M&L Chinese Restaurant

Make no mistake, M&L is probably the best chinese you’ll get in Dublin. The staff were friendly, there was a nice buzz in the restaurant for a Wednesday evening and the food didn’t make me feel completely sick after eating it like most chinese food. I tried the squid in egg yolk which was a nice alternative to your usual batter but only just about. The green beans were very nice but a little insubstantial considering they cost the price of a main.
Overall, if you’re hankering for a chinese, I can recommend no better place in Dublin (yet). But as a person who doesn’t find any joy in eating your average chinese, this claim to fame only garners 3 stars.

I was very happy when Emily organized this night out to celebrate one more year as Elite. I met some people I knew and as usual met new nice folks. I had never been to this restaurant as Chinese food generally isn’t my thing and was gladly surprised by the quality of the food, the lovely and attentive service and the SIZE of their portions!
The place is located on a corner close to the Revenue office off O’Connell Street so that is why I never had seen it. I liked the real Chinese paintings, the details in the tables and the nice touch of flowers around. The place is simple and informal and was extremely busy for a Wednesday night.
There is plenty of water and they always refill your glass. From what I saw on the menu there are several types of drinks such as tea, aloe juice and a known Chinese beer for only 3 € a bottle (such good value for a restaurant). The waitresses were smiley and there was a fair balance of people in the clientele, not only a Chinese crowd. Someone said there were 2 versions of the menu, one in English and one in Chinese and that might be a bit weird as you do not see it and you can’t know if there will be any price difference, in my opinion.
I only eat fish and I am a big fan of veggie options so I did not know what to get as the menu was quite extensive and catered for both (plenty of meaty and vegetarian dishes available).
Each one of us (there were 7 of us) decided to go for a starter and a main and at the end we were all satisfied with the size of everyone’s portions and we could share everything between all of us while yalping away.
I went for king prawns fried in egg yolk and it was bland so I preferred much more the chili version that had tons of flavour and was not very spicy. I had lots of fried rice, green beans and noodles and even though I tried to use the chopsticks I had to get normal cutlery otherwise my meal would have lasted forever. I was extremely glad to have chosen the aubergine in sweet and sour sauce as it was delightful, much better than I thought it would be and ended up being an absolute success for everyone. Meat eaters really praised the dumplings as being the best they ever had and the portion of sea bass was insanely big, but beware; it’s very spicy!
I did not see any desserts on the menu but then everyone was full and we did not even think about it. A solid recommendation, I have to say: D

Had really wanted to check out M&L for a while as had heard really good things about it being one of the best authentic Chinese eateries in the city, so was delighted when it turned out to be the venue for Yap on Unilocal.I really enjoyed the intimate set-​up of this Unilocal event as it offered a great opportunity to get to know fellow Unilocalers and to taste lots of different dishes.
We were given the English menu upon being seated, which was very extensive but not very descriptive! For starters I had the king prawns with spice and chili and while it was good, it paled in comparison to the delicious pork dumplings I got to sample, they were very tasty and definitely what I’d recommend having also tried the squid and prawn in egg yolk and failing to find myself a major fan of either.
Lots of previous reviews mentioned the sea-​bass and seeing as the restaurant specialises in food from the Szechuan region — I plumped for Szechuan sea-​bass for my main. The menu stated it was served off the bone but it arrived to the table very much still on it! The fish was cooked really well, it fell right off the bone and melted in the mouth, but the sauce was quite lacklustre, I expected it to be punchy and spicy but it was a little thin and lacking heat and flavour. Again I was struck with food envy but this time it was the caused by a dish on the next table over — their sweet and sour sea-​bass looked and smelled amazing if I came back it would definitely be for this.
The highlights back on our table were definitely the stir-​fried French beans with chili (super-​good) and the deep-​fried aubergine in a fruity sauce (naughty but oh-​so-​nice!!) Another highlight was the price of the beer: € 3 a bottle for a Chinese Tsing Tao, sure you couldn’t be going very wrong there!
M & L didn’t live fully up to my expectations; but now — being better armed with what to order (dumplings, green beans and sweet and sour sea-​bass) — I would like to venture back to give it another go!

