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    Holohans at the Barge

    4.7 (23 reviews)
    ModerateIrish
    Closed 12:00 pm - 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 11:00 PM

    Holohans at the Barge Photos

    HOLOHANS AT THE BARGE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

    Recommended Reviews - Holohans at the Barge

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    Holohans at the Barge
    Lily C.

    Dining on a cozy boat permanently docked by the Barge is certainly a unique experience. The food doesn't disappoint either! I ordered the Pan Boxty with smoked cod and Glenarm salmon. It was so delicious I practically licked the plate. The pancake wrap is usually made of potato flour, Holohans use corn flour. It was lighter and I enjoyed the taste better than potato. Staff was super friendly. All of Ireland and Northern Ireland service is top notch. I don't ever recall a bad or mediocre experience. Highly recommended.

    Cleat
    C H.

    It was a Bank Holiday at noon place was empty service was quick food the Hake was prepared perfectly It is an old barge in the river it is hard to see out and it's old in many ways If you're looking to down a pint or six it's probably OK the food was excellent and environment has a little to be desired

    Jerusalem Artichoke starter
    John M.

    Holohan's is a restaurant which came to my attention in early 2016 when I made enquiries about where to get good boxty, after being unconvinced by my first boxty elsewhere. Holohan's was recommended to me. Naturally, my first visit was specifically for boxty and this was a proper potato pancake, unlike the potato patty that I had encountered elsewhere. It was a seafood boxty. I was back at The Barge on another occasion when I didn't have boxty but had some champ. The champ was rather dense and also rather low on scallions and so I don't think I would order it again. I would very happily have the boxty over and over again, though.

    Ciara S.

    Really enjoyed my first visit to Holohan's at the Barge. It's a relaxed, brightly lit restaurant with a philosophy of using local Northern Ireland produce to create dishes. My sister and I hit it lucky last night when we called in on the off chance of a table and managed to get one due to a cancellation. Though it's usually very busy so pre-booking is normally essential. I had a main of dumplings, mushrooms and vegetables in a cep cream sauce. It was beautiful, really flavoursome and delicious, my only criticism being that for £13 I would have liked more food on my plate. I literally could have eaten two portions, so I would recommend ordering a side with this dish. We shared an Irish cheese board for dessert with pickles, chutney and breads - whoops a big slip up with my Vegan November - but I'm back on track from today! All in all a lovely little restaurant with the added novelty factor of being located on a barge, plus excellent service and delicious food. I'll definitely return but only wish they had a couple more vegetarian options on their menu and slightly larger portion sizes, which in my opinion would move them up from a four star to a five star rating.

    Elizabeth G.

    First of all, the location is just beautiful. It would be the perfect spot for a date night. The decor is cozy and rustic. There are candles on the tables and twinkly lights hung above the windows. The restaurant was very accommodating for our large group. Our waiter was friendly and knowledgeable about allergens. I'm gluten free and had no trouble finding all of the gluten free items on the menu. The lamb chops were divine, cooked and seasoned to perfection. The mash had the perfect texture and taste, buttery and salty and creamy. Worth the price, worth a trip.

    Interior of the boat
    Brad M.

    The most amazing meal and experience of our entire trip! Hey Gordon Ramsey - this is what a perfectly run restaurant looks like. Holohans is an intimate and warm little restaurant on a small boat on the river. We were so fortunate in that it was literally around the corner from the Hilton where we were staying and popped up on my Yelp search of the area. We had two different types of Boxty - the traditional pancake stuffed with seafood (that night's special) and the dumpling style boxty with kale and peas. Both were out of this world. The portions were huge and we almost licked the plates. They do not store food and so all of the ingredients were fresh. Do not leave without trying the Guinness sticky pudding - the best dessert I have ever had. Both servers were absolutely incredible and watching the kitchen work their magic was like nothing I have ever seen. We made reservations online which I highly recommend.

    1) Duck tasting board and 2) Boxty (Irish pancake)

    Dining on a boat on the Lagan, whats not to love? The barge is permanently docked of course! This restaurant opened about a year or so ago and is one of the top reviewed in Belfast - a must have for locals and visitors. Traditional Irish Food, Lunch & Dinner Menu,Licensed Premises, Restaurant On The Barge, Excellent Atmosphere & Staff The food is Irish bistro, the staff all seem to be one big happy family and the surroundings are quite romantic. it is a small space (being a barge and all that) so they are limited in numbers - call ahead to book to avoid disappointment.

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    1 year ago

    Seems this place is only for private parties. I wish we had known that before heading that way.

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    8 years ago

    Food was fantastic! Staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Call for reservations or be early.

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    9 years ago

    This is one of my favourite restaurants in Belfast. Food is always outstanding. Service is great. Venue is great. I really enjoy it!

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    Review Highlights - Holohans at the Barge

    The "boxty" a local dish made of potato pancake filled with haddock and cream sauce was also excellent.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    The Crown Liquor Saloon

    The Crown Liquor Saloon

    3.8(214 reviews)
    0.6 miCity Centre
    ££

    On our last day in Belfast, I said I need to experience dining in or have a drink at The Crown Bar…read more I was lucky enough to get a reservation at the dining room upstairs. The ground floor bar area was packed and busy! It was a good vibes. We sat and had dinner in a quiet setting upstairs. We enjoyed our food and drinks. My margarita was delicious. The lamb irish stew was yummy, finished it. It was a great experience!

