Where to eat near the Gaiety Theatre, Grafton Street area

The Gaiety sits in one of the busiest eating patches in Dublin: Grafton Street, South William Street, Chatham Street and the lanes around them. You don't need a plan to find food. You need a plan to get a table at 6pm on a Saturday. Book.

Inside, there's no restaurant. You get a licensed bar on every floor and three kiosks selling tea, coffee, ice cream and popcorn. Outside alcohol is confiscated, and you can't carry drinks out either.

The pub

• Neary's, 1 Chatham Street, round the corner from the theatre. A late Victorian pub with a brick front and cast-iron lamps at the door. Because it's so close, it has long been a favourite with actors. Main bar downstairs, the Chatham Lounge upstairs, classic bar food. Open until midnight Monday to Saturday, and until 10.30pm on Sundays. The obvious place to meet before curtain up, or for a pint after.

Dinner before the show

• WILDE, at The Westbury hotel, Harry Street, just off Grafton Street. A fine-dining restaurant, and the dressed-up choice for a night out at the theatre. Check its menus page for the current pre-theatre offer.
• Fallon & Byrne, Exchequer Street, a few minutes' walk west. A food hall over four floors, with a dining room and a wine cellar bar. Good for a glass and a plate when you don't want a full dinner.
• Salamanca, 1 St Andrew's Street, a few minutes north. Spanish tapas and wine. Good for groups who'd rather share than order mains.

For a matinee

• Bewley's Grafton Street, 78-79 Grafton Street. The old café, open 8am to 6pm every day. Breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea before an afternoon panto works perfectly. It closes too early for an evening show.

Timing it

Doors and start times are on your ticket. For a 7.30pm show, sit down to eat by 5.30pm, and you'll still have time to find your seat. The Gaiety has no lift, and the upper levels are a climb. Latecomers are seated only when there's a suitable break, so don't push it.

Frequently asked questions

What pub is next to the Gaiety Theatre?

Neary's on Chatham Street, round the corner, long popular with actors from the Gaiety.

Is there food at the Gaiety Theatre?

Only snacks: three kiosks sell tea, coffee, ice cream and popcorn, and each floor has a bar. There's no restaurant.

Where can I eat before a matinee at the Gaiety?

Bewley's on Grafton Street, open 8am to 6pm, is a few minutes' walk away.