The 40 best restaurants in dublin and best outdoor dining

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Are you looking for the best restaurants in Dublin and the best outdoor dining restaurants in Dublin? Stop looking, you’ve found them! The best Dublin restaurants are spread out in the city making it easy for any visitor to find one on their way. If you are coming to visit Dublin for a few days, we recommend stopping by one best restaurant in Dublin that is on this list. 

Many people often wonder if Dublin is part of the UK. Dublin is the capital of Ireland and it isn’t a very big city. That does not preclude it from having a great food scene. Dublin isn’t short of cafés, pubs or restaurants! From Irish restaurants in Dublin to restaurants that serve cuisine of the world, the best restaurants in Dublin are quite varied. 

As expats living in Dublin, we have been loving discovering more and more of the food scene. Whether you are looking for the best restaurants 2022 has to offer or the top 50 restaurants in Dublin, this list will answer your prayers!

Whether you are visiting Dublin at Christmas or are just stopping in Dublin on your way to the Dingle Peninsula, there are restaurants in Dublin that you just can’t miss! Whether you’ve spent the day searching from the Phoenix Park deer or come back from a long day exploring the Wicklow Mountains National Park, you will for sure find a restaurant you like in this list of the 40 best restaurants in Dublin.

The restaurants on this list are for all budgets and with different ambiences, from the authentic Irish pub to the classy French restaurant in Dublin and a cruise on Dublin’s lovely canals. Recently, a lot of those restaurants have set up outdoor dining which also makes them some of the best outdoor dining restaurants in Dublin.

***Some of the links in this post are affiliate links meaning we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. This does not change the fact that we only recommend products, stays, activities and attractions we are satisfied with and all opinions expressed here are our own.

About this Dublin best restaurants guide 

As we have been living in Dublin for over 3 years now, we have had the chance to test out a lot of different bars, pubs and restaurants, whether that be for breakfast, brunch or dinner. In this guide, we have gathered the best restaurants in Dublin in 2022 and organised them in the following categories:

• Best places for breakfast in Dublin and best Brunch spots in Dublin
• Top Dublin restaurants for game enthusiasts
• Most romantic restaurants Dublin offers
• Best restaurants Dublin Ireland offers for a romantic meal with a view
• Best restaurants in Dublin City for fine dining
• The best restaurants in Dublin for an Irish experience
• The Best Asian restaurants in Dublin
• The Best restaurants in Dublin to have a drink or a snack
• The best restaurants in Dublin to grab a quick bite
• More restaurants to consider near Dublin

We did have a list of the best restaurants in Dublin 2020 and the best restaurants in Dublin 2021 but we have greatly updated it to reflect new 2022 Dublin restaurants and added quite a number of restaurants that are well rated for 2022 as well. 

For each restaurant, we also added indications about the budget. In this guide, you’ll find some of the best cheap restaurants in Dublin and best affordable restaurants in Dublin. But we also included some fine dining restaurants and Michelin star restaurants. 

We also understand that some of our readers are couples looking for good date night restaurants in Dublin with a limited budget. This is why a lot of the best affordable restaurants Dublin has that we have included are great for dates whether that be a first date or to surprise your partner. 

If you are looking at how to be vegan in Dublin, we recommend this Dublin vegan guide which complements our list below.

Budget for Dublin best restaurants

The good news is that you don’t need a big budget to eat at some of the best Dublin restaurants. The best restaurants Dublin has to offer range in price. In this list, we have gathered the best cheap restaurants Dublin has to offer along with fine dining restaurants Dublin is known for. 

Beyond the food, the experience and the time you are going for will impact your bill. For example, some of the expensive restaurants in Dublin offer lunch menus that are more affordable. That means that going for breakfast or brunch in the city can be a lot cheaper than going for dinner. Of course, we have included some of the best brunch spots Dublin offers in this list. The best breakfast in Dublin Ireland is also under €10. 

If you are looking for Dublin restaurants with a view for a romantic night out, you will definitely find some of the best in this list. Of course, prices are a bit higher (around €40 for a main dish) but the ones we have included are some of the best value restaurants in Dublin and have the best views!.

Our Top 10 restaurants in Dublin

In this post, we have included the best restaurants in Dublin and organised them by categories. However, since it’s quite a long list, we thought we would present you with our Top 10 Dublin restaurants to shorten the list and make your life easier. You can scroll down to find out more about each top ten restaurants in Dublin.

