We had a wonderful experience at The Crosskeys Inn. It's Ireland's oldest thatched roof pub and we…read moregot a brief talk about thatching, so look up as you're entering! Watch your head, unless you're as short as I am. We were on the CIE Scots Irish tour. We somehow got a table directly next to the band and had a wonderful time, let folks come and sit with us, got Guinness with Blackcurrant (which depending on who you ask is WRONG ... I thought it was fun). We had a BBQ buffet dinner that was good with plenty of food. They let us take home our placemats which are maps of Ireland. Also, there was a gift shop with some lovely items that came home with us, as well.

To the naked eye, it looks like a quaint country cottage with a thatched roof, but don't let the…read moreunassuming exterior fool you. This pub has been standing since the 17th Century, they know a thing or two about hospitality. Our party of five made ourselves cozy in the sessions corner as the pub keeper offered to light a peat moss fire for our comfort. They sell tee-shirts and tourist patronize this place, on account of it being a very old, beautiful Irish pub, but there were a few locals enjoying a pint when we stopped in. One of the owners is American, and I was surprised to see JFK Memorabilia in the smaller room. They have antique oil lamps, old firearms and assorted things on display for patrons to muse. They proudly serve Bushmills and even their own brand of Crosskeys Whisky, but I got a gin and tonic and enjoyed the Northern Irish craic that was on full supply on this June day.

My hubby ordered a Guinness of course. Great atmosphere. Very crowded. It's in an alley way off the…read morebeaten pass.

We were all over Ireland and North Ireland last week and spent a couple nights at this nice bar and…read morethe super cool area just outside it (with all the lit umbrellas). Really enjoyed the bar and the area. Have to remember that they don't take tips anywhere in Ireland or North Ireland. I kept telling the bartender to keep it (I'd hand him a 20 for 18 bucks of booze) and he'd just walk away - no acknowledgement or anything. Were able to try some good whiskey's here including A Friend in Hand whiskeys (this is an amazing whiskey store just down the street). The whole time we were there we got no rain (same as our first time) so we sat outside a lot, people had cute pups out there. Super nice. Didn't know UK stuff was on yelp, hope to leave a few good reviews here.

I love this restaurant…read more As I am writing this I am simultaniously begging my fiance if we can go for lunch! I totally stumbled across this eatery by accident - literally! My brother in law fell and hurt his arm and had to come up to the hospital in Dundonald to have it treated. Obviously I am a very nice sister in law and so I went to meet him for lunch - having no idea where to go I suggested the moat as it was the only one apart from McDonalds that was near by. The outside looks like a Tudor Tavern and it is very much the same inside with lots of old dark wood, small windows, narrow corridors and uneven stairways. The seating plan is one of my favourite layouts with a long bar and an adjacent big long table area. The food was really really good. Fresh and tasty with lots of salad to make me feel I was being good. I ordered chicken strips on pitta bread with a selection of dips - so nice! Couldn't recommend high enough. My brother in law had a steak with chunky chips and tobacco onions - he said it was delicious and cleaned his plate. A lovely little restaurant with good seating, great food and decent prices!

The old moat is now 'the Lewis ' and has changed a lot . Nowadays its mostly a very open space…read moretheme with seating more suitable for groups than couples and there's pool rooms too. Its no longer a traditional pub and its expensive in my opinion. The old moat had suffered flood damage and was sold and refurbished into a modern style bar and lounge . As a bar in my opinion its not a relaxing environment and it lacks character. Ok for groups or sports.

A few years back we got to to here as the Belfast telegraph had a promotion on and even though its…read morea fair distance from Belfast we thought we'd take a gamble on it, definitely worth the drive as the food and atmosphere were above expectations with being in the winter and the open fire lit, really nice and cosy. The tables by the entrance are the best but don't be fooled by the small appearance its like Dr who's tardis as the space through the next set of doors there's a massive room for dining or dancing. You have to park in a car park on the opposite side of the road which is a bit inconvenient but its just added character and the food was nice too. We'd love to go back sometime soon .

