I came upon this pub/restaurant on Christmas eve by chanceafter a walk in the Phoenix Park and decided to go in for lunch. The place was fully decked out in Christmas decorations and lights - it looked like a magical Santa's grotto. After waiting at length for someone to approach us to take our dinner order, we had to go to the bar to get attention from the staff. The wait for the food was also too long and the service was slow in general. On the menu are a selection of more-ish dinners, as well as a great selection of tapas dishes. I decided to order a few of the latter. The Spanish omelette was satisfactory, although not as good as the real thing, as tasted in Spain... the prawns were delicious, as were the potato wedges. The menu was slightly too expensive, in my opinion, but the novelty Christmas decor made the experience worthwhile, especially if you have kids with you.

Had truly amazing meal in cosy comfy atmosphere of The Hole in the Wall, complete with finest Christmas decs. I defy you to find a better steak in the country and cooked to perfection to boot. The bar manager will find a seat even where the situation looks impossible. He will pair the most gorgeous wine with the meal and deliver it to the table in the finest glasses with the aplomb it deserves. To top it all, a member of staff entertains all the customers with his amazing joie de vivre! The ability to choose wine from the off licence without paying corkage means you can choose a gorgeous wine at a more than reasonable price. I really can't recommend this place enough. You should definitely go! At this time of the year, the gorgeous decorations really add to the atmosphere. Finally, it is incredibly reasonably priced. Roll on next Friday!

Staff are excellent here, pity about the food, we had garlic mushrooms, no real taste of garlic, and chips were the worst, so big that they were not really cooked through. Shame as we are local.

Had delicious meal in the Hole in the Wall. 6 of us ordered a mix between fillet steak, haddock, cod, and scallops All of which were delicious and fairly priced. The fillet steak was 20e, marked on the night as a Chefs Special. We ordered from the evening menu but the early bird which runs until 6.30pm is great value. 19.95 for 2 courses, with 3e supplement for steaks. Also, you can choose from hundreds of bottles of wine for your table from the off-license which is in the middle of the pub. There is no corkage charge, so you can grab a bottle of wine for your table starting at 10e. Good service and the wedges that come with mains are amazing as is the blackpepper sauce! Would thoroughly recommend!

We have been here a few times for family meals. The first time, a couple of years ago was really good, the food and the service, that's why we went back, but recently it was very disappointing. The beef was chewy and tasteless ,the lamb was tough as leather and it seemed like it was reheated in the microwave. The children's meals had more fat then meat on them. Two of us ordered vegetarian tapas. The gubbeen in breadcrumbs was cold, and chicken liver pate was served instead of wild mushroom which is disgraceful. The waitress obliviously did not listen to the ordered place. The restaurant was busy but not packed, yet the staff seems unable to cope.(I must say the staff were polite but not smiling and stressed! ) We waited along time in between courses, with the children waiting nearly 30 minutes for simple bowls of ice cream!! It is such a pity as the restaurant itself is lovely, but when it comes to service and food you d be better off with a take away at home!!

We had a lovely meal here between Christmas and New Years. The manager in the Wine section is very friendly and recommends great wine for our tastes. Keep it up!

We popped into The Hole in the Wall on Xmas Eve to buy some wine and get some lunch. The place looked fantastic, they had really gone all out on the decorations, and what could have ended up totally OTT was actually magical. In the wine shop we got great value from €10 for 2 bottle of plonk, to €10 for 05 Beaujolais, and the wine shop guy (manager I think) couldn't have been more helpful. However the food was a real let down, crab cake was just potato, not a sign of any crab; chowder was also stuffed full of potato; prawns in chili and garlic weren't hot and spicy enough; passible chicken liver pate. Its a real pity as you can buy wine in the wine shop and drink it with your food, with no corkage, which is a real plus. Hopefully they can improve.

