The Legal Eagle

The Legal Eagle pub has been part of the life of the legal community around the Four Courts for many years, with barristers, solicitors and appellants all to be found within. It was shuttered for a long time until Dublin restaurateur Elaine Murphy and her partner Brian Montague cast off the grime of yesteryear and gave The Legal Eagle its grand new look. Thanks to the pandemic, things took a disapppointing turn again for a while, but now it's back on track once again.

The team behind Northside Dublin favourites such as The Winding Stair, The Washerwoman and The Woollen Mills, Elaine and Brian have a proven track record in providing a warm welcome in comfortable surroundings - and it shows in the care and attention that has been lavished on the once worn and dark interior.

Exposed red brick walls and glistening brass antiques lighten the interior, softened by light filtering through original stained glass features. The marble topped counter is lined with fine leather high seats, vases of fresh flowers and cake stands piled high with a tempting array of cakes and pastries. Comfortable leather banquette seats and blonde wooden chairs complete the smart modern feeling.

To the side of the bar sits a wood-fired oven, which is used by Executive Chef, Rowen Babe, and his team for cooking some of Legal Eagle’s signature dishes. A selection of bar snacks, such as Home-made crisps with smoked sea salt and Burren peat vinegar, or Legal Eagle pickled veg, can fill the gap while choosing from the menu – evening favourites from a choice of Small Plates like Gambas with braised onion and nduja, or Fermented beetroot with dill and cashew dip, Japanese turnip and flatbread, for example, and Larger Plates such as Woodfired half chicken with cavolo nero, charred shallot and chestnut sauce, or Wood-roasted monkfish tail with aubergine, red pepper Goan curry, paratha and coconut chutney…

The daytime offering begins with morning coffees & drinks and a seriously tempting range of pastries, then the weekday lunch menu keeps it simple (in the best possible way) with terrific Firehouse Bakery breads in soup & sandwich choices – think Ham and cheese toastie of Pigs on the Green house-roasted ham and Hegarty's vintage Irish cheddar – and an ingenious daily-changing Hotpot. Head in on Thursday, for instance, for the Dublin Coddle - although there’s always a vegan option too. Then it’s all change on Sunday when the roast reigns supreme - Black Angus striploin beef, Lamb rump, or Oven-roasted half chicken, perhaps, and all served with roast potatoes, green cabbage, honeyed carrot and parsnips, turnip and carrot purée, stuffing, Yorkshire pudding and gravy, so it’s no wonder this traditional treat packs ‘em in.

Desserts are modern interpretations on retro classics – a refreshing Lemon posset with pistachio biscuit, perhaps – and always a cheese of the month with crackers. And, as you’d expect in a gastropub, the drinks selection is extensive. Over 200 wines from diverse regions are listed, helpfully grouped to aid selection, and there is also plenty of choice for the beer drinker, with many local and craft beers available by the glass, bottle or can. A range of classic, well-crafted cocktails rounds out the drinks offering – and great service, under the direction of Kate Ruddy (formerly of 777 and Margadh RHA) brings all these delicious food and drinks offerings together in the most hospitable way possible.

All round The Legal Eagle offers a perfect spot in the city centre for coffee and cake, a weekday hotpot or toastie, Sunday lunch with all the trimmings or dinner and drinks. Just the place to meet and eat.