I'm not sure how to describe how much we loved the dinner we had at the Pigs Ear. We arrived at 5:25 to get a table for the early dinner special. Everything about the experience was outstanding. I have to say - I was so consumed by the quality and uniqueness of the meal I am drawing a bit of a blank recalling what the items were called - I do recall a pork belly entree - and my wife had risotto. It was all just so outstanding. Before I left for a week in Dublin I never would have imagined that what would impress me the most would be the food - and the Pigs Ear was the best of them all. Get in there and enjoy!!! read more

After being married to a Sutton Girl for 11 years, and this being my 25th time on the Emerald Isle and actually my 5th Christmas Eve lunch this has to be hands down the best meal I have had in Dublin. We all started with a glass of Prosecco and then quickly moved on to a nice bottle of wine. I started with the Jane Russell's Venison Sausage Roll - Amazing little tasty bit served with Spiced Prunes and Mrs Beeton's Carrot Almond & Whiskey Jam. For My Main I actually had the Shepherds Pie - Yes I know but I had to try it and I have to say after so many pies this ranks up as one of the best I have ever had. Lastly for desert a couple of Lattes with a bit of Baileys and the Brown Bread Ice Cream with stewed apple & Cinnamon and Home made Yellow Man. The service was great and for right around 50 Euros a head it was well worth the lovely lunch that we had. I would say that its fairly family friendly even though they have no high chairs so if you are bringing the kiddies plan in advance. Two Thumbs Up read more

Nice small restaurant with a great view of Trinity college. The staff is really nice and I enjoyed the ambiance. I got the salmon because I was craving fish and I figured a nice place like The Pig's Eat would have really fresh salmon. I actually didn't care for the salmon, it didn't taste super fresh, however the chicken was amazing. My friend ordered it and was nice enough to switch meals with me halfway through. Compared to the some of the other stuff in Dublin, I thought The Pig's Ear was just okay. I don't have anything against it, so maybe you'll order a better plate than I did! :-) read more

Excellent diner, well worth a shot! Everyone rightly rants about the brown bread ice-cream, it;s very good, read more

Another dinner while in Dublin. This place is famous for its shepards pie (I did not have it - I am veggie) and its cheese cake...which is good. read more

We came here for dinner on our second night of vacation, it was recommended to us by a friend who lives in Dublin. I have to say I had REALLY high expectations for this place, the reviews are great and it came highly recommended. The atmosphere is fabulous, the staff was fantastic and there are a lot of great options on the menu for Celiac/Gluten Free eaters. Make sure to get a reservation, when you walk into the building there isn't really a reception/hostess station so it was a little bit strange/confusing to figure out where to go. Someone stuck their head out of a door and asked if we had reservations. The bathrooms are upstairs and had an odd layout but worked fine and were clean. Be sure to check out the small set of stairs in the back corner of the restaurant... there is a rabbit with hunting gear and a shot gun with three little pigs... cracked me up! This is a perfect restaurant for special occasions, romantic dinner or if you just want to relax and have really delicious food! read more

We heard about The Pig's Ear while planning our vacation to Ireland. The trip was for two weeks and we knew we'd be several days in Dublin so we wanted to find some neat places to eat. We almost didn't stop in here but I'm glad we did. This was by far the best restaurant we ate at during our trip. read more

Did a pre-theater dinner here and it was superb. I had butternut squash soup to start, which sounds standard and slightly boring, but the soup was anything but. It had all kinds of different flavors and ingredients in there that I'm not sophisticated enough to describe. It was delicious. I had a grilled fish main course that was delectable. My husband loved his food as well. The interior is also pleasant -- it's small, light, and airy. Go here! read more

I have lived off and on in Dublin for over 4 years and I like my chow- this spot in central Dublin is one of my favourite places to dine. Upstairs off of Nassau Street lies a trove of culinary delights. I highly recommend The Pigs Ear. Yum+yummy. read more

Only stopped in for a few plates but what little we had. The Veal tartare and the pea salad where fantastic they did a great job at mixing flavors and creating very original plates I didn't see all over. read more

The Pig's Ear - Veal tartare - Bistros Near Me - Dublin, D

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Excellent cuisine, casual and delightful setting. One of the best pies I've had on this visit. Fresh, local ingredients, served well. I shall definitely add to my local Dublin rotation. read more

Excellent!! Small, cozy restaurant with a good wine list. The food was delicious, including their vegetarian options. Definitely elevated cuisine, quite the unexpected treat. The service was great, although I wouldn't expect anything else in Dublin - everyone here is so friendly! And that is coming from a US southerner. Seeing that the place is so small, I would recommend reservations, even during the week. Look forward to going back! read more

