13 Excellent Temple Bar Restaurants Worth Dropping Into Tonight

If you’re in search of the best restaurants in Temple Bar, you’ve landed in the right place!

For an area so well known for its endless drinking temptations (there are lots of pubs in Temple Bar!), there are loads of great places to eat in Dublin’s Temple Bar district.

With everything from hearty Irish classics to fiery Asian cuisine, there’s some epic feeds here to suit any time of day (and we mean any!).

In the guide below, you’ll find everything from tasty and cheap Temple Bar restaurants to swanky spots that’ll tickle most tastebuds.

Our favourite restaurants in Temple Bar

The first section of our guide is packed with our favourite Temple Bar restaurants – these are places that one of The Irish Road Trip Team have eaten in and that have raved about.

Below, you’ll find what we think are the best places to eat in Temple Bar, with everything from fine dining and cheap eats on offer. 

1. Montys Of Kathmandu

Showing off the international flavour that Temple Bar has taken on over the years, Monty’s of Kathmandu is a traditional Nepalese restaurant that’s been a staple of Temple Bar since 1997.

Located centrally on Eustace Street and similar in style to Indian food, they serve up the sort of taste-tingling cuisine that’s an absolute winner after a few pints of stout. The best way to hit Monty’s is to mix and match, ordering a bunch of different dishes and savouring a whole range of flavours.

Otherwise, if you’re going to go for one larger dish then try the Ledo Bedo, a gorgeous traditional Nepali curry. This is our favourite of the many restaurants in Temple Bar for good reason!

2. Gallaghers Boxty House

For something a little closer to home, head to Gallagher’s Boxty House in Temple Bar where you’ll find a small cafe that’s perfected the art of the Irish Boxty.

Opened back in 1988 (long before Temple Bar became the place it is today…), Gallagher’s serve up the three types of authentic boxty found in the border counties of Leitrim, Cavan and Fermanagh. 

Using a variety of fillings, from chicken with bacon twirls to corned beef, this is proper hearty stuff and particularly great for when the weather turns colder. 

As this is one of the more popular Temple Bar restaurants, it’s well worth booking a table in advance to avoid disappointment.

3. Old Mill Restaurant

Lying in the heart of Temple Bar and with Irish memorabilia strewn across the walls, you can see why The Old Mill Restaurant is popular with visitors.

Where Gallagher’s focuses on the Boxty, The Old Mill prefers to play the greatest hits of classic Irish cuisine so expect a heavy dose of comforting stews, coddles, cottage pies and fish and chips. 

And if you’re staying in one of the many hotels in Temple Bar, then you could do a lot worse than heading out in the morning for the Old Mill’s epic Irish breakfast that will sort your groggy head out in no time!

4. Tomahawk Steakhouse

Sometimes, all you need in life is a huge slab of meat. If indeed that is what you’re salivating for, then make a swift detour to the mighty Tomahawk Steakhouse on Essex Street.

Aged upstairs in Dollard & Co Food Market’s dry aging chamber for up to 28 days to ensure maximum flavour, it’s fair to say they take their steaks seriously here. 

Cooked over their grill to give the steaks a smoky finish, all the meat cuts here are superb but if you had to choose one then definitely grab one of their heroic 30oz Tomahawk Ribeye steaks and split it between yourself and your partner. 

If you’re looking for Temple Bar restaurants to mark a special occasion (especially if you’re fond of a great steak), you won’t be disappointed here.

5. Rosa Madre

This cosy little spot on Crow Street is all about a friendly atmosphere and superbly prepared Italian seafood. Also, on a personal note, I’m always encouraged by Italian restaurants that don’t serve pizza (we’ll be discussing a great Temple Bar pizza joint later anyway!). 

Check out their exceptional Irish Sole “Meunière” served with Rosemary and Garlic Roast Potatoes and pair it up with any of their fine white wines.

This is definitely a great place to visit if you want something a little more refined and not as heavy as some of the other options in Temple Bar. 

Popular Temple Bar restaurants with great reviews online

Now that we have our favourite restaurants in Temple Bar out of the way, it’s time to see what else this corner of Dublin has to offer.

Below, you’ll find a mix of cheap and pricey places to eat in Temple Bar, from the brilliant ‘KLAW’ to the often-missed Piglet.

1. KLAW: The Seafood Café by Niall Sabongi

KLAW: The Seafood Café by Niall Sabongi is another spot that’s regularly listed as one of the best restaurants in Temple Bar, and a quick glance at any review site will quickly reveal why – the food here is sensational!

And, if you want a taste of the sea that’s slightly less formal than Rosa Madre, KLAW is well worth a look. Located on Fownes Street Upper, they don’t take bookings here so simply grab a seat and get stuck in!

Taken from Waterford, Galway, Dooncastle and Flaggyshore, KLAW boasts the largest selection of oysters in Ireland so if you’re in the mood to ‘shuck’ then this is indeed the place to head! Oh, and don’t forget oyster happy hour is between 5 and 6 pm every day

2. Piglet Wine Bar

Slightly removed from Temple Bar’s rowdy epicentre, Piglet Wine Bar offers far more than the usual cheese and charcuterie fare you normally expect from typical wine bars.

