The Ginger Man

The Ginger Man
39-40 Fenian Street, Dublin 2
facebook.com/pages/Gingerman/168539229827554



I popped in here one Sunday evening for some dinner and it ticked many boxes. The food was fairly solid pub grub - highly recommend the fish and chips - and it wasn't massively expensive. As soon as we sat down, a bus full of American tourists came in so it was very busy but I'm sure they enjoyed its twee old country pub thing and eavesdropping on our conversation.


What has it got?

Seating:  They have high stools and low stools for tables of all heights and sizes. A few of the tables have benches with arm rests and some are tucked away in snugs.

Doors:  The doors are wide and easy to open.

Ground:  The floors are wooden which could make them a bit slippy when it's wet.

Stairs: There is an upstairs but everything you need is on the ground level.

Bathrooms: They have a wheelchair bathroom - rejoice! It's very spacious and in an easy-to-get-to location. The mirror is up way too high but everything else is in check.

Spaciousness: If a bus full of American tourists pulls up, it is definitely tight for space but the tables aren't piled on top of each other.

Helpfulness of Staff: Incredibly sound bunch. Chatty, friendly and helpful but not in your face.

Parking: There is plenty of on street parking around here. I couldn't suss out a particular wheelchair parking spot right beside it but there are spaces available on Merrion Square which is just down the road.


Rating: 10/10
Why did it lose points? It didn't. I didn't expect this pub to have the proper facilities but it did.  I'm glad I finally got to visit one of Dublin's famous pubs that actually has proper wheelchair access. Fair play. 

Bell and Pot Café Kitchen

Bell and Pot Café Kitchen
3 Mercer Lane, Dublin 2
bellandpot.ie

I was really excited about visiting Bell and Pot. It had sandwiches GALORE, had a twee theme to it and wasn't too far from my bus stop. It had it all. Sadly, my expectations were not met in terms of access. I shall reveal ALL below.


What has it got?

Seating:  The tables all have moveable chairs but not many of the chairs have arms to help you get up. Some of the seats are quite low but they all vary in height and size.

Doors:  The front door was quite heavy to open - had to ask someone to come and push it open for me.

Ground:  Wooden floors.

Stairs: The restaurant space is flat but the ladies and gents are downstairs.

Bathrooms: The wheelchair bathroom is in the Travelodge Hotel, which is attached. You have to go through two rooms and it is there. Sadly, I could not fit my wheelchair in. And believe me, I tried every which way. My wheelchair is not big but if you're without a wheelchair, they have bars and railings a-plenty.

Spaciousness: Other than not fitting into the wheelchair bathroom, there was plenty of space in the seating areas.

Helpfulness of Staff: The staff were helpful with picking out food and with the door.

Parking: There are two wheelchair parking spots outside the Royal College of Surgeons and two more in front of Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, which are just around the block. There is plenty of other on street parking available.


Rating: 5/10

Why did it lose points? Sadly, the Bell and Pot lost points because of the wheelchair bathroom and the difficult door to open. The fact that it was a specifically designed and planned wheelchair bathroom and yet totally failed to serve its - eh - purpose was quite disappointing. The food is fine and I probably won't be returning here myself but if you wanna try it out and see if you can slither into the bathroom, by all means, be my guest. 

Diep Le Shaker

Diep Le Shaker
55 Pembroke Lane, Dublin 2
diep.net/leshaker


Diep is known as one of the finest places in  Ireland to get Thai food with a separate noodle bar and a great takeaway service too. Diep Le Shaker is their swanky restaurant and I was lucky enough to be given a voucher for their 6 course tasting menu so instead of eating like a pig, I ate like pig royalty for an evening. The food and cocktails were incredible and I just salivate thinking about the grilled pork dumplings.


What has it got?

Seating:  The tables have moveable chairs as well as fixed couches to the wall. There are no arms on the chairs.

Doors:  The entrance has double doors that are light to open and the rest of the doors are wide and easy to push open.

Ground:  The floors are wooden panels, which could be a bit of a hazard when wet.

Stairs: The entrance is flat. There are tables upstairs but everything you will need is on the ground floor.

Bathrooms: They have a wheelchair bathroom that is big enough for an average sized wheelchair with bars and handrails too.

Spaciousness: It might be a bit tight making your way through the restaurant if all of the tables are full.

Helpfulness of Staff: The staff are very attentive here. Not only will they help you with your order if you're bad at making decisions, if you need assistance, they will clear the way for you and also open doors. Very helpful. 10 points for the staff.

Parking: There is a lot of parking available around Fitzwilliam Square with a number of wheelchair parking spots. However, the path is a little bit uneven to and from.


Rating: 9.5/10

Why did it lose points? It lost half a point simply because some of the tables are quite close together so you will have to ask people to move chairs if you are going through the restaurant. Other than that, fantastic staff with even better food.