Annie "last night a DJ saved my life" L.'s Profile

There is something still exciting to me about a double decker bus. Maybe it's the memories I associate with it, when my Mam would treat me as a young one with a trip to the Big Smoke and she'd giggle with me as we ran up the stairs and took a seat at  the back.

It's the view. The sense of being really big especially when you are a five year old. That magic of going up the stairs is still not lost on me.

But it's infinitely better when you can sit at a booth and eat pizza and have a few drinks looking at the people below.

Great, cheap pizza. Excellent location. Bar on site and great tunes and no mean bus conductor - win win!

Wonderful interior that is a cross between a Victorian era train enclosure and the film spot in Glasgow, I forget the name of it but it's a converted old world film area.

Tapas is the menu choice. You can decide to dine properly or just stay in the bar area and eat more casually. The divide between both is a case of white table clothes.

The artichokes and Spanish meats were so tasty and the right amount of saltiness and bitterness. Meatballs are another great option and excellent value.

Bar-staff are very friendly and they have Caledonia on tap, a new Scottish ale (new for Ireland) and the bartender happily gave me a sample before deciding to buy. It was really tasty and smooth.

Acoustics of the space can be very noisy as it fills up very quick which leads me to the next important point, get there early especially on the weekends.

"What kind of bottled beer have you got?"
"What would you like?"
"What do you have?"
"What would you like?"

At this point I found myself getting really annoyed at him, the manager I assume. I was invited there by an acquaintance for some deal. €16 for one free bottled beer or cocktail and a platter of food between four people.

"OK so let's try this, have you bud light?"
"No."
"Have you Heineken?"
"Yes."
"Could you please just tell me what you have?!"

Eventually he did.

Music was far too loud and the place was half empty at 7pm on a Friday. I felt like I was in the Balearic's except my table was on the dance floor and I was eating a fried chicken tender.

There were children boogieing down at one point, I mean actual children as in should they not of been out playing in a field or whatever kids do these days.

It's just not for me. I have been in plenty of places that don't reflect me and I'm not harsh enough to give them a poor star rating because I see the value overall for others. But you have to question the overall running of the show when a manager flies about in a panic in moderately full small space and thinks its OK to be evasive about his drinks. Also he was walkie takli-ing it up... My goodness, maybe I should look into that more for my 500+ events.

Best of luck to them, hopefully that deal will mean regulars for them.

I ended up here Friday night, I had no idea it existed!

Such a beautiful space and very reasonably priced cocktails. It was very empty which is a shame and I really think it's because not many people know about it.

There is something really fun about walking off the Dawson street path to below. It's a great space for a girls night and the staff are extremely friendly. It feels like your own private swish club!

Very hidden spot but great to have a local independent spot.

Lovely man that owns it, €90 to change my tyre, he knocked €5 off it. Very quick and weirdly clean inside, you could eat your dinner off the floor - assuming you would want to...

"Oh that's when we met at my PENTHOUSE roight... Yeah that was in my PENTHOUSE... Yeah that's when you came back to my PENTHOUSE."

I stood at the bar and ordered a beer for myself and a mojito for my friend. I did not look towards the PENTHOUSE eejit but I deducted that he was trying to chat up some chick.

I always have the awful timing of being around couples that run out of things to say to each other so they stare at me as I try to not focus on the fact that they are staring at me. Then brunette says something in a poor English accent to which he confidently asserts at me,

"Oh she's just a DUMB BLONDE"

As I stood with beer and mojito in hand, two red faced barflies looked at me to see what my next move was gonna be. I will not lie, the thought of glassing him flashed through my mind but then I listened to the lyrics of Lionel Richie that rose from the stillness,

"She's once, twice, three times a lady..."

So I knew it was a sign to be a lady and say nothing. I did glare at PENTHOUSE man and I was shocked to see that he was a man in his late 60's with a very expensive suit on, he looked like a lawyer. I thought it was some young jumped up prat boasting about his money but the reality was much sadder. She looked like the back of a head.

Oh Dublin, your repressive drinking laws make finding a late bar a challenge.

My friend and I were having a great chat and we didn't want to stop at 11:30pm as the bars lights flashed on, so I suggested this spot as it's open till 2:30am.

Even though I have given the spot 2 stars I know I will be back because of lack of choice and because it's actually a nice pub it just depends what time of the day you go.

I would love to say the story ends at this point but no. As my friend left for the loo a 30 something year old guy decided to sit beside me.

"You think you are so great drinking your beer."

"Is there a point to this?"

"You just think you're great."

"I do actually."

"You need a man like me."

"No I don't."

"What's your problem."

"You. Could you go away now and spread your lothario love elsewhere."

"Wha?!"

"OK I'm not talking to you anymore. I am going to stare at my beer till my boyfriend returns (my friend assumed this role without his consent, it seemed the wise thing to do at time)."

"OH YOUR BOYFRIEND! YOU NEED ME."

So thus concluded a night of quiet drinks. If you want to float in the doldrums of middle aged sadness mixed with heady alcoholism this is just the place for you.

Bartenders are lovely though, they should write a book.

A lovely spacious old world pub.

The bar area has a long counter top and lots of bright light coming in from the high windows. Mix of locals and tourists when I was there last, a 6ft plus German group of men to be exact and one was dressed as a leprechaun.

The lounge area is very cosy with a TV to watch the sports etc.

Very friendly bartender and the usual stuff on tap.

"I'll have a Sazerac please."
"A what?"

I'm not a snob and I am definitely still in the learner mixology stage but if you promote yourself as a cocktail spot I expect that you at least have a knowledge of the classics.

Nice young bartenders that were eager to learn and excited to be asked how to make an "exotic" cocktail.

The layout of the bar needs work. The octagon bar is obviously the focal point but I think it's a bad idea to not have high chairs and tables continue through the bar. At the walls there are couches and it feels like two different concepts in one.

Lighting is bad, too bright. Great potential for a great cocktail bar, just revise the interior and maybe the cocktail menu.

I had no idea how big this eatery is, I always thought it was more of a diner as I only ever walked by it and you see a patio style area.

Yesterday I learned that there is a very different mood setting inside it. Warm colours and plenty of old black and white photos of children and famous singers.

The music that they play is mainly a 1950's easy listening vibe, although someone in there really loves Michael Buble as the volume went up anytime he came on the airwaves - it was a bit much to be honest, you don't blast music in a restaurant.

I got the margarita  pizza which was very tasty and a margarita cocktail. It was OK, I've had better. They do have a very impressive bar and cocktail menu, and the fire from the oven gives it a wonderful atmosphere.

For dessert I had their selection of sorbets of the day which was absolutely delicious and so fresh - highly recommend ordering them.

Over all a pizza, beer, cocktail, dessert, tea and water came to €35.

It really makes financial sense to have a very good looking friend. If you don't have one, then now is the time to invest in one.

Oh hush up those at the back that think I'm being shallow - I'm being practical. In these recessionary times a good looking friend is your ticket to free stuff.

This pub is a bit hidden away but they still have a print out on the bar top about Yelp - my work has been done there. It's like someones living room. Very homely, a lot of locals of all different age groups. TVs for the sports and chart music on the speakers.

Great drinks prices. Very friendly staff especially very friendly with my very good looking friend, we got a free round. I was dressed in my Rocky style tracksuit as I had assumed we were going for a walk, I didn't realise that meant to the pub. So you can understand the big sense of achievement I felt when I got a free drink whilst dressed like I was about to run up to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.