I had a really nice saturday brunch in the Winding Stair. The fish platter was to die for and it was perfect with my spicy bloody mary ( so good, I had to order another). The rib-eye was good but a bit too fatty for me but a very generous portion. I had such a great time and the attention to detail by the waiters made the meal even more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it and i'm excited for my next brunch there. read more

The Winding Stair - Fish Platter... SO GOOD! The oyster paté was the highlight - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

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The food was delicious. We had to he smoked fish starter and each taste was better than the next. My duck entree was delicious and the potatoes were just incredible. My husband had the lamb which was perfection. Super nice staff very attentive. read more

We had a lovely meal at the Winding Stair. Very lovely and charming location with excellent, friendly hospitality. The food was great!

This was an unexpected and fantastic find! What a quaint, small and welcoming place to enjoy our last night in Dublin. The menu included interesting and very unique dishes that although were unfamiliar to us, were absolutely divine. Our server was fun and very knowledgeable about the dishes and ingredients. This was also a nice quiet place just off the Temple Bar area. You won't be disappoint in this culinary treat! read more

Do it, if you're reading this to decide if you want to eat here, do it. Date night, anniversary, or if you just want some seriously delicious food this is your place. The wait staff is killing it, so fantastic. I had a crepe dish that was to die for, and their wine menu was huge. They don't have their liquor license so don't expect cocktails. The one draw back is price, but they aren't crazy expensive; we paid around €22 a plate and drinks were €6-€10. read more

The view from here is stunning, if you can wrestle your way to a window table. The food tastes great, and the service and cost are reasonable. I remember the coffee being good, too. However: if you suffer any kind of allergy, be careful. I asked if a particular dish was possible without an ingredient that is likely to send me into anaphylactic shock. The waiter assured me it was. The kitchen merely scraped off the offending ingredient. Anaphylaxis ruins your evening. And they never responded to my complaint letter. read more

Had brunch here yesterday afternoon. The full Irish was pretty good apart from the bacon was underdone. Only real gripe is that our waiter hadn't a great grasp of the English language & appeared to be disinterested. That being said we will probably go back. read more

The Winding Stair - Full Irish. - Irish Near Me - Dublin, D

One of the best place in Dublin! Cozy and classy but relaxed and friendly at the same time. The menu features some of the best irish products either rivisited with some modern twist or cooked in the traditional way. Great choice of wines from all over the world and yummy desserts! Booking is advised! read more

Superb service! First time visiting the restaurant and ordered on the of the specials. Definitely would suggest stopping by!

Tried to go here tonite to get dessert after arriving in Dublin late. According to the menu on their website they serve several desserts until 10:30 pm daily. We arrived before 10 and were told they don't serve dessert, only dinner. Need to update your site if the information isn't accurate. read more

This was fancier than we anticipated for lunch- and that expectation may have colored my experience of it. We had a two course fixed menu with house wine. The food was really really good, the wine was not. The service was lacking- they weren't that busy (maybe a third full) and it felt like the waiter was avoiding eye contact with us. We must have been eating faster than expected or something. The food, decor and view of the place receive full marks so balance the overall rating to 3 stars. I am neutral on the quality of the service and the wine was just not enjoyable. Cramming us into a table between two other full tables along the windows also wasn't the best idea even if it was the last 2 top open. read more

This quaint restaurant is in the busy city center right by Temple Bar district. Upstairs (after the tah-daaaah! winding staircase), is a sun filled room set for a nice fine dining experience. For lunch we had a few options, several of which required my googling of several ingredients to understand what exactly was in each dish. I opted for the sting ray...because when does one pass up eating sting ray for lunch? It was really tender, w/ a crispy top and was accompanied by a really tasty and light prawn mayo that reminded me of a tartar sauce with chunky chopped prawn pieces mixed in. This is certainly not for the quick, casual place to pop in but I would highly recommend calling ahead for reservations ESP on weekends for times when you want to ease into your meal. Pricing was reflective of more fine dining prices but the food was nicely prepared and displayed as well. You MUST get the bread pudding. Period. read more