Top 5 restaurants in Dublin

1. Zakura (best japanese restaurant Dublin)
2. Peploe’s (luxury restaurant Dublin)
3. The Ivy Dawson (best brunch Dublin)
4. Ryleigh’s (steak restaurant Dublin)
5. The Church (one of the cool restaurants in Dublin)

Top 6 to 10 best restaurants in Dublin

6. Bunsen (best burgers in Dublin) 
7. Lovin Spoon (best breakfast Dublin city centre)
8. Neon (best Thai restaurant Dublin city centre)
9. O’Neills (one of the best lunch spots Dublin city centre offers)
10. Chez Max (best french restaurant Dublin)

Best places for breakfast in Dublin and best Brunch spots in Dublin

We are big fans of brunch! Actually, we find that as we grow old (lol), we are developing a taste for daytime activities more than nighttime ones! We really enjoy waking up early and heading for a nice meal to start or day off right. Once we have had breakfast or brunch out, we usually head to one of Dublin’s best beaches like Sandymount. 

In the past three years, we have tested quite a few brunch spots Dublin offers. We have also tried out a few breakfast restaurants Dublin is known for. In this section, we are reporting them to you in hope that you can have a positive experience just like we did! 

1. The Ivy Dawson, one of the best brunch places Dublin offers

Budget: $$

Location: 13-17 Dawson St, Dublin, D02 TF98 (this number is the Eircode, a unique identifying number for each property in Dublin and Ireland)

Perfect for: Sunday brunch Dublin, brunch Dublin city centre

The Ivy Dawson  is one of Dublins best restaurants for brunch. We love it so much that we even have taken our families there. It is the perfect place for a romantic brunch or just meeting up with friends to catch up. I recommend booking in advance as this is one of the popular brunch restaurants Dublin is known for, especially on the weekend. As for the dress code, smart casual seems to be the go-to style. 

The food here is amazing and the service will not disappoint you. From the fun zucchini fries and delicious pancakes to the shrimp salad, I recommend the entire menu. In particular, this is one of the top restaurants in Dublin for their famous chocolate bomb desert. 

In addition to the food, the ambiance and decor are top notch. It is one of the most aesthetic restaurants Dublin has to offer with a brasserie-style, lots of plants and greenery and this modern Gatsby style decor.  The decor is a mix between chairs, sofas and couches, giving the place a relaxed feeling with palm plants, gold and beautiful art elevating the restaurant to a perfect and elegant brunch restaurant. 

The Ivy Dawson has two outdoor terraces making it one of the best outdoor dining restaurants in Dublin. 

2. O’Neills, one of the best Irish breakfast restaurants Dublin offers

Budget: $

Location: 2 Suffolk St, Dublin 2, D02 KX03

O’Neill’s is a typical Irish pub spread out on multiple floors right across from Molly Malone and just a few steps away from Trinity college. If you are visiting Dublin in a couple of days, you need to fit O’Neills in your Dublin itinerary.

The specificity of O’Neill’s is the canteen style ordering counter. The food is delicious and I would highly recommend ordering the Irish breakfast if it is your first time here. After this Irish breakfast, you won’t be hungry for a good few hours! You will for sure love the pub ambiance and the comfort of the couches. 

Recently, O’Neill’s set up some tables right by Molly Malone to allow for outdoor dining. 

3. LovinSpoon

Budget: $

Location: 13 Frederick St N, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D01 W9X4

If you are looking for the best brunch Dublin City Centre offers, Lovin Spoon might be just it. From a selection of Irish breakfasts, to sandwiches, soups, cottage pies and cakes, there is something for everyone here. Everything is homemade and delicious. You can trust us when we say you’ll want to try a bit of everything! We went for the Regular Irish breakfast which was huge and delicious. 

The café is one of the cute restaurants Dublin has to offer. It’s a bit quirky with interesting art and curiosities in every corner. Don’t forget to look on what you are eating, it’s not just a table!

LovinSpoon has an outdoor area as well. It is one of the cheap restaurants Dublin city centre offers that will surprise you! 

