Dublin Square photo courtesy of http://chewjersey.wordpress.org/

A few days back my blog co-author (G-LO) and his lovely wife (Red) attempted to try Dublin Square‘s new location in Cherry Hill for a late dinner. After waiting over an hour on a very busy Friday night they were rewarded with a fire alarm, evacuation, and sandwiches down the road at Kaminski’s. While sandwiches at Kaminski’s aren’t bad this was not G-LO’s plan and he will admit he was punished by the restaurant gods for his timing. Regardless of this experience he kept an open mind and suggested that Dublin Square be revisited.

Today it was my turn to give Dublin Square a shot and a second chance on this blog. My wife and I were both working locally and decided to take a lunch break together at Dublin Square. Our experience was the polar opposite of G-LO’s. We were seated immediately, greeted eagerly by our waiter (Alex), and had a fantastic lunch.

From the Carving Station

For my lunch I went with the carving station special. For under 10 bucks they offered a roast beef carving station complete with salads, veggies, and soup. It sounded like a good deal and did not disappoint. I started with soup which was chili with an Irish spin (beef and lamb with no beans). It was a great warmer for a cold day. The chili was followed by a roast beef sandwich assembled with the assistance of their carving chef served au jus with horseradish mayo. The sandwich was rounded out with a side of baby roasted potatoes and a spinach salad. (The also offered a macaroni salad and green beans which looked great but I did not try them). To accompany the meal I could have selected one of the craft beer offerings but instead had a Blacksmith (Guinness and Smithwick’s). [Side Note – Dublin Square passed it’s first test with the Blacksmith. At bars in the area I would have to explain the Guinness/Smithwick’s combo but the server and bartender at Dublin Square needed no explanation. At last a real local Irish Pub!]

Irish Chili

The wife went for the Pub Burger with a side salad. She was not willing to share a taste but the burger was a good sized burger and cooked to a perfect medium. It was generously topped with gooey Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.

Summary:
I give my first experience at Dublin Square an A+. The food, while not gourmet fare, was fresh, tasty, and well prepared. By far, the best “Pub Grub” I have had in a while. The service was executed with precision from the cheerful hostess that greeted us at the door to the waitstaff that was more than happy to guide us through the menu. The Irish décor is well done and the restaurant seems both spacious and intimate at the same time. I think you could have a quiet dinner for two or hang at the bar with a large group and be comfortable in each setting. We will definitely be dining there again. (If you try Dublin Square and want perfect service ask for Alex or Katie S.)

Good luck to the crew at Dublin Square.   Slàinte mhath!

Parents note: While we did not take the kids on this outing we did ask if they had a kid’s menu. They do! It’s loaded with standards like chicken fingers, burgers, pasta, grilled cheese, etc.. There should be something for even the pickiest kiddo. Also the nooks and niches break up the restaurant’s layout and allow you to have nice dinner without feeling like you are sitting at the bar with your kids.