Traditional Irish Restaurant – The story of The Shack with owner David Ellis

Discovering Eating Out

As a child, I was never in a restaurant. It was only in my late teens that I discovered a bit of social life. I became an apprentice barman, back when being a barman was a trade. One night a work colleague asked me to a night club, it was there, that I discovered eating out. There was “Corn on the Cob” on the menu, but I had no idea what it was! Although I loved food, I had little to no knowledge of it, but thankfully that soon changed… 

A short time later I began management training in a hotel. It was there that I realising how limited my culinary expertise was. So I began to learn more and more knowledge about food. 

The Passion and Excitement of Learning

It was exciting to be learning about food. While working in the kitchen was hard work, I had a natural interest and was adventurous with my palate. The talented chefs perplexed me and even today I envy their gift. To watch a Chef or Cook who loves cooking is like watching a talented musician play their instrument. You begin to lose the sense of where the body ends and the instrument begins. It’s the same as the Chef and the Pan. They prepare and create recipes to delight people and while I am an experienced cook. I am still learning every single day how to be better. 

When I acquired my first restaurant, back in 1982. It was an old rundown schoolhouse with a tin roof! My dad and brother helped me build a functioning kitchen and a homely dining room for customers. It was a huge learning curve and though it was many moons ago. I still recall the moments of wits and the moments of madness! You can read about these moments in my book. “A Guide to Opening your First Restaurant”

I have spent over 40 years in the hospitality industry. I have worked in several dazzling establishments and I have opened and owned twelve restaurants, three hotels and a pub.

The Shack Restaurant in 1998

The Shack Restaurant – The Traditional Irish Restaurant opened in 1998. I acquired the restaurant in 1999. When the restaurant was first opened by its previous owners, it had just 25 seats and a limited menu which consisted of mainly chicken. It was called ‘The Chicken Shack.’ There were just two wines on the wine menu and a good old cider! 

Taking it over held great risks but I loved a challenge and challenge me, it did! 

The Temple Bar area was in its infancy, with only a handful of restaurants and pubs, quite unlike the area it is now known. 

The first five years of running The Shack Restaurant left me with many sleepless nights, several periods of uncertainty and almost financial ruin. It was an endless circle of self-doubt and tremendous fear. At the worst point, it would have been easier to walk away and I considered that path on more occasions than I care to remember. It was not the first restaurant I had owned but it certainly seemed to be the hardest with the most problems and difficulties. All the others seemed like a walk in the park by comparison and it tested me, greatly. As I invested more and more time, resources and money into what seemed an endless money pit, the journey to success was not the smooth road I had hoped it would be. 

However, for all the countless red flags, The Shack’s redeeming feature was the fact that it was situated in Temple Bar, an area that was being promoted by the government. With various incentives and allurements, the area had potential if all the plans and discussions came to fruition. 

Temple Bar Area

I was no stranger to Temple Bar as I had been consulting to other restaurants in the area for a couple of years, I was fully aware of the committed marketing efforts of the government to make Temple Bar the cultural quarter of Dublin. 

With all this in mind, I wanted to develop something that was not only interesting, but also sustainable, where traditional culture could merge with modern. The idea would have to be of interest to both Irish locals and tourists alike. 

With many years of experience in the restaurant industry in Ireland, seeing the ebb and flow of recession and success. I didn’t want to lose the existing clientele that had patronised the restaurant over the previous year. Therefore, my changes were slow, deliberate and subtle to both the restaurant and its menu gradually moving towards creating a modern Irish restaurant in a historic Irish setting.

The Shack Restaurant – Traditional Irish Restaurant Today

Nearly 25 years later, the restaurant seats 55 guests and caters to 1500 diners almost every week. The Shack Restaurant offers a modern twist on something that is quintessentially Irish. Now, it sits in the heart of the bustling Temple Bar area. Which has a well-deserved reputation as the cultural heart of Dublin. Covering just a few blocks on the south bank of the River Liffey. The area comprises the best that the Irish capital offers. From top-class restaurants, lively bars to theatres. As well as world-renowned art galleries and with its cobbled alleyways, quirky boutiques and street performers, the atmosphere is homely and nostalgic. The Shack Restaurants menu is expansive, wholesome and nourishing, while its roots are still firmly embedded in its Irish heritage. Some of the dishes are old favourites with a twist, while others are our own delicious creations. 

The Team.

The food team is headed by Pat Murray. Pat joined The Shack Restaurant in 2001 and worked his way up to the coveted position of Head Chef. He and his Number two, Rajiv Maddhoo, who has been with the Shack since 200. Together with their team produce hearty and wholesome Irish cuisine with modern flair and expertise. 

The service team is headed by Restaurant Manager. Uta Nilas who joined The Shack crew in 2000 and such is her love for “Ireland” she became an Irish citizen in 2014. She is joined by John Remus Coteanu who joined the team in 2006. They are joined by a tremendous team that provide a traditional Irish welcome and excellent service to our guests. 

Since opening in 1998, The Shack Restaurant, the traditional Irish Restaurant in Temple Bar has attracted over a million visitors hailing from countries, all over the globe. 

Our Menus and Wine List are here and have a look at Temple Bar HERE on Earthcam