Restaurant in Dublin, Ireland
Charcoal cooking, real buzz, book ahead.
Kicky's on South Great George's Street holds a Michelin Plate for the second consecutive year and a White Star wine list — but arrives with the energy of a lively neighbourhood restaurant, not a formal dining room. At €€€, it is one of Dublin's stronger value propositions for serious charcoal cooking in a relaxed setting. Book it for a date or a celebration where atmosphere matters as much as the plate.
Kicky's is not a fine dining restaurant that happens to be casual. It is a genuinely relaxed, high-energy wine bar and restaurant where the cooking punches well above the price point. If you arrive expecting hushed service and tableside ceremony, you will be disappointed. If you arrive expecting charcoal-cooked produce, a room full of energy, and a wine list that earned a White Star on Star Wine List, you will leave satisfied. The misconception to correct before you book: €€€ pricing at Kicky's reflects the quality of ingredients and the cooking, not the formality of the experience. The service is warm, knowledgeable, and fast — but it is not deferential, and that is a feature, not a flaw.
Kicky's sits on South Great George's Street, one of Dublin's more characterful stretches, and the interior matches the address. Whitewashed brick walls, counter seating along one edge, and a pop art-style mural framing the kitchen pass give the room a visual confidence that most new openings in Dublin spend years trying to cultivate. The room is airy without feeling hollow, and the hip-hop soundtrack sets a tempo that makes this a noticeably different proposition from the starched linen of Patrick Guilbaud or the considered quiet of Bastible. For a special occasion dinner where the energy of the room matters as much as the plate, this spatial confidence is a genuine asset. The counter seating is practical for solo diners and pairs; larger groups should check availability for table configurations that work for shared eating.
The menu structure at Kicky's rewards how it is designed to be eaten: start with bites and small plates, share freely, then move into the charcoal-cooked mains. The kitchen sources seriously , Wicklow venison and wild brill on the bone are the kinds of ingredients that appear on menus at restaurants charging considerably more. The charcoal cooking method adds a directness to the flavours that suits the room: this is food that is confident rather than fussy. The Michelin Plate recognition in both 2024 and 2025 confirms that the cooking quality is not accidental. Consecutive Plate awards in the Michelin Guide are a signal that the kitchen is consistent, which matters more for repeat visits and special occasions than a single strong review. For context on how Irish kitchens are working with domestic produce at this level, see also Liath in Blackrock and Aniar in Galway.
Here is where Kicky's earns its price point most clearly. The co-owners Eric Matthews and Richie Barrett built a room that works from the first visit, and the service reflects that intention. Staff at Kicky's operate with the confidence of a team that knows the product: wine pairings are handled without pretension, the pace of the meal is managed without pressure, and the knowledge on the floor is genuine. The White Star recognition from Star Wine List is not a generic hospitality credential , it signals a wine program that is actively curated rather than assembled for margin. At €€€ pricing, you are getting service that is better calibrated to the food and the room than you would find at several Dublin restaurants operating at the same price tier. What you are not getting is the formal choreography of a higher-starred room. If that choreography matters to you, Chapter One by Mickael Viljanen is the comparison to make. If energy and generosity of spirit matter more than ceremony, Kicky's wins the comparison comfortably.
Kicky's launched with enough momentum to win Newcomer of the Year at the restaurant awards , a result that reflects both the cooking and the commercial instincts of the ownership. The subsequent Michelin Plate recognition in 2024 and again in 2025 moved the restaurant from promising newcomer to confirmed quantity. The wine program, which attracted a dinner hosted by Lilian Barton of Château Léoville-Barton, signals that Kicky's has established credibility in wine circles that goes beyond the casual-dining framing. This is a venue that has grown into its reputation rather than coasting on early buzz, which is the more meaningful indicator for a booking in 2025. For other Irish restaurants that have made a similar transition from debut heat to sustained quality, see Bastion in Kinsale and Campagne in Kilkenny.
