The Best Asian Restaurants in Dublin

There is just something so comforting about sitting down and enjoying a hearty portion of Asian food. The combination of savoury and sweet just hits a spot that no other type of cuisine can for me. The array of herbs and spices create bold and complex flavours.

Dublin has an abundance of choice when talking about Asian cuisine. There are a number of excellent Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Vietnamese and Asian fusion restaurants that serve both traditional Asian and Asian fusion dishes with a Western twist.

Over the last six years I have tried a number of establishments in Dublin that really impressed me. In this article, I’d like to share the best Asian restaurants in Dublin.

Hang Dai

Hang Dai was one of the first restaurants I was introduced to. A friend suggested that we should go get some Chinese. We walked along Camden Street, in

Dublin 2, till we were greeted by a red neon sign. I was a bit confused when I walked in.  The neon lighting, American diner style booths, and bar gave me the impression that I was in a club or trendy bar.

The founders of the bar tried to go for a quirky and retro ambiance that would appeal to a young and trendy crowd. After chatting with my friend about the place, I learned that the restaurant doubles as a nightclub and cocktail bar after the kitchen closes.

The chefs and the traditional wood fired oven are on full display at the front of the room. The menu has traditional Chinese dishes, such as the Beijing roast duck, which will be permanent fixtures, and Asian fusion dishes that seem to experiment with Asian food with Western twists using quality local ingredients. For example, at one point, a popular item on the menu was the cheeseburger spring rolls, an American twist on a traditional and iconic Chinese food item.

Over the years, I’ve been to Hang Dai numerous times. The food is consistently good. The restaurant is always busy, so I recommend making a booking in advance. Their popularity is a testament to the excellent quality of food they serve.

Address: 20 Camden Street Lower, Saint Kevin’s, Dublin, D02 T275

Yamamori South City

Sushi’s origins date back millenia, and strangely, to the rice fields of China. Most people assume that it would have originated from Japan.  It offered a balanced meal that was easily accessible and made with affordable ingredients. In the West, it is a trendy food item that is generally quite expensive, if you consider the size of each serving.

There are plenty of sushi restaurants to choose from. Too many, as I’ve only sampled about 5 of them in the six years I’ve lived here. Of the sushi joints I’ve tried, one stood out, Yamamori on South Great George’s Street.

There are a number of Yamamori restaurants around Dublin, such as the popular Yamamori Tengu, which serves Sushi and other Japanese cuisine, such as bento and ramen. When you are finished with your meal, you can go down into Izakaya Basement,

a popular nightclub.

The interior is modern and utilises Japanese pop culture and iconography to create an identifiable Japanese ambience. The menu is filled with food that is both authentic and delicious. I highly recommend the Ebi Dragon Norimaki, which is a sushi roll containing breadcrumbed prawns with avocado served with wasabi mayonnaise.

Address: 72 South Great George’s Street, Dublin, D02 EC94

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Korean Table

I’ve only found Korean cuisine recently, and the only way I could describe it is “Asian comfort food”.

For a more traditional Korean dining experience, I would highly recommend Korean Table. This award winning restaurant (Food&Wine, 2023 Restaurant of the year) had humble beginnings. Its founder, Vivian Cho, started serving food from a market stall.

Since its opening, Korean Table has been receiving rave reviews from restaurant goers and food critics alike. Leslie Williams, of The Irish Examiner, describes the food as “simply joyous” and rates the value a 10/10.

The dining room is fairly narrow but it has an inviting ambiance and warmth. The decor is modern with a few subtle hints of Korean culture. The server matched this warm energy with an enthusiastic introduction and a few recommendations of popular items on the menu.

Following a friend’s recommendation, I started with the saucy crispy fried chicken breast. I managed to sample another friend’s order, the beef ribs, which was equally as good. In both cases, the meat was tender, moist, and morish.

For my main, I had the butter kimchi fried rice. This was my first time trying kimchi, a traditional side order of generously seasoned fermented vegetables such as napa cabbage and Korean radish. It has a very unique flavour profile. It’s salty, sour, savoury, tangy, and slightly acidic.

If I could provide any criticism, it would be that there are no Korean desserts on offer.

Address: 50a Manor St, Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, D07 FV09

Chimac

If you are looking for Korean styled fast food, particularly Korean fried chicken, I would recommend Chimac.

Chimac was started by Garret Fitzgerald and Sofie Rooney after the two went to Seoul, South Korea, for a wedding. They discovered Korean fried chicken and its carefree mantra of experimentation with preparation methods and sauce combinations and decided to bring it back with them.

Since its doors opened in May 2019, the restaurant has grown to be a critical success. It was so popular that during the first few days the establishment struggled to cope with the demand of the hungry hordes that queued outside their doors. The demand was so high that the Korean fried chicken restaurant ran out of chicken more than once.

I first discovered the restaurant on Deliveroo, during the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. It became a weekly treat during a time that was characterised by boredom and Friday nights on the couch.

While I haven’t been to the physical restaurant, the quality of their takeouts was superb. The burger buns were warm and fluffy and the Korean fried chicken was crispy and succulent. There are also a variety of sauces to compliment the already delicious food. Chimac has bottled some of their signature sauces, such as sweet sriracha caramel and K-BBQ, for purchase.

