Once I came in, I could feel the warmth of the staff and the restaurant. I absolutely loved my experience here and it was very memorable. There were 24 unique dishes that covered different elements of cuisine from the western region. I had savory oyster ice cream, along with artichoke foam and delicious bread that came alongside a poem. There were surprises here and there, with the chefs proudly discussing the elements of the dishes. I appreciated hearing about the dishes as it told a story of what went behind each dish. The staff members seemed passionate and were so kind. I look at my pictures and get so happy thinking about how I felt when I tried the dishes. Some were so surprising! The meal ended with a nice touch where they gave me a menu with chamomile seeds embedded within. They told me I could plant it and I plan to. What a great experience! I highly recommend. Everything was delicious and creative. I would go back again. This element was very memorable for my trip to Ireland. read more

Aniar - Menu that had chamomile flower seeds - Irish Near Me - Galway, G

Aniar was excellent in terms of food, service, and ambiance. Our dinner was pretty similar to the sample menu posted on their website and shown in photos from other recent Yelp reviews. The variety, portion sizes, local ingredients, flavors, presentation, and overall menu were all great. We also got the Irish drink pairing which was worthwhile and another great exposure to Irish cuisine. It taught us that they do make wine in Ireland! We visited early on a Tuesday in November and, believe it or not, without a reservation. Who shows up to a small, tasting menu, Michelin-starred restaurant without a reservation? Turns out I'm that person. They were very accommodating and gave us a table, which I suspect is not possible at busier times. The place was pretty empty for most of the meal, but a few other tables arrived over time. The restaurant is pretty small, with only one room, and it has somewhat simple, bright, modern decor. I really liked how it felt bright and not stuffy. The service was very good, with good descriptions of dishes and drinks. During my trip to Ireland, I also visited Chapter One in Dublin (2 Michelin stars) -- I preferred our meal at Aniar. If I can give one piece of constructive feedback, it would be that gels and tuiles were a little overused overall. The first time a tuile was on a dish, it was delightful; by the fourth time, it was a little tired. read more

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Aniar is above and beyond! I was so looking forward to dining at Aniar and it was everything I hoped for. There were a lot of dishes/ingredients I wanted to try while in Ireland and this one meal alone checked off the vast majority. I learned a lot about the country and local ingredients through my time at Aniar - my favorite way to learn! While each course was amazing and creative, the dessert was a clear standout. I tried preparations, textures and combinations that were innovative and fresh. My brain was boggled by the scallop sorbet. Another fun touch are the poems that accompany some courses to bring the experience to life. The wine pairing was also well worth it with unique pours. The restaurant is very compact and I think we interacted with every waitstaff, chef, sommelier who worked that evening. It's really all hands on deck with the care and service provided. No question, Aniar is worth the visit. read more

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I love going to Michelin star restaurants not only for the food, but also for the experience, and Aniar did not disappoint. The restaurant was small, intimate, and humbly decorated. This wasn't one of those places that demands that you know you're in a fine establishment through their extravagant decor. The courses were well-paced, interesting, experimental, beautiful, and most importantly tasted delicious. I found the experience entertaining, exciting, and interesting, as I was guided through the many courses of our meal - curious about what creative take on a dish they had lined up next. If I find myself in Galway again, I'd like to also find myself back here. I'd give this restaurant a 9/10. read more

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There is a reason this place is Michelin star rated!! The food was incredible, and the service was outstanding. Our somm was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about wine. We had 23 courses, all using fresh ingredients from Ireland, and the wine pairing. Every dish was fantastic, except for the scallop ice cream, and it was a fantastic culinary experience. One of the courses was Irish soda bread with a whipped butter infused with leek vinegar. I kid you not, I had tears in my eyes eating that bread and butter!!! If you are have a chance to eat here, I highly recommend it! read more

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Awesome! Service was amazing! Only course we were not a fan of was the oyster ice cream. read more

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Dining here was more than just dinner, it was an experience. I had made reservations a couple weeks in advance and was dining with a friend with a number of allergies that I had written in ahead of time. When we were seated the allergies were immediately addressed and our waitress had brought out our custom menus that had been printed just for us. My friend received a menu different from mine that addressed each of her allergies. I was very impressed. The food was amazing. We ordered the 6 course dinner, which was really closer to 14 small dishes. Each one was delicately plated, and each ingredient was thoughtfully paired on the plate. Aniar is committed to serving locally sourced food and I think that really shined through their tasting menu. There was a good mix of vegetable dishes, and dishes with protein, and a lot of creative uses of seaweed and ocean vegetables. We were served effectively 4 desserts, two dessert plates, a dessert drink, and a sweet bite. For anyone that appreciates creative tasting menus, I would highly recommend coming to Aniar. read more

