Emperor's House Restaurant

We recently dined at Emperor's House in Portlaoise and overall had a pleasant experience. The food was very good, arriving nice and hot, and the staff were friendly, attentive, and welcoming throughout our visit.
That said, we found the pricing quite high, particularly when you consider that all sides are charged separately. For example, BBQ ribs were €10.50, soup was €7, and a spring roll starter was €7.50. Two children's goujons and chips meals came to €24 in total.
It's important to note that rice (€4.50), chips (€4.50), and noodles (€6.50) are all additional charges. Sauces were also extra, with curry sauce and honey sauce both costing €5 each.
One of our daughters wanted something similar to a spice bag and was served salt and chilli chips (€7) plus salt and chilli chicken (€10.50), bringing the cost of that meal to €17.50 before any extras.
Drinks were also on the expensive side, with Heineken Zero and Smirnoff Ice both priced at €5.95, a bottle of rosé at €27, and coffee at €3.90.
Overall, I would rate the food 8/10 for quality and presentation. The food and service were very good, but the pricing structure, particularly the additional charges for sides and sauces, made the overall bill much higher than expected.

Don’t judge this place by its cover—while the entrance and décor might feel a little dated at first glance, what’s coming out of the kitchen tells a completely different story.

We had a genuinely lovely family meal here. I went for the Szechaun beef, which was full of flavour. My wife’s sweet and sour chicken was equally impressive.

The kids’ meals were a big hit too—always a good sign for a family outing. But the real standout for them was the milkshakes. In their words, “the best milkshakes ever,” which is about as high a compliment as you’ll get.

All in all, this is one of those places where the food far exceeds expectations set by appearances. We’ll definitely be back.

We booked a table today for 5 o clock it was our first time here and they certainly didn't disappoint, upon arrival the lovely friendly staff gave us a warm welcome, very attentive and polite. The food arrived quickly and it was delicious, we all enjoyed it. No complaints whatsoever. I would highly recommend it and we will definitely be back. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Thanks for taken good care of us.