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The Pav is Trinity College Dublin's only drinking hole at the moment, and as the summer approaches is really the only one needed. The bar itself is horrid.
I'm recommending it on the strength that it is the best place to drink outside in central Dublin, legally.
On a Thursday and more so on a Friday there will be literally thousands of people, students, office slaves and more, sitting in the sun drinking. Drinks can be bought at the bar- 4 cans of larger for €8 - or more often brought in. Sometimes there's cricket on, and you can laze and look at that, or the stunning Berkley Library full of studying students, all wishing they were down on the grass next to you.
Other activities might include an impromptu kick about, impromptu sing-a-long, frisbee game, streaker and other studenty type activities.
Food and other drinks available and there's a very limited selection of beers and stouts on tap, but buying drink in there seems against the whole spirit of the thing.
The Pavilion Bar,
Trinity College Dublin,
It's the yellowish building facing on to the cricket pitch.
It's an hilarious Dublin guide filled with serious tips.
Huge bookshop with a vast, if slightly populist, selection and decent discounts. Certainly one of the best in town for scale and economy, there's a decent if slightly overpriced second hand section as well.
Parnell Street, North of the river
Nepalese restaurant: really interesting food. Another of the rare restaurants where you can have a short set menu for an excellent lunch or early evening meal for 20 Euros.
28 Eustace St,Temple Bar,Dublin 2.
Phone:(01) 670-4911
Lebanese restaurant with some interesting and different dishes. One of the relatively few places where you can get a quality early evening meal for less than 20 Euros - but it goes up a lot after 7pm.
11a St Andrew Street Dublin 2 (01) 677 2121
Elegant well-restored Georgian building with Arts & Crafts murals and giant coat of arms in Rotunda, with some really good restaurants close by. Don't forget the official measurement outside on the wall.
Cork Hill, Dame Street, Dublin 2
It is a 3 star hotel right in the city centre. If you are planning a trip to Dublin it is worth basing yourself there. It is 3 star so you get what you pay for (we only paid €70 for the room) but the location is great. We were able to do our shopping head back and drop off the bags and head out again. The staff were always friendly. Thumbs up.
Eating out in Dublin can be really expensive, so we looked out for quiet bistro-type places with special offer lunch menus.
We got 2-3 courses, sometimes with a free glass of house red for as little as eight euros a head, great service and fairly quiet and huge portions.
Evening menu's were pretty much the same but cost over 20 euros a head! Temple Bar had enough resaurants to last us the 5 days we were in Dublin, yum! Then there was a fantastic ice crem parlour on the walk back to our hostel - believe me, by this time, we needed the walk!
Temple Bar is a good area of Dublin to find small good quality restaurants, particularly Italian.
Excellent authentic Thai food in a very relaxed and cozy atmosphere.
Great value early bird menu between 6-8pm. Often quiet, but fills up on the weekends.
No bookings taken.
Anne's Lane, just of South Anne Street, which itself is just off Grafton Street.
Excellent website for finding budget accommodation worldwide. Online information and booking for hostels, budget hotels, guesthouses, B&Bs, apartments, pensions, campsites etc.
Most of the accommodation listed has visitor ratings too!
Student-type bar near the premier art college in Ireland. Good drinks promotions and music nights with djs in the bar and in the basement. Small, atmospheric, cheap and friendly.
Thomas Street
We wouldn't actually recommend this hotel, it was not good. I know you don't expect luxury in a budget hotel but when you spend the amount of money we did on our room, we would have loved to sleep in a room that was not suffering a major damp problem.
Tea and coffee in our room would have been good, instead of out of a machine, in a polystyrene cup that we had to go down 3 flights of stairs, (no lift), to get.
A full Irish breakfast does not consist of a plate of rubbery scrambled egg with a couple of bits of toasts. There was fruit scones and croissants on offer, but fresh not stale would have been really nice. To sum it up, we will NOT be stayimg there again!
Lower Gardiner Street, Dubin 2
D&C is an 'enoteco' serving wonderful Italian food and a host of wines by the glass. Service is with a smile and staff are knowledgeable and concerned that you enjoy the food. Busy, buzzy, cheap and never fails to cheer.
Just off Nassau Street, close to Trinity College and Grafton Street
www.dunneandcrescenzi.com
14/16 South Frederick Street,
City Centre D2
Tel: 01 677 3815 / 675 9892
The Amnesty International café, right in the heart of Temple Bar, is an oasis of calm (not to mention intellect and compassion) in an area dominated by overpriced restaurants and “pubs” stuffed with stag nights and rugby fans. Good strong and cheap coffee, tasty food, great reading material and much more besides, this place sticks out like a sane thumb.
Address: 48 Fleet Street, Dublin 2.
Telephone: (353-1)6776361
Website: www.amnesty.ie
Email: info@amnesty.ie
Opening hours: Monday-Saturday, 10:00-18:00.
The best way to get in to Dublin is on the Airlink. And if you're in Dublin for a weekend, buy a Rambler ticket for 3 days for 10.50euro. Bargain.
A modern creperie - boasting two branches either side of Grafton St - that serves tasty French treats in a variety of sweet and savoury flavours as well as toasted sandwiches. The main reason that I visit is for the coffee, which I believe to be the best in Dublin.
Dawson St, South William St
A small chain of cafe bars offering quality and value for money. The two city centre ones are in lovely old buildings, and they combine a nice old-fashioned character with a quality range of Italian influenced food. They don't take bookings, but have an efficient queuing system, so they are probably one of the best places to go if you find yourself without a booking on a Friday or Saturday night.
South Great George's Street and Grafton Street
www.cafebardeli.ie
This pub has possibly the most intimidating exterior in Dublin and indisputably the most horrible interior (all flock wallpaper and smelly carpets). The owner doesn't help by only opening when he feels like it. But for some odd reason, it's a great little place, with a surprisingly funky clientele, often made up of Spanish and Italian students who live locally. Also, it's cheap.
Corner of Parnell Street and Marlborough Street
Moore Street has become the centre of the new multicultural Ireland. There are lots of traditional old stalls (probably the cheapest place to buy meat and vegetables in Dublin), but there is also an amazing collection of shops and restaurants owned and run by the Chinese, Russian, and African communities.
Moore Street is just off Henry Street, leading to Parnell Street
A tiny place, and a somewhat bizarre hybrid of Chinese takeaway and Irish greasy spoon cafe. But it's cheap, friendly, and the Chinese food is surprisingly good.
Capel Street
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