Amazing food! When dining with 5 others with very picky tastes, it's very hard to satisfy everyone. However, the pigs ear managed to impress everyone in our party with their dishes. We ordered some items like cured salmon and liver terrine that most in our group has never eaten before. They were all impressed and surprised with how much they liked the food. I would classify the food and service here as one small step down from classic fine dining. The only negative is that they charge $5/bottle for still water. read more

Went to the Pig's Ear while on holiday. By far one of the best meals I've had on either side of the Atlantic. For me the Pigs Ear is well thought out venue for a great meal and experience. Starter: The smoked mackerel melted in my mouth. Perfect for sharing with another person; all you need is a taste! Try the French Sauvignon Blanc; complemented the mackerel nicely. You should know that the mackerel is from the Burren! Main course: The Atlantic Salmon served over champ mash rocked my world. You could taste the freshness as though the poor lad was swimming around in the ocean deep shortly before ending up on my plate. The flavor and texture was an eaters delight. I also tried the pork-belly and black pudding. For Americans: it reminded me of the best pork brisket smoked slowly that falls apart when forked. Dessert: The port (they only had 1) was hearty yet smooth. Had the chocolate tart that boasted homemade vanilla ice cream. The tart was topped with chocolate "pop rocks" that had me thinking of my childhood, remember those? The chocolate and port went very well together, no doubt it will a great experience for you too. Service: Service was prompt and friendly. Had great suggestions on wine. The manager was good enough to chat it up with me, the American. A true foodie's delight, the Pigs Ear: charming thought goes into the decor, atmosphere, food preparation and presentation. read more

Had a lovely celebratory lunch here recently with my husband - and was blown away by how great the food and general experience was! I wasn't sure how full lunch service would be so reserved a table in advance. Felt pretty smug when the lunch crowd starting packing in - happy we had our sweet little table by the window, overlooking the cricket grounds in Trinity. Being gluttonous pigs, we decided to go for the 3 course lunch. We both opted for the crab starter with celeriac and apple salad - very light and refreshing. The buttermilk dressing was a tad too watery for my liking but delicious nonetheless. My idea of a perfect summer salad - hope they keep that on the menu for the next few months. We diverged on mains - duck confit pie for me and the roast rib for the other half. The duck confit pie was sweet and richly spiced (I think Chinese 5-spice was in there somewhere). Ok so the duck leg sprouting out of the top of the pie was a bit theatrical...but seriously that pie was so good, I wanted a second helping. Portions for lunch are petite but perfectly formed - it's definitely enough food for lunchtime. Husband's roast rib looked excellent - he did say it tasted a little dry. For dessert, I opted for the chocolate tart with caramel and salted butter ice cream. Tart was INSANELY rich - really needed more than the ice cream to cut through the richness. I love chocolate but found the chocolate in this a bit overwhelming. The ice cream was divine! Husband loved the brown bread ice cream but thought the apple compote flavor got lost. While I like the idea of dessert being served in a Mason jar, in reality, it's quite hard to physically get at your food. He looked like he was struggling a bit to get spoonfuls of the compote. Service was superb - we were treated gently, not bothered and not forgotten entirely. The dining room is small but even with the lunch crowd, it didn't feel stuffy or too tight (no one's elbows on your table - always a bonus!). I'll be back soon for another long, leisurely lunch! read more

Shhh... (You have a world-class restaurant hiding on the second floor) The food at the Pig's Ear was the best that we had in 9 cities in 12 days. The level of creativity and the reasonable prices for what was prepared were a nice compliment to each other. Beet risotto was perfect for my budding vegetarian daughter. All of the dishes that we had were expertly prepared and perfect. My personal favorite was an amazing lemon rice pudding topped with raspberry sorbet. The ambience is simple and elegant. The wait staff is plentiful, professional, and highly attentive. They even have wifi so us travelers can check in on YELP and tell people how good the restaurant is. I hear that they have a special prix fixe multi-course tasting upstairs. We'll leave that for another trip, and fast for a week or two to get ready for it... And for us Americans dodging our 3% upcharges from VISA and MC issuers, they take American Express (Thank you!) read more

Sweet Jesus! What an unexpected find. I met an old high school friend here for dinner and we opted for the tasting menu with wine pairing. Amazing! Each course was more tasty than the last, and the pairings sublime. The service was fantastic as well. In addition, it seems celebrities dine here as well as Gavin Friday was at the next table with three friends. It's no wonder - I would recommend this place to everyone except Kim Kardashian, because her fat ass might be mistaken for the pork belly. read more

