We lucked out with patio seating at 7pm on a Saturday night. We were in the mood for seafood and…read moreGemelle's looked like a great spot for local mussels. Unfortunately they were already sold out but we got a dozen local oysters, seafood chowder and fillet of hake. Paired with a 12-year Redbreast, a single pot still Irish whiskey. The chowder was packed full of fish including hake and salmon. It's a bit thinner than American chowders but made with local cream and no potatoes. It's a hearty bowl packed with seafood and no fillers. The oysters are Kelly Gigas, and many connoisseurs claim the west coast of Ireland produces the best oysters in the world. It was €36 per dozen and they were indeed excellent. The Fillet of Hake, Grilled and served with sweet potato puree, green vegetables and a coconut ginger, chilli and coriander sauce. This was outstanding. The house made Irish brown bread with softened butter was the best we've had so far.

Closed kept looking for it no luck. Walked around looking for it. Closed or it's invisibleread more

Had a delicious dinner last night at Kai. 8:30pm reservation and the place was quite busy still…read more Service was terrific, glad we took a taxi from town Centre as it wasn't clear where one would park otherwise. Cozy and interesting interior and noise level fine for conversation. The food was fabulous, especially after several nights of pub food. - Hapi bread and butter - 5/5 three kinds of bread all delicious and it is true, hard not to eat it all and get full before the very large main dishes arrive! - sole with samphire and cherry tomatoes - 5/5 outstanding fish on the bone, delicate flavors and a HUGE portion that I could not finish - strip steak - 5/5 my partner thoroughly enjoyed his steak - Steve's leaves - 5/5 this was a very delicious collection of slightly dill cucumber pieces, lettuce leaves, pomegranate seeds, cherry tomatoes, fennel, dill with a light dressing - refreshing! - side potatoes - 4/5 solid offering but nothing special - coconut and apricot sorbet with black and white sesame brittle - 5/5 a light and tasty way to finish off a very filling meal! Had to take the sesame brittle to go Kai just came out with their cookbook this year which is a very good read. I highly recommend both Kai when in Galway and the cookbook for when you're not!

After several nights of pub food, we were ready for something special, and Kai absolutely…read moredelivered. Opened in 2011 by chef Jess Murphy and her husband, Dave, Kai has become one of Galway's most celebrated restaurants. While it doesn't have a Michelin star for fine dining, it has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand and Ireland's only Michelin Green Star, recognizing both its outstanding food and commitment to local, sustainable ingredients. What impressed me most wasn't just how delicious everything tasted. Every plate looked like it belonged in an art gallery. We started with the Kelly oysters and Kai's signature Cupla Crab. The crab looked more like a modern sculpture than dinner, and the flavors were every bit as impressive as the presentation. The rainbow carrots may have been the best carrots I've ever eaten. And when a restaurant serves bread as good as Kai's Hapi Bakery loaf with incredible butter, it's easy to fill up before the entrées even arrive. For the mains, Brady's Strip Steak was perfectly charred and incredibly tender, while the signature Black Sole was outstanding. The Andarl pork chop was the only dish that didn't quite reach the same level, as we found it just a touch dry. The oregano potatoes made a hearty side for the table. Dessert finished the evening on a high note. Mum's Pavlova was almost too beautiful to eat, and my Smokey Teeling Whiskey Fudge & Espresso was the perfect ending.

Location! Location! Location!…read more Pier Head Bar & Restaurant features a beautiful view of the harbor! It's steps away from it. The view is great, especially while you enjoy some Irish food. We stopped in this area of Kinvara for 45 minutes and stumbled upon Pier Head Bar & Restaurant on the corner. My husband and I shared a bite to eat. Service was good. Atmosphere was tranquil and relaxing. This seems like a quiet area, at least during the week it is. I can't speak for weekends. And the views are amazing! 10/10 experience overall

We were completely underwhelmed. Our past experiences with seaside restaurants lead us to believe…read morewe would be experiencing fresh delicious seafood. When the only shellfish on the menu turned out to be frozen prawns and the fish was dry and overdone we knew we were dining in less than mediocre circumstances. The duck was as tough as a boot. Portions were small with none of the amazing sides we have had in other restaurants. This was our worst dining experience in Ireland, but all the other amazing meals from other venues will hopefully be the ones we remember. The ambience was terrible as a stone sea wall and a car park were the only views . I would highly recommend visitors to Kinvara to take a walk around town and find another venue.