I have been to M&L so many times since it has opened years back and I used to live practically next door to it. It had been quite a while however since I had been here so was really looking forward to coming back and was hoping it to be as amazing as ever. I was not left disappointed!
There were 7 Unilocal Elites in our group and we ordered a variety of dishes and generally shared most of these.
My highlights from what we had were the pork dumplings [best I have had in Dublin], fried green beans [French beans] with chili, deep fried aubergine and the braised sea bass in a hot & spicy broth. My only negative on the dishes I liked was the spiciness is considerably toned down for an Irish pallet especially when staff inform you that a particular dish is very very hot and it’s not what I expected heat wise as someone who is a chili junkie. So I would advise telling staff of the reality of your chili tolerance when ordering!
The dishes which left me disappointed slightly were the salt and chili squid [it was not very spicy, actually quite bland] and the whole sea bass in chili garlic sauce again was also quite bland.
We each ordered either rice or noodles and only half the amount of rice and noodles we ordered were brought out. We ordered the crispy chicken with satay and got regular chicken. We were under some time constraints due to one of our party having the absolute cheek to double book herself with a Massive Attack gig that night [how dare she] so I think if if we were less stuck for time we would probably have addressed this with the staff.
Staff were very friendly. I do find in Chinese restaurants staff can be a little abrupt but that is not the case here. It’s not of course American standard of service, but it is a good Irish standard of service. Just how I like it! I hate American service. Makes me vomit in my mouth.
Beer available is Tsing Tao. Which I love and at € 3 a bottle it’s great value.
They have no credit card machine and I think for such a well established large Chinese restaurant in Dublin city centre they really need to sort this out. I very very rarely pay cash at a restaurant.
Previous visits to this restaurant I have been with Chinese friends and they have ordered off the Chinese menu. This, is a very different and even better experience. The first time I ever had frogs legs was in M&L. So I do wish they had the Chinese menu translated into English because I like many other people want to try REAL Chinese food or at least be given the option.
Apart from the couple of small negatives and suggestions for the owners here this is a great great restaurant and I am really looking forward to coming back very soon. There’s more to Chinese food than curry chips, spicebags and chicken balls and M&L are a fantastic example of this in Dublin city centre at reasonable prices in nice surroundings with friendly staff.

Went to M&L last night with some Elite Unilocalers and I am so glad we went there!
There was seven of us so we thought we’d order a starter and main each and share. great idea since we got to try different dishes.
My personal favourites were without a doubt the fried chilli green beans (I could have eaten a bucket of them, so so good), the deep fried aubergines and the pork ribs. so so good!
The steamed pork dumplings were delicious too, very meaty! The portions were pretty big too which is always good.
The décor is probably not the most modern and quite simple but if you are looking for some pretty amazing Chinese food at a really good price this is definitely a must go.
Staff was very nice and friendly, although it did take a while to get our order, but in fairness they were pretty busy for a Wednesday night.
One minor thing to be aware of is they don’t accept cards so bring cash :)
Really liked that place, will be going back soon.

Was very excited to find out that M&L would be the destination for our Yap on Unilocal.I work quite close by and really had meant to frequent the place for years. Had been told it’s authenticity is second to none.
While I didn’t love the look of the place or menus provided, I just put it down to a «its all about the food» vibe. I ordered the pork dumplings starter which was followed by a battered prawn and shrimp mix in a I can’t recall sauce accompanied by noodles.
The dumplings were to die for. They were shared out and the entire table agreed. I think it was a clear winner of the starters! The main however was disappointing. The pork and prawns weren’t the best I’ve had and sauce was very non-​descript. I sadly didn’t have crazy food envy either for a many of the other dishes. The two that I did enjoy were the green beans and aubergine but they were more like side plates than mains to me.
Yap on Unilocal is a great idea though and I had a great time. The smaller group meant a more intimate atmosphere and I’d definitely like to do it again :)

I’ll keep this short.
Top Three Dishes:
1. THE DUMPLINGS. OMG. The best dumplings I may have ever had. Really. I would eat them forever.
2. The fried chili green beans. Incredible
3. The deep fried aubergine — so flavoursome
Go, get them, be stuffed, roll home happy.
*Top Tip — no card sales there at the moment, so bring cash!

So after all the good reviews i decided to check this place out with a friend last night.
We went for the set menu which I have to say was terrific value. For about 20 euro per person we got chicken sweet corn soup, barbecue ribs, stir fried vegtables, kung pow fried rice, chicken in black bean sauce and some crispy duck.
It was all extra yummy though I wasnt a huge fan of the sweet corn soup but it was still perfectly ok. For the food alone I’d give five stars but a couple of little things bugged me.
We were sitting in a corner by a door and it was a little drafty and cold. My friend and I stopped to talk a few times before eating the food and in that short time it was enough for some of the food to get cold which was a little disappointing.
Also one of the waiters took my friends cutlery after appetizers and didn’t bring her a replacement set so I had to get up and get some.
Minor complaints really, great food and I cant wait to go back.

I went there with some Chinese friends and they were very pleased with the food and they told me that the taste was very near of the one you can find in China. In my opinion the food was very nice, we had a big selection of typical Chinese dishes which tasted really cool, even more the spicy ones.

