Went here last weekend with my husband. The food was as lovely as ever but I must admit the service was lacking. We used to come here regularly on a Sunday afternoon and were always well looked after by the same lovely girl. We were disappointed to hear she had left...her replacement left a lot to be desired. We had to ask for our cutlery after the food had arrived! By the time our food arrived our drinks were still nowhere to be seen and I had to go up to the bar and order them myself, leaving my food to go cold. When the bill came, there were two rounds of drinks on there- only one of which we had! The mistake took 20minutes to rectify. I know they were busy but I've been there when it was busier and was always looked after to a higher standard and by a friendlier face. Food still the same great quality though and would highly recommend it on that alone.

Frequent customers of the Merry Ploughboy and have always had great things to say about the standard of food and a welcoming atmosphere. However, today the service was seriously lacking as our food was a no show! From the moment we walked in, there were a number of problems. We had to ask for our menus, ask for our drinks and finally had to leave when our main course didn't arrive after a 75 minute wait once we ordered. The service is terrible but moreover ther management is questionable as when we left the excuse for the lack of service and food from the staff was "we have another function going on." Very disappointing and unprofessional as we had arrived and ordered before the function started. Will definitely think twice about going there again and wont be recommending it to anyone for dinner...

I was told about the food here through a friend and so, as a foodie, decided to check it out.... The result was beautifully presented high-quality food which will definetly turn into a regular spot for us!! For mains, Duck was the choice and among the nicest I've tasted .... Dessert was mini-macaroons with salted caramel ice-cream with popping chocolate!! ... wonderfully presented & a nice way to finish off any meal! The menu itself is very appealing ... Its nice to come by a place which delivers to your expectations ... Chef's here clearly know what they are doing - hats off!

Good quality food and menu. Limtied number of seats, if you arrive when its busy you may not get one. It can be noisy. Some tables can be a little cramped Good atmosphere generally

Went here for Sunday lunch and I will defo be going back : ) The food was lovely, the service was great (if a little over enthuastic), atmosphere very lively and the value for money was very good! I would recommend the baked cod with parmesan and crab crust....delish : )

Great place to go after being for a long walk up the Dublin mountains. Really like this place, lovely hearty food and a really nice atmosphere!

Great atmosphere and value. Go here regularly with friends.

Nice pub for a drink and some food after walk in the mountains! We've had some ok meals here, but we really go for the atmosphere.. lovely little pub, old style. Service can be hit and miss - but always a good experience

Brought some foreign visitors for dinner here last night. The atmosphere was great - can't be faulted. However, the service and the food left a bit to be desired. Our table was booked for 8.30- we ordered soon after, but we had a long ol' wait till our food arrived out at 9.30. The food itself was tasty - but after an hour's wait, the portions seemed pretty miserly... Not the hearty pub grub we were hoping for! The "confit duck legs" were more like overdone drumsticks, and mine was all a little cold (including my tarte tatin for dessert)- although no chance I was sending anything back- since I was starving. We then had to ask someone to clear our plates, had to ask for dessert menus, had to ask to order dessert, had to ask someone to clear dessert plates... I appreciate it was busy- but is it crazy to suggest that if you can't serve the tables maybe you shouldn't take the bookings..???. We will be back because the atmosphere and music is great, but unfortunately it won't be for the food...

Had a very good meal here on Sunday after a walk in Pine Forest. It's a very casual atmosphere but busy on a Sunday. After a waiting for a little bit, we got a table near the fireplace. We had the crayfish starter and the chowder which were excellent. For mains we the black pork tasting and the sea bass. Food here is good, well presented fare at reasonable prices. The waiter we had was friendly and service was good - he suggested that we book a table next time but I'm not inclined to book tables in a pub - you'd usually expect to be able to walk in and get one.

I visited here as part of a group on a Sunday afternoon. The atmosphere was the best thing about the place. There are lots of interesting things from Irish history on the walls, the decor is nice and the pub is very typically Irish. We expected a lot when we arrived but ended up leaving quite disappointed. The service was poor. We had to wait a long time to get menus (one of our party went to get them in the end). A few of us ordered meals without certain things in them due to dietary restrictions, and none of these were taken heed of. Some of the side dishes were never brought, and we had waited so long for the food that we didn't want to wait for anything else. The menu was extensive which was good. My husband had the shark special and was really disappointed with it. I had salmon which was nice. Those who had the beef found it ok, but not great. On the whole, I would possibly go back for a quick cuppa with someone visiting from outside Ireland due to the nice, interesting decor, but I'm unlikely to go back for any other reason...

