Nestled in the multicultural area of Dublin 1, Lee's Charming Noodles is an unassuming, "blink and…read moreyou'll miss it" little cafe, but don't let its unassuming exterior fool you: it's a Dublin favorite with flavorful dishes that pack a punch. Once inside, the space is compact yet welcoming, with cramped and casual seating, and simple décor that makes you feel like you've stepped into a local favourite rather than a tourist trap. The vibe is relaxed and informal: great for a quick lunch, casual dinner, or late-night noodle craving. At around 7:30pm on Valentine's Day, my party of four arrived at the restaurant, which was packed full. However, the lady at the counter told us that our wait would be shorter if we divided up into parties of two; with two tables, we ended up only waiting about ten minutes. The menu is extensive, with the eponymous noodles (with a variety of soups, fried dishes, etc.), various proteins, and vegetables. Each table comes with salt, pepper, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil to doctor up your dishes as you'd like, which we appreciated. We ordered their House Special Pan-Fried Noodle (€17.80), with beef, chicken, pork, and prawns. It didn't seem like a large portion, but it was surprisingly filling, and not overly greasy, despite being fried. The noodles maintained an al-dente toothsomeness, soaking up a savory, almost gravy-like sauce, and all of the meat/prawns were cooked nicely. The Szechuan Style Mapo Tofu (€13.80) was truly a surprising delight; a staple dish in almost every Chinese restaurant, Lee's version is absolutely lovely. The tofu is soft and pillowly, soaking up an addictive sauce with that numbing mala spice that keeps you coming back for more. Rice is extra (€2.50), but I would highly recommend it to mix with the mapo tofu. Their Hot & Sour Braised Beef Noodle Soup (€11.80, extra €2 to switch to flat and extra wide hand-pulled noodles) was delicious; topped with succulent chunks of melt-in-your-mouth braised beef, bok choy, and hand-pulled extra-wide noodles soaked up the spicy, acidic broth with a hit of vinegar. Additionally, their Chicken Noodle (€11.80) was another hit; it's a warm, comforting, clean broth, with tender slices of dark meat chicken, and we ordered it with rice noodles. We absolutely loved our meal at Lee's; it's the kind of place where the focus is squarely on the food rather than ambience, and the atmosphere reflects that. We didn't expect to find such a hidden gem (and perhaps the best Chinese food we've had in Europe), offering generous portions and satisfying flavors without a hefty bill. Certainly a recommendation if you're in the area!

Quiet during lunch, clean tables…read more Braised beef noodle soup was delicious. Beef was tender and was very flavorful. Highly recommended!

Great Thai food in Dublin. Definitely a hang out place for…read morethe tech bros. Ample portions and great flavor. Excellent Tom Yam soup. Massaman Curry was very flavorful without out being overwhelmingly spicy.

Wow! My first time here and it was awesome! The food was well prepared and exactly what I hoped…read morefor. The service was spectacular and the kitchen was super clean and efficient. That staff was so perceptive that they saw that I wanted something and brought it to me before I could ask for it. If I lived in Dublin I would be a regular. Nice ambiance as well.