The Pig's Ear - Outstanding tasting menu - Bistros Near Me - Dublin, D

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The food was a combination of very simple yet creatively done and excellent quality Service was superb They also had a very interesting wine list Bright airy restaurant with a very moderate noise level Cheesecake in a jar was unique and excellent read more

This was an interesting foodie experience. We had a group of 8. The menu on their web site was different than their actual menu. Very pricey! Service was very inattentive and slow. You are "required" to order a main dish or two starters. The home made brown bread was amazing. Everyone enjoyed their entree. Overall, good food but somehow the experience was lacking. read more

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Tried this restaurant out after reading Yelp reviews and it didn't disappoint. The location is good, menu is not too pretentious and the food was great - Pigs belly is a real treat- although my wife's chicken main was a little 'bland' and she was sorry she didn't have the fish. Our meal was complimented with a nice, and reasonablly pricec bottle of Italian red and the service was excellent- friendly and un rushed. Due to the layout ( over 3 floors) the loos are a little 'out of the way' if you are seated on first floor but if that is the biggest problem it's hard to complain. Well done Pigs Ear- we had a great evening. read more

Good food, Fresh meat and vegetable. Pouch egg with black pudding is wonderful. I got pork belly as a main course. It's the best pork belly I ever had. read more

The Pig's Ear - Pouch egg with black pudding - Bistros Near Me - Dublin, D

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Went there on the yelp and a limo driver recommendation. Small quaint restaurant that I am sure requires a reservation way in advance for a weekend night. By 730 on Monday the restaurant was full. Second floor view of Trinity grounds. Very nice. The bread and salmon appetizer was outstanding. The portions are generous. I had the pan seared Cod. The fish was a bit firm but the combination of pine nuts the sauce and apple made this a very nice dish. I would definitely recommend this place for a special night out. read more

Had a wonderful meal here. Salmon starter was a melt in the mouth good., main course of hake was lovely and delightfully presented. We went for the early bird, the The atmosphere was lovely, very relaxing. Wine was quite expensive very little under €30. Service was efficient and friendly. A slight inconvenience is that the rest room is on the third floor especially if you are wearing non supportive high heels! read more

The food here is INSANE. My family was hesitant when they saw the menu, but it blew us all away. We started with the cheese board that was actually a dessert. It was lovely. I had the pork belly and scallops which were out of this world. Each bite was delicious. My mother had the Shepard's pie and she loved it. Each person thoroughly enjoyed their experience here. If you are a foodie who finds themselves in Dublin, go to The Pig's Ear! read more

I came to the Pig's Ear for their lunch special. A three course meal for 26.95 euros. Upon arriving, I was seated immediately and did not have to wait for a table. First off, the customer service was amazing! It's definitely an upscale place and I felt out of place because I came here in my hiking gear! I didn't fit in with the crowd, but I was wanting to try this place and the food looked too good to pass up. I appreciated that the waitress and staff were so attentive. They offered to take my coat, bag, and were very quick in filling up my water. Best customer service I've had thus far during my visit in Ireland. It was hard to choose which entrees so I had the waiter help me and asked him for his recommendations. For my first course, I had the Flame Grilled Mackerel with Pickled Beetroot, Yogurt, Rhubarb & Hibiscus. Yum.....it was delicious! The pickled veggies and the mackerel pair so well together. Plus the yogurt sauce was very good. For the second course, I had the Pan-fried Cod with Cauliflower, Broccoli, Brown Shrimp, Almonds & Capers. Again, it was so good! I loved the char on the cauliflower and all the ingredients meshed so well together. Savory dish and I couldn't stop eating! Lastly, I had the The Pig's Ear Cheese Cake with Berry Jam and Crushed HobNob Biscuits. The cheese cake was good, but I found the jam to be sweet for my taste buds. However, it was still delicious! If I'm ever back in Dublin, I'll definitely come back here. Not only for the delicious food, but also forthe amazing customer service. read more

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It was packed when we arrived, with a party of 14. There was an initial look of distress, but we were seated almost immediately. Very nice wine pairings and delicious food. Our party had a range of just about everything on the menu. We departed as a very happy group. read more

Had a great meal. Had the tartar for starter, venison for main and cheesecake for desert. Great service and atmosphere. read more

For our last dinner in Ireland we were seeking out something special and The Pig's Ear delivered. Venison and salmon starters were great and the entrees that followed were outstanding. We had the shepherds pie and the pork belly and scallops. The staff was very available and helpful and provided an overall wonderful experience. read more

