Bastible in Dublin

We were so excited to try this place and left a little underwhelmed. The food was thoughtful, creative, and well presented, but many of the dishes were overly salted or had too much tang to them, creating an imbalance. Portions were also small; the “main course” was effectively another bite-sized tasting. The two of us spent over 2.5 hours there despite arriving early for our 5:45pm reservation on a Wednesday. It seemed like they had to synchronize our table with other tables that arrived at different times, so despite the uneven arrival times, some tables had to wait longer than others because they had to bring out dishes to all these tables at the same time. It’s a small kitchen. The use of seasonal vegetables is great. Some of the dishes had a lot of overlapped ingredients, making them less special overall. Lastly, we were a bit disappointed by the wine pairing. Most of the 6 selected wines were what would be considered “basic” wines lacking balance and complexity. The champagne was lacking biscuit and yeast characteristics that make champagne champagne, and felt diluted. The gruner veltliner and aligoté were simple. There was a very intense umami mushroom dish whose pairing was a dry palomino that didn’t really go well with it.

The overall experience at Bastible was good. The food was enjoyable and the evening pleasant. That said, nothing truly stood out as exceptional, which is what you naturally hope for when dining at a restaurant with this level of reputation and recognition. The service, while friendly, felt a bit unpolished and lacked the finesse you’d expect. A solid evening, but it didn’t quite meet the high bar it sets for itself.

Bastible is hands down the best food experience I have had in quite a while. It’s given me hope to be honest since so many places overplay their approach and end up not honoring the produce. I’ll caveat also that I asked for a vegan menu and it delivered one of the most unique experiences I’ve had. I’m not even sure I can express how good the entire menu was - not a single missed beat. The beer bread was exceptional - you could just be a bakery and sell that and I’d line up every week! The execution and presentation of every dish was a delight and will remain a highlight of my visit to Dublin. Every dish delivered with layers of texture, fermentation, contrast and freshness that make it hard to even really choose stand outs. However the black garlic and aubergine with vegan peppercorn sauce, mushrooms and tamarind, and fermented carrot tartare, were insane. Our party had such a great time, helped massively by our host, Dan. I feel like they enjoyed the standard menu just as much but I have to really rave about such an incredible vegan journey!

It is what you expect out of a Michelin star restaurant - innovative and clever flavours that make you think. Each dish comes with a commentary that elevates your appreciation of the dish. Simple and relaxed atmosphere is great, however it seems downright casual for the intricate food served.

Awesome experiential dining. Creative prix fixe menu with great options for pescatarian and vegetarian (can mix & match at the table without hassle). Friendly and knowledgeable staff. High quality selection of wines by the glass (although quite pricey). Great evening, thank you!

10 courses of joy. At least three dishes were the best of our entire vacation and we've dined at other michelin rated restaurants. Bastible is a real gem!

We recently returned to Bastible for the first time since before the pandemic, choosing it as the spot to celebrate our anniversary. Unfortunately, we left feeling more underwhelmed than impressed. To be clear, the food was good and well-executed, with no dishes we actively disliked. But for a restaurant with such a strong reputation (and a price tag to match), the overall experience fell short in several ways. The biggest letdown was the service. Having worked in hospitality myself and dined at multiple Michelin-starred restaurants both in Dublin and abroad, I had certain expectations. Not for extravagance, but for attentiveness and care. Sadly, that wasn’t the case. Staff seemed disengaged, with minimal explanation or enthusiasm when presenting dishes. The wine pairings were introduced with little context or storytelling, and the sommelier in particular seemed rushed, as if he were trying to get through the evening’s service rather than elevate it. For a bill that came to over €400 for the tasting menu and wine pairing, we expected more than “fine.” There was no sense of occasion, no added effort to make the evening feel even remotely special. We’ve spent far less in unstarred restaurants and left feeling far more satisfied and cared for. In short: if you’re visiting Bastible for the food alone, you’ll likely enjoy it. But if you’re hoping for a full dining experience, one that justifies the price and pedigree, you may want to look elsewhere.

Just be aware when booking, if a high table comes up, it is more like a bar table, and seats are stools with no backs. It's not v comfortable. Pity. All the food scrumptious.

Cordero sin condimentar y sobre salsa salada. Mala respuesta del chef cuando le dimos su opinión... . claramente trabajando en una cocina caliente!

Un menú degustación increíble con vinos combinados. Algo que no harás muy a menudo, pero cuando lo hagas, te emocionará toda la experiencia. El personal era profesional pero amable. La comida era ejemplar con los sabores simplemente fantásticos. Su conocimiento de los vinos también ejemplar y los vinos aportados complementaban perfectamente la comida, algo que no siempre se consigue, en mi limitada experiencia. Un lugar fantástico para ir si visita Dublín durante unos días.