Our parents will be 40 years married in February and we would like to celebrate with all the family – amounting to about 20 people. Can you recommend somewhere in Dublin that does good food and can accommodate our party in a not-too-busy diningroom. Our father is a bit deaf and at this stage our parents don’t enjoy bustling restaurants.
What a lovely thing to be celebrating. With a party of 20 people, perhaps the best way to approach this is to look at options for private rooms. Typically, there is a charge for the room or minimum spend, but it is not prohibitive considering the privacy it affords. All inquiries are via email or phone, so this is certainly a question you should ask before making your final selection. In February, restaurants are less busy and it may be that you can book the restaurant out on a weekday night. For instance, Potager in Skerries does this for parties of up to 40 people. If you have a favourite restaurant, it is worth checking if this is possible.
If you are looking for a central location, The Saddle Room at The Shelbourne has two private diningrooms, with The Martyn Turner Room seating up to 20 guests. You get all the classic old-world service of The Saddle Room in an intimate and private setting. For something even more special, and particularly good for history buffs, the Constitution Suite upstairs seats up to 20 people. It is here, that a committee chaired by Michael Collins sat down to write the Constitution of the Irish Free State in 1922. The room still contains the original table and chairs and is quite magnificent. It is for a minimum of 10 people and menus are from €120 per head.
Nearby is Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, with a light-flooded, Georgian private diningroom which seats up to 25 people. There is no hiring fee for the room, but they do require a deposit to secure the reservation. It has two-Michelin stars, and the €95 restaurant lunch menu is available. Otherwise, they will provide the Roderic O’Conor menu (for lunch or dinner), a three-course meal, priced at €180 per head.
One Pico has The Polo Room upstairs which has its own bar and is very self-contained. It seats 15-34 people and there is no room-hire fee. At Locks in Portobello, The Bewick Room upstairs seats 16-25 people, and has a particularly nice location by the canal.
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La Maison on Castle Market is wonderfully atmospheric, with a number of areas that are suitable for group bookings. Also full of charm is The Woollen Mills, which looks out on to the Ha’penny Bridge and the Liffey. They have a range of versatile spaces and diningrooms, including the intimate Joyce Room, which seats up to 20 people, and The Riverrun Room, which seats up to 30.
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Indo-chine on Leeson Street Upper has a private diningroom with a vintage feel for 28-30 people. The minimum spend required for a party is significantly lower Monday-Thursday, with prices rising for Saturday and Sunday bookings. Sittings here are 2½ hours per party, with an option to hire the venue for longer for an additional charge. The Old Spot has two private dining areas upstairs for 20 or 50 people.
Moving further out of town, Eleven restaurant in Loughlinstown caters for private functions, with seating for up to 25 people. Volpe Nera in Blackrock can host up to 22 people in the private diningroom upstairs and 30 downstairs – there is a minimum spend for Friday and Saturday nights; other nights are free of charge. Bresson in Monkstown has a private diningroom that accommodates 20-46 people, and Old Street in Malahide is geared up for groups of all sizes, offering tailor-made menus to suit tastes and budget.
