I will become a regular here! Loved it! Such a place to eat in! You get a 360 degree view of Dublin as well as amazing food that is quite reasonable! It’s a must go to and I will be telling everyone about it!
Paul O.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Sitting on top of the Dean hotel, this is a cracking little restaurant. I’ve been in here a couple of times, and both times I’ve gotten the steak. It really is that good. Next time though, I’m going for the pizzas. They look and smell amazing. The beer garden they have which looks out onto Harcourt st is great, but it can get a little chilli if you’re not sitting in direct sunlight. You can also eat in the garden if you don’t want to be in the restaurant. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t want to though — the views over Dublin are stunning.
James M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Great Spot when its Sunny in Dublin, very cool atmosphere looking out on the city. Staff were super friendly as well as there was a big group of us. Really good cocktails like the Escobar and the Rated R ! Was there for a party so the food was just all BBQ which was delicious, not sure if thats on the menu and just for larger parties. Defo need to check this place out if in Dublin, probably coolest views around!
Grace L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
I recently returned here for dinner on a Monday night. I tried calling numerous times before our visit to book a table. Eventually someone answered mumbled something and I presume put me on hold I was waiting about 3 mins and decided to hang up.(I genuinely did not know if anyone was going to pick up the phone again) So I resorted to booking a table online in the request tab I asked for an earlier seating time. They called me about 45mins later and everything was sorted. On arrival the place was jammers(8pm on a Monday night) we were seated by the window and the view was great. The only issue was the clear sky(who says that in Ireland EVER) it was blinding half the restaurant. Eventually the maitre’d came around and lowered some blinds electronically but only on certain Windows.(Not ours) My poor dining partner was squinting the whole evening but that’s nature I suppose next time we’ll bring some sunglasses. The food was delicious(the menu gets updated fairly regularly so I’m told so I had a main course this time, yay!) but this time round the service was so relaxed it was bordering on local café. I know they are going for the cool, relaxed vibe but it could be slightly more professional while retaining the coolness.
Miki M.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Ringsend, Republic of Ireland
Talking about view, it’s one of the best choices in Dublin. Food is delicious, but those days is not always about view/food it’s about overall feeling, place looks busy, but when we were there it wasn’t packed and still staff wasn’t attentive enough. I had way better service in other restaurants in Dublin. Maybe our waiter had a bad day, or just bad memory for orders and menu and drinks but what else he would have to remember? Oh sorry he remembered to bring our bill. Hooray!
David F.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
There are a few inventions we should thank our American cousins for and one of these is brunch. An excuse to drink alcohol with breakfast at 2 in the afternoon can’t be bested in my opinion. Fortified with this view, we met up with friends on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the rooftop restaurant at the Dean Hotel(aka Sophie’s) in Harcourt St. Normally I would avoid hotel restaurants like the proverbial plague but I had heard good things about Sophie’s(I do think the apostrophe is mis-placed but never mind) so here we were. The very nice and comfortable room with a great view over the city was buzzing when we arrived, service was fast and friendly and the food was excellent. I had the huevos rancheros and while I expected the eggs to be poached rather than fried, the total package was nonetheless top notch. My oh had eggs florentine whilst my other companion had a burger and chips which looked excellent it has to be said but, for me, brunch=eggs. End of. The fourth in our party tucked into a butternut squash confection that looked, um, not my kinda thing. All were agreed on one point, though, I.e. the food is very, very good. Margaritas preceded the meal which were good and the accompanying Pinto Grigio also hit the spot. It wasn’t cheap but it was value for money. So good, in fact, that I’ll be toddling along for dinner at an early opportunity. As one does.
Cian H.
Rating des Ortes: 1 Smithfield, Republic of Ireland
Just finished eating here, and was incredibly disappointed. Pizza was cold and wet, steak was overdone. Service was awful we sat down and every other table received bread when we had to ask for it, then finished our bottle of wine and not even a mention of another drink? Just took the bottle and walk off with nothing said, not just bad service but bad commercial practice. Heard great things but have been let down incredibly.
Veruska A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Fantastic view and fantastic atmosphere. Sometimes can be a bit crowded but if you’re lucky enough to go there during the week the place is absolutely gorgeous!
