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    Il Vicolo

    4.3 (52 reviews)
    PriceyCafes, Italian
    Open 5:00 pm - 9:30 PM

    Il Vicolo Photos

    IL VICOLO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - Il Vicolo

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    Reviews With Photos

    Moretti
    Jon P.

    Ridiculously good food. The lamb loin and the tagliatelle lamb ragu were both delicious. Lamb loin was a small portion but some of the best we've ever had if not the best! The Tagliatelle was perfectly cooked and the ragu was outstanding, perfectly salted with a mix of pork. The sauce was balanced and excellent. The service was impeccable, from the host seating us to the Italian server that had a lovely Italian accent. Had to cool my daughter off, haha. The building and setting are rustic, dark but lit enough for it to feel just like an upscale 400 year old building, which it is. Sorry the pics aren't great. Eating began immediately and then I realized I had no pics. The bread service was also fantastic!

    Pasta alla carbonara
    Luke B.

    Former Michelin star restaurant, but still great Italian food. Really enjoyed the modern Italian food with a focus on fresh fish, meat, and pasta. A very large Italian wine list, and also my favorite beer on tap, Birra Moretti. Service was a little slow, but i was forgiving due to the staff fitting us in without a reservation.

    Steve S.

    Inspired. What a special, special little place. An amazing find that, honestly, the pictures do no justice to. From the staff, to the plating, to the flavors, to the ambience with live music, WHAT a breath of fresh air. One if the best nights out my wife and I have had in QUITE some time. Coming from NYC, I would make the trip back to Galway JUST for this restaurant. A true gem. BRAVO!

    18 hr braised beef

    As we walked back to our hotel we were met by a irresistible smell of food. We had no idea what we was in store for us. Not only was it the best food we've had in Ireland, but also the best service. Jamie was attentive, friendly, and patient. He was extremely knowledgeable of the menu and gave us great local tourist recommendations. If you're in Galway do not skip this! Highly recommend!!!

    Meatballs
    Brianna S.

    My oh my what a magical place this is. I'm so happy I stumbled upon it for our two year anniversary dinner. The atmosphere is littered with romance and historic old bricks and the warmth of wine in the air. The elegance of decor starts at the walls at the front door and is fluid all the way to their back patio. Sprinkled with wood details and charming seats along the running river. They had incredible music the Sunday even we were there. A local jazz band played for a few hours in the front room which allowed all guests to hear them at an appropriate volume. The food was also good. For appetizers we got the calamari, which was a little sad regarding the quantity but yummy and fresh! We also started with the meatballs which I didn't care for much. For entrees we ordered the risotto which was lovely and tasty and the carbonara which was alright. Overall the food was a bit hit or miss but no real big complaints, simply room for improvement. The service was a bit slow and forgetful. They were proper and friendly but we had to wave our waiter down a few times. Thankfully a neighbor waiter noticed this. He swooped in while we were waiting 20 minutes to ask for the bill. He was incredibly friendly and let us try a wine similar to the one we were drinking on the table. Thus, our scenario with poor wait staff may have been a one off. When I come back to the area I'll be sure to keep this restaurant on my list though. The atmosphere alone is worth the experience and the food I am definitely willing to explore more of. Lovely evening.

    Kayla C.

    Ahhh!! I ate the best gnocchi I have ever had in my life here(even better than gnocchi I have had in Italy)!!!!! The space: gorgeous!!! A wonderful outdoor patio where you can dine next to the bridgemill underneath the lovely twinkly lights. If it's too chilly or rainy, the dining room has a lovely ambiance- from the cozy bar to the open dining room. A bit off the beaten path, a quick walk away from the latin quarter, I highly suggest eating at this restaurant. They have a wonderfully curated wine list- I went with a glass of the nebbiolo and it didn't disappoint. Starters: - Aracini: Delicious-- Can't go wrong with fried cheesy rice balls! - Mozzarella with ham, hazelnuts and honey: UGH it was all so fresh an paired perfectly. It was darn good. Mains: - Gnocchi: PERFECT, the absolute best gnocchi I have EVER had. They were so pillowy/soft on the inside while having a slight crisp on the outside. OMG so flipping fresh, I couldn't even handle it. I had ordered the small size and immediately wished I went with large, not because it wasn't enough food but because I simply could never get too much of this gnocchi. - Tagliatelle: good, standard. No where near as mind-blowing as the gnocchi(my hubby had major food envy). Loved that the mushrooms were picked by a local guy in the area. Dessert: Tiramisu: yummy! Our waiter was amazing, food was insanely delicious, and the ambiance was perfect.