The Pig's Ear makes a silk purse out of a sow's name. Penned in between a bar and cafe on a touristy part of Nassau Street, I wouldn't have tried it in a pig's eye had it not been for the promising reviews on Yelp and positive recommendations from foodie friends for this "New Irish" restaurant. I can also highly recommend it, but also strongly suggest making reservations (we were glad we did as we saw at least one party turned away on a Thursday night). When I arrived, the industrially-carpeted stairs almost made me turn back. But, once I ascended them to the first floor, I found a bright, white, and light dining room overlooking the lovely green Trinity campus.(Yes, there were a few piggy banks, but the porcine art was mostly restrained.) We ordered from the very reasonably-priced early dinner menu (which they presented to us and gave us no trouble about ordering from, even after the stated end-time of 6:30 - sweet!) With the snout-to-tail trend in the food world right now (cf. Fergus Henderson, St. John restaurant, London), I was expecting some serious porcine parts at this eponymous restaurant. However, with the exception of pork belly (which features on the regular menu as a signature dish and has been well-reviewed by fellow Yelpers), the menu features diverse light options - including seafood and vegetarian choices - and a rather shocking lack of pig. The crab salad highlighted (rather than smothered) good crab. All of the dishes were presented most charmingly, although sometimes causing me a wee bit of anxiety. My heart loved the presentation of the carrot soup in the enameled pan, but my head was thinking, "Does this have lead?" In the end, my tastebuds led (get it?), and I rationalized that it was only one dish (unless I eat it every day...) The grapefruit added a pop of pungent sweetness to the carrot. My friend's risotto was presented in a lovely Le Creuset pan - but I cringed when I realized that she was given a fork with which to eat it. I am a serious cook and, to me, using a fork on a non-stick surface is like scraping your teeth with one (which is like blackboard-scratching fingernails eroding a protective surface. Ewww!). I wouldn't want anyone else to eat or cook in that pan once the surface has been so denigrated. That said, I tried some of her risotto (being careful not to touch the bottom of the pan, which appeared unscathed). It was cooked perfectly (always an achievement with risotto) and had the warm, nutty taste of autumn emanating from butternut squash, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), and pignola (pine nuts). Eating that clearly must have killed me, because my tastebuds went to heaven. The brown bread ice cream was also divine. I think it's even better than Murphy's. (To which, I know, some of you will say: When Pigs Fly!) Service was generally wonderful if not chivalrous (maybe the server thought my husband was cute as he took and served his order before the two ladies at the table - and one of the ladies should have clearly been attended to first, according to the beauty before youth rule - ahem!). They also took away the delicious bread basket before we had finished eating the contents and initially gave us the wrong bill (which was quickly straightened out once it was brought to their attention). Good thing I was paying attention, because until I went to the loo (nice, but on the 4th floor!), I hadn't realized that there was a dining room on the second level Next time, I'll ask for a table there. Otherwise, it would be hard to elevate the experience. read more

Irish cuisine with a twist, and what a twist. I would recommend the smoked salmon starter. Lovely choice of house wine, very efficient but unobtrusive service, ice cream to die for but the pork belly was a mite too fatty as pork belly goes hence the loss of a star. I love the quirky touches, like serving dishes in enamel saucepans, sugar in a bag, bread in a sack cloth. The ambience is spot on as wll. I must go back to see if I can't up my review to 5 stars. All in the name of Yelp of course! read more

My favourite restaurant by a long stretch in Dublin. Favourite due to its all round appeal. Food is superlative but still homely. Its casual and friendly but has a charming professional level all the same. Definitely not stuffy or posh in any way. The imagination and use of irish produce is an added bonus. Wine list is limited enough but the wines are quality. It has never let me down and I have sent loads of people there for its reliability, location and quality without it being the best or most contemporary food in the city. I repeat a great casual all rounder. Will always go back. read more

