My husband and I went on an EF tour of Scotland and Ireland for our anniversary McSwiggan's was our excursion dinner before the Trad on the Prom show. Unique interior, tree in the middle of stairs. Had the Connemara Irish Stew delicious and filling. My husband had the brownie and said it was great. I had the Banoffee Pie- banana, caramel, cream and toasted hazelnuts. Loved this local dessert. The staff was great and quick getting our meals out to our big group. read more

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Great atmosphere and service with amazing food and drink. The Sunday lunch roast was amazing. I highly recommend. read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Sunday lunch roast. - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

I was in Galway on a day trip from Dublin and had some time to kill before heading back to the bus so I wandered around a bit before stumbling across McSwiggan's. I was craving seafood and saw there was a seafood platter on the menu so I decided to sit down for a meal. The restaurant was very dark inside so it took a bit for my eyes to adjust. It wasn't very busy inside but I hoped it wasn't an indication of poor quality food or service. I started out with some oysters since ... well, why not? The oysters were fresh and delicious but a bit rough-looking due to what looks like inexperience with the shucking process. They were torn up but still tasted great. The mignonette was very strong - almost tasted like straight vinegar. The seafood platter was very nice and a couple of items were new to me - for example the shrimp in marie rose sauce - I've never had this before and the sauce had a ketchup flavor, and unfortunately I really dislike ketchup, so I didn't really love this sauce. The shrimp tasted very fresh though. The poached salmon was probably my favorite item on the plate. It was perfectly poached and still quite moist in the middle. The crab was very nice as well. I couldn't finish the walnut bread so I had it wrapped up to have later. I really enjoyed it with my cup of tea. Service was very friendly and non-intrusive. I would definitely recommend trying McSwiggan's if you're in the area. read more

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Came here with a group. Very nice atmosphere just don't bother to try the Lamb Stew. I did and got a bowl of potatoes

Classy restaurant in Galway for a perfect date night. After a stressful evening of driving we needed a place for dinner to treat ourselves. We were recommended to go to McSwiggans by a local, saying this is one of the go to spots for steak and seafood. We made a reservation in advance which allowed us to get seated immediately (no need to wait in the queue for a table). This restaurant was several floors and the decor around was quite interesting (spotted a boat and tree along the way as we made our way to our seat). Our server took us to our table which is a bit small for the both of us but it had a nice view of the street below. We started off with a couple cocktails and Caesar salad to share for appetizer. These were delicious. We then ordered the seafood plate and gnocchi pomodoro for mains. The seafood platter had so much variety from smoked salmon, oyster, crab, and prawns. They all tasted so fresh. The only downside was the soda bread that came along with it was very dry. The server was attentive and friendly, checking on us throughout our meal and refilling our water as needed. Had a great time at McSwiggans and would recommend! read more

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We had a team dinner here while I was visiting HQ. My meal consisted of the Seafood Chowder which was chock full of seafood in a creamy soup base. My main course was the Pan Seared Fillets of Sea Bass with a warm salad of new potato, fennel, sundried tomato & citrus dressing. I had three beautiful fillets of fish. The salad was a good complement to the fish. I had an old-fashioned which they smoked. It was smooth and not too sweet. Our servers were friendly. The ambiance is comfortable. Lots of wood all around. There was a tree next to a staircase where I was seated that gave a nice touch. read more

Came here for lunch when my boyfriend and I were in Galway and food was great! For starters, we ordered 6 oysters and fried calamari. For entree, I ordered fish and chips and my boyfriend ordered a burger. Oysters were very fresh but we only ordered 6 since it was a little pricy. The calamari portion was a little smaller than expected but it was tasty! I loved the fish and chips a lot! The fish was perfectly fried--light and crispy. The fries were chunky and tasted great since it was made with Irish potato! I'm not a big fan of peas in general and didn't try the mashed peas but all fish and chips in Ireland comes with mashed peas! Highly recommend this place if you ever visit Galway! read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

