Elephant Bar
Category: Restaurants [Edit]
7202 Amador Plaza Rd(between Amador Valley Blvd & Dublin Blvd)
Dublin, CA 94568
- Price Range: $$
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Private Lot
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
8 reviews
Danville, CA
"The food is good and it is very close to where I live. Some may think the menu is a little expensive but it is hard to pay the rent where…" read more »
30 Reviews for Elephant Bar
Geez, look at all the haters not giving Elephant Bar a decent rating... it's Dublin not San Francisco people - I think we should just be thankful that dublin is bringing in some decent restuarants in the heart of D -town. I was getting a little tired of Hooters... back to Elephant Bar. The food is decent, I enjoyed the coconut shrimp and artichoke dip was yummy, the prices are fair and my waiter was hot... so was the food. So, if you're looking for another place to eat around town this is the spot.
I was never a huge fan of Elephant Bar so I was a little hesitant to try the one that just opened in Dublin. My wife had to drag me here, kicking and screaming. Let me tell you, I was pleasantly surprised. I had the ribeye and it was extremely delicious!!! It came with a mushroom sautee, sweet potato fries and a tomato/spinach concoction on the side. Everything was awesome! It was quite a lot of food for $23. I'm a pretty big eater and I couldn't finish it all (it didn't help that we got appetizers too). The service was just average, so that drops them down a star. They do have Guinness on tap so that bumps them up a 1/2 star!
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Food: 4 stars
Service: 4 stars
Value: 4 stars
I have been to Elephant Bar many times in different locations. First time in the Dublin location and it didn't disappoint me. We got there at 5:50pm on Sunday and there was a 30 mins wait, which was expected because they only allow reservation for table for 4 or less.
For drinks, we ordered a mango rasberry swirl and a half and half. The mango drink was good, but the half and half had no tea nor lemonade taste. So I am not sure it was half and half of what? half ice half water??? For entrees, we ordered a miso-yaki salmon and a dish of fried orange shrimps with brown rice. I had so much experience that American restaurants tend to overcook the fish, so I always ask for medium rare. The chief did a good job this time and my salmon came out crispy on the skin and very juicy and tasty inside. The orange shrimps dish was pretty good too, the orange sour taste was well-balanced with the sweet honey taste. As usual, we ordered a mud pie for dessert. It was tasty, but it seems to be smaller in size...
Our waitress, I believed her name was Lisa or Alisa, was friendly, attentive, and professional. She checked our table often and refilled our drinks. The reason I deducted point was because they didn't provide birthday complimentary gift (cake or ice-cream) to customers anymore. Also, we sat in the corner and the ceiling light bulbs were out, so whole time we were eating in the dark.
Overall, the food was pretty good and service isn't bad at all. One suggestion is that they should expand their menu. AND it's time to redesign their website.
Update~ 7/11 Took the parents for a late anniversary lunch. We had the sampler appetizer with coconut shrimp, chicken tenders, bruschetta, chips/salsa and added on the sweet potato fries. The fries were the bomb...chip a bit stale. My grilled trout was flavorful with rosemary and nice grill marks. I had brown rice and sauteed veggies with endamame, YUM. The steak with garlic mash was tasty...dressing on the shrimp salad was too sweet for some...the cobb salad, packed with tons of stuff. Shared the "mini" wonton sundae again...I hate to see what a regular size looks like. The bill was very reasonable $80 plus tip for four. Free refills on soda and ice tea.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/13/2008
I got invited to a mock service for lunch today. Beautiful decor, lots of tables and a large bar.… Read more »
I think with Elephant Bar it's hit or miss...
Last time I went we got some good apps and salads...
This time the app was ok and the burger was good but the fries so so.. they tasted like they were sitting for a while..
But way better than the Concord Elephant Bar for sure!!!
Food: excellent. Service: Alright.
The food was great. I really enjoyed my salad... too bad i can't remember the name of it because it was a billion words long. The girls I went with really enjoyed their food too. The dishes were really filling.
