If it's sunny and you're early enough (it opens at 12.30) you should sit outside, but the places go fast. Don't despair, the restaurant is really nice inside, with a fish-themed decoration. I recommend the seafood chowder, served with black bread and butter, and one of the "today's special". I had the leek and hake bake with the chorizo herb crust and it was delicious !! Be careful, the plates are pretty generous so if you're not hungry, just take a main. The only weird stuff was the sort of Spanish music inside... Sure, the tapas bar is just nearby, but it doesn't mean they should use the same music, right ? ;) read more

Very good for settling down a bit before or after going into a tour of Howth The restaurant itself is not very big, so a reservation is recommended at busier times (which I guess is the afternoons, judging by the time the tables started filling up) Very tasteful options, the Salmon fillet was very well prepared and flavorful. Just a note, they add a service charge on the check (not sure they do this always, it was a small party) read more

We dropped by the Oar House as part of our tour to Malahide Castle. It was about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and the place was still packed full of people -- always a good sign. We only had 15 minutes before we needed to hop back on the bus, so we just ordered the fish and chips, which came quickly , along with mushy peas. The fish was very fresh (as you would expect from a restaurant by the sea!), super hot out of the frier, flaky and yet still moist. The batter was thin and crispy, but just a little bit greasy. The tartar sauce was creamy and delicious. The chips in comparison were a little bit bland, and not quite crispy on the outside. The mushy peas were very well-seasoned and well, mushy. :) But due to shortness of time, in the end we just gobbled down the fish and continued on our merry way. If I get another chance to visit the area I wouldn't mind dropping by again to try some more of their fresh seafood. read more

A couple of locals told us about this place. I'm so glad we came here! Inside is rustic and quaint. Staff were all incredibly friendly. Food was delicious! Goat cheese salad was outstanding! Calamari, cod and salmon burger, mussels in white wine sauce... all were excellent! Great place to have excellent food and relax. read more

A funny one for me, we visited the Sunday before St Patricks day and everywhere was heaving- we were lucky to get a table. This restaurants decor isn't really my style, very 'themed-fish-restaurant', nets hung from the ceiling etc but does have a charm and the staff are really friendly. We got seated in the extension at the back, it's got very 'authentic' views of the port, actual nets, skips & metal containers etc but get past all of that stuff and focus in on the food- you'll want to, because it is FABULOUS!! I had the dublin prawns and then the special mussels- that days were with garlic& white wine and wee absolutely great and very generous serving. My party also had the chowder and the fish and chips which were all big hits too! Stylistically a bit dates but for good fish, we haven't found better yet and the staff were really good. read more

The Oar House - Fresh mussels - Seafood Near Me - Howth, D

We dropped into the Oar House restaurant today after walking the beautiful Headland Loop walk. We were eventually seated when we located an employee. We sat for 20 minutes and waited for our table to be served. This didn't happen so we left and went to another nearby seafood restaurant. The contrast could not have been greater. We had an exceptional experience and it made up for the service that was so obviously lacking from the Oar House. Hoping it was just an off day there but my advice would be to seek another place to eat while visiting Howth. read more

There are a lot of seafood restaurants around the Oar House, and this is the only one I stopped at while I visited, but it was a well worth visit. The seafood is fresh, they had premium service, and a outstanding view of the bay. I probably won't go back here as a tourist because I would like to try some of the other restaurants in the surrounding area, but if your a new comer this place has some outstanding food. read more

See all

It doesn't get much fresher than this! After spending a rainy Sunday morning exploring the Howth market and Harbour, we took shelter here for lunch. The restaurant is very warm and welcoming (no modern decor here!) It didn't look particularly kid friendly, but the staff were very nice and brought crayons and coloring pages for our kids. We started with the calamari, which was probably the freshest we've ever had. I highly recommend it! I then had the deluxe seafood chowder - I can't say enough nice things about it! There was plenty of tender crab (which, I believe, is what makes it "deluxe") along with the usual chowder suspects. My husband had a lovely fish and chips, while our daughter opted for prawns. Everything was super-fresh and yummy. I wish we lived a bit closer to Howth, so we could eat here more often. read more