4. Ryleigh’s, one of the brunch restaurants Dublin offers with a view

Budget: $$

Location: 82 N Wall Quay, North Dock, Dublin, D01 XR83

We discovered Ryleigh’s recently for a late breakfast/ brunch and loved it. Ryleigh’s is a steak house at night but during the day it serves both breakfast and lunch. Menus are similar but there are a bit more options for brunch. Regardless, it’s one of those hidden gems in the city. It is not exactly part of the restaurants Dublin city centre offers a sit is located close to the IFSC. However, it does offer a rooftop view and is quite a lovely restaurant. The decor is similar to the Ivy’s with this Gatsby type inspiration behind it! There is even a tree in the room! 

Once you enter the restaurant, you will be able to see the buildings and the Liffey. The kitchen is also open on the restaurant so you can watch the staff cooking which is quite cool. 

We recommend the Eggs Royale and the Bacon and Avocado Bagel both served with homemade potatoes. 

Top Dublin restaurants for game enthusiasts

When thinking about Dublin restaurants, you might think about Irish specialties, Irish pubs or Dublin top restaurants with a view. But, there are also a lot of fun restaurants in Dublin. In this section, we have gathered some of the quirky restaurants Dublin has to offer. At these restaurants and pubs, you will be able to play games and go back in time a bit!

5. The Square Ball, one of the best pubs in Dublin for games!

Budget: $

Location: 45 Hogan Pl, Dublin 2, D02 RF34

The Square Ball Pub has become “our local pub” as we like to call it. This pub has lots going on and we’re here for it! 

The Square Ball offers boards games for rent. You can order a couple of drinks and choose between the numerous games they have from Jenga to Carcassonne. We played Jenga and had a lot of fun. They also offers hot wings challenges and quizz nights. 

What we loved the most was our Bingo night. And we are talking typical Irish pub Bingo night! We played with “the lads” and couldn’t stop laughing. They were cracking jokes after jokes and between them and our amazing host (and comedian) Craig, it was a memorable night. From playing Bingo to dance offs and the general ambiance, we had a really great time. Needless to say that Bingo winners get free drinks which gets the competition going haha.Also their chilli fries are excellent!

The Square Ball is one of the restaurants in Dublin Ireland you want to go to for games and fun nights.

6. Token, one of the most unique restaurants in Dublin

Budget: $ (Tokens are €5 for 10, €10 for 22 and €20 for 50. In an hour we used about 32 tokens (€15) together)

Location: 72-74 Queen St, Smithfield, Dublin 7

We had a lot of fun at Token! Token is located by Smithfield Luas station. Token is both a bar restaurant and a place where you can play arcade games and pinball. They have other 40 machines which include games like Guitar Hero, Ninja Turtles and Pacman. You can either book a table for food or just play games and get drinks at the bar. Token has lockers where you can leave your coats and bags. You will need to purchase tokens (hehe) to play the games and then off you go. Honestly, we had a blast! 

The food also looked delicious! This is one of the nice restaurants in Dublin for going back in time to the 80s and 90s. This is also great for a date in Dublin as you will have a good time, can even compete against each other and there are no children allowed (18+ only). 

7. The Hideout

Budget: €15 per hour (you do not have to stay for the full hour, 30 min would be 7,50)

Location: 49 William St S, Dublin, D02 FP49

The Hideout is located near Bar Rua and is a place where you can come play pool or pingpong. We had a really good time playing pool. It is not a restaurant as such but you can order drinks or get pizza. This is perfect for a date!

8. WigWam for a fun time with your partner

Budget: $$

Location: 54 Middle Abbey St, North City, Dublin, D01 E2X4

Located in Dublin 1, WigWam is quite the cool place to bring your partner. This Rum bar that doubles as a restaurant also triples as a place where you can come play lots of different games. From board games to the pool room and karaoke, you can come for brunch or dinner and have a fun time with your partner! 

Most romantic restaurants Dublin offers

Our list of the top restaurants Dublin offers would not be complete without this section. In this part, we have included some of the best date restaurants Dublin has to offer. These are perfect for a romantic evening with your partner or a special occasion. They all have an intimate atmosphere, lovely decor and delicious food for all budgets. Some of the below restaurants also offer very unique experiences like a cruise on the canals to surprise your partner! 

9. Fade Street Social

Budget: $$

Location: A 3-min walk from Dublin Castle

Fade Street social is both one of the funky restaurants Dublin has to offer and a greta place for an amazing dinner with your loved one. At Fade Street social, the emphasis is on homegrown products which the talented chef turns into beautiful dishes. With an open kitchen, a restaurant and a cocktail bar, this is one of the cosy restaurants Dublin offers that you won’t regret visiting. 

