Finding good value has never been more important, so happily these dining deals in some of dublin’s top restaurants offer excellent quality and bang for your buck. Which one will you try first?
The Butcher Grill
This Ranelagh staple is well known for its excellent Sunday roast and its steak in general but the Monday and Tuesday offering of a 24oz côte de boeuf for two with smoky beans and onion rings offers great value at €62. The same dish is €78 every other day and the beef comes from John Stone so you know it’s going to be top notch. The money saved would be well spent on a Sauternes laced crème caramel with soaked raisins and apple glaze for dessert or even a couple of glasses of good red wine. www.thebutchergrill.ie
Mister S
I have been quietly stalking Mister S on Instagram for some time now, the memory of my last meal there still dominating a lot of my food dreams ever since. There is something so appealing about food cooked over fire and Mister S certainly excel at that particular task. The Friday lunch deal of steak frites is excellent value at €19, (or €20 for prawn frites) especially for food of this calibre. It’s unfussy deliciousness and if you aren’t a fan of frites, you can swap your side for something else. Mister S offers great value in general so book ahead to avoid severe disappointment. And I mean that sincerely. www.misters.ie
Dillinger’s
There’s a lot to love about Dillinger’s. The atmosphere, the staff, the food and the drinks are all top quality stuff. The two for one drinks on a Sunday are a nice touch but it’s the Tuesday and Wednesday night Sole for Two at €45 that really gets me going. The deal includes two sides from a selection that includes buttered potatoes, roast potatoes, mash, grilled broccolini, Caesar salad and chips. I have yet to try this for myself but a recent visit for Sunday lunch made me vow to return soon, and midweek or not, this has given me the perfect excuse. dillingers.ie
Crow Street
Pre-theatre menus are few and far between these days, especially if you compare to years ago where every restaurant you passed seemed to offer an early bird or a pre-theatre menu. Everyone loves a ‘deal’ and in the aptly named Crow Street (on Crow Street, Temple Bar funnily enough), the pre-theatre menu sounds like a bargain at €29.95 for two courses or €34.95 for three. There is a choice of three starters and mains and two desserts and the pre-theatre menu is served Wednesday – Sunday from 5pm – 6.15pm. Bonus points for no supplements too. https://crowstreet.ie
Orwell Road
In Rathgar, Orwell Road has been feeding the (very happy) masses for some time now, but the recently launched lunch menu will doubtless broaden its appeal. The new menu is priced at €30 for two courses which is astonishing value for food of this quality. Of course, as I learned, this figure rises steeply when you start drinking cocktails, but skipping a pre-lunch celery gimlet or a post-lunch espresso martini would be a big mistake. Huge. www.bereenbrothers.com/orwell-road
Other notable bargains include
Try Note (https://notedublin.com) for a four course Sunday lunch priced at €45; the tasting menu at Margadh RHA (https://www.margadh-rha.ie) for €46; bottomless Prosecco and two for one cocktails on Thursdays at Sage in Middleton (http://www.sagerestaurant.ie); the early bird menu for €29.95 at Kinara Kitchen (https://www.kinarakitchen.ie); and the daily special for €14.95 from Rathmines newbie, Flaneur (https://www.flaneur.ie).
