Bison Bar & BBQ

I’d been to Bison Bar a few times before and it was grand. A few drinks each time, a novelty sit on a saddle. Jobs a good ‘un.
See, we’d never tried the food, until now that is. And my, I love love loved the food here.
I opted for the pulled pork sandwich. Now I’ve had pulled pork a fair few times these past few years and they’ve been fine. But here it was flavoursome. And a nice portion size too i.e. not too big or overloaded.
But special mention to the ribs. They were delicious. I’m going back to try these again and if they are as good as I rembember, ⁵⁄₅.
I really hope when we go back the ribs will be as good as I remember.
Staff were very nice and on the ball. We were all served our food in good time, considering there was a fair amount of us (eight peeps).
Looking forward to my return visit.

Yip I’m a fan. I tackled a full rack of ribs on my own and lived to tell the tale, just about mind you.
The smokey flavour off the food is delicious. My only little gripe is that everything is served on paper plates with plastic forks. A small gripe.
The food is reasonably priced and I have no doubt that the ribs are the best in Dublin.

Somehow I had failed to go back to Bison bar after my first visit there when it had just opened, with a zillion other BBQ places popping up like mushrooms in the last two years… which all had to be tried, to a point that the pulled pork was just coming out of my nose and ears .
After a one year BBQ break, I ended back here in Bison. And oh wow, wow, wow, I have to say these guys are defo the King of BBQ restaurants. I went for a combo plate of pulled pork and brisket. Massive cuts of meat were put in front of me, so much so, I beary touched my sides. Next time I might just go for one cut.
As for the pub itself… it is quite dark in there (I hate not being able to see my food properly!), and the plastic forks and bowls have to go! It’s bad for the environment!

I will preface my review my saying that I am not a huge fan of BBQ to begin with and I’m also picky with my BBQ.
I’ve been here twice. It’s a fun, laid back environment with saddles for chairs– that’s cool! Both times I’ve had the pulled pork sandwich and it was good, better than other places where I’ve had the same. I really liked the cole slaw– very well done and full of flavor. The onion rings were very good also. Service was friendly and attentive. You order at the bar and then the server brings your dish to you.

Really enjoyed our BBQ sampler plate of sausage and brisket. My partner said it reminded her of Texas BBQ and it turns out the chef went to Texas to train for a bit. Awesome. I never thought I would get such good BBQ in Dublin.
Nice selection of whiskey and they had Orchard Thief hard cider which was pretty darn delicious.

BBQ was OK. Onion rings too. Plenty of whiskey to choose from but beer selection is lacking.

No need for a long review. REAL Texas style BBQ in Dublin! The little secret extra is the «Bison pulled pork fries». That one dish gives the Bison a Montréal twist, poutine by another name. Probably the most decadent way to spend € 6.95 in Dublin Town!

ok im a fan ! only thing that puts ya off a bit is when you walk in — your a bit confused as to where to go /​what to do? is it table service? do you order yourself? where the hell are the menus … anyway we figured out ya go up and order and pay at the bar once ya find yourself a menu (we had to ask someone fir theirs)
the place itself is pretty awesome — they are only short of actually having a cowboy walk through !
now the important part — food — close to excellent ! pulled pork was a bit mushy but everything else was ten out of ten ! top marks for the brisket ! even the coleslaw was so tasty ! (like how can someone get slaw so tasty)? … I defo recommend the beans yummy yummy — but yes ill be back anyway … full bar provided also so ya can stay and have a few drinks afterwards and nip into workmans

This isn’t barbecue food, small portions for expensive $hite! If you want barbecue, go to My meat wagon! Same price, bigger portions, best barbecue in Dublin.

