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The Market Bar
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Sun 12 p.m. - 11 p.m.
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
€€
- Good for Children:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Best Nights:
- Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
11 reviews for The Market Bar
I've been here loads of times in the evening, but yesterday was the first time I went here for lunch... when I say lunch I think it was 3pm, but you know what I mean. It came as a bit of a surprise because I kind of associate this place with the sweaty, over-crowded, can't get to the bar, drunken haze that occurs at around 1am on a weekend night. It was a bit of a revelation to be here in the afternoon. A friend pointed out that there was always people here with babies whenever she was in during the day, and I can see why - it's light and airy and has plenty of room for buggies beside tables.
Anyway we had lunch and the four of us ordered 3 large tapas and some drinks and set down to some serious inter-bridal-shopping scoffing. And it was good! A nice quiet place for us to chat and prepare for our next shopping visit, accompanied with delicious tapas. mmmmm
The market bar makes you feel like you are in Spain, the layout and atmosphere are unique.
The food is excellent too. The market bar shines when you come to eat in a group. Tapas all over the table, its more laid back than a restaurant, as you can head to the bar,stand in the outdoor area with the smokers,etc.
You also have a lot of space in this bar. I don't see it as a bar on its own, its more for eating and drinking with friends.
The market bar or Morket Bor,depending on how posh you are, is a relatively recent addition to the Dublin pub scene. One of its features is a lack of any background music. At first it seemed weird but works really well.
The pub is a huge redbrick man room with a mezzanine bar above, food-wise its mostly tapas, which are tasty and well prepared. The restaurant part of the bar is down at the back of the main room and has slightly different hours.
Theres also a mezzanine bar upstairs which is probably better for eating and can be booked for groups and events. One of its best features is a huge outdoor smoking area with heaters.
A bit like the Odeon, the market bar can feel a bit empty if its not busy but the place is frequently packed and one of Dublin's better places for a night out.
Aesthetically speaking, The Market Bar is probably the best restaurant in Dublin. Redbrick and tables of latticed wood, high ceilings... Wonderful interior. But that's not your overriding concern when visiting a restaurant, so enough of that.
The food at The Market Bar is good. Tapas are their specialty, and those few that I have tried were mainly very good, and quite reasonably priced. The calamari was nice, and so were the little diced potatoes, patata or something, but the meatballs carry a warning: if you don't like cumin (and i personally detest cumin), you're not going to like them. Even the people that I was with who liked cumin found the flavour a little overbearing.
The Market Bar isn't a bad spot to start your night out in, either. Due to the sheer scale of the place, there is usually at least one big table free if you're in a group.
So yeah, The Market Bar is basically pretty top-notch.
The Market Bar is one of my favourite places to eat in Dublin - the tapas are the best you will find around.
I love coming here on a date night, or with a big group of friends - it works particularly well in a group setting as they do large dishes and small dishes of each of their yummy tapas. You absolutely have to have the patatas bravas - they're the staple of any tapas menu - and I love their meatballs, calamari and chicken salad. Oh and the nachos too! I pretty much love all their menu!
The large dishes are around €12 and the small ones about €8 - for a group of 4/6 people you'd need maybe 2 big ones and maybe 3 small. Which works out nice and cheap!
After having patatas bravas in a famous Irish pub near Pheonix Park (you know which one I'm talking about), I have to give kudos to the Market Bar for doing it right. It's such a simple recipe, but apparently some pubs get it wrong.
Market Bar gets the award for best patatas bravas in Dublin. Congratulations, you merit an extra star for that.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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18/07/2009
The Market Bar is a great place to go for tapas but not a great place to go for atmosphere. There's… Read more »
'Doesn't this place just feel like a market to you? Can't you just see the horses?'
Ok, so I have some strange friends. But when Brian introduced me to the Market Bar, he was very eager to set the scene for me. Stopping just short of making the obligatory neighing sounds, he instructed me to shut my eyes and proceeded to embark upon a detailed description of the possible earlier uses of this airy (and yes Brian) very market-like restaurant/bar space.
I must say I was quite impressed with the cavernous ceilings and spatial arrangements of the enormous building that comprises the Market Bar. It is a very cool place to pop into for a drink or a round of tapas.
If you're there on a Summer evening the lighting is deliberately low, allowing the late sunsets and long evenings to cast a glow over the main part of the bar. I applaud the Market Bar for designing the space to make the most of the natural light - looks great, and is even better for the environment :-)
The service is brisk and brusque, but that's not why people frequent this establishment. Definitely recommended for a drink or two (or for the entire evening if you wish.) Just keep an eye out for the horses...
The high ceilings and open plan design of the Market Bar lend it a feeling of airy spaciousness. Perhaps this is why it is such an attraction to so many Dublin 9-5ers who have been cooped up in offices all day.
It is a good place to take a big group and if are planning on eating, you can reserve a table in advance. There is a seating area designated specifically for the restaurant but diners can also park themselves at any vacant table in the bar. The tapas menu is perfect for a diverse group out on the razzle dazzle because you can eat as little or as much as you want and the food is light. I recommend the patatas bravas and the nachos to kick your night off with some latin fire!
Unfortunately, my last visit there left a sour taste. My friend handed over a fifty but got change of a twenty. He is a reasonable guy but there was no reasoning with the barman. I know what you're thinking but it was his first drink!
If you're looking for an all-rounder with a bit of atmosphere, head to The Market Bar. The building used to be a shoe factory and some of the old lasts line the northern wall. It's a cavernous space that easily swallows big groups. The wooden floorboards look great, but can be echoey - when it's full of people this place buzzes - a lot of my friends say it's too loud. There's tapas or more traditional meal style plates, passable cocktails, and a wine list that has been put together by somebody that drinks wine. Service is sharpish, prices less so.
I go to The Market Bar a lot. It's big and roomy with comfy seats, although I prefer it earlier in the night as oppose to later as it can get very packed and very, very noisy. It's a good spot both to drink and to eat and drink. The menu carries a good range of starters and main courses and there's plenty to choose from if you just want to nibble. The nachos are nice and tasty, without being show stopping, but steer clear of the olives if you don't feel like being disappointed. You would think that it's hard to go wrong with something as simple as olives, but The Market Bar's offering is definitely not its best. The last time I was there I had a really delicious chorizo and goat's cheese salad that I enjoyed so much I've since tried to re-create it at home - to no avail though! I guess that's what eating out is for! The Market Bar's service is more often than not spot on although the ladies' loos are not always as well kept as they should be. And speaking of ladies - girls, if you are in high heels, proceed with caution! The grate-like panels on the floor are a bit of a deathtrap for anyone wearing stilettos!
I really like this place as it does make me feel like I am in some market in Barcelona or other trendy European destination! I love the noise, the buzz, the chatter, the furniture and lay out and decor! It is all so atmospheric and the tapas are great. The food is really fresh and authentic and tasty, just like being in Spain, without the sun, sunburn and greasy waiters!
