First Time Solo Trip to Dublin, Ireland (Part 2)

In Part 2 of this series, I’ll cover all the practicalities of traveling solo in Dublin: where to stay, where to eat, drink, and where to shop. I will also share some tips and tricks for the first time visitors to Dublin, Ireland. And if you’ve missed Part 1, here is a link to it.

Where to Stay in Dublin, Ireland

Being the capital of Ireland, Dublin has a variety of accommodations for every taste and budget. As a solo female traveler, a few things had to be considered. For instance, location of the hotel & neighborhood, short walking distance to the main attractions, safety, comfort of the rooms, and overall value.

The easy decision would be to stay right in the center on the Southside, and I thought about it. However, summer of 2018 has been the hottest sunniest summer on record in Ireland to date. And, the hotel prices were pretty much in line with the crazily high demand. After some serious deliberation, I chose an Executive Room at Maldron Hotel Smithfield, on the Northside, and truly enjoyed my stay.

By the way, if you are pondering what I mean by the Southside versus the Northside of Dublin — the divider is the River Liffey. The Southside is perceived being more posh and the Northside more industrial. I found both sides to be pretty craic. What? I had to use this Irish all descriptive word for “fun-and-giggles” somewhere in this article, right 😉?

In any case, here are a few other reasons that I really enjoyed staying at Maldron Hotel Smithfield:

1) The Staff. They were very helpful and accommodating. With the high demand for fans, there were no more fans available for guests, so they gave me the last one from their own office. One wouldn’t expect a need for an air-conditioner or a fan in Ireland, but that summer was nuts. In any case, loved their friendliness, great chats & advice, and hospitality. Any five star hotel would be lucky to have them.

2) The bed was comfortable. And that’s one thing that makes a hotel stay nice, even if the room as a whole needs a bit of updating (it does). All in all, it was a relaxing room to come back to, after running around all day.

3) Balcony. Just a weird personal thing, I guess. I always like the rooms with balconies, patios or lanais. Mine had a great view of the Smithfield square, I even spotted several famous “Lady in a Window” statues in the building across the hotel.

4) Fresh, a neighborhood grocery store was right next door to the hotel — very convenient for stocking up on water and munchies.

5) The legendary Cobblestone pub (more on that later) is right there as well.

Where to Eat in Dublin, Ireland

One of the cool things about Maldron Hotel Smithfield is that they have the Grain and Grill restaurant onsite, and my stay included breakfast that had hot and cold buffet items.

When on day tours outside of Dublin, I had options for lunch either at a local sheep farm or in a town (like Kilkenny). If you are not accustomed to solo travel, eating by yourself, especially dinners, might be a challenge for some. Personally, I prefer earlier dinners when traveling solo, less crowded.

Here are a few of my favorite places that I stumbled upon while in Dublin. And the MonkeysVentures Awards for Best Dining in Dublin go to 😊 :

BEST CASUAL DINING IN DUBLIN – Oscars Cafe Bar, Smithfield Square

If you are near Smithfield Square, touring the famous Jameson Whiskey Distillery or on your way to hear some live Irish music at the Cobblestone, check out Oscars Café Bar, right across from the Distillery. The food is great, the staff is friendly, and the décor & atmosphere of the place is super inviting.

The first time I had dinner there, per the recommendation of the hosts at Maldron Smithfield, it was a winning combo of a pork/chorizo burger with sweet potato fries.

And the second time dining at Oscars, I had a pot of oven-baked potato gnocchi and a glass of Archway Lager beer by Franciscan Well brewery. Pure deliciousness!

Menus change, and although, I have not seen these two exact dishes on the current menu, there are quite a few dishes that will catch your eye!

BEST LUNCH IN DUBLIN – The Temple Bar

Yes… I know… The Temple Bar is super-touristy… expensive… yadda-yadda-yadda. But! I truly enjoyed this smoked salmon platter with Guinness bread, mixed salad, cream cheese and those delicious sweet pickles! With live music in the background, and a half-a-pint of Guinness, it was a great lunch!

For a fancy dinner, I definitely recommend The Bull & Castle, by F.X. Buckley Steakhouses, right across the street from Christ Church Cathedral. I spotted it while sitting in the cathedral’s courtyard and decided to check it out. Fantastic meal!!! And since I was having an early dinner, no reservation was required.

BEST STEAK IN DUBLIN – Bull & Castle by F.X Buckley

A perfectly cooked, juicy rib-eye steak with a Chimichurri sauce (they offer a variety of sauces to choose from, chimichurri just happens to be my personal favorite) was served as an entree, with a side of spring onions mashed potatoes. Just look at the char marks on that steak!

