Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in North County Dublin

OpenTable

Updated 05 April 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in North County Dublin? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyses nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you book, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Old Street

4.8

4.8 (889)

€31 to €50

Irish

Malahide

About the restaurant

Old Street is a modern neighbourhood restaurant situated in the heart of historic Malahide, County Dublin. Local couple Mark and Adriana Fitzpatrick have lovingly restored two of the oldest buildings in the village to offer a comfortable and casual dining experience, along with a contemporary cocktail bar and award-winning wine list. Old Street's Head Chef, Mario Simic, creates dishes of contemporary Irish food that combine robust flavours, modern techniques, and the warmth and generosity of traditional comfort food. The menus are designed to showcase the best of the season from Irish farmers, fishermen, and producers. Old Street is dedicated to providing guests of all ages with a memorable dining experience, featuring house-made charcuterie and Higgins Master Butchers' beef.

Top review

Paul

Dined 1 day ago

Easily the most impressive restaurant in Malahide. From the decor to the standard of food and wine it is fantastic. The staff are so attentive and knowledgeable about their extensive wine offering.

Blue Bar

4.7

4.7 (2389)

€31 to €50

Gastro Pub

Skerries

About the restaurant

In a great harbour side location in the small fishing village Skerries. Blue Bar hits the spot for casual dining, a lively night out with friends, after work cocktails or just enjoying the sunset from our deck. From our award winning Wings, Fresh Seafood straight from the bay to our house Gin & Tonic's made with our own home made tonic.

Top review

Clive

Dined 5 days ago

Beautiful evening, staff so polite and food amazing

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Gourmet Food Parlour - Malahide

4.7

4.7 (773)

€30 and under

European

Malahide

About the restaurant

Located on the winding coastal road, our Malahide restaurant offers stunning views to complement its equally stunning food. Sunny and bright, it’s the perfect space to enjoy our daytime menu.

Large car park available directly outside the restaurant, so if you’re heading out on a drive, keep us in mind!

Join us today and enjoy our delicious menus and daily chef specials.

Top review

AlanVIP

Dined 6 days ago

Excellent service and coffee as always. Highly recommended but make sure to make a reservation

5Rock

4.6

4.6 (1156)

€31 to €50

Grill

Skerries

About the restaurant

Restaurant situated on Skerries harbour. Focusing on fresh, quality ingredients cooked in a wood burning oven. From pizzas, steaks and local seafood, 5Rock has something for everyone.
We also have a full range of spirits, wine, beer and are best know for our cocktails.

Top review

Brian

Dined 1 day ago

First class experience from start to finish. Quality food and service in comfortable surroundings. Background music great selection at pleasant volume.

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Little Richards Wood Fired Pizza

4.6

4.6 (288)

€30 and under

Pizzeria

Skerries

About the restaurant

Authentic Wood-Fired Pizza
We use a traditional wood-fired pizza oven (handmade in Italy - shipped to Skerries) to achieve the flavor's that only a woodfire oven can achieve...the result? The perfect crust, a slightly smoky aroma and crispier toppings that taste incredible. It's the authentic Neapolitan way!

Top review

OpenTable Diner

Dined on 1 Mar 2025

The bruschetta and pizza very nice, cool restaurant/bar.

30 Church Street Howth

4.6

4.6 (35)

€31 to €50

Pizzeria

Howth

About the restaurant

Fáilte!

Welcome to 30 Church Street, your trusted Neighbourhood Restaurant with the best views in Howth!

We serve delicious wood-fired pizza, the best of Irish beef and the freshest of Irish seafood.

Our Restaurant's interior is comfortable and relaxed, with open fires on the ground floor and an open kitchen on the top floor.

The views over St Mary's Abbey (the old Abbey) and the Howth harbour are spectacular from both floors.

We pride ourselves in delivering the best of the Irish Hospitality.

We place the customer’s needs at the centre of our business, and we go the extra mile to ensure everyone has a memorable experience with us.

Book a table today and leave the rest to us!

See you soon,

Top review

Ciara

Dined 5 days ago

The pizza was absolutely delicious and perfectly cooked. The staff were incredibly friendly and impressively efficient, making the whole experience even better. The interior was lovely and the views were simply stunning. A fantastic spot all around!