Vivienne M.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
I think this is one of my favourite place in Dublin… I have been here for cocktails, for brunch, for dinner… And on friday, the dj puts some old school hip hop and smooth rnb, sooo perfect! So, if you want to eat there remember to book your table a little in advance, it can be get full very quikly(same for the brunch). But you can always have a nice cocktail party at the bar! By the way, you will not find«classic cocktails» here but very fancy creative and special ones! You will definetely want to try them all ehehe And of course, the view is more than nice… Again, I love this place and if you are passing by Dublin you really should go and have a look!
Jody B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Edinburgh, United Kingdom
This is one of the only hotel bars that I would make a point to visit if I actually lived in the city… so that says it all dontcha think? But if you’re in need of a little elaboration, here’s the skinny: this spot is located on the top floor of the Dean Hotel. I can’t speak to the food but I can say, they make a mean cocktail and their outdoor space is second to none. Comfy chairs? Check. Outdoor heating? Check. Covered area? Check. Amazing rooftop viewpoint? Check check check. If only every patio was like this place, I would never ever eat/drink inside. It’s especially comforting on the nights that large crowds of youths are taking to the clubs downstairs. If you happen to be stuck in the hotel on one of these occasions, leave your room, head to Sophie’s, order an expensive wine/whisky(because you are, afterall, an adult and no longer subject to the blue tinted drinks & red bull laced drinks of said youths) and grab a vantage point where you can have flashbacks of your 21 year old self and watch drunk children navigate cobblestones. It’s like animal planet…
Yvonne B.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
On my recent trip back from Germany to Ireland I met two girls who travelled to Dublin for the first time and naturally asked me a bunch of questions as to where to go and what to do. One of the questions was whether the Guinness Storehouse is worth their while as neither of them drink but they heard about the view. And that’s when it hit me: one of the best views in town doesn’t have to come with a pint of Guinness. In my opinion, Sophie’s Bar is the much better choice. It is part of the Dean Hotel, you enter through the main entrance on Harcourt St. and take the lift up to the 5th floor. On my first visit I couldn’t resist trying the swings that are right in front the lifts when you get out. Very cool! Stylish, nicely lit with an interesting cocktail menu, super– comfy couches and a decent looking food menu, Sophie’s Bar is the perfect spot to spend an evening and chill while taking in the beauty of the old smoke. I didn’t try the food here yet but the bar service is quick and friendly. The music isn’t too loud which is perfect even for bigger groups sharing a table and the smoking area is spacious, comfy and heated. Great spot indeed.
Alberto C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Amazing view of the city, a place that just can’t go wrong.
Kai A.
Rating des Ortes: 5 San Francisco, CA
I rarely rate any food four star but ambiance, drinks and food were great. See pic for food and further info. It has a great view of Dublin. Perfect dinner to end our trip
Ena L.
Rating des Ortes: 3 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
This place frustrates me. It’s in a lovely setting and is quite cool with lovely staff. What lets it down though is the food which is inexcusable! I was excited coming here for a girly evening but had low expectations for the food due to the reviews I’ve read and as always my fellow Unilocalers were spot-on! We had a nice booth by the window so the view of Dublin would, no doubt have been beautiful if it hadn’t been bucketing down rain! The staff were lovely and attentive. I had glass after glass of tasty prosecco while we gossiped away. I ordered the pizza, again based on the Unilocal advice it seemed to be the safer option so I opted for the pulled pork and bbq pizza which was ok, only ok. I had a pizza from M&S last week and to be honest, it was much nicer! So all in all I had a lovely evening due to the company, staff and ambience of Sophie’s… but alas, not the food.