The service on the other hand was just alright. One of the girls in my group had to ask for a glass of water 4 times before she got it. And we didn't see much of our server, so empty drinks just hung out on our table for a while without being filled. And finally it was one of my friend's birthday, and I went out of my way to tell our server so that my friend would be surprised, and she forgot. Then all we got was a lame candle, that she had to run back to the kitchen for, on her creme brule... totally unimpressive.
Despite being a chain, I didn't know what to expect from elephant bar. When we came into the restaurant, we were pleasantly surprised on how clean everything looked. The hostess was nice and seated us within 5-10 minutes.
The waitress came soon thereafter with a free sample of the tomato bisque which was incredible. I was very surprised at how great the flavor was. We got an order of the mozzarella and tomato for an appetizer. The sauce was very subtle and complimented the tomato and cheese. The avocado was also very fresh.
As an entree, I got the crispy chicken terriaki. I was a bit skeptical about the taste, but was really impressed. The chicken was perfectly seared on the outside and the sauce's flavor was perfectly instilled on the soft inside. The only disappointment was the lack of vegetables with this dish. All throughout the dining experience, the waitress was very courteous and came at appropriate times (not too often, not too few) so it was easy to get something (i.e. straws) when we wanted them without being hassled. I was surprised how cheap the food menu was in comparison to other restaurants in the midwest with this type of atmosphere/food. Average dish was between $8-16. Not expensive at all for what you get!
We were so looking forward to the opening of the Elephant Bar in Dublin, craving more lunch time choices close to our Pleasanton office.
We got together there for lunch on a weekday, and walked in to the first Elephant Bar we've seen with no elephants. :-) No biggie. We were seated in a "booth", and for some strange reason (shallow seats?) it was the most uncomfortable seat ever. Gave me a backache the whole time I was there.
Most of us ordered hamburgers of different varieties, and when my order came, it was obvious that I had the wrong order. I told the server that, and he asked me if I wanted him to take it back. He had a look on his face, like "please say no"... Huh??? Of course I wanted to return it, but I was stunned by the question. Anyway, finally got my order.
All of our burgers were salty, and the fries and sweet potato fries were average. The wait staff appeared very inexperienced and awkward. I would recommend waiting a few months for things to settle down before going there.
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I tried this place again for a group lunch. They are doing better. Service was more "with it" and my burger was decent - a little too much char flavor and a little too messy but otherwise tasty. I liked the sweet potato fries.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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06/24/2008
This place will be on its learning curve until about mid-July. If you eat there between now and… Read more »
Well, the girls went to lunch here today...and we were pleased. Almost a 4 star experience, but not quite.
My expectation for a place like this is "nicer than fast food', which is to say...definitely NOT fine dining.
The room is clean, and more modern than the Fremont location...I do miss the elephant, but is has a more sophisticated vibe.
We arrived at 12:30...and waited 10 minutes for a booth.
We started with the coconut shrimp appetizer...which was hot and tasty...not too sweet, with a tangy dipping sauce. Very good.
I had a Jamaican shrimp salad (I know...but shrimp IS my absolute fav) Sweet jerk tasting dressing was lightly applied (I abhor heavy dressing), shrimp were nicely grilled....and generous, must have been at least 10! plenty of nuts and cranberries, nice spring mix of lettuces. Fresh and tasty.
For dessert we had a small brownie sundae. The brownie was nothing special, but it did have macadamia nuts, and sauce and ice cream were good. It is nice they serve small dessert portion, so you can have just a taste!
Our server was a UC Berkeley student, young and eager to please. Everything was great until he disappeared when we were ready to pay.....so not perfect.
The manger checked on us twice, and was very friendly.
I would go back, maybe for dinner, and try their stir fry menu. Their wine list was small, but it had some decent choices. A definite good place for a drink and appetizers as they had a full bar!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/27/2007
Too soon to review, but if it is like the others it will be a fun place for drinks and things that… Read more »
I enjoyed E-Bar in Fremont and this one was no different, although there was NO elephant on the wall and it did not have as much of a safari-theme to the decor. I like that most of the restaurant is booths and the walkways were wide enough to park a stroller while we ate! E-Bar is definitely a chain and not a fine dining experience, but I didn't come expecting one!