«To quench one’s thirst with poisoned wine».
The old Chinese proverb eloquently describes how we seek temporary relief regardless of the consequences. True indeed for many indulgences and, some would argue, the nation’s attitude towards our Chinese food.
Not true, they say, of authentic Chinese restaurant M&L, nestled out of sight on Cathedral Street, a stone’s throw from Dublin’s makeshift Chinatown.
At M&L, the table settings are modest and the lights are bright. The restaurant is maybe half full with people tucking into a variety of steaming bowls alongside the more traditional wok and rice dishes. Our waitress, who seems to speak little English, brings us a couple of Tsingtao beers and we settle in to make sense of the menu. I would say that at this point we did notice a small union jack flag on the front of the menu, indicating that these were for tourists and, alas, there seemed to be no trace of the table BBQ setup that the Asian couple seated next to us were putting to use.
Perhaps our first mistake was not insisting on the authentic menu. Or not adopting the «I’ll have what he’s having» approach. Or simply asking the waitress for her recommendation. Instead, we ordered a selection of dumplings to start alongside some crispy aromatic duck. The dumplings were cooked well and the pork, packed inside the gelatinous parcel, was full of flavor. As a newcomer to dim sum, I enjoyed the experience but definitely feel there could be a lot more to come with this dish. The duck was ok. Very standard Chinese takeaway fare.
For our mains we shared a Szechuan beef and Kung Po chicken. Both arrived looking incredibly miserable, poured out on plates with little or no vegetables. I’m sorry to say that both the chicken and beef were soft and heavily processed, despite the fact we had insisted in Chicken breast. Lost in translation perhaps. The chicken, in particular, was hardly edible and we both felt a degree of shame and disgust, having made slightly more of a dent on it than we should have. Quenching one’s thirst with plastic chicken.
Overall, we were very disappointed and as we tried to stifle the overpowering garlic wafting from our mouths, we both vowed never to return. Of a Sunday night. The final supper. Things could have been so different.
Many of the Korean and Chinese establishments that have appeared over the last 10 years or so come with enviable reputations of delicious traditional cuisine so I would caveat that we most certainly ordered badly. However, I am also of the opinion that if a restaurant is to be commended, it should not be commended for «secret items» which are not revealed to the common punter.
Perhaps the issue is that the traditional Chinese experience has been bastardized throughout the years with MSG and Western friendly picture menus. Perhaps if M&L pitched itself as a genuine Chinese restaurant, serving original and faithful Chinese cuisine to ALL its patrons, then the crowds would flock. But then, perhaps, we are a nation brought up on fast food and takeaways, destined to ignore the consequences by reverting back to what we know.

As Unilocal says– As good as it gets!
This place is awesome– I went as part of a larger group of 12 people. We feasted for about 3 hours before being rolled out the door. We couldn’t even look at a desert menu. The food was really great– we tried everything from dumplings to vegetables rolls to the duck. Everything was spot on. They also serve Chinese beers which compliment the food really well.
The décor wouldn’t be the most up to date or cool but it’s fine you go here for the food. Also for all the food you get, its really cheap. GO! GO NOW!

If I could use a string of expletives to describe my experience I would. It was ducking amazing, if you get me.
The menu is HUGE, and you’ll get overwhelmed. But everything is incredible! The service was also excellent and I felt the waitress gave us great recommendations. I’d order something from the English menu, then she’d suggest an alternate that was on the Chinese menu. I agreed since I was in a place who’s specialty was Chinese food. I was not let down.
The things I loved most were the garlicy green beans (great for sharing and as a starter!), the fried king prawn with black pepper sauce (perfectly crispy, juicy shrimp and the sauce was more of a sprinkling of seasoning which was stellar), the salty crispy shredded chicken (exactly as it sounds), and the cheap house wine.
We also had king pao chicken on the table, crispy duck and veg, fried rice, boiled rice, chicken satay, and the Chinese dumplings (on the Chinese menu). All of it was SO good.
The place itself is great too — nice chairs with Chinese lanterns and gold menus. This will be the only Chinese restaurant I ever go to again in Dublin.
Tip: they only take cash! They take reservations! They accommodate groups! They are very responsive with any questions you have!
If you haven’t been — treat yourself to a feast here!

