The Wicklow Heather Restaurant -- Glendalough Road, Laragh, Co. Wicklow A98 D983…read moreVisited: June 2026 Five stars. The Wicklow Heather is the best restaurant in the Wicklow Mountains, and a meal here is as much a part of the Glendalough experience as the ancient monastic site itself. Why The Wicklow Heather is the essential County Wicklow dining destination: Over 50 years in operation and still at the top of its game. This family-run restaurant in the village of Laragh -- minutes from Glendalough -- has earned its place as the go-to dining destination for visitors to the Wicklow Mountains National Park, and one visit explains exactly why. TripAdvisor's #1-ranked restaurant in Laragh with over 2,590 reviews, it has been nominated for Best Restaurant in Wicklow -- accolades it genuinely deserves. The food is exceptional and authentically Irish. The slow-cooked venison shank is absolutely incredible -- a dish that showcases the kitchen's commitment to quality local ingredients and traditional long-cooked techniques. The lamb's rump delivers outstanding flavor. The Full Heather breakfast -- free-range eggs, dry-cured bacon, sausages, black and white pudding, roast vine tomatoes, and grilled sourdough -- is one of the great Irish breakfasts. The Irish stew is, simply, something else entirely. All dishes are freshly prepared with locally sourced, organic produce where possible. The atmosphere is the perfect counterpart to a day in the Wicklow Mountains: warm, cozy, rustic, charming, and deeply Irish. Condé Nast Traveler calls the vibe "rustic-kitsch" and the service "like you're a local" -- both accurate. The wine list is well-curated with a fine champagne and sparkling selection, and the cocktail menu is worth exploring. For anyone asking where to eat near Glendalough, where to find the best Irish food in County Wicklow, or what to do on a day trip from Dublin to Wicklow -- eat here. The Wicklow Heather is not just a restaurant; it is part of the Irish countryside experience.

An excellent (large!) lunch after a visit & hike at Glendalough. Great for families, with…read morehighchairs available for children. Ample outdoor seating and indoor as well, with quick service and delicious food.

The traditional white-washed irish cottage exterior and river-side setting alone is reason enough…read moreto make this off-the-beaten-path journey. But take the time to go inside this wonderful cozy pub that is clearly loved by its locals. One visit and you'll understand why. Lucky for me, I get to visit Ireland every year and with each new adventure I seek country pubs steeped with history and charm. Serving the prerequisite perfect pint of Guinness, Fishermans was this years winner! Extensive selection of drinks, enough snacks/light food options to keep you nourished, and a friendly atmosphere that will make you want to linger.

Perhaps my most memorable stop in a wonderful trip to Ireland. I don't think that I'll ever forget…read morethe night my buddy and I went behind the bar and served locals pints of Guinness.

The Scarlet Vetter says....stopped into the quaint cobblestone village of Roundwood in County…read moreWicklow outside of Dublin, and was surprised to find this beautiful gem of an establishment. It boasts being recognized in the top 100 restaurants by the New York Sunday Times and is in the Michelin guide. Quite possibly one of the most cozy, welcoming places one could find off the beaten path in Ireland. Gorgeous, old-world interior with wood stoves and fireplaces in every room, deep padded armchairs you can lose yourself in. Sink into one of these, accompanied by an excellent cup of tea, crusty buttery croissant with fresh made grass-fed cow cream and admire tons of fun little Tchotchkes and handmade crafts, many of which are for sale. Attentive and smiley staff to boot. A pleasant repaste for a lazy weekend morning!

We stopped in here by chance while passing through Roundwood yesterday. What a fantastic place!!…read more Roan, the chief bartender, brings passion and creativity to his cocktails. I came in thirsting wildly for a Guinness, but when I saw him meticulously preparing a Whiskey Sour with his own special touches, I pivoted to that. Just like my wife's "White Linen", we could not have been happier with our cocktails! Also, it just so happened that Wednesdays are "Pizza Night" so we went to the pizzeria/mini grocer connected to The Coach House and ordered our fresh, delicious, pizzas that were delivered to us back at the bar. The Coach House has several different eating rooms, each with its own look and feel. We were very comfortable just eating at the bar and picking Roan's brain for his secret cocktail recipes!!

