Teenagers - Places to eat, Things to do

SunnySundays

Hi, I have 2 teenagers coming to stay 4 days with me in Dublin soon.

Fussy eaters who like plain simple food - would prefer to eat pizza and fast food if let. Would prefer not to bring them to a pub. Drawing a blank on basic restaurants, somewhere cool, different & instagramable is probably what I'm looking for.

Also any suggestions re things to do for fun. Have done cinema, goquest, crazy golf etc in the past.

If you have teenagers please help!

Esel

What ages are they?

SunnySundays

14 boy & 16 girl

John_Rambo

Kylemore go-kart track is epic for teenagers. Expensive but very memorable, unfortunately it's in an industrial estate in West Dublin but you can hit Blanch or Liffey Valley shopping centre (forget which one is close) afterwards for some shite food that they'd probably like.

City Centre Restaurants - Bunsen Burger (big hit with teens, very cool and instagramable), Milanos, Ill Capo pizza & pasta or if you feel like taking them out of their comfort zone one of the many Asian eateries on the now pedestrianised Capel st. Wings on Wolfetone st. is all you can eat and it's not great, but there's bottomless fizzy drinks and it's a bit of fun for teens, they will 100% find food they like there.

There are some virtual gaming centres around the city. My son went to one (he's 12) and loved it, I don't know the name of it, but I'll try and find out tomorrow. Again.. more money.

Dublin Sea safari? Anything on in Mondello not far from Dublin if you drive (it's cheap for kids under 16) check the website for dates.

Loads of doughnut places in the city, don't see the attraction, but the teens go nuts for them.

E-bike tours maybe, teens will love self powered bikes. There's a few kayak & paddle board outfits on the coast, you'd have to google then for prices, but it would be memorable and fun.

Skate parks if they skate (Clongriffin and fairview), Croke park tour if they like GAA (it's not all Dublin-centric)

Wakedock. Check it out, very cool. Epic museum is all interactive and immersive. National Museums of Ireland is free and has workshops for teens, but check it out before you go, could be for younger kids on the dates your kids visit. Awesome walls is good too, they'll pretend they don't like it, but after they'll be legends.

I work with teens and they'll piss and moan about all the above, but like it in the end. Trick is not to tell them where they're going. Just go. You're lucky there's two of them and not one. There'll be competition!! Regarding surf dock, karting, kayaking etc... all the suits, PDF's etc will be supplied and they're very safe.

SunnySundays

Thank you so much for your help, I hadn't heard of most of these.

I'll put it to a vote at the weekend but think Kylemore, Seasafari, Wakedock & the virtual games will all go down well.

Xterminator

sano pizza in temple bar is perhaps the best pizza in city centre IMO. seems to tick all your boxes.

retalivity

Token in smithfield? Granted its a bar/restaurant, but does have old arcade/pinball machines, and the food is decent diner-style grub.

The clockwork door, right at hapenny bridge, have 2 escape rooms that are more kid-friendly than adult.

There's a skate park on Cork st as well, if they're in to that.

Could eat in one of the many unfussy chicken places all over the city - Mad Egg, All Bar Chicken, Chimac etc.

odyssey06

Gotham cafe off Grafton Street another option for pizza, if you are out that way.

https://gothamcafe.ie/evening-menu/#pizza

melekalikimaka

token +1

loyatemu

there's a few climbing wall gyms around the city if they're into that sort of thing - The Wall in Sandyford is the one my kids have been to but there are others.

Mountain biking - biking.ie in Ticknock run 2 day teen camps which include rental of the bikes.

hynesie08

Token I's 18+ I'm fairly sure, too many parents leaving the kids and fcuking off.

Princess Calla

There's also a climbing wall near finglas "awesome walls" you can see it from the M50.

Jumpzone is also a good choice there's one in santry, Liffey valley and I think sandyford.

Can't really go wrong with Milanos for food but there really are multiple family friendly restaurants around that would suit them.

SunnySundays

Thanks everyone, really appreciate it

John_Rambo

Let us know how you get on, what was good, what was crap for future people asking on the forum.

Enjoy & fair play to you. Lucky kids, they're going to have a ball.

appledrop

I know your in Dublin but can you bring them to Tayto Park for the day?

The teenagers love it and that's a whole day sorted!

John_Rambo

So... how'd it go? Will be handy for future postings.

SunnySundays

Sorry I forgot about this.

One of the kids managed to break their arm beforehand so it ruled out a lot of things but we still had fun.

We got the Dart out to Bray one of the really Sunny days, coastline is fab. Had a picnic etc.

Went to the Zoo and also the Van Gogh exhibition - both pretty enjoyable.

Bunsen went down extremely well.

We did a movie night & the novelty of having pizza delivery created far more excitement than I could ever imagine!!! Children live rurally so never had delivery before!!

We also spent a day shopping (my least favourite day but they loved it!)

Sorry most of this wasn't on the list.

They want to come again so I must have done something right. They have made a list for next time which includes Tayto Park and skateboarding. Croke Park skyline & wall climbing have split opinion. One of them can't swin do all watersports ruled out.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions, really appreciate it.

John_Rambo

Yeah. Forgot about just shopping. Teens love shopping centres. Glad you had a good time, shame about the broken arm!!