I only came her for a drink, so I can only comment on the environment and service. Great, lively open-area seating with community tables and high, industrial ceilings - and old market, of course. The dishes being brought out looked good as I passed on my way up to the drinks-only bar upstairs. Upstairs is a more intimate, cozier setting with large couches and random home furniture for groups to lounge in while sipping cocktails. Although it too has great energy, it's much quieter and calmer than the restaurant below. Good service. Great people watching. Should I find myself back in Dublin, I'd definitely go back to try the food, whether for dinner or brunch. read more

Trust me to be the one led here by an American tourist who had never set foot in the city before. He was dead smug about it too. It was OK though because he was a friend of mine and - armed with his little Lonely Planet guide - set out to show me the hidden gems of my own damn city. This place was one of them. Great location just off the Georges St Arcade and has a nice airy feel to it when you walk in. The high ceilinged hall it's housed in lets in plenty of light and is never too hot or cold. Food was great and very reasonable for four people. The staff were friendly and even put up with my tactless American friend and his slightly sexist comments which makes them a certain kind of hero. read more

Was in the Market Bar recently on a Sunday night with a big group for dinner and it was excellent....we got one of those big long tables where you can literally sink back into the benches and just sort of lounge. The tapas style went big with everyone and the service was efficient and polite. Try the potatoes and meatballs as sort of the "base" for your tapas selection and build from there... If you are just heading here to get a bite to eat - go on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday night when it is generally calm and quiet (you can actually hear your neighbors talking to you without much of an effort). It can get packed and very loud on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays when the place is much more of a drinking hang-out. (But a great one at that!) Certainly one of the more unique gathering spots in Dublin. read more

A cool and versatile place, good to have some dinner with a group of friends. There's a plenty of room so it can accommodate a lot of people and many groups at a given time, but exactly for that reason it can also get too noisy and busy. On the more quiet times, people with small children and prams choose to come here because it's spacious enough for them. There's also a bar upstairs and some tables and barrels outside by the big entry gate, where you can enjoy a drink and smoke. The food consists of a basic tapas menu and popular snacks - patatas bravas, nachos, albondigas, cheese boards, that kind of stuff -, so chances are there will be something in there that'll suit everyone's taste if no one is too picky or has dietary restrictions. The service varies a lot, from profissional and nice to rushed and brusk, but it's nothing too out of the ordinary. They'll only book tables for large groups - more than 15 people, I believe - and they have a set price menu for that type of occasions, which can be useful. read more

I have no idea why this place has so many good reviews. I have been here so many times over the years [not of my choosing] and each time I leave feeling pissed off that I was ripped off by mediocre over priced food. My last trip here was a couple of weeks back. I came with my friend for food and drinks as it was close and we needed somewhere quick. We ordered a few bits to share. A meat and cheese platter thing - bad quality. SWIMMING in olive oil. Patatas Bravas - not bad but Jesus Tap Dancing Christ where do these people get off charging a small fortune for deep fried potatoes and garlic mayonnaise. Bread and Dips - The bread was STALE! The dips were atrocious. I am Irish so of course I don't complain. I wait until I leave and complain to everyone else and then write a review about my experience on Yelp. I did however complain about the bread. The server and kitchen staff should be aware how stale the bread is and should not be serving it to people. When I did complain to the server he went over to the kitchen. Mentioned it to the kitchen person. We could see both of them laughing [quite possibly about something else but still really unprofessional to be doing this in clear view of us]. The kitchen person opened a big tubaware dish and took out some new bread and swapped it over. The server came back and gave us the bread. No major apology, nothing. Typical of this type of bar with food in rip off Dublin. They think they can get away with MURDER when it comes to service and quality and idiots like myself and my friend then pay over the top prices for shite. Bread shouild be freshly cut if you are serving it like they do. Not pre packed in a plastic container probably from hours before or most likely given how stale it was, the day before. I will probably be dragged here again at some stage because I will be going with the crowd but I will be eating before I do elsewhere. read more