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When Eric R. offered me a chance to dine at a Michelin star restaurant in Galway, I jumped at it! We made reservations for our -1 month anniversary, which he said qualified as my anniversary gift. Fair enough! It was a bit rainy and Eric R. had planned for us to take a taxi since it was a Saturday night, but no taxis were in front of our hotel. We took our rental car, and he dropped me off in front of the restaurant at 8:00 PM sharp. The restaurant was not ready for us, however, so the staff gave me two free glasses of wine at the sister restaurant across the street, Tartare, and promised to call when our table was ready. I ordered a class of white and got on wifi to try to text Eric R. where I was. I saw him run into Aniar right when I sent my text, so he was sent over to me and got his glass of wine. The restaurant did call soon after to tell us our table was ready. When we came over, we were presented with menus for the six-course tasting we reserved. We each ordered another glass of wine to accompany our meal, with help from a sommelier. First we were presented with "snacks"which included fennel goat cheese tart, seaweed broth, chicken heart with black garlic, and charcoal potato. Next, we received the bread tray, with delicious sourdough, brown seed bread, and garlic scones, along with two types of butter, the house leek butter being our favorite. The chef presented the bread with a poem. Our first course differed as Eric R. received garlic scapes and I had the oyster. Then we had the mussels with rhubarb. The third dish was a potato and cured egg dish. Our main course was the duck breast. We then had a "pre-dessert" of rapeseed oil ice cream with a birch kombucha of sorts, and then strawberry woodruff ice cream. I finished with the house tea blend. We also received for dessert meringue with elderflower jelly and beet chips with goat cheese. Service was nice throughout, and the chef appeared to discuss each dish with pride. When we paid our check, the chef presented his brown soda seed bread recipe, which I thought was a neat touch. I have since baked this bread at home and it is quite good. It was definitely a unique experience and special anniversary treat! read more

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Food was very inventive and creative. Savory meringue? Oyster sorbet? Poems to accompany dishes?? Yes, and we thoroughly enjoyed all of it. We're all dishes a hit? No, but not because they weren't provocative or novel or even tasty, just not my particular taste. Definitely an experience to have while in the charming city of Galway read more

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Food was incredible and beautiful. attentive staff. Highly recommend for solo diners

Aniar.. I'll start with the space. It is a small restaurant with 6 or 8 tables. Nothing special about it but it was a cozy and intimate environment. The service was outstanding, wine experts were very helpful, and the food was great for the most part. 90% of the food was great and the presentation was awe-inspiring. However, there were a couple of dishes that could have been left behind. One being the oyster ice cream. I'm afraid I got food poisoning from this restaurant and, I believe, it is from this dish. No knock.. just something they should probably leave on the testing table from here on out. Not sure what went wrong. Overall, we left happy but I woke up not so much. I would recommend this restaurant, but only eat what is palatable. read more

Positives: Food was artful and several dishes were spectacular including the mushroom foam and lamb with beet. Kudos to the chef for some intricately crafted and creative courses. Negatives: This was the most aggressively hostile dining experience we have ever experienced. When we got started we were offered a wine pairing but kindly declined - my partner was driving and I don't drink. The host told us they were "trying to make money" and again asked us to order some wine, and again we declined. After this, we noticed the attitude of the wait staff soured toward us. Their interactions with us compared to the other tables (that did order wine) were noticeably colder. We had food taken away from us before we finished. We felt so uncomfortable that we couldn't wait for the end of the meal. If they truly believed that a wine pairing was an integral part of enjoying the meal, they should have made it a mandatory part of the meal instead of treating non-alcohol consumers like second rate diners. If you plan on having wine with dinner, I'm sure you would have a fine experience, but if not, stay away. We would not have sat through the discomfort of that meal again even if it were free. read more

It is difficult to write a review as if this was just another restaurant. It is something approaching an immersive food and drink experience where every single item brought to you is handcrafted with breathtaking precision. And I do mean every single item--we marveled at each dish, piece of cutlery and poem as much as we did the food. To be handed a beautifully artistic map at the end of the meal highlighting where each ingredient came from was quite appropriate: we had certainly been on a journey. And to be served a digestif at the end of the meal that had been flavored with the gorse flowers we had admired on the train ride to Galway seemed like a magic trick. On top of all this, the staff were extremely pleasant to speak to, preternaturally knowledgeable, and treated us as if we were guests inside their home. Absolutely unforgettable. read more

