Satisfying Meal With A Pint Of Guinness
Guinness Factory, Dublin Ireland
Cuisine Style: Irish, Bistro
***REVIEW AND RESTAURANT UPDATE:
THE BISTRO IS NO LONGER CALLED GILROY'S. THE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE HAS REMODELED AND CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE ***
It was a great first day in Dublin, although the weather was cold, and it had been raining for most of the day. But what was I to expect, it was winter in Europe. As part of my day, on tour I had seen the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, and now was at the one place that is a must see when you visit Dublin, even if you don’t drink alcohol, (god forbid) and that is the Guinness Storehouse. No, I had not had Guinness in over fifteen years, the first time I tried it, I could not stand it. But Guinness is one of those beers that you either love or hate, there is no middle ground. Being in Dublin though, I had to take the tour, and at the end of the tour they give a free pint. Over the years, darker ales were beginning to grow on me, so what the hell and what could I lose? Damn that was a good beer! At the end of the tour as we were given our pints, we went to the top floor where they had several restaurants and small bars, including their famous gravity bar that had a panoramic view of the city. After visiting there, I went down to eat lunch at their restaurant called Gilroy’s (NOW 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE), named after the artist John Gilroy (1898-1985) who worked with Guinness on the first advertising campaign which featured classic animals stealing the beer from humans with the caption “My goodness, my Guinness.”
For my main lunch entrée course I enjoyed a Char-grilled Hereford beef burger, marinated with Guinness, Ballymaloe country relish, and Dubliner cheese, served with chips (French fries). My only disappointment was, that I enjoy my burgers to be cooked to a medium-rare to medium temperature so that I can enjoy the flavors of the meat, but they said that all their ground beef had to be cooked well, which also told me that the beef had several by-products and was not a superior cut, and had lots of fat. Either that, or because of Mad Cow Disease it was a requirement by law to cook them that way regardless of beef quality. Looking back Hereford certified beef is one of the best in Ireland, so I don’t think the ground meat had a lot of crap inside of it, it has to be the law to cook it that way.
Other noteworthy Bistro and Brasserie favorites:
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Guinness Factory, Dublin Ireland
Cuisine Style: Irish, Bistro
Dined
in December 2013
By: Sean Overpeck (CFE)
***REVIEW AND RESTAURANT UPDATE:
THE BISTRO IS NO LONGER CALLED GILROY'S. THE GUINNESS STOREHOUSE HAS REMODELED AND CHANGED ITS NAME TO THE 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE ***
It was a great first day in Dublin, although the weather was cold, and it had been raining for most of the day. But what was I to expect, it was winter in Europe. As part of my day, on tour I had seen the Book of Kells, Dublin Castle, and now was at the one place that is a must see when you visit Dublin, even if you don’t drink alcohol, (god forbid) and that is the Guinness Storehouse. No, I had not had Guinness in over fifteen years, the first time I tried it, I could not stand it. But Guinness is one of those beers that you either love or hate, there is no middle ground. Being in Dublin though, I had to take the tour, and at the end of the tour they give a free pint. Over the years, darker ales were beginning to grow on me, so what the hell and what could I lose? Damn that was a good beer! At the end of the tour as we were given our pints, we went to the top floor where they had several restaurants and small bars, including their famous gravity bar that had a panoramic view of the city. After visiting there, I went down to eat lunch at their restaurant called Gilroy’s (NOW 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE), named after the artist John Gilroy (1898-1985) who worked with Guinness on the first advertising campaign which featured classic animals stealing the beer from humans with the caption “My goodness, my Guinness.”
Follow Wine, dine, and Play:
From restaurants home page:
Gilroy's is a waiter style bistro, offering traditional Irish food presented with a contemporary twist. Here GUINNESS and key ingredients are woven together to create a seasonal, cooked to order menu. Gilroy's features oversized GUINNESS artwork with examples of the some of the most memorable Gilroy adverts are displayed prominently on large canvasses overhead.
Main review:
I was seated overlooking a really neat glass bar that featured you guessed it, Guinness. The tables were set basic bistro style, but I wasn’t doing any harsh judging today like I do with my normal reviews, I just wanted to enjoy a good lunch after the tour.
I had two courses, starting with a soup since it was a very cold day out, and I was still used to South African temperatures, seeing that I spent two weeks there before flying to Ireland. I had the caramelized tomato soup with torn basil, yogurt, and served with two pieces of Guinness infused bread. Very tasty, and warm, just up my alley.
For my main lunch entrée course I enjoyed a Char-grilled Hereford beef burger, marinated with Guinness, Ballymaloe country relish, and Dubliner cheese, served with chips (French fries). My only disappointment was, that I enjoy my burgers to be cooked to a medium-rare to medium temperature so that I can enjoy the flavors of the meat, but they said that all their ground beef had to be cooked well, which also told me that the beef had several by-products and was not a superior cut, and had lots of fat. Either that, or because of Mad Cow Disease it was a requirement by law to cook them that way regardless of beef quality. Looking back Hereford certified beef is one of the best in Ireland, so I don’t think the ground meat had a lot of crap inside of it, it has to be the law to cook it that way.
