They have the best oysters! The plan for the day was to drive to Howth and explore the town. But heavy rains and wind ruined those plans. Since we were on this side of the town, we decided to make the most of it and look for a meal of seafood. I had Octopussy's Tapas bookmarked when researching for the trip, so we decided to stop in for lunch. It was a Thursday at around 1:30, and the restaurant was almost full. It's a very small restaurant and it's mostly high top tables with bar stools, so it wasn't exactly looking baby-friendly, since had our 8-month old and a stroller with us. Luckily, they have a small back room (literally a room that can probably seat 4-6 people) that was available, and they seat us back there. It was nice and cozy, and cute - decorated like you were on a ship. Here is what we ordered: -Carlingford Oysters (served in the shell with fresh lemon) - these oysters were everything! They were big, shucked properly, and tasted super fresh. It didn't need anything but the lemon but they did recommend us trying their housemade hot sauce. We did and we loved it, and ended up buying a bottle to take home. We also ended up ordering some more oysters for dessert (lol) -Seafood Chowder (squid, mussels, smoked coley, & prawns served with homemade brown bread) - this was full of seafood. It is heavy though since chowder is cream-based so I would recommend sharing this, as opposed to ordering one on your own. The brown bread was also very nice -Seafood Paella (paella rice, chorizo, mussels, gambas, squid rings, and smoked coley) - another dish filled with seafood. They don't skimp out here! I could have done without the squid rings (they tasted rubber-bandy, like they're from frozen), and the smoked coley. I'm not a huge fan of smoked foods. I didn't really taste it in the chowder - maybe the cream covered it up, but I was able to taste it more in the paella -Whiskey Scallops (cooked in whiskey butter) - very rich but the scallops were good. You definitely want to dip some of the brown bread in this sauce There were so many other dishes we wanted to try but we had to stop ourselves from ordering too much for two people. Overall, it was a great meal and at these prices for seafood?! You really can't beat it. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood chowder - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

2.5/5. They were busy, service was distracted. Nice location by the water. Fish and chips was tasty. Salmon in the tomato broth was very fresh. Unfortunately the pil pil was unseasoned and tasted like tomato paste. No beer, only wine and soft drinks. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - view from restaurant - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

I understand why this place can have a wait! Their service is friendly and straightforward, and the seafood (and wine!) is thoughtful and good quality. Some of the seafood dishes can be really rich, which to be clear, I'm not complaining about. I also really enjoyed their bread - I believe it's made in house and a bit dense and feels like a nutrient dense bread Both indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the pier read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Menu from August 2024 - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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Seafood chowder: Delicious, creamy and so flavorful! Fish & Chips: To die for!! Fresh and flaky fish, crispy batter, so so good! Chips: Not the best in the world but good, Delicious tartare sauce :) Attentive service and a clean place. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood chowder & Fish n'Chips. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

Cute spot, good food, service made it worthwhile! The staff was friendly and personable, making you feel like old friends. We ordered the seafood stew and seafood broth and split a fish and chips, plenty of food for both and it was fresh and served piping hot ruby from the kitchen. It's a tight space, we shared a table, and was worth it! read more

Fresh, flavorful, dreamy.... This place is incredible! My table shared the mussels, garlic shrimp, and scallops.... All three were delicious, especially the mussels! Service was top notch!! So glad we came! read more

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Oysters are an absolute must for the size and the cost of them. They weren't too expensive and were massive. The fish and chips were huge and the fish was very fresh. The salmon was cooked to perfection and had a ton of rice along with it. You will likely have to wait for a table because it is very small and crowded. We asked to sit outside because they had their heaters on. Service was extremely fast so you will be in and out quick. read more