I suggested this place for dinner with friends, and they loved it, the selection of wines, the choices in the menu, it worked out really well. The place was really busy for a Wednesday night, lovely atmosphere we ended up ordering another bottle and staying till late. I dine here very often, and my friends will start doing the same I am sure.

We've stopped in to the Hole in the Wall a few times for a pint & have always enjoyed the atmosphere, the food always looked great, and yesterday we said we'd give it a go for our Sunday lunch as it was a pub we knew wouldnt be doing a carvery.. we ordered 2 tapas to start - piri piri chicken wings and deep friend prawns. The portion of chicken wings was quite generous, though they did look deformed. There was absolutely no flavour off them at all. The prawns were chewy. Not a great start. We ordered the Sunday special which was a sirloin steak with chips & salad for €10. It was awful. The chips tasted like they had been cooked in fat that wasnt hot enough, the salad was made up of a bit of lettuce & onion with no dressing, the steak was rubbery, had very little flavour and a ridiculous amount of fat. I know it was only €10 - but they shouldnt offer a "special" if the food is going to be this bad. We both felt it is a reflection on all food they serve - particularly as the starters were off their regular menu. I felt cheated of a nice Sunday lunch and will only return to the Hole for a pint and not food, when I'm next passing...

I ate here with my boyfriend on Friday evening. We availed of the early bird menu for €17.95. I had stuffed chicken with sweet potato mash for main and chocolate marquis for desert. My boyfriend had the burger and the berry crumble. Everything was very tasty the only complaint I had was the chicken dish possibly would have benefitted from a sauce rather than the herb oil it was served with as the sweet potato mash was a little dry. The stuffing in the chicken was delicious which made up for this. Service was friendly and prompt. I like that the same menu is available in all parts as there was nobody in the restaurant so we could sit in the bar which had some atmosphere.I have been here previous to this on a Sunday and had a selection of the tapas which were very tasty.

Lovely evening here last night, I had the cod and chips and my friend had the steak! All lovely, good atmosphere, will definitely be back

We visited the hole in the wall pub last Saturday and we were very surprised we thought it would be normal pub grub, but it was so much more than that. They have a great tapa's menu running all day and a high standard A La Carte menu that run's along side it. We arrived in time for the specials of the day and we were told by staff that the early bird ran on till 6.30 and that all the specials were included in the price. For the quality and portion of the food we received for our 2 courses the price was very reasonable at €17.95. Over all it was a very enjoyable experience and we will be back.

This is the 3rd time I've eaten here in the last month with different people and none of us had any complaints. Food always good quality and good variety with different specials, staff always very friendly and attentive. Whatever you order, get a portion of the handcut chips with it they're gorgeous!

A group of roughly 50 of us ate here on tuesday night. We had a set menu with a choice of 3 starters, 6 or 7 mains and 5 desserts. The food was fantastic - i think their catch phrase is "good food, simply cooked" and it certainly is that !!! An interesting turnip and parsley soup was packed with delicious flavour and the prawns in a tempura batter were so succulent. For main course i can certainly compliment the fish in batter with pea puree, the rib eye and sirlion were a perfect size and really juicy. The burgers were home made and really packed a punch. The salmon dish with curried lentils and creme fraiche was innovative and so tasty. The dessert menu even included a choice of cheese board. The marquis chocolate cake was rich and decadent and perfect for a chocoholic. The house white was some of the best i have had in an age and to compliment all the good food the service and staff was perfect. For a big group or an imtimate bit on a tuesday i cannot recommend this more highly. Yum and thanks

The Hole in the Wall is a gorgeous pub and a real hidden gem. We had dinner here last night and whilst the service and atmosphere was great, the food could have been a little better. I had the fish and chips which was very greasy, but the rest of the food was good. Will still go back!

Had dinner here last Tuesday. The atmosphere in the pub is lovely. Truly spectacularly decorated. Food very good and at affordable prices in the restaurant. We were able to purchase wine in the wine shop and drink it in the bar. Great idea. Pay a visit over Christmas, you will not be disappointed.