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Excellent service and terrific food. We found out the hard way on this trip that reservations are key. It was very easy to make an online reservation for our party of 5. The space was really lovely and not too loud. We enjoyed the steak, seafood plate, trout special and the fish and chips. Everything was fresh and delicious. They have a good wine list and the beer choice is always Guinness when you're in Ireland. Michelle was our waitress and she did a great job of making sure we had what we needed without being overbearing. There is plenty of parking nearby and afterwards you can stroll over to one of the local pubs for live music and a night cap. We would definitely come back here read more

Amazing dinner. Our table ordered Chateaubriand , lamb, and petite filet. It was everything a tourist is expecting. Two thumbs up!

This restaurant has to be the worse restaurant I have ever went to as someone with allergies. I as well as a companion with the same allergy both informed the waitress of our allergy. She then recommends me something that I can clearly see on the menu has that allergen. She apologies and recommends something else that she assures does not have my allergen. My companion and I eat her recommendation and find out not only does our food have this allergen. It has it in huge chunks. I had to be rushed to the emergency room and spent hours in the ER. I had a severe anaphylactic reaction and quite frankly almost died. The staff there has no clue what goes into their food and that is just dangerous. The food was not even that good allergic reaction aside. read more

Delicious seafood!! Mussels were amazing as was the seafood chowder. A great spot for dinner. read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Seafood chowder, chicken caeser salad, salmon entree. - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

Americans touring through Galway and we were looking for dinner... we originally chose another restaurant nearby and were told we could not be seated without a reservation. The hostess recommended McSwiggans as it was just around the corner and we're so glad she did! Outstanding service, outstanding food, and they couldn't have been more accommodating to six tired tourists! We tried the muscles, Seabass, and I had a the aged fillet and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly... I recommend you check this place out! read more

Very good fish and chips and friendly service throughout our visit. Fun place on trivia night too!

First off - this is a beautiful restaurant, excellent decor. The food was excellent, as were the drinks. My kids enjoyed their meals as well. We had the calamari app, and then the mussel dinner as well as the venison. All were great. The downside - the service. We felt extremely neglected. Our drink glasses (water and alcohol) were empty for most of the time we sat down, no one checked on us throughout our meal (and the server was managing the other three tables in our nook of the restaurant, and went to those multiple times). We are normally a family who likes getting multiple courses and drinks, and honestly just pair the bill and left when he finally came back (at least 10 -15 minutes after we had all finished our plates, and at least 30 minutes without anything drink). I'm not sure if it's because we had kids with us (who are extremely well behaved), but it's like we were being ignored. The server said it was because they were busy but we saw the other tables getting attended to. The food is the only thing that saved my review. read more

We had the best service, and delicious food! The chicken pie was spectacular and so was the steak! read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Oysters! - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

The food is the best I have ever had- ever! So fresh. We ate dinner upstairs, and came back again for the bar food and that was just as amazing. Bought a gift certificate for family. Highly recommend. Prices reasonable I thought considering how wonderful the food is. Atmosphere is great. Just loved it and now my favorite place (we live in napa CA and have many culinary delights, but mcswiggens tops anything I have ever had). read more

Heard about this place while sitting in a dive bar a few blocks away. Bumped into some fellow Californian's who told us where they were going. (I'm a Santa Rosa/Windsor gal). We had arrived earlier from Cork and still had our bags in tow. They had us put them under the stairs and seated us upstairs. The atmosphere was comfortable. It's an old building (we could hear the staff walking above us) but it was tidy and clean. Great wallpaper with pictures of chickens on it. My sister was worried about our bags so they brought them up. nice service without making us feel wrong. The staff was fabulous!!! Service was great. My sister was trying to book us a cab and was being told it would be 2 hours before pick up. She told our server and he came back a couple of minutes later and said our taxi would arrive in a few minutes! The food was off the charts. Sister said the oysters were the BEST she'd ever had! I had a lovely goat cheese and beet salad followed by a chicken liver pate that was creamy, earthy and perfectly seasoned. It was just what I needed. I will go again when in Galway. read more