DISAPPOINTED - that's the word to describe my experience in this overrated restaurant. Let me divide my review into three parts: Waiters, Food and Christmas Menu: Waiters: We were served by two sleepy waiters who couldn't wait for us to go away. The girl was so bored, she could barely move her mouth while talking to us. Since "Pig's Ear" is considered to be a good restaurant, these two half-dead waiters were a first "yellow alert" for me indicating that sth might go wrong here. Food: Not nearly as good as it sounds on menu. I have ordered a medium rare stake as well as one of my friends and both steaks were full of tendons, so it was difficult to cut them not talking about eating. I have to admit though that Pigeon Salad was really nice, so WELL DONE, guys! Christmas Menu: Upon our arrival we were all given a 45 euro Christmas menu. However, all of us decided to go for 1 main dish while one of the guys have chosen Christmas menu and ordered 3 dishes (usual starter, main and desert). And guess what? When payment time arrived, the guy who has chosen Christmas menu was charged for every dish separately (so 59 instead of 45 euro). Well OK, they might have made a mistake, we thought...so we called the waiter and pointed the mistake out. Sleepy waiter replied that THE Christmas menu was available only under the condition that the whole group (we were 8 people) orders this menu! Man, ARE YOU SERIOUS?! THis is just damn stupid!!! This Christmas Menu is on their web-page and there is no condition like that whatsoever!!! But you know what? In a good restaurant, if a mistake like this happen, the customer will not be charged fully anyway (especially when he is the only one out of 8 people). However, in "Pig's ear" the waiter continued to argue that we didn't understand since the very beginning! Yes, we are 8 people who are just dumb and don't understand a sleepy waitress...hell ya! maybe because she can barely open her mouth! Oh, and almost forgot: they almost overcharged us for 114 euro on a credit card, cause the sleepy waiter has not counted the cash we have given :/ You know, perhaps it's not the fault of the sleepy waiter, cause he worked all day long, but maybe the restaurant should introduce proper waiters shifts?!! Conclusion: VERY VERY disappointed. There is no point to say that I will never appear there again and will probably not recommend it to 2000+ colleagues of mine at work. read more

I heard this was a nice place for modern Irish food with a nice view of Trinity. Check and check. Went for the early bird and the prices were reasonable. The food was really good ; I cleaned my plate... Nice flavor combinations. read more

This was an unexpected delight! Chose The Pigs Ear based strictly upon location and yelp recommendations. Across the street from Trinity College, this was an elegant and cozy restaurant occupying at least three stories. A lean but smart wine list to start things off. The two versions of bread were amazing! A multigrain soda bread and a sourdough were delicious. I had the chicken terrine starter and my wife had roast carrot and beet salad. Both were excellent and well proportioned. I had the braised beef cheek and tongue and they were super tender and moist. I usually skip dessert but this meal left me no reason for pause. The buttermilk custard was incredible. Sweet, creamy, and tangy. read more

Can't hate this place! Such a great place to go to for dinner! I've never been not satisfied with my meal! Such a small restaurant hidden , and right opposite trinity college Dublin. It's a must go to! Also good to make a reservation before hand! Portions are generous , I'm in love with this place! read more

The place is nothing extraordinary, the service was not very good. Starter was nice and delicious. They forgot our main course for an hour, didn't really offered any complementary drinks. Salmon ordered was nowhere near medium cooked, more like over cooked, the staff didn't really offer to redo it nor apologized. Really disappointing read more

For an amazing unforgettable culinary experience in the city center, Pig's Ear is definitely at the top of the list. The entire experience from beginning to end is phenomenal. The atmosphere is a bit dark and moody and feels a bit more like a house than a restaurant. The entrance is a little hard to find as it isn't well marked, but head up the stairs and the hunt will be worth it. There are not many tables inside, so definitely get a reservation if possible or the wait may be quite long. There is a nice small bar to wait at though if needed. The wine list is incredible with a ton of great options, and several that are pretty affordable as well. The rioja was very nice and went well with some of the heavier dishes. There is a choice of tasting menu or a la carte. I opted for a la carte and got the venison tartare and pork belly. The tartare was phenomenal, definitely the best venison I've had as it was tender, beautifully pink, and chewy. The pork belly was an immense chunk of pleasantly fatty pork with a great sear and texture. The meat was super filling but didn't feel too heavy due to the great sides. The potatoes on the side helped as well. Service was very quick and friendly and helpful with the wine and menu. The meal can take some time to enjoy, so leave plenty of time to enjoy the full experience. read more

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Excellent service, door opened for us on arrival. Made us feel very relaxed and comfortable. Attentive and professional staff. Excellent food, though very "meaty" for me. Particularly excellent goats curd and beetroot salad for starter and my partner's starter of crabmeat was equally light and citrusy. Delicious meal, lovely wine. We'll be back! read more

Very nice food, fancy but affordable, excellent wine and very good service. I couldn't recommend it more, one of the best restaurants in Dublin. read more

I still can't believe how disappointing my experience was. The reviews are so phenomenal and I was expecting a great experience. It wasn't just so-so. It was pretty bad. I booked a special New Years Eve 6-course dinner, tasting menu w/wine pairing. To start off, the guy who sat me was so not pleasant. Rather surly and definitely didn't seem to want to be there. It was like being seated by a cranky server at a cheap diner. The service was ok. Servers were friendly, but a bit rushed. But no worries. It was New Years Eve, after all. But the food was just so disappointing. It's just not good when the flavor of the bread in the breadbasket and the flavor of the wine and the coffee exceed the flavor and experience of the food. Yep, that bad. Most dishes were rather bland. Just very very disappointing. read more