My husband says their lamb shank dish was one of the top 5 meals he's ever eaten in his life!…read more We are foodies, and stumbled into Cooke's as a way to get out of the cold in 2018 from an incoming hurricane. From the outside it is warmly lit, and cozily welcoming you in. We cannot suggest this place enough. With Cookes being open on Monday evening (many are not) do not think for one second that you will be "settling" in taste, atmosphere or price. Cooke's was delicious and we cannot wait to be able to travel again. We will be stopping into Cooke's as soon as we are back within Galway city limits!!

Good mussels, although a bit thin and small. Fantastic Atlantic chowder was amazing, thick, creamy,…read morelarge bits of meat and veg... I could've eaten another bowl happily! I was seated quickly at a table right by the door, perfect for 1 person, although might be tight for two, since you can really only sit on the side facing the bar with the traffic going by around you. Overall nice place to duck into for a late lunch/early dinner.

Many places in Ireland use a system of going up to the bar/counter to order your food/drinks giving…read morethem your table number and settling up payment. Then they bring it to your table when it's ready. A big pro is not having to wait for the check at the end of your meal. Food for thought folks. 5 stars

The Ivy Cottage is a lovely setting for lunch or dinner. It has indoor and outside seating…read moreavailable. The menu is streamlined, but everything I've had so far has been fresh and delicious. It's popular and oftentimes there is a line to get a table. The staff does their best to seat guests as soon as possible. Note the closing time of 8pm is firm, so be sure to arrive before that. Staff is kind but due to the busyness of the restaurant, service can be scattered or slow, so remember, you're on vacation. Wine and beer available. Parking can be difficult in the area. Allow time to find parking, if you're driving.

The seafood was fabulous . First time I have had hake as a…read morefish and chips and it was delicate and went great with a wonderful light crispy batter . The langoustine scampi was tremendous also . Star of the show was the oysters with the Vietnamese dressing . Wow! a must try if you can eat oysters . The dressing paired with the oyster so well . The decor is gorgeous in the restaurant as well and good service complimented the food also . You can buy salad cream and a quarter of rhubarb and custards at the bar also if you so need . The bar is stocked with odds and ends which is cool .

I arrived a little before opening, and they were kind enough to let us sit while they finished…read moresetting up. Inside was classic Irish pub style/ rustic. The oysters were my favorite, especially with the Vietnamese dressing! The seafood chowder had huge chunks of fish, but was a little too fishy for my taste. The fish and chips were great, though, with very generous portions. Service was a bit slow, but that may have just been because we arrived right at opening. Overall, a solid spot with some good dishes.

Fast, friendly service in a cute little restaurant serving traditional Irish food…read more My friends and I visited for the full Irish breakfast experience and it did not disappoint... It was fried potatoes, fried egg, 2 sausage, 2 bacon, beans, grilled tomato, mushrooms, black and white pudding, toast and soda bread, coffee or tea and orange juice. Though, I could only manage the mini version, which didn't come with tomato, mushrooms or orange juice and had only 1 sausage and 1 bacon. It was the perfect amount for me and delicious! I enjoyed every bite. The only thing I was disappointed about is that it didn't come with soda bread as it stated on the menu because I love me some soda bread. Instead it came with brown bread...at least, I'm 99% on this... but I could possibly be mistaken. If I am, it was not like any other soda bread I have seen or eaten. Either way, it was good too.

Best shepard's pie of my life, amen. So rich and everything that's missing in other pies. Don't…read moreshare it :) Definitely go here for home cooked meal vibe.

The food was great! One of the best fish and chips that I have had. The fish was I believe beer…read morebattered COD no fishy taste. The fish was very fresh. We had some calamari as well no fishy taste very fresh and big chunks. The salad was fresh. The service was good they stayed on top of everything and no complaints. The facility was quite very low noise and was a picture perfect Irish pub. I didn't see any seating at the bar but may have missed it.

Excellent experience! We took a scenic route back to Galway, after visiting Connemara National…read morePark, and came across this well reviewed restaurant along the ocean. Lots of seating outdoors, but being it was super windy, it was impossible to eat outside. We were greeted immediately upon entrance. We did not have a reservation and unfortunately all tables with ocean views were occupied. We kinda begged our server for an ocean view table, and she made it happen! A previous reservation had cancelled. We ordered a few drinks and for dinner- beef with mushroom gravy and cod with mussels and potatoes. The cod was absolutely delicious!!! A generous portion on top of potatoes and mussels in a light coconut curry. The fish was not overcooked, but flaky and moist. The beef was juicy and had a lovely mushroom and onion gravy. Chef kisses to both entries!! Service was great with prompt service and friendliness. After dinner, we wandered outside to check out the ocean views, and a beautiful rainbow appeared in the horizon. This restaurant was definitely worth the stop!