The Oar House - Fish and chips with minty peas - Seafood Near Me - Howth, D

See all

Used to live in Sutton for a couple of years so I revisited this once superb spot. It is still a very good restaurant don't get me wrong. The decor is a bit tired at this stage though. The menu remains almost the same; Fish, fresh, and simple. As an ex chef I can say that here you pay for the freshness of the ingredients. The fish and chips remains the cash cow of the menu. Go there early in the afternoon the oil in the fryer is fresher ; ) I found the service a bit sloppy.... Again nothing seriously wrong, but what happened to the very prompt and smiley service that was there a couple of years back. Maybe a solo guest with just half an hour to kill before taking the train back was not as important. read more

This place was outstanding. Service, food, atmosphere, all great. We did the lighthouse walk in the AM, and then got to this place as it was opening for lunch. Cold, wet, and miserable, the chowder was the perfect thing to get me going again. We had some entrees and wine, and everything was outstanding. The salmon is highly recommended and was extremely fresh (go figure). You just can't get seafood like this in many places, so it was a definite treat to have such a delicious and fresh lunch. read more

Great stop for some local seafood. 2 variations of mussels with fresh bread. Highly recommend with great service

Had lunch here a few weeks ago. My calamari starter was a bit rubbery but I have to say my fish and chip main was superb. The waitress resolved the starter problem with free desserts which were good also. Very good genuinely friendly service too. We'd definitely go back. read more

Definitely try their Chowder, a great starter. The only negative about the Oar House is that they do not serve beer. It's wine only, but hey, you can't have everything. read more

The Oar House...Howth ........Are you Cod-ding me?..... It was Easter weekend,the sun was shining as best as it could for the time of year,some people were even test running their 'summer threads' and some were still a bit over wrapped probably thinking...it just might rain later.. So our day began and we decided we would go to Howth and have lunch at The Oar House,-we had eaten here on one or two occasions before,rang and booked...it was going to be a busy day...it was Easter weekend so we were lucky enough to get a table for 12.30pm sitting and we were asked if an hour and a half would be enough time for us to dine as the table was already reserved for a 2pm sitting...just perfect we said and off went to Howth for our 12.30. We arrived just in time with a few minutes to spare and seated with menu's and drinks orders taken. ' mmmm....what to order...mmmm...everything on the menu reads very well....mmmm...ah yes......Seafood Chowder and a Calamari to start,yep sounds good,then a Prawn Pil Pil-starter size as my better half only wanted a small dish for a 'Main dish' and .....'what is the fish of the day?.....Cod....great, I will have The Oar House Fish and chips please,hold the mushy peas..yuch'.I had this dish before on my last visit to Oar House...a fresh piece of fish in a light homemade batter,excellent. At this stage the restaurant was slowly filling up,nothing manic,nice crowd in,everything as it should be.Starters arrived,breads and butter placed and we tucked in to our Chowder and Calamari....overall it was 'grand' (nothing new to write home about if you get my drift)..it was 'grand'...Calamari perfect,batter a little soggy (7.95), Chowder tasty even though it was a bit 'thin' (5.95),but sure it was a lovely day outside and we were enjoying ourselves. Starter plates removed,reset and a small wait before our mains arrived...Prawns Pil Pil (8.95)starter portion,just the right amount and my Fish and chips(15.95)..served without the mushies..yuch. The Prawns...perfect,full of taste,chili oil and garlic..you know the drill... - Fish and Chips,boy those Home Cut chips...they just tasted like most other chips..... that light batter surrounding the 'Cod' , - again , Soggy, but more so than the Calamari starter,and that was just looking at it before I even cut into the first bite...ah shite I thought,but it's a lovely day outside........don't say a word.......feck...., 'cutting into it now and ta dahhhhh'....... that sure is funny looking Cod........ taste a bit,taste another piece,...batter squelching just a tad to much,greasy ?....naw,it must be the fish...taste another bit.......no texture...it's mush and I mean MUSH...at this stage my brain has blown....inside I am thinking..'grab a waitress,point out the obvious,change the dish for something else that will not take long to make-as my better half was half way through her dish-........no waitress to be seen .... it's getting busier, all tables nearly full......kept trying to get attention of staff but I guess...... it's a lovely day outside........brain now beginning to pop......try to eat as much as I could ...I'm a good boy,...teeth grinding now with false smile on me gob....it's a lovely day outside....... Waving my arm in the air....'Bill Please'....... and it was no where near 2pm.......allakasham.....waitress appears with bill...'How was everything for you?'....Feck off...is what I wanted to say.......but it was a lovely day outside........biting my lip I told her about my mush......'No, it is Cod Sir,I just checked with the chef '...... I'm thinking..(not saying aloud because...it's a lovely day outside )..that's not a feckin' chef...not even Vlad the impaler would do as much damage to a piece of fish. Already armed with credit card machine in hand our 'Stunning' waitress, - believe me I was 'Stunned' at this stage, and not because it was a lovely day outside,... took the bill and credit card and actually said to me...... 'Is that All you want to put on the card?' .. referring to the total - She was looking for a TIP - .... ' It is' says I. Breath James,breath........count to ........ , remember ......It is a lovely day ... Outside. In finishing.... all Cod - ding and ding bats aside.....great restaurant usually BUT.....when you say or state Fresh Fish-in this case Cod on any Menu....guess what,....serving Frozen is not Fresh and serving a flat fish...my guess ..it was Plaice,cannot be passed off to anyone.Cod is firm, flakes, is approx. - ( at least ) - 1"(inch) in thickness..and that is at Least. We all know that if one freezes fish it becomes Mush when cooked later,it's like meat, - if frozen for to long it appears grey and tasteless when cooked. And so,we left,.....and We did have a lovely day outside. read more