I visited the hole in the wall bar yesterday evening for dinner and drinks and found the whole experience very enjoyable. The pub itself has a great atmosphere and a nice crowd. There was a good menu with a wide range of food – perhaps too many menus though! My party had burgers and chips, salmon and half roast chicken all of which were really tasty and very good value for money. The staff were really friendly and helpful. This is the second time I have eaten here and on both occasions I had a really enjoyable experience. I would definitely recommend it.

I am not sure what has happened as we had a great meal here before Xmas, and several times before that as well. The wine is great value as usual but the meal & experience was disappointing. The menu was limited - and was the bar menu, waitress was pushy (wanted to go home?), atmosphere was zero and the food was mediocre, lax attention and care in the kitchen, and poor value for money. Our English guests were taken aback by the cost for what was really pub grub. A shame and a loss as we would come here 3/4 times a year. Pint in pub was good as usual. (I haven't put the correct date though it was in August this year as I do not wish to identify myself - why should I?)

Very disappointed this place has nothing unusual. Nice pub but not much more.

My family and I eat here on Christmas Eve for our tradional christmas outing. Overall it was nice and would return, I wasn't too happy with what I got but the rest of the family enjoyed theirs. The only complaint we all had was with the brownie desert, quite dry and too many walnuts. It is good value for money with tapas style starters, giving a reduction for buying multiple starters. Overall the paté for starter was a winner! There is also a great wine shop on the premises that you can buy from and drink with your meal for corkage of only €5!

This is a really lovely place to visit and I am half afraid to praise it too much as it is always hard to get a table anyway and this might encourage others to visit it. The staff, food and atmosphere are all A1. What more can I say.

I love this place. It's apparently the longest bar in Ireland and is really old. I love the log fires and the cozy atmosphere especially at Christmas - every inch is covered with Christmas decorations! The food is very good quality and the price is very good for what you get. They have an excellent off licence where you can try new and different wines. You can have a good look at the various wines they have on offer and have it with your dinner paying a minimal corkage charge. The staff and owners are always available to offer recommendations and a good bottle of wine for a good price. It's one of the few places where the staff are always the same which is always a good sign.

Atmosphere: Great, warm ... inviting. Lovely design of the restaurant. Almost open kitchen so you can catch the contact with the chefs. Food: Simple, High - Bar/Pub standard, I didn't rate that Pub as a Restaurant but they are a RESTAURANT with simple food cooked to order in reasonable prices. Service: little bit slow, but very helpful and chatty. Value: Great for middle week lunch or dinner with your girlfriend/boyfriend Overall: Had a gorgeous dinner for two. I had lovely cooked pigeon breast + confi of legs accompanied with puy lentils. My girlfriend had lovely butternut squash soup as a start. For main I had a chicken casserole and my girlfriend had buetifully cooked sea bass. It is one of the best hidden GEMs in Dublin. Will be back for more.

I had not been to the restaurant in quite a while. The previous time we visited it was excellent - great food great service and good value. To say the place has gone downhill is an understatement. I wrote twice to the restaurant outlining the problems we encountered and have not even received the courtesy of a reply - which sums up the level of service that you can expect at the restaurant. I took my family to the restaurant for a meal around 4.00pm. Our table was for 6 people but was only set for 5. We asked for extra cutlery and a plate 3 times and never received it. We ordered food at about 4.30pm and were only served our meals at 5.30pm after 2 reminders were given to the apathetic waiting staff. By 5.30 pm there were only 2 other tables occupied in the restaurant. When the meals arrived most of them were far from hot. The mashed potatoes served with lamb shank were stone cold. The roast potatoes served with the lukewarm, overcooked carvery beef numbered 2 on each plate and were minuscule. A bowl of totally undercooked, hard, fried sliced potatoes was added to compensate. Similarly plates of calamari and prawns were again stone cold and inedible. At no point during the meal were we approached to see if everything was alright or if we needed anything. We sat for one hour with no service whatsoever waiting for meals and were charged a 10.85 euros service charge on top of the meal. I and my family are not hard to please as far as restaurants go but this was without a doubt, one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had. Avoid at all costs!