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While on my last visit to Dublin this past summer, a girl in my hostel had just finished her study abroad program in the city and recommended this restaurant. It's situated right by the River Liffey and you'll have to climb up narrow winding stairs, hence the name of the restaurant, to enter this place. You'll be greeted by a warm and welcoming host who will sit you at a table in the small restaurant overlooking the water. The diners generally looked like an affluent crowd ready to enjoy what the chefs had to offer them. I ordered the "char-grilled 28 day dry-aged Irish Hereford beef strip-loin steak with sticky onions, roasted garlic truffle butter and homemade chips" which will ring you up at €26.50. I coupled my meal with a Five Lamps Dublin Lager for €5.95. The lager and chips were OK, but the steak was excellent. Not typically a huge steak fan, I was so glad I chose this option. It was well-seasoned and packed full of flavor. The sticky onions really brought out the sweetness of the steak. My travel partner ordered the "Nicholson's hand-smoked haddock, poached in milk with onions and white cheddar mash" for €24.95 which I didn't particularly admire. The haddock wasn't all that memorable and the cheddar mash was lacking real cheese flavor. Comparing her choice with mine only confirmed my decision that the steak was the best choice. I won't even hesitate going back on my next visit to Dublin. read more

Great atmosphere, very friendly waiters. I got the smoked haddock, it was amazing. Quite noisy and a little bit too warm inside to get the 5 stars. However I strongly recommend it, only local food! read more

Food was local and delicious. Good selection of wine by the glass and the bottle list was extensive. Cozy atmosphere with good but not great service, at least on our night (Wednesday). Reservations recommended although we made one online 30 minutes before our seating (8:45). Would certainly return on another visit to Dublin. read more

Looking for rubbery steaks and bland food then this is the place! Another Anthony Bordain recommended restaurant that was a huge disappointment. Overrated and overpriced read more

Brilliant spot, absolutely one of Dublin's hidden gems. Save this one for a special occasion, I promise it'll live up to the well deserved hype. Waitress was fantastic and friendly, food authentic and wholesome. Seafood Chowder was excellent, recommend to start. Can't go wrong with the Steak for the Main and of course chocolate cake to finish it off! (When in Rome) read more

The dinner I had here was amazing! Great wine selection, fabulous environment. I had the Irish Dumplings and it was one the best meals I have had. Service was exceptional, super nice staff. Highly recommend! read more

Loved the cow's cheek plate, very tender meat with tasty caramelized onions dressing. The carrot and parsnip soup was also great as well as the ribeye steak. read more

I found the winding stair through a "Good Food Ireland" guide - be sure to pick one up if you're visiting. Like the other restaurants in the guide, Winding Stair features locally produced ingredients, so that may account for some of the higher prices than other places. All in all however, its not so bad for a more upscale restaurant. We spent about 50 euro for 2 entrees and drinks. It is definitely worth it, in my opinion. My dish was wonderful - rhubarb stuffed pork loin with roasted potatoes, greens, and black eyed peas, in a creamy, fruity sauce. It was a cool mix of old and new world cuisine. The pork had that amazing flavor that differentiates small local producers from CFO meat. The vegetables were cooked so perfectly, too. Special accolades go to our server, who recommended two excellent local-made brews. They have a great beer and wine selection here. Also I loved the atmosphere. Its small inside, sort of intimate, romantic, and has large, strategically placed windows that overlook the river without somehow also overlooking the road below. Magic! read more

What a lovely little place. We had a nice seat upstairs with a good view. I enjoyed the whole plaice with crab bisque and I just LOVED the smoked fish plate detailed by my friend Kanchan. The oyster paté was insane. My husband's seafood chowder was smoky, loaded with seafood and speckled heavily with chorizo. All of these things are fantastic. Maybe the best chowder I've ever had. A good bottle of wine and a few nice dishes made this a terrific and intimate date spot. read more