We came for lunch at about 12:30 on a weekday and waited about 10-minutes for a table. We shared a coconut prawn appetizer and I had the Santa Barbara burger (avocado & jack) The prawns were yummy and the burger was well-seasoned and had lots of perfectly ripe avocado on it! We also split a brownie, which was pretty good although it wasn't served warm (the chocolate sauce was excellent!).
Service was quick and friendly, even the manager was going around to every table to see how people were doing. For me that's a little too much service but I appreciated the fact that they seemed to care. Our server was obviously new, but he did very well considering they haven't been open long.
Looking forward to returning for dinner and drinks w/ DH!
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First trip ever to Elephant Bar! I was treated by my co-worker today for helping him with a big project.
First impression: Aesthetically-pleasing. Servers in black, dark colored interior, fairly sophisticated.
Food: Yum! I got the Santa Barbara Burger (pepper jack, avocado) for $7.75. Red Robin prices at a much swankier place! I also had a really plain side salad that came with the burger, but the ginger dressing saved it. I shared Sweet Potato Fries accompanied by a yummy, sweet dipping sauce. Usually I would think a creamier sauce would fit better, but this was good, too. Then I had the Mini Fudge Walnut Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream. You can get "mini" desserts for only $3 and they are more than enough for one person. I can't wait to come back for dinner and order one of their many martinis and an Asian dish.
Service: Attentive and friendly. Our server was training a co-worker but it wasn't annoying. They were over-staffed, but just because they recently opened. I saw the manager randomly quizzing the staff on menu items, which is smart.
Please note: Don't sit next to the wait staff station by the kitchen. Servers were buzzing about at all times, making it hard to concentrate on my party.
BTW: The bathroom was quite nice, but when I was washing my hands, I heard a weird, robotic noise. My butt set off the automatic paper towel dispenser! And my butt is small! But maybe not after all that food.
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WHY do people seem to love this place?! I've eaten at 3 different locations and every time I've been completely underwhelmed.
Want to know what a salty cow tastes like? Order a burger. Want something different than what you ordered? Well...just order. I know this location is new and I understand there will be growing pains, but I'd prefer it wasn't on my dime.
The burgers were quite salty and came with a scattering of fries on a white plate. That's it. It was one of the most unappealing presentations I've ever seen in a restaurant. My friend's order (finally) came and was completely wrong. OK, not completely--there was meat and there was a bun, but that's where the similarities between her order and what arrived end. When it was pointed out to the food runner (not our server), he looked puzzled and finally asked if she wanted him to take it back. Seriously, this should not even be a question. You brought the wrong meal, make it right!!
I may give this place another try when they've had a chance to get a grip, but it will be a while. Until then the two stars stand.
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First, a quick note on writing a review. Don't give everything in the world 5 stars. 5 stars should be very hard to come by. Keep your reviews pithy and interesting. Not every restaurant is "Best Ever!!". Anytime I see that, I ignore everything else.
Now, on with the E Bar "global grill" review
The lunch crew tried it today for lunch. The place is decorated very well. I like what they did. The bar is great. When we arrived I noticed no less than 5 waitsaffers hovering about the podium. We were immediately pounced upon by the hostess and told there was a 25-20 minute wait for a table. We peeked in the bar and noticed an entire room full of empty tables, so asked if we could eat lunch in there. "Of Course!" was the all to cheerful reply. Which made me wonder about all the poor people still waiting for a table in the lobby. Evidently no one told the hostess that they serve lunch in the bar - maybe she was out sick on the training day.
We were promptly seated for lunch and the waitress insisted on giving us a "tour" of the entire confusing menu. With wine list, flights of wine, deserts, etc. All we wanted was lunch. It took her about 5 minutes to explain the menu. Which tells me it should be redesigned. Anyhow the service is way too in your face. I don't want to know the server is there. I want them to anticipate what I want and when I want it without constantly involving me in their activities.
