So we visited Kilmanhaim Gaol across the street and came here to grab a bite and a pint. I love the interior of this place. I had a good Guinness and a shot of Red Breast 12 year. Also had fish and chips for lunch. It came with smashed peas! It was great. It came out really hot. Fish and chips were crispy and good. The service was good but a little slow. I think it was still early and there were enough people working at that time. But the server was very sweet and friendly. read more

La Dolce Vita - Fish and chips - Italian Near Me - Kilmainham, D

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Yes! La Dolce Vita! Cozy and welcoming family owned restaurant. We visited 3 times during our stay in Dublin. That's how much we loved it. The presentation of the food is spectacular. Even something simple like garlic bread was beautifully displayed. The food in itself is incredibly tasty. We only came here once for lunch. They offer a great lunch special for €10.95. It includes a 2 course meal. I love the cheesy garlic bread. I enjoyed everything I tried, but I think the penne carbonara was my favorite. It was so creamy. I wanted to drink the sauce. Their Caesar salad is delightful, the homemade dressing is divine. Desserts are scrumptious and purely decadent The Nutella brownie is a must have. The restaurant is small. When it's busy it can feel cramped. It's perfect any social situation like a romantic date, a business meeting or a big family gathering. 5 stars. Beautiful food, cordial service, and pleasant ambiance. read more

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I was looking for a place to lunch around the Gaol.. Interior: Quite a lot of seatings and it is a very home-y feeling. It's a comfortable restaurant to dine in. Food: I ordered their early dinner special which was two courses for €17.95. For starters, I had a funghi aioli which was a garlic mushroom with a great aioli sauce. This starter was nothing to me. I didn't find its worth and I didn't find it good. They're button mushrooms fried. There was a total of 4-5 button mushrooms. For main course, I had a cheese ravioli which came with a tomato and mushroom cream sauce. This ravioli dish wasn't that great either. The sauce was very heavy and food was a little too salty. Service: This is where I feel like they really lost me for this restaurant. The girl that seated me was also my waitress. She sat me down and within the two minutes while I was reviewing the menu and settling down, she asked me if she could get me anything to drink. I told her I didn't look at the wine menu yet and, so she stood there waiting for me to look. I ordered whatever I saw first. I asked her for her recommendation and she didn't give me a response except, this "particular one is ordered a lot". She didn't provide me a glass of water any time during the meal. She came back quickly with my glass of wine. In another literal 30 seconds, she came back and asked if I was ready to order my meal! I told her no. In another minute, she was back! I hurriedly order a meal just so she didn't have to wait for me. Overall, I wouldn't come back to this restaurant again. I'm disappointed because, I was hoping for an exceptional dining experience after reviewing Yelp's reviews. read more

La Dolce Vita - Garlic mushroom starter - Italian Near Me - Kilmainham, D

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Loved that our server brought over a nice big cold decanter of water with lemon! We had the 2 course lunch that cost €9.95 per person. I had minestrone soup and penne bolognese. My meal was okay. I really enjoyed the soup (came with bread and butter)... it was a nice size portion too. The bolognese sauce is sweet. My husband also had the minestrone soup. For his lunch entree he had the chicken, mushrooms and pasta in a white cream sauce (can't remember the name of it). He said it was good. He also had chocolate cake that came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and whipped cream (best whipped cream ever!) The chocolate cake was served warm. The service was excellent and the waitress checked on us several times. Lunch cost €38.20 that included a glass of wine (a bit cheap on the pour!) and a pint of guiness. read more

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Fantastic. Wonderful. Everything about this place was great. We stayed at the Hilton and had the pleasure of meeting Larissa the waitress who took cRe of our party of 6 and a baby. The food was delicious with large portions and a reasonable price. The service was friendly and they open until 11 pm on a Sunday. The stew was very good with rich flavors. The duck was good but the sauce was a bit sweet for my taste. The seafood pasta was garlicky and delicious. We will definitely be back. read more

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I'm surprised with the stellar reviews on this one. It's an acceptable stop for a quick bite enroute to the Gaol, but frankly the only thing that stood out was the garlic bread. Service: Our server was new and not so great at understanding English; not her fault and she was trying, but foul on the owners' part for throwing her into the pool without help. The food was okay, not great, but we really wanted pub food and this place is truly an Italian restaurant billing itself as having both Irish and Italian. Stick with the Italian! -- Fish and chips: waste of a meal. Get it elsewhere. Heavy, not much fish and too much bread (we were spoiled from eating it on the coast) -- Shepherd's pie: huge, with too much potato on top. Good but hard to get to the meat and veg with all that mash on top (more than usual, adding unnecessary empty calories...) -- Pasta (kids' menu): the bolognese was solid, but not fabulous. We saw other tables enjoying a bottle of wine and pizza, which looked good - probably the better course to take! Wish we had stopped at the pub closer to Guinness... read more

