Little Jerusalem

How this restaurant can still be open? Everything was dry like the desert. We really felt that it was yesterday food. I was in Jerusalem few month ago, I know the taste of Palestinian food and it’s far away from that. Their makloubet was so dry that the rice was crispy, I prefer don’t talk about desert, a SHAME. There are way better middle east restaurant in town, don’t bother with this one.

We ordered in delivery on a tuesday night ! The delivery service wasn’t really good, they made a mistake in my phone number and in the order… But you know, shit happens and maybe they’ve been unlucky this time!
Concerning the food, it was much better! Very good surprise with excellent dishes and a big portions for a good price !
So I’ve to try one more time for the delivery but I really recommend this place!

J and I were in the mood for Middle Eastern so thought we’d wander over to Rathmines and give this place a try. It’s hidden just off the main road in Rathmines and has a very cozy and inviting atmosphere. I’m a sucker for BYOW so they get huge points for that. While we sipped on our wine we decided on food and eventually signaled the waitress.
To start we got the Baba ghanoush which is always a favourite of mine. Theirs was a very creamy variety with a nice smoky flavour that we both enjoyed. For my main I ordered the makloubet which was half a chicken served with aubergine, cauliflower, almonds, rice and Greek yogurt. The dish sounded amazing but the only amazing part was the rice. The chicken was bland and extremely dry — definitely not the chicken we have become accustomed to in Ireland! J’s dish however was pretty good — mixed char-​grilled skewers that give you a sample of chicken, lamb and lamb kofta.
Overall we wanted to love this place but I much prefer Rotana Café.

First time i’ve tried out Little J though it’s very close from our place. I regret i haven’t tried out earlier !
It was really good. I went for a chicken dish called. hm… something :) (i really can’t remember the name, sorry). It was delicious. Served with home made pita bread and a bit of onions covered of lemon. He actually made the pita bread in front of me which i thought was really cool. I just regret that i didn’t get vegetables with the chicken. I didn’t know it wasn’t part of it since it usually is in other restaurants. They should mention that you might need a side dish to complete the meal.
Otherwise i ate well thanks to their amazing cooking. No wonder it’s always so full of people (yeah pretty busy place so you might consider booking a table if dining on place).
The kitchen takes most of the space of the restaurant which allows you to watch them cook. It’s very small but warm and well decorated.
I ordered to take away and appreciated how fast i got served.

This is a spanking good place, one of the best for Palestinian food in the city! Little ‘J’ is small, really small, every inch is used so be prepared to eat elbow to elbow with your fellow dinners! If you are cool with that (and why wouldn’t you be!?) then this place will take you straight to the Middle East!
Service is brilliant, affable and fast and the food is nothing short of fantastic!
Be warned, you will need to book as Little ‘J’ is a seriously popular spot but you could also try out their new place ‘Jerusalem’ at 77 Camden street!

Ever watched diners drive in and dives? This is the amazing dive tucked away in a side street in rathmines. Food is a little pricey in my opinion but the byob makes it a cheap night out.
The staff can be a little moody some times but it is a great restaurant and we’ll worth a visit. But be warned this secret is well out and you will have to book in advance.
They are losing a star off the sometimes moody staff and sometimes the food is not as excellent as usual.

The rating is for the Takeaway/​Delivery service only. Not the sit in. The food was absolutely dreadful. I would stay clear if anyway considering. the food was cold, poorly portioned, soggy, presented badly, and bad tasting. The naan bread was the worst part of the meal altogether. I would have thought they could offer a good delivery service considering the restaurant is good. If you want this type of food go for a Zaytoon.

What? I’d not reviewed Little Jerusalem before? I can’t understand it! And here was me last night thinking I must write an update review.
Five stars all the way. The food here has never let us down and this occasion was no exception.
The falafel starter is excellent value for the amount of food you get. The spiced lamb on pastry is an even tastier starter and I am beginning to wonder why I have never order this. I always have food envy when my partner does.
For a main I went for the mix meat plate that came with hummus, naan, tabbouleh and a garlic sauce. There was a lamb kafka, chick and lamb pieces. Alas I cannot tell you its name (head like a sieve) but I am sure both words in the name started with the letter M.
The restaurant itself is is decorated really well, giving it a very authentic feel I think (I’ve not been to the Lebanon, so I don’t really know for sure, but I like it!)
The staff played a blinder too, as the place was jammers. We will be making a booking next time.
Final word: BYOB. The best thing to happen to dining.
Woohoo is right, Little Jerusalem is as good as it gets. For us anyway.