10. Peploe’s

Budget: $$$

Location:16 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin, D02 KF34

Peploe’s is one of my favourite restaurants in Dublin and is clearly one of the best restaurants in Dublin city centre regardless of my opinion. It is one of the high end restaurants Dublin has to offer and is perfect for a date. The atmosphere is intimate and elegant, the service is top notch and the food will delight anyone. There I ate the best lamb and best crème brulée of my life! 

Peploe’s is designed in a more chic style and is addressed to bigger budgets. If you are celebrating a special occasion, I would highly recommend this place. The service is perfect and the ambiance quiet and elegant. It is the perfect place for a romantic dinner. I recommend booking in advance. 

Peploe’s is one of the best restaurants near St Stephen’s Green Dublin.

11. Chez Max, the best french restaurant in Dublin

Budget: $$

Location: 1 Palace St, Dublin 2, D02 XR57

Chez Max is an excellent French restaurant in Dublin located right by Dublin Castle. As a French expat’, I must say it is nice to find authentic and excellent French food in the city. Although it might not be recognised as one of Dublin steakhouse restaurants, I highly recommend the foie gras along with the steak, fries and pepper sauce. The ambiance is quite romantic and pleasant. The service is also very good. 

Chez Max is one of the best restaurants in Dublin Ireland for French dining. It is also one of the central Dublin restaurants as it is located only a few minutes from Trinity College and right behind Dublin Castle! 

Chez Max restaurant has a small terrace allowing for outdoor dining.You should definitely book in advance especially for dinner.

12. The Bank (on College Green), one of the good restaurants in Dublin for a unique decor

Budget: $$

Location: two minutes from Trinity College

The specificity of this restaurant is that is it set up in a former Bank built in  the Victorian style. The decor is therefore quite special, pleasant and chic. There is a tree right in the middle of the bar, which is something you don’t see everyday and makes this place a bit more special. 

You can ask to eat on the top balcony or choose to sit at one of the comfortable tables by the bar and piano. For dinner, your meal will be accompanied by live piano music. The menu at the Bank is varied and will accommodate anyone. 

13. A fancy dinner while cruising Grand Canal: one of the most unique restaurants in Dublin

Budget: €49 per person

Would your partner enjoy a three course dinner onboard a cruising barge? If yes, then this experience is for you! This 2 hour Cruise offers a three course dinner with drinks while cruising Grand Canal in Dublin. Dinner is prepared onboard by the barge’s Chefs and takes place from 8pm to 10pm. After dinner, you can head to the deck and enjoy the views with a glass of bubbly! This is one heck of a romantic dinner Dublin has to offer and definitely one of the most unique restaurants in Ireland Dublin!

14. Vintage Cocktail Club, one of the romantic bars Dublin offers

Budget: €49 per person

Location: 15 Crown Alley, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 E229

Located in Temple Bar, this vintage cocktail bar offers delicious cocktails in a candle-lit atmosphere that makes it one of the most romantic place in Dublin! Ring the doorbell of this discreet bar and enter a 1920s-style bar that offers both drinks and food so you can have a great time with your partner in an intimate space. This is both one of the romantic bars Dublin has to offer and an experience in itself!

Best restaurants Dublin Ireland offers for a romantic meal with a view

In this section, we have included some of the best Dublin Ireland restaurants suitable for a romantic meal with a view. From the best steak restaurant Dublin city centre has to offer to rooftop sweeping views, your partner and you will love these Dublin Ireland best restaurants.  

15. Ryleigh’s, one of the best rooftop restaurants Dublin offers

Budget: $$

Location: 82 N Wall Quay, North Dock, Dublin, D01 XR83

One restaurant Dublin Ireland offers that we have recently discovered is Ryleigh’s steakhouse. Ryleigh’s rooftop steakhouse is one of the best Dublin City restaurants. As you’ve seen, Ryleigh’s serves a great breakfast and lunch. But the rooftop restaurant is also perfect for an intimate date at night. If you are looking to impress your loved one, we recommend heading there at night once Dublin’s light are on. From up there, you will have beautiful views on the lit up skyscrapers and the Liffey. You can sit inside or on the terrace on the Liffey end. This part is open but there are outdoor heaters to keep you warm. 

As for food, we have heard amazing things about their steak and that this is the best steak restaurant Dublin has to offer. 

