The Sidecar
Royal Exchange B, Dublin
Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland
Book with PearlThe Read
Dress
Smart Casual
Why go
The Sidecar is worth booking for a polished central Dublin drink, especially when the occasion needs a smarter hotel-bar setting rather than a full restaurant plan. Go earlier if conversation matters; use later evening as a livelier before-or-after stop near Grafton Street.
About The Sidecar
The Sidecar in Dublin is a good fit when you want a venue with clear afternoon-to-late availability and a smart-casual dress code. It may suit a stop when your group wants a Dublin venue with broad opening hours, but it is better to compare it with Balfes, Coppinger, or Amuri Restaurant if you need a fuller sense of menu, service style, price point, or setting.
Book it around confirmed hours, not unverified menu detail
The decision is simple. Choose The Sidecar when the schedule works for your plan: Monday to Thursday from 2–11:30 PM, Friday and Saturday from 12 PM–12:30 AM, Sunday from 12–11 PM. The listed dress code is smart casual. Skip making assumptions beyond that, because specific claims about cuisine, dishes, pricing, seating, or service format are not available here.
For planning, the most useful approach is to treat The Sidecar as one Dublin option with broad afternoon-to-late opening hours. It can be compared with other choices when the group needs a different kind of stop, but the information here does not support building a detailed meal plan around named dishes, lunch specials, or a specific bar program.
Where it fits in a Dublin night out
Compared with Glas, there is less detail to work, so the choice should come down to what is clear: The Sidecar's Dublin location, smart-casual dress code, opening hours. Compared with Little Pyg, it should not be judged on assumptions about format or atmosphere. For visitors building a broader city plan, Our full Dublin restaurants guide, Our full Dublin hotels guide, Our full Dublin bars guide are useful for comparing more options.
Bottom line: choose The Sidecar if its Dublin location, smart-casual dress code, opening hours fit your plans. For a broader comparison, consider Balfes, Coppinger, Glas, or Amuri Restaurant.
Planning details
- Location
- The Westbury, Balfe St, Dublin, Ireland
- Reservations
- Book on SevenRooms
- Website
- doylecollection.com
- Phone
- +35316463328
The take
The Take
The Vibe
The Sidecar reads like a hotel bar that moonlights as a city destination. Housed inside The Westbury on Balfe Street, it benefits from the hotel’s long-established reputation for considered hospitality, and the bar’s menu architecture signals a serious, purpose-built drinks program. Rather than a transient lobby pint, the space attracts locals and visitors who expect cocktails that are as structured as tasting menus — classics, seasonal additions and signature builds are all part of the offering. The result is a refined, assured spot in Dublin’s Grafton Quarter that feels deliberately curated rather than incidental.
Best For
The Sidecar is built for evenings when drinks matter. It’s a natural pick for date nights and special occasions — occasions when a thoughtful cocktail list and an attentive bar program trump a busy pub atmosphere — and it also fits after-work plans for those who want elevated drinks rather than a late-night dive. Because it deliberately courts non‑hotel guests, the bar works for visitors exploring the Grafton Quarter and for Dubliners who want a dependable, polished spot for oysters and martinis in the city center.
Ordering Tips
Follow the menu’s architecture: sections are organized into classics, seasonal additions and signature builds, so use that structure to choose a starting point. The Grey Goose Martini is a signature pour, and the Carlingford Lough Rock Oysters are highlighted as a natural accompaniment — order them together if you want a textbook pairing. If you’re unsure, ask the bartender to explain the seasonal or signature choices; the write-up emphasizes a rigorous, considered cocktail program, so staff guidance will point you to items that show the bar’s intentions best.
Venue details
Ambiance
1930s-inspired Art Deco elegance with warm, inviting lighting and sophisticated, glamorous atmosphere.
Tags
Vibe
Best For
Experience
Sourcing
At the Table
- Dress Code
- Smart Casual
- Noise Level
- Conversational
- Service Style
- Upscale Casual
- Meal Pacing
- Leisurely
- Capacity
- Small
Signature Dishes
- Grey Goose Martini
- Carlingford Lough Rock Oysters
Planning details
Location
The Westbury, Balfe St, Dublin, Ireland · Directions
Recognition and awards
Also consider
Good Alternatives Nearby
If The Sidecar is not the right fit, book Balfes for an easier food-and-drinks plan in the same central zone. For a dinner-led evening, Coppinger is the stronger cross-shop.
Restaurant context
How It Compares
The Sidecar is the more polished drinks-first option in this Dublin set, especially for a date, celebration, or business-adjacent meet-up. Balfes is the better pick when the group wants food to carry the booking, while The Sidecar makes more sense as the smarter pre- or post-dinner stop.
Little Pyg is better for a casual, louder group plan; The Sidecar is better when the room needs to feel more composed. Glas gives a clearer restaurant identity, so choose it when dinner is the point rather than drinks around the occasion.
Coppinger and Amuri Restaurant are stronger cross-shops for a full evening meal. If availability is easy here but dinner is the real goal, book one of those first and keep The Sidecar as the central Dublin add-on.
Around this place
Discover more on Pearl
Unlock the full The Sidecar guide in Pearl, including awards, comparisons, FAQs, planning details, and nearby places.
Compare The Sidecar
| Venue | Location | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| The Sidecar | Dublin | 2026 Pinnacle Guide |
| Balfes | Dublin | No published awards |
| Little Pyg | Dublin | 2025 50 Top Pizza World Best Pizza · #82 |
| Glas | Dublin | No published awards |
| Coppinger | Dublin | 2025 The Sunday Times Ireland's 100 Best Restaurants |
| Amuri Restaurant | Dublin | No published awards |
How The Sidecar Dublin compares with similar nearby venues.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Does The Sidecar handle dietary restrictions?
If anyone in your group has a specific dietary requirement, contact The Sidecar directly before visiting rather than assuming a particular menu or accommodation is available.
What should a first-timer know about The Sidecar?
The key details are that The Sidecar is in Dublin, has a smart-casual dress code, opens Monday to Thursday from 2–11:30 PM, Friday and Saturday from 12 PM–12:30 AM, Sunday from 12–11 PM. Specific claims about menu format, pricing, seating, or service style are not available here.
What should I order at The Sidecar?
What are alternatives to The Sidecar?
Balfes, Little Pyg, Coppinger, Glas, Amuri Restaurant are useful comparisons depending on the kind of outing you are planning. The Sidecar is best assessed here by its Dublin location, smart-casual dress code, opening hours.
Is lunch or dinner better at The Sidecar?
The hours start at 2 PM Monday to Thursday and at 12 PM Friday to Sunday. If a specific lunch or dinner service matters to your plans, check directly with The Sidecar.
Is The Sidecar good for a special occasion?
It may work if the Dublin location, smart-casual dress code, opening hours suit the occasion. Details about atmosphere, packages, menu, or service style are best confirmed directly if the visit is for an important event.
