Dakota Bar

Overpriced, and very slow service. The only positive thing going on for this place is the location.

Dakota is one of the bigger places on South William street, and has the airy interior of an oversized cocktail bar, completely with 2 bars along the whole long side of the room. The staff is quite nice, they do however seem to have high fluctuation of personnel, and you may end up with a young lady on her first shift waiting you. The sound is indifferent background-lounge, so this is more of a place for conversation than dancing. On the weekend it does get crowded, so you may have to raise your voice for any philosophical exchange that you plan to have here.

NOT RECOMMENDED. The only thing going for this place is the interesting decor, however, the couch I was sitting on was torn and the stuffing was coming out of it. I had lunch here with a friend. During the entire time, the manager/owner's 2 children ran around the place (one on a scooter). After an hour of this, I questioned the waitress on the matter. She did not want to address the manager. I addressed him myself and was disgusted with the ignorant and unprofessional response I received. He told me to leave and that children were allowed in pubs until 7. (Don't think this law states that they can't 'scoot' between people's tables.) Appalled by the response of these rude staff and will not be returning.

One of my regular stop offs on a night out. Can be entered on either street as the bar runs between 2 (St William Street and Drury St).

Great mix of music. Dublin prices for drink but no shock there. Usually a good mix of young and older in the crowd.

Open plan so pick the right spot and you can view a good section of the bar if you're trying to catch somebodies eye....

Bar along one side only but fast friendly staff. Toilets downstairs and smoking at either entrance.

Another afternoon drinking den that I quite like - even though I am surely not the type of clientele this is marketed at! I’m scruffy, don’t own a pair of shoes that aren’t runners and have more holes in my jeans than a goal net. Yet I can happily slip into a cosy leather booth with an ice cold bottle of mixed fruit Kopparberg and know that my money is as good as anyone elses!

Okay so at night it gets all trendy and pretensious in a suits and sandals kind of way, but if you settle in during the afternoon you’ll barely notice when the sun goes down and manage to close your ears to the generic funky grooves in the background.

For a large space, Dakota is a truly beautiful pub. It manages to be cosy and intimate and filled with natural light (very unusual for an Irish pub). The bar is terrifically well stocked and a joy to rest ones elbows on.

This is also the kind of pub that i would be happy to turn up an hour before meeting friends, grab one of the selection of newspapers and magazines and set myself up on a bar stool for a while. It’s just so damn comfortable.

So yes I’ve only taken away a star for the clientele and the DJ - other than that, a blissfully perfect pub!

Dakota has a London feel to it. I liked the way they play a variety of retro music and all the dance classics rather than playing the same r ‘n’ b tunes. It’s fairly easy to find a table here provided you get there before 11 pm. The bar staff are efficient and friendly so the waiting time for a drink isn’t too long. There are always an interesting crowd in here. It’s definitely worth going here at the weekends