For a flavorful good time, the best place to go is to a Korean restaurant! Believe it or not, there are a decent number of Korean restaurants in Dublin.
If you think about it, it makes sense! Dublin is a city with fun, electric energy, eager to meet up at a pub and socialize; and Korean cuisine is a communal meal, where everyone gets to share their food and drink together, all to socialize.
With that, we’ve narrowed down the five best Korean restaurants in Dublin you have to visit with friends!
How much does Korean food cost?
Korean dishes involve a lot of ingredients and a decent chunk of time to make. Depending on this, the price range of these meals would look like this:
Keep in mind that portions aren’t taken into account here—and Korean meals tend to have big servings.
The Best Dining Experience in a Korean Restaurant
All Korean restaurants will give you an amazing experience, but for the best dining experience, these are the elements a Korean restaurant must have:
1. Arisu Restaurant
| AUTHENTICITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FOOD QUALITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| AMBIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Arisu Restaurant, named after a historically significant river in Seoul, is one of the first authentic Korean restaurants in Ireland.
And authentic it is! The owners are Korean chefs, who gathered 15 years of culinary experience from Korea, to bring it into Ireland. Even most of the furniture in the restaurant came from Korea.
Their service is also true to the culture. Once seated at a table, you’d be served immediately with complimentary sides, like kimchi and miso soup.
Their menu has all the Korean delicacies from the classic kimchi fried rice to bulgogi sushi rolls to their speciality, the Korean barbecue. It’s complete with enough spice variations for those too weak to spice.
Everything is of high quality. The ingredients are chosen with care; and the dishes are made with love—and there is a lot of love in it. The portions are huge, even when it’s supposed to be for one person. It’s clearly meant to be shared.
Here, there is much sharing. That’s the unfortunate impact of such great food: it shoots the restaurant into public consciousness. And the public is here.
Arisu, you’d often find filled to the brim with customers. The atmosphere is fun, casual and youthful, full of friends chilling and relaxing.
To get a table, you’d have to reserve online first through their website or try to catch a period of time when the restaurant isn’t as busy. The staff is friendly and fast enough to accommodate the numbers.
It’s an obvious sign, though, the restaurant is loved by its customers and by its chefs. That’s a testament to its commitment to the Korean restaurant experience. No doubt you’d get your money’s worth here.
Pros
- Authentic Korean cuisine
- Excellent food quality
- Affordable prize
- Big portions
- Friendly staff
Cons
- Crowded
Customer Reviews
Flavorful Food
“Somewhat mild Kimchi, but for the very same reason it is full of flavour. The food was of high quality with the expected flavour. Professional, quick and friendly staff in a location packed with original trinkets, masks and pictures. Overall, it was very authentic and delicious!” – Stefan G.
Authentic Korean Food
“Being Korean, I’m always craving bibimbap. The dolsot bibimbap here was fantastic! It’s a rice bowl dish with your choice of meat that comes with veggies and an egg on top. The bowl is a hot stoneware bowl, so I suggest letting it sit and/or eating the top layer slowly, that way the rice on the bottom gets nice and crispy. I added some gochujang on the top (red pepper sauce) for an extra kick. It was warm, delicious, and exactly what I was craving. The staff was very friendly and attentive and the food was amazing. Go here if you’re looking for authentic Korean in Dublin!” — Danielle S.
2. Kimchi Hophouse
| AUTHENTICITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FOOD QUALITY | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| SERVICE | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| AMBIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
For a Korean restaurant, the Kimchi Hophouse offers a unique experience. While they do serve traditional Korean food, they are also an Irish pub.
So, the variety of their menu is wide enough to accommodate a spectrum of tastes. You could order their Hansang Set and pair it with a nice pint of Guinness.
While the experience isn’t as authentically Korean; the quality of the food does not waver. Like every Korean restaurant, they offered customizable Bibimbaps and tons of sides in massive portions.
Like the usual Irish pub as well, they also have a decent selection of alcoholic beverages to choose from. The Korean and Irish spirits merge there!
It makes for a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. Combining the communal nature of Korean cuisine and the Irish’s love of socializing, Kimchi Hophouse becomes the perfect hub for friends of any age.
It helps that everything in their menu is priced reasonably. Because of this, the restaurant is often filled with customers.
Unfortunately, that means the service is more on the slower side. A line would be developing outside; and you’d have no choice but to wait.
But for the unique experience, the delicious Korean food, and the kind atmosphere, the wait may be worth it.
Pros
- Unique experience
- Great portions
- Wide menu variety
- Affordable price
Cons
- Slow service
- Long wait outside
Customer Reviews
Busy and Delicious
“This central Dublin Korean dining establishment reveals Dublin’s multi cultural society in the center of Dublin IE. Adjacent to a rail line stop and around the corner from the Holiday Inn Express. This restaurant was busy due to the Pride parade and Football game occurring nearby. Seating was therefore sparse but the hostess sat us down after a short wait. The eating fare is Japanese and Korean with sushi and bulgogi offerings. Tasty with decent portion sizing. Drink menu included rose tip kombucha.” — Victor R.
Warm Korean Cuisine
“Ireland culture is new to me but Korean food and culture is not. It was so neat to see Korean cuisine offered in an Ireland-influenced ambience. The food is absolutely amazing! I ordered the udong with shrimp tempura after a really long day. Their extended hours is a nice treat for late night travelers.” – Jamie K.
3. Chimac
| AUTHENTICITY | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| FOOD QUALITY | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| VALUE | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| AMBIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Compared to the other restaurants here, Chimac is a younger one. It’s a fast food restaurant born from the owners’ passion for Korean fried chicken, back when they visited Seoul last 2016.
You can clearly see the restaurant’s youth. It’s all bright pops of color, their food bold with flavor, and an extensive collection of creative sauces.