I would recommend going to the physical restaurant location as it gives you a few more menu options, such as chicken & waffles and the breakfast burger which are available during brunch (12:30pm- 3:00pm).

Address: 76 Aungier St, Dublin 2, D02 XR70

Baan Thai

Baan Thai means “Thai home” in English. Before entering the establishment, you are greeted by the sight of two golden Buddahs. This is your first hint of the authentic Thai experience that awaits you inside. The best way I could describe the decor of the dining room is regal.

Baan Thai prides itself as the 1st Thai restaurant that is Thai owned in Ireland. This may be why they offer possibly the most authentic Thai dining experience available in Dublin.

The menu offers many iconic dishes, such as yellow, red, and green Thai curry, pad thai, and more. I chose the half duck on a sizzling hot plate which is accompanied by sautéed seasonal vegetables with light soya on a sizzling hot plate.

The food was exceptional. The duck was moist and ticked all the boxes. I sampled a friend’s green curry and it ticked all the boxes for a flavour profile you’d expect from a Thai dish, a lot of bite with hints of citrus and coconut.

I’ll admit, I am not the most seasoned Thai food connoisseur. If there are any other establishments in Dublin that could vie for the title of best Thai restaurant, please drop a comment with alternative recommendations.

Address: 16 Merrion Rd, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4, D04 E9P7

Pho Kim

Located on the bustling Parnell street, Pho Kim offers a little slice of traditional Vietnamese cuisine. Started by a Vietnamese family that came to Ireland during the 1970’s, Pho Kim aimed to introduce the flavours of their homeland to the Irish people.

Vietnamese food is less embellished than Thai. Its simplicity is its appeal. Vietnamese is considered as one of the healthiest cuisines in the world, making it an appealing option for those that are calorie conscious. It incorporates fresh ingredients, such as ginger, fresh mint, fresh coriander, cinnamon, bird’s eye chilli, lime and basil leaves.

The menu is extensive, offering 51 staple menu items and a few new dishes that are listed at the end of the menu. The menu offers vegan and vegetarian options.

They have a number of popular choices such as Pho Dac Biet, a lean beef brisket noodle soup, and Pho Ga, a chicken noodle soup. I wanted a more filling option, so I went for an egg fried rice dish,  the Com Xao Special, a beef, chicken, and prawn fried rice which was superb.

Address: 162 Parnell St, Rotunda, Dublin, D01 F5F3

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Boss Stop

Another Asian fusion restaurant that I had to mention is Boss Stop on George’s Street. They create Asian cuisine with a westernised influence using the best locally sourced products available.

The restaurant has a warm and welcoming atmosphere with equally warm servers. The blend of European architecture and Asian decor embodies the Asian fusion style of the menu.

I was only able to go once, but I went for their signature Beijing Style Roast Duck. The duck is roasted over fruitwood to give it a signature flavour and a crispy skin which adds a bit of texture and extra flavour. This comes with pancakes, hoisin sauce, cucumber, and spring onions. This made for one of the most memorable and delicious meals I have had in a long time.

The restaurant’s other menu items seem to be equally well received by previous customers. The restaurant boasts a rating of 4.8 on Google Reviews with many patrons raving about their dining experience.

Address: 24 South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2, D02 XE40

Honourable Mentions

I recently discovered a takeout hidden gem on Deliveroo, Janet’s. Janet’s is a food stall operated at Eatyard, a street food market beside the famous Bernard Shaw in Dublin 9. The stall is operated by Jianan Liu, or Janet.

The stall specialises in dumplings, fried chicken, and bao buns. My go to item on the menu is the crispy chicken rice bowl which contains: crispy chicken, cucumber, lettuce, pickled cabbage, kewpie mayo, honey mustard mayo, and sriracha sauce.

It is quite similar to your traditional sweet and sour chicken, but the different mayos, sriracha sauce, and the addition of pickled cabbage gives it a unique and delicious twist. You have to try one of the bao buns on offer.  I highly recommend the Szechuan crispy chicken bao bun.

For an alternative sushi establishment, I would recommend the underrated Aoki Sushi Noodle Bar on Richmond Street. When I first arrived in Ireland in 2018, this little sushi spot was but a stone’s throw away from my apartment. What made it appealing was its BYOB policy. I could bring a bottle of wine to accompany my sushi making it an appealing option for someone on a fairly limited budget.

I always went for the Spider Roll, which is tempura soft shell crab, avocado, massago, katsuobushi (dried, fermented and smoked skipjack tuna), served with spicy mayo and yakitori sauce.

If you want a warm Japanese dish, they also make a great bento. The chicken katsu curry is absolutely sensational. It contains deep fried marinated chicken with Japanese bread crumbs, Japanese curry sauce, spring onions and sesame seeds, two Gyoza, edamame beans, and steamed rice

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Enjoy Your Meal!

I’ve mentioned only a few of the many Asian establishments Dublin has to offer. People’s tastes vary, so I’m pretty sure that there will be a fair few people that disagree with my choices. If you have any establishments that you feel I have overlooked, please share them in the comments.

Babylon Radio has some other culinary recommendations if you’re in the mood for some other cuisine:

• 10 of the best Dublin restaurants you can get delivery from
• Top 10 traditional Irish restaurants
• 8 new cuisines you can try in Dublin