I think I may have just had too high expectations for this place going in. The food was all good, but not really spectacular. We went at 9:15 on a Monday night and the place was still extremely crowded, which wouldn't be a big deal except that it was REALLY loud (we could barely hear each other across the table and couldn't hear the server unless he was right by my ear) and service was very slow. I wonder if it would have been better on a less crowded night, but it's hard to imagine what could be less crowded than after 9 on a Monday. read more

I had visited the bookstore downstairs a few times before eating here. It is definitely, definitely worth the price tag. Up the winding stairs (hah) you find a small but adorably decorated room with a lovely bar and excellent view of the Ha'penny Bridge. Our server was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable of the menu, recommending us meat-free options. i went with the hand-smoked haddock in milk with white cheddar mash, and my boyfriend got the steamed cockles and mussels, with crab, brown toast, and chips with a tasty sauce. We both ordered two bottles of beer (they have a good list). Not sure what he got, but I got the Trouble Brewing Graffiti Session Ale. Everything was purely delicious. At first I was apprehensive about the fish swimming in milk, but it actually provided a soft flavour. The mash was probably my favourite part, especially when combined with the haddock. The mussels were lovely but somewhat messy, and we needed extra napkins. We were absolutely stuffed when we finished, and couldn't order dessert for fear of having to roll down the street back to the car. But I've heard that the bread and butter pudding with whiskey sauce is amazing. We were very happy with everything. Of course, the bill was a bit high for my student lifestyle, but it was SO worth it. read more

5 because it's the best meal I've had in Dublin and I love the space itself. 4 because not everything was as good as everything else and the service was slightly bizarre. (And because I tend to review based on my expectations.) Atmosphere/decor: Any restaurant with a big block print of Oscar Wilde and a robins egg blue enamel pepper grinder on the table immediately gets my vote. But it's also got a definitive casual bookish bistro feel that I love. You feel intellectual eating here. Wine, beer, and food specials are up on blackboards that are actually visible from every table (maybe a first?). Matching dark wood floors, tables, chairs, and a little bar that you wish had room to actually sit at. The room is small and the tables are tight, but the way they're set up does not make it feel like you're eating on top of another party. So key. Love that you can see the kitchen through a small diner-esque service area. I think they've done an amazing job with such a small space. The service flow is so, so important in a restaurant and often underestimated. Servers wear adorable white and red striped aprons and owner/manager was so casual-stylish...I wanted to hang out with him. Food/drink: There's so much on this daily changing menu that it's a little overwhelming. And everything sounds amazing. I might suggest editing, but why bother? They do a 2 or 3 course prix fixe which will help you make your choices but I stuck with a la carte. Salad and soup of the day were both pretty perfect and incredibly fresh and simple. I had a smoked fish starter - oh my gosh! Like...a tray of Irish sushi. Brown bread, butter, pickles, capers and a lot of fish (including eel) I had never had smoked before. It was rich and I couldn't finish it, but pretty spectacular. I had a blue cheese polenta entree with veggies which was unfortunately a little boring and a little bitter. Like they couldn't come up with a second vegetarian option. The other veggie option - lamb's cheese and veggies in filo was much, much better. Creative and quite well done. My dad won the best entree award with a venison dish in black cherry reduction with sweet potatoes and kale. So unique and so spectacular! Stew-like textures with an incredible combination of flavors. They have an excellent bottled beer selection (I missed you Belgium) and a good variety of wines by the glass. My glass of rose was just ok and I think a little overpriced. You know when you have an incredible meal and then the dessert falls flat? That is NOT the case at Winding Stair. The only bummer was that they were out of the only chocolate dessert on the menu, so my mother was left without her chocolate fix. I had a cardamom yogurt with pomegranate. I have no words to describe it's simple delectability. A great way to end a meal. Their bread and butter pudding with whiskey sauce is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Order this dessert if it's on the menu! I can no longer order bread and butter pudding anywhere else without being disappointed. Coffee was also good with cute, crispy cookies. Service: this joint is run well. Most of the time I didn't realize I was getting service...which is my favorite way to get it. I'm having a difficult time thinking of anything that was neglected. My only, only complaint was sort of the energy of our server. Everything else about the restaurant was so excellent and I really thought she could have matched the energy of our table. But she came on so strong it was almost rude and when my mother did not understand something about a dish, she just repeated the same thing louder. If anything will make you feel like an idiot, it's that. So yea, she wasn't too good with the questions. Oh and when I called to make a reservation they said yes, but limited my dining time to 2 hours. Eh. I guess... But overall, my kind of place, my kind of food. You're getting the best, freshest ingredients prepared with a lot of expertise and creativity. It's not precious, it's just excellence. When do I get to go back?? read more