There are reasons I know I'm getting old, aside from the fact that the birthdays just keep crashing…read morein likes waves. One is my failing sight after years of relying on my eyes and my eyes alone to read. Another perhaps less common garden variety is the internal meltdown I face when confronted with a lot of menu choice in restaurants. If you identify with the latter, you may wish to save yourself a lot of hassle and simply choose the set menu here. If not, be warned, the a la carte alternative is complex, and for your own sake don't arrive tired or emotional. This is a prime mental condition eating experience. Famed Dublin restauranteur Dylan McGrath is an ideas man. His restaurants are as much about concept as they are about food, and though I'm sure there's a big heart in there, the head rules. If you want proof, study the menu. Across the top are taste categories (bitter, salty, sweet, etc.). Down the left are dish categories. So you scale down, then across, to see what combination of taste and texture your dish offers. And there are lots of choices. And a huge variety of prices. But what's less clear is quantity. And I was hungry and wanted to know I'd get an oul dinner into me before that difficult hungry phase that reduces my brain to mush and makes me want to howl like a baby. The very friendly waitress reassured us that though the menu seems complex first time round, after you've done it once, it's a breeze. (That's how I cottoned on to the fact that the wait staff here have post docs in maths.) Full marks for trying though. No less than two members of staff talked us through things, and they really did their best - did I sense concern that people are having difficulty getting it? Whichever - in the end, it was all too much for me - cue set menu. So, to my relief, for forty euros, you can certainly expect to leave full, with sushi starters - ok, it's not called sushi, it's the long one with the piece of fish on top of the rice (though more wasabi, please) -,delicious miso with clams and those delicate long-stemmed mushrooms that definitely have a name, beef skewers with rice (too much rice already) and potato main, and desert. The food presentation is beautiful, served on marble slabs and in delicate ceramics, with a Japanese-influenced simplicity. I thought the restaurant was Japanese from the menu but see from the website there are Spanish and South American influences too - not very obvious to me but then again I flunked the menu test. The sushi that isn't sushi was yummy, especially the turbot which was a smoky hit of flavour, and the sea bass, with a smooth texture that melts on the tongue. The beef is served on a mini-BBQ which, like the mushrooms, has a proper name. (The only problem with this method of on-table serving is being smoked out of it by the table next door who's got too much fuel on the fire.) If you want your steak more than medium rare, just cook on. My steak was a slightly mixed experience being a bit fatty, though my partner didn't have the same issue. Desert was ginger panna cotta, with melon granita, which was light yet intense in flavour and delicious. We had tried to book Rustic Stone, the restaurant downstairs, but it was full and they suggested we try Taste. We didn't know it was Japanese-influenced and I think they took this on board upon seeing our menu-bafflement and offered a glass of wine on the house. Fair enough. If I returned I'd be armed with a more rested brain (like I'd give it a full day off beforehand, take it to the pictures, buy it flowers, tell it it was looking great) and I would square right up to that a la carte menu, look it in the eye and plainly demand to know its tofu options, the brute, and I wouldn't take no for an answer. The Japanese are masters of simplicity, so ultimately I agree if for different reasons that Taste is not a Japanese restaurant. But the food largely made up for it, the service was good, it's a relaxing place to eat, and if the head wins over the heart, there's no denying it's a decent head. If you don't believe me, just look in the window where its image hangs pride of place, presumably so you know who best to talk to if you need anything explained.

In expectation of my arrival in Dublin for a 17 day visit, my sister sent me Taste as a potential…read moredinner option while I was staying with her. Coincidentally, I had a hankering for sushi on the first night and so after snagging a reservation, off we went to Taste. The restaurant was located on the third floor of Rustic Stone. We were seated at the sushi bar for dinner. The bar itself was different from those that I've experienced in the US where the cooking area is lower so you have a view of what the chef is making; however, the bar seating at Taste was also way roomier than most in the US. My sister and I opted for the €60 omakase - I requested the umami miso and the duck broth, while my sister had the regular miso and the salmon broth - and added on some toro nigiri. We also ordered cocktails - the Eastern Promise and the Gin Garden - which were excellent. The meal was excellent! The nigiri combinations were sometimes surprising but they worked well. The quality of the fish was also very good. I loved the broth and cooking the duck breast myself - it was so rich and the flavours were deep and well-developed. For the "light dessert" they brought out three options: a cheesecake, a coconut ice cream, and a ginger flan. The cheesecake actually had this odd cheese (not cream cheese or ricotta) taste but my sister and I were obsessed. Minus one star for the service because although everyone was super super nice, it was slooooooow. Our meal took about 3 hours. Not that we minded but just be wary that you might be here awhile! However, the meal meal was excellent and my sister and I agreed that between us there was nothing on the menu that we wouldn't order.

Tucked away in a little alley, this small "hole-in-the-wall" cafe is a hidden gem. I got a veggie…read morebreakfast sandwich and it was delicious. The eggs were light and fluffy, the cheese was soft and smoky, and the sourdough bread was chewy but also toasty. The sandwich was quite big. I wasn't sure I would finish it, but quickly did after the first bite. The hours at this cafe are variable. They do not have a website listing the hours, and Google and Yelp cannot consistently keep up with their hours as they change on a whim. Currently, the hours listed on their board says Monday-Friday 8:30AM-3:00PM, but it was not open this past Monday when I walked by. They serve breakfast from 8:30AM-10:30AM and lunch 12PM-3:00PM. It's probably best to call first to see if they are open. Hope this helps!

Walk down and alley and think you aren't gonna find a place and then this sneaks up. Fresh baked…read moregoods and a breakfast sandwich that was unreal. Felt good to sit outside and eat it. The service was great and they were quick.