Kicky's is a strong choice for a date dinner or a celebratory meal where you want the occasion to feel alive rather than reverential. The combination of serious cooking, a well-run wine list, and a room with genuine atmosphere makes it one of the more complete propositions at the €€€ tier in Dublin. Solo diners with an interest in counter seating and a good glass of wine will find it comfortable. Groups eating together from a shared menu will get the most from the format. It is not the right choice if you need a quiet room for a difficult conversation or a business dinner that requires discretion. For Mediterranean cooking at different price points and contexts across Europe, La Brezza in Ascona and Arnaud Donckele at Louis Vuitton in Saint-Tropez illustrate the range the cuisine can span. Closer to home, dede in Baltimore and Terre in Castlemartyr are worth adding to any Irish food trip that includes Dublin.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. Given the Michelin recognition and the consistent buzz around the room, booking ahead is still advisable for weekend evenings and special occasions. Walk-in availability is more realistic for weekday sittings. No booking phone number or website URL is listed in the current data , search directly for Kicky's on South Great George's Street, Dublin, or check via third-party reservation platforms.
| Detail | Kicky's | Bastible | mae |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price Tier | €€€ | €€€€ | €€€ |
| Cuisine | Mediterranean, Charcoal | Modern Irish | Modern Southern |
| Booking Difficulty | Easy | Moderate | Easy |
| Michelin Recognition | Plate (2024, 2025) | Yes | No listed award |
| Vibe | Lively, casual-cool | Considered, quiet | Relaxed, intimate |
| Leading For | Dates, groups, solo bar | Special occasions | Relaxed dinners |
For more options across the city, see our full Dublin restaurants guide, our full Dublin bars guide, our full Dublin hotels guide, and our full Dublin experiences guide. For Spanish-influenced small plates at a similar price point in Dublin, Uno Mas and Peploe's are worth comparing.
Yes. Counter seating is part of the room design at Kicky's, and it works well for solo diners or pairs who want to eat without a full table reservation. The counter positions you close to the kitchen pass, which is framed by the pop art mural , one of the better seats in the room if you want to watch the kitchen work. For a full dinner, a table gives you more space for the shared small plates format.
Yes, and it is one of the more comfortable solo options at the €€€ tier in Dublin. The counter seating removes the awkwardness of a table for one, the service is attentive without being intrusive, and the small plates format means you can eat as much or as little as suits. The wine list, White Star-recognised, makes it a practical choice for a solo diner who wants a serious glass alongside the meal.
Order across the bites and small plates before committing to mains , the format rewards sharing and grazing rather than a single-plate approach. The room is lively and the music is present, so this is not a quiet dinner; arrive expecting energy. The Michelin Plate (held in both 2024 and 2025) confirms the cooking is consistent, but the experience is casual by design. At €€€, you are paying for ingredient quality and cooking skill, not tableside formality.
Yes, with the right expectations. Kicky's works well for birthdays, celebratory dinners, and dates where you want the room to contribute to the atmosphere rather than stay neutral. It is not suited to occasions that require a quiet, ceremonial setting. For that, Patrick Guilbaud or Chapter One are the Dublin options to consider. If the celebration calls for energy, excellent food, and a wine list worth exploring, Kicky's is a strong call at a lower price point than its Michelin-starred peers.
The shared small plates and bites format is naturally suited to groups, and the room has counter seating alongside table configurations. For larger parties, contact the restaurant directly to confirm availability and table arrangements , no phone number or booking URL is currently listed in our data, so use a third-party reservation platform or search directly. Groups of four or more will get the most from the menu by ordering broadly across the small plates before moving to mains.
The menu centres on charcoal-cooked proteins and Mediterranean-style small plates, with produce like Wicklow venison and wild brill featured. Specific dietary accommodation details are not confirmed in current data. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if dietary requirements are a factor , no phone number or website is listed in our current record, so approach via reservation platform messaging or in-person enquiry.
