Nancy Hands Bar & Restaurant — Restaurant in Dublin

Having been informed on the Big Bus Dublin Tour that we would receive a free glass of guinness if we visited Nancy Hands Bar & Restaurant, we googled the menu. My partner saw that they have Beef & Guinness Stew with mashed potatoes. The decision was made we were going there for dinner. We arrived at approximately 5pm on a Wednesday. As soon as we entered, we were greeted and asked if we were eating or just having a drink. As the place was not very busy and we were eating we were informed that we could sit anywhere. Once we decided on our table the waiter asked us what we would like to drink. It was then I mentioned the Big Bus Dublin offer of a free drink each. Apparently, the free glass of guinness is for a half pint only. However, you can upgrade it to a pint for €3.60. I ordered a pint for myself and a half for my partner. A few minutes later, a waitress arrived with the menus and asked us if anyone had taken our drinks order. As this had been done and we knew what we wanted, she took our food order of the Beef & Guinness Stew x 2. Within a few minutes, our guinnesses arrived, along with a bottle of tap water. This was followed very quickly by our food. We both agree on how absolutely delicious the food was. There was no shortage of tender beef, and the gravey, mashed potatoes, and potato cake were just delicious. With regards to the guinness, we both thought it tasted just like the guinness we had yesterday at the Guinness Storehouse. Nancy Hands is like pubs from a bygone times in the UK. A nice atmosphere, good service, great food and a nice pint of guinness. In our opinion, it is well...

Ate here this evening with my daughter and her friend. Probably the worst meal I've had in years!! Steak was tough chips undercooked, saute mushrooms and onions were sour/ or gone off, mash was terrible! Was so expensive for €29. I was sorry I did not complain. Chicken and chorizo pasta was disgusting and left behind. Had I seen the bathrooms before I ordered the food I would have walked out!! The most disgusting dirty bathrooms ever!! Hand was basins, floors toilets , mirrors were so dirty and could do with a deep clean . Even the hole in the ground for waste water was clogged with dirt. As I looked around the bar I began to notice how dirty everything else was- spider webs on the ceiling reminants of Xmas decorations and celotape on the ceiling. Behind the bar shelves and mirrors were a disgrace and to top it all off, even the bin behind the bar was a disgrace.! Had a 2 hour trip back to Galway and our stomachs are churning , hopefully we've not got food poisoning. (Wait for update) This bar needs to be shut down for a few days and scrubbed to an inch of its life! I had visited and enjoyed a fabulous new year eve party in this bar 13 years ago and was looking forward to returning again today to eat. So disappointing. I will certainly not be returning! To be Fair, the only good point was the fast friendly service. I hope the management take heed of this review as a wake up call, because clearly they have ignored the other reviews 're dirty bathrooms. The health inspector needs to pay a visit here...

UPDATE: Since my original posting, I just want to add that the management of Nancy Hands has reached out to me to refund my meal. I find this gesture as going above and beyond, and appreciate it as do I honor and appreciate the generosity and hospitality of so many Irish businesses. Therefore, when I am back in town, I do plan on trying Nancy Hands again...I will probably stick to chips.

As I plan much of my trips based on reviews I thought I would reciprocate those who have helped me to build an itinerary. Cool place with lots of history, and worst food and service in Dublin. As another customer commented on the bathroom wall, "the pub is shite," I have to agree. I expected way more from a place owned by a woman who also owns a Michelin restaurant. We made reservations and were put into a corner of the totally empty pub where they store high chairs. Ordered two vegetarian burgers which from the menu sounded thoughtful and delicious. They were inedible. I think the bun was vintage, and the burger was made out of thawed tasteless cardboard circa 2000 before plant based meals were easy to find. Just plain yuck. Potatoes tasted like the instant kind my German grandmother tried to serve us when I was a kid. Yuck! This is Ireland!!! Service was meh and there was one point that I had a lovely adventure snapping pics and going on a hunt to find our server as she had just kind of vanished. I'd recommend skipping the food, grabbing a drink and wandering around. The story of Nancy...