What a fabulous place. The food was absolutely outstanding from presentation, taste, variety. Our waitress, Alison, was fantastic. Great views of the Liffey. Fabulous place. It was the best we ate in Dublin and we'll recommended through research for a reason. Try the ish platter appetizer, the strawberry crumble and the delicious potato croquettes. Well done, indeed!! read more

One of my favorite memories of visiting Dublin is going to this restaurant. I got the steak, my sister got the lamb and both meals were absolutely delicious. The waitress was a great help and pairing wines with the meals and the staff in general or a pleasure to meet. The price was actually very reasonable for the food that we got. If you're in the area I definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

Passable food - good only if you cook meat like the English do (until it dies again). Was thrilled to get dinner reservations (good luck getting walk-in tables on the weekend). Ordered black pudding with chorizo for starters, and stuffed pork with rhubarb for main course based on previous yelp recommendations. Mediocre, at best. Black pudding was okay - a bit salty and a bit overcooked, but reasonably enjoyable. My friend apparently scored a hit with the seafood chowder. The condition of the main course was unforgiveable: Pork slice was overcooked dry, with the rhubarb doing little to salvage some internal moisture. In contrast with the super salty chorizo, the meat was actually bland. Overall, the pork tasted like a previously frozen item prepared on a George Foreman grill. Plan was to let the waitstaff know of my disappointment at the customary two-bite status check. Perhaps this is an American phenomenon, but it didn't happen. Like a good soldier, I sawed apart the pork and shoved it down. There was no way I was staying for dessert, particularly with the price tag. The last time I was this disappointed with dinner was when I ordered T-bone steak at the Buckles Family Restaurant in Williams, AZ. Don't get the pork. The fish looked good on a table next to mine - if you must go, try that. read more

I was in Dublin on business. The last night of my stay (Feb. 1, 2018) I invited two of my customers to join me for a drinks and appetizers. We went to the Winding Stair around 6 PM and were seated. When we told the hostess that we weren't very hungry but would like drinks and appetizers, she said loudly and rudely while she said it "Then why did you come here if you weren't hungry?!." Evidently you can only order full three course meals there. My customers and I left and none of us felt the desire to return to this restaurant in the future. It would have been so much nicer if she had simply stated that they only offered three course meals and perhaps had offered some other places to go. I won't be returning this restaurant on my next trip to Dublin. There are too many good restaurants there offering good food AND hospitality. read more

