Traditional Irish Restaurant – The story of The Shack Restaurant

The Shack Restaurant in 1996

The Shack Restaurant opened its doors in 1996 as the Chicken Shack. The concept was created from a European influence, where rotisserie cooking was very popular in parts of Europe. The Restaurant had 25 seats and a very limited menu, including two wines and one cider. Temple Bar was in its infancy in 1996, with builders, cranes and cement lorries on the go all day. This rotisserie cooking concept limited the potential of the Restaurant to the point that the previous owner sold up.

David Ellis, a Restaurant consultant at the time with many years of experience in the hospitality industry, bought the Restaurant and began transitioning from rotisserie European to traditional Irish cooking. The transition was slow, and the hours were long, but over time became a great success.

“The first five years of owning The Shack Restaurant left many sleepless nights, several periods of uncertainty, and almost financial ruin. It was an endless circle of self-doubt and tremendous fear. At the worst point, it would have been easier to walk away, and I considered that path on more occasions than I care to remember. It was not the first restaurant I had owned, but it seemed to be the hardest with the most problems and difficulties. All the others seemed like a walk in the park by comparison, and it tested me greatly. As I invested more and more time, resources, and money into, what seemed an endless money pit, the journey to success was not the smooth road I had hoped it would be..

The Shack Restaurant – Today

Almost 30 years later, the restaurant seats 55 guests and caters to 1600 diners almost weekly. The Shack Restaurant offers a modern twist on something that is quintessentially Irish. It sits in the heart of the bustling Temple Bar area. Which has a well-deserved reputation as the cultural heart of Dublin. Covering just a few blocks on the south bank of the River Liffey. The area comprises the best that the Irish capital offers. From top-class restaurants, and lively bars to theatres. As well as world-renowned art galleries and with its cobbled alleyways, quirky boutiques, and street performers, the atmosphere is homely and nostalgic. The Shack Restaurants’ menu is expansive, wholesome, and nourishing, while its roots are still firmly embedded in its Irish heritage. Some of the dishes are old favourites with a twist, while others are our own delicious creations. 

The Team.

The team is headed by Operations Director Uta Nilas, an amazing, talented lady who joined The Shack crew in 2000, and such is her love for “Ireland” She became an Irish citizen in 2014. She is joined by a tremendous team that provides a traditional Irish welcome and excellent food and service to our guests. 

Since opening in 1996, The Shack Restaurant, the traditional Irish Restaurant in Temple Bar, has attracted over two million visitors from countries all over the globe. 

COVID19

In March 2020, The Shack Restaurant was closed as the Irish Government implemented lockdowns nationwide. The Hospitality sector was decimated by the pandemic, leaving hundreds of Restaurants on the cliff edge of uncertainty. It would not be till 18 months later that the Hospitality sector was allowed to reopen on the 26th of July 2021, albeit with the most bizarre restrictions and new laws. One of those bizarre laws was a COVID PASS. The Shack Restaurant did not reopen until the 16th of September to allow time to observe the outfall of the new laws. Again the Hospitality sector was hit hard with closure on the 15th of December and allowed to reopen in January 2022 with an 8 pm curfew. It was not until the middle of February of 2022 that this restriction was lifted, and like a Miracle of the Gods, ALL restrictions were lifted at the end of February.

Post COVID19

As I write this piece, it is May 2023, a little over a year since we opened restriction free. It’s been a struggle, with rising food, beverage and energy costs, all attributed to the war, but I believe these are attributed to the greed of the few. Of course, because the cost of living has shy rocketed, so has wages.

The more the costs increase, we are then forced to increase the menu costs and around and around we go. There is no justification for these increases, but greed is a great motivator. There is no thought of the future, only what can be taken today.

We live in a world without shame, morals, or honour. This I belive was catapulted into existence by COVID19

Our Menus and Wine List are here, and have a look at Temple Bar HERE on Earthcam.