Probably the best BBQ outside of Texas :)
We went because of a friend’s recommendation. He’s German and not really familiar with US BBQ, but he loved it anyway and told us to go.
First bonus star for the choice of beer: I was looking for Murphy’s Red in all sorts of places, but finally found it here.
Now for the food: I ordered the brisket. What else. Cole slaw and onion rings as sides. It all blew my mind. Brisket was all tender and juicy with phantastic smokey taste. Simply Delicious. Cole slaw was fine, they put chopped apple in it I think. Nice variation. And then the onion rings: Crunchy, hot, onions still fresh and crisp. How do you do that?! Amazing job.
The waitresses were all really nice and did the best to squeeze in our order before kitchen closed at 10. Perfect.
I’ll probably have to travel to Dublin soon again just for that wonderful BBQ :)

I came here for dinner with my friend last night and I was so glad to be able to finally try this place!
I ordered a pint of Orchard Thieves Cider (~€ 5.40) while waiting for my friend to arrive. I’m normally not a cider drinker, but I wanted something light before dinner. The cider was absolutely delicious!
TIP: If you want to thieve yourself a cider, head to Orchard Thieves’s website and grab a free pint at a pub near you. Bison Bar & BBQ is not one of them, but be sure to check out the offer for pubs in the surrounding area!
For our entrée, we decided to share the Tasting Platter (€ 16.95), which comes with a little bit of everything (including sides!) –chicken, pulled pork, sausage, brisket, pork ribs with coleslaw, beans, potato salad, onion rings, and chips. I would definitely recommend this if it’s your first time! My favorite of the platter was the chicken and brisket. THE BRISKET. BRISKET. BRIS. KET. You need to try to brisket. It is mouthwatering and marinated with all forms of deliciousness. Another thing I liked was the onion rings! The batter is different than what I am used to – thicker than usual – but it was still very tasty. So if you’re at a loss for what to get, you surely won’t be disappointed with an order of the brisket and onion rings!
TIP: They also have selected € 5.50 cocktails – menu on the bar!

If you want good BBQ, go to Bison! I’ve been back again and again and… you get the idea!
Located on the quays right beside The Workman’s Club, it’s the perfect spot to get something to eat before you head out for the night, although it gets really busy in the late evenings so maybe go early to avoid disappointment!
I’ve had the brisket, sandwiches and sausages here and they have all been delicious. The sides are really good here too, the crispy onion rings, beans and chips are all yummy!
What I really like about here though is that you can get a decent drink with your food. They have a great whiskey selection and the whiskey sour here is one of my faves!
If I had one criticism it’s that there’s not that many tables so I’ve often gone and been disappointed when I couldn’t eat here. You can get food served in the smoking area but I think that would be too much of a BBQ experience for me. Go early, eat brisket and drink Sierra Nevada… heaven!

I came here yesterday for an after work meal. I actually didn’t know they did BBQ, as I’ve only previously been here in the wee hours when it’s jam packed and hopping. I do remember getting the drinks special — whiskey sour (€ 5) — and not being impressed with the sugary watery mix. I won’t comment on the nightlife as it’s been ages since I was there, so…
The food.
I had a double take when I read the menu was € 13.95 for a meal. It’s any bbq main with 2 sides. I had the brisket (by recommendation from the waitress) with fries and beans — that together with a pint of beer, came to € 18.95. Not cheap.
I wasn’t wholly impressed with the meal. To be honest, it’s actually quite forgettable. Ive had better barbecues for better prices. That being said, I really do like the atmosphere in the bar, especially the outdoor/​saddle area. It’s a super chilled vibe, a bit cool, a place where you’d feel comfortable sitting and chatting forever. I’d definitely recommend for the out-​of-​owners because it’s definitely something different. I remember I really liked the concept the very first time I was here.
I probably won’t eat here again, but I probably will for a pint and chill time.

Awesome BBQ & whiskey cocktails /​craft beer at Bison Bar on Wellington Quay.
What can I say beyond the above?!
Eaten here twice
First visit (I don’t count the time we couldn’t get a table — it’s THAT good!) after a touristy trip to the Guinness Storehouse. Choose your food /​drink and order at the bar…
I couldn’t choose what meat I wanted so I got the tasting plate. The Lynchburg lemonade and Calamity Jack cocktails went so v well with it! Everything that was on that silver tray was demolished after being smothered with their house bbq sauce. Knew it wouldn’t be long before we visited a second time.
Second visit
Brought my fiancé’s little brother when he came to stay with us a few weeks after our first visit… He wasn’t too pleased we went here without him as he loves BBQ… We just HAD to go back (What better excuse for a return?!)
He got the tasting plate this time.
Fiancé went with the beef brisket & the sausage with sides of beans & potato salad.
I chose the beef brisket sandwich with a side of coleslaw. The meat is so tender. Just amazing with their bbq sauce… I was tempted to bring the bottle home but I reckon my bag would have got destroyed!
Drinks… Craft beer — Roisin Tayberries (cross between blackberries and raspberries if you didn’t know!) beer, Jameson caskmates & Calamity Jack. I have to say out of all the places I ate in during 2014 Bison is probably my favourite… For anyone looking for real deal BBQ you HAVE to visit here but if you’re anyway prissy you might need to leave your table manners at the door and just make great use of the kitchen towel rolls they leave on the table…

