Porterhouse Temple Bar — Restaurant in Dublin

I rocked up to the door last night by myself, as sober as a judge, because I had just gotten off the bus and came straight from home. As I started to put my headphones in my pocket on approach, the bouncer stepped into my path, looked me dead in the eye, and said, "Yeah?" To which I replied, "Hello" with a smile. He moodily replied, "Are you alright?" To which I retorted, "Yeah, how are you?"

Literally didn’t know what to say back because the exchange was so weird. He then proceeded to look over in the opposite direction and not say anything for ages. It was an uncomfortably long pause. Then he stared at me without blinking for about 10 seconds, looked me up and down, stared at my massive headphones in my jacket pocket, and asked me if I was "there to meet people."

Which I misheard because man needed some elocution lessons, and I thought he said "beat people." Partially also owed to the fact that he stopped looking at me when he said it, so I couldn’t hear him properly since his face was pointed in the other direction.

So I laughed and said, "Excuse me?" and he repeated himself. I said, "Oh, meet people, yeah."

At this point I thought maybe it was because it was late and they were about to close or maybe they were busy. Not only was the place half empty, but it was like 23:15.

Firstly, I didn’t appreciate the attitude. Secondly, what difference does it make if I’m there to meet people?

I said "yeah" anyway because my friend who lived here years ago flew over for his birthday and I was meeting him and his girlfriend there. He then proceeds to ask me who I’m there to meet.

My brother, do you know them? What kind of line of questioning is this? Brother, you're not Sherlock Holmes.

For additional context, I am a music nerd in my 30s. I had on white Converse, slim fit denim overalls, a grey crew neck, and a jacket so I didn’t look scaldy. I didn’t look drunk because I hadn’t drank anything at this point. And for context about my vibe, I’m someone who’s still interested in Douglas Hyde’s contribution to the revitalisation of the Irish language, but for some reason this bouncer viewed me as some sort of trouble.

Only possible factors could be my thick Dublin accent, which couldn’t have been the case because he started acting up before any full sentences were uttered, or potentially the colour of my skin.

Horrible experience. He eventually stepped to the side after I told him my friend was over from Spain and I was meeting him inside. It took me some time to shake the feeling, but I went in, chatted to my mate and his missus for about five minutes, and then we decided to head elsewhere.

When we walked out, I said, "Cheers man," just to be polite, but man was bet into TikToks on his phone and didn’t even look up.

I have been going out in Ireland for as long as I've been legally able to do so and never before have I experienced this to this magnitude. That's 14 years, imagine.

Also it's the outskirts of Temple bar so it's over priced and the music...

From the start when we walked in, everything seemed a bit disorganised. We weren't sure where to go for our reservation, so we asked one of the bar staff. There was no host desk or anything upstairs, luckily our server was just about walking past to seat us down.

Was excited to try the oysters, unfortunately they didn't have them in stock that day, got the mozzarella sticks instead. I would say small portion for the price, you get 4 sticks with some green leaves and a dip. My friend got the soup, was some sort of vegetable soup I believe. Soup was a bit watery, very little flavour at all. They also forgot to give a spoon with the soup. I ordered the porterhouse paddle(3x1/3 pints of different beer) for €9, which was a good deal actually as I wanted to try something new. Only complaint is that they forgot one of the info-cards that are supposed to come with each beer.

We then ordered the FX Buckley steak and their bangers & mash for mains. I ordered the steak medium rare, it came pretty much well done. Chewy, tiny little bit of red inside, not enjoyable at all. Sausages simply weren't good. We were also brought a diet coke instead of coke zero. 'Probably caipirinha' with poitín was nice however.

Didn't even order desserts, got the check while finishing our mains because we didn't want to stay in there any longer. Server didn't seem interested at all, like we were an inconvenience to him. Payed €94 in total for sub-average food, drinks were nice however.

Went downstairs to the main bar and asked one of the older barmen about a special beer bottle they had behind the bar, and he starts rambling on about how well it goes with a joint? How the THC affects your beer drinking experience etc. which I had absolutely no interest in, got out of there while I could.

Had high hopes coming in, wish I could've given it a better review but to be completely honest, there seemed to be something wrong with...

Location & Access: Located in the heart of Dublin city centre, this multi-level pub is easily accessible from all parts of the city via public transport. Its central location makes it a convenient and popular choice for both locals and visitors.

Ambience & Space: The pub delivers a classic Irish pub atmosphere. The second and third floors offer great views of the bustling street below, and on the third floor, you can even catch a glimpse of the beer brewing setup, which adds a cool, behind-the-scenes vibe. There’s also a coin-operated phone charging station on the ground floor—handy for longer visits.

Menu & Drinks: The pub serves a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, alongside a food menu that includes chicken wings, soups, fries, and more.

What truly sets this place apart is its unique selection of craft beers. Their fruity and sour varieties are particularly noteworthy—the “salad beer” and passion fruit beer are personal favorites, offering rare flavors you don’t often find in other Dublin pubs. They also stock a wide variety of bottled beers, spirits, and house specials, catering to many tastes.

Cleanliness & Facilities: The venue is well-maintained and clean across all floors, contributing to a comfortable and enjoyable experience.

Staff & Service: While staff are generally competent, there's room for improvement in terms of professionalism and attentiveness. At times, clients may be left waiting. The customer service approach could be warmer and more engaging.

Pricing: Prices are fair and reasonable, especially considering the variety of craft options and the central location.

Final Thoughts: I’ve visited this pub several times and plan to return—mainly for their unique beer offerings. It's a great spot if you're exploring Dublin city centre and want to try something new in a relaxed,...