16. Sophie’s, one of the best romantic restaurants Dublin has to offer

Budget: $$$

Location: 33 Harcourt St, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin 2

Sophie’s is definitely on our list of the romantic places to eat in Dublin! We have never been but have heard amazing things about it. This restaurant serves a mix of Italian, Irish and New York cuisine so you and your partner will have lots of options here. Of course, what makes it special is that the restaurant is a rooftop restaurant allowing you to have sweeping views on the city. This is one of the cool restaurants Dublin has to offer. If you are looking for a romantic dinner Dublin Sophie’s can surely deliver!

17. Marker Hotel, one of the best date night restaurants Dublin is known for

Budget: $$

Location: Grand Canal Quay, Docklands, Dublin, D02 CK38

The Marker Hotel is one of the best hotel restaurants Dublin has to offer. It is a classy and more high-end restaurant located in the Docklands near the Bird Gaís Energy Theatre. You will recognise it by its unique checkerboard shape. The specificity is that it offers a rooftop terrace where you can have a drink and have dinner. We have been to the Marker Hotel for drinks and absolutely loved it! We recommend the green drink!

The Hotel has an outdoor space with a view on Grand Canal Square and very few cars passing by. This makes it one of the best outdoor dining restaurants in Dublin. 

But the one thing I love about the Marker Hotel is its rooftop! Definitely a must-try!

Best restaurants in Dublin City for fine dining

In this section, we included some of the best restaurants Dublin City centre offers for luxurious meals. All of these are 5 star restaurants Dublin has blessed us with! 

18. Chapter One, one of the most elegant Dublin Ireland restaurants with 2 Michelin Stars in 2022

Budget: $$$$

Location: 18-19 Parnell Square N, Rotunda, Dublin 1, D01 T3V8

With French techniques and striking flavours, Chapter One is one of the best restaurants Dublin city centre counts. With 2 Michelin Stars in 2022, Mickael Viljanen offers one of the most unique dining experiences in Dublin. The menu revisits some of France’s finest dishes like Foie Gras and Gouda cheese. The lunch menu, although more affordable, is just as exciting! 

Chapter One is one of the trendy restaurants Dublin has so tables are hard to get! We recommend to get on it if you want to experience this unique meal. You can get on the wait list or book here. 

19. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, a 2 Michelin Star restaurant

Budget: $$$$

Location: 21 Upper Merrion Street, Dublin 2, D02 KF79, Ireland

This is one of the best Michelin star restaurants Dublin has been offering since 1981. From the A La Carte menu to the 8 Course Tasting (which is a Surprise Menu), you will be delighted by the mix of flavours and the delicacy of each dish. The cuisine here is a mix of contemporary Irish with a French touch. Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud is definitely one of the fancy restaurants Dublin!

20. The Greenhouse, another five star restaurants Dublin offers

Mickael Viljanen also previously worked at The Greenhouse where he achieved his 2 Michelin stars. The Greenhouse is considered one of the best fine dining restaurants in Dublin but it is unfortunately temporarily closed. We will update this post when that changes and the restaurant opens again. In the meantime, you will want to check if it is reopened when you visit!

21. The Saddle Room, one of the best dinner restaurants Dublin has

Budget: $$$$

Location: 27 St. Stephens Green, Dublin 2, Ireland D02 K224

Known as Dublin city centre seafood restaurant, the Saddle Room is one of the 5 star restaurants in Dublin. With an intimate ambiance and some of the best seafood in Dublin, the Saddle Room is perfect for a date. Menus include local Irish produce and very with the seasons. This is one of the elegant dine in restaurants Dublin offers for both lunch and dinner. 

Best restaurants in Dublin for an Irish experience

Dublin has a lot of different cuisines to offer but we understand that if you are visiting, you probably want to have a go at Irish cuisine especially. In this section we have included some of the popular restaurants in Dublin for Irish food and ambiance. A lot of them are actually pub restaurants Dublin is famous for like Temple Bar and are also some of the best casual restaurants Dublin offers. 

22. Bar Rua and Catch 22, the best fish restaurant Dublin offers

Budget: $$

Location: 32 Clarendon St, Dublin 2, D02 HX66

We headed to Bar Rua and Catch 22 on Easter weekend and really liked it. It is one of the best restaurants in Dublin 2. The Bar is quite intimate and has the same menu as Catch 22 restaurant when it is closed. Marie had the chowder and Eric had the fish and chips. We also shared a chocolate brownie. It was really good. As it was Easter weekend, Bar Rua had an easter egg hunt going on where you could win some free drinks, free food, and more. We actually won free drinks and chips which we were delighted about! Keep an eye out as they regularly organise events like that. The Bar also has live music. It is one of the best seafood restaurant Dublin offers in a pub style. 