I've never eaten here but have come for drinks. The space is lofty and lovely! The downstairs area is spacious and trendy, feeling kind of like a fancy warehouse, and the upstairs is smaller but similarly well decorated. There wasn't too much space upstairs, so we stood around the bar. They have a great cocktail menu, but the prices are what you'd expect from that area- about 10 euro each. I ordered a martini (forget the name) and some kind of drink with raspberries. The martini was good, but the raspberry drink was too sweet. My friends also complained about the sweetness of their drinks. If you're paying those prices, you expect quality! Nice to see the actual setting, but probably won't return. read more

Market Bar Upsides: *Great Huge Space *Perfect for Large Groups *Reasonable Prices for Small Plates Market Bar Downsides: *Pretty Loud at Fuller Capacity *Head elsewhere for more intimate get-togethers ... (far from 'cozy') *Mediocre Eats (if you want well-made Spanish tapas this is a weaker attempt, although the chorizo and feta salad is pretty tasty) This is ultimately a big bar offering 'bar food' and that's exactly what you get. read more

I'm still trying to calculate how they make the early bird work unless it's a not for profit organisation, but I guess it all adds up. What amazed me though was just how good the grub was. Four tapas, Irish portion style (they'd feed a family of five), two glasses of wine, 28 euros, no not each, in total. Good service, fast - a longer wait, as informed, for the fish stew but it was huge, fresh and really tasty. Only issue was that I'd stuffed myself to the gills by the time it arrived so beware, go starving. It's a bustling, big warehouse of a joint, perfect for an informal bite to eat for two before heading out somewhere else, or I could equally imagine hanging with a gang of friends for a few drinks. A great spot, as central as it gets. read more

Hmmmmmm it's like Octuplets Mom Nadya Suleman: Angelina Jolie Wannab meeting NYC Sophistication. Yah, good attempt but no cigars. Just so you know 2-3 small tapas plates is enough to feed her whole family. read more

Half way through the exams..... a drink is deserved right? I had never been to the market bar before but from what I had heard it was impressive and it certainly lived up to my expectations. I was accompanied by a few who had finished their exams and so felt it only fitting to head out to celebrate this joyous freedom from academia after three long years of toiling away at books, assignments, presentations, blah blah blah. On the way, i had thought to myself, how have I never seen this place before if it's as big as everyone is saying.... The truth is, it is rather concealed but in a tremendous location none the less, just off bustling George's street. The first thing that struck me was the it looked like a barn .... deluded I know. Through the tall pillars, into the vast porch and through the double doors I went into what appeared to be a great beer hall. Fortunately, the place was humming with big crowds who had all ventured in after work to quench their thirst and satisfy their appetites, noshing on food and sinking drinks. I didn't have much time to savour the atmosphere in the grand room as I was running late, so up the stairs I ventured and through more double doors. My only regret in hindsight is not having some food which looked great. We sat for hours, not nursing our pints mind you, having a laugh and reminiscing the three years. The upstairs is almost like a convertible saloon, which is a sort of indoor/outdoor smoking area equipped with heaters so fret not. The range of drinks was nothing out of the ordinary but a decent variety nonetheless. My one criticism would be that it's steep enough for a pint, €5.20 if memory serves. If you're looking for an intimate, cosy gastropub I'd give the Market Bar a miss, it's better suited to groups than couples in my opinion. All in all, a really pleasant place to just chill out and have a laugh. read more

Its Holy Thursday and I've knocked off for the week, I meet my partner and we both are hungry for some good, fast nosh. He suggests the big bar with the tapas. The Market Bar I ask? I am surprised he's remembered the place. It was pub ten on the Twelve Pubs of Christmas we took part in, in 2009! The place is spacious and airy. I really like the red brick walls and the wooden floors, which I think add some warmth to such a big venue. Also the atmosphere is buzzing a long quietly too, with the first of the evenings revelers trickling in. We go for the early bird deal. Two small tapas and a glass of house wine for 14EUR. We order the patatas bravas, the nachos, the meatballs, the chicken + chorizo skewers and a glass each of the house white. The portions are small, but generous. The four small tapas were plenty for us two. Three were served very quickly, while the skewer took a little longer, which was fine and explained to us when ordering. All were great. The service was good too. We stayed for two more drinks, which were a bit pricey. But we saved on the food, right? read more