A Monday evening in January. Howth isn't exactly hopping. Many of the restaurants there are closed on Mondays. Good variety on the menu, and a bunch of daily specials also. A few items were not available, but that's not a surprise (nor a problem) since it's fresh seafood they are selling and are dependent on the catch of the day. My starter was Prawns in a Chilli/Orange/Basil sauce. Well it was supposed to be, except it was served with Mint instead of Basil. Still it was tasty. Had the Ray for my main - a much more interesting fish to see on your plate than many others. Finally, the meringue with red berries for dessert was a delicious end to the meal. I've been to The Oar House a few times a few years back, and will likely go again a few times in the future. read more

I love the Oar House. The food is great value and it's delicious. My wife and I go there as frequently as we can. The early bird is great too. I highly recommend the fish and chips. Oh yeah, the calamaris are great too. read more

Very very popular restaurant on the pier, I couldn't believe how busy they were even on a week day, do book in advance ! Lovely seafood in there as you'd expect for this location, for fish and chips lovers, the batter is really light and crispy, nice decor straight from eerr...an Irish Hollywood-like production...decent prices blablablabla...I actually just have one major thing to say about this place that makes it stand out : the creme brulee ! lol yeah I know, not the most important thing in a seafood place...but it's out of this world, it's just RIGHT and right is very rare for creme brulees in dublin. read more

Fresh, deliciously prepared seafood! Had the crab claws starter, salmon and monk fish/scallop stew main courses and ended with the crime brûlée for dessert. Everything was impeccable. read more

Food was fine, oysters were what you can expect: very good. Service wasn't very friendly and a bit slow, being an evening with not that many people at the restaurant. Not a bad place at all, wouldn't recommend it though. read more

I am not a fish person and I LOVED it here. The crab cakes were amazing and melted in your mouth; the seafood soup was delicious. I ordered the chicken peri-peri= best chicken of my life. My friend got the fish and chips and it was so delicious I wish I got it myself! 10/10 would recommend. read more

I know this review might not be helpful for most of you, but as a vegan, you don't have much to get. But surprisingly they got hummus :)

This restaurant came highly recommended. Everything was quite good, but it was a lil' bit too touristy for me!

