The best restaurants in Dublin

27/06/2026: We booked the Maldron Hotel Smithfield for one night (B&B) while attending a concert in Dublin. At €250 for one night, plus an additional €25 for parking (discounted from the standard €50 for hotel guests), it certainly wasn't cheap. While I appreciate that hotel prices in Dublin are generally high, I was happy to pay it as I expected a good standard from a four-star Maldron hotel. The location is excellent, with convenient on-site parking and easy access to the city. We also appreciated being allowed to check in slightly before the official 3pm check-in time. Unfortunately, that was where the positives largely ended. After a three-hour journey, we arrived slightly early and wanted to use the toilet before checking in, only to find that even the reception toilets required a room key to access. Luckily, we were allowed to check in early, but the welcome itself was disappointing. The receptionist barely acknowledged us, seemed much more interested in chatting to a colleague, and generally gave the impression that she didn't want to be there. It wasn't the warm welcome you'd expect from a four-star hotel. At first glance the room looked clean, but once we settled in it became obvious that housekeeping had overlooked several things. There was a noticeable build-up of dust on furniture and fixtures, mould around the window frames, and peeling finishes on the window surrounds. I've attached photos to show some of these issues. The room itself was also very basic for the price we paid and didn't feel like a four-star hotel. Another surprise was that there was no air conditioning. We happened to stay during Ireland's June heatwave, so the room became very warm and uncomfortable. While the weather obviously isn't the hotel's fault, I would expect air conditioning as standard in a four-star hotel charging €250 per night. To top it off, after walking around the room in white socks for around an hour while getting ready for the concert, my socks were filthy, suggesting that the floors hadn't been cleaned properly. The one positive about the room was that it was quiet and dark, allowing us to get a good night's sleep after the concert. Breakfast the following morning was another major disappointment. Despite arriving with around 40 minutes of service remaining, many items had already run out and weren't being replenished. The selection itself was incredibly basic for a hotel of this standard. The two staff members working in the breakfast area appeared disorganised and seemed more focused on wandering around than checking or restocking the buffet. Overall, it felt poorly managed and certainly wasn't the quality I'd expect from a four-star hotel. When checking out, we were greeted by the same receptionist who had checked us in. She appeared just as disengaged as the previous day. She asked how our stay had been, and when my husband replied that it was "just fine" before adding that breakfast had been very disappointing, she made no eye contact, offered no apology, acknowledged none of the feedback, and simply asked if we wanted to leave our bags. It was a very poor way to end our stay. For me, the biggest issue with this hotel is the customer service. I appreciate that working in hospitality isn't always easy, but guests paying premium prices should still expect staff who are welcoming, attentive and interested in guest feedback. Throughout our stay, we simply didn't feel valued as customers. Overall, aside from the convenient location, parking and quiet room, this hotel fell well below my expectations of a four-star property. Between the indifferent service, lack of cleanliness, absence of air conditioning, and disappointing breakfast, I don't feel the experience justified the price we paid. Unfortunately, I wouldn't stay here again, and it has made me think twice about booking another Maldron hotel in the future, which is a real shame.

26/06/2026: Every staff member we came in contact with was very courteous and professional. Very conveniently located, within walking distance of several sites. The room is NOT air conditioned, though advertised as such, but not by their fault, booking agent error I believe. The room was clean with coffee/tea, station. No refrigerator to keep drinks cold, water bottles supplied, but not cold. Restaurant food was delicious. Bathroom had no hair dryer outlet, or exhaust fan. Free wifi a steady plus.

02/10/2026: While the dining experience was satisfactory, the pricing was noted to be on the higher side; furthermore, I would like to bring to your attention a hygiene concern regarding the kitchen staff utilizing the same gloves for food preparation and handling deliveries.

02/10/2026: Everything is superbbb ! Must visit

23/09/2026: Nice place. Busy during work hours. Still had seating available. More than 1 coffee section to pick from, which is good.

22/09/2026: Lovely coffee, nice atmosphere 👌

26/07/2026: I've had a grand stay at Bracken Court Hotel, i would like to thank Tommy & all his staff for making me more than welcome. The food is lovely, the rooms are lovely and all the staff have been very polite 100%. Thank you all. Clive.

14/04/2026: This review is for the dining experience: We booked an "afternoon tea" for two. The set up was absolutely delightful and area that the "afternoon tea" was served in was perfect for dining with two children as space was spacious yet pretty private, so kids had room to move freely and didn't bother anyone. I would definitely book that area for dining with kids next time again and I must say that hotel staff are definitely very kids friendly. Everything on the platter was tasty, tea and coffee hot and strong. We had a walk through restaurant and bar and all seemed very clean. We will definitely be back, with kids as they had a lovely time.

15/08/2026: Aside from the service, there's unfortunately not much positive to report. The food was drowning in sauce, uninspired, and tasted nothing like Thai food. The peanuts were rancid. The best thing about the place was the tap water. Adding to the overall impression, the men's restroom had neither soap, toilet paper, nor any way to dry your hands.

31/07/2026: My Spice Bag review Food was cold Chicken wasn't cooked Lady on the till was polite A couple nice potato cubes but overall not it

18/08/2026: They have gluten-free bagels, and you can choose any filling! Really good!

05/08/2026: Amazing! Need a shop in the UK!

08/09/2026: Recommend if you love delicious comforting food

05/09/2026: The most 10/10 restaurant experience I’ve had in Dublin. Food amazing , staff amazing could not have been more attentive.

16/09/2026: I used to eat here a lot when I lived in Dublin. Came back after a few years - food was still very tasty but portions much tinier. Prices are steep. Still recommend!

29/08/2026: Delicious food and lovly friendly staff

03/07/2026: Great Lil pub. Felt like we were hanging with the locals! Service was great

27/06/2026: Decent pub. Bad pint of Guinness. Plays an unnecessary amount of rugby on the tellies.

20/09/2026: Grand little pub with absolute great pint 8.5/10 lovely staff great price for beer €6 for Guinness

14/08/2026: Had a good craic there. It was realy welcoming, the bartenders were super nice. I can only recomend

09/08/2026: Lovely atmosphere, nice food… and they close quite late

20/03/2026: By far my favorite cafe in Dublin to work in. They have nice beverages and food and the best service!

26/09/2026: I been at birthday party very nice pub

16/09/2026: Would not recommend, The Forge has nicer pints

28/03/2026: You had to try the lahmacun here. Sadly they've closed in March 2026.

02/03/2026: I was seated and then left waiting for 20 minutes before anyone bothered to take my order. When the waitress finally came, she rushed through it and didn’t even ask about drinks. The starter arrived after 15 minutes, and the main course showed up 40 minutes later. The service was a disaster from start to finish — inattentive, rushed, and unprofessional. I eventually got up and left. Definitely not coming back.

09/04/2026: Nice stop on the way to work for my tea. Not sure why the husband works their as he has a face all the time like his luggage was missing

11/10/2026: Absolutely filthy cutlery. Yuck!

30/09/2026: Went for lunch with my friends, Jen was so helpful and nice and really improved the experience. 10/10 food aswell