Lafayette Café Bar

This is a great spot literally in the heart of Dublin City Centre. They have a great bar upstairs and a nightclub downstairs. I go for the alternative/​metal nights they have during the week which are brilliant. They have a full bar and the prices are very good for Dublin and they often have specials during events. It’s worth mentioning you can’t beat the staff here, they are simply brilliant.

You can’t beat € 5 cocktails and sweet bartenders! This is a nice spot if you want to hang out with your friends and catch up for the night. I wouldn’t come here for the atmosphere as most of the time I come, it’s nearly empty; but if you bring your crowd, you’re guaranteed a good time.

I was previously really liking this place but ive been in here a few times really and im not overly impressed. There are teeny little flies buzzin around everywhere so you have to cover your drink with a beer mat. Dont get me wrong the palce isnt dirty or anything but where are they coming from. I threw a tissue into the loo once and loads buzzed outta there. Just not right. The bar lady is super nice though and they have a wide selection of drinks. so not abad spot for a quick drink or a coffee but i wouldnt be hangin around… sorry!

While visiting Dublin about a month ago for an academic conference (IAMCR 2013 at Dublin City University, for those of you who care about such things), I realized rather happily that I would be around for the Dublin Pride parade. I scrutinized the map and asked enough locals to ascertain where exactly the route would be going, and determined rather quickly that Lafayette was squarely in front of, and alongside, the parade route (the street forks like a Y directly in front of the establishment).
I had several hours to kill before the parade, so I parked myself at the bar and had many several beers while chatting with the super-​friendly and really awesome bartender (I believe his name was Sean). But what made the place really awesome was what happened when the parade started up.
Initially I was content to just watch the parade pass by through the windows, but suddenly I heard, «Ay! Mate! Mate!» behind me – one of the bartenders (manager? owner? not sure…) was trying to get my attention. He asked me if I wanted to watch the parade from upstairs – and of course I wasn’t going to turn that down!
The upper level of the place, which is not open to the public (generally speaking), appears to be in some sort of state of abandoned renovations – which is a shame because it would make an awesome club venue if it was fixed up really nicely. But in any event, we (me and the dozen or so other random barflies who had managed to snag an impromptu invite) threw open the windows and happily spent the next couple of hours hanging out the windows and screaming and waving at the parade below while happily drinking our beers.
(Oh, and did I mention that those beers were some of the cheapest that I had the entire time I was in Ireland?)
I have no idea when, if ever, I’ll return to Dublin, but I’ll definitely remember Lafayette!

I’d go for three and a half stars for this one, if it were possible… Lafayette, you see, is not such a good place to warrant a four-​star review, but I’ve been there so many times I feel like it deserves more than a three either.
So why do I keep going back? It’s really, really reliable and often feels like the easiest choice for a night out. Free entry if you get there before 11; there’s a bar upstairs and a club downstairs, which normally opens up at around 11:30 and starts to fill up at 12ish. There’s absolutely zero risk in going to Lafayette because it’s always the same: a solid, young crowd, good dance music, average and average-​priced drinks. Lots of girls teetering in minidresses and heels. Smoking section outside is small and there’s no seating.

i was in here on a friday night and this place was very quiet when i was there although € 5 cocktails are not to sniffed at! The clientelle are bit young for my liking and dressed up as if they are going to a ball but i like the little comfortable chairs, tables and not too loud music which makes this a nice destination if you are out for a few drinks of a friday evening. i had a piña colada and a bahama mama in which i could taste the alcohol.
The artwork on the walls means that you don’t just have to people watch but can be safe in the knowledge that you can stare vacantly at the walls and no-​one with think you are weird!
it also has a nice heated outdoor smoking area for those with the dirty habit.
i didn’t go the nightclub downstairs yet, it didn’t seem to be open the friday evening i was there but then i left at about 10.45 to go onto my next haunt! it may be that it opened late.

I went to the Lafayette Café Bar yesterday evening for a cocktail with friend. While it was quite early (albeit a friday evening) there were a few busy tables. The cocktails are fab! Very tasty and well presented, delivered to the table by the barman himself.
I like what they’ve done with it too, the décor is nice and tasteful and I am sure when it’s busy its a great place to hang out. Oh and did I mention the cocktails are € 5 YEP € 5 on friday evening you cant go wrong, and they were serving food. I didnt get a chance to grab a menu but the food on the table close by looked to be going down a treat.

at lunch time; restaurant service for pub prices

Lafayette is the new modern cocktail bar on O’Connell Bridge. It’s a sister of Doyle’s Corner across from Pearse Street Garda station. The venue was formerly the doomed Redz but could not be more different from its predecessor.
Firstly, it’s not a student bar anymore. Quite the opposite. It’s clientelle are made up of hip, cool 22 – 32 year olds who enjoy a well made cocktail in this beautiful premises.
It’s managed by Barry who came from Dandelion on St. Stephen’s Green and the bar manager is Jourdan McQuade, the red headed scot who secured Licensing World’s cocktail bar of the year award 2010 while he had the bar in Harvey Nick’s, Dundrum S.C. under his wing.
The style of Lafayette is simple delicious. If you do go in for a look, seek out the modern arty wooden wall sculpture of the river Liffey. Also ttake a minute to have a look at the brand new nightclub downstairs as that too is rather tasty.
The staff are all greatt from floor staff to door staff and Jourdan has them all well trained.
I have yet to try the food but I hear the steak is a bit deadly. Best of look you guys!