My mom and I came by here for a quick meal after touring Kilmainham Gaol, hoping to grab some food before turning in for the night. We got seated immediately, but that was the quickest part of our night. The food was average, but the service was just terrible! Our waitress didn't know the menu at all - I tried to order the Hawaiian Pizza, and she just kept asking me if I meant the classic. I had to open the menu and point at it for her to understand. She also had trouble understanding my wine order, and forgot to bring it until a while into my actual meal. The pizza I had was fine, it was a bit greasy and the ham was a bit too dry, but it wasn't bad and it filled me up. Then of course, a large group came in as we were finishing our meal. We had to wait, and ask multiple time to pay. It took ages! The food here is fine, but it is not worth the confusion and unreliable service. read more

This place is amazing! We live close so we come in quite often. Their minestrone is fabulous! Great weekday early bird menu as well. The house salad dressing is absolutely to die for. They have a great selection of pastas, pizzas and meat dishes- a bit of something for everyone! They do have a full range of beers and wines as well. Save some room for the homemade desserts if you can! The service is always friendly and welcoming! The atmosphere is warm and bright, you never feel overly crowded in there. Highly recommend! read more

I happened to stumble upon this place when I was leaving the Hilton Hotel, a friend and I decided to try out their dinner menu. I was impressed! We had the two course menu, along with a glass of wine each and it was delicious. I had the Penne Carbonara, it was really good albeit slightly garlicky for my taste buds. The portion was rather big and I finished with a banoffee pie and cup of coffee. The staff were great and the restaurant filled up very quickly. It was a good deal and some delicious food - I'll be back! read more

I've just been to this place, I don't know how I've never been here before as its only a stone's throw away from my house. I was surprised on entering as the decor isn't what I expected it to be. I was expecting it to be slightly classier perhaps with table cloths, instead the tables and chairs reminded me of a county style cafe. However I wouldn't see this as a negative, it just wasn't what I expected. the fresh roses in vases and the tealights on the tables were a nice touch. The service was great, the girls were very friendly and accommodating. On entering the restaurant we were asked if we had reserved a table and were told that we had just got the last one that they were now fully booked, although the place looked pretty empty. However, it soon filled up and the place was packed when we were leaving. Several people had been refused during the time that we were there. So book a table before you go as it gets pretty busy. The food was gorgeous. I got a 3course meal for 18.90, having vegetable soup for a starter, salmon for a main and cheesecake for desert. The soup was lovely, really thick and served with crusty toasted bread. The salmon was cooked to perfection and just fell apart. This was served with side salad and mash and dresses with balsamic vinegar....Really good! The cheesecake was really good too but I was a little disappointed with the accompaniments. The ice cream was ok, the cream was quite warm and the strawberry syrup was very warm, sticky and too sweet. The toilets were the biggest downfall for me. There was two cubicles, one of which had no tissue and the other didn't flush as they were stuffed with tissue. Overall I would give this place a 4 out of 5 as I thought the food was really good, the prices were reasonable and the staff were lovely....and of course the eskimo mints at the end.....my fave read more

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The food was good, but the service more than made up for it. Also, bring cash if you must go here. They have creative stories about why they can't take cards. On this particular night, it was that someone used a stolen credit card earlier in the day, and it broke their system to the point where further use would take all credit/cash capacity out of the card. Okay....Someone better call someone. Imagine the world wide chaos if that's how sh*t worked! Summary? One and done. read more

The food is amazing! The service is pleasant and the food was ready quickly. My husband and I both enjoyed it. I had the penne and the sauce was divine. My husband had the lasagne and enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

Bright open restaurant with rustic pine tables and chairs. Basic Italian menu, freshly prepared by chef in open to view kitchen. The food was very flavoursome and plentiful. The three course early-bird menu cost us €15 a head. We were served by a friendly waitress who was constantly attentive. We ate at about 6 o'clock and the restaurant was less than busy but we enjoyed it greatly and intend to return soon. It was great value. read more

One of my favourite local restaurants. Nice location. Friendly staff. Reasonably priced. Food is so fresh and delicious. Would recommend visiting here. read more

Excellent food. My granddaughter had the shepherds pie which is without a doubt the best I've ever had! The lunch menu had great choices for everyone at your table! read more

If your card machine doesn't work, you tell people this IN ADVANCE. Don't run and hide for 20 minutes and then timidly tell that little truth. Add to that, the food was ok but nothing great. The caeser salad was bland and pretty much drowned in a dressing that was creamy but wasn't caeser dressing. The pizza was ok but it's no better than anything you can't order in. All in all, I'd say skip this place and find somewhere better. read more

