The best BBQ food in Dublin

F.X. Buckley is a household name in Ireland when it comes to top quality meat. What began in 1930 as a small butcher shop on Moore Street is now one of Dublin’s most successful restaurants with locations scattered across the city. Given this experience, it is no surprise that the chefs at F.X. Buckley restaurants are experts in the art of barbecuing. While the menu offers fish and chicken as well as vegetarian options, the showstopper is the steak, barbecued to crisp perfection in a Josper charcoal oven. The restaurant’s most recent flex is that it was listed in the top ten steakhouses not just in Ireland, but in the world!

On days where the sun does peek through the cracks of the Irish sky, get yourself down to The Paddocks in Clonee where you can enjoy great BBQ food in one of Dublin’s best beer gardens. We recommend the Bulgogi Beef Sizzler with top quality marinated Angus Beef and all the good stuff on the side like mushrooms and onion rings. Don’t forget to stick around til’ late as the restaurant transforms into a live music venue, where you can dance off that generous portion of BBQ food lathered in Jack Daniels sauce that you inhaled for dinner. The perfect evening? We think so!

The heat is on at Mister S on Camden Street where the aim is simple: to cook exceptional food over fire. At Mister S, people come for the best BBQ food in the city and they return time and time again for the impeccable service with which it is served. All mains, without exception, are cooked in a bespoke grill over charcoal and wood for that authentic BBQ taste that we all know and love. There’s Dry Aged Hereford Steak and Smoked Beef Shortrib, Herbed Chicken and Lemon Sole, Grilled Pork Chop and Baked Celeriac, all of which may be perfectly paired with something from the carefully selected wine list. The whole menu, if you can forgive the pun, is absolute fire!

The Harbourmaster Bar & Restaurant offers a unique dining experience in an historic building with stunning views over Dublin’s iconic Docklands. The menu caters to all dietary preferences, and particularly to those with a taste for charred meat. Check out the BBQ Buffet Menu for just €23 per person, where you can choose from a selection of meat served with Asian Slaw and New Potato Salad. The Harbourmaster leaves no (charcoal) stone unturned when it comes to catering for all preferences at the BBQ Buffet, with plenty of gluten free and vegan options as well as a bite-sized trio of desserts for those post-BBQ sweet cravings.

Overlooking Christchurch Cathedral and serving up the best of Irish meat is Bull & Castle. Part of the Buckley Collection with meat sourced from the previously mentioned and highly regarded F.X Buckley’s, Bull & Castle offers mouthwatering BBQ food in a traditional Irish pub setting. For starters we recommend the homemade spiced sausage, followed by the Cote De Boeuf for Two served with beef dripping chips. If you’re visiting with friends, and we suggest that you do this barbecue season, choose one of the Bull & Castle 3-Course Group Menus, which are sure to be a hit with the gang.

True Dublin foodies often venture further afield than Dublin 1 to places like Terenure and Rathmines for some of the city’s best culinary offerings. In the heart of Terenure is JD’s Steakhouse, which is beloved among locals for its top quality BBQ food. We can’t get enough of JD’s BBQ Ribs which are seasoned in their very own dry rub and cooked low and slow with the famous BBQ sauce. We love a good early-bird menu too, and there’s a two-course one on offer here with all your meaty faves. When you’re good and full, head to the nearby Rathmines where there’s an endless amount of funky late bars waiting for you.