Absolutely outstanding establishment on the other side of the bridge. Aniar meaning "from the West" or "Westerly" is a Michelin Starred restaurant since 2013. The space is quite small and on the Tuesday when we visited wasn't completely full, but definitely busy. Seemed to be a special event, date night restaurant for locals and a destination for visitors from out of town. There were from what we could hear at least two other tables with Americans or Canadians besides ours. We were greeted warmly and given the two top near the window at the front of the room. We were served by both a lovely young Irish woman and the Hungarian Maitre D. The menu hearkens to many of today's most popular restaurants in major cities like for instance Copenhagen's Noma and Amass. Restaurants where they use in-season hyper local ingredients that are both beautiful to look at and and make your tastebuds swoon. We started with gin and tonics made with a local gin and a sprig of local thyme. They were fresh and crisp. You cannot order a la carte at Aniar. They serve only prix fix tasting menu which changes daily. The meal consists of five courses, three snacks, bread and a petit four. As always....you also get an amuse bouche. Amuse bouche - Dashi soup...so rich with several layers of flavor. I could eat this EVERY day. Smoked Cheese, Kelp, Dillisk and Sea Radish - In the form of a tiny, pie with the cheese in the consistency and even the flavor of high falutin cheese whiz...and oh so good. Bread & Butter (three breads...a kind of rich corn bread, soda bread and another one which I cannot remember). Carrot & Elderflower - The carrots had been pickled and then cooked and had the most unique consistency. I desperately dislike cooked carrots, but the pickling and resulting consistency gave them a toothsome fleshiness that was irresistible. Potato, Hock - Senior moment....can't remember this one. Turbot & Sea Beet - A very small piece of turbot with a tendril of a plant which tasted and looked like a pea tendril. Incredibly tender and set off by the earthiness of the sea beet and tendril. Pork & Leek - The main course and one of my favorites. A lovely slice of pork belly and one of my favorites....baby leek. Carrot & Sea Buckthorn - First dessert. DAMN. The frozen carrot was TO DIE FOR. The Sea Buckthorn Foam the perfect, light accompaniment. Almond Sorrel - I'm not sure how to describe this dessert. What I remember was that every bite was heaven. There was a granita palate cleanser somewhere in the first several courses...can't remember when as it's been over a week since we were there. Also tremendous. We added the cheeseboard supplement which I didn't have the room or inclination to try as I was full. The cheeses were local and my husband loved them. We paired the meal with the following beverages (selected to go with the menu). Vincent Lacour Les Chilloux Fattoria San Lorenzo 'Integrale' - A table wine that was meant to go with the Turbot. I get that it was meant to not outshine the fish, but I thought it was underwhelming. Weingut Umathum Zweigelt - This Spanish Wine was so good, we ordered another glass and it made the Pork shine. Dockage Cider - Made locally in the maker's shed. Not your regular sweet cider. More sour and perfect for the Carrot and Sea Buckthorn. The service was outstanding from start to finish. The food was absolutely memorable and the space warm and bright. I loved this meal and can't recommend this spot enough if you're in Galway. read more

Aniar - Irish Near Me - Galway, G

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If you were like me and struggling to decide between Loam or Aniar and you only had one meal to spare in Galway, here was my justification for choosing Aniar: after reading as many reviews and forums as I possibly could, I learned that Loam has a larger, more fancy space with more technically adventurous food with "restrained" flavors, while Aniar has an underwhelming space with more punchy flavors. I am also fond of a thoughtful bread course, and the photos/reviews seem to suggest that Aniar has the more interesting/diverse bread options (which it was indeed, yay!) Since I was dining solo and no one to wax lyrical with about the decor or the technique, I decided to go with Aniar, and boy, I was not disappointed. (Not to knock Loam since I haven't been there, but I was happy with my choice.) I liked that there was a bookshelf of cookbooks that must represent the chef's/owner's ethos; the abundance of bread-baking books confirmed by suspicions. I got the five course tasting menu without the wine pairing, which set me back 60.50 euros after including service charge. I was actually sad that my meal ended because I wanted to keep getting delighted by new and inventive dishes. I'll just remark on a couple since I don't want this review to be ten pages long: 1. The monkfish entree was superb. It was buried under a foam that when parted, revealed bright orange fish roe - I loved the visual element. The greens and green (bay leaf?) oil that dressed the dish gave it so much more depth and complexity - it had floral notes, vegetal notes, a bit of sea umami flavor... it was really excellent. 2. The celeriac cocoa dessert was so interesting! It almost felt like I was licking champagne off a forest floor - it tasted earthy and woody but also a bit like grapes and citrus (from the frozen yogurt). 3. The final dessert was blackberries, a frozen goat yogurt, parsley oil, and balsamic vinegar. It was so simple, yet so effective. I've never tasted blackberries so concentrated in flavor before, and the dressings truly rounded out the flavors. Some notes of criticism: my sourdough was just a touch moist/gummy on the inside. The interior of the restaurant is just not a very private/intimate/luxe space, and I feel like if it was, it could definitely be elevated to a two star. The food here is certainly miles superior to Chapter One in Dublin, which also has one Michelin star. My meal took 1.5 hours, as indicated when I made my reservation on the website. However, the food is amazing and I would certainly return if I ever find myself in Galway again. read more