Nice restaurant this, although can be a little cold at times. The food is pretty great and the decoration is really nice.
The staff are friendly and its not too badly priced.
My favorite is the naan bread with spiced lamb on top for starters.

We waited for a few days to get a table as this place is small and popular. You can bring your own alcohol and pay 2 € corking charge which is superb.
I have a ton of experience with Middle Eastern food so I can honestly say the food here is really not that bad, even quite good. The problem is that it’s way overpriced, especially considering the portions you get and the cost of ingredients which are known to be very cheap (chickpeas, chicken, tomato, onion etc.). They are making crazy margins and people are actually paying.
For starters we had the Babaganoush (€ 6.10) which was a really small bowl, quite tasty but so small. We also had the Falafel which at € 6.10 which just a ripoff. It was tasty and all but the plate had a spoonful of hummus and just 2 average sized falafel balls. That is 3.05 € per falafel, unheard of.
For the main courses we had a selection of lamb and chicken skewers that were served with a simple salad which claimed to be a Palestinian salad though that is suppose to be finely chopped and served with parsley/​mint, which this wasn’t.
All meals are served with naan bread, not sure why they cannot make pitas here or at least call the naan bread Laffa, which is exactly what it is.
For dessert we had Arabic coffee which was very good but then got ripped off again with the Baklava. At 4.25 €, you’de expect to get something in return but not here. We received a tiny plate which 3 mini Baklavas, which were totally dry.
So overall, a disappointing experience experience for a restaurant we heard so much about.

Neat little restaurant tucked away just off Rathmines main street. Freshly made bread, high quality lebanese food and great atmosphere. Would recommend as a place for reasonable priced good quality food. You won’t be disappointed.

«Can I get the fasso…, the fazuh…, that one.» I’d tangled with the menu, and been found wanting. I didn’t make that mistake twice, when it came to dessert, I made a vague corralling gesture at the baklava selection. «These, please!»
Little Jerusalem is a great spot, but it’s back-​street location and erratic opening hours means that when you see it’s open, you just have to fill your boots. For the record, I had lamb with broad beans in a tomato sauce. Delicious, and really reasonably priced too. They do great takeaway too, and I’ve found myself stopping in for a few of their baklava on the way from work.
It’s BYOB, and with Devaneys and Tesco only up the road, you really have no excuse not to have a long, lazy meal here.

Let me start by saying I have no clue about food/​s from this region of the world. I am completely dumb when it comes to remembering the names of the dishes… what they are… well you get me. bla bla. Want to try something you wouldn’t normally… then give yourself a kick in the «bum» and sit down in Little Jerusalem. Bring your own drink (Tesco is less than 2 mins walk). The food was just delicious — share your dishes and the experience will be more interesting. I will be returning… Im the one eating with my hands and wiping sause from my chin yyyuuuummmmmmmm

Their delivery menu had found its way into our coffee table drawer, & one freezing night, craving something a bit lighter than Pizza Max, we gave them a call.
Luckily, you can order off the menu by the item number, which saved me from completely garbling «Eaga,» «Qatayef,» and «Kofta Mashwiyeh». The food arrived 20 minutes later, & it was fresh, hot, & delicious (I recommend all the aforementioned dishes, a.k.a. 29, 33, & 44).
A bit pricier than our typical delivery nights; well-​worth it though.

We had nearly 10 people in our party. It was cozy, as others have mentioned. The candlelit ambiance combined with really excellent, friendly service made our experience enjoyable.
For starters, the chicken wings, baba ghanoush, hummus, naan, and falafel were great. For the main, I ordered the mixed meat dish. The salad was fresh, zesty, and tasty. The meats were succulent and nicely charbroiled.
The only negative: the after-​dinner espresso I ordered wasn’t good at all. I didn’t try the baklava, but it seemed to have been devoured with delight by the others.
Price is very reasonable, though not dirt cheap. And, if you want a pint afterwards, just go next doors to Slatterys!