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Get there a few minutes before they opened and the line was long by the time we got in. Small, but cozy/intimate space. Best dishes by far were the Monkfish, Prawn & Mussels and the Whiskey Scallops. I don't know what sauces they put on the first one, but my partner was eating it by the spoonful. It was crack sauce, so good. If you have to wait for a seat, do it - it's worth the wait. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Chorizo & Calamari / Monkfish, Prawns & Mussels in the best sauce you've ever tasted - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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Absolutely phenomenal tapas bar. I dined solo, which made it much easier to grab a table. This was on a Tuesday afternoon and they were slammed -- I get the feeling this is their every day. Several groups had to wait awhile in order to get a table. The seafood broth was out of this world. It was the best broth I've had in a long time and the seafood was also amazing. The salad dressing was delicious on the house salad, I wouldn't skip it. The calamari was also good but a little rich for a solo dish -- definitely would be better sharing! All in all an amazing place. Will be dreaming about this meal. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood broth, calamari, house salad - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

This place was very crowded when we went, so we waited outside until the table was ready. It took about 30 minutes or so. The food was pretty decent. The fish and chips were lacking flavor but the chowder was amazing!!! Highly recommend it!! Also, the Thai dish was very flavorful as well. It's pretty small inside so if you have a big group, it might be worth splitting up! We also got a bottle of wine that was pretty cheap and delicious! read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Storefront - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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Quick late lunch after hiking the cliffs. Traditional tight seating inside, with picnic tables outside. Watch out for the birds if you choose to sit outside. They are hungry! We ate inside and shared a table with some other tourists. Everything here was done fresh and quickly. It was a nice break from our active day on the trail. Pleasant staff. Very good food. Just know, the Greek salad has Italian dressing on it. Enjoy! read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Greek salad - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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I've been here a few times and it just never gets old. I order the same thing cuz it's just so good. This is a small restaurant on the boardwalk that frames in the harbor in Howth which is right outside of Dublin, Ireland. The sea air, the Bailey Lighthouse which is what you see on short final into Dublin airport is truly so to behold. The seafood in all of these restaurants Is as good as it gets. Octopussys is a small, crowded, hopping spot where the service is wonderful and the food is pretty special. The crab salad is so solid. It's how all crab salad should be, crabby! The fish and chips are too big and too much gif the plate but they manage as do the diners! I always look for Bono when I'm here cuz this is where U-2 live. ;-) win win! read more

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Excellent seafood. I had the prawns, monkfish and mussels. The sauce was AMAZING, fish n chips were ordered at the table, calamari was excellent, breading was light and accented the flavor, seafood chowder also AMAZING, and great garlic prawns. Picture included. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood chowder, fish and chips, monkfish, prawns and mussels. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

Best Mussels I've ever had. Didn't rate it a 5 as they do not serve beer only wine. Service was fast and nice picturesque outdoor seating in the marina. read more

We were bummed there was no beer or alcohol-(wine & soda only); Seafood chowder full of seafood. Fish & chips AMAZING & SUPER CRISPY!! The outdoor heated benches are nice on a cold day. This was our favorite place out of all the places we ate in Ireland as far as the fish & chips and seafood chowder. read more

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Food and service were great. Fish as fresh as it can get. The seafood chowder was super. We had battered fish, and the chowder. The fish wasn't oily, well fried and seasoned. read more

Best seafood I've ever had - and I am from South Louisiana so I know good seafood. Can't wait to come back on my next trip to Howth!

We are tourist in Howth, Ireland. Line was pretty long but worth it food was delicious. We had paella, oysters, fish dish . Definitely be back again. read more

So good! We went there at the recommendation of our server the night before in Dublin. Next day we hopped on a train and made it to Octopussy. It didn't disappoint. Our server busted her butt like no other. She was amazing. The food was worth the traveling. I had the Monkfish & Prawn Thai Curry and my husband had the scallops. Both we to die for. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for great seafood. read more