We ordered a "global" sampler appetizer plate. It was ok. The server upsold us some sweet potato fries. Which were not ok. They came a bit soggy in a paper cone in a springy thing - on a plate that didn't fit the springy thing. The chicken strips were crispy fried and they were pretty good. I guess the Niu Niu coconut shrimp were added so they could call it "global" - somehow I don't see chicken strips as being "global". The shrimp were good. The artichoke spinach dip was an absolute disaster. It was runny and pretty tasteless. One out of 5 us liked it though so maybe I just expected too much. The chips were good and tasty. Overall, I wouldn't recommend this platter though.
We ordered Jambalaya, Mojo Shrimp Salad, Ahi Tuna Salad, and a Santa Barbara Burger. All in all everything was average. Nothing worth raving about. One of us mentioned "It's like the cheesecake factory - nothing great, nothing bad".
The Ahi Tuna Salad looked very good. The outsides were seared just right with enough pepper on the outside to make it look appetizing. The person that ordered it liked it a lot. I'd order that next time.
The burger was ok but pretty boring and although the meat patty was ample, it didn't have much burger flavor. Jambalya was ok, not exciting but ok. The Mojo Shrimp Salad dressing was incredibly sweet (too sweet). I'd steer clear of the Sweet Potato fries.
To sum it up, this is yet another place that uses asian-fusion (IE sweet sticky soy and citrus based dressings and sauces) to call itself global. In my mind, there was very little energy in the food. It could sure be kicked up a notch (Ok, I hate celebrity chefs, but I'll lift that quote from the fuzzy little guy).
They should work the bumps out of the service soon enough and settle into their routine. For an ok lunch that's a good change of pace - give it a try. I'll definitely be checking out the bar at happy hour. I think that's where the real action will be in this joint.
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I've always been a fan of Ebar. This new location is even better! They have a new "Global" menu and new ways of service. I particularly like the sample soup that comes while you order. The day we came it was Cream of Asparagus. Delish!
I enjoyed my seared Ahi Tuna to the max and the rest of my party enjoyed their meals.
Looking forward to more visits here, HappyHour after work, here we come!
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Elephant Bar is frustrating: I want to like it, it has all the right ingredients, and yet it just doesn't come together.
My family and I went for our first visit to the relatively new E-bar last night. We were seated promptly in a pleasant, if somewhat loud, main room. Our server was fast and friendly, if somewhat overly polite. Drinks swiftly arrived, along with samplers of their tasty tomato and basil soup.
So far, so good.
After perusing the 751 choices on the menu, we placed our order. I'm allergic to nuts, and asked if it was possible for the kitchen to not put any in my salad. After checking, our server confirmed that they could do so. We happily enjoyed our appetizer of sweet potato fries (not healthy, but very good).
So far, still good.
Then the entrees showed up. The food was nicely presented and served at the correct temperatures.
However... the food just didn't taste that good. My wife's macadamia nut encrusted mahi-mahi has a strong, stale fishy taste and was served on a bed of relatively tasteless veggies and such. My son's BBQ ribs had virtually no meat on them. My daughter's teriyaki chicken was OK, but not much better than Panda Express, and certainly not worth $11.
The best dish was my citrus chicken salad. An excellent fresh blend of chicken, avocado, mandarin oranges, pears and... nuts! It was "chock full o' nuts", which, of course, I didn't find until after a few bites. Luckily, I don't get anaphylactic reactions, but a dinner of nuts renders an evening of misery for me.
So, our server profusely apologized and vowed to return immediately with a replacement salad. I would have heard crickets chirping, but I couldn't have heard a bomb going off in that main dining room: it was terribly loud.
Said server returned with my salad... 25 minutes later. Well after everyone else had eaten their meals (or, at least, eaten as much as they wanted). So, then they sat there staring at me while I gulped down my salad. Which, strangely, wasn't nearly as good as the first incarnation: the chicken had vulcanized.