Melissa L.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Los Angeles, CA
A group of local colleagues made reservations here for dinner. Its located at the top of the Dean(not easy to find because there are no signs from the street). Stepped into the restaurant and I was awestruck by the 360 degree views of Dublin. Awesome! We had a large circular booth and chairs to accommodate our group. We were a little late, so several were already enjoying some Guinness Beers. Servers were friendly & sassy And kept the drinks & food coming throughout the evening. Food? We had a large group, so we ate tapas/family style and shared the starters. Starters: Italian Antipasto Board: Good. I had just come from Italy, so wasn’t impressed. Smoked Haddock Risotto: Very Good. Didn’t last long. Roast Quail: Very Good. Gone quickly, barely got a nibble. Crispy Salt & Pepper Squid: Good. Entrée: 8oz Fillet Steak cooked medium rare. This was good. A little more rare than I would have liked and needed more flavoring(pepper sauce didn’t cut it). Nevertheless, the atmosphere was festive and our group grew and we stayed until closing. A great time was had by all.
Briony C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Glasgow, United Kingdom
For a hotel cocktail bar, this place is way nicer than your average. It’s part restaurant, part bar and has an amazing view over Dublin so it’s worth it to see the view alone. We drank at the bar but I believe there’s outdoor, heated seating. The cocktail I had — the Thinking of You is delicious, € 11 and expertly made. I’m totally going back for another one. Staff were friendly enough!
Lynn A.
Rating des Ortes: 2 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
I’m going to caveat my rating by saying that nothing about Sophie’s is a 2, at worst it’s a 3, but given the expectations i had for the place based on everyone else’s reviews & comments I really can’t give it much more. Firstly, yes the view is absolutely amazing. The food was grand. That’s all. Nothing special. I have absolutely no reason to eat here again, other than for the view, as there are places doing similar food at a much better price. We had 2 starters, 2 mains, 1 dessert & a bottle of wine & it came in at more than € 100 — in my opinion the food just wasn’t worth that amount of money. I know that wine always brings the price up, but it wasn’t an expensive bottle of wine & we were really unhappy to be paying as much as we were as we just didn’t feel it was worth it. Over-hyped.
Emily C.
Rating des Ortes: 4 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
This is a review for the bar only and not the food. I’m a fan of Sophie’s when not eating there — I mean, the view, come on! They have a particular version of espresso Martinis with a little bit of Guinness in it — very extremely yum. Mojitos are my fail safe as well — you’d be surprised how many bars make terrible ones — but Sophie’s are a dab hand. Now if you’re up there during the day, the booths and seats not at the bar will generally be reserved for people eating. My advice is to dress nice n warm and head out to the front balcony area and lay in the day beds. Amazing in the summer but also doable in the winter. Beware though, once you recline, tis hard to move on! Those cocktails ain’t cheap!!!
Irina R.
Rating des Ortes: 5 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
I genuinely like Sophie’s. It’s equally good for a brunch and a dinner. For a romantic date or a family get together. It’s good to go there with colleagues after work as well. It’s not so much about the view but mostly about the fact that staff is sweet, atmosphere is cosy and pizzas are just awesome. Thin crust and some amazing freshness. I don’t really like pizzas much but at Sophie’s they are just good and it’s hard to resist. This place is one of my favorites and I bring friends here when they come for a visit and no one was disappointed yet.
Colleen C.
Rating des Ortes: 5 London, United Kingdom
The service has improved! The service has improved! On my 3 day stint at The Dean Hotel, I dined at Sophie’s twice. Both times were totally on point, delicious food, that excellent view of Dublin and much better service than I was expecting. Maybe it was just those early day jitters, but Sophie’s seemed very much in stride and liked they’d started to come into their own a bit. First, a last minute decision for dinner Monday night. My dining companion called ahead, they assured us they had a table, we showed up, were seated promptly and enjoyed a beautiful dinner overlooking Dublin. Our server was not only attentive(almost overly so!) but sweet and affable. Not what I was expecting given the general chorus on «bad service at Sophie’s» — things are on the up and up, folks! The food was a delight as well, we split 2 mains(chicken and fish) as well as a few veg sides. A bottle of white wine? Sure! We were pleasantly plump upon departure… My experience was so great I returned for midday lunch on Wednesday — while a limited menu is on offer, it packs a quality punch. The cornfed chicken with pappardelle was gorgeous, my pal and I split it and a caprese salad. It was luck grown up mac ‘n cheese, sinful and decadent. Yum. If you’re going to splurge, might as well be pasta amiright?! Hopefully they’ve gotten over those growing pains and the service seemed to be the only thing holding Sophie back. She’s got her groove back, give her a go.