A solid choice for a good meal on the intersection that holds the Kilmainham Gaol and the Hilton Hotel Kilmainham. My first sleep deprived day in Dublin had be searching for a meal other than the hotel offerings and the front desk was approving of this place. I wandered over and had some momentary confusion finding the entrance as it is upstairs, above the Patriot Inn pub and was unclear to me if it was part of the pub or not at first (The pub entrance is on the corner, the restaurant entrance is under the red sign middle of the building and up the internal stairs). Arrived at 7:30pm to an empty house, had the solo waitress and chef to myself. Although it is an Italian place with usual Italian items on the menu, the specials were all Irish. I ended up with a Caesar salad and Irish Stew for $19 euros. The Caesar was not traditional and included multiple styles of lettuce, tomato, red onion and some type of air dried meat that I think was chicken. Atypical but quite good. The Irish stew was outstanding. One disappointment was that you cannot get a proper pint here. I asked and was told I would have to go downstairs to the pub for that. The restaurant only served beer in bottles and only styles such as Miller Lite (a horrifying thought in Ireland) and Heineken. Service was pleasant and a bit snarky at times, the waitress pushing me to pay her in cash Euros instead of using a credit card. Overall, I had a good meal and would recommend it to anyone staying in this hotel that is looking for something reasonable and close. read more

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I was starving, and this was the first place that we came to that served food. It was a nice to come in from the cold weather, but the bathroom was quite chilly. The coffee here was very dark and rich and delicious. I got vegetable puree soup, and that was warmed me up real nicely. The chicken curry and chips was pretty tasty, and filling. The service was quiet and a little slow for being the first patrons while 2 additional groups came after. I wish I had gotten to try a little bit of the stew or the shepherd's pie. Prices were decent, not a bad spot before hitting up the sites. read more

Restaurant was across the street from the hotel and Yelp showed good reviews so we had to try it out. Food was good but did take some time to be prepared. Ran through three big bottles of water before the meal. Prices were decent and the waitress was very friendly. read more

We stopped here waiting to tour through Kilmainham Gaol. So glad we did. My husband eats spaghetti every where we go and said this was the best he's had in a long time. I felt the same about the soup of the day. We would stop here again. read more

The food was good, the service was great (the waitress was so sweet and gracious), and the presentation of the food was pretty adorable (see attached photo). read more

La Dolce Vita - Garlic cheese bread (delicious and adorable). - Italian Near Me - Kilmainham, D

Go here now! Excellent food and service. We arrived in Dublin three days ago and have eaten dinner here twice. Granted it's just across the street from the hotel we are staying at but, the food is wonderful! Both times we were able to take advantage of their early dining special. I can't tell you how wonderful the Bruschetta is, you have to try it yourself! Fresh red ripe tomatoes and wonderful seasoning! The lamb shanks are out of this world as are the ravioli and carbonara. The pizza is plenty for two with a salad or bruschetta. Run don't walk and get here before 7 to take advantage of their great prices on early dining. This girl is from CA and doesn't really enjoy eating dinner at 8pm so this was a perfect place to eat for myself and the rest of my party. I can't give a review on the desserts because I was so full from dinner I couldn't eat another bite! read more

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Had Irish stew and Shepherd's pie here, both were great! Good prices and great service. read more

I didn't expect anything good by the look of this place but it turned out to be great. The portions are big and the food is delicious. I would highly recommend their homemade brownie dessert, so yummy! The service is pleasant and quick. No complains whatsoever. read more

We wanted to support a local family business, reviews seemed good, so we chose to eat here instead of at the Hilton. But from the moment you hear your frozen meat clanking into a frying pan, you just know this isn't going to be good. The caprese salad, though pretty in presentation, was served with an unripe, hard tomato. The hostess tried to make it right by bringing another one with cherry tomatoes, but come on. What self respecting chef serves a practically green tomato with a salad? For the main course, the sole was so tiny I thought it was a joke. It was two slivers of fish with the skin still on it. The preparation was good, as were the accompanying veggies and mashed potatoes, but the tiny amount left me completely unsatisfied and disappointed. The Chicken La Dolce Vita was ok, but the potatoes were just nasty, cold and hard. We were laughing that earlier in the day we had been to the oldest pub in Ireland, and later for dinner we were served the oldest potatoes in Ireland. The best thing about this place is the charming and nice hostess who seemed embarrassed by the situation. The house wine was good too. Sadly, thats not enough. If you dine here, make sure you have plans to go get a second dinner somewhere else, you will leave hungry and disappointed, but at least we had a good laugh at how ridiculous this place is read more

Stopped in for lunch after noticing the signage and I'm glad that we did. The place is small but nice. The food was great. I had a pizza that was fantastic. I can't recall what my girlfriend had but it was also delicious. I highly recommend it if your are in the area. read more