Lovely pub; ok food. The pub is lovely and staff friendly. An interesting innovation is no corkage charge in the pub if you buy wine from their well-stocked off licence, which results in exceptional value. So we love the pub, and decided to try the restaurant. We found dinner a bit disappointing...the menu is good and prices fair, but we were both not fully pleased with our main courses: the battered 'cod' (not convinced that it was actually cod, although it was certainly very fresh) had been fried in oil that wasn't hot enough, resulting in it being greasy. Similarly, the medium-rare rump steak was not flash-fried and seared - again, it seemed to me that the oil had not been hot enough. This place is so pleasant, and well-reviewed generally, that I wonder did we catch them on an off night. Having said all that, we still agreed that, for pub grub, it was good. We'll certainly go back and give them another chance.

Visited on Friday night for the first time in about 6 months and very disappointed in the service levels. While the food was quite good the service was extremely haphazard and in the case of one particular person, verging on rude. Seeing as I have had great experiences here before I will give it the benefit of the doubt and pop back in a couple of weeks-hopefully they were just having an off night.

This is one of the best places to eat in Dublin. We go regularly & have never been disappointed. The food is fabulous & the management are very good at keeping the menus updated innovative. Would recommend this place to anyone on the basis it ticks the box on atmosphere,value but most importantly delivers consistantly on great food!

Myself and a few friends decided after a long walk in the park to go and get something to eat. It had been recommended to us on a few occasions so we decided to give it a try and we were not disappointed. The food was great the staff were more than helpful. We were offered a table in the restaurant but decided to stay in the bar because we had heard there was a band on. The only thing that let the night down was the heat both fires were lit and it made it quiet uncomfortable and stuffy. But otherwise a great night was had by all.

After a walk in the Phoenix Park, we headed in for a bite of lunch and had a really good experience. It wasn't too busy and we were served quickly. Found the food really good, not cheap but you get what you pay for. Plan to make it a regular haunt after walks in the park-really recommend!

I ate here a couple of weeks ago with some friends from work and it was really enjoyable. I had the wok fried prawn and it was delicious, burgers were slightly disappointing to those that got them, rather too well done. Chips are amazing, big and chunky. The wine was amazing top class and you can buy your wine first in the off licence attached to pub and bring it in with you! Lovely place, nice setting and atmosphere. Will definitely return!

Lovely quaint pub. Service was a bit frosty, but I think that was just the waitresses personality. She did eventually defrost towards the end.. (closer to the tip!). The food was particularly good though. I had the fish cakes and they were delicious. Plenty big portion and very tasty. The bread there is also amazing, really good texture and flavour. The other person I was with had the Steak with wild mushrooms which was also superb. Great food, shame about the unfriendly atmosphere, although it is not like that on every occasion.

I really should write two reviews for this place, as the two recent experiences I have had have been very different. I went there on a Friday night just before Christmas, and it was a lovely experience all round. The food was great, and the staff were exceptionally friendly, and efficient. We all agreed we would go back, and indeed we did, last Saturday night. If our first night was 9/10, then this was unfortunately 4/10. When we first arrived, they had no record of our booking. I had to wait for each of my courses after everyone else, they forgot my order on two of them, and I'm not sure about the main. Dishes ordered well-cooked came out under-cooked. Having said all that, I would agree with another reviewer that the bread is delicious, and the wines are very reasonable, even with the corkage charge. The atmosphere is nice too, with the piano music in the background. And we were able to go down to the bar afterwards for a few more drinks. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt that the first visit was the usual standard, and Saturday was just a bad night, and will go again, but hopefully the service will be improved by then.

