The Gutter Bookshop

I traveled to Dublin for a book launch with Sara Ahmed and loved the Gutter Bookshop. Lovely and friendly staff, great location, and an amazing selection of books. Will definitely return!

I love the name of this shop. It is inspired by the quote of Oscar wilde. I bought their tote bag. Great customer service and great store.

This bookshop is a hidden gem in the heart of Dublin. Please support it. Great selection of books, stationary and cards and nice staff. I think I was served by a girl named Ruth. Highly recommend.

Mind in The Gutter? Good! Great little bookshop in the heart of old Dublin's Temple Bar street. It's more modern than a lot of the existing book shops boasting newer Irish authors and hot releases. My daughter ooohed and aaaahed over the new releases. There's a gift section and staff picks table. Something for everyone at The Gutter. 👍

I can’t say the service was super friendly but it was a bank holiday and is also a bookstore, not a restaurant. That being said, the bookstore itself is lovely. There are a variety of Oscar Wilde quotes all over the store that are pretty funny. They have a good selection of children’s books and Irish fiction. This shop really seems like an Irish heritage bookshop type of deal. There are Irish language books, brief histories, etc If you’re looking for something to do after Queen of Tarts, highly recommend stopping by for a look!

Very friendly, GREAT customer service and very knowledgeable about the books they have in the store. I was just listening to them with other customers and was very impressed!

Lovely shop, happy wife, happy toddler, most peaceful 15 mins of my day here. Thank you.

This shop was dangerously close to our hotel on our visit to Dublin. I’m sure my husband doesn’t miss the two sweaters he left behind so that I could squeeze more books in his suitcase. I was thrilled to find a signed copy of a Kazuo Ishiguro book, and purchased a few other books recommended by the bookseller. I can’t wait for a return visit!

Cute, independent, little bookstore filled with novels, humorous, informative and kids books plus other items such as gift cards, wrapping paper, novelty items and puppets. Bright, modern and located centrally in Temple Bar. Good selection of art books. A lovely shop to browse and great for gift purchases.

Just a note on Gutter's fantastic (and growing) bookclub nights: GO. I'm just back (er, in the last few hours) from the Contemporary Books night where lively discussion and great ideas were the name of the game. As first meetings go, this one has a great vibe; reading the book of the month isn't necessary and visitors are welcome to sit in and stir the pot. Owner Bob's smooth chat encourages conversation and as it's a democracy the group decides the next month's book. Space fills quickly so be sure to email the shop to let them know you're on your way. I'll be there -will I save you a seat?

there is something appreciably different about an indie bookshop - the stock is always better or at least you feel some thought has gone into the books on the shelves. This is most definitely the case with the Gutter Bookshop; we bring junior and can spend a hour getting lost in choosing the next great adventure, The staff are lovely, the shop bright and airy and has that lovely smell of fresh tomatoes I always associate with new books (that might just be me).

Lovely independent bookstore with a well-curated selection of books of all types (e.g., fiction, non-fiction, novels, short stories, biographies, books for kids, etc.). I was particularly impressed by the selection of books by Irish authors (from well-known authors to up-and-coming authors). Definitely worth checking out for anyone into books!

I love books, bookstores, bookshelves, bookends, bookmarks, bookish people and I'd MUCH rather be considered "Good bookin'" than "Good lookin'' (although some might say this is just making a virtue of neccessity.) The Gutter Bookshop is a place where BOOKS HAPPEN. It's a small-ish shop in the older part of Temple Bar that has quickly made itself a name for being a spot to attend book launches, discuss books, meet writers, talk about writing, and generally express a love of the printed page. Owner Bob brings a great personal passion for the written word and those who produce and/or love it to his store. He maintains a full schedule of talks and launches, was very active during the recent Culture Night, and yet always finds a moment to chat about an upcoming release or recommend an exciting new author to his customers. The store may be small, but the gods of bookish feng shui have smiled on it, and it manages to be charming and efficient rather than cramped and cluttered. In some instances selection may be limited, but I have never gone in looking for something new and interesting for myself or as a gift without being spoiled for choice. Bottome Line: Sorry, I was reading...what was that?

This is a lovely book shop for a wander round. My favourite thing about it is the 'staff's favourite' section, where there are a whole host of really interesting books, ranging from fiction to biographies to lifestyle, with little descriptions written in front about why that staff member enjoyed it / would recommend it. I often just go straight to this section and bypass the rest, as I trust their opinions and haven't been set wrong yet. They also have lots of little gifts and unusual products that makes it a great place to go shopping for a birthday (or yourself!) My only issue with the shop is that they don't have a massive selection, so if there is something very specific you are after, it mightn't be the place for you. For example I was looking for 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' the other day, which one would assume to be a staple in most bookshops, but they didn't have it. If however, you're after a rummage and an unexpected find, this is just the place. Oh and there's a whopper bakery next door, so if you find yourself there on a nice day; buy yourself a book, get a massive pastry from next door, and sit around Cow's Lane and soak in the atmosphere.

