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The Winding Stair, Dublin, Co. Dublin

The Winding Stair

4.6
4.6
2393 Reviews
€31 to €50
Irish

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 32 times today
  • Charming
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
The Winding Stair Bookshop & Café became a famous Dublin landmark in the 1970s and 1980s. Named after the Yeats poem and in honour of its winding staircase, it is overlooking the river Liffey, with an iconic view of the Ha'penny bridge. As a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists, it was a well known hub for debate and creativity with many poems written, novels penned and movies shot within its walls. In 2006, Elaine Murphy brought this much-loved spot back to life as a restaurant, championing seasonal, Irish produce. The bookshop, located on the ground floor, was retained, as were many of the old bookshelves, photos and memories. The room retains its timeless charm with stripped wood tables and floors, and Bentwood café chairs.The view remains as quintessentially Dublin as ever.
The food is good, old-fashioned home cooking, with produce sourced from artisans within the island. Drink sare local and international craft beers & wines from stellar producers.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    €31 to €50
  • Cuisines
    Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (01) 872 7320
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress

What 2,393 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • Dublin 1

    Best Overall

  • Dublin 1

    Best Food

  • Dublin 1

    Best Service

  • Dublin 1

    Best Ambience

  • Dublin 1

    Good for business meals

  • Dublin 1

    Innovative

  • Dublin 1

    Healthy

  • Dublin 1

    Neighbourhood gem

  • Dublin 1

    Great for fine wines

  • Dublin 1

    Good for special occasions

  • Dublin 1

    Vegetarian-friendly

  • Dublin 1

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Winding Stair offers a "unique, quaint, and friendly" dining experience with stunning views of the Ha'Penny Bridge. Renowned for its superb Irish cuisine, the restaurant boasts "flawless food," a "wonderful ambiance," and "attentive service." It's perfect for special occasions or a relaxed meal with a touch of nostalgia.

2,393 Reviews
  1. Karyn

    Dublin

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It’s many years since my last visit and it didn’t disappoint. Engaging staff, great food and fantastic view.

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  2. Nigel

    Dublin

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We enjoyed our fabulous dinner in the Winding Stair on a busy and bustling Friday night in Dublin. The location is perfect. The food was faultless and I'm looking forward to returning very soon. It's been a while since we last are here and it has kept up to its high standards. Good food cooked perfectly. The staff are very professional and friendly. The Winding Stair is very high on my list of favourite restaurants, I think it could be my number one very easily! I can highly recommend it but remember to book a table as it's very popular.

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  3. Anne-Marie

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Lovely dinner and as we were going to the theatre they made sure we were served promptly. Had yummy crab to start and the huge park chop. Didn’t have room for dessert. I will be back.

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  4. louise

    Worcestershire

    9 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fantastic place - great view- delicious food we would definitely recommend it to everyone

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  5. Paul

    Vancouver

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food. Highly recommended. Busy so get a reservation

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  6. Carles

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Nice venue and with good views of the river if close to the window

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  7. Dick

    Dublin

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    The Winding Stair is always busy and can be noisy. This was the case on this visit. We were a table of six and it was very hard to have a conversation that included the whole table. The restaurant is a long time favourite and the food and service were up to the usual high standards.

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  8. Klaire

    Dublin

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Lovely lunch, staff and food were great but lighting in bathroom was so low it was dangerous. Both I and my elderly mother tripped over a bin in the cubicle because we could barely see. It's an accident waiting to happen

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  9. Hugh

    London

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Attractive venue,,great food, good wine list for wines by the glass and excellent friendly service.

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  10. Marieles

    New York City

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 20, 2024

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Nourriture très bien mais l’endroit très bruyant . Les autres clients aucun respect pour les autres.

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FAQs

The Winding Stair is rated 4.6 stars by 2393 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 32 times today
Google Map for The Winding Stair

40 Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, Co. Dublin D01 R9Y5

Additional information

  • Neighbourhood
    North City Centre
  • Hours of Operation
    Lunch Wed–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Dinner Mon, Tue, Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Wed–Sat 5:30 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    €31 to €50
  • Cuisines
    Irish, Seafood, Vegetarian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Public Lot
  • Payment Options
    Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Beer, View, Wine
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
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