Chameleon in Temple Bar has announced they're closing this week after 25 years in business. Owners Carol Walsh and Kevin O'Toole shared the news on their social media channels yesterday, which came as a shock to many in the industry, as well as to their customers. Chefs, restaurateurs, critics and diners sent their best wishes throughout the evening, with the restaurant saying that some customers had been on the phone crying.
Their statement said: "It is with great sadness that we announce the closure of Chameleon restaurant after 25 years. We did everything we could to create a unique restaurant in Dublin, a special place, with heart and soul and we did everything we could to prevent it from closing. Special thanks are due to our wonderful teams, front and back of house, past and present. You’ve been like family. In a quarter century of service at the heart of Temple Bar we’ve had our highs and lows. We have introduced new flavours to Dublin’s dining scene and we’ve made a lot of friends along the way. We’ve always believed that this is what hospitality is all about - showing and sharing - and we would be delighted to share with our patrons for one last time."
Earlier this year Chameleon underwent a brand refresh to coincide with being 25 years in business, changing the restaurant's facade from black to bright blue, and having a brightly coloured mural painted on the shutters. The chatter was enough to draw two restaurant critics back in (Katy McGuiness in the Irish Independent and Leslie Williams in the Irish Examiner), both of whom wrote very positive reviews of the food and atmosphere. Kevin was also named "chef of the year" by John and Sally McKenna at the end of 2018, who said he was "a chef at the top of his game".
They're inviting diners in for their last week of service from Wednesday to Saturday this week, before finally shutting up shop. Tables can be booked by emailing book@chameleonrestaurant.com