Thoroughly enjoyed my meal here. The ingredients were mouth wateringly fresh.
I went for the vegetarian platter which consisted of humus, falafel, salad, olives, feta cheese and naan bread. So satisfying.
We brought our own wine, corkage is € 3.
Lovely and bright in warm inside. Service was very friendly and attentive.
Constant stream of people getting take out which had me excited that they do take out. Without doubt my favourite type of food.

I’m going to get straight to the point on this one — it’s definitely one of my favorite places to eat in Dublin, and the reasons can be explained thusly:
1) It’s in Rathmines. I live a stone’s throw away, so kudos on having your restaurant within close proximity of my gaff.
2) The food is yum — granted, I don’t have an incredible amount of dining experience when it comes to Lebanese food, possibly rendering me a useless Unilocaler on this one, but I know what tastes good and everything I’ve ordered so far has been stellar (The ‘Kofka Pil Patata’ is the snizzzzzzzle my dizzzzle).
3) Recently, myself and 10 other girls descended upon Little Jerusalem with all of our giggling, bottles of plonk, and high expectations. Everyone (more or less) seemed happy with what they ordered. The one person at the table who voiced (minimal) dissatisfaction was a friend who was visiting from that wonderous Land of London, where places like Little Jerusalem are on every block/​street corner, and according to her, you get a hella’ lot more for what you pay for over there. Having said that, we’re in Dublin, where eating out isn’t always as cheap as chips, and in my opinion, Little Jerusalem do a good deal, and you get quality grub for what you pay for.
4) The Waitress deserves an Oscar… or, whatever the culinary equivalent for being a legend is! She didn’t even flinch as we hummed and hawed over the menu for about 20 minutes, waiting for latecomers to arrive, asking her every 5 minutes if we could have some more water, and at one point, knocking over the glass pepper shaker (I’m immensely proud that it wasn’t me who knocked it over).
I can safely say that her demeanor and soundness over the course of the evening actually added to the quality of our dining experience.
5) Coeliac friendly.
I must admit, last time I went to Little J, I was disappointed with their lack of knowledge with regard to which foods were Coeliac friendly or not. Things seem to have moved on and they were incredibly helpful this time around, catering (with no fuss or stress) to the members of the group who have a slight physical aversion to Mr. Gluten.
6) BYOB people, BYOB. Need I say anymore!!!
7) Nice atmosphere, nice music, optimal lighting and candles…
Of course, there are a couple of cons. I’m going to keep this short…
1) Tiny, tiny, tiny place you have there folks! To walk the length of the restaurant, surrounding customers have to suck in their stomachs and pull in their chairs… uncomfortable and embarrassing for those who don’t boast the breadth and width of an ice cream wafer…
2) It may be argued that the portions aren’t big enough… one lamb dish in particular had a depressing, skimpy scattering of lamb on it, AND it happened to be one of the most expensive dishes on the menu… I didn’t order it though so I’m not too bothered!!!
Now, this isn’t a criticism, but a word to the wise — if you want to go here at the weekend, book in advance, because it always seems to be booked out (yay for them!).
As far as I’m aware it’s not open on Sundays and Mondays.
On the whole — I’m a fan, and would have no qualms about recommending this place to people. Go forth and enjoy the baba ghanoush :)