Such a yummy place! The oysters were the best I've had and the mussels were so good too! The gnocchi was sooo yummy too full of peas and zucchini! The staff was so friendly and the ambiance was so welcoming and fancy feeling! One thing to note is there were a lot of Americans there like probably only Americans haha read more

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Good food and great tea. And amazing speed. The service is quick, and the ambience is quiet. I love it!!! read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Food provided by the resturant - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

Best meal I had my entire trip to Ireland! I make sure to mention this meal every anyone asks about my trip. I still dream about those creamed leeks and the fish and chips were delicious. Great gin and tonics as well as ambiance and service! read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Fish and chips, honey and thyme glazed carrots, creamed leeks, Connemara lamb stew, gin and tonic - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

We were searching for a great place to have dinner with my aunt who turned 90 near our hotel and her grandson said go here. I asked our waiter, Aaron, for a recommendation, and he enthusiastically suggested the lamb stew. As someone who raises lamb in the States and has a deep appreciation for it, I have to say this stew was exceptional! The flavors were rich and perfectly balanced, making it one of the best lamb dishes I've ever had. If I could give them a 10, I would! I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a fantastic meal. Kudos to Aaron and the kitchen team! read more

Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. Highly recommend if you're in Galway, you must stop in for a pint!!!

Not good for solo diners. Multiple courses and definitely wasn't getting checked on like other tables. Dirty plates sat at the table for longer and I had to find waitress for check. This was upstairs though read more

Much bigger on the inside than expected. I believe there are 3-4 floors. The bottom floor is the bar and the "restaurant" starts on the 3rd floor I believe. A decent sized menu with plenty of options. I got the trio of seafood - breaded cod, smoked cod, and salmon as well as the monkfish medallions. The rice that came with the monkfish was pretty bad (dry and hard) while the monkfish itself was decent. The sauce that it comes with is not as heavy as it looks. The trio of fish was a solid dish, the breading is really light and the fish was cooked perfectly. Their beer selection was awesome, naturally. Solid option but there are A LOT of food and beer options on Shop St. so ymmv read more

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Got into town late and this restaurant was recommended to us. We showed up before 8 pm with a party of 9 and no reservation. The kitchen closes early and they almost seemed not to want our business. However, they were able to accommodate us and we sat in a very nice room (the place is cavernous). The food was OUTSTANDING! Maybe our best meal in Ireland. Most of the group had steak and loved it. I had the salmon and it was fantastic. Highly recommend. read more

This place seems to go on forever. There are multiple floors and so many bars and rooms. Overall, my experience was phenomenal, but the only thing that turned me off was that you cant eat at the bar so we had to get some drinks and then go upstairs to get a table. Not a deal breaker but as a tourist in another country that is how we meet people and get good recommendations so it was a bummer. We had the mussels, oysters and provolone starters. The oysters were served with a French vinaigrette and were amazingly good. The provolone was also phenomenal. The mussels were a massive portion. I couldn't believe how many we got. We then got mains and had the rack of lamb and fish and chips. Both were good and would give 5/5 stars. The service was quite slow and we had to wait 10+ minutes every time we ordered a new drink. Overall, however, I'd definitely go back. read more

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Food and drinks were good but the service left a bit to be desired. Maybe we were just there at the wrong time of the day.....

