Avenue 22 Restaurant & Bar

You're on Ormeau Avenue, that stretch where the city starts to feel less buttoned-up, and Avenue 22 sits inside the Clayton Hotel with an approach that doesn't take itself too seriously. It's the kind of place where you can rock up for a proper business lunch or ease into evening drinks without needing to book a table three weeks prior. The menu leans into Irish produce done well—think confident cooking rather than fussy plating—and the bar staff actually know what they're doing with a cocktail shaker. It pulls a decent crowd without ever feeling rammed, which is the sweet spot for somewhere this accessible.