Best Restaurants in Dublin: Where to Eat by Budget

Dublin has one of the broadest restaurant scenes in Ireland, so the smart way to choose is by budget and area. This list covers six places and one shortcut, then a table to match them to your evening.

1. Winding Stair: Irish cooking by the river

Winding Stair is a good choice for a relaxed Irish dinner on the north bank of the Liffey, at 40 Lower Ormond Quay. Its own site describes old-fashioned home cooking with seasonal Irish produce from artisan suppliers. It serves lunch Wednesday to Sunday and dinner every day, and you book online or by phone. The site lists a value lunch at €45 for two courses and €50 for three, and it adds a 12.5% service charge for parties of five or more.

Published prices for a mid-range restaurant meal in Dublin ran from €19 to €50 per person in the 2026 Dublin Travel Cost Study. Winding Stair's lunch sits inside that range, and its dinner mains reach past it.

If you are drinking in the old centre afterwards, the pubs of dublin bar temple are a short walk south of the river. That area is busy and touristy, so eat first and drink second.

Pro Tip Book Winding Stair for lunch if the dinner prices feel high, because the two-course lunch is €45 on its own menu.

2. Chapter One: a chef's dining room on Parnell Square

Chapter One is the splurge on this list, and it suits a special night. It sits at 18-19 Parnell Square and its website presents the food of chef Mickael Viljanen. The site does not print menu prices on the home page, so open the lunch and dinner menus before you choose. You reserve through its online form or by phone.

Plan a full evening here. A tasting-style meal is not a quick stop before a show.

3. Etto: small plates near St Stephen's Green

Etto is a compact restaurant at 18 Merrion Row, Dublin 2, close to St Stephen's Green. Its site says it serves dinner Monday to Saturday and lunch Thursday to Saturday, and it is closed on Sundays and bank holidays. The page does not print prices or a booking rule, so check its menu page and reservations link before you go. Come on a weekday if you want the best chance of a table.

4. Brother Hubbard: brunch and coffee

Brother Hubbard is the pick for a late breakfast or an easy lunch. It has a Capel Street branch north of the river, a Ranelagh branch and a Portobello branch on Harrington Street. All are open seven days a week, according to its site. It serves brunch, lunch, coffee and baked treats, with a changing lunch menu.

The site lists no hours per branch, so look before you walk across town. This is a daytime spot, not a dinner place.

5. Leo Burdock: classic fish and chips

Leo Burdock is the cheap and easy answer when you want a proper Irish takeaway. Its site describes freshly prepared fish and chips with takeaway, collection and delivery. The page shows no prices or opening hours, and its locations page lists the shops.

In Things to Do in Dublin's count of GetYourGuide listings on 25 October 2026, 8 listings name food in their title, from €27.5 to €116.46 per person. Compare that with a chipper supper and you can see why many visitors eat cheaply on most days and book one bigger meal.

6. The Temple Bar pub kitchen: a meal with live music

The Temple Bar pub serves food as well as pints, so you can eat in the middle of the busiest district. Its own site gives kitchen hours of 10:30 to 20:00 Monday to Thursday, 10:30 to 19:00 Friday and Saturday, and 12:30 to 20:00 on Sunday. It takes no bookings or reservations. The pub does not print prices on the page read, so expect tourist-area pricing and check the menu on the day.

7. A food tour: the shortcut for your first night

A guided food tour is the easiest way to eat well in Dublin if you do not want to research restaurants. The street food tour with a local guide is run by Walking Food Tours - Dublin, lasts 3 hours and costs from €28 per person. It is rated 4.9 from 457 reviews, with free cancellation. Food and drink are not included, and its page says the average spend on food is €25.

For tastings that are already included, the Delicious Walking Food Tour is run by Delicious Dublin Tours. It lasts 3 hours, starts at the Spire on O'Connell Street and costs from €90 per person. It is rated 4.8 from 257 reviews, with free cancellation. It is not suitable for vegans, pregnant women, children under 18 or people with mobility impairments.

A third option is the walking food tour with a local chef, run by Golden Ticket Tours. It is a small group tour with tastings at 7 or more venues and costs from €100 per person, with free cancellation. It is not suitable for wheelchair users or people with food or nut allergies. None of these tours includes hotel pickup, and they are walking tours, so they are a poor fit if standing for 3 hours is hard.

Prices and ratings as shown on GetYourGuide on 25 October 2026.

A good meal in a new city teaches you more than a sight does.

How to choose the best restaurants in Dublin

Choose by budget first, then by how much time you have. The table matches each place to an evening.

If you want a guided evening, walking food tour dublin options compare the tastings, group sizes and starting points side by side.

Key Takeaway Book one sit-down dinner such as Winding Stair, eat cheaply on other days, and choose a €28 food tour if you want a guided first night.

Be careful with the cheapest option. A list is no substitute for a menu, and prices change, so check each venue's own site before you set out.