One of my favorite restaurants in Galway. Great atmosphere (the back section has a multi-level treehouse kind of feel), consistently great food, and very friendly and attentive staff. Reservations recommended during busy times, but no worries just walking in in the off-season. As with most restaurants in Galway, best to leave the car at the hotel and walk there. read more

The food here was delicious. I got the fish and chips and a side of carrots and it was all very fresh and flavorful. My parents both ordered steaks and were very happy with them- they raved about the garlic butter. Service was great and our waitress was very knowledgeable about the menu. We made a reservation which I recommend doing if you are going there for dinner. Definitely a step up from pub grub in the Dublin area! read more

Great Place! I lost count how many different little levels and offshoot rooms that were on my way in and up to the top floor. Got seated a nice little room with about seven or eight other tables and a whole lot of people. Scene was lively and the staff was great. I had the house chicken special, a chicken breast filled with cream cheese wrapped in bacon and crusted with breadcrumbs, it was fantastic! I'm just writing this review while I wait for the dessert... I have the weekly special coming for my dessert. It's a housemaid baked lemon cheesecake. Let's hope it's as good as the entrée was... read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Housemaid lemon cheesecake with vanilla ice cream and fresh whipped cream. - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

We were seated upstairs and on a muggy day the circulation from the open windows was very welcome. Food was fantastic and there was a good drink menu. Drinks were a little speedy but the food was excellent read more

I ordered the Surf and Turf and replaced the chips for some broccoli! The surf was salmon with a sort of garlic crust and the turf was a peppery beef steak cooked medium. It took a bit of time to get our food, but I have to say it was very very good. Galway is right next to the ocean and i'm happy to say that the salmon was just fantastic, and for me, it was the winner! Go Surf! The meal was pricey but it was a lot of food for one person, but i somehow managed to finish (probably because it was delicious). read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Surf and Turf! (Surf won but Turf was a close second) - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

Found this jewel based on a Taxi driver recommendation. The fish & chips was fantastic! Family got steak & burgers and everyone was happy. I rarely leave reviews. McSwiggans deserved one! read more

Food was amazing. My husband and I had fillet which was cooked perfectly. My brother had sea bass and his wife had salmon. Everything was perfect and delicious. Our waiter was attentive and provided excellent service. Nice bar downstairs and lovely upstairs dining. Not too noisy. read more

As many people know, Rick Steve's might be completely biased to some places over others, but my new hubby and I were super happy we have this one a go! The place as a great charm to it, and the wood on the floors are aged and taken care of. It's a classic Irish bar on the ground floor with seating, as well as several floors above for the restaurant. It was late afternoon, so we sat to the right of the bar. It was a great haven from the heavy down pour, and all I wanted was soup- and that damn brown bread I've been eating all over Ireland. The seafood chowder was just freshly made we were told, and it couldn't have hit the spot more! With beautiful chunks of salmon, bacon, potato, and I think even cod - with a sprinkle of dill. Dip in some buttered brown bread, and you're good to go! We got cups, but you can also get t his in a bowl serving as well if you want to get rid of that chill from the wet dampness that is Ireland. For the main entrees, my hubby got the steak sandwich that was cooked like schnitzel, while I had Lorraine quiche. It was really light and filled with vegetables and ham; a good alternative if you are in need of less meat*. The steak sandwich was definitely the better of the two, since I asked like six times to have a bite from my hubby. So, I pretty much ate for two. Again... The vibe was laid back. Like all Irish pubs, if you want to leave, get another beer, or pretty much anything else for that matter, you need to hunt down the waitress. Why I don't mind it here? Because they are ALL like this; they are just letting you get to know your company that much better. Iphones? Leave them in your pockets and just eat, drink, and enjoy. ----------------- less meat* - said no gay guy ever. read more