I cannot believe how large this pub is inside! We stopped by after seeing it on a "Traditional Pubs…read moreof Ireland" poster, and because my grandfather's name was James Griffin. The atmosphere was perfect! It was early Sunday morning, and there were already a few locals inside having their morning beer and reading the newspaper. I did some exploring because it looks so small on the outside, but you get in, and it just keeps going and going. Looks like they get large crowds during the evenings, and even offer lots of live music and DJs. The bartender was friendly.

What can I say besides fabulous! Trim is off the beaten path from Dublin, but definitely on the map…read morewhen it comes to historical must-sees while you're in Ireland! So when you pass thru Trim to see the Castle, call in to this gorgeous pub. When you walk in, it is old school classic pub with beautiful woodwork and bar. From there, you can go in the cozy fireplace room that feels and looks great and leads to another cozy area to meet and be with friends. If you like patios, you're at the right place! Step out back and find a covered & climate controlled patio that is huge! They have a large smoking patio area (you can't smoke inside in Ireland either). Thru the patio, you can see a big events room that you can host a reception, party, meeting, whatever. It's been a few months since my last visit, but I've heard they have a new beer garden too! Oh yes, the drinks...the Guinness is perfect. You can get almost any tasty beverage here from a nice bartender. The owner is hands-on and always working to keep this place top notch.

Very friendly service and fresh food. Cosy atmosphere and inviting. Plenty of parking in the…read moreback, so easy to get to. We stopped by for an app and beer. The vegetable soup was so natural and good and the fried cheese was great. Cold beer as well. Would come back.

My friend and I stopped by Byrne & Woods after a hike on the Wicklow Way stopping in Roundwood. We…read morewere walking around the town and saw an ad promoting the restaurant because it was featured in the Michelin Guide for a few years. We weren't looking for a full meal, but we stopped in and ordered dessert. We ordered the rich sticky toffee pudding. I've never had it before so I expected more of a pudding consistency, but it was more like chocolate cake. It was good, but not the best dessert I've ever had. The atmosphere was quite and mostly empty. I guess it wasn't dinner rush yet (although it was around 4-5 PM). They do have free wifi here, which is always great to have when you don't have any cell/data service in a foreign country. Ask the bartender for the password!

Our tour guide Liam brought us in here for lunch after touring the Avoca Wool Mill. We were only a…read moregroup of 5, and when we walked in, it wasn't busy, and were seated right away. This was going to be my first Irish meal of the trip so of course I wanted something that was more traditional Irish food! The group ordered: - beef stew x2 - Cottage Pie x2 - Irish Coffees x2 - Vegetable Soup of the Day I personally got the cottage pie and it was delicious! Large order of food I thought, with pie, fries, and a salad! My mom got the soup and didn't like it that much, she loved my cottage pie though and kept stealing bites of it. The soup was more a puree, and I personally was not a fan of it either. The others loved the stew and our tour guide was a fan of the cottage pie as well! Overall, I enjoyed my lunch here!

Loved this little place! We stopped here for a late lunch with our tour bus after spending the day…read morein the Wicklow Mountains. The tour company must have a deal with Fitzgerald's as he called when we were 20 mins out and they were ready for us. Greeted us with a tray full of Irish Whiskey and Baileys for everyone. The menu is all traditional Irish food and was really good. My wife got the vegetable soup & Bulmers cider, and I got bangers and mash along with a pint of Guinness. It was really good and the locals that hang out there were all very friendly and came over to talk with everyone from our group once we finished eating. I asked the one local how many people lived in this tiny village and he said, "Not sure how many in the town, but there are 27 people and 3 dogs on this street". It was so awesome and felt like going back 100 years in time.