Other noteworthy Bistro and Brasserie favorites:
The Brasserie at the Café de Paris A Parisian style bistro rendez-vous in Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Terroir Seasonal South African cuisine bistro in Stellenbosch, South Africa
Bistrot La Minette Charming French Bistro with movie filmed terrace in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Zink Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired New American fare in San Antonio, Texas
Other Dublin restaurant reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud Impeccably prepared French fine dining in Dublin, Ireland
L’Ecrivain Seasonal Irish ingredients with full modern French gastronomic dining in Dublin, Ireland
Gilroy’s Bistro serving Irish cuisine at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, Ireland (NOW 1837 BAR & BRASSERIE)
Review basics:
5 stars
|
An Extraordinary Experience
Worthy of a Michelin rating
|
94 - 100% (105% with full bonuses added)
|
4 Stars
|
An Outstanding Experience
(Top of its class)
|
87 - 93%
|
3 Stars
|
Exceeded All My Expectations
|
80 - 86%
|
2 Stars
|
Far Above the Average Experience
|
72 - 79%
|
1 Star
|
An Average Dining Experience
|
66 - 71%
|
0.5 Star
|
The Restaurant is a very Basic Experience
|
65 - 61%
|
0 Stars
|
ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Experience
(Do not waste your money or time)
|
60% or below
|
Star rating by Wine,
Dine, & Play:
|
1 of 5
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual, Formal, or Semi-formal dining
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attire
|
Reservations:
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Not Required
|
Walk-ins:
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Accepted
|
Child policy:
|
accepted Alinea Baby Gate
|
Cuisine style:
|
Bistro, Modern, and Irish
|
Music styles:
|
Background instrumental
|
Experiences:
|
Great bar, Rustic, Scenic views, Tourist grabber, and a
Neighborhood gem.
|
Gratuities:
|
European standard is 12.5%
|
|
Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, Diner’s,
|
Parking:
|
Public lot, or street parking
|
Transport options:
|
Bus, taxi, personal vehicle, and walking
|
 |
The restaurants reviewed on
this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the
excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead
of checking your social media and emails.
|
Noise level:
|
Low, Medium, Loud, WHAT!!!?
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant
|
Food price per person (excluding gratuity)
Price chart:
$£€ - Under 50.00
$£€ x 2 - Under 75.00
$£€ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€ x 5 - Over 400.00
My food bill:
|
Currency :
|
Price chart :
|
€22.00
|
EUR
|
€
|
$29.94
|
USD
|
$
|
£18.08
|
GBP
|
£
|
$33.35
|
CAD
|
$
|
$34.04
|
AUD
|
$
|
¥182.63
|
CNY
|
¥¥¥
|
د.109.86
|
AED
|
د. د. د.
|
Restaurant address:
St James's Gate
Dublin 8,
Ireland
Cross streets:
Pim street & Market
Street South
Contact Information:
Maître d, reservations
|
+ 353 1 408 4800
|
Website:
|
|
Email:
|
|
|
Hours:
Lunch:
Daily: June to September 12:00–3:00 pm
Thurs-Sat: October to May 12:00–3:00 pm
Dublin Standard Time (GMT 0:00)
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list based on who is writing about them, and it changes on a regular basis. My list of best reviewed restaurants here on Wine, Dine, and Play is based on a rating number at 4 or 5 stars. From the 350 + published reviews as of summer 2017, less than 15% hold these prestigious rankings, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. I have dined at restaurants on five continents from cafés, chains, and fine dining spots including a few that are rated on the Michelin one to three scale. Below is a sampling of some from my list, which include mom and pops + holes in the wall. These places can be just as good, or if not better than a top ranked restaurant of the world in my opinion. To visit my full list of best places follow this link:
A few to tease you with…
|
Rustic New American Fare
Saint Petersburg, Florida USA
|
Elegant Molecular Australian Dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Modern Eclectic African Cuisine
Woodstock, South Africa
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
American-Global Molecular Menu
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Impeccably Acclaimed French Cuisine
Dublin, Ireland
|
Inspired Farm-to-Table Dining
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Upscale Creole Fare
New Orlean’s, Louisiana, USA
|
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
Safari + Upscale African Cuisine
Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa
|
Hip Asian-Fusion
Dubai, UAE
|
|
Fine Indian & Pakistani Cuisine, at the Burj Khalifa
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Contemporary, African-Inspired Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
Eclectic French-Asian Tasting Menu
Sydney, Australia
|
|
Ornate Top 10 American Chophouse
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Posh French + Culinary Experimentalism
Festival City, Dubai, UAE
|
Classic French Gastronomique
Bordeaux, France
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Executive Chef
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker
Restaurant nut, History and
Star Trek lover
Picture below was taken in Egypt, 1995 Bright Star exercise
Chef Sean cooks for soldiers in Afghanistan, 2012:
About Sean:
I am based out of Florida working in food service for over twenty years, and am currently with the American Embassy as the Executive Chef. Formally I have worked with groups contracting in Afghanistan, and Antarctica, also working in restaurants in and around Atlanta, Georgia prior to the wars. I have also owned a catering company and served proudly in the United States Army Food Service Program. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in late 2012 after a trip to Jordan, when I was asked by friends to write down my experiences from a few restaurants, wines I tasted, and unique locations such as Petra. Since that time, I have written over 300 articles, including fifteen from the worlds top 100 lists of San Pellegrino and the Elite Travelers Guide restaurants. I have articles on exotic world locations such as Victoria Falls, and South African Safari’s; food recipes & a Grand Food Dictionary; ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan, and Peruvian; tasting tours of world cities like Charleston, Cape Town, and Dubai; and of course wine from vineyards in California, Oregon, the Carolina’s, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia, with much more to see and write.
Who is John Galt?
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
Shark Cage Diving Swim with Jaws on the Apex Predator in Gansbaai, South Africa
Afghan Cuisine Recipes, culture, history of food, the future - A culinary tour of Afghanistan during the war
The Burj Khalifa Tower in Dubai, UAE
Tipping in Restaurants etiquette, customs, cultures, and assumptions
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa (multiple volumes)
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of”
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
TTFN
