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The Unicorn, Dublin, Co. Dublin

The Unicorn

3.9
3.9
8 Reviews
€31 to €50
Italian

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2 people
22:00
Booked 13 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Healthy
The Unicorn is an old popular Italian restaurant in Dublin. After closing a few years ago it has recently re-opened in 2024 under new management. It is located on Merrion Square, just a 10 minute walk from St. Stephen's Green. The Unicorn has been a cornerstone of Dublin's dining scene for decades, and under Kristan Burness's leadership, It will once again shine. The much loved Terrace, famous for long leisurely lunches will bring Merrion Court back to life with vibrant al fresco dining offering guests an unforgettable dining experience in the heart of the city.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    €31 to €50
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Comfort Food, Beer Garden
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
  • Phone number
    087 000 6604
  • Website
    http://www.unicornrestaurant.com/
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Smart Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Kristan Burness

Menu

three courses fifty five euros

starters

  • burrata di bufala

    artisanal burrata, heritage tomato, basil cream

    • gamberoni piccante

      sauteed king prawns, n duja butter & herbs, grilled focaccia

      • polpette di cinghiale

        ballinwilliam wild boar meat ball, caramelised onion cream grilled focaccia

        • carpaccio

          carpaccio of swordfish, hazelnut & lime avacado & fresh crab

          main course

          • ragu bolognese di cerva

            classic ragu of wicklow deer, fresh hand cut pappardelle

            • risotto con funghi ai tartufo

              carnaroli risotto, seasonal mushroom's & fresh black truffle

              • pollo

                breast & leg of free range chicken, cacciatorie style

                • nasello al vapore

                  hake fillet, spiced calamari croquetta, samphire & lobster sauce

                  • bistecca di manzo

                    sirloin of irish dry aged beef, wild mushroom, shallot & pancetta ragu truffle mash

                    • ten euro supp€10.00

                  sides

                  • sage double cooked fries€6.50

                    • fagiolini, green beans, poor mans pesto€6.50

                      • insalata di giorno€6.50

                        • garlic & truffle mash€7.00

                          Dessert

                          • crostata al limone

                            amalfi lemon tart, blackberry sorbet

                            • unicorn tiramisu

                              hazelnut, disaranno & chocolate

                              • torta di mele

                                warm apple tart, salted caramel ice cream

                                • fondante cioccolato

                                  valrhona chocolate fondant, pistachio & pistachio ice cream

                                  Last updated: 6 November 2024

                                  What 8 people are saying

                                  Overall ratings and reviews

                                  Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

                                  3.9
                                  3.9 based on recent ratings
                                  • 4.3Food
                                  • 3.8Service
                                  • 3.4Ambience
                                  • 3.8Value

                                  Noise • Moderate

                                  8 Reviews

                                  1. Alice

                                    London

                                    1 review

                                    5.0

                                    1 review

                                    Dined 1 day ago

                                    1. Overall 5
                                    2. Food 5
                                    3. Service 5
                                    4. Ambience 5
                                    Our dinner was a joy from beginning to end. The food and wine were sensational but what you can’t get elsewhere is the atmosphere. I put this down to an exceptional staff led by the charismatic and intuitive Zelda. Wow she MAKES the place- loved by all, she is a total pro. Thrilled with the return of this Dublin institution.

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                                  2. Brendan

                                    London

                                    34 reviews

                                    vip
                                    2.0

                                    34 reviews

                                    Dined 1 day ago

                                    1. Overall 2
                                    2. Food 3
                                    3. Service 1
                                    4. Ambience 1
                                    I was a frequent customer in the past and was very disappointed on this visit. I was not greeted when I arrived and had to put my coat on the rack myself as did my guest when they arrived after me. I asked three different servers for a non-alcoholic beer before I got one. I ordered bread and olive oil and got bread and garlic butter. We didn’t have starters and our main courses of prawn linguini and ragu of deer were only adequate. My guest asked for desert which took an age to arrive and was tasteless. I ordered a flat white and got an expresso. While I appreciate that it was very cold outside, every time the outer door was opened, we experienced an icy blast of air. When the bill arrived I paid with a card and asked the waiter to add a tip of approximately 10%. He said he couldn’t add it on the card but then brought a different card machine with a tip option pre-programmed. The minimum was 15% which I reluctantly added. On checking my card payment afterwards, I noticed that the merchant was listed as dfcParking Malpensa! Never again!

