MV Cill Airne — Restaurant in Dublin

"My Narrow Escape From MV Cill Airne" Or, "If you eat at MV Cill Airne, be careful; some staff are looking to pick fights"

After a delightful first 2 courses upstairs, my wife and I took a stroll outside on the deck with a couple of hot drinks to enjoy the boat, fresh air and view.

On the bottom passenger deck, I walked to the bow, and around to the port side, encountering no barricades nor signage indicating that this was not a passenger area. Leaning over, and looking, not walking, astern down the port side, I saw a parked bike and a dirty hatch open, and realized that I was looking at a non-passenger area, and was about to re-join my wife, waiting 10 feet behind me, when an employee came out of the dirty hatch and saw me. I cordially called down, "I see I'm looking at a non-passenger area, I'm heading back now." To which he responded, "You can't be here," and started walking up on me, aggressively. I said," Yeah, I know, I just said that." This earned me an increase in his already aggressive gait, and "You have to back upstairs."

First, I did not HAVE to go back upstairs, as there are plenty of passenger areas available to me that are not upstairs.

Also, I can leave.

As this MV Cill Airne employee continues to step to me, physically, I realize that I will have to physically defend myself if I let him within 3 feet of me; the evening already being ruined, I should have obliged him, I now realize.

I leave, collect my wife, and return to the bar to close my tab, and explain why we are not completing our meal, and ask for this guy's name, so I can give a good review to MV Cill Airne, and single this person out.

Armed with his description (6', dark complected dark hair, clean black on black uniform), he returns, stating that he can't give me his name, because he is not front of the house. Of course, this is a lie, as back of the house staff never wear clean, black on black, with the shirt tucked-in.

None of this had to go down like this. The MV Cill Airne employee did not have to aggressively step to me, like he wanted a fight; I was about to leave the area, anyway, and I told him that in my first sentence. The barman didn't have to lie to me, protecting this guy's identity and throwing the whole establishment under the bus, something I told him I would have to do, and something the barman thought completely appropriate, ...

This place has some potential but we were very underwhelmed. The atomsphere and setting were neat. The boat turned restaurant is a really cool idea. Guy at the door - super nice. Prompt service until it got busy. We got there a bit early for a pre-show dinner so there were only a few tables seated. We were met with menus/drinks/appetizer promptly. We had the fried brie which was pretty good. Our mains were fish and chips which was pretty average compared to the rest of Dublin and the Irish stew. The stew was not what we would consider stew - it resembled more canned chicken noodle soup with chunks of lamb. The lamb was good but the rest was just soup - not stew. Stew is supposed to be thick - not...well...soupy. Anyway - we had some time to kill so we thought about a desert. And we had plenty of time to think about it because we didn't see one of the only 2 servers apparently on shift for at least 15 minutes after we were done eating. We were asked if we wanted to see a desert menu. 15 minutes later, that menu finally made it to the table. By the time the server made it back to see if we wanted desert it was time for us to head to the show. I know as an American we are used to quicker service - but having lived in Dublin now for over a year and being used to the slower pace of European restaurants - this seemed very excessive. We were only a 2 top in a sea of bigger parties so maybe that's why were overlooked but...here we are. Unfortunatley the food didn't compensate...

I recently visited MV Cill Airne and would like to share my mixed experience. While the setting and service were commendable, the food left something to be desired. I ordered the Bouillabaisse, which unfortunately arrived cold and lacking in flavor. The dish could definitely benefit from some improvements to meet the expectations one might have for a dining experience on such a lovely boat.

On a brighter note, the service was quite impressive. The staff was attentive, friendly, and genuinely focused on providing a pleasant experience for their guests. Their efforts to ensure customer satisfaction were truly appreciated.

The location and ambiance of MV Cill Airne are undeniably charming. The boat itself is beautifully maintained and offers a unique dining experience, especially on a sunny day or during sunset. The picturesque views and calming atmosphere certainly make it an attractive destination.

In summary, while my dining experience at MV Cill Airne wasn't perfect due to the disappointing food, the exceptional service and lovely setting still make it a place worth considering. If the quality of the dishes can be improved, it has the potential to be an outstanding venue for a...