It's been a long time since I was in The Market Bar and unfortunately it didn't live up to what I had remembered. Compared with The Port House which I absolutely adored, the tapas here left a lot of room for improvement. I had the goats cheese crostini .... which was far from crostini, more like reheated and soggyini! Also had the chicken skewers with the yoghurt, as did my friend, neither of us touched them because they looked pretty undercooked. My only positive ............ the side order of olives we got was neverending, and I'm never one to let a good olive go to waste but there were just too many to attend to :) Won't be heading back in a hurry! read more

I went there for lunch it was not busy. Their average food is well presented, it's expensive, the menu is designed in a way that prevents you from ordering a light lunch. There is some variety on the menu and options for vegans and vegetarians. The service has to be experienced to be believed. You basically have to get down on your hands and knees to get the attention of the staff. Unless everywhere else around is packed I would avoid this place like the plague. read more

Why do I not come here more often! Invited here as a post work thing earlier this week and firstly, I forgot how close it is to South William Street area plus the casual and large open space is a great go to... I need to push this place on up my list, for sure. Loved the atmosphere and the staff where prompt to serve and also offer us advice on the menu. The food, tapas style but any of the dishes you can order as a large size and would be more than enough as a dinner main although if you are out with a group of friends, order tapas style and get tasting as many of the dishes as you can. For me, Nachos... Yummy, yes please and then my other fave was the chicken and chorizo skewers. Yet let me say, all 6 dishes we ordered were yummy and worth their buck :-) read more

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We went here after our picnic yesterday, and realised we were still a bit peckish so the six of us split a large portion of nachos which at €12 came to €2 a pop which ain't bad. The nachos were delicious! Perfectly melted cheese, salsa, guacamole and loads of red beans. A bit expensive for the portion but perfect for a big group who's just had lunch. Love the tapas here generally but it is a bit dear! read more

I really like the open space in the Market bar. the exposed red brick walls, high ceilings and general friendly atmosphere is great. It's really handy for big groups and the tapas style food is delicious with generous portions. I had the fish skewers which were really tasty! read more

Great place for a feed and a pint :-) the patatas bravas was yummy as was the nachos and calamari. A decent pint of Guinness and good craic made for a fabulous evening :-) Would come back here anytime :-) read more

Cool building - it was actually the old market (sigh, if only it still was). Great place for groups. Food is decent, portions are large. Venue is very spacious. A group could sit and dine, then mingle together nearby. Love the interior, lot's of good bars/pubs nearby if you need a change of scenery later in the night. read more

This place is amazing. The building is beautiful and interesting, food is tasty and portions are really big. But the service could be more friendly. It happend twice to me and my friend that the sercice was kind of rude. But it's still worth it! read more

The Market Bar - Patatas bravas and one more dish. - Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

I love the Market Bar for an easy going night out in town with a bigger group! It's spacious, comfortable and a very relaxing environment. For groups larger than 10 they have a specific meal deal (I think it's something like 15€ per person) with a huge amount of diverse tapas. You will not end up leaving hungry for sure! My personal favourite are the cheese platter, chorizo rolls, squids, nachos and of course patatas bravas - so good! The vibe is always good here and the cocktails are worth a try also..mojito in particular :) read more

Aesthetically speaking, The Market Bar is probably the best restaurant in Dublin. Redbrick and tables of latticed wood, high ceilings... Wonderful interior. But that's not your overriding concern when visiting a restaurant, so enough of that. The food at The Market Bar is good. Tapas are their specialty, and those few that I have tried were mainly very good, and quite reasonably priced. The calamari was nice, and so were the little diced potatoes, patata or something, but the meatballs carry a warning: if you don't like cumin (and i personally detest cumin), you're not going to like them. Even the people that I was with who liked cumin found the flavour a little overbearing. The Market Bar isn't a bad spot to start your night out in, either. Due to the sheer scale of the place, there is usually at least one big table free if you're in a group. So yeah, The Market Bar is basically pretty top-notch. read more