    Muscles and clams without clams
    Steve B.

    So your walking around Galway and notice an Italian restaurant at the end of a building. You take the narrow stairs down to the basement and there you find Il Vicolo, a little gem underneath an old flour mill. This place has ambiance with it's ranging display of wine bottles, old timbers and the center piece is the water wheel that has been in operation since 1849. We were lucky to get here a bit early and the bartender pointed what is probably the best seat in the house overlooking the spillway through an arched window. It has to be one of the more interesting seatings we have ever experienced. So we are off to a good start with friendly help and really cool setting. The menu was delivered by server #1 and it has a wide range and interesting selection of meat, seafood and pasta. The entrees are all reasonably priced which was a nice surprise given the location. I expected much higher. The table was provided a carafe of water with lemon and mint which was nice touch to upgrade plan old tab water. We ordered the bruschetta as a starter from server # 2 which was well portioned for two when was delivered by server #3. It was a nice mild blend of garlic and basil as you would expect and the tomatoes were fresh. It was a bit more salty than we would have preferred but it did not diminish the plate. For diner, I ordered the pork and beef meatballs with a side of pasta and my wife ordered the muscles and clams. The meals were delivered in a reasonable amount of time by server #4 and the food was hot and freshly prepared. The meatballs seemed to be all meat and there was eight smaller than golf ball size as a portion. The meatballs were mild with not a lot of seasoning, at least that I could taste. I found the red sauce, although a rich meaty tomato paste, blah. There wasn't much happening with the palette on this plate. It was a decent portion but overall I was left wanting something else. My wife ordered the muscles and clams which looked delicious when it was delivered by server #5. She was pleased with the garlic and tomato broth but began to notice no claims. We asked the bartender what was up with the missing clams and he said he would check into it. We had to follow up a second time to learn that they were out of claims and that the waiter # who knows who should have mentioned that to us when we ordered. Somewhere between the bartender seating us and server #5, there was a loss of focus on our table. We waited longer and longer times for each element of service. We finally had to get up from the table and go get our check since nobody seemed responsible for us. No one checked on our meal shortly after it was delivered to see if we were satisfied. So overall, the place is a very special location and would be a hoot to visit on a warm day or evening. We may have hit at the beginning of the dinner hour so they weren't fully up to speed but the service did knock my rating down. This could most definitely be five stars but lack of a stellar red sauce for an Italian restaurant, goofy service arrangement and claims without claims leaves me ponder somewhere between a 3 and 4 star. But giving them the benefit of the doubt, I will tip towards 4. Also, no Yelp check-in deals. :-(

    Pork belly crostini
    Shirley W.

    A gem of a place! Found this while walking along???? and wanted Italian food. So glad we came here for a delicious and relaxing dinner. Had the lobster ravioli. Delicious. A surprise find

    I posted my review on Yelp page for former location. This hidden gem moved into Galways oldest building in June.
    Laura J.

    Best meal service and ambience ever!!! I posted my review on Yelp page for former location. This hidden gem moved into Galways oldest building in June. If you are getting engaged look no further this is the place to do it. Book your Valentines Day reservation now for this delicious hot spot.

    Monkfish with parmaham

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    2 years ago

    Absolutely perfect restaurant, food, wine and ambience. I ordered the special appetizer and main (urchin pasta), delicious.

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    9 years ago

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    4 years ago

    Expensive, but delicious. Beautiful location right by the river. Why do I have to write more words before this gets posted?

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    7 years ago

    Cozy and rustic place with great food and wines. Live jazz was playing the night we were there. Would definitely suggest this place

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Excellent food tucked away in a little space. Great atmosphere but a little warm inside.

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    9 years ago

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    10 years ago

    Without even a bite, I can tell you this restaurant is top of the line. Service, charm, wine selection...they excel at their craft.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - Il Vicolo

    They have a wonderfully curated wine list- I went with a glass of the nebbiolo and it didn't disappoint.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Jungle Cafe

