There’s something quintessentially Belfast about this place—quirky, artsy, lively, but ultimately no-nonsense. The dining room has a funky pub feel, with exposed brick walls and old candelabras balanced on battered wood tables. If you sit in the front garden, you’re separated from the street by a fence with paw prints all over it. The menu is balanced and straightforward—a juicy cheeseburger with fat French fries, for example, or a simple fish pie. Vegetarian choices are more than the usual “mushroom pie” variety—herb gnocchi, perhaps, or sweet potato ravioli. The selection of “nibbles” (a good value at 5 for £12) put a nicely Irish-style twist on tapas. The Barking Dog has a good lunch menu, and the Sunday brunch is popular.