Nestled at the end of Drury Street is the vibrant and enticing Caribou. The space functions primarily as a bar, but lunch is also served for a classy and refined dining experience. I visited the spot recently with three friends for evening drinks to celebrate the return to college.
The dark and somewhat moody interior immediately transported our group from the rainy streets of Dublin into a bar that had an intimate and luxurious feel. I joined the girls slightly delayed and, as a place where it is walk-ins only, they did struggle to secure a table on a Wednesday evening. Nevertheless, when I arrived, a table for the four of us was found and the first round of drinks were ordered. We opted for the cocktail menu, with a range of drinks roughly between €13 to €16. Three spicy margaritas and one old fashioned arrived within a short amount of time, and we settled in for the night.
The drinks were, in short, fantastic. The right amount of boozy, served well-garnished with a view of the bartenders preparing the order meticulously, as if it were a lab experiment. The spritzes were delightful, with one of us ordering the seasonal spritz, which had notes of apple and cinnamon, the perfect winter warmer. The more traditional drinks were also great: a light and airy espresso martini and a Hugo Spritz that was not too sweet. Table service was also greatly appreciated, as it gave us time to catch up, undisturbed, and we were able to pay without leaving our seats. We opened a deck of cards, playing a competitive game of cheat as the drinks flowed. It felt like a sophisticated place to catch up after a month apart from each other, swapping stories and planning the second semester of second year and beyond. After three rounds of drinks, we left, thanking the staff just in time to catch the last bus home, heads a little foggy, wallets a little barer.
The only major flaw we found with Caribou was the speed of service. Our first round came rather quickly, but subsequently, we struggled to catch the attention of a waiter and it took over 10 or 15 minutes for a drink to arrive. The bar was rather busy, so this delay was understandable, but it did dampen our overall experience. The other, less enviable quality of the bar was the noise. The dimmed light and nostalgic 70s vibe were undercut by the loud music and even louder chatter, making it difficult to converse. Having to shout across the table does make peaceful drinks a little less tranquil.
Overall, the price of a cocktail at Caribou isn’t dissimilar to the rest of Dublin’s drinking establishments; the quality was there, and it did feel like good value for money. On a student’s budget, I will not be heading there regularly, but it serves as a nice break from the more regularly preferred vodka soda with a lime. The noise would deter me from a romantic evening of getting to know someone, so it is perhaps more suited to platonic interactions. I would be interested in returning for their speciality old fashioned or to sample food from the menu. Ultimately, Caribou is a well-furnished spot that makes a good cocktail, ideal for a slightly upmarket evening drink.
