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The Rusty Mackerel

4.3 (11 reviews)

The Rusty Mackerel Photos

THE RUSTY MACKEREL ATMOSPHERE

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Entrance to the pub
Elisabeth P.

Pub, motel, restaurant, perfection! This place is such a gem! We were looking for something close to the Slieve League Cliffs and found this place highly recommended on a travel blog. I was just expecting a little pub with a place to stay, but it had much more character than that. Its proximity to the Cliffs and seaside town is very convenient, and we wish we could have extended our stay. Our rooms were modest but clean, recently renovated with nice flooring and clean tidy bedding. We slept pretty well, though there is the noise of people coming in and out since they are outside access rooms. The restaurant and pub were really nice. Excellent food, highly rated, and a great gluten-free menu. We enjoyed the lamb, seafood pie, and the fish n chips. The calamari my husband had wasn't breaded well, but aside from that, everything was delicious. Great friendly service and very affordable accommodations.

Warming up from a cold, wet hike in The Rusty Mackerel! May 2024
Jeff G.

Great food, warm and pleasant atmosphere, friendliest group of people we met in Ireland! After a rain soaked hike we stopped at The Rusty Mackerel on a recommendation from a shop owner in Carlingford. What a wonderful adventure it was! The dusty mackerel and stew both warmed us as much as the fire and friendly chat with the workers and locals...I cannot say enough about how perfect it was!!

The front of the restaurant

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23 days ago

We did not stay overnight, but had exceptional experience with dinner after our visit to slieve league cliffs in Aug 2026 Dave

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Review Highlights - The Rusty Mackerel

If you are hiking Slieve League this place is a MUST!

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The Reel Inn - Belgian who took over after the band

The Reel Inn

(7 reviews)

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A good basic bar with live music 7 nights a week, and a mix of locals & tourists…read more So your a tourist in Donegal during the week and all the pubs are dead. Then roll over to the Reel Inn (it's just at corner near the bridge) where they have live music every night of the week and usually a good crowd. As a local (or ex-local) going in here for the 1st time I felt like I'd walked into Deliverance (google it), some odd folk from the bogs, townies, rockers, and maybe a few fellas barred from all the other pubs in town, and then mixed in is usually a load of English tourists, and surprisingly it works! Everyone's having the craic, these bog critters are friendly and are trying to wind me up, we'll all supping our drinks and enjoying the music, the tourists are dancing away, and usually it's a great night, and everyone's good and drunk by the end of the night and I mean drunk. Sometimes the music is hit-or-miss, sometimes it's a bit of jam session, other times it's quite good. On quite nights there may not be many musicians there and the owner get's up and play. And both him and the missus are decent friendly folk. I just wish they poured a better Guinness or had a nice Heff-Weisse. ;)

For an Irish pub that makes its living on tourists, its pretty standard. There is a sign by the…read moredoor listing prices and what the offer which is incorrect--don't bother informing the bartender of that though, she will just blow you off. Live music which made about half of us want to sleep as there were no words (unless they played Johnny Cash). Never played the standard songs like Galway Girl even though we chanted for them. I also think a homeless man came in at some point and played....

Annora Ltd - Annora patio

Annora Ltd

(1 review)

In this world of peaceful green and blue, like a light house in a dark sea, there is Annora. Giving…read moreyou a glimpse of what the real Ireland is : colourful, warm and welcoming. Just like its people. Sounds great ! At night time, when dinner is over and you get chills from your walk on the beach, before going to bed, stop at Annora for an hour. When you get in there, the place looks very typical. The bar is on the left, on the right wooden tables+chairs. Walk straight in front of you and you will access the patio. But before going through the door, there is a very modern and super flat TV screen. That is the only evidence of the 21st century. Without it, the pub would be somehow lost in time and space ! What about the music ? The night I was there, on Friday night, a group of young people was sitting in one of the corners playing traditional music. All together or just a few of them, I just loved to see how simply they would take a look at each other and play, break, switch song, go pick up a drink, sit and play again. The music would never stop though ! On Saturday night, a band came to play some less traditional music, more rock/country inspired. The songs would somehow always be about the hometown and Ireland ! Is it only a pub ? Annora is a B&B pub. I have not stayed in Annora and, as a matter of fact, cannot say much about the quality of the accomodation service. All I know is that it is a very welcoming place, very close to the beach and the 18 hole golf course. In addition to that, they are known to serve the best Fish & Chips in Donegal ! For more information check this link : http://www.annorapubaccommodation.ie/index.htm Anything else to add ? After a few hours in Annora, you will probably not remember how long you have been there for. There may be a couple of reasons. One, you listened to the traditional music and got lost in thoughts. Two, you met new friends and had a long and lively chat. Three, which is more than a couple of reasons, you have been cought in between the triptych inspiring music/entertaining new friends/refreshing drinks ! Don't worry, there is no long way to go, the room is just upstairs ! "I am hungry but I am even more thirsty " says my best friend. All right, then, I think Annora is the right place to go ! XD

The Rusty Mackerel - pubs - Updated May 2026

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