    I wanted a place where I could try multiple classic traditional Irish dishes, and I found this…read moreplace - a very popular spot! During the time I visited, it wasn't very packed so I was seated swiftly. The kind staff accommodated my request to get a corner table. The vibe can be describe is a classic. I really enjoyed all the dark stained wood furniture - gave it such an "old Irish saloon" vibe...maybe because it is haha. I did not have much time to spend in Belfast, so I tried to taste as many traditional dishes as possible with being just one person. With that being said, I ordered a few of their notable dishes - Crown Bar Irish Stew, Steak & Ale Pie, and to finish it off, the Sticky Toffee Pudding served with both the custard and ice cream (really thankful the server offered to give me two toppings, and they were both delicious). All the dishes were great, and are definitely hearty. The stew as well as the pie filling had a rich roux - nice, thick and flavorful. I will say, the pie pastry was not as flaky as I would have liked it; kind of too thick. Overall, it was a great taste of Ireland

    Photos
    The Crown Liquor Saloon - Wooden Dragon

    Wooden Dragon

    The Crown Liquor Saloon
    The Crown Liquor Saloon - Margarita

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    Margarita

    Canteen At The Mac - A quiet coffee..

    Canteen At The Mac

    4.3(3 reviews)
    0.4 miThe Cathedral Quarter
    £

    Canteen At The MAC was the last stop on our food tour and last certainly was not least in this…read morecase. We were seated at a long table and provided these delicious kabobs. Now often I am not a kabob kinda person as I often find kabobs to be over cooked chewy things. But this was decidedly different. It had soda bread, a thicker softer white bread, a delightful sausage, and bacon. Coupled with a brown sauce it just was an utter delight. The UK ruined me on sausage because I really find sausage in both England and Ireland to be noticeably better than any sausage I have eaten in the US. The casement is not a distracting element. I know some like chewy, snappy casement but I am not one. The meat itself was very flavorful with a smooth texture. I wanted just to eat a plate of sausage! The bacon is more on the Canadian bacon style then the US style - which makes sense - but I liked it here more than Canadian bacon. It wasn't super fatty, it was very easy to chew, and it was very flavorful. I really enjoyed it! The staff here were super polite and kind. It was a great experience!

    Whether seeing a show or having a dander round the galleries or even just fancy doing some work on…read morethe old laptop with a cappuccino, Canteen at the Mac is a great shout. Open from 10 they have a good selection of breakfasts and coffees to get your brain buzzing, but it is lunch which really shines. The dry aged burger is a delight, made all the nicer for the awesome surroundings, I'm a bit of a fan of the architecture to be fair. Laid out over the ground floor and mezzanine, you can people watch at the big windows or hide in a cosy booth and catch up on your correspondence (with the free WiFi). The fact that it is also fully licensed also means you can have a pretty reasonable glass of wine should the mood strike you. Tourist or local, art lover or philistine ;-) The Canteen rocks.

    Photos
    Canteen At The Mac - Pretty colours of thread

    Pretty colours of thread

    Canteen At The Mac - Some apple juice

    Some apple juice

    Canteen At The Mac - This kabob was fantastic. The sausage was excellent!

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    This kabob was fantastic. The sausage was excellent!

    George's of the Market Bar and Kitchen - Inside George's

    George's of the Market Bar and Kitchen

    4.4(15 reviews)
    0.1 miCity Centre
    ££

    So called in here for breakfast with a raging hangover as I didnt want to eat food on the fly from…read morethe market. There was a 10/15 minute wait for a table but that was grand after all its sunday morning brunch time. I ordered the best of the market breakfast (see pic) and asked for my tea to be served at the same time. Food came out quickly but I didnt get asked if I wanted any condiments, had to ask myself. I was about half way through breakfast as well before I had to remind them id also ordered a tea. This came without milk so had to ask for that too. So the food itself was good, ive had better, ive had worse. I didnt like the very crispy slice of fried soda, personally I prefer a nice soft soda farl to mop up sauces and egg. Potato bread was ok and the rest nice but not mind blowing. Overall its not bad. Lovely setting, friendly, if not forgetful staff. Id come back but ive had better breakfasts. Maybe try a lunch or a dinner next time.

    If you can manage to get a balcony table overlooking the market whilst live music is in full swing…read morethen George's Of The Market is one of the best place in Belfast for breakfast or lunch. I visited yesterday (Saturday 14.05.2016) with my sister and we had an extremely enjoyable leisurely lunch sitting on said balcony, watching bustling St George's Market, soaking up atmosphere and listening to wonderful live music. Service was good and there were a few Vegetarian options on the menu. It's a pity these Vegetarian dishes aren't more clearly marked with a (V) plus a few more Vegetarian dishes would be great, but at least they are there. Caroline S ordered a Veggie Breakfast (£6.75) which was the most impressive looking Vegetarian Fry I've ever seen, plus she assured me it tasted fantastic. I opted for a pasta dish with butternut squash, walnuts, onion and rosemary (£6.95). Delicious food in generous portions at reasonable prices. We managed to work our way through glasses of Pinot Grigio, Rose and Prosecco. St George's Market Bar and Grill also do the most amazing pure apple juice and Prosecco cocktail which we thought the best Prosecco based cocktail we have ever tried. Most of the restaurant ingredients are fresh and local, coming from the market itself. We arrived at just before 1pm and stayed until after 3pm as we had such a wonderful time there. Even inside this restaurant is beautiful due to natural light coming through a skylight rooftop, however the best tables are definitely on the balcony. I'm already plotting my return...

    Photos
    George's of the Market Bar and Kitchen
    George's of the Market Bar and Kitchen
    George's of the Market Bar and Kitchen - View from the balcony

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    View from the balcony

    Holohans at the Barge - irish - Updated May 2026

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