There were three of us who went to this restaurant, and it was wonderful, fresh, and reasonably priced. We each had a large salad and shared a bruschetta for 48 Euros which included a tip. The bruschetta was to die for and the feta cheese in the Greek Salad was the freshest I have ever eaten!!! We sat with two others ladies and one got the chicken curry and it was large enough to feed three people! The other woman ordered the lasagna and she shared it with us and it was magnificent! Highly recommend La Dolce Vita....the service was very good as well.... read more

I had the seafood pizza and it was excellent. It was made the traditional Italian way with loads of prawns, squid and mussels with a huge layer of rocket lettuce on top. My partner had the Greek salad and was raving about it afterwards. We'd been meaning to try this place out for a while and now we're wondering why we left it so long. read more

My friend n I were staying at the nearby Hilton and was looking for a restaurant close by. I was very disappointed. I only ordered chicken Caesar salad and garlic bread. The salad had too much dressing and despite it being homemade the dressing had little taste, the lettuce was tough. Lastly, the chicken was not fresh Chicken breast it was smoked deli meat chicken. Perhaps I simple ordered the wrong thing. The garlic bread tasted just like frozen Texas toast ( Americans will understand this reference). Worst salad I've had in a long time. Note, my friend really liked her lasagna. I tasted it and thought it was okay. Nice service but I wouldn't come back. read more

Excellent service and good food. There was a large family party going on that took up 1/3 of the space and some of the children were getting a little crazy running around. The manager came to our table to check on us and apologized for the noise. A nice gesture but not necessary. This is a family restaurant and kids will be kids. It was not an issue for us. read more

Lovely dinner. Food was very tasty. Great service. Had the Shrimp starter and Chicken with mushroom sauce.

We ate here twice while we were in Dublin, it is a terrific value and very good food. We had the three course early bird special both times, and the food was terrific. read more

La Dolce Vita is across the street from the Hilton and the Dublin Gaol, and so is a convenient destination when leaving either. As the name indicates, it's primarily Italian, but seems to serve your standard Irish fare, too. We arrived on a Saturday evening, and the place was nearly full up with a couple of large Italian/Irish groups--lots of laughter, children running about, etc. It wasn't quite what we were hoping for, but we did think it was a good sign for the quality of the food. We both went with Italian food--I had pizza, sweetie had pasta, and it was good, but not memorable. Service and décor were good. This is a fine choice--I'd go again if it were convenient, but not outstanding. read more

Went there because they had shepherds pie on the menu. I ordered it and was brought a bowl of spaghetti sauce with mashed potatoes on it. Told the waitress it seemed like odd Sheppard's pie. She stopped checking on us and a different waitress took our payment. read more

Excellent, accommodating service. Fantastic food. I am visiting Dublin from the U.S. for a week. Came here after a tour of the Kilmainham Gaol with 8 others. All were very happy with their meals. Good, thin crust pizza. Tasty bruschetta. And a gorganzola-pear salad with cherry sauce to die for (seriously amazing). Highly recommended all around. read more

This is across the street from the Hilton. After a long travel day we decided to vice it a chance. Boy are we glad we did. The staff was exceptionally friendly, and the seafood pasta was delicious. read more

I visit La Dolce Vita every time I am home, usually twice a year, and have been doing so for years. I LOVE this place. The bruschetta is by far the best I have ever had. I've also had a few pastas, all of which were wonderful. We usually have a family dinner - 10+ people - everyone loves this place. The staff are friendly and accommodating. If I lived in Dublin, I'd be here every week. As a vegetarian, there are lots of choices (and not just salads) which is refreshing. The food is cooked in an open kitchen, which I love. If I'm going out for dinner, then I'm not in a rush and this place suits me from that perspective - they let you relax and take your time with your meal - if you're in a hurry, eat fast food. If you want a nice relaxing dinner, this is the place. The early bird menus are amazing value, especially for Dublin. I recommend this restaurant to everyone - it's a hidden gem in Dublin! read more

La Dolce Vita has been a family favourite for years. A local restaurant to where we are living, and is a popular choice for both special occasions, such as Birthday meals, as well as occasions when we don't want to cook at home. Also a favourite among family members which happily come from other parts of Dublin to eat here, and when family visit from abroad. The food is always beautiful, freshly cooked but served in a timely manner, and is also excellent value. As well as this, there are numerous, versatile options for everyone, among the starters, mains and desserts! Staff are always friendly and welcoming too. We look forward to our next meal here, as always! read more

Very nice Italian food, full of flavour and well balanced plates. Shared a round of Penne bolognese, gnocchi, and risotto and it was phenomenal. Marghareta pizza for the little one was also delicious. Highly recommend and a stones throw from the Hilton! read more

We were going to the Kilmainham Gaol near here and needed lunch before our tour. It was pretty empty when we got there and we ordered quickly. The food came surprisingly fast and was surprisingly very good. Got the ravioli which was good and had some of the pizza which was also very good. Overall great food and very convenient if you are visiting the prison. read more