I don't even know where to begin. While on vacation, after a hike up Howth Cliff Walk, we wanted some good seafood and a nice glass of wine. There were two of us so we ordered a few smalls and a large dish, I think. It was a lot of food and it was plenty! The scallops? Oh my. I really don't have the words. It was the best food ever! The fresh pawns with their poor heads still on. It was unfortunate but it was delicious. Get there early. It's the only place with a line and for good reason. It is tightly run, small and busy! They do have outside seating but the inside is small. We were lucky to get the table on the left inside. It was the perfect size for our appetites because we ordered scallops, fish and chips, pawns, and calamari. The table was off to the side and a little private. It made for a wonderful experience. A glass of white wine went perfectly with everything. The service was very good and friendly. We didn't want for anything. I recommend getting there early and putting your name in. If there are a lot of people, they ask that you wait across the street so as not to block the walkway or disturb outside diners. It's a small space and it's busy! They will come and get you when your table is ready. Thank you for a great dinner and memories! read more

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Hands down the best meal I had in Dublin. Super small place, Super busy when we first showed up. They said just wait a bit, well there is no place to wait if there are bunch of people. It was raining outside. With all of that we went away and came back and was totally worth it. Fantastic everything. The best fish and chips way better than the pub that I went the day before. The broth, the shrimp, the wings incredible. Everyone we spoke to said the loved their meals. I'd come back here on my next trip read more

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This place is awesome! Best shrimp and fish and chips! We will definitely make it back here!

I got the mixed seafoods with muscles in the creme sauce. It was delicious and fresh! The creme sauce was not what I quite expected but that was a good surprise! Yummy base to dip the fresh Irish bread into. I would definitely recommend! read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Mixed seafood - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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Ambience: 1/1 Service: 1/1 Food: 2.5/3 Octopussy is the definition of a "hidden gem"! This small (and I mean SMALL - it only has like 6 tables cramped into it!) restaurant is hidden at the end of the pier of this tiny town and serves some of the best seafood I've ever had! Love the pun as well in the name, definitely had a good chuckle ;) I think we got lucky that we visited in between busy hours when we went and got seating immediately because the place has very little space/seats available in general. It felt crowded but once the food came I didn't even notice as I was so busy enjoying my food! My only complaint is the bread that came with some of the dishes. The seafood - incredible! But the accompanying bread was very meh and did not do the dishes justice at all. I 100% recommend stopping by Octopussy if you're ever in Howth and want some good seafood! read more

After hiking the "purple route" (Bog of Frogs) we were ready for some dinner before catching the Dart back to Dublin. My fellow Yelpers did not let me down with this place, as the seafood paella that I got was delicious (I would also like to mention that the calamari rings in the paella were by far the most tender and best calamari rings that I have ever had). The only negative about this place is that THEY DON'T SELL BEER. They have wine, but I was not in the mood for wine.......a nice cold beer after a big hike is what I wanted to pair with my paella. Maybe management will reconsider and keep some cans/bottles of beers in a mini fridge in the future. read more

That fresh fresh unlike any other. Dare I say the best oysters I have had in my life? The mussels were perfect. The atmosphere was great. You will end up sharing a table but who cares. This was great. Go here if you are in Howth read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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First of all. This place is very small with very limited indoor and outdoor seating. The place opens around 12 pm and there is a line 30 minutes before opening. The food is super fresh. The seafood chowder and the seafood broth were loaded with seafood. The mussels, even though the meaty parts are small, were loaded in a delicious butter cream Sauce. The fresh fish for the day was sea bass. You got a nice portion( not a whole fish). The food overall is well worth it. The help are super friendly. read more

Last night in Ireland. Nicole said, "Oh, you saved the best place for last"! A joke? NO! Octopussy was in fact THE best place we ate for the week we were here. Head and shoulders above the rest. Perfectly cooked seafood, tapas plates perfect size for sharing with our friends. Paella, Whiskey Scallops, monk fish and prawns. All perfect! Nicole's service, friendliness, recommendations...outstanding! Do NOT miss this gem in Howth! read more

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Great location and the food is amazing only 30mins out of Dublin. If you're looking to take a trip to Howth be sure to stop here read more

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Excellent food and the staff hustles. We had the paella and muscles. Very much worth the wait!

Amazing food and a very fun ambiance. The waitress was very friendly as well! We had an assortment of dishes and they were all excellent!