Response:
Unfortunately no comments were made to staff on the day. Where any problem is raised on the day we make every effort to rectify matters. Sundays are a busy day for us and it should be pointed out that a lot of people come in to the pub for a drink and not just for food. It would not be unusual to seek menus in a busy pub that is not just a restaurant. Apologies for the delay in receiving dishes, however, all food is freshly cooked and if the pub is busy on a Sunday afternoon, it is simply in the queue and the delay has nothing to do with slow service. It is regrettable to hear of any disappointment but the busy nature of the pub is testament to the many satisfied customers.

Posted by: Merry Ploughboy Pub on 15/08/2011

Went here last week. Had often passed by but never actually dropped in untill a friend told us it was a great spot for a bite to eat. Arrived to find a very busy dining area but were happy to be given a table shortly after. Unfortunitly we had to wait 15 mins before we were given menus and this was only after my husband went and got them himself. The menu was a lovely lovely surprise and made up for the menu wait untill we were asked for our order after only a min of viewing it. We quickly ordered as requested and off the waitress went without taking a drink order. I ended up having to leave the room and go to the bar myself. At this stage we were getting really annoyed. Food arrived and it was perfect thankfully. the chicken wings were amazing..... I would only go back here if the place was quiet as I dont feel the staff are able to entertain pressure. (only my opinion but an educated one in the hospitality business)

Response:
Dear Mumtobe Thanks for your feedback and while we are pleased that you found the food enjoyable it was disappointing to read about certain aspects of service, even though it was a particulalry busy weekend. Your comments have been brought to the attention of staff. Hope to see you again soon! Management

Posted by: Merry Ploughboy Pub on 11/05/2011

went here the other day for dinner and was not disappointed. i love this place, the food is amazing. i had fish and chips and a chocolate fondant that was to die for! literally one of the best desserts i've ever had. definitely will be back

Dined here in a large group. Food was very tasty and of a very good standard. It has a strong and varied menu which caters for everyones needs. Only downside was no bread with the soup for starter and also vegetables and potatoes were served and brought to the table a good bit after the main courses had been served. Overall it was a good pub grub experience and I will be back!

Great spot for a drink and a bit of pub grub, always good banter and even better when there's music on. Staff are helpful and attentative.

This place is a gem. Located close to where we stay when in Dublin, myself & my husband visted here on a quiet Wednesday night. We both ordered the burgers, which with a hint of horseradish had great flavour. The best thing about this spot though is the atmosphere. We got a seat directly by the fire and I could have sat there all night. Service was great as well and overall a lovely spot to spend a quiet weekday evening. We will definetly return.

I visiited the pub with my wife on bank holiday Monday.The normal dinning room was reserved for a funeral.We got a table near the fire in the main bar.It was very cosy and the atmosphere was terrific.Despite the fact that the place was buzzing the service was excellent and the staff very helpful and friendly.The food was superb we both had the beef and the deserts were homemade and to die for.The value was excellent ´@ €49.00 which included 2 minerals,main courses and deserts with tea and coffee.Definately merits a return visit or two.

I often stop here on my roll-down from a day's hiking in the mountains. It has a lovely homely atmosphere, really efficient staff and the food is wholesome. The menu bursts with choice, and I'm pretty sure nearly everything on it is Irish-sourced. It's a firm favourite for autumn and winter - great open fire.

Very pleasantly surprised, I expected bar food but this was far from it. Excellent food of a very high standard.I had a delicious chorizo and black pudding to start and the Traditional fish and chips for main. Great food and lots of it!! Really nice cosy pub atmosphere to it. Highly recommended.

This place is a must for people, especially tourists, who want to have a feel of the famous Irish traditional music & dance. The show was entertaining. They provide some quality Irish dishes which was rather surprising. Service was good too. Though overall it may be expensive, but considering that the price covers both the dinner and the show, it is definitely worth it.

have been to this pub/restaurant for about a year now and i always find it an enjoyable expierence .they do a wide range of meat and fish dishes.service can be some times slow. they run special offers every night of the week which are good value.steaks are good but i hate frozen chips (is it really that hard to peel a few potatos).chicken wings for starters are not great so id give them a miss.overall nice pub with good food.will defo return

Went there on Paddy's Day as had passed by a week before and had a quick snack, and was v impressed with the food. Paddy's Day seemed very disorganised re bookings - we had a large table booked and got 5 phonecalls to confirm the booking - fair enough, they needed to be sure we were coming. BUT, when we got there, our booking had been cancelled!! They 'managed' to squeeze us in, but we had requested a particular table close to the band, but ended up in the other room, where you cant hear the music at all. That aside, the food was really nice. only suggestion would be to add another potato option to the sides - chips are not to everyones taste, and were greasy as well. adding a side of the sweet potato puree would be a great idea - it was delicious! bottom line, will go back, but service needs to be sorted out - calling 5 times to confirm and then cancelling our booking bordered on unprofessional!