Found Saltwater Brig by pure chance on a filthy dark winter night while on holiday from Scotland…read more But what a welcome inside! The staff were so friendly and helpful with my disabled Wife. As for the food, we have eaten in a lot of places in a number of countries but this was as good as anything we have come acrooss. And the finishing touch was dining beside the huge log fire on a freezing winter night. It was so good that we went back another couple of times during our week's stay. We are going ti Ireland again shortly on holiday and Saltwater Brig will be our number one priority for another visit. We were back in Ireland for another holiday in November. The Saltwater Brig was top of our agenda for a return visit.......and we weren't disappointed. Once again everything about it was superb - the beautiful location beside Strangford Lough, the cosy surroundings and the welcoming staff (especially Olive who is the friendliest waitress you could meet). Then there is the food. The extensive menu is fantastic and we cannot speak highly enough of its quality, and all very reasonably priced. If you enjoy "a taste of Ulster" put The Saltwater Brig on your MUST VISIT list. We guarantee you will love it.

The Lonely Poet is one of those great places that really does have something for everyone. I have…read moreseen people have business meetings over coffee and pastries at 10am, rowdy girly lunches at noon, romantic nights out (even one first date and yes I am an obsessive eavesdropper) and raucous Big Nights Out. Oh, hold on, that was me. I recently had a night out with a large group in the lonely Poet, for a meal and (lots of) drinks. I am delighted to say that the waiting staff were friendly, efficient and had all the patience required to deal with a bunch of over excited thirty somethings let loose for the night. I had Thai fish cakes to start - totally yum and served with lime dressing and then I played it safe with a steak as I needed something substantial to line the old tum with. The steak was perfectly well done as I had requested, and the extra chunky chips I ordered were certainly chunky! The rest of the night was a blur of multiple drinks orders and our lovely waitress didn't even flinch at the end when we tried to calculate our shares of the bill. On the visit before that with just a couple of friends, I had a chicken ceasar (ok ok, chunky chips too) which was top notch and then enjoyed the live music which I think happens every Sunday. It will sound like I never cook, but I was recently in the Lonely Poet with another group of friends for a birthday lunch. There were a couple of small kids in the group and they were treated like visiting royalty. A colouring in book and crayons for the young lady? Of course. Some complimentary carrot sticks? Certainly. Sausage and chips which aren't even on the menu? No problem as we say in Belfast. Anywhere that makes this much effort to keep the whole family happy will always get my vote!

Oh goodness...I'm really in two minds about this place…read more On the one hand, it really is the most gorgeous pub / bar. Well decorated, sleek and refined, it really is a million miles away from what the pervious pub looked like. Having frequented The Lonely Poet almost every Sunday night for a couple of months, my friends and appreciate the fab wee Irish band who play their hearts out each week. The very first time I went to the Lonely Poet was with a couple of friends for dinner. The food wasn't brilliant - my pasta tasted a bit watery, and we did have a very long wait for it, despite the fact that there really weren't that many other people in the place. I was a bit disappointed. The first time I went on a Sunday night with a large group of friends for a drink, we waited 25 minutes to be served, and there must have been at least 10 of us sitting there. Not a great start. Since then, it has really been hit and miss. The staff have sometimes been lovely, other times they've been stand-offish and a bit awkward. One Sunday, we were told that the kitchen had been closed early, even though it was only 9pm, and they didn't close for at least another 2 hours. Oh dear. So, there you have it. I'm really no clearer, and in fact, probably a bit more confuddled. Still, Sunday nights at the Lonely Poet will probably be a regular occurence. The only way is up, eh?

My husband is from Culdaff, and every time we go to visit his family we spend a few nights catching…read moreup at this cozy, family-owned pub. Drop by, chat up the locals, enjoy some music out back in the summer.....or find a corner and stare out the window awhile. Either way, a classic Iocal Irish pub, in the best way possible.