This is such a great place, very friendly staff. The Dublin Bay oysters are so delicious, totally recommend them!! We also had calamari and garlic butter chips/fries, they were both pretty good too. read more

Nice little fish restaurant at the pier of Howth, Co. Dublin. Sadly though no chance to enjoy the nice view of the harbour. Unless you can put up with sitting outside. There would be like 3 or 4 small tables for that matter. Seems to be a popular and thus busy place. Advance booking might be clever if you wish to enjoy a relaxed meal. The menu offers loads of different food consisting mainly of fish and tapas thingies. (No beer at all on sale though!) The Thai soup as a starter for example was really nice - spicey and on the same handy creamy. Spiced up with beautifully fresh prawns! Quite a bit pricey but I'd say it's worth it. Main course was really good, too. Fresh fish and your own choice of a side order. Watch the chefs prepare the food right off the display - which is always a bonus, I think. Staff were friendly and quick. Sound people. So nothing to whinge about this decent fish restaurant really. read more

Was not super pleased with my meal. I went here because it was recommended in my guidebook as a place to get small, almost tapas tastings. Everything was just fine, but it was not what I was looking for in this area. The seafood chowder was quite good, but I would have gone somewhere else if I were to do it again. read more

Great food, comfortable setting. Group of 4+2babies. Plenty of high chairs available. Food was excellent. Husband and I shared raw oysters, salmon+cod burger, and crab+papaya salad. Friends has fish+chips and something else that they said was great too. read more

My parents and I have always enjoyed coming to this pub for its atmosphere. I think this is principally down to the live Irish music that is frequently played in this pub. The musicians are energetic and talented and the locals in the pub are appreciative of their performance. All in all this pub has one of the best atmospheres around and I would particularly recommend it to first time visiters of the capital as it really is a very traditional Irish pub. My uncle is a regular and he claims it has the best Guiness in North London, so venture up and see if this claim is true! read more

One of the best places in Dublin for fish and chips. Not just your regular fish and chips. The fish (fresh everyday) is straight off the boats, which you can see from the restaurant. Booking is ESSENTIAL. The restaurant is extremely popular at the weekends for brunch/dinner.For sea food aficionados this is a must try. read more

Great meal, wonderful seafood and friendly service. The early bird special from 3pm is a great deal, with 2 or 3 course meals starting at €22. They have the best white seafood chowder I've ever had, and the Hake special was delicious! My wife had the crab cakes and calamari and both were also fabulous. If in Howth, this is THE place to eat. read more

I was surprised from the great menu and excellent quality of the food. The place was full and yet we had all attention needed with a smile. I will definitely come back again. read more

Just came in on early morning flight from hiking the 5 Sisters of Kintail, didn't look our best but ready for a top shelf dinner, totally ignored by lady in bright pink trainers who was nice to all the others in business dress. Starters good, grilled sardines and buffalo prawns but mains dry. Monkfish and black pudding very dry. Shame really as you could tell the ingredients were completely fresh. I didn't ask for money knocked off but they didn't charge for the monkfish as the chef agreed that fod was dry. Our server was nice, apologetic but at the end of the day 2 stars as the service was inattentive as I believe it was assumed that the way we were dressed we were there for fish and chips and was taken in to account when it came to the quality of service, also the food was thoughtlessly prepared. Wouldn't go back. read more

Really loved the seafood chowder, but the fish and chips left something to be desired. The chips were good, but the fish and batter were a bit bland. Even the vinegar and tartar sauce was tasteless, and we thought that was weird. Friendly staff, and were able to fit us in without a reservation, so 4 stars for that. read more

Nice restaurant on the Howth pier with a nice menu of fish. Can't say anything wrong but nothing really exciting going on.

very nice dinner, on the harbour , this place looks popular , a lot of local people are coming . the waiters are friendly . the smoked salmon and the sea bass were great. read more

Very good fresh food, been here very often and its always been my first choice for seafood. Recently Ive been very surprised to notice i get a 10percent service charge added to my bill: twice with 4 people, once with 2 people. That only happens when im with foreign friends and we are mistaken for tourists. Each time i complain and they simply waive it off without further explanation. They simply dont have an explanation. The rule is there is a charge for tables of 5 plus, but theyve tried 3 times to charge me with less people. Thats plain unfair and illegal, its not stated anywhere in the menu. Im fed up of this bad surprise at the end of the meal and strongly would urge their staff to learn the basic rules of good service and quit targeting those dumb "foreigners". read more

Another cool spot in the Dublin area. Nice atmosphere and good food. Worth the drive. Get there early and explore the town before or after dinner. Recommend? Everything. read more