I'm of two minds about this place. On the one hand it looks brilliant. There's plenty of open space and I loved the old warehouse feel. That got a little old after a while and it becomes clear that the noise from all that open space just reverberates and it makes a conversation very difficult. There's also the beer, there is some pretty decent beer available like Pilsner Urquell but the range just isn't there for me. I did see some bottles of Galway Hooker hiding in the fridge but for a place that prides itself on "Irish" tapas, you would think they would show a little pride in "Irish" beer too. read more

I have been here for dinner a couple of times and have always enjoyed the experience. Service can often be a little slow to take your order and while the servers are very friendly and helpful, they rarely check back in to ask how your food is. It can be difficult to re-order drinks or ask for the bill as staff seem to be absent from the floor for extended periods of time. Having said that, I have always enjoyed the food and the patatas bravas are my no.1 guilty pleasure. It is also good value for money and the building itself is stunning. read more

I always find myself suggesting the market bar as a place to go as I love the tapas menu here, there is a good selection, my favourites being potatas bravas and the super yummy nachos, the large portions really are large and good value for money. ... not only is the food really tastey but the atmosphere is great particularly mid week, no matter which day I visit there is always a buzz around the place on an evening read more

The Market Bar - Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

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The nachos were good but the best was the chicken salad. Nothing like greens with steaming spicy chicken! Simple and yummy. I am not sure about the rest of the food as lost the will after the pile of potatoes. I guess not bad outside of Spain, but not top on my list. read more

Really nice place for some food and drinks. We went a bit overboard and ordered too much food, and the waitress was lovely and she actually told us that it was too much for two people so we reduced our order and it was still too much. The good thing is you get the choice of small or large portions for some of the items. Large portions are quite huge though so be aware a large portion would do 3/4 people sharing. We got Bread and dips to start which were really delicious. Then we had the meatballs, they came with patatas (fried potato squares) and in a lovely tomato sauce. We also got the chicken and chorizo skewers which were tasty. That along with a Tiger beer for my boyfriend and the total bill came in just under €40. So pretty good value for decent portions of food. read more

If you are looking for a good lunch deal in the Dublin 2 area, then this is a good spot. They do a yummy soup, sandwich and patatas combo, with a little salad, all for €8.50. The bar itself is large and open with a decent seating capacity, so you won't be queuing for a seat. To top it off, it's in a very central location, close to Grafton street, and the staff are friendly and professional. read more

The Market Bar - Soup, sandwich, patatas and salad. All for 8.50! - Bars Near Me - Dublin, D

Never too sure about this place. I used to frequent it for food years ago, but haven't in ages. We've been around for drinks recently a couple times. We went on a Saturday night a couple weeks back, and while we did snag a table, all other tables as far as the eye could see were reserved. While we were there for an hour, all the tables around us that were reserved were empty. Thats a winning business formula for sure? When we got up to leave, a staff member actually RAN over and popped a reserved sign on our table. The one thing abou tthis place, its large, so if they have some unreserved tables, you might get a seat. Its a cavern though, so everything echos and its loud. The sangria is drinkable, but for what you get, pretty pricy :( read more

It's awfully loud in the market bar. It used to be an abattoir but it's a gorgeous building despite this fact. A lovely high ceiling glass roof helps keep the place cool despite a mass of people inside. They also have 2 smoking area. There are chairs at the entrance, covered, it's fine, but a bit cold. There's a second area with a bar upstairs. It's much quieter and very pleasant, a pub within a pub. I usually hang around upstairs, It's mostly frequented by a professional crowd after work. They also do nice "tapas", though there's an awful lot of food per "tapas". 4 small tapas can feed 2 people. P.S. The grating on the floors was to drain the cows' blood! read more