Love Love Love this place. I used to come here before it was a fancy lil restaurant for a cup of tea or some soup. Since then a lot of water has passed under the bridge but this place has not lost any of his quirkiness nor the friendly service. I had booked a table for 2 @ 8. When we arrived our coats and umbrella was taken, we were guided to the table and the specials were pointed out. While we decided on what to eat water was served. The place was busy enough and every single of the 15-20? tables was full. Sometimes in small places with no music and a lot of ppl talking you feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable because you can not understand your company - not here. Even though everyone was talking and had a good time, it was not really noisy. The view was great too - straight onto Ha'penny bridge. Finally we settled on wood pigeon with beetroot, the smoked chicken salad, the cider marinated pork neck and fried portobello mushrooms. Picking the wine was a bit harder - due to the 10 pages wine list and numerous specials listed in the restaurant. The friendly waiter helped us out and we finally settled on my second choice, a fruity Riesling. My BF normally does not eat salad, but he could not stop eating the yummy smoked chicken salad. The chicken was tender, the pears delicious and soft and the salad was darn smoky. Finished of was the whole dish with blue cheese. My wood pigeon was delicious too - very tender and the salad on the side was divine. Just the perfect amount of vinegary dressing to accompany the pigeon perfectly. Then the main courses came and darn - I still dream about this cider marinated pork neck. Juicy and tender with this delicious aftertaste of apples and cider served with an incredible rhubarb sauce. - a rhubarb, cider, apple and meat explosion leaving every single of your taste buds screaming for more, more and even more. Next to the pork the portobello mushrooms went slightly under, still nice to eat though, very light and perfectly rounded due to the layers of potato boxty, spinach, mushrooms and toped with blue cheese. The deserts were fantastic too. We ordered rhubarb crumble and apple & pear cobbler. Both were served hot with ice cream on the side. Tasting the delicious sweet and hot cobbler brought back memories of past christmas in front of a fireplace - the steaming hot dish infused with cinnamon & apples .... hmmmm I can't wait going back for seconds, maybe with a bunch of friends this time since the restaurant can easily accompany groups up to 6. read more

Frenetic activity, wait staff rather abrupt. Food was not of the best quality. Serving a wilted salad with no flavor. Description of food better than the actual meal. Don't bother as there are better places to go. read more

An early lunch in the Winding Stair and I am entirely more sold on it than the bustle and noise of an evening meal there. It's relaxed, airy and the setting as beautiful as ever, especially on a summer day in the city. I had a most delicious salad, a mix of feta, broad bean, chicory and some other things I can't remember but wish I'd taken note of, and its light deliciousness made it a welcome relief from what remains quite a wintry menu in general. It was so crisp and fresh and flavorsome that I will be thinking about why I didn't take note of the full ingredients for some time to come (the waiter told me that if he told me he'd have to kill me, which I considered, but I felt on balance that would be counter productive if I hadn't had a chance to make it at least once beforehand). Didn't get to sample the wine this time but a light lunch like this with a glass o super chilled white wine would be my idea of summer's day heaven, and it's not unreasonable for the level of food you get here. A little more summer on the menu would be welcome too. read more

I adored this restaurant. We went for a casual lunch without a reservation, but probably should have had one. It was quite busy. We opted for the 2 course lunch for €17.85. My husband had a goat cheese terrine (of which I ate half and then licked the plate) and Rose livers (?). I had kidneys on toast and Irish sausages on mustard mashed potatoes. Both were delicious. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because neither of us enjoyed the liver. The Rose flavor was wildly overpowering, but perhaps that is just our taste. Excellent service and perfect atmosphere. read more

I wanted a true Irish food experience so I left my choices up to the chef and I was not disappointed! Additionally, the wine selection is outstanding. If you are in Dublin, I would highly recommend going as it was just as good as going to the top rated restaurants I went to. read more

Food extremely tasty. Portions, for my taste, much too large and too protein heavy. I had a 2 course menu, a smoked trout starter with a veal main course, and each was more than enough animal flesh for a whole dinner. The trout was particularly delicious, as was the brown butter on the veal, but really less (and more veg) would be more - this is a problem in Irish restaurants generally. The room was full of Americans, and I'm one too. The service wasn't great - the room was extremely crowded, and the server couldn't really keep up or keep track. The food was very good, though. read more

Went for a late lunch with a reservation. Had a nice seat overlooking the Liffey (Swim). Food, decor and service were great. Opted for a 2 course special as the menu was a little pricey, yet mouthwatering. The food was delicious. Hope to return. read more

