The classic Spanish tapas idea of providing the table with small taster dishes of cured meats, cheese, olives, fish and those delish patatas bravas has taken on a life of its own here in Dublin.

Many restaurants have realised that the basic premise of a number of small sharing dishes is a popular one and have come up with a ‘tapas’ menu to showcase options as varied as truffle pasta, sushi and Javanese curry.

So, if you want to head out with a bunch of mates and try a selection of dishes, here’s where you should go.

1. House, Leeson Street

House, like its sister restaurant Gourmet Food Parlour, focuses on tapas for its dinner menu.

Alongside some gorgeous cocktails, you can also have dishes like walnut and gorgonzola ravioli, sliders and smoked salmon and avocado tartar. Nom.

2. Pygmalion, Coppinger Row

Pygmalion in the Powerscourt Townhouse have a tapas menu with a Tex-Mex focus. And who doesn't love Mexican?

They have dishes like tacos, quesadillas, and Moorish kebabs, as well as mushroom croquettes and pan-seared tuna steak.

3. Market Bar, Fade Street

Market Bar is so big that it’s usually easy to get a table and it's a good place for after-work drinks due to the casual menu, which is focused on tapas.

Options include chicken and chorizo skewers, smoked Applewood cheese croquettes and stuffed roasted red pepper, as well as the old reliable nachos and patatas bravas.

4. Izakaya, George’s Street

Izakaya has a signature range of ‘Japas’ or Japanese tapas, to you and me. The menu includes favourites like dim sum, sashimi, prawn and squid tempura, and sushi rolls.

5. Fade Street Social, Fade Street

Fade Street Social has a specific tapas restaurant, as well as the main restaurant and bar upstairs.

The menu is huge, with 47 options to choose from. The dishes are all incredible, from the truffle hen egg to the mini goat’s cheese logs wrapped in ham and the mini lobster hotdog.

6. Chameleon

Chameleon is an Indonesian restaurant that has a set tapas menu, as well as tapas al a carte. 

With options like crispy marinated squid, crispy fried pork wontons and traditional Javanese curry with braised shoulder of lamb, there's something for everyone here.

7. Taste at Rustic, Fade Street

Another restaurant run by Dylan McGrath, who is behind Fade Street Social, Taste is a new venue upstairs from Rustic Stone.

It is focused on avant-garde tapas style food and some of the dishes on offer include blow torched scallops, sirloin of wagyu beef and crispy wasabi potato.

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