7 Best Dublin Lunch Spots For Students
Finding a spot to eat in Dublin on your lunch break can always be a stressful debate, just like choosing what to watch on Netflix. To solve that debacle, we've put together a list of 7 different places that everyone will enjoy at a reasonable price!
Token:
Token is a restaurant like none other in Dublin. Located in Smithfield, it offers a ’high-end fast food’ menu ranging from hot dogs to vegan calamari to unbelievable tacos, a range of craft beers and cocktails, along with two floors filled with old school arcade games such as Pacman, Mario Kart, Space Invaders and Street Fighter. They've also recently added vegan mac'n'cheese nuggs to their menu!! It’s perfect for after college wind-downs, first dates, and last dates. Down stairs they have their very own pin-ball parlour, and upstairs there’s a boxing ring full of boxing arcade games. Token exchanges your money for tokens once you arrive, 5 euro for 10 tokens and 10 euro for 22 tokens and so on. Their latest deal is 1 main + a side + a pint/wine/unlimited soda + 10 tokens = €19.95.
If you’re looking for somewhere different to spend your evening, Token is the perfect place to waste 5 hours drinking beer, and competing against strangers for the highest points in Donkey Kong.
Mongolian BBQ:
Mongolian BBQ is a noodle bar located in Temple Bar that does an unreal 7 euro student deal for the biggest bowl of noodles you’ll ever have the joy of eating. With friendly staff, and a vast array of food on offer, this restaurant is something to check out if you’re lunching in Dublin. There’s a strategy to follow when getting your food. You don’t order from a waiter or waitress, rather you go up an fill your bowl with as much veg, noodle, meats, spices, and extras as possible, before handing it over to the chefs, who cook it up right in front of you. Dinner and a show! They offer loyalty cards so if you end up going on the regular you can avail of a free dish once you’ve got ten stamps. Their lunch deal is only 6.95!
Mama's Revenge:
Of course you can't go through a list of the best places for students to eat in Dublin without mentioning a Burrito Bar. Mama's Revenge is a non-chain Burrito restaurant in Dublin that offers a 5 euro student burrito deal that's located at the top of Nassau street just by Trinity College. Along with burritos it also offers tacos, nachos and other Mexican dishes. It's another place that offers loyalty cards to its customers. With nice staff, a lovely sit down area downstairs and unbelievable burritos, it's definitely one of the nicest spots to grab lunch if you're a burrito fanatic.
Skinflint:
Skinflint is a new part of the JoBurger franchise, who own all JoBurger restaurants, Crackbird, and Bear. Skinflint is located on Dame street in the original Crackbird location before they moved to South William Street, and it is known to be very hip and cool. They keep to a very Italian style, and their pizzas are much different to what you may be use to. They're a square base, cut into rectangular slices, and you can avail of some pretty neat toppings! Chorizo, pink peppercorn, truffle oil, golden raisins, or grapes and they have a selection of meatballs on everyday. Every table has a bottle of chili honey, which you can drizzle all over your pizza, and trust me, it's not as strange as it sounds. They do a two for one Monday deal on their pizzas!
Wishbone:
"Easily the best chicken wings on the planet!" - Gaoife (menupages.ie)
Wishbone is located just off Harcourt Street on Montague Street, and they own some of the most raved about chicken wings in Dublin. Offering a 9.95 lunch deal for a massive portion of wings, side of chips, dips and they do some good beer to go along with it. They open late and are always busy so I highly recommend booking beforehand to ensure you get a table for you and your friends. You can choose for Buffalo and Sticky BBQ sauce, with blue cheese, chili jam, cajun mayo, and roast garlic dip. Definitely worth checking out!
El Grito:
El Grito is an extremely authentic Mexican restaurant that is tucked away under merchants arch in Temple bar. It's where Mexican and Spanish students who are over in Ireland studying go to get some grub that will remind them of home. You wouldn't expect this place to house such great cuisine from the looks of it as you'd walk right by it without even realising it's there. They base their menu on the basics of a burrito, nachos, quesadilla, tacos or gringas, and add your choice of toppings between meats, cheese, sauces, salsas, and veg. All dishes cost 7 euro, and you can grab dessert while you're there as well. It's a small shop, and quite a tight squeeze but definitely some of the best Mexican cuisine in Dublin for a great price!
Tang:
Tang is located just off Stephens Green in the old Yogism location which has since moved, but they are both run by the same group. Tang is known for their amazing coffee and unbelievable breakfasts. Their breakfast menu is a mix of pancakes, granola, soups, sandwiches, avocado and delicious smoothies. Their lunch/dinner menu has a Middle-Eastern vibe with a choice of wraps and salads, falafal, hummus, tonnes of spices, chickpeas, butternut squash and on and on and on. The only thing is the space is quite tight and most people will get their meal to go instead of sitting in to eat. Most meals cost around 7/8 euro and you can take them out on to Stephens Green to enjoy (weather depending).
Enjoy!