Barking Dog Restaurant

I am American. I was invited to Belfast to perform as part of a global conference at Queen's University. My airline misplaced my luggage, so I stopped into The Barking Dog to utilize their WiFi to check the status of my luggage and have a drink and a snack with my collaborator, who has unusual allergies. The menu did not have anything that appealed to us so we decided just to finish our drinks and move on.

At no point did anyone communicate that it is illegal to have drinks only and our server ran our check without mentioning any legislative requirements. After paying, someone who I assume was the manager, came up to the table and inspected our receipt. "Uh-huh, just what I thought," was what they said before berating me about how it is illegal to purchase drinks in a restaurant without food. I immediately apologized and explained that I had no idea. I offered to purchase food retroactively and they refused. Following, they proceeded to repeat that I was in a restaurant and not a pub and that my actions were illegal. They coldly denied my multiple attempts at apologizing, while I explained that I am not from the area. This experience was very confusing for me, because the night before I had drinks in a restaurant with no food and it wasn't an issue.

Afterward, I asked about this supposed "rule" at multiple restaurants. In each case, I was told that there is no such law and that ordering drinks without food in a restaurant is very common. I have never been treated so poorly in a customer service dynamic and I'm not sure why this happened. I feel targeted and completely mistreated for what seems to be no good reason. To top it off it was my birthday. Complete fail on behalf of whomever this person was. I will say, the rest of the staff was very pleasant and accommodating.

Fantasic menu– i recommend the shin burger! Food is terrific and the staff are great. Another bonus is the alternate selection of craft beer. Staff have a good knowledge and generally offer a taste before ordering.

Fantastic restaurant: excellent service, delicious food, and a lovely atmosphere. Mix and match furniture, wooden floors, and nice design details. My favourites: salt and pepper scampi, fish pie, the burger, and the sweet potato ravioli.

standard fair, nice but found it a little overpriced for my tastes!

After seeing the winning ‘Shin Burger’ from the Burger-​off held by Unilocal at Harley’s Diner in Finaghy, my wife and I had to go and try this beast for ourselves. It was as incredible as I had imagined. The burger was so tender it almost dissolved in my mouth. Cooked perfectly with a side of sweet potato fries. Amazing.
The restaurant is a really nicely furnished place, really warm and comfy. A perfect, ‘date night’ place. Staff are very friendly and helpful. You have to go!

I hadn’t been to the Barking Dog in a long time, but after sampling their amazing burger at the Unilocal Burger-​Off event I just had to visit again. Of course I went for the beef shin burger as it was definitely the best burger in the Burger-​Off! It is simply delicious — tender, full of flavour and covered in tasty toppings like melted cheese, caramelised onions, rocket and more. The chunky chips were also really tasty. The meal was filling as well as being lovely. My husband and I were full after our burgers but couldn’t resist sharing a dessert — we went for white chocolate and raspberry cheesecake which was just amazing. The restaurant can be a little expensive (cocktails are £7.50 for example) however everything is so nice that it’s worth it for a nice treat! Staff were friendly and helpful and there was a good atmosphere. Recommended!

I was impressed with the atmosphere, from the exposed brick walls to the mismatched furniture and dark lighting. A nice romantic setting for a first date, perhaps.
For starters the five of us decided to share a few tapas, opting for 5 dishes for £12. We decided upon the Beef Shortrib (with Pickled Carrot and Spicy Dipping Sauce), 2 x Pan Fried Chorizo Sausage (with Sourdough bread), Crispy Pork Belly Bites, and the Baby Mozzarella (which was accompanied by Sun Dried Tomatoes. Rocket and basil). It was a lovely mix and a nice way to start the meal.
For main course, the three birthday ones treated themselves to 10oz Salt Aged Rib eye steak and chips, while Barry picked the Tiger Prawns with Herb Gnocchi and I chose one of the day’s specials– a beautiful slow beef ravioli. My brother remarked the steak was one of the nicest he’d tasted– so a big claim from him!
For dessert, my sister and I went for the Chocolate Nemesis (a soft goey brownie), while my brother had the Sticky Toffee Pudding. As a chocolate fan, the Nemesis certainly satisfied my sweet tooth and I could have eaten more. Mum went for the homemade apple tart while Barry chose to finish with ice cream.
The meal was really enjoyable, from the food, right to the service and the atmosphere. The whole meal (including drinks and a 10% service charge added on) came to £187. A lovely restaurant if you’re out celebrating a birthday or anniversary (or, of course, that first date!)

One of if not the best restaurants in Ireland. The Barking Dog offers great food at great prices. Cocktails to die for and brilliant service.

Barking Dog have a dedicated Vegetarian menu which is delicious and I’d especially recommend the gnocchi as it’s beautiful. There’s also lovely cocktails for dessert. Service is always really good. Chilled, relaxed vibe. Would recommend.

Recently visited the barking dog for Sunday lunch. We were seated right away by the host right at the window. The place was busy but staff were very attentive. The roast beef was to die for, a little pricey but cooked to perfection.
We asked the barman what a certain type of liquer in a cocktail was and he arrived over straight away with a small sample for us both to try.
Food was excellent, service friendly and there was a singer playing acoustic in the background which was lovely.
Definitely my new favourite Sunday lunch spot.

