D'Olier Street Restaurant

Went here last week for a special occasion and we were completely blown away. D'Olier St rips up the script when it comes to Michelin star food and makes its own one. Totally chilled, non-stuffy, really friendly and relaxed atmosphere is waiting for you. The staff could not have been nicer. I'd been onto the website a few days in advance and was impressed that almost all staff members are mentioned on there and there's a real feeling that there's an exceptionally positive team vibe going on. Each course was served by the chef who created it and honestly it was impossible to pick a favourite dish of the 13. The menu changes regularly with seasonal produce too which is impressive as there's so much work gone into perfecting each dish. We were sat at the chefs table and got an insight into how organised and efficient a professional kitchen is- and experience we'd never had before. From start to finish the meal was excellent and every member of staff we encountered had a positive impact on our dining experience. I literally cannot wait to return. Fabulous.

Dolier Street is an absolute treat. We sat at the chef’s counter – the best spot to watch the action and soak up the buzz – and loved every minute. The atmosphere is welcoming without a hint of stuffiness. The food is top-notch: fresh, seasonal, and full of flavour, but served in a way that’s relaxed and unfussy. The chefs clearly love what they do, and it shows in every plate. Warm service, great atmosphere, and cooking that’s both exciting and comforting – we’ll be back in a heartbeat.

What a delightful experience. It is hard to come by such a wonderful blend of tastefulness, authenticity and creation. The building itself catches your eye from across the street. Is a gorgeous historical building that stands out at the busy intersection. The staff was kind, catered to an allergy that I had pre mentioned and they made us feel catered to without an ounce of ostentation. They were attentive and personable. The food was an experience in every bite. Don’t be fooled by the small plates and come hungry. Our first Michelin experience, so we didn’t know we’d actually get full. The food itself was unlike anything I’d experienced. It evoked layers, bursts and pops of flavors that delighted us. (I brought my parents for their anniversary in May) Some plates were a light hearted whimsical journey and others, heartier crafted morsels. Everything was divine. As a conservationist, small farmer and someone who almost never eats out I was so pleased to experience this mix of art, flavor, and homage to local and sustainable food sources.

The food was very well thought out and execution is on point. Courses flow smoothly in flavour wise. We had a great 3 hours tasting all 13 courses. The pairing of the wine goes so well too. The staffs explained each dishes to bring out the flavours more. The staffs were really good in catching all the details. I was talking how I usually don’t eat lamb because of gaminess but in one of the kebab like appetizer, I could only taste the juiciness of the lamb but not smell the gaminess, the staff immediately informed me that main course is lamb and they can ask what they can do to the kitchen if I want. I felt bad as the meal has already started and it’s also just a preference instead of restriction. However, the kitchen delivered. They swapped the lamb with Ricotta tempura Dumplings. My husband and I will go back in late summer or autumn again to try new courses.

I hate to give a 1 star review because everyone on the staff except one person was amazing and the food was great. Unfortunately, when we arrived we had a very poor experience with Scott (assistant gm) who treated us like we were an inconvenience to his evening before we even got seated. After that initial impression - on our way to our table, I nicely asked why we were being seated at the counter, because when we had booked we had two options - Wednesday evening at the chefs counter or Thursday evening at the chefs table. Because it was a team event, I preferred a table, so booked the chefs table on Thursday. So, back to Scott. I didn’t make a big deal of it, but I mentioned we had reserved the chefs table, and without looking at anything, thinking about it, or offering an explanation, he immediately said something like — ‘you booked the counter when you reserved, we don’t have any other space’ I opened my reservation on my phone and it says chefs table. Which, I assumed meant a table because it wasn’t reserved under the other option of chefs counter… I opened up the reservation system again (ie where I made my reservation) and it had separate options for chefs table and chefs counter (which should imply a table vs a counter). Didn’t matter. I was just ignored, treated as an inconvenience and Scott moved on. He said he’d check to see if there was anything he could do and never returned. I didn’t want to make a big deal in front of my team. We were spending too much money on the evening and getting in an argument at the beginning of a dinner like that ruins the whole (very expensive) evening. Thanks Scott. Awful awful awful first experience especially from an assistant gm. __ Outside of the awful service from Scott, everything else was perfect. The food was great. The rest of the staff was great. The venue was beautiful. Coming out of dinner, I was really sad that the hard work of the chefs, other managers and waitstaff were so overshadowed by one person. If you want great service, check out: 1. Kickys 2. Sole 100% of the waitstaff at those restaurants treated us kindly, and the food was great.