Book stores are as precious to me, as churches are to my mother. If my mother is in a new town, she automatically hunts for the nearest church. I'm pretty much the same when it comes to books. I think I sniffed this book store out, as I really wasn't hunting for books, just going for a stroll in the sunshine. You can't miss the green sign outside though, or the huge Oscar Wilde quote printed on the windowpane, so it's not that hard to miss if you do decide to go have a nose around Cow's Lane This book store is certainly refreshing. If you regularly visit larger book shops to avoid a disappointing choice due to limited range, but still resent the fact that you're being elbowed by every second person you see, then The Gutter Bookshop is for you. The choice of books is excellent. You can tell that they're not hawking rubbish, and some time has been spent deciding which books make it to shelf. For those who are drawn in to the shop by Wilde, his books can be spotted pride of place in the book store. There is also a book club, which by the looks of the notice outside, has a very long waiting list! The price range is fair, and you have books there for 20 euro and books there for a tenner. I didn't see many bargains, but I think it's fair to say that this isn't the type of book store, which would try and dislodge crap books by selling them for three euro. Also keep in mind that it is a local business, paying local people, so shelling out an extra euro or two isn't going to kill you. Overally nice book store, and staff are friendly too

When I need to kill some time, I often drop inside a bookshop just to "take a look". I find it so much more fun than looking at shoes or jewellery. I love the smell of new books no-one has read before and enjoy browsing through piles of interesting titles, hoping to find something that grabs my attention. Very rarely I leave empty handed. The newly opened Gutter Bookshop is one of my new favourites. It's nothing like the big franchise shops. It's a stylish little gem on a trendy little street offering a rather small but carefully picked selection. Here you'll find interesting biographies, books on art and design and good choices for the little ones. The owners also plan to start the New Year with style. Poetry nights are on the schedule as well as a brilliant book club, where the plan is to read through numerous literary classics. So if you wanna make 2010 the year you start reading more, check their website about events.

A perfect little bookstore. Small but packs a punch! Staff picks are usually very interesting and they have a great selection. My favourite part is the children's area, smaller than a lot of other bookshops but again, with a much better selection. This shop has also become my daughter's favourite hangout, she can't quite put it into words yet but it's clearly her favourite store in the world.

I love this bookshop. It's in the old city part of Temple Bar but the shop itself is fresh and modern and open plan. Bob the owner is a gem and really loves his books. There's always a good selection of staff picks from books just published to classics. They sell a small range of stationery and cards / giftwrap. The children's area is excellent with fake grass on the floor. The big child in me always wants to sit there and read picture books! Get your name on the mailing list for news of launches, poetry readings and other events.

Excellent independent bookshop that offers an alternative vibe to what I'm used too in a Dublin. They even sell clothes! Here for a present, I got BODs autobiography. It also had an excellent array of greeting cards. So I was able to get an excellent artsy horsey birthday card that my Mam just loved. I also bought some more cards for my obsessive card collection. I believe my obsessive card collection started here at The Gutter Bookshop on my first visit a number of years ago. As I spent over 30 EUR, I got a free canvas shoulder bag. Noice. Recommended.

Not all that impressed to be honest, it is not big enough. To be a generalist bookstore but neither is it tight enough in its selection to be a specialist bookstore. Lots of generic bestsellers with a sprinkling of classics to lend a little literary cred. The events held there are good though so its not all negative, but not my first port of call when I find myself on a book buying buzz

This bookstore is a hidden gem, tucked away at the end of Cow's Lane. The staff are so very genuinely helpful and are always on hand to give advise or suggestions if you are looking for recommendations. An excellent selection of good reads!

My absolute favourite bookshop! If you can't find what your looking for, the lovely staff are happy to track it down and order it in for you. They even send you a little friendly text message to let you know its arrived. I won't buy my books from anywhere else.

My most favouritest thing about the Gutter Bookstore is their staff picks. I think they have the best staff picks of any bookshop in the city. And I don't mean that they all said they liked the booker winner that everyone else said they like - they genuinely find interesting and unusual books, that also happen to be brilliant. If you don't know what to read, go here, and read the little cards about the staff picks.

Great place for picking up your next book. They are an independent local bookshop, so you will also be supporting a local business with every purchase and update (like this one). Prices seems to be quite competitive with bigger bookshops and they have a very interesting selection on display. If you need love books, this is a great place to go.

This is a fairly small bookshop in Temple bar and has a fair collection of books. The variety is a bit too small for me since I prefer massive book shops with almost every kind of book, but this shop does have the most recent novels and publications, as well as a little bit from every other category. There is also a nice kids section. But if you are searching for old or not that well known books, I would suggest going to a larger bookshop like Easons or Hodges and Figges.

Always a pleasure going into this bookshop - it's small, tidy, comfortable and has a great selection for an independent bookstore. Often feel intimidated in bigger book stores and get frustrated. The Gutter has a nice selection...and their staff picks always seem to be right for me. Guy that owns it is very helpful too. And a good tweeter @gutterbookshop

The newest of the independent bookstores in Dublin has only recently (2009) opened its doors to customers. Conveniently situated within Temple Bar, on the corner of Cow's Lane, this neat and tidy shop stores a wide array of books, including some great children's books, as well as gifts and stationery. Owner Bob Johnston and his nice staff will help you to find whatever book you are looking for, and of course can order any that is not in stock. They also have an ongoing and growing list of events, please check their website for more details.

What a great bookshop. An independent bookshop, I sometimes pop in for a quick look around and almost always walk out with a book I didn't know I wanted. There are book clubs, book launches and other book-related goings-on here. Small, but perfectly formed!

Walked in here to waste time before a flight out and couldn't have left happier. A real sincere staff member helped me choose two books which are now some of my most cherished books (Winters Tale and All My Friends Are Superheroes). They have a great selection of contemporary novels - ask the staff for the suggestions they are incredibly fun and helpful

I'm all for supporting local & independent businesses, and since this shop is near my work I often stop in for their lovely greeting cards and children's book selection. However I have found a couple of people who work there to be less than friendly which just doesn't fit in with the whole vibe of the place. On my last visit I had to leave as I couldn't hear myself think over the lengthy and loud conversation the two shop assistants were having.