The Dog House Blue's Tea Room Restaurant — Restaurant in Fingal

Location & Access: Located in the charming seaside town of Howth, this spot sits near the lighthouse, Howth Market, and various souvenir shops and seafood stalls. It’s highly accessible—just a 2-minute walk from the DART station and easily reachable via "H3" and "6" buses. Whether you’re driving or taking public transport from Dublin, finding this place is a breeze. The surrounding sea breeze and coastal vibe immediately set the tone.

Ambience & Space: This place is truly unique—spacious, eclectic, and unforgettable. It offers both indoor and semi-outdoor seating areas, with quirky elements like Viking-style tables, vintage leather sofas, and even an actual bed you can relax on. The design blends various old-school styles to create a cozy, relaxing, and Instagram-worthy experience. There are heaters and fireplaces for colder days, and the overall vibe is perfect for couples, groups, or solo visitors looking to unwind. Low music and a laid-back atmosphere make it ideal for real conversation and chill time.

Cleanliness: Indoors, the restaurant is very clean—spotless tables, dishes, and floors. The bathrooms are also clean. The outdoor seating area has a more rustic charm: a bit dusty and with signs of wear like pet hair or sofa cracks, but it all feels intentional and fitting with the laid-back, pet-friendly vibe. Blankets are provided for guests who want to stay warm outside, which is a thoughtful touch.

Menu & Pricing: The menu covers everything from starters and main courses to desserts, teas, and coffees. They also offer alcoholic beverages. Prices are reasonable, especially given the quality and ambiance. We ordered tiramisu, cheesecake, chai latte, Americano, and Earl Grey tea. Every item was beautifully presented—especially the tea, served in elegant floral chinaware. The Earl Grey wasn’t a generic teabag—it seemed to be a custom blend, filled with quality leaves. The tiramisu was one of the best I’ve had, and the drinks were flavorful and served at perfect temperatures. Gluten-free options and clear allergy information are also available.

Staff & Service: Professional, attentive, and pleasantly hands-off. The staff gives you space to enjoy your time, which is rare and appreciated. Service was timely, friendly, and smooth.

Accessibility & Extras: The restaurant is wheelchair- and pet-friendly, and there’s ample space for groups. It’s also a great place to relax for a while—not just eat and go.

Final Thoughts: This place gave me such a great vibe that I want to make it my regular spot—a real patogh. It’s a cozy, unique gem by the sea with character, comfort, and quality all wrapped into one. 100% recommend and...

After a recent visit to The Dog House, I feel obligated to warn fellow diners of the culinary catastrophe that awaits within. This restaurant claims to offer an elevated dining experience, but my wife and I were thoroughly disappointed by the lackluster dishes and abysmal service we encountered.

To start, the arabiata seafood pasta was an unappetizing sight. It closely resembled tinned spaghetti, bearing little to no resemblance to the flavorsome dish we had anticipated. The mussels were shockingly undercooked, and after consuming just two of them, my wife suffered from an upset stomach the following day.

The waitress who tended to our table added insult to injury, with her baffling inability to take a simple order. Without request, she added items to our order that we neither wanted nor needed. When dining out, the last thing anyone wants is to feel as if their choices are being dictated to them by the waiting staff.

As for the "Gourmet Burger" I ordered, it was a far cry from the premium dish the name suggests. It was nothing more than a plain beef patty on a bun, garnished with lettuce, tomato, and onion. A culinary triumph, this was not. If The Dog House aspires to claim the title of "gourmet," they must first acquaint themselves with the meaning of the term.

The prawn starter was yet another letdown. The prawns were not deveined, a basic culinary oversight that one would not expect from a restaurant of this supposed caliber. While consuming the vein of a prawn may not directly cause an upset stomach, it is widely regarded as unappetizing and unhygienic.

Lastly, the manager's attitude was nothing short of appalling. Rather than addressing our concerns with understanding and professionalism, he opted for a combative and argumentative stance. This only served to further taint an already regrettable dining experience.

In conclusion, The Dog House is a dining disaster best avoided by those seeking a truly enjoyable culinary outing. With its subpar dishes, inept service, and an uncooperative management team, this restaurant is one that should be left in...

Would not recommend. I had heard about this place from a friend and was super excited to try it out with my husband. The location was great and the decor looked amazing online, so we decided to take our in-laws on their visit to Ireland. We arrived at 4pm on a Sunday and there was only a few families out. Still, we had to wait to be seated for 5 minutes while the staff seemed to be chatting at the bar. We all ordered “Doggy Style” pizzas and chose our toppings. The pizzas are tiny, at only 9 inches and cost 13.95. For extra toppings, ie more than 2 you have to pay 2 euros per topping. Howth is an expensive place to eat but this is ridiculous for just a little bite- other tourist places like Templebar are far cheaper for the size. I asked for rocket on my pizza (my third topping-2 euro more) and when it came out it was missing it, so I said fine I don’t need it. Of course later it appeared on the bill. For dessert I ordered the fruit scone which was cold and dry, maybe picked up from the store the day before. It came with old melted packets of butter and the cheapest jam. They forgot the cream and I had to call the waiter over. My in-laws wanted to order cupcakes and were told there was only vanilla left. What they were brought were not vanilla, but a fruit cupcake and a cinnamon one, so the waiter was called over again, and we were told they were “out of vanilla”. They took the cupcake away and erased it from the bill but they should of just left it on the table as a kind gesture, it’s their bad. As someone who works in the service industry, it makes me wonder if their staff are even trained. On top of all this, there is a 12.5% service charge. For the prices of food they’re charging, this is ludicrous. I always tip over 10% but their service and food is NOT worth 12.5 percent. We paid 15 euros service charge for someone to mess up our orders multiple times and mediocre food. Hope you enjoy it because I will be telling everyone who visits us to avoid The Dog...