Eating out in Ireland 2025

Bocadilloo

I dined out twice this weekend. First occasion was a booking & the second a spur of the moment.

Noticed for quite a while now that the standard on offer is pathetic. This weekend confirmed again.

Service from waiting staff is non existent. You know you're in for a crap experience when you need to wave down someone just to give your order. And call them later on when they've forgotten your drinks.

And then the price. If you're going to charge outrageous prices, at least offering half decent service might account for it.

Both restaurants i visited this weekend will not be getting repeat business from me. The portion sizes from both establishments were extremely tight. One main course was practically a starter.

I can realistically see eating out being a thing of the past in a few years. To any restaurants out there, if you can't offer decent service and acceptable meal portions due to cost etc. etc. then close the hell up instead of shafting everyone who comes through your door looking to support local business.

All we hear is this is the cost of Ireland these days. Have had enough of the country entirely at this point. Rip off everywhere.

Water John

Best to do some research before making decisions. It applies to any facet of life.

Bocadilloo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570497#Comment_123570497

It's everywhere though. The standard of service is not there anymore. Businesses say they can't get staff, so they hire completely inexperienced people. If the increased price is for the experience of dining out, you can't offer bad service, skimp on portions and then overcharge people.

jackboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058417501/eating-out-in-ireland-2025

I know of a couple of places locally that offer great service, decent food with good prices. These are not fine dining but places to go to get fed and they excel at what they are trying to do.

Such places have gotten so rare in recent years. The last fine dining place I went to actually had great service and food but the prices were eye watering, so high that it kind of ruined the experience, which did not happen in the past even when I was on much lower wages.

Agent_47

I don’t bother with restaurants anymore in Ireland, much better service and experience abroad

Former Former Former

What’s the point of the thread like?

Unspecified restaurants in unnamed town are crap?

If the OP doesn’t go out enough to know where is good or can’t be arsed to do a 30 second Google review search, I’m not sure what help this thread can be to him.

If it’s just a generic whinging thread, I’m not sure boards needed another of those.

Rubberchikken

I've eaten twice recently in the bar part of a large international hotel in centre of limerick. Both times while the good is very good and portions are ample, the service haslet the establishment down each time.

I'm always fair and polite to service staff. No reason not to be and am patient with new servers but it's taking the pee when you wait and wait fir even a menu with staff sailing past on a regular basis without seemingly a clue.

YYes I could ask but a good server never needsthat. its part of excellent training that shows.

It's a little thing but it did spoil the lunch a little.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570606#Comment_123570606

I can't agree that bad service is everywhere. If anything I've noticed service greatly improved in the past couple of years. You're going to the wrong places.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570688#Comment_123570688

You mean the site has other uses? 😂

Personally I don't really trust Google reviews anymore as it's too easy to just pay someone to get you a few hundred 5 star ratings and bounce your average up

Same goes the other way, you can review bomb the competitors to get yourself a boost

I do agree without context of the restaurants names and locations then the thread isn't worth much

DellyBelly

I really thought that this was about something else when i saw the title...ah well

wildwillow

I think it comes down to training. I was recently served a scone and coffee in a well regarded local establishment. It has recently changed management within the family and now it is an expensive disaster. Waited ages for service and was presented with an under cooked scone and mediocre coffee. Server didn't remark on the fact that three people barely tasted their scone and just collected the plates. I asked for a manager but no one was available. Just paid, having made a protest about the inedible food. The servers were all very young so pointless and unfair to argue with them. Cost per person was almost €10.

I won't be visiting the place again.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123571786#Comment_123571786

Training and motivation I'd say

Hospitality jobs are pretty awful. Even if all the customers are polite (let's be honest, they aren't) it's still hard labour and long hours

Doing all that for minimum wage isn't going to encourage anyone to put in more than the bare minimum of effort

If your prospects are doing a load of back breaking and abusive work in return for going nowhere, then personally I can't blame anyone for checking out of the system

There's also so much job mobility in that space that I suspect managers aren't interested in putting in more than the bare minimum to training

I think the hospitality industry here is in a death spiral, and frankly it's well deserved. We've all these oversized restaurants with pretensions of grandeur and prices to match

Do we really need another high priced burger bar or fancy chicken sandwich place? Is there no other business that could use that space?

