Eric O.
Yelp
TLDR: One of the WORST dining experiences of my entire life thus far. If I could give it a 0 star rating, I most certainly would.
Horrendous service, disappointing overcooked food, and a marked lack of attention and care from service staff compared to the other customers seated around us. Perhaps this may be the best Indian cuisine in Dublin but I can confidently say I've had Indian food that was as good if not infinitely better than Pickle from just my local cheap Indian take-out spot in New York.
I was very excited for my dinner reservation at Pickle as I had read many positive reviews on Yelp about the service and food.
My sister and I ordered the Fauzi Chicken Wings, Farmers Butter Chicken, Tandoori Pork Champ, Gobhi Masala, Tandoori Bread Basket, and Basmati Rice. Ultimately, the chicken wings were the only memorable part of the meal. They were spicy, flavorful, and crisp on the outside while tender on the inside. The butter chicken was quite lackluster and the pork (which they tout as a "Signature" dish) was so dry and overcooked, it was like I was chewing on a hockey puck.
Regarding the service, I could describe it as unfriendly/alienating at best, but that would suggest that there was any service at all? Rather, there was a striking lack of attention and care throughout the entire meal.
From the moment we sat down to the moment we left, no one ever stopped by to ask how the food was. No one ever asked if we needed anything. Our water glasses repeatedly stood empty for up to 10 minutes at a time while numerous servers strolled past our table multiple times. The only time they seemed to care about our presence at all was when we asked for the bill without even finishing our meal, less than 45 minutes after sitting down, out of frustration and exasperation over the disappointing experience.
One server was particularly rude. I asked if he could take away some of the garbage that had accumulated on our table at the start of our meal, including used moist towelettes and an empty beer bottle and soda can that had been sitting on the edge of the table for over 15 minutes. He didn't stay long enough to listen to me finish my sentence, ignored my request, and walked away without taking all of the items away. They sat there until the end of the meal and were still there by the time I asked for the check. Again, during this entire time, numerous servers walked past our table multiple times without helping us.
Most noticeably, there was a clear difference in how we were treated vs. how others around us were treated. For example, 4 women were seated at a table directly adjacent to us. As I timed, I noted MULTIPLE DIFFERENT servers checked in on their table every 3-5 minutes, asking how the food was, whether they needed anything, topping up their water and wine glasses, and cleaning up garbage from their table. Meanwhile, my sister and I, seated perhaps a mere 8 inches away sat ignored and overlooked.
In summary, to say I am disappointed by my dining experience at Pickle would be a gross understatement. I most certainly would not return and would NOT recommend dining here. If you're visiting Dublin, a trip instead to literally any pub would be an INFINITELY better use of your time and money.