Ate here for my birthday with the hubby and the food was beautiful! He had the shin burger and I had the fish… was one of the nicest meals I’ve ever had the pleasure of having!
Restaurant itself was chilled out, welcoming and the staff were all lovely

Without a shadow of a doubt my favourite restaurant in Belfast; it’s the only one I’ve come to alone just to eat. Think comforting gastropub food done exceptionally well with a few interesting twists and really nice staff. Moreover, the same food in London would cost double; it’s extremely good value.
I’ve been here at least 10 times, most recently on Friday, and it’s never disappointed. They have a solid roster of dishes as well as daily specials for a bit of spontaneity.
Starters include crab on sourdough toast and the best pork belly bites I’ve ever tasted!
Usual mains include the famous beef shin burger and, often, fish and chips. Even the sides are phenomenal. The chips are cooked in the fat of some unfortunate animal made delicious by a combination of evolution and selective breeding, probably a goose or duck. On Friday I had duck leg, beetroot and spelt risotto which was amazing.
As a sticky toffee pudding fan, it’s difficult for me to try anything else, especially when it’s as well-​executed, but occasionally I’ve wandered over to the ice cream and crème brulee selections and have been equally satisfied.
The Barking Dog may have won the best burger in Belfast, but I think their Sunday roast is their real shining star and undoubtedly the best in the city. Perfectly rare sirloin, a Yorkshire pudding the size of your head and, finally, carrots that could convince me to turn vegetarian (how do they bloody do it?).
I’m also a big fan of their whiskey sour and my girlfriend loves their amaretto sour and espresso martini.

Loved this place!
I’d never heard of Barking Dog before the now infamous Unilocal Burger-​Off, which Barking Dog won, but the burger was so good it convinced me to go an see what else they have to offer.
Because of the name, I was expecting a sort of gastro pub but was pleasantly surprised when I walked through the door. Instantly, I knew this was a proper restaurant.
I’d booked a table for 2 for Sunday evening and when my gf arrived, we greeted by a really friendly chap who showed us to our table and took our drinks order. He was really knowledgable of the wine list and recommended a cracking red!
We were given 5 minutes to peruse the menu and when the waiter came back, he proudly pronounced that they had recently been voted bets burger in Belfast. He was delighted to learn that I had been one of the judges that contributed to their title!
To begin we shared a lovely selection of 3 tapas for £9 — goats cheese & peppers, Toulouse sausage and crispy chilli beef. They were all great and really left you looking forward to the main!
It was hard to overlook the burger but I wanted to see if everything was as good, so opened for pasta with pork/​fennel sausage. It was so good! As good as my favourite Italian, Coppi.
My gf had the burger. Which was great because they are so big, I knew she wouldn’t eat it all. More for me!
The burger was actually better than I remember at the burger off. Really hard to over look the next time I visit, which will no doubt be soon!
We were so full, we didn’t stay for desert but if we had more time I’s reckon I’d have made room!
The restaurant itself is beautiful decorated and feels like you’re in a quality establishment. The service was fantastic and at £40 for 2, I thought was reasonable enough.

Being a newly recruited carnivore, I have so far managed to avoid eating burgers, I wasn’t a fan of the texture, all just a bit overwhelming.
But having am recently attended the Unilocal Burger Off with my bf and friend Holly and having tried a few samples of the great burgers Belfast has to offer, I felt it was time to dip my toe into the unknown and try a proper burger, all on my own.
And what better place than the winner of the Best Burgers in Belfast, The Barking Dog.
We were greeted and shown to our table by an very enthusiastic and friendly waiter. You can tell they are proud of their award as it was the first thing he told us, «we have recently won an award for our signature Shin Burger!»
So we had a few of their tapas to start, smoked sausage and fennel, crispy beef in an alioi sauce, and a goats cheese salad. Good value at 3 for £9 and just enough to keep our appetites at bay while we waited for our mains.
The bf ordered their main pasta special, spicy sausage in a tomato sauce with penne pasta. I ordered the shin burger with chunky chips and it was really delicious, massive portion, and perfectly cooked. Even though I couldn’t finish it (too big!) I think I made the right decision for my first proper burger, I’ll definitely be back to try it again.
Good value for money and a lovely intimate atmosphere, the place was packed for a Sunday night so I would recommend booking ahead.
They had a number of cocktails on offer, unfortunately I didn’t get to sample any this time around but I had a glass of their red recommeded by the waiter and it was lovely full bodied and a good accompaniment to my meal.

I had the shin burger, which was very good, nice atmosphere in the restaurant and really enjoyed the cider I got, it had a slice of Granny Smith apple in it which was a real nice touch, will b back!