Tasty food at very affordable prices, pints were great too. Would definitely recommend anyone to…read moretry it themselves and I'll be definitely back again.

They redecorated and the pub is really very nice. It hasn't really lost character but it is clean…read moreand comfortable. As the only pub now in Ashford, it attracts everyone and they are very nice and friendly to everyone. It once had a rough reputation but that is certainly not the case anymore. It is the kind of place everyone is welcome and made to feel comfortable but not pretentious and can be said a real Ashford pub. Very worth the visit.

If you are looking for a beautiful place to stay in County Wicklow, Ireland. I highly recommend…read morestaying at the Meetings Bed&Breakfast. The Meetings Bed&Breakfast is a Gem! I arrived to the Rathdrum Train Station and unfortunately all the taxi company's were tied up working a wedding In the area. I called the Meetings Bed&Breakfast to see if they could organize a cab for me. About ten minutes later a car pulls up. To my surprise and amazement it was the owner of the Meetings Bed&Breakfast Derek. He helped me with my bags and drove me to his establishment. Upon arriving he helped me again with my bags and showed me to my room. Derek also showed me around his establishment. I was made feel very Welcome! I ended up having a few pints at the Meetings Pub. Derek and his Family all run the B&B, The pub and store on the premises. They are all True Professionals and very cool in my book. They take so much pride in their business and genuinely care about their guests. My room was so modern, very clean. My room had a great flat screen TV. You have a great selection of TV Channels due to it being hooked up to a satellite dish. My bed was so comfortable also. The next morning I had breakfast! Honestly the breakfast is probably one of the best Traditional Irish Breakfast's I have had in many years. The coffee and orange juice tasted great. Absolutely no complaints from me! The Meetings Bed and Breakfast rates Five Stars and more! It should be noted I am originally from Dublin, Ireland, lived in the United States for over Thirty Years and traveled all over the world with the United States Marines all over the world. I definitely know a great Bed&Breakfast from all my travels and life experiences. Lastly the views from the Bed&Breakfast are absolutely amazing! You literally get to see we're the rivers meet up! The Meetings Pub & Breakfast is A must visit in County Wicklow, Ireland!

Dropped into this pub recently for food, and found the service at the bar to be poor. There was at…read moreleast three women stationed behind the bar, and my partner was routinely ignored - either they walked straight past him or served another customer. who was not waiting as long as him. This did not happen once, but on three separate occasions - very bad first impression overall. Alcohol on tap was nice, but some beer in bottles not stored in a cooler, and so first bottle I received was completely flat. Food was extremely expensive, however, it was delicious. My partner had the venison and he absolutely loved it. Cannot fault the chef for the high standard of food or the waitress who served us food. There seemed to be a huge disparity between the professionalism seen in the restaurant area - waiters neatly dressed and food received exemplary - and the bar - not all waiters wearing a uniform and poor service. Even though the food was lovely, I would not dine here again or recommend it to others based on poor service and over priced menu.

Delicios food. Lovely staff and very good service…read more We highly recommend it Definitely back again

Excellent ans delicious food. Horrible service…read more Ambience was fine, but unfriendly staff made us feel unwelcome. Also they don't allow you split the bill so make sure you have cash unless one person is prepared to foot the bill for all!

If you are looking for an amazing Pub in County Wicklow , Ireland.I highly recommend visiting…read moreO'Tools Traditional Bar located on the Main Street Of Aughrim. The pints are amazing! James O'Toole and his staff are all so professional kind and genuinely care about about their customers. This establishment rates five stars and more! It should be noted I am originally from Dublin Ireland and lived in the United States for over thirty years and served in the United States Marines all over the world. I definitely know a great bar from all my life experiences and travels all over the world. I definitely will return in the near future! A must visit if you are looking for great pints. You definitely won't be disappointed!