BEST DESSERT IN DUBLIN – Bull & Castle by F.X.Buckley

I had a heavenly cheesecake, the texture of which I’ve never tried before. It was like a scoop of fluffy rich creamy cloud, sitting on top of a crunchy base, swimming in strawberry sauce. That, my friends, was the ultimate decadent dessert – White Chocolate and Lavender cheesecake. (Unfortunately I don’t see it on the current menu, I’ve looked. 😊) And a perfect cappuccino to go along with it. As I was told, another not-to-miss dessert at the Bull & Castle is their Guinness Brownie.

THE MOST UNIQUE RESTAURANT IN DUBLIN — The Church Café, Bar, Restaurant

As you can guess from the name, the Church restaurant now occupies a building that was once a church. The former St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, built in the early 18^th century and closed in 1986.

The building where Arthur Guinness got married in 1761, and where Jonathan Swift attended services has been carefully restored and repurposed. It might not look like much from the outside, but the interior will blow your mind! The majestic Renatus Harris organ is the centerpiece of it all.

The Church restaurant serves traditional Irish food, and it is outstanding! I had the Early Bird Special for $25 euros. Your choice of appetizer + entrée. Not a bad deal for a dinner! For my appetizer I had the Baked Goat Cheese wrapped in Prosciutto. Yum! And for the main entrée – Braised Wicklow Lamb Pie, served with mashed potatoes and veggies. The flaky puff pastry was sooooo good…

I broke it with a fork.., and oh my! The rich aroma of the broth, and that melt-in-your-mouth lamb was unforgettable!

Also, while I’ve enjoyed great hospitality throughout Dublin, I must mention my fantastic server at the Church restaurant. She was treating me like I was her long-lost/newly-found niece. Every time I think about my dining adventures in Dublin, I remember her beaming smile.

Where to shop in Dublin

Some of you fashionistas out there, of course, have heard about Grafton Street shopping in Dublin. A huge open pedestrian mall with boutiques, department stores and restaurants to check out. I didn’t go there. 😊

The reason why I discovered the Church restaurant was because I went for a little bit of shopping on Henry Street. The easiest way to find Henry street is by locating the Spire of Dublin, a huge needle-like monument, the top of which emits light through almost 12,000 holes.

Henry Street is a fun shopping street for different tastes and budgets, from souvenir shops to Arnotts, the oldest and largest department store in Dublin.

The Pubs

Ever wonder why they are called pubs? It’s short for public houses. By the recent count there are over 720 pubs in Dublin! How do you choose which one to visit?

Do you go with the oldest pub in Dublin, and quite possibly in the whole country of Ireland — The Brazen Head, serving Dublin since 1198?

Or, maybe, Kennedy’s Bar & Restaurant, established in 1850? This pub is famous for its literary traditions, with James Joyce and Samuel Beckett frequenting it. When the pub had their grocery shop, it was young Oscar Wilde who worked there!

How about the Temple Bar, mentioned earlier? Easily, one of the most photographed places in Dublin.

Personally, I absolutely adored The Cobblestone, “a drinking pub with a music problem.” Located just steps away from my hotel in Smithfield Square, it features live traditional Irish music sessions every night of the week.

Honestly, at first I wasn’t sure if I should go into an Irish pub by myself at night. But I am so glad I did. What a fantastic experience! To hear the traditional Irish music live and to absorb the true community atmosphere!

A couple of practical tips for solo female travelers, that are purely just common sense. 1) Let your hotel front desk know what pub you are going to. 2) Do not drink, or do not drink in excess. 3) Talk to the bartender. I’ve learned so much of the Smithfield history from the bartender at the Cobblestone, and she also kept an eye on me throughout the evening.

Transportation

Dublin Airport is BUSY. Last year over 31.5 million people passed through its doors, setting a record-high. Expect delays going through customs and ticketing, and be patient. I arrived 2 hours before my flight, with carry-on only, and was still rushing through the airport to reach the gates in time.

There are plenty of transfer options to and from Dublin airport. I got an Airlink combo package that included two transfers + Hop On/Hop Off bus ticket valid for 48 hours. It was a great transfer ride through the city to the Smithfield area drop stop, but from there, it was a bit of a walk to the hotel.

As for the Hop On/Hop Off bus, it took some time to find one to hop on in the Smithfield area, definitely more than 15 minutes wait. In hindsight, I should have utilized the bus tour better. But Dublin, in my opinion, was much more fun and pleasant to explore on foot! Oh, and since I had a very early flight out of Dublin, I decided not to risk any delays, and took a cab to the airport instead of using the Airlink transfer.

In conclusion, I can’t wait to return to Dublin! There is so much more to see and experience! For my favorite attractions in the city, please see Part 1 of this series, and stay tuned for the highlights of my day trips outside of Dublin. We love hearing from you, so comment below! And don’t forget to subscribe to our blog!