Unfortunately, their space is quite small. It’s a beautifully decorated space, though: full of light woods, with colorful decor as accents. There’s something inadvertently Korean about the minimalism of it all.
All this contributes to the atmosphere of the restaurant: as an easygoing, mellow hang-out for friends.
While Chimac does not serve traditional Korean cuisine, many of their items are Korean-inspired: Korean fried chicken; chicken burgers with a variety of sauces like KimCheese or K-BBQ; and chicken with kimchi waffles.
Like Korean cuisine as well, the portions are generous. They’re not shy with the servings. It shows a clear understanding of Korean cuisine’s communal nature.
Food is delivered quickly; and they’re priced fairly. Chimac gives a fun and special dining experience that’s perfect for folks who are just starting to dip their toes into Korean cuisine.
If you find yourself a big fan of their work, they also sell their special Korean sauces as well as some apparel on their website!
Pros
- Fast service
- Casual, fun atmosphere
- Wide selection of food
- Well-made food
- Affordable pricing
Cons
- Small space
- More Korean-inspired than authentic
Customer Reviews
Hype is Real
“Been wanting to try this place for weeks. The hype is REAL!!! The chicken was tender and juicy and super flavoursome. The K BBQ sauce had a lovely kick to it. Service is also very good. Tried out some sparkling water in a can. What a superb addition to Dublin, never mind Aungier St! Cannot wait to return.” — Sarah S.
Great Food
“A great new spot, with amazing burgers that are different to everywhere else. The smell when you walk into the place is absolutely brilliant and the staff are always very helpful too. The nuggets with sriracha sauce and the curry burger are consistently great but the highlight is always their crispy and fluffy chips. The best chips of any restaurant in Dublin. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for something different.” — John S.
4. Brothers Dosirak
| AUTHENTICITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| FOOD QUALITY | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| AMBIENCE | ★★★★ (4/5) |
Brothers Dosirak is a humble restaurant, tucked away in the trendy street of Capel. It may be harder to find, as it’s a tiny space at the back of a store.
But once you find it, it offers an extraordinary experience. Walking in, you’d order at a register and seat yourself at a table. In fact, you could sit right in front of the chef.
The kitchen is exposed, similar to Japanese sushi restaurants. But it is not as elegantly decorated. Instead, it is simple and functional with metal chairs and dark woods.
However, you could entertain yourself watching the chef prepare your order. While you wait, you’ll enjoy your complimentary soup, until they serve your meal with a friendly smile.
The quality of the food is exquisite. They offer traditional Korean meals, in the standard large servings: Korean BBQs, Bibimbaps, kimchi jjigae and some Japanese-inspired Korean dishes, such as salmon teriyaki Dosirak.
Each dish carries a homemade flavor specific to humble restaurants. It provides an experience so authentic it feels like you’ve been transported to Korea—all for a meal at a fair price of less than €10!
Brothers Dosirak is a hidden gem of a restaurant. If you have the chance to visit, go and take it!
Pros
- Authentic Korean cuisine
- Exquisite food
- Affordable pricing
- Huge servings
Cons
- Hole-in-the-wall, hard to find
- Small space
Customer Reviews
Authentic and Homemade
“I have been to loads of Korean restaurants in the UK. This place is one of the best places. The restaurant itself is not big enough but with the great price you could have nice Korean food.” — Jae Min Kim
Go-To Korean Restaurant
“Excellent little hidden gem here. Typical hole in the wall establishment with exceptionally great Korean food. Located in the backside of the Asian market. Very tasty food for a decent price. One of the best places for Korean food I have found in Dublin.” – Russell F.
5. Drunken Fish
| AUTHENTICITY | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| FOOD QUALITY | ★★★★ (4/5) |
| VALUE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| SERVICE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| AMBIENCE | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Located in the middle of Dublin’s financial hub, Drunken Fish is a classy restaurant that offers authentic but modern Korean cuisine. Enclosed in glass, its decor has the standard elegance of a premium restaurant, with its white walls and black furniture.
Unfortunately, it’s not in the quality of their food. Although they do serve the Korean classics—japchae, Korean fried chicken, bulgogi, tteokbokki, and more—it’s not elevated in the way you’d expect for a restaurant like this.
They are still solid and authentic dishes, though. Some tasted better than others, but priced at a reasonable cost and served in huge portions, there’s no doubt you’d leave with a satisfied belly.
But what stands out here is the service of the restaurant. It’s fast and efficient. The staff is friendly and amicable, attentive to any customer’s needs. Food is also made and delivered quickly, even at its busiest hours.
It makes for a chill dining experience. The ambience is perfect for a night out after work or a drink alone late at night, even though they unfortunately do not have a wide selection of alcoholic drinks.
But in a way, that’s its own unique Korean experience. Might still be worth the visit.
Pros
- Chill atmosphere
- Huge portions
- Affordable pricing
- Efficient service
Cons
- Hard to find
- Underwhelming food quality
Customer Reviews
The Best BBQ
“Pre-gig dinner for the three of us. Had the BBQ shared plate for 3 with beef, pork and prawn. The pork was the winner of the three. Good food, lovely staff, will come back when I’m in the area.” — Steve M.
Best Korean Restaurant in Dublin
“Hands down! The best Korean restaurant in Dublin. I have been to three Korean restaurants in Dublin so far, and this is the best one. Clean, authentic, delicious, friendly, fast! It all suffices what I expect from the restaurants.” — Anna S.
FAQs about Korean Restaurants
Being in Dublin shouldn’t stop you from exploring more cuisines! Dublin itself is a mixed salad of unique and beautiful cultures. So, don’t be afraid to expand your palate. And what better place to start than with Korean restaurants in Dublin?