At Bar Rua, you can sit outside in a protected area from the rain which is nice if you are looking for great restaurants Dublin city centre with outdoor dining. 

23. Temple Bar, the best Irish restaurant in Dublin

Budget: $$

Location: Temple Bar

Temple Bar is an unmissable pub in Dublin and chances are you have heard about it before! It is located in the famous Temple Bar neighbourhood, along with lots of other pubs and restaurants. 

It maybe isn’t the best restaurant when it comes food as it mainly serves pub food but it is one of the best restaurants in Temple Bar for ambiances to enjoy some live Irish music and Irish spirit! I would recommend their pizzas. Live music at Temple Bar is played most of the time even at 10am on a Sunday. 

Temple Bar has an outdoor area which allows for outdoor dining and drinking. 

24. The Harbourmaster, one of the best restaurants North Dublin offers

Budget: $

Location: IFSC, Dublin 1

The Harbourmaster Pub is one of my favourite pubs around Dublin. It is located at the entrance of the IFSC, the financial services neighbourhood of Dublin. Away from the touristy areas, this might not be the first place you think of when visiting Dublin. However, the IFSC does have great things to offer from the EPIC Museum to kayaking on the Liffey and checking out the Samuel Beckett bridge.

In between those activities, the Harbourmaster Pub is a great place to have lunch, dinner or just a drink. The building is dated from the 1830s and is decorated in the typical Irish pub style. I recommend trying the chicken wings for your first time but the menu has lots to offer for everybody. 

This is one of the great restaurants for lunch Dublin offers. 

25. The Old Mill, one of the good downtown Dublin restaurants

Budget: $

Location: Temple Bar

Located right in the heart of Temple Bar, The Old Mill‘s specialty is traditional Irish dishes and pub food. The restaurant staff is very welcoming and the food very good. The decor will definitely catch your eyes and will immerse you in the Irish culture while enjoying the atmosphere of one of the most popular neighbourhoods in Dublin.

26. Merchants Arch, top restaurants in Dublin city centre

Budget: $$

Location: Temple Bar

Merchants Arch is located right by Ha’Penny bridge next to… well, Merchants Arch! It is a bar and restaurant, with an upstair room dedicated to the restaurant. The food here is really good and a bit fancier than your usual pub food. 

Downstairs is the pub area with a small stage for musicians to play while you grab a drink. 

27. MV Cill Airne: The Boat Bar and Restaurant

Budget: $$

Location: North Wall Quay

Have you ever had dinner or a drink on a boat? No? Well, this is your chance! The Boat Bar and Restaurant is a former tender ship located in North Wall Quay across from the Convention Centre on the Liffey. 

At the Boat, you get a unique dinner experience on a real boat with views on the Liffey. The Boat is both a bar and a restaurant and is very popular among people in their 20s and 30s but also welcomes families. The dress code is smart casual. 

From fish and chips to chowder and lamb, the menu is quite varied and will satisfy most crowds. On the Boat you can choose to eat inside or outside on the deck. Recently, the Boat has added more tables to allow for outdoor dining in Dublin. 

The Best Asian restaurants in Dublin

Just because you are in Dublin doesn’t mean you’ve got to stick to pubs and Irish breakfasts. Actually, some of the best restaurants in Dublin city serve Asian food! In this section we have gathered some of the top restaurants in Dublin Ireland that serve Thai and Japanese food. Some of those are top rated restaurants Dublin is known for! 

28. Mama Yo, one of the best new restaurants Dublin offers

Budget: $$

Location: 76 Camden Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin, D02 X788

Mama Yo is a Chinese restaurant the recently opened its doors in Dublin, but it’s not just any Chinese restaurant. Mama Yo serves traditional Chinese recipes in a contemporary style. The concept here is sharing so it is perfect if you like to dip into your partner’s dish (don’t we all do that?)! the star of the show is the duck but the menu is full of delicious options as well. 

The kitchen at Mama Yo is open so you can see the cooks and chefs preparing your food. With greenery, plants and modern couches and lights, he decor will remind you of the Ivy Dawson with this intimate Gatsby feel to it! 

