Hugo's Restaurant — Restaurant in Dublin

I've always enjoyed visits to Hugo's and my much anticipated visit on Saturday with friends to the new terrace for outdoor dining most certainly didn't disappoint!

The welcome and service provided by Justin and the team were fantastic. Nothing was too much trouble and as for the food - well!

We started with the Gin Cured Kilmore Quay Salmon with Castletownbere Crab and the Sharing Board for Two, both of which were lovely. The sharing board in particular was great - we couldn't help going back for more.

Despite another diner recommending the John Dory, we all chose the 10oz Hereford Prime Ribeye of Beef, with bourguignon garnish, watercress and skinny fries. It was quite simply delicious.

And the wines - a lovely selection. I can't remember now which we eventually ordered (we tasted a few!), but they were lovely.

I'm not a dessert person, but even if I was, I would have struggled to order dessert (I refer to the constant picking at the sharing board!)

The whole ambiance was just fantastic. We had blankets provided, which we thankfully didn't need. Every table had a little bottle of sanitiser, a little solar powered lantern and extra cushions were available if required. Screening has been installed to protect diners from the elements and the noise from traffic (which is already greatly reduced but hopefully will be non existent in the future) and window boxes have been planted with herbs. It's all just gorgeous.

Gina and the rest of the BOOMRs have done a fantastic job in creating such a lovely space. I've always loved Merrion Row - I love it even more now because of this.

My one gripe - I forgot to take photos of the food to share. I guess I'll just have to go back and try...

How did I get so lucky to choose Hugo's Restaurant purely by chance? I was looking for a place close to our hotel and landed here. What a phenomenal meal! I had the burrata & heirloom tomato starter while my husband opted for the crab with cucumber. Both were simply bursting with flavor - the burrata was creamy and the crab excruciatingly fresh. My husband had the braised shortrib main - oh, my sainted aunt, the complexity of the flavor of this deceptively simple dish was mind-blowing. I had the duck breast with figs & celeriac - again, perfection. We had a great deal of difficulty slowing down enough to savor each bite instead of the natural instinct to devour everything as quickly as possible. My pavlova dessert had lime crumbles, lemon curd, and blueberry sorbet, along with some fresh blueberries. My husband had the chocolate choux bun with "Happy Anniversary" written on the plate. It was the night before we had to depart for home, and we couldn't have asked for a more outstanding experience. The host (Robert?) was totally adorable and helpful, and Gina, one of the owners, came over and chatted with us - I could have cheerfully stayed longer but I had to get back to pack my suitcase. In a word, this is one of the best restaurants we've ever dined at, including Paris and a 3-star restaurant in Rome. Simply amazing. Absolutely book a table for a meal you...

First night of a week long girls trip to celebrate my sister’s birthday. Jet lag from flying from the US, and got a second wind at 9pm so ventured out of the hotel for a drink and an appetizer. Went to a famous local pub recommended by our driver, but in reality it seemed like the Dublin version of a US frat party, so we left. Walking back to the hotel and happened upon Hugo’s. The decor seemed so warm and inviting. Walked in, mentioned we wanted a cocktail and appetizer. The friendly woman at the front said ‘the kitchen is closing soon, but I have just the thing for you, come on in and have a look at the drink menu.’ Geeked out discussing whiskey with one of the servers, Ireland vs TN, so much fun! Ended up with Blue Spot whiskey and a Hugo Spritz for my sister. Delicious! The server brought brown bread and a soft white roll, with whipped chive butter - followed quickly by a beautiful charcuterie platter with a side of crispy lavash bread. Absolutely delicious! Olives, cured meats, pickled relish, capers, walnuts, etc - it was perfect and really satisfying! Everyone was friendly, and it was overall a great experience. My sister left her reading glasses on the table, and Greg personally walked them all the way to our hotel. Above and beyond!! Such a great overall experience - highly recommend. Thank you Hugo’s team, we might see you...