I could see in a few years the industry shrinking down to much smaller cafeteria or takeaway type places with just a few big restaurants around the place

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123571786#Comment_123571786

The last sentence is the killer. If enough people have your experience, then the place is doomed. (If you know the family concerned then why not have a quiet word with one of them?)

cmac2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570688#Comment_123570688

A quick Google review because that's a reliable option these days😂.

mumo3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123571906#Comment_123571906

IMHO the increase of over priced burger vans and fancy chicken sandwich shops are those in their late teens/ early 20's are the only ones with disposable incomes. Very few of them are into the pomp and ceremony of going out to dinner, they want pub grub or a food truck on a sunny day in St. Stephens Green park.

In relation to higher prices & smaller portions, maybe 2/3 years ago I'd have went out once a week for dinner, now I'm lucky if its 2/3 times a year. I noticed in my local eatery the steak sandwich which would be my safe go to went from 8oz sandwich for €18.95 has gone to 6oz @ €20.95. Now the quality is still there but still either reduce the size or increase the price not both.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572016#Comment_123572016

I suspect mined beef and chicken are also somewhat cheaper than steak. Having a smaller menu is also a good way to keep costs down

The warehouse style of modern restaurants is also a good way to make the place easier to keep clean, reducing labour costs

I don't object to any of these in principle, but when there's 5 similar looking places on a street in Dublin and they're all still quite expensive then I wonder what the point is

I agree that eating out in a restaurant is rapidly becoming a luxury that gets enjoyed a few times a year max. It is very frustrating when you see the price increasing and the quality of food and venue dipping at the same time

I don't see any real solution however. Any tax breaks that have been given just immediately end up in the pocket of the restaurant owner. Any reduction in wages or worker protection just makes an already awful job worse

There might be wiggle room in things like council rates, but not sure that'll do much

It would be nice to see a relaxation of alcohol licensing and prices to match the continent. Honestly anyone who would engage in workday drinking to the point of impairing themselves is probably already doing so regardless of the law

wildwillow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123571939#Comment_123571939

Don't know the family well enough. I previously took it off my list of places to visit when the prices became outrageous. So I thought I would give the new version a visit but I am not likely to repeat the experiment.

There are two other cafes in the vicinity, and one outshines the others in relation to pricing, menu and reliability. Guess where most of the locals are to be found?

mumo3

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572058#Comment_123572058

Agree with the above, when they reduced the VAT rate never noticed a change in menu prices. I also wonder what the rents must be on those places on Dublin streets as their menu cost do be eye watering for basic items. You really are paying a staggering amount for the convenience of not having to cook at home.

The only solution is people start using their feet to eat elsewhere, and let these places close. I know its harsh and you'll have them on the radio complaining that the government did nothing for them, but they think nothing of gouging their customers.

Dtoffee

As Mumo3 says, don't eat in places where you think the prices are too high… but I suspect many restaurants match prices so unless people stop eating out, it will not change.

We used to eat out a fair bit, but have cut back a lot as even the places we considered good value have gone overboard with their prices. I am aware the cost of food has risen considerably, but €15/20 for starters and €45+ for a main course along with the mark up on drinks and deserts has seen us entertain more at home rather than spend over the odds on a night out.

What I noticed is restaurants close, but another opens just as quick and there certainly is no scarcity of options to eat out so someone is making money.

John_Rambo

I find restaurant service to be extremely good in Ireland compared to other European countries.

bureau2009

Dining out is such bad value.

Much more pleasure in eating at home at this stage.

And you save a fortune 😉

Bocadilloo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570688#Comment_123570688

The point of the thread is to gauge if this is a common theme around the country or a more localised issue. I suspect it's country wide. I don't need to name and shame the businesses involved just for your nosiness. You obviously cared enough to read and comment on the thread yet offered nothing constructive. The establishments are in Mayo, west of Ireland, if that satisfies your need to pinpoint the offenders.

