onion, and ketchup. A glass of water and a dark table surface are also visible. — The Bunsen menu is so simple it can fit on a business card!

So if you want something quick and casual and not too expensive (or if you, like I often do, have a kid begging for a burger on a trip), Bunsen is a great option!

Burger and shoestring fries served on Bunsen-branded paper alongside a can soda, a glass of water, and a carafe, set on a glossy black table. The background shows modern bar seating and mustard and ketchup dispensers. — Just a solidly good burger and fries.

Bonus: Murphy’s Ice Cream

Murphy’s Ice Cream was another favorite of the trip for me! Be prepared to wait, because the line is often out the door, but it is SO worth it!

They are known for their authentic and unique Irish flavors like Irish Brown Bread and Dingle Sea Salt (made with sea salt they harvest in Dingle!). All their ingredients are SO high quality and the ice cream is fantastic. I had Kieran’s Cookies and Smooth Chocolate together and they were both so good.

Hand holding a blue Murphy’s ice cream cup with two scoops—one chocolate and one speckled white, possibly cookies and cream. A branded wooden spoon is tucked into the scoop, with a wooden table and napkin in the background. — Definitely don’t skip out on getting Murphy’s Ice Cream!

More Places to Eat in Dublin

These are some spots that were on my list of possibilities, but that I just didn’t have time to get to!

Rosa Madre — Fine dining focused on Italian seafood.
Sprezzatura — Casual Italian focused on handmade Italian pasta.
Featherblade Steak — Another steakhouse to consider, and it’s a little less expensive and more casual than Hawksmoor (although still nice!)
Terra Madre — A traditional Italian restaurant.
Bloom Brasserie — Another fine dining restaurant to consider, and this ones further removed from the main tourist areas.

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