Was here with work for Xmas lunch on Tue 18th of Dec. A funny experience. I was one of the lucky ones with my food - pate, salmon and sherry trifle were all very nice. The others not so lucky with their turkey "escalope" which i believe was pretty tasteless. There was no effort to invoke a christmas spirit in the dining room i.e. no table decorations or any other type of decoration in the room. The menu we were faxed had a choice of 5 starters, mains and desserts for €28 but when we got there it had been changed to 3 of each for €26 ! So not a great choice of mains - salmon, turkey or vegetarian risotto. Walking through the pub on the way out which was really nicely decorated and looking at the menu wishing we wished we'd gone for that ! I won't be in a big rush to go back !

I have to disagree with the previous comments. We had our Christmas party here last Friday night. There were nine of us in the group and every single person said they would definitely go back. The food was fabulous, huge portions , service was very good and staff were extremely friendly. The pub and dining room were both full and staff seemed well fit to cope. Extremely good food at a very good price.

I totally agree with the previous two entries. For, going to the Hole in the World was a like a special thing- we would drive from Booterstown all the way up just for the massive burgers, the excellent fajitas and the drinks in a unique atmosphere. I took every single visitor from overseas I could out there within the last three years. Not anymore. The last two times I visited (October and November)the prices were outrageous (€14 for a burger in a pub? no pub food for less than that?????); service was horrible, they would either forget your order or take ages to actually serve the table...and the longest pub in Europe has actually been converted into a pub/restaurant/wine cellar...trying to be too many things at the same time...the whole experience ruined I guess. I regret to say I will no longer be visiting my favourite spot in the city and from the many changes seen at the Hole in the World, it is clear that management couldn't care less

What the heck has happened to The Hole in the Wall? Ate there Saturday night. The wait staff were aggressive and unwelcoming. Did not wait for us to sit down before asking for a drinks order. Chastised me for not wanting a stater (I usually am a mains and dessert kind of girl )and plunked the bread down before we noticed there were no side plates or butter knife and had to ask for same. We got the plates but no butter knife and my cutlery was not changed when the main coarse arrived. The plates were not on any table within our eye sight but were readily accessible from behind the bar. We were given a frosty reception when they were plunked unceremoniously on the table. The menu on this site is woefully outdated as it used to be a lovely establishment to eat some well presented and thought out dishes. What the menu has on it now is stew and fish and chips. I ordered plaice (as there was nothing on the menu at all that wasn't 'fast food') and what I got was a fillet cut so thin, it was like mush in its supposed lobster sauce which was so heavily salted that it tainted the whole dish and it came with chips. It seemed everything we saw that passed our table came with chips. I hate chips when I am dining out, can get them at a chipper for cheaper and better done. The lovely former ambience is now ruined as on every ledge of the stained glass booths proudly sits super size bottles of Heinz ketcup, worchester sauce and YR sauce. The place used to have an endearing shabby chicness about it. Now it is just a restaurant that should call itself a pub and not a very good one at that. It used to be our port of call to bring our guests from America but I will no longer be able to do that anymore and I could not in good conscience recommend it to anyone. The prices have gone up, the food quality down and it is totally unacceptable. I mean when you can't even remember to leave water glasses on the table when you present punters with a jug of water, what hope is there for a return to its former glory days. Sad thing.

It was time to once again visit this restaurant as it is on our list of favourites. I suppose it would have been about two months since we were last here and I am intrigued to know what has transpired in the intervening time. The lady who took our booking made a big deal about it being last minute but when we arrived the place was empty. The lady in question seems to speak in a voice range about 4 octaves above what is acceptable and she was enquiring about our drinks order as we were still struggling out of our coats. Bread was brought to the table and nobody questioned us as we manfully tried to butter it while holding it in our hands - there were no side plates on the table. The menu was derisory with 4 vegetarioan or cheese based starters, a soup and two cold starters to choose from. We passed. The entrees were several fish dishes with chips, sirloin steak with chips and rib eye with twice cooked chips. What's gone wrong? Is there a new chef and new staff? The place has gone to the dogs and it is no longer on our list.