I haven't been to the evening sessions with the band but I hear they're excellent. Have been a few times with the kids and it's a great set-up. You park the car across the road and with a bit of luck the ponies in the neighbouring field will canter over to you prompting squeals of excitement ( and the kids will like it too ). The pub itself has an "old school" feel about it and they are well used to the Saturday and Sunday lunch family brigades. Decent kids menu and lots of choice for adults. Come on an empty stomach for afternoon Sunday lunch and you won't need supper ...

I have eaten here so many times and the food and atmosphere is alwasy so lovely. But yesterday went with my partner for a late lunch - early dinner - about 4.30pm. We both ordered the steak sandwich. The chips that came were greasy and reheats from an early sitting and the steak sanwich was just ok. I think we came between services and therefore didn't get the freshest of food. It is a pity as I have eaten here so many times and never had a bad word to say. I hope this is a once off as I love this pub for food and entertainment

This pub is in a league of it's own when it comes to atmosphere and entertainment at the weekend, lovely open fires and friendly service. Loads of choice on the menu and have tried lots of different things as have been here alot. Steaks are fab, fish is alwasy good, the only thing I would love to see changed is the chips...they are not homemade and are not great, and the sachets of ketchup and mayo are a bit cheapy, would love to see Heinz and Hellmann's! Small complaints but as so many dishes are eaten with chips it would make a huge difference to have proper home made chips! Would still highly recommend this pub for great food and entertainment!

We came here on a Saturday night for the Merry Ploughboy show. It was a brilliant night, the band were fantastic, but if you're irish the food is a bit too traditional!! All I can say is we left the restaurant with a big smile on our faces from the great music and dancing and our bellies were full... What more can you ask for!!

Had a lovely meal here on sunday evening. Staff were great and attended to our every need even though they were quite busy. Food was excellent with big portions , so you won't go hungry. Will certainly be back soon.

We had an excellent meal here on Friday night with my family. It was just the right combination of well presented and varied food in a casual pub dining atmosphere at the right price. Loved the old open log fire place - reminded me of my mother's house in Galway! Well done to the Ploughboy pub for providing pub food of this standard. Service was however a little slow at first but it picked up after that and the two girls serving us were pleasant and friendly, although they seemed to be under pressure as the place got quite busy around 9pm. I'd recommend people should reserve a table in advance, even though it's a pub.

We visited the Merry Plough Boy on Tuesday 25th August just before heading off on holidays. The food was lovely and fast service. BUT unfortunately we went back on Sunday last and the service was really bad and the food not so great. Waited an hour for our food (only ordered mains). My steak came out well done which was ordered med-well. I was too hungry at this stage to send it back. We had to ask 3 different waitress's and waitor for our sides we had ordered. There was a huge difference from going on a week day to a weekend day. The volume of food being ordered obviously cannot be coped with on a weekend day. Was very suprised also to be given an icecream in plastic tub for the kids dessert (like what you would buy in the shop). We will not be returning to the Merry Plough Boy Pub any time soon. I just felt for what I spend I could have made much nicer at home.!

went to the ploughboy last Sunday and had a great meal with the wife and in-laws. I had the lamb and my wife had the fish and chips. The food here is not pub grub but better than that if not better than most restaurants !! Will definetely be going back as soon as possible..

We went here after a long walk in the mountains. We dont usually enjoy irish/pub grub style food but we were very impressed with the menu. We sat outside; there was good space between the tables which meant that smokers werent disrupting our meal. Also, as we had our dog with us it was great to just tie her up in the shade of the table. The waitress was very welcoming and brought the dog a nice big bowl of water- how nice! I had the seared tuna to start which was actually cooked to perfection (i was surprised as i dont usually find this quality in what i call pub grub). I then had the chicken Caesar salad which again was very fresh and very tasty. My partner had spicy chicken wings which were nice and he then had the pan fried ray over mashed potatoes. This was delicious. The chef here is impressive. I had icecream and my ptnr had panacotta. We were stuffed to the gills leaving but we found it hard not to be gluttons as the food was so tasty. I would definitely recommend this for a family dinner as there is so much variety on the menu that it would suit even the pickiest eater. It would be especially nice on a Sunday afternoon if its warm and sunny.