Charcoal-cooked mains are the core of what the kitchen does well , Wicklow venison and wild brill on the bone have been cited in the Michelin Guide notes as examples of the produce quality. The tiramisu reworked as an Irish coffee dessert is specifically called out as worth finishing on. Start with the bites and small plates, share across the table, and let the kitchen's charcoal section anchor the meal. The wine list earned a White Star from Star Wine List, so ask the floor staff for a pairing recommendation rather than defaulting to the obvious choice.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicky's | Mediterranean Cuisine | Kicky's is a restaurant venue.without_translation_and wine bar in Dublin, Ireland. It was published on Star Wine List on September 19, 2024 and is a White Star.; A striking, pop art-style mural frames the kitchen pass at this casual, trendy and thoroughly lively restaurant. The airy interior features whitewashed brick walls, some counter seating and loud hip-hop. Start with ‘bites’ and small plates to share, before moving onto the concise selection of main courses cooked over charcoal. Fabulous produce like Wicklow venison and wild brill on the bone yields bold, satisfying flavours. Make sure you finish with the ‘Irish coffee’, their take on a tiramisu.; Michelin Plate (2025); Of course Kicky’s won Newcomer of the Year at the restaurant awards. Of course that’s the head chef and owner Eric Matthews modelling some sick threads by Ralph Lauren and Paul Smith for a BT creatives campaign. Of course that is Lilian Barton of Château Léoville-Barton hosting a wine dinner in Kicky’s. When you know how to push the buttons, as Matthews and the restaurant’s co-owner Richie Barrett do, then the world lies down in front of you. “A relaxing space, a fun spot” is what the team wanted to achieve with Kicky’s, but the incredible thing is that they managed that on day one, thanks to killer dishes such as parmesan gnocchi and spatchcocked piri-piri chicken, their jamon and manchego croquetas, amazing burnt Basque cheesecake and Irish coffee. Kicky’s hits the mark, every time.; Michelin Plate (2024) | Easy | — |
| Patrick Guilbaud | Irish - French, Modern French | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Bastible | Modern Irish, Modern Cuisine | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Host | Nordic , Modern Cuisine | Unknown | — | |
| mae | Southern, Modern Cuisine | Unknown | — | |
| Matsukawa | Kaiseki, Japanese | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
Yes — the interior includes counter seating, which makes bar dining a genuine option rather than an overflow arrangement. Counter seats are well-suited to watching the kitchen pass, which is framed by a pop art-style mural. Book ahead if you want a specific spot; the room fills consistently given the Michelin Plate recognition and Newcomer of the Year profile.
It works well solo. The counter seating gives solo diners a natural perch, and the menu structure — bites and small plates before mains — means you can eat a satisfying meal without over-ordering. The loud hip-hop soundtrack and lively atmosphere keep the room feeling social rather than isolating.
The menu is designed to be shared progressively: start with bites, move through small plates, then commit to one of the charcoal-cooked mains. Skipping straight to mains misses the point of how the kitchen operates. At €€€, the value lands best when you eat across multiple courses rather than treating it like a single-dish dinner.
Yes, if the occasion suits a lively room over a reverent one. Kicky's holds a Michelin Plate (2025) and won Newcomer of the Year, so the cooking has the credentials — but the space runs loud hip-hop and the vibe is deliberately casual. For a birthday or celebratory dinner where energy matters, it delivers; for a quiet anniversary, consider somewhere with lower decibels.
The room can handle groups, but the format favours shared plates, which actually suits group dining well. Larger parties should book well in advance given the consistent demand since the Newcomer of the Year win and ongoing Michelin recognition. Check directly for any private or semi-private arrangements, as specific group policies are not documented in available data.
The menu draws on Mediterranean cuisine with charcoal-cooked mains and a range of small plates, which typically offers flexibility — but specific dietary accommodation details are not in the venue record. Contact Kicky's directly on South Great George's Street before booking if you have specific requirements; don't rely on assumptions from the cuisine category alone.
The venue record flags jamon and manchego croquetas, parmesan gnocchi, spatchcocked piri-piri chicken, and burnt Basque cheesecake as dishes that established the restaurant's reputation from launch. The charcoal-cooked mains — built around producers like Wicklow venison and wild brill — are the kitchen's calling card. Finish with the 'Irish coffee', which is their take on a tiramisu rather than the drink.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