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My husband and I came here for a special dinner on our honeymoon. As some of the other reviews mention, they have one Michelin star, which was how we discovered it. Each table has the option to choose 5, 8 or 10 courses. We probably should have done 5, since we were so full at the end, but we had no regrets, since everything was so delicious! We are from the bay area of California, and a meal this good where we live would cost a lot more. If you are anywhere near the area, it is worth the journey! On the menu, it says Aniar means 'from the west'. The food is all sourced locally, from west coast of Ireland. You could really taste the freshness of the produce. There was definitely an influence of traditional Irish food (soda bread, potato, lamb, etc.) but it was still very innovative. Some of the dishes resembled the landscape of Ireland, especially the coast. A few especially memorable courses were 1. the tomato, with curd and fennel 2. the potato, ovage and 3. the courgette, pea, scape. On top of the amazing food, they had exceptional service. We had the wine pairings with our food and the timing of everything was perfect. I also felt like we were friends with our server by the end of the evening. We were so well taken care of. read more

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In Galway for the weekend we decided to make Aniar the culinary centre of the trip. Booking via Yelp messaging didn't work - their problem rather than Yelp but be warned - so we got a table on Saturday night at 9.30. Late but not a problem. First surprise was the decor and setup. It looks and feels more like a bistro than a Michelin-starred restaurant. Tables close together with only about 30 covers possible. No frills like table linen, liveried waiters or expensive cutlery. That must be 2 star territory I guess. The menu was most odd. One can select a number of courses from 2 to 10 with matching wines. Go for the matched wine option. They do it well and it's relatively good value. I thought it was unnecessarily fussy and a confusing way to organise a menu. Anyway, we selected 4 each at €75 per head. Just as well there was plenty of wine because the portions were, frankly, miniscule. My starter of pork belly with radish and turnip was nice but barely more than a forkful. Likewise the second course of oxtail which was little more than a (very tasty) smear on the plate. Main of pigeon was, again, very good but the entire course would have comfortably fit on a saucer with space over for the first two courses. The best course of all was the cheese. For once it was more than enough. Also, top tip, order plenty of bread. You'll need it or you'll have to go to McDonalds for supper afterwards. Bloke next to me thought the whole palaver hilarious, photographing each course and Whatsapping to mates who, no doubt, were equally amused. I get the minimalist idea, I really do, but I also think it's not enough just to be impressed by the food. It's also supposed to be a meal. Y'know, like nourishment, nutrients etc. Go if you must just don't be particularly hungry if you do. read more

Oh my god, this place. One of the best restaurant experiences I've had in my life. We had the six course meal with wine/beer pairing and everything was worth it. Service was excellent. Food was superb. Presentation and ambiance were perfect. The brown bread stole the show and they give you the recipe after your meal! I could have eaten a whole loaf of it alongside the delicious butter. Writing this review is making my mouth water. Hurry up and book a table at Aniar! read more

