Café Kylemore is located on the top level of the Swan Centre. It is admittedly well-lit and spacious, but the overall impression is that it has a grubby, unloved feel about it. The food is mediocre, and sadly overpriced. It is self-service, canteen style, which is fair enough. However, the management are a bit lax about cleaning up– lots of crumbs and stains are left on table-tops, on chairs, and things are trodden into the floor and left there which is a bit of a yuck to me. Attracts the local nutters who like to live in the Swan Centre during the day. Also attracts people with little kids, whose wails echo off the roof. Nice friendly staff at the counter, however there are so many places in Rathmines that are so much better that Kylemore would be a last resort for me.
Victoria C.
Place rating: 3 Dublin, Republic of Ireland
My go-to place for when I am hung over and need some fresh orange juice. They also serve a full Irish break first but I just come for the juice.
Mary C.
Place rating: 1 Brooklyn, NY
Ick. I think this place is a total and complete rip-off. While I agree with Jo that this one is better than the location on O’Connell St., I think the pluses end there. I think the food is uninspired and bland. It is rather expensive for what it is also, which really pisses me off. Yeah, the whole place just rubs me the wrong way. And 20 free minutes of wifi? What a joke, they can afford to give you unlimited wifi, because they’re charging you an arm and a leg for that just-ok sandwich. Rathmines has a lot of options that are 100% better than Kylemore, and I would recommend just skipping this place and going somewhere, anywhere, else.
Jo M.
Place rating: 3 Sydney, Australia
Kylemore Café at Rathmines is nicely located in the atrium of the Swan Centre shopping village. The café is well set up in a circular fashion around the fancy clock centrepiece and winding staircase, which leads to the shopping centre below. I like this Kylemore so much better than the O’Connell St branch, mainly because this one doesn’t scream ‘cafeteria!‘ There are some great lunch specials, including a sandwich and drink for 5 euro. I’m quite a fan of the ham, mustard and apple panini — interesting combination. You can avail of 20 minutes of free wifi if you order something, and it’s a nice place to pull up a high table and chill out by yourself.