So, having poked at it for a few minutes, I asked for the check. Which showed up... 15 minutes later. (Is there anything quite as frustrating as waiting for a check at a restaurant that you simply just want to leave?) I thought that they'd take the salad off the bill, or offer a free dessert, or make some friendly gesture, but none arrived. It wasn't as if our server was unaware that we were unhappy, he just didn't seem to care.
At this point, there was an hour wait for a table, and talking to a manager would have taken even more time that I didn't have to spend there. So, I took a survey form, and resolved to write a Yelp review.
I wish I could say that this was an isolated incident, but we've had similar experiences at other E-bar locations around the Bay Area. It's so disappointing: it should be good, it could be good, but yet they just don't seem to be able to pull it off.
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no elephants here.
i was not expecting to enjoy my meal here, nor was i anticipating actually wanting to voluntarily go back.
the first meal was in the bar (open seating is great when the restaurant has a long wait!) and service was great. we thoroughly enjoyed our sweet potato fries, corn cakes with lilikoi glazed shrimp and lettuce wraps. YUM.
the second meal was in the main restaurant and our meal began with an "amuse" of their tomato soup, which was quite delicious. the day was a bit too warm for soup, but the taster was a great way to start off the meal.
the service was quite good as well and our server explained to us that this restaurant was experimenting their head chef's "new" concept that had been piloted in Valencia with an expanded menu, new decor and improved service. From what I remember of my one and only experience (8+ years ago), I HATED it, but I actually kinda like this new joint and definitely plan to return.
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MmmMmm....
I want MORE!
Appetizer: Chicken Lettuce Wraps...lotsa flavor.
hubby got some kinda gumbo...jumbalaya...it was like comfort food!
I got the crispy honey orange shrimp.
if my baby wasn't fussy, i probably would've tackled the whole plate!
mmmm....and topped it off with creme brulee.
not the best creme i had, but still satisfied the sweet for after the salt.
I had dinner here on their first weekend night for dinner. The place was packed as if it had been open for years. The bar area was very nice and again for having been open for only 5 days I was amazed at how comfortable and at home the barfly's looked seated at the bar. My party of 2 was seated within 20 minutes which surprised me considering how busy this place was...4 Stars for that. Service was excellent and the food was top notch and reasonably priced. I ordered the salmon and it was done perfectly.
well we all know that elephant bar is a hit or a miss and so far this new dublin location is a big hit. i just pray that they keep doing things right so they don't end up as bad as many of their other locations. just check out the bad reviews for the concord location.....
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
i do have some favorites so far and with huge portions and really surprisingly good prices i'll be back for more. the grilled macadamia nut salmon with vegetables and a mound of white rice, was exceptionally tender, falling apart at the touch of the fork. best of all was the spicy jambalaya, a sensational rice dish packed with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, sweet peppers, and cajun sauce. make sure you can try to save room for the mud pie for dessert. i sure love me some mud pie!
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Elephant bar has been around for a while - I remember going to one as a kid down by Palm Springs and I've been to the Fremont and Concord ones, which were nice. The new one here in Dublin is a bit different...a little more up scale, for instance, the wait staff dresses in all black i/o of the safari tan shirts the bar is modern i/o the safari, trees, and elephant theme.
Staff was super friendly and professional, the food was good, decent priced for a dinner out.
They are still working out some kinks only have been open for a couple weeks - all in all is was good.
I've been to Elephant Bar before and remember it as being a nice spot for dessert and drinks. Other than that, it's arrriiigght! I wanted to try it out again because it was new to our area and I didn't really remember the food. They have changed the menu a bit since the last time I've been so it was all new to me. We ordered the ebar appetizer sampler with a side of the sweet potato fries. It came with bruschetta, which was soggy, blech... chips with spinach and artichoke dip which was decent, chicken fingers, which were good and the coconut shrimp which was good as well. Couldn't complain about the sweet potato fries. The sauces that came with, were just alright too, wasn't a huge fan of the sauces, a little overwhelming with different flavors, i don't know... like i said it was just alright.
