2 Best Restaurants in Dublin, Ireland

Even with its location in a relatively unfashionable corner of the city, this high-end bistro has the natives traveling miles to get a treasured table. The five-course set menu manages to be daring and traditional at the same time, with game and fish transformed in particularly ingenious ways. The decor is warm and woody and avoids even a hint of stuffiness, but the food is the star here, with Nordic-type snacks to begin, and mains like the shockingly good black sole with parsley velouté and collard greens. 

While the bistro food at this Ballsbridge stalwart is always top-class, it's the jovial atmosphere and superb service that keep locals coming back. It's famed for the wine list, with great options by the glass, and that certainly helps to explain the wonderful buzz that always seems to be about this popular neighborhood place. For a starter try the Dublin Bay prawn bisque. The grilled hake with linguine, wild mushrooms, artichokes, and tarragon cream is a standout main course.