I've been seeing my other half for 10 years (yeah I know!) & decided for the first time in a long time to go out on Valentines day this year. I can safely say our idea of The Market Bar was one of the best we've had. We arrived in & ordered a bottle of wine & just spent the day chilling out & chatting. Then we ordered some food, ate & chilled out some more. The food (can't remember specifics but bread & hummus, prawns, chorizo, meatballs) was all very tasty. I really wish I could give 5 stars for this place because we truly had such a wonderful day, but they seemed to be extremely understaffed & as a result the service was slow (with that said the staff weren't exactly rushing themselves along either).. We were there to relax & enjoyed the chilled out atmosphere, but it took us more than 15 minutes to catch the waiters eye when we did want to order food despite him serving the table just next to ours & when we tried to get the bill to leave we were even longer. read more

As a Dublin blow-in for 8 years now you'd think I'd be all clued in on the Market bar, but this was my first time here. It was only for a friend's birthday drinks. The first impressions are that it's something different. The big court yard welcomes you and then through the double doors the Bar/Restaurant opens up to you. The vibe is chilled out, sophisticated and the right side of high-end casual. The decor is different than anything I've seen in Dublin, and the scale of the room reminds me of a barn in the middle of the city, in a good way,. The drinks selection was beyond numerous, very good. (I had non-alcoholic Pulaner because I wasn't in the mood to drink and also not in the mood to explain myself :P ) Eye-ing the dining tables which are directly beside the bar without barriers I'd love to go back and get into some of the "Irish-sized portions" Tapas. I don't know if I'd like to be on a table directly beside the bar, as later on in the night you would have people there for a few drinks standing right beside your table. With the 90min table reservation in place on Saturday evening I don't think that'd be a long term problem. Perfect spot for a first date, as after dinner drinks are right there. :D read more

I get to disagree with Emily, yay! From my perspective, I can only take about venue and drinks, not food. I have heard the food is funky though! The bar when it opened I thought was a bit pretentious, but not so much the case, better than I envisaged, Size matters to me and it's a good size. I like the size, the standard of women is pretty good and there's a fair amount of alcohol choice. Good place for a first date It's not somewhere you would spend the whole night, but start a night. Pretty good read more

We came here on a Monday night without a reservation and we were seated immediately. The staff was very friendly but definitely disorganized. Frequently food for other tables was sent our way, only to be redirected at the last second. The ambiance is cool, with an industrial, hip vibe. The food is tapas style and we had the nachos, calamari, grilled chicken, and steak & potatoes. The small portions are great for sharing, and the large portions are actually very large. Everything was fantastic, except the calamari which was average (a bit soggy/ greasy). Would definitely recommend this spot, especially when meeting up with friends. read more

I'd been to the market bar a few times in the past few years, to be fair the first 2-3 times I couldn't actually remember where it was due to being a little bit intoxicated. Eventually I turned up and was sober and realised that I had been here a few times and its a really great place. Its absolutely massive for start so if you like big open bars with lots of atmosphere this would be the place for you. If you don't like crowds you probably best avoid. Inside it looks great, really quite cool. With a massive amount of tables and a separate restaurant area. The restaurant sells mainly tapa's which although I have only tried once was very good and quite big. I have also seen a lot of food delivered and it all looks great. ( Food can be eaten in the bar as well as the restaurant ). All in all a very good place to bring a crowd. If you want a quiet evening with your partner then try somewhere else! read more

Our company rented the Market Bar for our Summer Party and I have to say they did a really good job. The atmosphere was buzzing and the friendly staff were always attentive and willing to help. And the food, oh the food. A wide variety of Tapas from marinated olives, over various sorts of salamis/chorizos to delicious meat balls in tomato salsa and rocket salad with chicken. Just to name a few. Our numbers (~300 people) weren't an issue for the kitchen, and the food was constantly being restocked. I would definitely come back and try the a la carte menu next time. read more