Le lieu est vraiment sympa, l’ambiance un peu décalé nous transporte et c’est ce qui en fait un lieu unique.
Le service n’est pas mal non plus, au début j’ai eu l’impression que la serveuse né comprenait pas vraiment ce que je voulais, mais j’ai ensuite eu affaire à une autre vraiment cool qui nous a même replacé plus au fond de la salle une fois qu’une table s’est libérée (on était près de la porte avant) ce que j’ai trouvé plutôt sympa.
Pour ce qui est de la nourriture, au début je trouvais que ca sentais super bon, j’étais vraiment tentée, j’ai donc pris des ribs et ma mère avec qui je dinais a pris le pulled pork, les deux n’étaient pas mauvais du tout bien que le pulled pork était assez piquant.
Le problème c’est que perso, les ribs né sont pas du tout passé, je me suis sentie nauséeuse jusqu’au lendemain soir. Du coup, je pense que se doit être la sauce des ribs qui né doit pas être faite maison et contenir du gluten, ou quelque chose comme ca. Après, si vous avez l’estomac bien accroché, bien que se né soit pas de la grande gastronomie (de toute façon ce n’est pas ce qu’on attend d’un lieu comme ca c’est clair!), ce n’est pas mauvais et ca comblera sans doute une grosse envie de ribs !

I’ve been here a couple of times for the pulled pork and it’s pretty damn good. You can get the pork straight on a board or in a bun, personally I would recommend the bun, They have a lot of other meat options too which I have yet to test. There is this yellow sauce on the tables that tastes amazing, I’m not sure what it is, but I could drink it! Their sides are also super tasty, I really like the beans.
I’ve never spent time drinking here, more eat and go type of place I feel. But, it is a pretty cool bar. They have these really cool stools/​saddles (they are kinda strange to sit in though, people generally seem not to).

The hell happened to you, Bison? The staff is now made up of a group of girls that look even younger than me, completely clueless about waiting tables or greeting customers. And to add insult to injury, even the food standard is now lower — lukewarm meat, dry and almost chewy, and not even tasting good. The BBQ sauce is the only way to make it a bit more edible, but even so… It’s just not good enough, especially for the prices you pay.
For the first time on one of my last visits I ordered one of the desserts — the peach cobbler — to see if that would make up for the rest of the meal. The presentation alone was verging on disgusting: it was served on a measly paper cup, like the ones they bring the sides in. The greasy smell emanating from it was too strong and when I finally got to the peach, it was burning hot as if it had just been reheated on full power on the microwave.
And it’s not like you’re going to stay/​keep coming back for the drinks… The beers and sloppy cocktails are pricey enough.
The only good thing left now seems to be the smoking area, if you’re looking for that sort of thing, but even there it gets a bit too cold sometimes.
Well, I suppose it’s a good thing I don’t crave meat all that much.

By far the best pulled pork in Dublin!
I’ve been going to Bison Bar pretty much every weekend since I discovered it over a year ago. I absolutely love the place, very chilled atmosphere and the food is just amazing.
The pulled pork sandwiches here are my favourite in Dublin and the prices are great too, every weekend until 5 you get a sandwich and a side of chips or onion rings for only € 7.50.it doesn’t get better than that!