Had dinner here with two friends on Saturday night. Atmosphere was very good, the pub was lovely and warm with a nice turf fire. Very good menu alot of specials, food of good quaility and lots of it, staff warm and freindly. Would definatley go back! Would recommend it to anyone who wants to go for diner with a few friends and a couple of drinks after. There is live music in the bar most nights which added to the goo night. No problem getting home as the bar staff will order you a taxi. All in all a great night!!

Had dinner hear last week. Very nice. service excellent - very friendly. Had the lamb - delicious! Really good value for money.

Had a return visit to restaurant last Saturday 04/04/2009. It was a lovely surprise for me my Sister's treat.We got a table beside the cosy fire, our friendly waitress made us so welcome! On her recommendation I went for the mackeral by the way its my favourite fish I was not disappointed it was fab!!! My Sister opted for the salmon she also loved it. We finished of with coffees I never tire of this restaurant/bar food is fab presented well service very quick and friendly on the foot of the Dublin mountains what more would you want for a Saturday evening!!!!!!

21 of us had a Christmas nite out.all loved the food-grear choice.great value for 55euros which included music.music very traditional -childhood memories.recommend it if one wanted to entertain tourists.buses provided 4 euros to greater rathfarnham area-so no need for taxi

6 of us had a meal here on new years eve. The food was fantastic & there was food to suit everyone's taste. The service was a little slow but it was new years & the place was packed, making it difficult for the staff to move through the crowds. The atmosphere was great & value for money was excellent. Would defo go back here

Had a lovely meal here on Christmas Eve. There were seven of us in the group so we had a wide variety of dishes on the table and everyone said their's was delicious. I had the brie starter which was gorgeous and really different to the usual deep-fried block with coulis that you get everywhere else. The fillet steak was perfectly cooked and the potato rosti with it was lovely, and we had extra mash, chips, and veg on the table, all very nice. Didn't have dessert as I couldn't have fit it in! Only slight complaint was that at the time they had run out of about 7 things on the menu, and also service was a little rushed and we ordered drinks that never arrived. However it was Christmas Eve and I'm sure the staff were just dying to get home! Overall a really nice meal, and there's a great atmosphere in the place so I will definitely be back!

Been here twice recently and on both occasions the food was excellent and very good value - its certainly above average for pub grub.

love this gem of a pub.. I have been here a good few times now over the last few months and I have to say it does the nicest food I have ever had in a pub, as other posters said it is better than alot of top end restaurants. Great music played aswel so there is always good craic to be had. The burgers are massive and the thai chicken stir fry is lovely too, Also worth trying is the seafood chowder and duck pate.. I'm a regular there now!

We've eaten here several times and are never dissapointed. The food is always top notch and the service is brilliant in fact last time we popped in it was very busy and the waitress went out of her way looking everywhere to find us a table which she did and the food was as usual much better than the normal pub grub and great value.

.was here friday night with 3 friends havnt been here in a while we were all impressed with the choice of specials on offer seemed to have sorted out the service problems food was excellent ,thinking of booking our xmas party here

Have had dinner here a number of times recently and as pub grub goes it is very very good. The chef is a bit ambitious though somtimes. On one occasion I had grouper with grapefruit and beurre blanc sauce. A great effort but the grapefruit was a bit overpowering on this occasion. I also had tuna another time which I asked for chargrilled and came out well done. I can only assume that this is because it wasn't fresh. For ordinary pub grub it is top class and there is plenty of it. A welcome alternative to other local or mountain pubs. I hope they nail the food because if they do then it will do a bomb. The music is great and the beer is equally good. A great night out.

Myself, my daughter and brother had our lunch here today. Excellent food and value. I've been so tired of paying for below average pub food and very few places can do it right. The Ploughboy has absolutely nailed it and is Restaurant standard without being uncomfortable and formal. In fact it's better then most restaurant's I've been to. It has a very nice, simple, honest to god, tasty, well prepared food. Ill be here most weekends from now on. Keep it up.

Great Food & lively atmosphere I have had occasion to visit this pub a few times lately and each time I was very pleased with the food. They clearly have a great chef as the food is fantastic. Try the Chowder starter its only brilliant. They do lovely steaks and burgers. There is a small well varied menu and if you are in Rathfarnham try this pub and you will not be disappointed. There is music and crack thrown in....so what more do you want!

Can’t fault this pub for good service and great food at affordable prices. It’s an atmospheric place to go for drinks or food and there’s great craic with locals and musicians at the weekend

I did not enjoy the meal as the beef was tough, roast potatoes where hard, mash potato not nice and the frozen chips they use where half cooked. But their home gravy was very nice.

This place is great. The food is delicious and very reasonably priced. The staff are friendly and helpful as well and there's a lovely warm atmosphere.