I recommend seafood paella (mussels, calamari), seafood broth soup, and terriyaki salmon. The fish tasted delightfully fresh. Seating is all on elevated chairs. This is a great restaurant for couples dining or those with larger children--there are no high chairs so kids have to be able to sit on their own or on a lap. I wait staff gets very busy at lunch time. Service was prompt. Service could have been faster at providing the check. Overall, a great place to visit. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood paella - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

Excellent seafood tapas style in a lovely harbor town. I should get the sampler but I ordered everything and was over stuffed. The best: Gampas, mussels, monk fish, and oysters! Totally dug the vibe! Wine selection is great. Broth is better than chowder as it is lighter. Will be back! read more

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Best fish and chips ever! Cooked perfectly and batter was not overpowering or overdone. Definitely recommend it along with the amazing view.

I would stand in an hour long queue any day to eat this food. The seafood is so incredibly fresh and the flavors are out of this world. We had: Chilli and chorizo squid - my favorite... I'd eat this every day. The squid rings were enormous and the most tender I've ever had. The sauce was well balanced and so flavorful. Prawns pil pil - another exceptionally flavorful dish Lemon and garlic scallops - my least favorite of the 3. I had to add salt and the scallops were a bit overcooked, but it was still tasty Patatas bravas - always good, but I particularly loved the sauce here Everything that went out to other tables looked amazing. The space is TINY and there is only one single bathroom. They do not take reservations... just stand in line outside and wait to be seated. 1000% worth it. read more

When it comes to tapas, these are the largest tapas portions I've ever had lol. I was pleasantly surprised. The chowder I had was delicious and so was the calamari. It was unlike any calamari I've had. I think it had a little pork in it. If you're going to share dishes at this place, it's perfect for a large group of people. The restaurant is small so I would suggest going early in the day to secure a seat. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Calamari - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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Octopussy's was the best possible reward for finishing a Howth cliff walk in the heat. We arrived right at opening on a Saturday (12:30) and that is the MOVE. It got extremely busy shortly after with longer wait times (but...worth it!) We got the oysters, chowder, gambas, and the fish & chips. Everything was delicious and I just wish we came with a larger party so we could've tried more off the menu! Service was great! Every server we interacted with was friendly, helpful, and efficient despite it being so busy. Would return in a heartbeat! read more

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The wait is nothing compared to how delicious and filling the meal is. I grew up in New England on the seacoast and this was so good, better! Just go for it- a large shellfish platter is worth it. The langostine is so delicious- tastes like lobster. The chowder is so damn good. Really light and crispy fish and chips too. Service was charming. Ladies- we adored you. Highly recommended. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood platter - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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The food was excellent. We went back twice in one day while we were in Howth. The staff said that is not uncommon for people to return twice. We ordered the lemon garlic scallops, scampi and dressed crab with side salads for lunch and ordered garlic potatoes and Monkfish/Prawn Thai Curry for dinner. The curry was not spicy hot at all and could've used a little more flavor development but we still ate it all! The only reason I put 4 stars was because of the lack of space. As a group of 2 it was easy for us to get seated both times but there were families coming 6+ and they had extremely long waits. When the weather is nice they have outdoor seating, probably to accommodate the bigger groups. Our dinner waitress took the time to talk to us and recommend places to get a pint afterwards. We had a great day in Howth! read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Scampi, Lemon Garlic Scallops, Dressed Crab - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

This place was recommended to me by a friend and it did not disappoint. The service was very slow and it took me over 30 minutes of simply waiting around for me to get the check. BUT, that was the bad part. The food. Was. AMAZING. I got the seafood paella and it was the best thing I've ever eaten. The seafood chowder was okay, but I dream about that paella. This place was more pricey than I would have expected and the wait is the only reason I rated this 4 stars. In my mind, the food was 5 stars. read more

Octopussy's Seafood Tapas - Seafood paella and seafood chowder - Tapas Bars Near Me - Howth, D

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