QUICK-FIRE SUMMARY
Vibe Check
Japan, Japan, Japan.
Effortlessly authentic in absolutely everything it does.
If you have ever wanted to visit Japan, but can’t afford the price tag, this is your next best option.
Cost For Eats
€174 (but we ate A LOT)
Cost For Booze
€34
Booze-Free Options?
Once again we have a successful booze-free drinks menu. 60% of the cocktails can be made sans-liquor, and there are booze-free beers too.
Highlight Dishes
Tams – Beef short ribs served with black garlic butter.
Richie – Still can’t decide what his highlight dish was. I think we may have to go back…
This spot is great for…
Mid-week eats, drinks & catch ups, first dates, last dates, solo nights out (perch up at the bar and chat away), work nights, dressed up, dressed down; this spot could be an ideal place for almost all occasions.
If you want to book a table head to…
Give them a call or book online here.
Where you’ll find them
13 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
Instagram
DISH THE DETAILS…
Once upon a muggy summer’s evening, we found ourselves in a Japanese restaurant, right in the heart of Dublin City. “Daruma” is an irresistible space that offers exactly what we had been after for a while now – a truly authentic dining experience.
The name holds a deep significance, drawing inspiration from the iconic Daruma doll, an emblem of perseverance and good fortune in Japanese folklore. With its warm ambience, tantalising flavours, and impeccable hospitality, Daruma brings a touch of Japan to Dublin.
At the heart of Daruma’s identity sits the Daruma doll, a traditional Japanese figure with a rich cultural history. The Daruma represents perseverance, goal setting, and good luck. The doll is typically sold with blank eyes, and as a symbol of determination, one eye is filled in when a goal is set, with the other eye completed when the goal is achieved.
Daruma prides itself on being a traditional Izakaya-style restaurant; a relaxed environment where friends, family or workers can gather together and unwind. What drew us to Daruma, particularly, was the fact that it is the first restaurant in Ireland to serve Miyazaki wagyu beef imported from Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture. Not only that, but it serves premium bluefin tuna and hamachi (yellow tail tuna).
THE FOOD
All dishes are presented as small plates, designed for sharing, if you are so inclined! You can eat as much or as little as you like, with no pressure to conform to a set format of starter, mains, dessert. The Daruma menu is broken into sections with sushi options, robatayaki (their bincho-tan charcoal grill) and smaller sharing plates.
Again, forget about the rules here. We ordered a raft of plates, which were delivered as and when they were cooked. Or, if you’re not sure how much to order, you can ease into proceedings by requesting dishes as your appetite dictates the terms.
The drinks menu is exceptional, with a sake-tasting board if you want the full Japanese experience. The traditional beers are served chilled; both with and without alcohol and the cocktails were perfectly balanced with a twist of Japan.
THE SPACE
The service was impeccable and attentive; busy without feeling rushed. Professional, knowledgeable and the definition of approachable. We had Shazam out in force because the music was just so damn good. Japanese music that the Japanese staff would actually listen to. As an Irish person, when I walk into an Irish bar abroad I am invariably assaulted by a version of Ireland that would feel out of place in any actual Irish town. Daruma shows us how an “authentic” experience can be steeped in tradition without feeling forced or contrived. They have executed this balance perfectly, and a little bit of Japan has found its way into the heart of Dublin’s nightlife.
WANT TO FOLLOW ALONG ON OUR NIGHTS OUT?
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