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                                  3. Eoin

                                    Dublin

                                    1 review

                                    5.0

                                    1 review

                                    Dined 7 days ago

                                    1. Overall 5
                                    2. Food 5
                                    3. Service 5
                                    4. Ambience 4
                                    Back in the Unicorn just a week after they re-opened. Everything was fantastic. The food and service was as good as ever. I wish the new owners all the best, and I will definitely be returning.

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                                  4. John

                                    Dublin

                                    2 reviews

                                    2.0

                                    2 reviews

                                    Dined on 15 November 2024

                                    1. Overall 2
                                    2. Food 3
                                    3. Service 3
                                    4. Ambience 2
                                    Having been a fan of the “old” Unicorn I was looking forward to a return: unfortunately the experience was far from my expectation. The ambiance was cold and the restaurant felt like a number of tables had been covered with white table clothes and placed in what had previously been a yet to be finished construction site. The plaster on the wall behind our table was still wet and the fire extinguisher on the wall was covered in dust and plaster. The toilets were far below the standard expected with badly fitted fittings. However, the service was good and the food was tasty but certainly overpriced.

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                                  5. tom

                                    Dublin

                                    6 reviews

                                    3.0

                                    6 reviews

                                    Dined on 15 November 2024

                                    1. Overall 3
                                    2. Food 4
                                    3. Service 4
                                    4. Ambience 1
                                    Food and service very good Restaurant felt a bit like a pop up restaurant Great pity that a little more effort with the ambience would make a big difference Pity

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                                  6. Enda

                                    Dublin

                                    1 review

                                    5.0

                                    1 review

                                    Dined on 14 November 2024

                                    1. Overall 5
                                    2. Food 5
                                    3. Service 5
                                    4. Ambience 5
                                    So good to be back there. The food was phenomenal, beautiful true Italian meals. The staff - brilliant and they believe in the project the Chef is building. And a very strong and reasonably priced wine list.

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                                  7. David

                                    Dublin

                                    1 review

                                    3.0

                                    1 review

                                    Dined on 9 November 2024

                                    1. Overall 3
                                    2. Food 4
                                    3. Service 2
                                    4. Ambience 3
                                    Great to see the Unicorn back on the map. We were frequent diners in it's original ownership. Having regard to the fact that we visited last night, which was the first public night, it was a bit unfinished and rough around the edges. Order mistakes were made, but quickly rectified. Zelda, Manager, was very open about their teething issues - so fair play. Food was great, albeit, with a quite limited menu. A bit pricey. The piano bar at the back is lovely. Wish the Unicorn great future success

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                                  8. Conor

                                    Dublin

                                    2 reviews

                                    5.0

                                    2 reviews

                                    Dined on 8 November 2024

                                    1. Overall 5
                                    2. Food 5
                                    3. Service 5
                                    4. Ambience 5
                                    Lovely meal back in the Unicorn, didn’t realise it was opening night until we arrived. Friendly service like the old days, we had a mix of starters, and mostly pasta for mains, all were top class. The wine recommendation was spot on also. Great to see this place open again , wish them the very best

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                                  FAQs

                                  The Unicorn is rated 3.9 stars by 8 OpenTable diners.

                                  Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

                                  Make a booking

                                  2 people
                                  22:00
                                  Booked 13 times today
                                  Google Map for The Unicorn

                                  12b Merrion court, Merrion Row, Dublin, Co. Dublin D02 V962

                                  Dining areas

                                  Additional information

                                  • Area
                                    St Stephen's Green
                                  • Hours of Operation
                                    Lunch Wed–Sat 12:00 pm–2:30 pm Dinner Mon–Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
                                  • Price
                                    €31 to €50
                                  • Cuisines
                                    Italian, Comfort Food, Beer Garden
                                  • Dining style
                                    Casual Elegant
                                  • Dress code
                                    Smart Casual
                                  • Parking details
                                    None
                                  • Payment Options
                                    Mastercard, Visa
                                  • Executive Chef
                                    Kristan Burness
                                  • Additional
                                    Gluten-free Options, Vegan
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