In a word: Brilliant. Really enjoyed this restaurant. I'd guess it's not to everyone's taste, but by and large, it suited mine, and the whole local, fresh, close-by ingredients thing and the almost-loopy attention to detail I found engaging, where some might find it irritating. We did the full-monty tasting menu, paired with wines. Basic tasting menu is 5 courses for around 60 or 65 euro. Add paired wine and that comes to 95 squids a head. Good value for money in my opinion based on what you get. Courses included dishes whose main feature was salmon, asparagus, scallop, duck, and rhubarb. Some absolutely fantastic flavours in each dish, the detail of which I could not do justice to in here. Suffice to say the salmon was something very special (hard to do I think for Salmon), and I'll never forget the scallops covered with Lardo (transparent slice of silky smooth lining from pork belly) and the sublime Rhubarb dessert, which had us beaming from ear to ear. Great place, love what they're doing, and if you want to eat truly local food, with extreme concern by the chef for taste and provenance, come here. Any quibbles? Not really - it's a small enough menu overall, but I like that (lots of choice is not necessarily a good thing). There's a tendency to have several dehydrated things on the plate - some of this works well, and some doesn't add much to the overall experience. So I'd tone that down if it was me. But then, I can't cook like this, so what do I know?? :-) read more

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My favorite restaurant in all of Ireland. My husband and I had a phenomenal time dining here. The potato bread was spectacular and super addictive. Each of the dishes was unique, excellently prepared, and kept us full. The wine pairings were wonderful and went very well with the dishes. I am a vegetarian and my husband is not, and the sommelier paired dishes with different, appropriate wines for each of us, which I thought was a really nice touch. Overall a wonderful place to enjoy excellent food. Highly recommend. read more

I went here over the weekend during a brief trip to Galway for the Christmas markets. I was interested to try this restaurant as they've just been awarded a Michelin start for 2014. The menu is small, but still offers enough choice for most people's taste. I thought the price point was relatively good value -- €55 for three courses à la carte or €65 for the tasting menu. You can bang on paired wines with the tasting menu for a further €30 per person. I went with the tasting menu, and, although I would normally go with the wine pairings, having taken a look at the wine menu, I was happy enough to order my own bottle of wine for around €30. The meal itself was very good. The tasting menu is effectively three starters, one main and a dessert. I thought the portion sizes were just right, and every dish was interesting and well presented. We got crab, duck hearts and langoustine for starters, mallard for main course and caramel panna cotta for dessert. I don't think I'd ever have ordered duck hearts myself, but they were surprisingly delicious. I think the focus on fresh, local ingredients really pays off, and there's a refreshingly large amount of sea food on the menu (as you might expect from a seaside city). I'll definitely be back. read more

Outstanding restaurant with a very unique menu. Our group of 4 decided to try the 8 course meal which had some very unusual presentations that made it a delightful choice. The Chef served several courses himself and the entire staff was very knowledgeable of the menu even though it changes every day. Highly recommend you visit this restaurant if you are any where near Galway. read more

Amazing food. Loved the simplicity of the place. Made you feel at home rather than some other Michelin star restaurants. This would our 8th visit to one. We have mainly been to two stars and three stars and I would say this is on par with a two star. Definitely recommended it to anyone coming to Galway. Food was fresh. We got the 10 course and it was perfect. The menu changes daily. read more

Aniar was fantastic! All of the food was perfectly prepared, fresh, and unique in all the best of ways. We arrived shortly after they had solved an unexpected kitchen issue, so the service felt somewhat hurried as they settled back into the evening's rhythm. But after that it was all a perfect experience, definitely one to repeat again! read more

Amazing. I haven't been in a couple of years but every time I think back on my visit I remember how enjoyable everything was. True taste of Galway, depicting its culture and heritage through masterpieces that are all so different but a delight to all of the senses. read more

I hate to give a bad review and I never do - if I am not happy I simply do not write a review. However we ate here a number of months ago and all I can remember was that it was crazy expensive and too cramped. I can not remember the food. It must be 2 years since I ate in the Ivory tower in Cork and the first thing I remember is the food - it was exciting and so delicious. I remember the whole experience, I know it was also expensive but it was completely worth it. read more

I've dined at Aniar twice, both solo adventures and with the full tasting menu with wine. I plan to return at least a few more times to try it at the different seasons. I decided to spend the euros (95 with wine) after seeing Anthony Bourdain's episode about Noma and learning that the chef spend time training in the kitchen. My first meal, in January, surpassed my April meal but both were memorable. This is serious minded food, presented in a relaxed but beautiful atmosphere. The produce and approach to vegetables is the real standout for me from both meals - presented with perfect flavor. The wine pairings are perhaps the best that I have experienced on a tasting menu, featuring mostly French and Spanish. After both meals I thought I should be drinking more white wine. Both meals where wonderful experiences, with perfect flavors and unexpected delights including at dinner most recently a bowl of what appeared to be freeze dried weeds and wild onions. Dazzling. Galway is a serious food town and this is at the top of the heap for one of the great meals of Ireland (and possibly Europe). Bravo! read more