Disney Dining Review: Cookes of Dublin Review
In the mood for hearty Irish pub fare but don’t have a reservation for Raglan Road? Cookes of Dublin has you covered! Located right next door to Raglan Road at Downtown Disney, Cookes of Dublin is a small, quick service restaurant great for anyone wanting some great tasting, fresh pub grub. If you need a pint to wash it all down, there’s the Hole in the Wall bar right next door.
Cookes of Dublin is very tiny, you can see from one end of the restaurant to the other in the pictures, and this means seating can be hard to come by at busy times. We were there right before the dinner rush and were able to find a table inside. There is much more seating available outside, but it can still be packed during lunch and dinner.
The Cooke family owns the restaurant and many of the dishes are made the way they were in the 1930’s, when the restaurant was established. They are well known for their fish and chips, which uses fresh fish brought in daily. Inside you will see signs everywhere assuring you that all the food is fresh. This means you do end up waiting a bit longer than your usual quick service restaurant, but that’s because your meal is being made to order.
Upon ordering you receive a number to take to your table where your food will be delivered. Next to the cash register is a case of very tempting desserts! A bit past the counter is the soda fountain and condiment bar. The condiment bar has several unique options such as cocktail sauce, Dalkey mustard, HP sauce, and malt vinegar. There are photographs of the Cooke family throughout the restaurant, so feel free to look around while you wait for your food!
On this visit we ordered the original one and one, the battered burger, and the chicken sandwich. I wanted to try one of the Dublin style pies, but I was told they wouldn’t be ready for another hour because they were still being made. I also ordered a D’oh Bar, which is a fried Snickers bar!
While I did not try the fish and chips, they got very high marks! My dining companion proclaimed they were perfectly light, flakey, and moist. The batter was also light and not greasy. The fish and chips are served with tartar sauce on the side. The chips, served with all the dishes we sampled, were thick but cooked all the way through. They were crisp, but not too crunchy. The only complaint was that there should have been some lemons out for the fish, as they were missing just a touch of citrus.
The battered burger sounded too interesting to pass up. The burger is served with garlic mayo, tomato chutney, and mixed greens, all on a very fresh onion bun. Unfortunately, the meat was a little on the dry side, but the batter added a nice crunch. It was lightly fried, but nothing too heavy. The tomato chutney had a very pronounced flavor, much more so than the garlic mayo.
For my meal I ordered the breaded chicken sandwich, which is served much like the burger with an herb aioli, tomato chutney, and greens. The sandwich was incredibly hot when it came out, proof that it was made to order. I felt there could have been more of the condiments, given the enormous size of the chicken filet. The breading wasn’t greasy and had a nice crunch to it. The chicken could have been moister, but overall was pretty good. The bun was the highlight for me. It was served on the same sweet onion roll that the burger came on. The onion bits were a nice sweet touch without being overpowering, and the bun was pillowy soft while also being toasted.
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Last up was the D’oh bar, which I was really looking forward to! I’m not a huge Snickers fan, but the gooey, chocolaty bliss inside the dough was divine! There was a sweet and salty component to the bar that I particularly enjoyed. While this dessert wasn’t the prettiest to look at, it was absolutely delicious, and I highly recommend giving it a try!
Overall, I enjoyed Cookes of Dublin. In the future I would definitely try one of the Dublin style pies. If you are a fish and chips fan you have to give these a go, and the D’oh bar is also a must try. With plenty of stick to your ribs dishes, and several lighter options, there is something for everyone here.
F.A.S.T. review
Food – One of the better quick service spots at Disney, with fresh, hot food. The original one and one is a must!
Atmosphere – This is one tiny restaurant, so be prepared to find little to no seating if you are there during peak hours.
Service – Everyone was very helpful and nice, and our food was brought to our table after a short wait.
Tips – If you can’t get a reservation at Raglan Road, this is your best bet, with plenty of options for the whole family.