I dined here with friends on Saturday night. Overall it was fair. The food was quite good but the service was poor. There was a pianist playing music but the piped music was also playing! A candle was placed on our table at 10.30 as our meal was finishing and our table was too close to the kitchen where we had to watch the traffic of orders. Overall not very impressive.

I went to this restaurant last Thursday. As I was one of their pub customers for years I was very curious to try the restaurant. The wine list is vast. There was very little mark up on some of the wines compared to most places. Anyways the home made bread was delicious; it went well the soup I had. I had the duck for main course medium well done but it was very delicious. Portions are goods but I would recommend getting a side order with the main. The menu is small which can ensure good quality food. Luckily in this case they were spot on. The dessert menu was very limited but that’s the only criticism I would have!

My friend and I ate at the Hole in the Wall on Saturday evening, She tried the Seabream with a citrus sauce and I went for the duck breast on fondant potatoes with red cabbage, we just had room for sweet 'to share' superb food, excellent atmosphere and wonderful service a pleasure to dine and be entertained in such a good establishment. Keep the great work up guys

What a great spot for Sunday lunch!! It’s always hard to please everyone on Sundays - he wants a traditional roast, I want a nice glass of wine and the kids want junk! Driving by the Phoenix Park we stumbled across a real gem which made us all very happy - fantastic roast beef/Yorkshire pudding (like his mother used to make!)For himself; delicious duck liver pate on ginger brioche (sounds odd but really worked) and gorgonzola & spinach risotto for me; the kids got their burger & chips and ice cream (little did they know it was a homemade organic burger with big thick hand cut chips!). I was a bit over-awed by the size of the wine menu but the French waiter was patient with me and ended up recommending a nice glass (or 2) of Pinot Grigio! Just one word of warning - the desserts are huge and we could have shared 1 between the 2 of us - but the chocolate tart was to die for and (again) the trifle was just like his mother used to make!!! We will definitely go again with the whole family.

Would really, really recommend this place. The food was top quality, really enjoyed it. Got the butternut chicken for main course and it was like something I ate in South Africa which is really saying something! Only negative was they didn't have the dessert we requested but service was excellent and loved the atmosphere, can't wait to go back.

Crazy prices both food & wine for this once very good pub turned restaurant. Will certainly not be returning. Menu very limited and service did not live up to price list/quality of food or excessive service charge of 12.5% for a party of 6.

Terrible menu, outrageous prices.. Waiting too long for orders to be taken and food to be served

First off, the menu on this website seems to be out of date. The current menu at "The Hole" is a bit more expensive. I had dinner here a couple of nights ago with my girlfriend and her father. Myself and my girlfriend decided to share a starter - big mistake. The size of the starter (the vegetarian option on the night) was pathetic. I had the chicken as a main course and, although the meat itself was nice, the dish as a whole was a bit bland and I thought the presentation was a touch pretentious. It was also far too expensive. I have to say however, the deserts were huge! Order with caution! I must also say that the service was appalling. We were waiting 30 minutes before anyone took our order - and the restaurant was far from full. It took 90 minutes for our main courses to arrive - totally unacceptable. We had planned to have a drink in the pub before we left, but unfortunately it was after 23.30 when we received the bill, having arrived at 21.00! I don't think I'll be rushing back to this place.

Had a fabulous meal here with friends on Friday night. Nice cosy atmosphere although it felt a little empty. Had lovely mussels to start and a gorgeous lamb main course - spiced lamb with rocket, hummus, salsa and flat bread. So unusual but I would highly recommend it. We all retired to the lovely soft seating up in the gallery to continue enjoying the fabulous house red. Very reasonable at €40 each which included about 4 bottles of wine. Will definitely be back

This is a wonderful restaurant and a great addition to the area. We have eaten here twice and on both occasions the Food, Service and Wine have been excellent. The Pork and Fillet Steak are Fabulous. Well worth checking out.

