The Hairy Lemon — Restaurant in Dublin

I wanted to love this place because the name is funny and the colour of the outside is cute. From the minute, I walked in there I found the staff to be rude. There was no warmth at all as we were waiting for a table. The person downstairs finally decided we should go upstairs. We went upstairs and were ignored for several minutes as staff walked past us. I finally politely asked a guy if we were going to be seated because I see some tables available. He looked at me with a very serious face and said “you have to wait”. And then he continued on glaring at me, saying “somebody will come to you when they are ready and give you a table. But now you have to wait”. Seriously those were his words. In what world is that friendly customer service? I felt like I was a small child being reprimanded by my teacher in school. It was very embarrassing to be spoken to that way in front of the people I was with. It seemed that much of the staff that works there is not Irish, but from other countries, where the mannerisms are not friendly. This guy had black hair, and was from Europe, but he definitely was not Irish. The Server was ok. No complaints that way. The food was disappointing. I had eaten the day before at Darky Kelly’s, Where I had beef and Guinness stew. I ordered the same thing at the Hairy lemon, but the portions were small and were lukewarm. It’s like somebody stuck it in a microwave for a couple minutes too little. The taste was not great either. In my quest to find delicious food in Dublin, I would not recommend this place. Other places we went to also played fun Irish music. The Hairy Lemon had regular top 40 music playing, and the atmosphere was just not up to par with other warm, loving, fun places in Dublin. I hate to criticize a restaurant because I know how hard people work, but if you are in Dublin and looking for a great food experience that is enjoyable and leaves you with the warm and fuzzies, do not expect that at the...

I rarely write negative reviews, but my recent visit to The Hairy Lemon was so disappointing that I feel compelled to share this experience for the benefit of other diners.

I ordered the Beef & Guinness, expecting a traditional Irish dish. Unfortunately, the stew was overwhelmingly salty—so much so that it was nearly inedible. I raised the issue with the staff and politely asked if it could be remade. The response was dismissive: I was told that the dish had been stewing “for a long time” (no clear timeframe given) and therefore could not be adjusted. Instead of acknowledging the problem, the staff insisted that “nobody has ever complained before” and implied that the issue was mine alone.

When I then asked if the dish could be removed from the bill, the restaurant refused. The reasoning was that “only I” had complained, which effectively shifted the blame onto the customer. This is not only unfair but also unacceptable—if a dish is too salty to eat, it is not the guest’s responsibility.

Just the day before, at The Boxty House, we enjoyed both the Dublin Coddle and the Irish Lamb Stew, which were flavorful, perfectly seasoned, and respectful of Irish culinary tradition. The contrast could not have been more stark.

To make matters worse, when the bill arrived, the receipt listed “Beef Guinness Pie”, which was never indicated on the menu. This inconsistency raises serious concerns about transparency and billing accuracy.

For a restaurant that promotes itself as a place to experience authentic Irish food, this was a deeply disappointing experience. Poorly seasoned food, dismissive service, refusal to offer a fair resolution, and misleading billing practices do not reflect the standards expected of a reputable Dublin establishment.

I cannot in good conscience recommend this restaurant. Dublin offers many excellent places to enjoy genuine Irish cuisine—sadly, The Hairy Lemon is not...

I’ve been a loyal customer of Hairy Lemon since 2023. I’m a foreigner, but I’ve been living in the country since then. I’ve brought every person who has visited me to this pub, and every time someone has asked me for a pub recommendation in Dublin, I have recommended this one without hesitation.

Today, July 30th, around 4–5 PM, I was having a few pints with my family. It’s Wednesday, so the pub was relatively quiet (4–5 empty tables next to us). The first waitress who served us our two rounds was absolutely lovely: warm, friendly, and professional, exactly the kind of service that has always made me love this place.

We had only been at the pub for about an hour, during which we ordered two rounds. However, shortly after, another waitress repeatedly came to our table, pressuring us to order more drinks, even though we hadn’t finished the ones we already had. After telling her for the third time within a 15 minute span (and again, with our second round still unfinished) that we were going to wait before ordering a third round, she came back with the bill and rather rudely said, “we’re going to close out your tab.”

I felt very pressured, and my family felt quite uncomfortable, especially after I had told them that in the more than 10 times I’ve visited this pub, this had never happened before. I’m leaving quite disappointed, because my go-to pub, my safe, favorite spot in the city, the place I most enjoy sharing a pint with loved ones, made us feel as if we were just taking up space.

I sincerely hope this experience doesn’t reflect a change in the values or customer care that made Hairy Lemon so special to me. It has always been my 5-star place,...