Holy cow, what a place. I use the cow terminology because I think I literally ate the equivalent of a full grown cow in the form of dumplings.
We headed down here as the midway point of our Saturday day out, so we we’re a couple of drinks in by the time we got to M and L and I think this added to our anticipation. I had heard great things about this joint and I was not disappointed.
I started with some Spicy salted chicken wings and beef dumplings, and in all honest I should have stopped with the appetizers… but I didn’t. For main’s a friend and I shared; the pork dumplings and some double cooked chicken accompanied by a large side of egg fried rice. Every. Single. Dish — was amazing! I also tried my friends duck pancakes which were just as tasty.
The only downside after all this food & fun is that I was craving a quiet night on my sofa, not a night painting the town green (we we’re in Dublin), however that isn’t M and L’s fault is it, damn them for being so bloody tasty!
A friend and I split our food though in reality it would’ve fed 4 — anyway all the above and 4 Chinese Lagers cost us € 50 combined, now that is value for money.

Sad to say I regret coming here. I decided to check out M&L after reading online that you just had to try their stir-​fried french beans in chili. I ordered that and a plate of chicken and broccoli, which they claimed to be their specialty. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed. Not sure if it’s because I’m from California, where we have excellent Chinese food, but this place just did not live up to my expectations. The french beans were quite delicious but definitely too salty. The chicken was the biggest disappointment. small portion size and DRENCHED in oil. I could feel my stomach getting upset just as I started eating. Also, this place is NOT cheap! Again, probably because this is Ireland and you don’t see good Chinese restaurants everywhere, but I mean this place is in their version of Chinatown. Each plate was $ 11+…totally not worth it. Stay away!

I was little disappointed that they didn’t have «steamed razor clam with oyster sauce «when I ate there. The waitress told me that some times the kitchen doesn’t get the clam, so they don’t necessary serve the item all the time. In stead I ordered whole sea bass with chili sauce. It was a great dish. Highly recommend to have it with a bowl of white rice.
I showed to the waitress some of the pics of their food from Unilocal.And she told me, although they serve these items (especially, hot pot items), but they are only shown on Chinese menu… It may be a good idea to show the pics when to order if you have certain item that you are interested to eat there.

For sure one of the best Chinese I have had in Dublin. The location is perfect, very close to O’Connell street.
The decoration is lovely and the menu. wow, huge! At least 12 pages of all asian food you will ever dream about. It was my first time there and I was lost in so many options. Im glad a Chinese friend was around so he helped me with my order. He also told me that menu in Chinese had even more options — not fair haha
Green tea is free — good — but the wine list wasn’t interesting. I ended up drinking one of the Chinese beers and plenty of green tea — obviously!
The prices were OK. Try the Pork Dumplings — they are perfect!
Just a quick reminder: they dont accept card so bring cash with you.

Real Chinese food. This is a very unassuming restaurant down a side street off O’Connell Street. A friend and I first got taken here over summer by our friend whose parents are from Hong Kong and is a favourite restaurant of theirs, and the three of us went there again last night.
First of all we found it very amusing that our friend who spoke Cantonese was given a Chinese menu and chopsticks while my other friend and I were given knives, forks and English menus. At the outset you’re given a pot of green tea which is lovely and refreshing and helps to calm those fiery spices you’re about to enjoy.
We let our Cantonese-​speaking friend pick and order everything for us, despite the servers all speaking Mandarin! We got sweet and sour sea bass, stir fried chilli beans, seafood and tofu stir fry and spicy chicken. Everything arrives within ten minutes and is placed in the centre of the table for us all to share as well as a pair of rice.
The food really is authentic, delicious and completely different fare to what we’re used to from a ‘Chinese’ takeaway. I really couldn’t recommend this place highly enough, although I can’t go without my Cantonese-​speaking friend now cos otherwise the experience would be spoiled!

Deadly place if you like to have your spice on!
My other half loves spicy food so what’s better than introducing him to the infamous Szechuan cuisine? We ordered dumplings, french beans with dry chilli and fried chicken with dry chilli — typical dishes of this cuisine. DEE-​LEE-​SERSH — although they did tone the heat down a bit to suit the tamer palate of the Irish diner.
Service was efficient and friendly but a little abrupt as you would expect of a Chinese restaurant. Ask for dish recommendations, they are more than happy to help :)

What is not to love about M&L! Authentic Chinese food with excellent service. Try the dumplings, pork bins and friend French beans with chilli.

We chose this based off the positive Unilocal reviews and were happy with our choice. Just off the bustle of O’Connell Street it was in an unassuming building but that made it a nice, quiet lunch. They had a note saying the credit card machine was currently broken but I’m pretty sure they hadn’t had one for a while. Just make sure to have cash (there is an ATM just around the corner on O’Connell Street going away from the river).
We had the lunch special and everything was quite tasty — spring rolls and dumplings for our starters and szcheuan duck and chicken fried rice for the main. For those Americans that are looking for legit Chinese, this is it and not the ‘New York Style’ that I call ‘mall Chinese food’ which I do not care for at all.