Nancy Hands Bar & Restaurant

What a fun restaurant. It is a little out of the way being closer to Phoenix Park, but it’s worth going out of your way. It’s very noticeable as you’re walking towards it on the street with its red front and hanging flowers. The inside has a casual, yet nice feel. They have an awesome beer selection and pour a fine Guinness, that you will wait a minute for. I got dessert here and it was delicious. An Irish whiskey ice cream, that featured Murphy’s ice cream, gingerbread crumbs and cookies and a chocolate mousse with whipped cream. I had all my sweet cravings satisfied in one dish. The food the people across from us had ordered looked savory and mouthwatering, and if it was anything like the dessert I’d say it was on par. The prices for what you get are awesome, it feels like a real deal. They have a reputable dinner deal where you can experience Irish dancing and singing along with a 3 course meal. I’d recommend it if you’re visiting from out of town!

Loved the food. We had a large party, and they jumped thru hoops to accommodate us all. This was our first meal in Dublin, and they did it right. My only negative was they didn’t have malt vinegar (a must for me with fish and chips), and the fish did get soggy very quickly. Solid call for sure.

Went above and beyond to help me. Friendly staff and nice atmosphere. Good place for a Guinness or cider (or food, though we didn’t order any, as we visited in the afternoon). Recommend!

A perfect place to kick start your trip in Ireland! A perfect, cozy Irish pub setting and a wonderful staff. I highly recommend the dinner and show; what a fun experience and great introduction to Irish tradition.

A sensational evening of food, music, dance, and Irish joy. We loved every minute of it.

Guinness is definitely much better in Ireland. Its excellent. Friendly service made the great meal even better. I do recommend the chops they were excellent.

Super friendly staff and very helpful. It was my first time out of the States, and they gave me so many tips! Really yummy sizzler and delicious beer! The staff was not only informative and friendly, but they were prompt!

The food is so delicious and the show is amazing, awesome and fabulous!!! I drink the local irish coffee, it is absolutely better than which i have drunk before, smoothy taste and good falvour!
I am very appreciated with these friendly waiters and waitress. The celtic dance is my favourite part boz i join with them! Haha! Good atmosphere!

Good little pub with a good atmosphere.
My wife and I ate here on our second night in Dublin, it was recommended to us by a bus driver. It’s a nice little place with fast and friendly service, there were many draft beers to chose from. The food was good and there was plenty of it.

Wandered upon here today just by mistake with my boyfriend and left with a happy tummy :) !! The décor is old and its a bit dark inside I wasnt expecting much but the lunch menu was huge we couldnt decide what to have. My boyfriend seen the tourists beside us order lots of huge chicken wraps and chips so he went with the mexican chicken one :).it was huge he said it was amazing. im trying to stay healthy after the long fat winter I had so I chose the chicken, rocket and goats cheese brown bread sandwhich. it had a walnut oil and balsamic dressing over the cheese and a lovely side salad that was crispy and fresh. The lump of goats cheese on the sambo was huge I could barely finish it! We had two drinks and our daughter had sausages and chips. The chips were also fresh cut so that was a plus most pubs use frozen. All came to € 17 euro and the portions where gigantic! Gonna return again soon :)

Our meeting finished early… 45 mins to kill until the next one and Paul (my colleague) said «I know this great café where we can grab an early lunch»
.the great café seems to have closed sometime in the mid 1970s… Paul is 40… how did he know about the café? could he remember it from 40 years ago or is he actually a time traveler. and if so, why is he working with me instead of looking at live dinosaurs or zooming into the future to do something interesting in space?
While I was pondering, Paul spotted Nancy Hands… it looked OK, we were hungry and under pressure, so we gave it a bash.
On first inspection the place is a bit nasty and stinky… but in fairness, no Pub is at its best just after opening… we persevered and in spite of the initial misgivings, we were served up some excellent sandwiches and chips — and quickly, which was great.
Well worth going back to, service was great, big open turf fire and lots of space.

Really — tasty pub food? Is it possible?
Nancy hands is a fantastic place to enjoy the wonderful pub traditions of Dublin; AND get a great meal. On top of the great food — the service is awesome. .. in-​spite of the fact that they are always super busy.
I must admit, I wasn’t expecting much when we went to Nancy Hands for a post conference get-​together. I expected that I would get a pint and then head off for dinner at a restaurant on my own. When, the evening kept going on-​and-​on, so I decided to get food. That was a great move.
The traditional Irish pub food on their menu is awesome. Super tasty. Very approachable and easily matched to the non-​Irish eaters palette. I loved the fact that the Shepard’s pie included meats prepared in Guinness. I also loved the fact that the waiter tried to help me find items on the menu that match met particular leanings. The french fries (chips) were delicious.
With over 40 people in our party, we had everything on the menu. I heard not a one negative review. In fact, everyone to a person was extremely complimentary to the food and the service. .. and we went on a Friday night to boot.