The Betsy Swords

4.4

4.4 (535)

€30 and under

Gastro Pub

Swords

About the restaurant

The Betsy Swords, bar and restaurant, is located at the heart of North County Dublin. Since opening guests can enjoy its contemporary cuisine and unparalleled service, bringing a touch of magic with decadent decor to provide our customers with comfort, ease and cosiness while enjoying a varied mix of classics and locally inspired dishes.
 Catering for every occasion from lunch, dinner and beyond, with beautiful bars serving cocktails, fine wines and drinks. Our eclectic menu includes The Betsy Signature Steak, fish, vegetarian options and the famous Betsy Sunday Roast. The Betsy is devoted to constant evolution and development, using the best products that are authentic and bursting with honest to goodness quality and flavour. Our décor, lighting and music offer an oasis of calm away from the bustle of life with a warm Irish welcome.

Open Wednesday and Thursday 3pm, Friday Saturday Sunday 12 noon. The Betsy Swords welcomes local residents, businesses and visitors alike.

The Betsy

Top review

Michael

Dined 5 days ago

This is the second time me and the family have eaten here Xmas and April both times we're outstanding the Xmas dinner was great and good value and last week we had 8os 🥩 steak I have never had a steak so tasty and cooked to perfection so don't hesitate go

Smokin Bones Swords

4.2

4.2 (42)

€30 and under

Barbecue

Swords

About the restaurant

Our story so far...

After much research throughout the States, Smokin Bones had its first outing in Herbert Park in 2014. Barbecue has grown to be a way of life for the Smokin Bones team and is much more than smoky meats and juicy flavours. Barbecue is about friends gathering together and sharing good food in a casual and relaxed atmosphere. That’s what we aim to achieve in our locations, from the head chef to your server on the floor. Thanks for your custom and we hope you enjoy your visit.

Smokin Bones is 100% Irish owned and apart from visiting any of our locations you can now enjoy our great smoked flavours at home. Order online for home delivery or visit our online shop and order our unique ‘BBQ in a Box’. Barbecue at home could not be easier.

Top review

Guillermo

Dined on 14 Mar 2025

Food tasty and good value for money if you get a Groupon’s voucher, otherwise a bit pricey. Water is from the tab. We had dinner at around 19:30h and had no problems parking which is a plus. Service was nice and friendly. Thank you.

Sette Pizzeria & Trattoria

4.2

4.2 (16)

€30 and under

Italian

Malahide

About the restaurant

Sette Pizza is a family-owned and operated business that has been serving up delicious Neapolitan pizzas since 2022. Having now moved to our new bigger premises we have extended our menu to include fare such as Irish corn fed free range chicken, slow cooked on our new Italian rotisserie with seasonings delivered direct from our partner just south of Rome. We also have a range of salad and pasta dishes and Italian made deserts. Our passion for quality ingredients and traditional recipes is what sets us apart. We are constantly striving to expand our menu and provide our customers with the best possible dining experience. Join us and become a part of our story!

Top review

Dominic

Dined on 5 Apr 2025

Exactly what Malahide was missing - a family friendly Italian! Great location, amazing service and proper Italian food. A local family run restaurant too. Great to see. This is our second time back - this time without the kids. Aperols were delish. Will go again.

Runway 28 Rooftop Bar & Restaurant

4.1

4.1 (372)

€30 and under

European

Cloghran

About the restaurant

Welcome to Runway 28, where incredible food meets awe-inspiring views!

Situated on a rooftop terrace with exclusive front-row seats to Dublin's busiest airport runway, our restaurant is all about giving you a memorable dining experience. Our rooftop oasis combines elegance with comfort, giving you a laid-back and enjoyable experience.

Our chefs have gone above and beyond to create a menu bursting with flavours and using only the finest local sourced ingredients. From mouthwatering bites perfect for sharing with friends to fancy creations that'll make your taste buds sing.

So whether you're celebrating a special occasion, on a romantic date night, or simply in the mood for exceptional cuisine paired with plane spotting, Runway 28 Rooftop Terrace

Top review

Orla

Dined on 29 Mar 2025

Lovely food, friendly staff, lively atmosphere with dj playing, a tad bit loud but nothing major, really enjoyed our first experience there, will defo return

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