I found this place because it kept showing up on different food blogs and decided it was time I tried it myself– I was not disappointed. The Barking Dog is a treat you don’t want to miss out on.
As soon as my husband and I walked through the door we knew we were in for something special. The place is beautiful, low-​lit and so very cosy. I cannot recommend it more for a date or evening out.
The Barking Dog tackles gastropub fare with a twist. You’ll be able to find classics like Fish Pie, soup and wheaten, battered haddock but prepared with creativity of a real artist. We ordered the Asian ribs for a started and nearly fell off our chairs with delight. So full of flavor and perfectly prepared. A slight zest of soy and sweetly glazed so the slow cook meat was just falling off the bone.
We also order the pasta starters– gnocchi and ravioli. The ravioli comes in a braised short rib jus and is perfect. My mouth is watering just remembering this meal. My husband ordered the gnocchi which is served in a pesto sauce with shrimp. It was glory. Then we both ordered the Barking Dog Burger– JUST ORDER THIS AND FORGET THE REST. It was massive and so yummy. Was served with a side of chips and has more short rib and cheese stuffed in the middle. It was a treat and even though we didn’t meant order so much short rib, we were glad we did.
I’m only docking one star from my review as it was a bit challenging to make a reservation through their website online. I ended up having to call in to reserve a table for the weekend– it was a bit of a hassle as I was scheduling my visit while out of the country and couldn’t call until a few days before. Other than that, I can’t wait to be back this autumn so I can eat some more of this delicious food!

We found this place on Unilocal while on a visit to Belfast, after walking around the Botanic Gardens. It’s within walking distance and is totally charming from the front and inside. It is one of the few restaurants I found in Ireland or NI that offers Tapas. I wasn’t that hungry and wanted something light. We were lucky to get there early, as it can get very crowded. I made a meal of olives, crab toasts and smoked salmon toasts with a bowl of tomato/​basil soup. It was all absolutely delicious. My husband had a huge burger that uses a three day cooking process. He said it was one of the best he’s ever had. Kids meals and desserts were also wonderful. Our waiter started chatting with us towards the end of the meal and mentioned the Game of Thrones cast all eat there when they’re shooting which impressed us! Visit this place, but make reservations if it’s after 6.

Visiting Belfast for the second time ever and missed out last time, glad I got to visit on this trip.
Even on my own on a Friday evening, the host found me a table and a friendly welcome.
I had the Barking Dog Fish Pie served with minted peas, heavily recommended with a pint of the Barking Brew.
Followed by desert from the special menu, a ginger cake and white chocolate cheesecake on a slate, even tempted to visit them again tomorrow.
The staff are fantastic and very accommodating, definitely worth a visit when you’re in town.

I haven’t been to the barking dog in a while and can’t for the life of me remember why.
This is such a quirky restaurant and the food is great… although I must admit I was full of regret by the end of my meal. I had the ribs for a starter which was very tasty, but you could be given a better portion, and the chicken for a main but as soon as I tasted my friends shin burger knew I had made a mistake! Thankfully there is an easy way to fix this as I will be going back for that burger very soon.
If you are in the mood for a drink with your food then I would recommend the barking brew beer but be warned after 3 of these you will start to feel more than tipsy!
Great for groups as well as my uncle celebrated his birthday here and Mick the singing waiter made sure everyone knew why we were there!

Been to this restaurant four times. First and second times I was delighted, third I was disappointed however my fourth time at the Barking Dog was a lovely experience. Tasty food and pleasant service. A full vegetarian menu — I had the gnocchi which was really good. My friend had a duck pasta. Desserts were the sticky toffee pudding and crème brûlée — delicious. Finally a couple of cocktails which were heavenly. It’s a little bit pricey but a nice spot — makes for a very enjoyable evening out.

Just discovered this little gem. I went here with a large group and we were seated at a long wooden table (not ideal for group conversation, but I could spy a few big square tables which would be perfect in the future). I really like the décor, it’s quirky, yet modern — lots of wood, mismatched side plates etc, but because there’s no soft furnishings it’s very very loud.
We shared a selection of tapas which were small (as they should be), but delicious. I’d recommend them all, but the pork belly gets a special mention.
Next up, the famous beef shin burger. There’s a 20 minute wait for this beast, but it’s so so worth it. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t know what to expect, but what arrived appeared to be a beef burger on the outside, yet once you bit into it, revealed a centre of delicious and tender beef shin. A-​maz-​ing!

Wir haben auf Unilocal ein paar restaurants rausgesucht die uns interessierten, eines davon das Barking Dog. Wir haben dann noch unseren Black-​Taxi-​Tour Fahrer gefragt was er uns empfehlen kann und da kam das Barking Dog dann wieder. Also sind wir dahin. Ohne reservation war es dann aber schwierig, platz hatte es nur noch aussen. Aber da der Aussenbereich ganz gemütlich war und das Wetter zum Glück noch warm genug machte uns das nichts aus.
Die location is sehr cool und stylish. Innen wie Aussen. Die Karte ist klein aber fein. Jeder sollte aber was finden da die Angebote sehr unterschiedlich sind. Wir haben uns für den Burger und die Lasagne entschieden — beides hat hervorragend geschmeckt!
Zum Dessert haben wir uns für den Cheesecake entschieden. Der wird hier ein bisschen anders interpretiert und ist speziell. Aber Geschmeckt hat er!
Das Servicepersonal war freundlich und aufmerksam. Allesamt sehr jung und gut passend in das stylische Ambiente.