I waited too long to review so some of the details escape me. Such as the appetizer we shared:…read moreConfit Pork Shoulder Croquettes, with quince puree, pickled shittake, and celeriac remoulade. The entrees were more memorable. I had the Fillet Of Irish Beef. I hardly ever order filet mignon but I'm glad I did. It may well be the best I've ever had. With Café de Paris butter, shallot pureé, pepper sauce, rocket (arugula), and a side of french fries. The flavor of the meat itself was incredible and the three sauces complemented it perfectly. It was cooked to a perfect medium rare as ordered. French fries aren't normally something to get excited about but these were a gastronomic masterpiece; the insides soft and sweet, not starchy, the outsides browned and subtly crisp, and I don't know what they were fried in but these had so much flavor it must have been beef tallow or duck fat. I'd come here again just to have a platter of these amazing fries! The wife's Coq Au Vin Façon La Maison (chicken breast braised in red wine, smoked bacon, mushrooms, baby onions, roast carrot, pomme purée) was equally memorable. I've never considering ordering this, thinking it too simple or plain. Not this. The red wine sauce really elevated a simple braised chicken. And how do they make even a simple carrot taste so good? We each had a wine from the ample selection of by the glass offerings and shared a gingery dessert which we both enjoyed. The service was good and not rushed. Just don't be intimidated by the waiter, who announced when he brought the bill that tip was not included; it seems this could have been handled more subtly.

It was a blustery grey Dublin day -- one of our last in the city as we prepared to head to France…read morefor a month. What better place to celebrate than at a French bistro in Dublin? La Maison was a delight! It was rainy but we wanted to sit outside, and there's a covered outdoor area with lots of smaller 2- and 4-top tables, so we were seated there. It is on a side street in downtown Dublin, so not as busy as main streets but still lots of food traffic, which added to the lively ambience. It was cold outside, but we stayed warm under here. We had a lovely meal. We started with a bread basket and shared shrimp appetizer, which were both great. For the main course, I ordered the duck breast, which was prepared perfectly. My husband had the steak which was also cooked nicely. To drink, we had a couple of glasses of wine each; La Maison has a solid wine menu with lots of delicious French wines and a few Italian wines as well. The service was pleasant and friendly, and the prices were just about right for the food and wine quality. Overall we had a lovely experience and would dine here again.

Visited 3/28/26. Made a reservation in advance which worked well for a group of 5 of us. I really…read moreenjoyed their lemonade although they had some great cocktail options also. Ended up ordering spring rolls, red curry, and pad Thai. Everything tasted pretty solid and there was a lot of attention to detail. Wasn't an experience I would rave about but overall it was good!

Nice area near Temple Bar and Trinity College. Intended on dining at a different place nearby but…read morewhen we saw that it was empty, walked around a bit. Lots of choices in the area. Saw this place was busy and after checking Yelp, stepped on in. We were seated right away. Pleasant hostess and server. Tried the chicken satay appetizer. Good portion of chicken with a mild, but thick, peanut sauce coating the chicken. I tried the garlic pepper chicken. It had fresh, well cooked veggies with a light sauce. Chicken was ok. Came with white rice but should have ordered the fried rice for more flavor. Son ordered the Pad Thai and the portion size was good. Not bad, not great. Solid four stars.

Excellent Christmas dinner. A whole group of us came here…read morefor the holiday. The restaurant set up 2 large tables for us to eat together. The traditional Christmas dinner of turkey and ham was excellent. My dinner was the pan fried sea bream with shrimp. It was excellent. We finished wiht the Christmas sticky pudding and a spoon war to get the last bite. Superb service. I am likely return here again and know that everything will be excellent.

Dined there for Sunday brunch. Got seated by a huge window overlooking the patio. It was very…read morebusy but the hostess/manage came over and told us to have something at the buffet while we were waiting for our food from the menu. Eggs Benedict was delicious, poached eggs were perfect on top. Would go again next time in Dublin.

This place shocked me!…read more I found San Lorenzo's via Yelp, so thank you Yelpers! It is one of the few places in Dublin that takes American Express cards. So you can leave home without it when you come here When we asked if they had a table they said only if you are up from the table in an hour. We were hungry so we agreed The environment is dark and tasteful and lively The wine list is not good, but the food and the staff make up for everything The avocado and caprese salad was awesome The shrimp in wine sauce was off the charts delicious The chicken breast wrapped in prosciutto was delicious and the polenta and creamed corn were spectacular The monk fish wrapped in crispy pancetta on a bed of pesto basil was amazing To top it off we had the Nutella cheesecake with Carmel sauce and gelato with biscotti crumbs on top- this was surreal!!! All this and we were done with all the food, a bottle of wine and cappuccinos in an hour and never felt rushed If you are in the mood for Italian food, come to San Lorenzo's

The monthly special starter (Wild Mushroom Risotto) was amazing. Probably one of the best risottos…read moreI have ever had. We almost ordered another. After finishing the starter, it took a bit too long for the main dish to come out. Once it did come out, we were kind of full from the first dish. The wife for the Zucchini Primvera. The pasta seemed liked it could have been cooked a bit more. It probably needed another minute or so before it was Al Dente. Overall, the food was good and I would come back for sure.