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The Winding Stair, Dublin, Co. Dublin

The Winding Stair

4.7
4.7
2419 Reviews
€31 to €50
Irish

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2 people
19:00
Booked 32 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
The Winding Stair Bookshop & Café became a famous Dublin landmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Named after the Yeats poem and in honour of its winding staircase, it is overlooking the river Liffey, with an iconic view of the Ha'penny bridge. As a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists, it was a well known hub for debate and creativity with many poems written, novels penned and movies shot within its walls. In 2006, Elaine Murphy brought this much-loved spot back to life as a restaurant, championing seasonal, Irish produce. The bookshop, located on the ground floor, was retained, as were many of the old bookshelves, photos and memories. The room retains its timeless charm with stripped wood tables and floors, and Bentwood café chairs.The view remains as quintessentially Dublin as ever.
The food is good, old-fashioned home cooking, with produce sourced from artisans within the island. Drink sare local and international craft beers & wines from stellar producers.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    €31 to €50
  • Cuisines
    Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (01) 872 7320
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress

What 2,419 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • Dublin

    Great for scenic views

  • Dublin 1

    Best Overall

  • Dublin 1

    Best Food

  • Dublin 1

    Best Service

  • Dublin 1

    Best Ambience

  • Dublin 1

    Healthy

  • Dublin 1

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Dublin 1

    Great for fine wines

  • Dublin 1

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Dublin 1

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Winding Stair in Dublin offers a delightful dining experience with its charming riverside setting and impressive views of the Ha'Penny Bridge. Guests rave about the "unreal food" and "exceptional service," highlighting dishes like the crab starter and smoked haddock. The atmosphere is cozy yet lively, making it a must-visit spot for both locals and travelers.

2,419 Reviews
  1. Barbara

    New York City

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely restaurant and food was very good. Service was attentive. The only thing we didn’t like was that everything was rushed. It would have been better to have a gap between courses

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  2. Kate

    Dublin

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was absolutely fabulous, well worth the money. Would have expected a little bit more veg with the mains but other than that everything was amazing. Staff lovely and ambiance is very homely

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  3. siobhan

    Dublin

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a beautiful meal , in the party we had a vegan and 2 vegetarians and everyone was catered for fantastically… We had a great view of the Liffey and Hapenny bridge . The atmosphere was lively and the staff very friendly. Would definitely recommend The Winding Stairs!

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  4. Gillian

    Dublin

    5 reviews

    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 2
    The restaurant was very noisy. Tables super close together. Food was good but hugely expensive. €18 for a starter, €9 for a small bowl of soup and over €30 for a main course. We had come for lunch in a bookshop. However the only nod that was two small bookshelves fulled with tatty ‘prop’ books . Fabulous view if you were near/ facing the window. Lovely staff but overall far to expensive for the experience.

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  5. Lotte

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    We hadden hele hoge verwachtingen, helaas viel het een beetje tegen. Het eten was lekker maar niet geweldig.

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  6. Robert

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic customer service and great choice of very tasty food.

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  7. Bobby

    Dublin

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    food was very good. food came quickly. service was great. couldn't fault them.

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  8. Muriel

    Dublin

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was fab Guinea fowl melt in the mouth real Christmas’s y feel had the mixed platter For starter plenty for 4 waa Devine Will defo return

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  9. Katherine

    Columbus

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic food, great service in an unique location. We really enjoyed it!

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  10. Jessica

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 13 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Always a lovely experience, great atmosphere and beautiful room.

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FAQs

The Winding Stair is rated 4.7 stars by 2419 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 32 times today
Google Map for The Winding Stair

40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, Co. Dublin D01 R9Y5

Additional information

  • Area
    North City Centre
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    €31 to €50
  • Cuisines
    Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, View, Wine
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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