29. Neon, one of the best Asian restaurants Dublin has to offer

Budget: $

Location: 17 Camden St, Dublin 2

Neon is probably the best Thai restaurant Dublin has given us. First, the food tastes really good and is of good quality. I love the Red Curry and the Pad Thai…. delicious! If you have a sweet tooth, then you will definitely love this place too. You will definitely love that with each order come ice cream cones. The restaurant has an ice cream machine set up in the middle of the room where you can go ahead and make your own ice cream. The best part is, you can get as much as you want! I love the concept and obviously, since everything is delicious, I can only encourage you to try it out.

Recently, Neon has added tables and chairs outside to allow for outdoor dining.

30. Hasu, one of the Thai restaurant Dublin city has to offer 

Budget: $$$

Location: Takeaway

For an excellent at-home meal after a long day of work or a long day playing tourists, I recommend Hasu. They have some of the best Asian food Dublin offers. Their sushi are delicious and so are their Thai dishes. It’s hard to tell if they are the best sushi restaurant Dublin has but they are definitely close! I have ordered many times and have never been disappointed.  

By ordering on Deliveroo with my link, you can get €8 off spread out on your next 4 orders.  

31. Yamamori, an Asian restaurant Dublin city centre offers

Budget: $$

Location: Aungier Street

Yamamori is a Japanese restaurant and one of the nice restaurants in Dublin city centre.This is also one of the best lunch restaurants Dublin offers for Japanese food. Their sushi are extremely good and so are their dishes! The rooms are decorated in the Japanese style and the staff is nice. We recommend coming here for a lunch date while you’re visiting the historic centre of Dublin! 

32. Zakura, the best Japanese restaurant Dublin city centre offers

Budget: $$

Location: Dublin 2

Zakura has become one of our favourite places to go on a date. First the decor of the restaurant transports you to, well, Japan! Second, the tables are quite intimate as they are separated from each other which is perfect for couples. 

Now the food here is beyond delicious. It’s honestly one of the best restaurants we’ve been to in the city. First we shared the fried duck dumplings. Then Eric had the chicken Tappan Teriyaki with rice and stir fried vegetables and Marie had the same with beef. These dishes were out of this world! We even have a rule that we can’t talk about it too much because it just makes us want to go back!

Zakura is definitely one of the best lunch spots in Dublin!

Best restaurants in Dublin for a drink or a snack

33. The Brew Dog

Budget: $

Location: Capital Dock, Dublin Docklands, Dublin, D02 K021

The Brew Dog is a brewery which makes its own beer. It is located right by the Liffey in the Dublin Docklands. The building is brand new and very nice with a modern and industrial look to it. 

The food here is similar to pub food with dishes such as burgers and fries. The Brew Dog offers a very nice outdoor space with tables, chairs and a view on the Liffey. There is lots of room inside and outside for bigger groups as well. 

If you don’t drink alcohol, I recommend trying out the Ginger Ale. 

34. The Church Dublin, one of the famous restaurants in Dublin

Budget: $

Location: Junction of Mary St. and, Jervis St, Dublin 1, D01 YX64

The Church Dublin is a café, bar and restaurant established in a former church as its name indicates. It is located at the end of Henri street, a famous shopping street by O’Connell street. 

Inside is truly beautiful with the organ and beautiful windows and ceiling showing. You can choose to sit at the bar or around the bar. The church Dublin offers a varied selection of food from burgers and nachos to chocolate muffins. You can come to have lunch, dinner or just a snack. 

The café is also one of the recommended restaurants Dublin to see Irish dancing shows. It also offers an outdoor space for outdoor dining. From the decor, the spirit of the place to the food and the ambiance, it is one of the best restaurants in Dublin.

Best restaurants in Dublin for a quick bite

Some of the great restaurants in Dublin are perfect to grab a quick bite. After all, we don’t always want dinner to last for hours, especially if you are on your way to explore the city some more. There are a few quick restaurants to try in Dublin and we have included some of our favourite in this section.

35. Bunsen

Budget: $

Location: Temple Bar

Bunsen is one of the best restaurants Temple Bar Dublin offers if you’re looking for a good burger. There is a couple of Bunsen in the city center. There is one right across from Temple Bar and one on Dame Street across from Gino’s.