Note: all my recent vacation in Ireland Yelp reviews will have the same 1st paragraph preamble, for just the review itself skip to the 2nd paragraph. On a whirlwind 2 week vacation to Ireland, the girlfriend & I tried to see & experience absolutely as much of this incredible land as we could. We did not accomplish every last activity we wished we could have on our rather ambitious itinerary. Nonetheless, we did discover a land of numerous stunning & magical wonders. We did see a land of unending natural beauty. We did learn of a land with a monumentally long history of trials, tragedies & triumphs. We did get to meet many kind, humorous, warm & generous people. Our vacation to Ireland was just 2 weeks, but that was time enough to know this is a land easy to love & a land to be sorely missed. Well into the afternoon of a lazy day spent recuperating from the frenetic pace of our vacation, hunger drove the girlfriend & I out of our hotel room & over to Galway city center. We parked the rental car in a dubious area outside of parking enforcement & roved the streets in search of eats. McSwiggans Bar & Restaurant looked promising, so in we went. Patronage looked to be a fair mixture of locals & tourists. We sat at a small table in the bar area. At the table next to us were a couple of little old ladies who seemed to be from the area enjoying bowls of soup. At the bar was a group of New Yorkers from the States along with a Scotsman relative of theirs on vacation in Ireland. The place felt lively but not raucous. Our menus, orders & service was handled by both a server & the bartender. Both were very friendly & conversational. Of course, we started with a couple pints of Guinness. Having had a really great Seafood Chowder just a couple days before in Dingle, I ordered the Seafood Chowder here along with the Special Quiche. The girlfriend, also recently having had a memorable dish of her own, breaded Hake fillets in Killarney, ordered the Catch of the Day which was Plaice here. It didn't take long before our order was brought out to us. The Seafood Chowder was decent but not outstanding like the one I had in Dingle. The Special Quiche was pretty good but also not exceptional. The girlfriend said she really liked her Plaice but admitted that her Hake dish from Killarney was better. Her dish also had some kind of little fried mash potato balls & veggies. She told me I had to try those little fried mash potato ball things & she was right. I don't know exactly what those things were, but they were absolutely delicious. McSwiggans Bar & Restaurant is a nice spot in Galway with good food & a good crowd. While some of the dishes may not have been the best ever, just those little fried mash potato balls served as a side make this place worth a visit. read more

Had the pleasure of eating here while visiting Galway. The food here is quite good and is a mix of American food with hints of Asian, Latin and Irish influences. Dishes here aren't what you'd normally expect however in a good sense. Very unique taste to this place and definitely worth the visit if you're in the area or live here. I had the surf and turf and am accustomed to the American version of beef used in this dish. They used salmon as the surf and a very good cut of meat for the turf here. The meat, albeit different than what Americans are used, was very, very good. Can't quite put my finger on what they used but I know it tasted damn good. Sadly I'll probably never come back here since this trip was a one time thing however, if I ever get back in Galway, first pit stop will be here for their food. read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

During our stay in Galway we ate dinner here twice. The place looks small from the outside but once you get inside it's huge and also has upstairs seating with a few different rooms upstairs. The atmosphere is nice with low lighting - makes for a nice ambiance. Both nights there was live music on the bottom floor which all of us LOVED! This place is open later than most which is nice since a lot of places close earlier and we had a long day of traveling the first night. There were plenty of beer options. My favorites were Galway Hooker and Smithwick's - definitely must try while in Ireland. There's also a wide variety of food options as well (chicken, beef, seafood, pasta, and vegetarian). I thought that the menu items were a tad over priced. The food was really good and everyone was very pleased with their meals. The first night I had lamb and the second night I had the monk fish dinner with rice and cheese sauce - both meals were very delicious! read more

This place looks small but honestly when you get inside it is huge. There are several floors to accommodate guests. The atmosphere is nice with low lighting a nice ambience. This place is open later than most which is nice to accommodate people that are traveling. We actually decided to eat here after a long day of traveling. There are plenty of beer options. We tried several and were happy with all of our selections. There is a wide variety of food options as well. The menu items were a little over priced in my opinion. The food was good though and everyone was happy with their dish selections. If you want to pay by credit card, you have to go to one specific bar to do so. A little inconvenient but the bar tenders were very nice and personable and gave us tips about touring the area. read more

Walk ins are welcome, but I recommend a reservation. The restaurant has multiple levels and each level is very unique. We started out having a drink on a comfortable couch while waiting for a table. The food was very tasty and the service was very prompt and welcoming. The mushrooms for an app were delisicous. I had the porterhouse and my wife had the halibut. Both dishes were fantastic. We both got plenty of food and the prices were very reasonable. read more