I don’t have much to add to Jens’s review, apart from that the homemade lemonade, although pricey, was really nice. Rose water and mint made it special. The rest of the night was less so than that. Meat-​and-​two-​veg presentation on the plate, cauliflower «pancakes» which tasted like oil, a naan that looked and tasted awesome, but had the consistency of pita (which was just confusing), and the underbaked baklawas which looked like they’d had mystery pistachio paste smeared in the middle…
I appreciated the munchy olives and spiced seeds we got to start with. The ful starter was also tasty, and the meat he got with his mezze was fine. The Arabic coffee after dinner, complete with cardamom pods, was also fun.
I really ought to give this place the benefit of the doubt, and four stars. But overall I think it’s bridging a strange line between exotic and Irishized– the stuff at other Middle Eastern places seems more standard than what Little Jerusalem has on its menu, but the looks of everything here are dollops and piles. Maybe it’s the size of the servings or the plates, but other places have more art. Also, the staff were perfectly pleasant, quick and efficient with the customers, but looked so stressed behind the bar talking to each other! That detracted from the atmosphere, knowing our waitress was probably going crazy every time she looked away from the dining room. 3.5 stars from me.

«For two? Do you have reservations?» — that was the first thing we heard when we got into this empty restaurant at 7 pm.
Now that surprised me, I didn’t expect a «formal» place in this way where reservations would be the norm rather than the exception — not used to that from Middle Eastern places which are often much more used by people for extended visits over food/​tea and Shisha. I was glad we got a seat anyway, as the place did fill up during our visit.
I looked on the menu for an item to combine as many flavours as possible and ended up with the first «house specialty» which had different kinds of lamb and chicken, hummus and tabouleh. My girlfriend ordered some crispy kind of veggie pancake, and we wanted the ful medames as a starter, as I haven’t seen this around for a while. When we ordered this, the next surprise: «So what’s for you for a starter than» as we only had one ordered — I thought it’s all about sharing and caring… I also heard a similar «So you’re not having any starters?» when the woman took the order at the next table. Felt again quite like a formal dinner rather than chosing the amount of food based on hungriness and yumminess.
Then when the food arrived, I realized again that I’m not really the target audience of this restaurant, but they’re probably looking for fancy Rathminers trying to go «exotic». All the food was arranged on the dinner-​plate in a way which made it look like a typical Irish dish «here’s your meat, on the other side there’s your veg, and there’s your potato mash — or in this case — hummus». My girlfriends plate was arranged exactly the same way. The naan-​bread was actually better than in many Indian places and the meat was good but in general I was missing all the flavours I’m used to — nothing very lemony, nothing very garlicy either.
The baklavas we had for dessert looked delicious when we came in, however they were underbaked, and lacked a bit in flavour as well. Also all three types were exactly the same — nothing like pistachio, cashew, etc. the competition offers. The people there behind the counters were very very nice though.
The bill in total came to about 40 Euro which is nothing to complain about and I guess low for Rathmines standard — but on par with my favourite Middle Eastern in Dublin.
This might be a good option for a dinner for people who want to try something new, didn’t have much Middle Eastern food before, but don’t want to derive much from their comfort flavours. I’m not sure if I’ll come back — I might, as I haven’t found the ful anywhere else and they might deserve a second chance.

This place is an absolute charm, and it’s kind of hidden off down Wynnefield Road, so it’s kind of a hidden gem.
When I was here the place was completely empty, which is kind of upsetting, because the food was absolutely gorgeous. They’ve got all kinds of little bites (see Quentin’s pics) if you’re hungry and want a snack and then they’ve got the bigger mixed meat dishes. I’d have to suggest going with a couple of friends and just ordering a couple things off the menu and eating the food family style, trust me it will save you from having to try and get your friends to look out the window as you try and steal their food!
Oh and I forgot to mention my favourite part! They’ve even got yummy pizza on the menu that sure outshines that fast food junk!

Hmmm… middle eastern is the tag I have chosen for the category bit — I must get our friends in Unilocal to add Palestinian and Lebanese cuisine to their list for this is what this brand spanking new eatery in the heart of Rathmines offers.
The restaurant is immediately friendly and inviting as indeed are the staff — even to short fat balding writers who storm in demanding opening hours and website addresses and everybody smile and mmm. that looks nice can I try a bit and bye… all in the space of 3 mins.
As you can see from the pics the array of the food is mouth watering. the chefs are working right in front of you (I live that!)
Little Jerusalem do takeaway and delivery too, so there’s no excuse not to try them… and try you must. It is far too early for me to commit to and recommend any particular dish — I haven’t tried 99% of them… guess I’ll just have to go back!