The Yacht Bar and Restaurant — Restaurant in Dublin

A Disappointing Experience at The Yacht Bar and Restaurant, Clontarf I recently dined at The Yacht Bar and Restaurant in Clontarf, a venue I had heard much about but, unfortunately, my experience left much to be desired. Based on its picturesque location and generally positive reputation, I had expected a pleasant evening out. Instead, what I encountered was a series of small but significant disappointments that culminated in a dining experience that fell far short of expectations.

Upon arrival, the setting seemed promising. The restaurant boasts a lovely view of Dublin Bay, and the ambiance was warm and inviting. However, the positives quickly dwindled once the service began. Despite having made a reservation well in advance, our table was not ready when we arrived, leading to an awkward wait by the entrance. When we were finally seated, the service, while polite, was slow and somewhat inattentive, setting a tone of casual neglect that unfortunately persisted throughout the evening.

The meal started with a basket of bread, something I usually look forward to as a promising start to a meal. However, this simple offering was the first major disappointment. The bread, which should have been fresh and warm, was burnt. Not just slightly overdone, but genuinely charred to the point where the taste was overwhelmingly bitter. It was clear that the bread had been overlooked in the oven or simply left too long under the grill, but what was more surprising was that it was still served to us. When we pointed this out to our server, the response was lackluster at best—a quick apology but no offer to replace the bread or even a hint of concern. It set a poor precedent for the rest of the meal.

Moving on to the main course, the food was adequate but unremarkable, especially considering the prices. The presentation was decent, but the flavors were bland and uninspired. I ordered the seafood platter, expecting fresh, vibrant flavors that one would anticipate from a coastal restaurant. However, the dish was under-seasoned, and some of the seafood items tasted as though they had been frozen rather than freshly caught. My companion’s steak, while cooked to the requested medium-rare, was also lacking in seasoning and came with a side of limp, undercooked vegetables.

Throughout the meal, the service continued to be slow, with our drinks taking an inordinate amount of time to arrive, and empty plates lingering on the table long after we had finished. By the time dessert was offered, we had lost any real interest in extending the experience and opted to skip it altogether.

In conclusion, The Yacht Bar and Restaurant left much to be desired. While the location and ambiance have potential, the execution fell far short of what one would expect from a restaurant with such a reputation. The burnt bread was a small but telling detail that set the tone for an evening of mediocrity. At this price point, diners expect more than just a great view; they expect a memorable meal and attentive service. Unfortunately, what I experienced was an evening marred by disappointing food and lackluster service. While I am reluctant to write off a restaurant based on one bad experience, it is unlikely that I will be returning to The Yacht Bar and Restaurant...

Me and my partner went here for dinner yesterday Saturday the 14th. On entering the premises we weren’t greeted or asked did we want a table, we made our own way outside and found a table. 10 minutes later we eventually got the attention of a waiter to get drinks and food menu. She returned to take our order, we ordered drinks first, my partner wanted a Hendricks and elder flower tonic which she asked was it on the cocktail menu and I just ordered water and we gave our food order. She informed us that because we sat outside we had to pay first, so we said we would just split the bill, she couldn’t understand this and took my partners card with her, she returned a few minutes later asking what would we like to pay for, we said just split it down the middle, again she looked dazed, so my partner took both cards and went inside with her. I waited on the drinks, my water came but no Hendrix, a few minutes later I caught a waiter going around asking each table who ordered the Hendricks, I had to flag him down to get the drink. When my partner came back to the table he said taking the bill was a big ordeal, and he noticed there was no elder flower tonic, again we had to wait for this as the waitress forgot to write it down, the tonic arrived and we had to pay for it a second time as she didn’t understand. At this point we were ready to leave. Our starter came, again I had to flag it down, it was been passed from table to table, obviously they had no table numbers. We finished our starters and then waited on our mains, no one came to clear the table or refresh our napkins and cutlery time passed and still nothing, no one coming to tell us there was a delay or asking if we wanted another drink. 40m passed and I asked to see the manager, 10m passed and he eventually came to our table, I told him about our wait, the extremely bad customer service, he told us there was a delay in the kitchen and there working on ours and we will have it in 10m. We were asked by another waitress did we order pasta, then she continued to each table loudly saying ‘who ordered pasta’ From the starter to the main it was nearly 55m wait. I saw our steaks again been passed from table to table I had to flag the waitress again. Our mains eventually came, we were so hungry at this stage we didn’t care about our steaks not been cooked the way we wanted, we weren’t given any steak knifes or napkins. When the waitress came to see how we were I told her we had no steak knifes but at this stage we were almost done. It was the worst service We have ever experienced, coming from drinks in the bath were they could not do enough for us with exceptional customer service skills, to staff who were like headless chickens and didn’t seem passionate about there job, the manager just brushed us off and didn’t seem to concerned over it all, we also noticed we weren’t the only table getting bad service, we left very disappointed and won’t be returning again. We visit many restaurants and this by far was the worst, if your looking for a relax atmosphere and meal you won’t get it here, the place would give you anxiety. I’d...

Really should have taken the time to read the reviews, could have saved myself and pocketbook. Beautiful restaurant, ambiance was lovely. I was the only vegetarian in the group, and usually can eat side vegetables as a meal no problem. I asked what the vegetarian options were and was told a vegetarian lasagna. I have never seen a more disgusting undecipherable pile of what appeared to be regurgitated food. I wouldn't have known that's what it was honestly. I inquired what was in it, because of anaphylactic food allergy, and the chef who was set apart from the other kitchen staff by his coloured uniform rolled his eyes, huffed, looked at me and said aubergine, broccoli, beans and cheese very rudely, insinuating I should have known by looking at it. It was my only option for food so I was trying to make the best out of it. I asked if I could have a smaller plate because it honestly looked awful. He got very angry at that request, rolled his eyes again and muttered something. This time I did not let it go. I asked why he was rolling his eyes when I simply asked a question. A lovely female employee who witnessed the whole interaction immediately tried to diffuse the situation. She engaged me in conversation and profusely started apologising for his behaviour. She offered to get me a plate herself, I was livid at this point and refused although so very sweet. I assured her I would rather starve than eat his food lol. I paid for my children's meals and thanked her for her amazing customer service skills and told her he was very lucky she was there or I may have done something I was going to regret. I proceeded to my table and a few minutes later, she emerged with a hot bowl of food for me that she prepared personally (she was vegetarian too). I was so touched, what a kind and thoughtful gesture. On my way out I gave commendation to her to the Manager and I hope she sees this or her Manager approaches her and lets her know. She was the reason we stayed. What a fantastic employee...The Yacht Bar and Restaurant should keep an eye on E*y and promote her as she is top of...