With dishes such as Confit Duck Gizzards, Smoked Goat Bacon and Grilled Baby Octopus with chickpeas, Piglet takes wine bar food to a totally new level. 

Of course, there’s the wine too! And to be honest, their wine list is a thing of beauty, covering classic old-world wines alongside unusual or biodynamic wines (that they’ve charmingly put under the uncomplicated heading of ‘weird wines’).

This is one of the pricier restaurants in Temple Bar, but everything in Piglet really is nothing short of excellent. 

3. Elephant and Castle

Despite its distinctly English-sounding name (at least to anyone familiar with a certain tube stop on the London Underground), Elephant and Castle take their inspiration from across the Atlantic and serve up some of America’s finest comfort food. 

First opened back in 1989, this joint on Temple Bar has blossomed into one of the area’s busiest restaurants.

And let’s be honest, after a few beers, who’s going to say no to a generously sized burger or some spicy chicken wings in a blue caesar dressing? But since Elephant and Castle does get busy, it’s a good idea to book ahead. 

4. Eatokyo Noodles and Sushi Bar

Yes, the name’s a bit cheesy but don’t knock this Asian cuisine spot until you’ve tried it – it packs a serious punch.

Sitting in a lovely spot on the Liffey looking out at the Ha’penny Bridge and a couple of doors down from the excellent Merchant’s Arch pub, Eatokyo’s place on the fringes of Temple Bar is immediately alluring. 

Choose from everything from indulgent katsu curry to fresh a la carte sushi. Also, it’s worth mentioning that you can BYOB and the menu is very vegan-friendly too.

Casual places to eat in Temple Bar

The final section of our guide to the best Temple Bar restaurants is packed with casual places for a bite that have racked up rave reviews online.

Below, you’ll find everywhere from Bunsen and DiFontaine’s to the Queen of Tarts and several other places that could go toe-to-toe with the best restaurants in Temple Bar.

1. Bunsen

If you’ve been to Bunsen before, you’ll know that they’re one of the best value casual restaurants in Temple Bar, and they bang out one of the best burgers in Dublin.

They bill themselves as ‘Straight up burgers’, their menu is refreshingly sparse, simply asking the size of the burger you’d like and what toppings and the style of fries (if any). 

Head to their joint on Essex Street East to try their extraordinarily popular burgers that go down seriously well with a couple of beers.

Be prepared to wait, however, as Bunsen is often packed to the rafters. The wait is well worth it, though.

2. DiFontaine’s Pizzeria

Is DiFontaine’s Pizzeria the best pizza in Dublin? There’s only one way to find out, but there’s a good reason why they’re still wildly popular after first opening way back in 2002.

After a few beers, there’s little better than getting stuck into a warm slice of pizza so if you’re in Temple Bar for a big night out then finish it by heading over to DiFontaine’s on Parliament Street for a slice or two.

If your appetite is a bit bigger then order one of their famous 20” pizza and choose from a range of New York-inspired toppings, including The FDR (sausage, onion and ricotta) and The Uptown (chicken, onion and mushroom). 

3. Queen of Tarts

First of all, Queen of Tarts has to be one of the better names in Temple Bar. Second of all, be prepared for the sheer variety of pastries and all things sweet on the counter when you step inside.

Whether it’s cakes, tarts, scones or brownies you’re looking for, all of your calorie-dismissive needs will be taken care of here!

An institution on Cow’s Lane since 1998, you won’t be disappointed if you choose to indulge here. And if you’re feeling more in a more savoury mood, they also do a cracking breakfast and brunch menu.

4. The Pieman Cafe

If you think of comfort food, you may well think of homemade cooking and that’s exactly what’s going down at the Pieman Cafe on Crown Alley. Homemade pies with all sorts of delightful fillings that are bound to go well with a Guinness or two. 

Beginning life in 2011, mouthwatering options include steak and stout, chicken and stuffing and chilli, beef and chorizo. For those of a vegetarian persuasion, make a dash for the feta and sweet potato pie.

The Pieman Cafe is a casual spot, but the quality of the stuff here is why it goes toe-to-toe with the best restaurants in Temple Bar when it comes to review scores.

What great Temple Bar restaurants have we missed?

I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some brilliant places to eat in Temple Bar from the guide above.

If you have a place that you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out!

FAQs about the best restaurants in Temple Bar

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘What Temple Bar restaurants are the most unique?’ to ‘Which are the fanciest?’.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What are the best restaurants in Temple Bar?

Our favourite Temple Bar restaurants are Tomahawk Steakhouse, Old Mill Restaurant, Gallaghers Boxty House and Montys Of Kathmandu.

What Temple Bar restaurants are cheap and insanely tasty?

If you’re looking for cheap and tasty places to eat in Temple Bar, you can’t go wrong with Bunsen and DiFontaine’s Pizzeria.