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Restaurants Overview

"Come in! Come in! Your dinners' poured out!" goes the old North Dublin joke. In truth, its description of Irish food as being best when hidden in soup wasn't so far off the mark. For years, "Irish cuisine" used to be nothing more than a convenient way of grouping potatoes and stout under the same heading. The days, however, when critics bemoaned the pot luck of the Irish are thankfully gone. Today, be prepared to have your preconceptions overturned, and, on occasion, to be enthralled and very happily sated in the process. No longer does a pub-crawl turn up a better meal than one in a fancy restaurant. Dubliners now forgo heading to the "local" to down a pint after work because they've made reservations at the newest eateries and hippest showplaces (of course, the pubs and the pints come later in the evening). Happily, if these chowhounds are intent on enjoying the fruits of Ireland's gastronomic revolution, Dublin's best chefs have been leading the charge.

The Irish dine later than Americans. They stay up later, too, and reservations are usually for tables not booked before 6:30 or 7 PM and up to around 11 PM. Lunch is generally served from 12:30 to 2:30. Pubs often serve food through the day -- until 8:30 or 9 PM. Most pubs are family-friendly and welcome children until 7 PM. The Irish are an informal bunch, so smart casual dress is typical. The more formal restaurants, however, do expect you to wear a jacket and tie. And remember: shorts and sneakers are out here.