I enjoyed the best fillet steak I've had in a long time at the Merry Ploughboy. At 22 euro I have to say its unbeatable value (and it is Irish Beef). I had the chowder as a starter. Generous helping of fish and a nice creamy texture. She had the black pudding starter followed by a feta cheese salad, both of which she really enjoyed. I'm still thinking about the steak and looking forward to a return trip.

Nice place. Good pub food. I had the fish & chips, which were very good. Might go again.

Had a great meal here last Sunday. Food was really good the staff are really nice, friendly and made us feel very welcome even though they were very busy. Really enjoyed the cod mornay, my son's pasta was lovely and the dessert, chocolate fondant was beautiful. Will definitely go back very soon.

I went to the Merry Ploughboy on Sunday with my parents, my husband, my aunt and my daughter and her partner. It was my parents wedding anniversary and they had met in this pub many years ago when it used to be Allan’s. I booked two weeks in advance for 2pm as my parents like to eat early and Sunday afternoons can be busy. The woman I spoke to on the phone was very friendly and seemed very efficient but I never thought of asking her name. On arrival at 1.55 we discovered there was no record of our booking and of course I didn't even know who I had spoken too. My mother had been with me when I rang and she confirmed I had booked it under my name. The manager spent some time looking through the book but to no avail. Our booking was not there. To give them the manager his due he suggested we have a drink at the bar and he would get a table ready which he did in 10 mins. (Not a complimentary drink mind!) Myself and my daughters boyfriend had the lamb shank which was very tasty and tender, my aunt had stuffed chicken which she said was lovely and my daughter enjoyed a fish dish. Hubby asked for a large serving of the chowder as a main as he is recovering from a recent illness and not eating a lot yet. Manager seemed slightly puzzled by this order but we did not really want to offer explanations. My parents enjoyed beef but thought it a bit too much on the rare side. (Blood seeping into your mash is a bit off-putting!) The bill came to 108.00 euro which is great value for 7 people although not all had desserts and there were no starters. The service was terrible as we constantly had to ask for things. We got 2 jugs of water but had to ask for glasses. No spoon was brought for the chowder so had to ask for that. My mother got tea and we had to request sugar and milk. In saying that the staff are really nice, friendly people. They just seemed to be a bit scatty. Would properly go again, not for a while though! Maybe Sunday afternoons are not their best time.

This place is a gem! Had my Christmas party here recently and I had a fantastic night!! The food was delicious here, no one had a bad meal. The show was very good, the singers and dancers were great! The pub itself is so nice and the staff are so accommodating and friendly. Great place for a night out with friends! I can't wait to go back!

Had a fantastic meal here 6 weeks ago, took 3 friends back there yesterday and it was awful. I had the lamb shank both times - the first time it melted off the bone but yesterday I had to send it back. It was tough, impossible to cut and far too salty. The sauce in which the mussels were cooked was also extremely salty and nothing like the previous visit. The waitress, who was very friendly and polite, said there hadn't been a change of chef but something has gone horribly wrong.

This is a good little spot to go to in the Dublin mountains for something quick to eat. It's just on the outskirts of Rathfarnham but it feels like you are in the countryside. Service can be a bit 'hit and miss' as I've been here numerous times and sometimes it's good but sometimes it's just ok. The food is excellent though and very good for pub grub, nice simple hearty food with basics such as veg & mash, if like me, sometimes you may just fancy some good old fashioned home cooking. We went here with two of my English friends on holidays along with my family and they loved it. It's clean and not jam packed with tourists (they are all hoarded upstairs instead!). I would recommend it, nice for a Sunday evening dinner.

Outstanding pub food menu, the daily specials were well beyond what we expected in a pub setting and at very reasonable prices. I had Brill with lemon and herb oil (€12.95) and my partner had fillet steak (€22.50), my mother had Dublin Bay Prawns (€13.95) tossed in roasted vegetables and egg noodles with a sweet chilli sauce – simply outstanding. The service was pleasant and efficient. We stayed on for the music session afterwards which was excellent – the owners, who also perform at the nightly traditional music and dance show, joined in on the craic in the bar. I’m a fan of all folk and trad music so it was right up my street. It was recently re-opened following a major refurb (previously known as Sean Doherty’s – i.e. Dublin 1970s GAA star), and the result is a great addition to the Rathfarnham area. One gripe I have though, they don’t show Premiership soccer on TV – the barman said they really only show major GAA and international matches on TV – I can see why although I mightn’t agree. My mother gave it full marks for probably the best flower display of any pub in Dublin!

Wasn't impressed with this establishment at all. Just had soup and it was luke warm. The waitress wasn't very helpful. Its not long open so maybe it's just teething problems but wouldn't be in a hurry to go back.