A great pub with great food, and off the beaten track too, which is nice. The food is delicious, whether it be from the restaurant or the bar menu (the bacon, cabbage & mash is divine) and the atmosphere is lovely.

Great food, great atmosphere. The pianist really adds to the experience. I always get the Crème Brulee. You just can’t go wrong with this place.

We ate here last Saturday (Bar food) and it was so good that we went back on the Monday and had exact same meal again. We opted for the chicken and mushroom pie.. It is just amazing, fab flavours and fantastic veg to accompany dish. Very reasonable.. Looking forward to returning again.. They also have a lovely off licence that you can purchase wine from. Great place...

Years ago we used to drink here so last week we decided to try out the restaurant. It looks cosy but was nearly empty. We were asked if we had a table booked and when we replied that we had not, we were given our choice of tables. For a starter I ordered soup and when I tasted it, I realised I had made a mistake. It was tasteless and no amount of seasoning could bring it to life. I sent it back and decided to skip starters and head for the main course. The steak seemed a safe bet and even though there was not much eating on it, and it was fairly pricey, it was ok. My partner said her food was so-so. They have a wine shop installed now, between the bar and restaurant and we paid a visit. Not bad, but a bit pretentious. It might work well on the south side but we thought that the space could have been better utilized. In total we spent slightly over two hours in "The Hole", and when we left it was still nearly empty. We were not impressed with the place and won’t be rushing back. Maybe the owners should stick to what they know best, serving beer.

Last Friday night I organised a rare girls night out - was finding it difficult to find somewhere on our side (Northside) of town - did not want to go into town. Took a chance and tried the Dining Room - and we ended up having a fantastic night out- lots of good wine, good food and good gossip (and no rip off prices)!!! Food was great - nice oxtail ravioli for starters (and amazing Guinness bread), great free range chicken for mains and fab Crème Brulee. The waiter (French and sexy!!) helped with wine choice and really looked after us - and a fab touch was a complimentary glass of wine while we were choosing our wine from the wine shop!! The atmosphere was just right - we were seated in a booth for 4 so it felt very cosy and there was a pianist playing upstairs in the mezzanine sitting room where we relaxed on sofas with coffees and the gossip continued. Can highly recommend it - tried it last Saturday with the husband and it was just as good - tell your friends - at last a great place to go on the Northside!!Great place!!

When polenta is in good hands it can be magnificent, just like a good risotto, but I'm afraid neither were in good hands on our maiden voyage to this establishment on Mothers day. The place is cosy and a welcome addition to northside dining, but the food and service needs some attention. I ordered a Rioja reserva but was presented with a crianza, when this was pointed out, the mistake was quickly sorted, our youngest ordered sausages and chips but was served chicken and chips? One of the waiters insisted they didn't have sausages, but again it got sorted eventually by another waiter. The fillet steak was tasty, but must have come from a very small cow and cost 28 euro, and the pork was fine but quite dry. The mammy’s thought it was all great, me... I'm not so sure.

We dined here during the week. When we arrived [about 7.30] the place was almost empty. However, we were asked if we had made a reservation. When we replied that we hadn't, we were given a choice of any vacant table. I ordered soup to start. It was bland. Even with the addition of copious amounts of seasoning it was still awful. When this was pointed out to our server, he seemed taken aback, like is as if he didn't believe me. At this point I decided to skip a starter. For my main course I decided to play safe and ordered the steak. It was ok. Not great but not bad either. For the price I expected better. My partner however thought her food was ok. She has eaten in some fine establishments and knows her onions. She got a great kick out of us been asked if we had a table booked. She liked the wine shop but thought it was a bit pretentious. This would probably work great on the south side but... The Hole-in-the--Wall is easy on the eye, but not on the wallet and the food needs professional help. We will come back in a year or two, maybe they will have made a few improvements.