The menu is extremely simple but delicious. And that is simply because burgers and fries are homemade at Bunsen. If you like yams, then I recommend trying Bunsen’s as they are really well made. If after your burger, you still have some room, then try out the chocolate milkshake, it’s a must!

36. Wood Fire Cafe, for the best pizza in Dublin

Budget: $$

Location: 3 Blessington St, Inns Quay, Dublin 7, D07 K443

The Wood Fire Café is a small pizzeria in the north of Dublin by Dorset Street Upper. The place is quite small and, at first glance, you might not think of it as a place to go for dinner. However, this is close to the best pizza restaurant Dublin has to offer. There is a lot of choice when it comes to the style of pizzas you could want from the traditional four cheese pizza to the more elaborated ones. The staff is also very welcoming and friendly. 

You can eat at the café, although it is quite small so I would give them a call ahead of time to ensure they have tables available. The restaurant also has a bit of space outside which makes it one of the best outdoor restaurants Dublin has. You can also order through Deliveroo with my link. Again, by ordering on Deliveroo with my link, you get a €8 discount spread out on your next 4 orders. 

More restaurants to consider near Dublin

37. Mario’s

Budget: $

Location: Sandymount village

Mario’s is a café restaurant located in Sandymount village right by Sandymount Green. Sandymount is a seaside residential suburb of Dublin and is only 30 minutes by foot from Dublin’s city centre. The reason I love going to Sandymount is because it has a long beach with a promenade which is perfect to have a walk, see some puppies and breath in the sea atmosphere. Sandymount Strand is one of the best beaches in Dublin so we love going there for a stroll and coming back through the village.

After a morning or an afternoon spent at the beach, Mario’s is the perfect place to rest and have a bite. The ambiance at Mario’s is laid back but sophisticated. The decor is well though off with coloured sofas, flowers, plants and touches of gold. Inside you will notice the ceiling and the skylight lighting up the room. On the left, there is a cosy space which is also open. 

Mario’s offers comfortable outdoor seating which makes it one of the best restaurants in Dublin with outdoor seating.

38. The Oar House, one of the best places to eat Dublin day trip style

Budget: $

Location: Howth

 The Oar House is located in a small seaside town called Howth. Although not directly in Dublin, I wanted to include it in this list as it serves one of the best chowders I have had in Ireland. The Oar House mainly serves fresh seafood dishes. That is because it is located right on the port, a few meters away from fishing boats. I also recommend ordering mussels here. 

The decor of the restaurant will immerse you in the seaside town ambiance. The service is also very good. I have eaten several times there and it is my go-to place when I visit Howth.

39. The Sunshine Café

Budget: $

Location: Dun Laoghaire

The Sunshine Café is located on George’s street lower, a few minutes away from Dun Laoghaire’s Marina. It is a laid back café with simple foods like Chowder and sandwiches. What we liked about the Sunshine Café was the inner courtyard which allowed us to have lunch outside but away from the road. We liked that it was accommodating for outdoor dining. 

40. 1909 Restaurant and Wine Bar

Budget: $$$

Location: Dalkey

Dalkey is a lovely seaside town which I highly recommend visiting. While in Dalkey, I went for lunch at 1909 Restaurant and Wine Bar and it was delicious. Although on the pricier side, I though my burger was really good, as in much better than average. The crème brulée I ordered for desert was also very good.

The decor wasn’t as nice as some of the other restaurants on this list. I believe this is due to the restaurant having to rearrange tables due to the current situation and restrictions. The restaurant has however a big outdoor dining area and cool outside style.

Although I didn’t particularly like the decor, I was happy with our choice as the food and service were good. 

Best Irish food in Dublin restaurants

We love all the restaurants included on this list and have actually tried 99% of them which is one of the perks of being expats! But this post wouldn’t be complete without telling you what food you should absolutely try at Dublin’s best Irish restaurants !

• Irish Breakfast: This is a must eat at least once while in Dublin. Packed with bacon, sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms, beans in tomato sauce, and more, this will give you all the energy you need to visit Dublin!
• Chowder: Also more commonly known as a creamy fish soup, chowder is a statement in Dublin and is what made Marie love soup! You can easily find it at pubs and it is served with brown bread and butter. 
• Fish and Chips: If you ever wanted to have Fish and Chips, Dublin is the place to go! Fish and Chips is white fish which is coated and fried accompanied by chips (fries).

Any questions on the best restaurants in Dublin? Then drop them in the comments or on insta and we will get back to you asap.