Galway was just one stop on our Ireland trip, and we didn't waste time finding a local Irish pub for a Sunday Roast, which is served 12-4pm on Sundays. We had just arrived into town and we barely made the cutoff for the Sunday lunch service, but the staff at McSwiggan's welcomed in our group of 7 and was fantastic every step of the way. Drinks, food, desserts - everything we tried was so good. We did have some favorites over others, though. It was mid-afternoon, so we lucked out that it wasn't too busy. Our group liked trying seafood chowder almost every Irish pub we visited, and it definitely did not disappoint here. Neither did the soup of the day. Many of us got the Sunday roast, others the fish and chips - both were solid and super tasty. (If you've had a British Sunday roast before, know that the Irish take is a bit different!) The mussels were great as well, and the banoffee pie dessert really hit the spot, too. Drinks were also made well in general...that said, of all the things we tried, the seafood plate was just okay. While it's a typical Irish pub space overall, it's much bigger than it seems with lots of different rooms and floors than it first appears. This truly was a great first meal in Galway, and I'd highly recommend it to others looking for similar vibes and - especially - for a local Irish pub with a solid Irish Sunday roast. read more

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Our first stop on our Ireland trip was Galway. As we were pub-hopping on Quay Street, we asked around where we could get a good Irish dinner. We were told to try McSwiggans and boy, it did not disappoint. We walked into a dark, rambunctious bar, but for seating we were brought back into a quieter, private area. We started off with a glass of Guinness, of course. For entrees, we ordered the lamb stew and fish & chips. The fish & chips were unbelievable - best we had during our whole trip. The fish was incredibly crisp and moist. The batter was perfectly salted, slightly sweet and savory, and had an amazing crunch. The tartar sauce was unreal - we dipped everything we could in it. My only qualm was that the pea puree was a bit dry. The lamb stew was also superb - the lamb was incredibly tender, and the potatoes on the side were full of delicious irish butter and salt. This was the perfect Irish meal to start off our trip, and the vibes in this establishment ere immaculate. *Connemara Lamb Stew: root vegetables, baby potatoes, pearl barley *Galway Hooker Pale Ale Battered Fish & Chips: Aran Island sea salt, malt vinegar, tartar sauce, pea puree read more

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We came here off a recommendation of staff from Buddha Bar. This is considered a traditional Irish Pun and Restaurant with the layout and decor. They offer a variety of whisky and the staff are always friendly. Since we didn't get a chance to have Kelly's oyster in Gallway, we were lucky to have tried it here in this restaurant. The oysters so good and fresh, one of the best. The portion size of mussels I ordered were plenty. The beer pie was flavorful with the soft flaky crust. read more

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The Resturant is really cozy with many off shot rooms up and down stairways. The service is top rate. The middles were delicious and was the haddock. The fish n chips were just ok, the chicken was tiny but cooked perfectly. read more

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Had the best food this entire trans-Ireland trip tonight! The lamb shank was outstanding. It was fall off the bone tender with a delicious sauce. I highly recommend adding the side of mushrooms as they perfectly complemented the lamb. My wife's catch of the day was salmon and it was equally excellent. Also recommend. The unique multi-laid-out place setup for an extraordinary private yet large party accommodating intimate atmosphere. read more

This place is hit or miss, if you feel lucky tonight, go for it, if not, try someplace else. It's a beautiful restaurant, the service is mediocre , the food is the problem. Seasoning should always be applied, bland food never be an option in restaurants that charge what they charge. With that said, my wife's salmon was cooked to perfection, medium temperature with a great taste, my monk fish "stew" for lack of better comparison, lacked taste and monk fish, it had shrimp and mussels, but the tiny amount of fish was doubtfully "monk fish". This place is a one and done for me, they have issues in the kitchen and the customer should not be the one paying for it. read more

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I came in looking for a solo table and the bartender seemed very annoyed. It was not a welcoming experience. Someone else came to wait on me and did get me a table. After that the service and food was good. read more

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

The food is great and delicious. It's reasonably priced. I got the lamb stew which was a large portion and tasty and the chargrilled oysters which was delicious. The service is also very good and the staff are very friendly. I have to lower the rating a bit because the restroom particularly the urinal in the men's restroom was very unsanitary and disgusting. It was one of the worst restrooms I've seen in my life. read more

McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant - Flame grilled oysters - Bars Near Me - Galway, G

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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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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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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 on a group tour. Had very limited options. Had to choose the hamburger. It was cremated.

A great place for local fish and chips. Staff was great and quick. Highly recommended if you are in Galway.

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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This is an old world restaurant with excellent food and drink. The service was great too.

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!!!

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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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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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

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

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

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