Since we opened Hartley's in 2007 we are delighted to have seen it become an integral part of Dun Laoghaire's vibrant waterfront scene. The Victorian railway station, the original ticket hall of the Kingstown Station, with its beautiful high ceilings is, to us, one of the best dining rooms in the country. We are both Chefs who have a classic approach to cooking, and in Hartley's, we have the most classic room to serve it in.
The menus are diverse but uncomplicated. Ross and Alan run the kitchen by focusing on local, seasonal and un-fussy ingredients. The backbone of our food is our steaks and seafood, but we are always evolving our specials and garnishes. We cook what we like to eat and we care about how we cook it.
The room has a surprisingly intimate feel for a 95 seater restaurant. Shannon and Eva have built their floor team to be at once friendly yet professional. They enjoy genuine rapport with our many regular customers, and have an instinct about what really makes great restaurant service, about what makes people happy. We have a gorgeous, big bar for cocktails and drinks, with high tables for a quick bite, and high stools for pre/after dinner drinks.
In the late spring, as soon as the weather gets warm enough, we open up the terrace and outside cocktail bar, and it becomes the perfect daytime venue for lazy lunches and evening pre-dinner drinks. It overlooks the harbour and the yacht clubs, and gets the sunshine all day. We often have live music, but never too loud, and we even get a few of those special nights when it is warm enough to stay and eat outside as the sun goes down.
We regularly host weddings and private functions, and provide what we believe to be a great alternative to the traditional hotel function room experience. Hartley's is simply a fantastic place to celebrate your wedding or special event, serving the kind of food that most hotels will tell you they can serve, but very rarely do. The terrace is the perfect backdrop for photographs and champagne, and we are happy to arrange linen and co-ordinate flowers.
We are very proud of our restaurant and staff. The success of Hartley's is based on the hard work and high standards of not just us, but all of our team. We hope you like it!