As for a Google review, you may go back to early 2000s when that was of benefit😂

Geuze

In some large restaurants in central Paris, main courses are available from under 10 euro to 12.80

Compare that to prices in Dublin.

https://bouillonlesite.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BouillonRepu_FR.pdf

triggermortis

A lot of restaurants have priced themselves out of my custom these days. Between poor service, poor menu and high cost, I'd usually rather eat at home. We have a few places we know that we will use the odd time we're out and fancy something to eat, but the days of just trying places has gone for us. We tend to use personal recommendations as a guide rather than web based guides more now as well

antimatterx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123570606#Comment_123570606

I agree. A bug bear of mine is being shown my table, give menus and them walking off without taking a drinks order. I don't want to order drinksm10 minutes later with food

nachouser

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572898#Comment_123572898

Ah yeah, the menu looks dirt cheap but it's a 450 cover spot. It's a complete outlier to compare it to anything in Ireland.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123572622#Comment_123572622

True but sometimes I get fed up of cooking 😉

I would tend towards a high quality takeaway these days rather than a meal out

Generally just as good and much cheaper. I also find there's a better range of options, lots of nice Asian or Middle Eastern takeaway restaurants

I do like being able to skip the cleanup when I go out though

the_amazing_raisin

Slightly off topic, but does anyone here with young kids find bringing the family to a restaurant to be really expensive and frustrating?

Mine are 8 and 5 and still very much in the stubborn and picky eater phase

Dining out with the family will often be over €100 and I feel like I just paid for my kids to not eat their dinner

I get that isn't the restaurant's problem, they aren't expected to entertain children. To be fair, a lot of the staff are generally very helpful and will be happy enough to swap out pasta with sauce for something plainer

I really feel like we're the stereotypical family of Karen's so we often just don't bother eating out. Even on holidays we'll go for self catering instead (admittedly a week of dining out is head wrecking without kids)

It feels very limiting though, we avoid eating out because it's just too much hassle and expense. What should be a treat quickly feels like a chore

I think I might try giving the kids dinner at lunchtime and just getting them a starter or side in a restaurant. Garlic bread or chips or something they'll eat easily and feels like a treat to them rather than hassling them to eat a full dinner

Maybe I should get the kids meal for myself too. It's probably quite good value, often around €12 for a 2 course meal. The portion size is healthier too 😅

Esse85

Such a lottery eating out these days that more often than not I decide not to as basic expectations, many mentioned above, are typically not met.

Madd002

Here's 2 places I was in the last 2 Saturdays. Place 1: 4 star hotel Sirloin Steak €39.90 was awful so was service.

Place 2: pub that serves food every day always busy and lovely staff that ask is everything OK shortly after starting our meal.Steak sandwich 8oz striploin with all the trimmings €26.95, Tasty and worth every penny.

As you can see a huge difference in servings, first Steak they had dry spinach stewed onions and a spoonful of celeriac puree nothing married together. There was no visible manager so I rang on the Monday only to be told nothing they can do as I didn't complain on the night. I told them if they are going to increase their prices the Steak should be damn good, I wasn't looking for a refund or voucher as they have lost my custom and I'm sure alot of othes so will hit them in the long run.

mumo3

Went up to Wagamamas in Liffey Valley last night, it's the OH happy place he was gutted when they closed down. I'm raging I didn't take a photo of the receipt €76 for the following order, and all beef dishes replaced with beef brisket just made everything the same texture, the ramen used to come with a steak on top of it, now its just shredded S**t:

1. Squid Starter x1 (delicious) €10
2. Beef Ramen x2 (Socking bad) €21.50 each
3. Desert x1 (mediocre) €5.00
4. Diet Cokes x4 (in cans) €4.50 each

The service wasn't too bad, yesterday was its first official opening so expected slow service and a couple of mistakes, but didn't expect the increased price with the cheapest cuts of meat.