Quaint Irish country pub with outside seating and strong, delicious cocktails. Has a lovely mellow…read morevibe and is heavenly on a summers day. But just beware the few wasps which hover about outside and seem to be attracted by nearby apple trees and the scent of fruity cocktails! I visited in August 2017, as part of a Carlingford Mystery Cocktail Tour, and amongst our party of sixteen ladies, for most, this pub was a firm favourite. It was an extremely enjoyable stop during the tour. Will definitely be returning.

Great beer garden on the rooftop. The floor of the main saloon was quite sticky from spilled drinks…read moreand the acoustics were just OK for the live band that was playing. I'd like to go back and check it out on another night where there is no live music, just to get a better feel for the vibe without the noise.

Great bands on weekend nights .. We saw a cover band called…read moreOff The Record .. Electric energy performance from a group of 50 odd year olds .. Slamming out Pistols , Thin Lizzy , Killers U2 , Stereophonics , T Rex etc .. with great accuracy and a few twists .. Food simple , yet delicious , well priced and served .. Great funky decor .. Love the JamJars cocktails .. Great night out .. Would recommend

A great wee placeif you ever happen to be passing this area, this is a must for something tasty to…read moreeat. The staff.all locals are friendly and chatty. The food is fresh and very tasty with good size portions.

From the owner: We have taken on The Ship Inn which has been closed for several years.read more

My fiance and I visited last night (Sunday) as I was lucky enough to win a voucher for a meal here!…read more We had been in the Point years ago and i have to say, I love what they've done with the place, it's been given a refurb and a face-lift outside and totally looks the part! My fiance, myself, and our little boy, made our way upstairs to the restaurant. Upon arrival we picked a table, got a highchair, and took some menus from the bar. As it was Sunday, they had a Sunday menu on, where you could pick from 1,2 nd 3 courses. I was tempted, but in the end I decided to go for the steak, and my partner went for the ribs. The gentleman came over to take our order, and brought us our drinks. The food came fairly quickly and my steak was done exactly how I'd asked. I opted for the sweet potato wedges, which were quite nice but very greasy. It also came with 2 onion rings which were great. My partner enjoyed his ribs but as a main course, there was very little meat on them making for too small a portion and he went home hungry. The biggest shocker of all however was when we got the bill. Drinks wise, we'd got a soft drink each, and I had a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon. The total for the drinks came to £12.95! The Coke and Diet Coke were £4 each! Absolute disgrace guys, sort this out! If I had known that was how much the soft drink was I'd have got another wine as it wasn't much more expensive. To be honest, although the food was fine, this in itself would genuinely put me off going back. Should be called Stroker's Halt!

Stokers Halt is so cute!! Previously the Point, it's had a massive makeover, and it's looking…read moregreat. Wasn't a fan of the Point in it's day, but of a dive, and the crowd could get a bit rough. They've really overhauled it, and turned it into a warm, welcoming and inviting place you would want to spend the evening it. We called in on a Wednesday night to watch the football and whilst not terribly busy there was a good few people just sitting having a drink with friends, reading, eating dinner, or watching the match. All very relaxed! The décor is rustic and they've knocked a few walls down, and shifted the bar around which has really opened up the place. I loved their big leather tub chairs and high tables with stools, clearly they have put a lot of money into this place. They have really upped their game in the drinks department, which was a pity for me as I only had a coffee, but it was fresh and tasty, so I was happy enough. The drinks menu was extensive, every type of gin, including my favourite Monkey 47 (potent stuff), they have also cocktails at reasonable prices and plenty of craft beers if you consider yourself a beer snob, and if you don't there are plenty of options for you too. We didn't have dinner either (we were really very dull last night). But after having a nosy at the menu we vowed to return and have a proper run at it! We were tempted to go up to other people and ask "mind if I take a photo of your burger??" they looked that good! But I don't think being a Yelper would have been a good enough reason, and we would definitely have looked crazy. So watch this space, updated review coming soon!