Hellfire — Restaurant in Dublin

If you're looking for an overpriced and underwhelming dining experience, this is the place to be.

We visited on Tuesday, March 4th, to celebrate a friend’s birthday. We had informed the restaurant in advance about the occasion and were prepared for the high prices, assuming they would reflect quality. Unfortunately, that was far from the case, nor did they acknowledge our friends celebration.

Upon arrival, we were told our table wasn’t ready as the previous guests were still settling their bill. We were asked to come back in five minutes, though the hostess could have offered us a more comfortable waiting area. We returned after 10 minutes and were seated at a cramped table for four. While we were determined to enjoy the evening, the lack of space was noticeable, especially given the premium prices.

The menu was as expensive as expected, but we were hopeful the food would justify the cost. The waiter was friendly and attentive, and the ambiance of the room was pleasant, though the seating was tight and the tables far too small for the price point. At over €50 for a steak and chips, one would expect a more luxurious and spacious setting.

The starters were a mixed bag. The Burrata (€16.50) was decent, the Ceviche (€15) was beautifully presented and delicious, and the Scallops (€18) were flavourful. However, the Prawns (€15) were underwhelming - just three semi-shelled prawns in a watery broth.

The mains, unfortunately, were where things fell apart. The lamb chops (€45) were ordered well done but arrived rare, with the server insisting the blood on the plate was a "sauce", they were also cold. After sending them back, they returned properly cooked and hot, but the initial experience was disappointing.

My friends ordered rib eyes (€38 each) with fried eggs (an extra €4.50 per steak). The eggs were cold, and the steaks, ordered medium, came out medium rare. They were tough, stringy, and lukewarm. The truffle chips (€7) were the highlight of their meal, but at €48 per plate (including sauce and chips), the value was sorely lacking.

My fillet steak (€45) was ordered medium to well but arrived rare, with blood pooling on the plate. The accompanying chimichurri sauce was unappetising, and I didn’t touch the padrón peppers. The skinny fries (€5.50) tasted like cheap, oily frozen fries. I left half the steak uneaten, not wanting to make a scene, I did not raise the issue with the waitron, as the pooling blood had turned me off my meal. But at €50.50 for a subpar meal, I felt thoroughly cheated.

When the waiter cleared the table, he asked if everything was okay with his usual smile. I responded honestly that it wasn’t, but he nodded and said, “That’s great,” as if I’d praised the meal. I had to stop him and reiterate the issues, to which he replied he’d speak to the manager. Nothing came of it.

The final bill came to €345.50, including every item we ordered. We chose not to leave a tip, as the overall experience left us feeling completely ripped off.

While we frequently dine in the Temple Bar area, we will not be returning...

++ Update ++

Rebecca at Hellfire kindly reached out to make things right after my experience last year and I'm so glad we took her up on the offer because I cannot fault the evening we had tonight! We were lucky to have Emanuele looking after us, he was attentive and friendly, and made us feel very welcome.

We ordered the vegan tacos to start which were dreamy. The corn tortilla was absolutely delicious and the filling was perfect - just the right size, too.

I'm so thrilled we were able to try the vegan steak this time for our main course, because it was AMAZING. My partner and I both ordered it as we'd been excited to try it last time. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I ordered skinny fries on the side but the meal was so generous that I needn't have worried! The steak itself was out of this world, the flavour was rich and complex and the texture was scarily meat-like. So good!

I was really impressed with the service from start to finish, Hellfire really got it right this time. So pleased 🥹 We will definitely be back!

• Old review - I'm still annoyed by the experience I had here in November last year. I booked a table of 7 for a 30th birthday party. The person whose birthday we were celebrating is vegan and they had been excited to try the vegan steak at Hellfire for ages. The other guests were all meat eaters so it seemed like a perfect compromise. I emailed Hellfire several times to confirm that they would have the vegan steak on the day, and discuss details like bringing candles for cake etc. They promised they would have the vegan steak, and confirmed it multiple times with us. When we arrived, nobody seemed to have any idea what we were talking about. They didn't have the vegan steak or any other vegan options available. They offered us a limp tomato pasta instead. It was genuinely one of the most underwhelming meals of my life. They didn't even apologize to me or look into it. My mother-in-law was upset for me, because I'd put a lot of time into organising a nice meal for us all and complained to the staff. They promised her they'd email me a voucher to make up for it. But that never arrived either. Just an all round lackluster and...

I found the best food in Dublin by pure chance! I was actually shocked that they had availability for a walk in but.... "table for one please". My first course was the spicy clams and mussels. I love seafood and in most cases white wine bases for mussels never tend to impress me. Except for this dish. Everyone in my immediate contacts got a picture and detailed experience of these amazing mussels and clams... I was almost brought to tears but needed to keep it together! The staff was really amazing. Everything from clearing the table of everything no longer needed, thier menu knowledge, and being very attentive to any questions (landed on a x2 glasses of Quintos De Porrais). I saw a waiter giving a full detailed description of how the steaks are dry aged with a beautiful presentation of the available cuts. I'm pescatarian now but I know good steak when I see it. I was able to try the dough that is made for the Pizza and I'm sure no one will be disappointed if you drop in for a casual bite but please don't limit yourself this menu is amazing. My main course was the charred Octopus with the mushrooms and peppers side.. good thing you can't load videos because the octopus dish deserves to be seen only in person! This was my first time in Dublin and my first time in Ireland and I honestly didn't think I would find good food. I abandoned attempts to go the Michelin resturants only to find some of the best food I have ever tasted at Hellfire. The executive chef Roberto Rapisardi was in the restaurant and I can't wait until the next time I visit and it's too busy to walk in because it deserves all the attention heading his way based on the food they are serving. I had an amazing experience from the front door, every course, and down to the Irish coffee I had for the first time (when in Ireland). Happy to close out such amazing trip with great food. This is definitely a place I'll visit every time I get a chance to cross the Atlantic....