The Two Minute Review: Bolt Burger

Ronan Doyle
Jul 8
2 min read

What should we know about Bolt Burger?

Returned to its former home in The Fourth Corner after an earlier eighteen month popup wrapped back in 2023, Bolt Burger pitches a menu perfected over several festival stalls since. We’d been meaning to make it in here for a while when the launch of a summer special triple smash provided the final push.

What’s on the menu?

Not what’s online, be warned. We were wooed by deep-fried lasagna nuggs but alas they’ve been nixed since the site went live – mozzarella sticks couldn’t quite set our eyes alight in the same way. We took some solace in a legitimately punchy sweet chilli dip, nicely cutting through the oozing excess of sweet, stringy cheese - these aren’t Reggie’s level, but they get the job done.

Wings are of a similarly solid standard. Despite the novel promise of Bolt seasoning, the dominant flavour here is all Frank’s – no bad thing, but nothing to rush for either. The dip needs a rapid rethink though. Listed only as “garlic”, it’s got the sweetened tang of roasted bulbs. If blue cheese ain’t broke…

You haven’t clicked in to read about Bolt's Tacos but you’ll forgive a brief foray into the Thursday-only three-for-€10 deal when you hear about Beamish-braised barbacoa beef. As card-carrying advocates of the superior black stuff (not up for debate) we leapt in and lapped up, and this tender taco is one of the tastiest around. Shredded chicken and plant-based mince just can’t compete - our top tip is to order three of the beef and a pint to pair with it.

Bolt’s burgers, which they’ve just begun sourcing from FX Buckley, are clearly made of superior stuff, indecently juicy from crisp edge to crisp edge – date night material this finger-dripping mess most certainly is not. While we’re not wholly convinced a third patty has any more than sheer indulgence to justify itself, the price point landing in at less than a double smash with bacon almost makes this mandatory if your appetite can handle it.

Proper quality skin-on fries come with all burgers, crisp and well-seasoned enough to eat without any add-ons – but moderation isn’t exactly among our virtues so we upgraded to a loaded chicken katsu. If the battered, bulky tender’s style didn’t quite live up to breaded, sliced expectations, the taste at least did. This is a helluva feed for a famished soul.

With our well-aired (and not always shared) aversion to truffle oil we weren’t overly sold on the other loaded fries option, a thick-spiked aioli lashed with parmesan. Those less fussy about the in-your-face artifice of the flavour may enjoy these more. Likewise, non-meat-eaters will probably find favour with the mixed veg patty, but its rainbow stodge was a lot less interesting to us than the Beyond Meat-style smash offering we’d heard they had previously.

Why should we go?

Against tough local competition from Dash and Bunsen down the road, Bolt isn’t likely to emerge everyone’s favourite, but its smart Fourth Corner colocation puts these burgers a cut above (and a cost below) other pub grub purveyors around. If you're out for a drink with food that's not filler, you'll be well served here - on deal days especially.