They gave a shot of soup, which was weird and didn't care for the smell of it so I didn't take it...
Sampled a drink which was way sweet for an alocholic beverage in my opinion as well as with my friends opinion, the person who ordered the drink. I told her to send it back which she did and the waitress was way cool with it. The 2nd beverage was better.
We ordered the ahi tuna salad.... wow, could i get a gallon of water please! The amount of salt in my salad could make a whale swell. A salty salad!?!
Anyhow, our waitress was very attentive and could tell we were a little dissatisfied and was very open to having us let her know. She was awesome... as was dessert, which brings me back to why I originally wanted to visit Ebar.
We ordered the mudd pie and the cobbler. I was a fan of both, it's kind of hard to go bad with dessert.
I would go back maybe, but, definitely won't be a place i'd be craving!
Went here last night for dinner and the food was great.
We started w/ the artichoke dip appetizer, I had a chicken sandwhich and we split some mini dessert, which was pretty big!
Prices were good, food was great, service was good, and I loved the soup taster they bring you, but it was just too hot for soup. However sample was awesome-
Will go back for sure
It's refreshing to finally have a decent restaurant in Dublin. My husband and I decided to go to the bar for some snacks and drinks. The bartender greeted us with a handshake and took care of us. We were there for a bit soaking in the atmosphere and wonderful service. Since I am a professional cook, my expectations are rather high. I told the bartender that we would be back in a heartbeat. I can't wait to try their regular menu since the starters were spot on.
I've only been there once or twice so based on that, i'll still give this place a solid 4 stars
--I recall having the jambalaya, which had plenty of flavors. I love Cajun food and have had jambalaya at many places so my standards are pretty high so 4 stars shows a lot
--the place is very spacious so you don't feel crammed. I can't stand places where you can hear other people's conversations and feel like you have no privacy at all
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I have to agree with foxy b.'s review from yesterday.
I went to the mock service for lunch today and it was great! :) Service was excellent even though we had to wait 15-20 minutes before being seated (with reservations). But they were kind enough to come by and ask if we wanted to start off with anything to drink while we were waiting and offered our 2 kiddies the children's menu activity paper along with a pack of 4 crayons. :)
The food was awesome! We shared 3 entrees & 1 dessert:
1) Shrimp Scampi w/Lobster Sauce (very tasty)
2) Chicken Tenders Platter (fried to perfection...crunchy on the outside, tender & moist on the inside) and it wasn't greasy plus it came with cole slaw & french fries.
3) The Big "E" Burger that came with sweet potato fries. The burger was ok but my husband and I both agreed that the fries were awesome! :)
By the time dessert came around, I was already stuffed. It was a chocolate cupcake mousse w/ice cream. It was ok.
As for my 2 kids (5 & 2.5 years old), we ordered the Burger w/Fries and Buttered Noodles from the Children's Menu and it came with a choice of juice/lemonade/milk/soda plus a dessert (ice cream sundae served inside a crisp wonton skin cup.
The portions are nice and the kids had a great time with their dessert. :)
I would definitely be back! :) Very happy with most everything. :)
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We went here for lunch on a Thursday. It is very different than others in the chain. We were told it is the first of its kind with a new "Global" menu. They call themselves casual fine dining. They have wine flights and a special chef's menu. The food was very good. They started us with a sample of their soup (cream of asparagus). We then had the Patty Melt with sweet potato fries and the Ahi Tuna dinner. Both were very good. Our waiter was friendly and on top of things - did a great job.
overpriced and not tasty at all.
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good value for your money, lots of eye candy. however the food was bleh. appetizers were overly salty, salads were overdressed, cake tasted stale and was very dry. our waiter didn't know the menu.
hopefully things will get better.
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That's right kids... the Elephant Bar is coming to Dublin. This is going in where the old El Torito used to be. Can't wait to give it a shot.
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