Kiely's of Donnybrook
Main Street, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
(01) 2830209
Price:
€
0-60
(for two with wine)
Hours:
Breakfats from 9am, with food served right through until 10pm
Restaurant Review
Kiely’s of Donnybrook has been a landmark pub in South Dublin for generations. It has been owned by the present management since 1988 and during that time it has gained a reputation for good food, and as the de facto home of Leinster rugby.
A few months back, myself and Paolo were going to review the Mulberry dens restaurant in Donnybrook. We arranged to meet in Kiely’s and as we sat there and enjoyed a pre-prandial drink, we got to talking about the pub. We had both been there many times over the years, and indeed it features very heavily in the life of one Ross O’Carroll Kelly, who treats it as a home from home in his adventures, of which I am a fan.
We had a look at the bar menu, liked it, and I thought I would drop back for lunch one day soon, and that’s exactly what I did. Sometimes I end up eating out a lot, and some comfort food is the only thing I want to have. I found myself in Donnybrook a couple of weeks later, and really fancied a proper lunch. I went into Kiely’s, took a seat and was soon brought a menu. It is fairly long, with lots of favourites on the list – starters like goat’s cheese salad, calamari with lemon and homemade tartar sauce, followed but a good spread of main courses like pan fried lamb cutlets, a homemade burger, a choice of steaks, as well as a choice of chicken and pasta dishes, with some seafood choices bringing up the rear, including goujons of lemon sole and classic cod and chips.
As well as the all day menu, the carvery was on, and I decided to walk up and see what was on. There was a roast lamb, but I already had my eye on the cutlets, so it was the other option that took my fancy, corned beef with cabbage and white sauce. I kept it simple, just a very generous helping of the corned beef, plenty a cabbage, and little mashed potato and I asked for the sauce on the side. I paid at the counter, €10.50, collected a glass of water and sat down.
The corned beef was moist and very tasty, the cabbage not wilted or overcooked and the mash was creamy. The white sauce was very good, and I thoroughly enjoyed the lunch, well made comfort food at a very fair price. In these more straightened times, maybe it’s time that the carvery made a comeback, and with the right menu and a good chef it can really hit the spot.
Kiely’s are running some pretty good specials at the moment; two courses and a bottle of wine for only €40 for two, or two steak dinners and a bottle of wine for €50. There really is great value out there at the moment.
A few months back, myself and Paolo were going to review the Mulberry dens restaurant in Donnybrook. We arranged to meet in Kiely’s and as we sat there and enjoyed a pre-prandial drink, we got to talking about the pub. We had both been there many times over the years, and indeed it features very heavily in the life of one Ross O’Carroll Kelly, who treats it as a home from home in his adventures, of which I am a fan.
We had a look at the bar menu, liked it, and I thought I would drop back for lunch one day soon, and that’s exactly what I did. Sometimes I end up eating out a lot, and some comfort food is the only thing I want to have. I found myself in Donnybrook a couple of weeks later, and really fancied a proper lunch. I went into Kiely’s, took a seat and was soon brought a menu. It is fairly long, with lots of favourites on the list – starters like goat’s cheese salad, calamari with lemon and homemade tartar sauce, followed but a good spread of main courses like pan fried lamb cutlets, a homemade burger, a choice of steaks, as well as a choice of chicken and pasta dishes, with some seafood choices bringing up the rear, including goujons of lemon sole and classic cod and chips.
As well as the all day menu, the carvery was on, and I decided to walk up and see what was on. There was a roast lamb, but I already had my eye on the cutlets, so it was the other option that took my fancy, corned beef with cabbage and white sauce. I kept it simple, just a very generous helping of the corned beef, plenty a cabbage, and little mashed potato and I asked for the sauce on the side. I paid at the counter, €10.50, collected a glass of water and sat down.
The corned beef was moist and very tasty, the cabbage not wilted or overcooked and the mash was creamy. The white sauce was very good, and I thoroughly enjoyed the lunch, well made comfort food at a very fair price. In these more straightened times, maybe it’s time that the carvery made a comeback, and with the right menu and a good chef it can really hit the spot.
Kiely’s are running some pretty good specials at the moment; two courses and a bottle of wine for only €40 for two, or two steak dinners and a bottle of wine for €50. There really is great value out there at the moment.