I have read so many great reviews about this place that I had to check it out on our trip to Ireland this summer. The food was absolutely outstanding! I would have given it 5 stars but a few things annoyed me: 1. When they first seated us, we were right by the kitchen and the door to the bathroom AND there was a big lamp that my head kept bumping into! We asked to be moved. 2. It was really crowded and warm- they should have turned up the AC. 3. The tables were really close together so I could hear everyone's conversations and it was hard to get up and go to the restroom. read more

Wonderful dishes with a great wine list in a cozy, romantic atmosphere with a lovely view of the Liffey and Hapenny Bridge. Fabulous!

My wife and I had lunch at The Winding Stair. We both food the wait staff and management to be very friendly and helpful. The food was outstanding. I had the Irish fish stew. It was a marriage of mussels and smoked fish. It could give the best Boston clam chowder a run for its money. Try the duck with Irish potatoes cake or the haddock both excellent. The food here has many notes and the chef does a great job in creating combinations which are flavor packed. The presentation is beautiful. Well worth a stop if your in Dublin. read more

My family loved the restaurant. Had a cozy atomsphere with friendly staff. We loved the chicken liver pate, our entrees and dessert. Yum!!

Great seafood chowder, lousy service. We looked up 'Best seafood chowder in Dublin' and this was the top hit. As it was a block from the apartment where we were staying we decided to stop in and try the chowder before heading out to tour the Ciy. Up the (not exactly) winding stair we went and into the restaurant where we were greeted by a lady who may have been the owner. We spotted about four empty tables in the room which had maybe 14 tables of varying sizes. As there were three of us I figured we could get a two plus one or a four. The lady asked if we had a reservation and we said we didn't. She gave us the 'well you're out of luck' kind of concerned expression so I explained we just wanted to try the chowder and wouldn't be there long. So, after hemming and hawing with herself for a bit she reluctantly sat us down at a four seater and we were in. There was one waitress milling about clearing plates and bringing dishes. We were sat three feet from the (I'll call her 'owner') owner a good seven or eight minutes before we had to flag down the waitress and ask for drinks. We got zero attention from either of them up to that point even though I could have reached out and touched the owner and the waitress drifted past a couple of times. Water came and we were sat again for a few minutes. I was thinking that as she'd squeezed us into her packed afternoon she'd be motivated to get us fed and out the door. Apparently not. We managed to order the chowder which came after at least another ten minutes. As they're known for it I'd have thought they'd have a cauldron bubbling in the back and it'd be right out but maybe it's made to order. It was worth the wait. Superb taste and full of goodies. We collectively pulled about 30 mussels out and asked for a spare plate to pile the shells on. While we ate another couple came in and were asked the same questions about reservations. They didn't have one but were immediately sat down at a window table ( a table which could have had a third seat propped at the end for a tight 3 seater). As we were finishing up an American couple came in and asked if they could order wine at the window and enjoy the view. They got some line about bars and restaurants having different rules and they couldn't order wine without food and were basically booted out and told to try the wine bar on the corner. I'd have had them sit down and browse the menu. Glasses of wine can turn into full meals if the view and ambience is nice enough. Another table of four in the back corner decided to up and move and were seated at a window table also. Overall I wouldn't go back. Snotty attitude from the owner and indifferent or inexperienced waitress. The chowder was excellent but not worth the hassle. Being told you can't sit down and then seeing others being sat right down or switching tables is annoying. Disclaimer, not that it should matter: We're not the Sex pistols, just three 40 something brothers dressed in button down shirts and clean jeans, definitely non threatening/rowdy/broke. As were were very close to the owner's perch while she was going through her book I could hear her chuntering away. None of the reservations she almost refused us a table for had showed up. We'd told her we wanted a bowl of chowder and would be quick. Missed reservations, us almost bailing and then her turning the Americans away would cost her around 150 euro at least ( not cheap food) and save from getting a mediocre review. read more