    Jungle Cafe

    4.5(40 reviews)
    0.8 km
    €€

    Jungle Cafe is a quirky, relaxed spot right in the heart of Galway's bustling streets, somehow…read moreseamlessly blending tropical inspiration with cozy European café energy. From the outside, colorful signage and lush plant accents give off an inviting, sunshine-meets-Galway vibe; inside, the décor leans into greenery and relaxed seating that feels friendly and laid-back. There's a full, lush garden area within the actual restaurant, complete with bamboo barriers, palm fronds, wicker seating, and plush couches. At around 11:30am on a Sunday, my party of eleven was looking for a cute brunch spot close o the Galway train station as we arrived for a day trip. Thanks to the courteous staff and some table rearrangement, they were able to seat our large party almost immediately, despite the space being almost full. The menu isn't too extensive, but has a variety of brunch dishes (there's a bit of a conundrum in that they serve brunch until 12:30pm, but they don't begin serving lunch after 1pm; I wonder what they do in the meantime?). They've essentially taken brunch classics and added their own fun, tropical twist, such as their "Mojo Rojo Toast" and Huevos Rancheros with a Brazilian twist. There's also a comprehensive drink menu, with coffee/tea, smoothies, and fresh-pressed juices. I began with their Double Espresso (€2.80), which came in a tiny, cute cup, with homemade sugar cubes on the side. I will say that as a group, we found their espresso overly acidic as compared to others we've sampled in Ireland, but it did the job in getting me sufficiently caffeinated. Others in my group enjoyed their Chai Lattes (€4.50)! For my main dish, I opted for their Cinnamon & Orange French Toast (€14), which consisted of two hearty slices of crusty bread soaked in custard, topped with creamy mascarpone, tangy pineapple salsa, and a crunchy oat crumble. This was a lovely variety of flavors and textures, and I love how the unsweetened mascarpone provided a richness to the dish without any sweetness. There was also fresh orange slices and passionfruit on the side, which provided a tropical touch! I also enjoyed the small drizzle of caramel syrup and powdered-sugar dusting over the top, which was a thoughtful touch of sweetness. My one note is that I do wish the toast itself were soaked a bit longer in the custard, as I found it a bit dry. According to my group, other standout dishes included the Overnight Oat Jar (€7.50), the Huevos Rancheros (€16), and the Smashed Avocado on Toast (€14.50). We truly enjoyed our time at Jungle Cafe; service was kind and efficient, the food was tasty, and it strikes that sweet spot between café casual and just a bit out-there. In general, Jungle Cafe sits in the moderate price range for Galway; while I usually wouldn't pay €14 for French toast, the creativity and fresh ingredients made it feel worth the spend when you want a fun, vibrant meal. It's the perfect place for brunch with friends or a casual lunch after exploring the city.

    Delicious breakfast menu with plenty of options, fresh juices, and coffee…read more Friendly staff. Amazing decor - it really felt like we were eating in the jungle. Plenty of seating both "outdoors" (fully covered and enclosed) and indoors. Highly recommend as a fun breakfast/brunch spot!

    Photos
    Jungle Cafe
    Jungle Cafe - Cinnamon & Orange French Toast (€14)

    Cinnamon & Orange French Toast (€14)

    Jungle Cafe - Chai

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    Chai

    Food 4 Thought - Vegetarian Breakfast Platter & Chai Latte (with oat milk)

    Food 4 Thought

    4.8(17 reviews)
    0.4 km

    Our wedding officiant brought us here for some café americano and sweets, following our little tour…read morewith him around Galway. I loved the outdoor seating that allows you to take in the air, the narrow streetways, the buildings that have stood here for centuries. While we could only do outdoor seating at the time due to the COVID-19 lockdown measures, this turned out to be quite the good fortune. Where we sat was a nice spot to see the various people walking down the street, engage in conversation, all the while enjoying a cafe Americano and some tasty baked goods like brownies and shortbread with chocolate on top. If you know where to walk from the Eyre Square, it's a great find, moderately priced, and very tasty eats. Hopefully, the next time I can have some of the hot dishes they also offer when we return to Galway.

    Was roaming around the Saturday market and discovered this cafe nearby. Ordered a vegetarian…read morebreakfast platter (+ avocado) and a Chai latte (with oat milk since they were out of soy). Both were excellent and very filling. The cafe is located just off the busy street and has some some outdoor seating. The window seating is great for people-watching. They have both books and newspapers as decorations/available for reading around the cafe. There's also two small restrooms (men and women, but they're individual rooms anyways). The staff were nice and the place was very comfortable. Highly recommend!

    Photos
    Food 4 Thought - Vegan shepherd's pie + cole slaw (non-vegan, vegetarian)

    Vegan shepherd's pie + cole slaw (non-vegan, vegetarian)

    Food 4 Thought - Goodies!

    Goodies!

    Food 4 Thought - Books for decoration and reading

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    Books for decoration and reading

    Il Vicolo - cafes - Updated May 2026

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