Stir Restaurant

(2014 Review). Food was very good, but service was «okay» at best. Not a terrible place to stop by for dinner if you are staying at the Maldron Hotel.

While the restaurant was nicely appointed, and the food was beautiful and delicious; the service absolutely stunk. I had ordered a water with lemon based on being tired from a day of sight seeing and was already tired. The small glass was emptied pretty quick. The server looked at the glass several times and didn’t bring a refill. My fiancé had asked for another glass of wine at one point and we didn’t get that until after the dessert was brought. We took the glass of wine back to our room.
I understand we weren’t exactly dressed for an upscale dinner. But it was attached to our hotel and we were the only customers in the place for most of the dinner. When we left there were three other tables. So being busy wasn’t an excuse. This was our worst dining experience we had in all of Ireland.

I must say, even after visiting a few times this place still needs some improvement. I have coworkers who often stay at this hotel and its a grand hotel in a great spot but the restaurant here is not the best. They do however serve a totally different menu in the bar area which oddly enough is pretty good, and better than the restaurant. I find every time we arrive the place is either dead empty, or just has a large tourist group which is together. The staff are nice, however due to the fact it is usually slow everything moves very slow. Unless there is the aforementioned group of tourists there, then you find yourself waiting an even longer time as the one or two staff try and deal with 20 – 50 people. Overall the food has never been ‘bad’ — it’s just for the prices they charge, the very unimaginative menu, and the list of amazing restaurants within a five minute walk you would be better off to give this place a miss and venture out sure.

Stir is one of a handful of restaurants dotted around the location of the recently renamed Bord Gais Energy Theatre and as such has been advertising it’s pre-​theatre menu with gusto for some time. I’m a bit of a sucker for a good musical so on a recent trip to see Avenue Q the mothership suggested we visit Stir as she had been with a large group previously and enjoyed it. I was pleased to discover that, despite leaving it to the last minute, I was able to get a 5.30 reservation (but I needn’t have worried, this place is massive and only about a sixth of tables were occupied). The man on the phone was a bit gruff with me which should have been a hint of the level of service we were about to receive but I shrugged it off…
On arrival into the Maldron there are no signs pointing towards the restaurant. It’s up the stairs and towards the back of the building in case like I, you stand there for a few minutes perplexed while not a single member of staff takes a moment out of their busy schedule doing eff all to help you. We were seated quickly, the waitress handed us the early bird menus and then decided to take a few moments to explain how an early bird works, yes we know drinks aren’t included. She kept the A La Carte menus clutched close to her person until she had ascertained we were satisfied with just the early bird before sweeping them away. Now I’m no restauranteur but surely it would make more sense to give the customers both? Not only is it polite to give them as many options as possible but you’re likely to earn more if customer veers off the set menu. Oh I should also point out that when we were seated there were bread rolls on the side plates of every table slowly going stale for god knows how long, this is a waste of food which is a huge no no in my book.
We ordered from the somewhat uninspiring menu (champ belongs in the 70s, not on any modern restaurant menu unless you’re being ironic) and our starter arrived promptly enough. My goat cheese and vegetable filo parcel was ok, the rocket beneath it was disgusting. It tasted like it had been sitting in a dusty room for some time. We were left waiting a while longer for our mains. I made the criminal offense of asking for mash instead of champ which you’d think would be easier since it’s one less ingredient but obviously this was just too much for the staff to process as my chicken first came with champ and then I had to wait another 10 minutes for it to be replaced. All of the dishes also come with a small mountain of parsley on top (again it’s not the 70s and it’s wasteful, NO ONE EATS THE GARNISH).
The highlight (said with dripping sarcasm) of the meal came when our server arrived to clear my plate which, only microseconds earlier I had finished with, picked it up and then looked at me to ask «are you finished with that?». She later proceeded to do the same a cup of tea someone was midway through drinking and a mostly finished frappuccino (which I’m told was also woeful). Now in fairness to her she was wearing a trainee badge but it’s strikes me as common sense that you never ever pick up a dish/​glass/​cup and then ask the person if they are finished, it’s awful manners. This is the type of restaurant that you wish would appear on kitchen nightmares and so Gordon Ramsay can scream them into the 21^st century.
I won’t be back.