Theres a reason why we ate here for 4 consecutive days. It was delicious! The staff was great too! Yes I had the Guinness and beef. Also had the chicken sizzler which is a sizzling dish heaped with mixed vegetables, chilli & garlic served with rice.
Amazing place!
Oh and the stairs going up is from the movie Mrs. Robinson. The bar bought them from a local. I think maybe Trinity not sure .the whiskey got to me! hahaha!

We ate here our first nite in Dublin and were very impressed with the variety offered
Food was great. Plenty of seating

An unsuspecting pub with surprisingly exceptional food.
I was staying down the street at the Ashling and it was a great choice for dinner after a really short walk. After my late flight, I had tried to get food around 10 o’clock as Unilocal had originally told me that they were open past ten, but they still serving food at 9, but stay open for drinks. Came back the following day after a bit of sight seeing and was pleasantly surprised. I had the chicken wings and later the chicken curry. All of the others on my group had excellent food. Will cooked and we’ll presented. A+.
Only con… The only cider they had on draft was Bulmers. I’m not too picky with ciders but that one’s a little harsh. That was fine for a round, but I just switched to Jameson after that.

Went here for a drink and some dinner after a trip to the zoo. Only 10mins walk away. Nice décor, traditional food and very polite staff. Couldn’t ask for more really. Prices are average for all pubs in Dublin. Steak and Ale pie is a winner.

We went here on our last night in Dublin and it was quite a walk from our hotel. But we love walking and it was definitely worth it! It’s divided into a many-​roomed, comforting pub, with sports on in some rooms, not in others, and a big old-​school wooden bar. Our waitress, like most everyone we met in Dublin, was kind and easy to talk to, and made us feel at home in what was clearly a more local pub than some of the places we had been to.
The seafood chowder was incredible! Thick and well-​seasoned and filled with fresh seafood. Each of our bowls had a whole crab claw inside and the meat was sweet and tender.

I learned about Nancy Hands from the Irish Whiskey Trail website, and I’m really glad I made the trek. It’s a solid 20 minute walk down the River Liffey from Temple Bar, and though there isn’t much to see, it’s a pleasant and pretty walk. The pay off though, is a bar that’s oozing with charm and filled with excellent whiskey (and whisky).
When we first walked in we saw the table taps and considered getting a pint for the novelty, but decided to stay focused on the whiskey. When I asked the bar tender for a whiskey menu, he said that he was the whiskey menu and to meet him in the back room. So we walked down there, and lo and behold, on the shelf behind him were no fewer than 200 whiskies, all lined up and ready for pouring.
He was extremely enthusiastic about serving us. He let us try a couple different drams, showed off a technique for warming the glass that releases the aromas, and was very generous with the pours. In other words, he was enthusiastic about sharing whiskey with other whiskey lovers. Exactly what I was looking for. In addition to an excellent Kilbeggan and Redbreast, he poured us a taste from a fascinating bottle of scotch that had no label and tasted unlike any whisky I’d ever had.
In addition to the incredibly friendly service, the bar has a vintage look that really adds to the experience. Many of the windows and decorations were brought in from an old church, adding a decorative and welcoming look. I’d make that 20 minute walk again in the heartbeat.

I went here on a Saturday night to watch a friend play, she is a regular pianist there.
It really is a beautiful spot, the décor has that old world charm and the service is friendly. It’s just a pity that not many locals or Dublin dwellers frequent it as much as they should. It is a bit of a tourist spot, I believe one of the bus companies deposits them here… So the Orish feel may get jarring.
I just had a starter and although tasty (the fish cake) the portion was too small for me.
Would I return again? Yes, especially for the music regardless of if my friend is playing or not but at the same time I doubt I’d make a night of it.

While I can’t even begin to guess at the meaning of the name, there’s no mystery to why Nancy Hands on Parkgate Street is doing so well.
On the ground floor the huge pub is split into three areas with bars in each. Seats are plentiful and tables clean, though on busy nights general noise from patrons, TVs and the sound system is inescapable.
Service is smooth when things are quiet, and it’s the perfect time to talk to the bar man about the speciality whiskies in those big glass cabinets behind the bar.
If you’re not in a drinking mood a selection of teas and coffee is available, just watch out for those splits; at € 2.70 for a small glass bottle of Diet Coke it’s easy to empty the wallet without trying. A bar menu serves a rather rich selection of proper dishes and finger food –though my gut says beware of fishcakes branded as «seafood». Expect to shell out anywhere from € 12 to € 16 for lunch.
Anyway, if you’re really hungry, there’s a proper family style restaurant and carvery upstairs serving all day. With a dinner menu packed with classics like fish and chips. lamb and porkchops, dinners here are what I think of as traditionally Irish: simple, plate-​loading and smothered in gravy (incidentally, Nancy’s menu is the first outside of Temple bar that offers boxty).
While perhaps feeling just a bit more commercial than other nearby pubs, but without the pomp and diddly-​aye music of its bretheren in Temple Bar, Nancy Hands is an excellent option for explorers wandering off the beaten tourist path in town.