Sat eve and the bar is filled with the great, the young, the beautiful and me. It is a big bar, but packed to the rafters with happy revellers. The bar itself has resisted this crazy and recent fad for stocking nice / palatable beers and sticks to the old reliable... anything produced by Diageo that isn't going to tax the taste buds! In the far corner as you go in is a tapas bar serving up some tasty morsels (think you have to book in advance). The real draw for me is the smoking area which is heated and big and comfortable. read more

Modern style restaurant and bar that serves quite standard fare. Our steaks, ordered medium rare, came out medium well and very underseasoned. My in-laws got the curry which tasted ok but again, was underseasoned. The restaurant also dimmed the lights down to the point where we had to get our phones out to read the menu. The waitstaff were lovely though. Friendly and attentive. read more

I've never been disappointed here - great place to come for a relaxed but fun drink with a friend but especially with a big group! Generally I don't order food but when I do I've usually had a bit to drink so can't remember well enough to comment in depth - can tell you it always hits the spot though. High ceilings and interesting unfinished-brick-wall decór make the place beautiful and give it the feeling you're in a covered Spanish garden or some such rather than in the middle of a bar in Dublin city centre! They have a decent wine and beer selection - I just had a blonde (beer) I've never seen before which could definitely be a fave in the future - but really what you're after here is the atmosphere. Far enough removed from the tourist Temple Bar crowd to have decent drink prices and laid-back local crowd, but still buzzing and fun even on a weeknight! I'm fairly regular here - their upstairs is a bit smaller and more of a modern feel - but I prefer the downstairs as it's much easier to grab a table where you can actually hear and interact with your company without being jostled around by people going to and from the bar. Worth a stop, probably best to either start or end your night here though - conveniently, Chelsea Drugstore (another bar) is literally connected by a set of doors if you want a change of scene! read more

The high ceilings and open plan design of the Market Bar lend it a feeling of airy spaciousness. Perhaps this is why it is such an attraction to so many Dublin 9-5ers who have been cooped up in offices all day. It is a good place to take a big group and if are planning on eating, you can reserve a table in advance. There is a seating area designated specifically for the restaurant but diners can also park themselves at any vacant table in the bar. The tapas menu is perfect for a diverse group out on the razzle dazzle because you can eat as little or as much as you want and the food is light. I recommend the patatas bravas and the nachos to kick your night off with some latin fire! Unfortunately, my last visit there left a sour taste. My friend handed over a fifty but got change of a twenty. He is a reasonable guy but there was no reasoning with the barman. I know what you're thinking but it was his first drink! read more

So I've been to this place a couple of times and was never really knocked off my feet to be honest. The place is set up in such a way that if it's busy (as it often is on a Saturday night) it's not really the type of place you can stand around with your drink without looking awkward...you kind of do need a seat... That said, I came here for after work drinks the other night and my perspective changed somewhat. We ordered a set menu (though by ordered I mean as we were 10 people we were basically required to order it as a condition of pre booking), and...wow. 15 Euro per person and we got so much food we were so stuffed and still had enough behind to feed a small African tribe or something. The variety was great too - we had nachos, tapas, good variety of salads and fried foods, delicious dips and various meat cuts and the list goes on. Definitely a bargain for 15 Euro! It basically felt like they served us every item on the menu and it was quite delicious! The only let down of the lot was the calamari which was quite chewy so regardless of whether you order a set meal or individual dish, if you are after a feed steer clear of that one. Everything else was great though. Giving this place 3 stars rather than 4 because the staff wasn't the most friendly I've come across and weren't very attentive, but nothing bad, just not superb service. Only a bit disappointed because this was a Tuesday night when they're not as busy as weekends, so not sure what coming here for a meal on the weekend would be like. Overall though, it was a pleasant experience. The place is huge so for a group of people it was great and quite comfy, but if you're after a cosy bar this isn't the place to go for that kind of experience. The highlight was definitely the food, though their beer selection is not too bad either! So I'd say I prefer this place for some weeknight drinks rather than a place for a weekend night out. read more