This review is a 3.5 star.
The interior of the place is like a dive bar. Quite dark but it has character. Your eyes are drawn around the room to the interesting pictures hanging on the walls. Not the comfiest with stools and it was freezing even though we were seated inside. I am deducting one star straight away because the toilets are disgusting. I don’t want to go into detail but I would avoid them if at all possible.
Now to the food. Between us we had all the meats on the menu. And all the meats are very very good. That is clearly what they do best. The sides were alright –nothing special. You will do well if you are a meat head but don’t come expecting gourmet dining. You go to the bar to order your food and each table has a kitchen roll with plastic forks and knives.
The cocktails are good. We tried a few like the hard lemonade and liked them all.
Would much prefer if you didn’t have to spend your night jumping up and down to order drinks and food. That is something I think would be worth changing.
All in all good but won’t be rushing back. Would like to try somewhere else first.

«Vamos a cenar a un sitio de barbacoa, ¿te vienes?».
J*DER, PUES CLARO QUE VOY.
Después de cambiar varias veces la reserva «vamos a ser cuatro». «No, espera, vamos a ser seis». «¿Si venimos ocho, cabemos?» pensé que los camareros nos iban a mandar a tomar viento fresco. Pues no, oye, fueron de lo más profesional, nos sentaron a esperar y luego ya nos sentaron en nuestra mesa definitiva, siempre con una sonrisa en la cara. ¡Se agradece! También estuvimos tomando un cóctel delicioso, un no sé qué Lemonade (uuuups, he olvidado el nombre) que nos hacía ser más proclives a que nos gustara el lugar.
Por fin nos sentaron, tras prácticamente arrollar a la mitad de las personas que se agolpaban en el restaurante. Llegamos a nuestra mesa y nos enfrentamos a una carta simplísima: carne por un lado (costillas, pulled pork, pollo, filete) y sides (patatas, ensalada de col, aros de cebolla…). Elijo lo mío: pulled pork y patatas. «Tienes que elegir dos acompañamientos», dice la camarera «¿en serio? ¡Qué bien, me había costado decidirme entre las patatas y la ensalada de col, pues tráeme las dos».
En pocos minutos aparecen nuestros platos, en una bandeja de metal, con cubiertos de plástico. Mira, estás en una barbacoa, no pretendas comer sin pringarte hasta los codos. La carne estaba buenísima, la verdad. Tras comerme lo mío, una de mis compañeras de mesa había dejado un par de costillas, que me cedió amablemente. ME PUSE GOCHO. Pero en Madrid no hay sitios de barbacoa como estos, y la verdad es que lo necesitaba.
Precios muy razonables y a pesar de que el sitio estaba lleno hasta la bandera, comimos con bastante tranquilidad y sin ningún tipo de prisa. Volvería si no me pillara a unos cuantos miles de kilómetros. Volvería ahora mismo.

Das war wirklich cool. Man isst quasi im Pub. Das Essen war einfach aber sehr lecker. Für den schnellen Hunger bestens geeignet. Dazu gute Musik und lecker Bierchen. Zu empfehlen ist das Pulled Pork und der Krautsalat. Da macht man keinen Fehler.

I’m a big fan of BBQ food and this place is one of the best. To top that off, it’s a full bar too.
Have had dinner a couple of times, always get the mixed platter. Great value and delicious, generous servings.
Tried it out today for lunch and their brisket sandwich is amazing. Piled high with meat and good value too.
If you like bbq meat and a few drinks, check this place out. Be warned, can be very difficult to get a table and while the cowboy seats out the back look cool, they’re not very comfortable after a while!

Holy smoly… the cows have come home! This place is ubber on trend in Dublin right now… Who said pulled pork? ha ha… Ok, so menu wise it’s all about the meat, ribs, sausage, brisket, pulled pork, chicken… I had a Combo meal (16.95) with both pulled pork and brisket, let me be honest the brisket didn’t sing for me however my oh my, the pulled pork was yummy! Went with a group of friends and i heard halers for the ribs, best in Dublin i heard 2 of them say!
Casual pub, no frills but thats what makes this place so epic! we sat out the back (pop through a window) and some long benches which are great for friends mingling… You order at the bar which is great though down side, ye need to visit the bar for every drink top up — shame some drink table service would be nice… other than that niggle this place would be 5 stars for me… They will take your desert order from the table so go on, stretch and add my drinks too!!!
Drinks options are epic, whiskey selections and tasting trays are definitely a trick would doing, though cocktails and the good olé fine pint of beer rocked it for me here too! I will most certainly be back drooling madly deeply until the food arrives (which must add, food flies outta the kitchen… whoop whoop)