We all have those friends or family members whose favourite restaurants list originated in the early noughties and hasn't had an update since. They think Fire is the glammest night out in Dublin, Yamamori is the only Japanese worth talking about, and Shanahan's on the Green is THE place for steak. Well it's 2024 and the landscape has drastically changed, and while it's very hard to pull creatures of habit out of a restaurant rut, here's some swaps to guide them towards the next time they suggest Trocadero for the next family meet up...
For fans of: The Ivy
Send them to: Floritz
Let's be frank. A UK-made chain restaurant with 43 locations, whose staff have had to fight for tips and basic worker's rights, holds little appeal for us, but The Ivy still manages to pull in the crowds day after day. If you have a pal/mother-in-law/workmate who thinks that high ceilings, floral covered walls and leather chairs supercede everything else, do them a favour and point them towards Floritz around the corner instead. It's got all the style, but with a substance-filled menu of modern Asian dishes, craft cocktails and attentive staff to go with it. Read our once over here.
For fans of: Fire
Send them to: Hawksmoor
If you're looking for steak and seafood in a grand setting, Hawksmoor is the 2024 update. Less a menu of crowd pleasers and more a menu of stomach teasers, every part of eating and drinking here is right up the minute - from the ultimate Martini menu, to the oysters roasted with bone marrow, to the whopper list of 14 sides to add onto all those sharing steaks. Standards are consistently high, and if you want to dip your toe in on a budget go for an early dinner on a Monday, when three courses costs €35 before 18:00, and you can bring your own wine for €5 a bottle. Read our review here.
For fans of: Trocadero
Send them to: Coppinger
Trocadero has long been known as Dublin's theatre restaurant, with the restaurant's website proclaiming they've "attracted the stars of the stage and screen for over sixty six years." It's been a while since we've heard of a bonefide celeb in there, but you've a decent chance of spotting one around the corner in Coppinger. Julia Roberts was in for dinner last month, and they famously hosted Beyoncé when she toured Dublin. Don't expect to see any pictures on their social media feeds, with chefs and staff summoned for a group shot, arms flung around the poor celeb who just wanted a quiet dinner - they're way too cool for that, which is why the glitterati keep coming back.
For fans of: Carluccio's
Send them to: Amuri
Another UK chain import, Carluccio's was once seen as an exotic, glamorous location for Grafton Street-adjacent meet ups, but these days you'll find much more of the Dolce Vita at Amuri on Chatham Street. Brothers Luca and Andrea have created a feel-good, genuinely family owned and run restaurant, with all the "Buona Notte!"s on arrival and Limoncello on departure. The food is every bit as good as you'll find in Sicily, with the pasta a la sarde one of the most unmissable dishes in Dublin. Read our once over here.
For fans of: Ukiyo
Send them to: Sister 7
Many tears were shed over the last few weeks over the closure of Ukiyo, with nostalgic memories of nights gone by flooding past customers' social media feeds. If Asian small plates and great tunes is your kinda thing, Sister 7 in Smithfield needs to be your new regular. The food is from the legends at Big Fan, the Whiplash-heavy beer list is a craft beer lover's dream, and the state of the art sound system was built by Toby Hatchett.
For fans of: Yamamori
Send them to: Lotus Eaters
Yamamori has been a city centre go-to since opening in 1995, with their consistent sushi, tempura and gyoza making it an easy pick for Japanese, but for something a bit more à la mode, head to Lotus Eaters. From the team behind The Pig's Ear and Spitalfields (in the former Pig's Ear dining room on Nassau Street), it's Japanese food but without the California Rolls and Yaki Udon. Instead you'll eat Wagyu hamburgers with rice, cured egg yolk and all the condiments, or oysters with nahm jim and bonito, and wonder what else you've been missing. Read our review here.
For fans of: Marco Pierre White
Send them to: Etto
We can't even pretend to understand the appeal of celebrity chef led restaurants where the chef in question is rarely if ever seen, but maybe the name lends an element of safety to less adventurous diners. If steak is the draw at Marco Pierre White, walk nine minutes to Etto instead for a sharing steak at a considerably lower price, with their famous crispy garlic potatoes, house salad, and Bordelaise plus Bearnaise sauce. Start with the mussels with nduja, end with the red wine prunes, and you'll never feel the need to go and see Marco again.
For fans of: The Market Bar
Send them to: La Gordita
An easy choice for tapas and drinks, The Market Bar has been knocking out a global tapas menu in an expansive space for two decades. For the real Spanish deal instead, walk up Wexford Street to La Gordita to feast on anchovies with blue cheese butter, Spanish black pudding bombitas, and seafood rice for two. Patatas Bravas are over-rated anyway.
For fans of: Captain America's
Send them to: Dash Burger
You're not 16 anymore, and Captain America's isn't the place to go for a burger anymore. If beef between two buns is what you're after, take yourself up to Dash Burger on Kevin Street or Capel Street and see why smashburgers are taking over the globe. The flattened, crispy, craggy patties are a revelation if you've never tried them before, and once you smash, it's hard to go back.
For fans of: Shanahan's on the Green
Send them to: The Butcher Grill
The once major domo of Dublin steakhouses, you took people to Shanahan's when you were looking to show off, or take a step back in time. The prices were outrageous, the interiors from the last century, and the clientele was (male) tourist heavy. For a more "Dublin in 2024" experience head for a high table at The Butcher Grill in Ranelagh, where the best of Irish, US and South American beef is cooked on a wood-smoked grill, alongside Napa Cabernet and high-end cocktails. Steak isn't cheap anywhere in Dublin, but prices here are at least easier to swallow in comparison.
