Ballyvaughan, Cashel, Kenmare, Killarney, Dingle: What are the best reasonably priced restaurants and best pubs?
 

I need to start taking notes on my upcoming trip. Would love to get ideas about where to eat and enjoy some music in a fun atmosphere. Here's our itinerary:

Ballyvaughan - 3 nights
Cashel - 2 nights
Kenmare - 3 nights
Killarney - 1 night
Dingle - 3 nights

Suggestions?
Thanks much
Carrie

The restaurants in all the towns you mentioned are priced at all levels. The choices depend on what you want to spend, or what you want to eat. The highest rated are very expensive. Ireland now caters to to all economic desires. What do you want, and how much do you want to pay?

What time of year are you going? That will have an impact on the music question.

As sullivan said there is every level of restaurant in Ireland. One persons "reasonable" is anothers "outrageous" and food in Ireland tends to be very expensive. There are lots of ways to stretch your euro when eating out: have early bird dinners, eat at pubs, don't order everything from A-Z (appetizers, soup, entree, dessert, coffee), share an entree.

If you are staying at B&Bs your hosts may have menus available for you to look at. They will also be able to help you choose a restaurant based on your requirements. Otherwise you may want to invest in a good book that will give you reviews of moderately priced dining that is also good.

For other tips you can Google "ireland budgeting tips restaurants" and pick up even more info to help with your choices. The Internet is a great resource for planning your trip.

Looking for casual places to eat with a fun atmosphere. I also like the idea of stopping by a convenience-type store and buying whatever it is the locals are eating and have a picnic. You know how you drive into some towns, and there's the one place that everyone raves about? That's what I'm looking for.
Thank you
Carrie

3 nights in Ballyvaughan? Using it as a base for Galway & the Cliffs/Burren?

Definitely lunch and/or dinner at Monks Pub.

In Killarney, Murphy's Pub has great pub grub and music to follow around 9:30 in the evening.

Dingle - We had a great lunch at the Half-Door -- their garlic cream mussels and brown bread were to die for. ((b))

dcsam

Ballyvaughan -- Monk's is very good for seafood, Hyland Hotel is reasonably priced food and has music some nights. Drive down to Kinvarra for the same there. Drive over the Roadside Tavern in Lisdoonvarna for very good Irish food at very fair prices, sometimes music. Stop at the Burren Smokehouse for good fish, just down the main road for the Tavern, and owned by the same family.

Cahir -- Gannon's Above the Bell is very good, but the downstairs pub has great pub grub. Cashel has some very expensive places, so watchout. www.gannons-restaurant.com

Kenmare -- Many very good restaurants in town, at all prices. Mickey Neds at the square has very good food at fair pices, music on weekends, and, maybe, Friday nights.

Killarney -- I don't go there.

Dingle -- There are a few very good pubs for food, just checkout what they offer from outfront, same with music. Lord Baker is very good for fine food, and reasonable prices. The best retaurants in town cater to tourists, and are priced for their full pockets. Out of the Blue gets the highest ratings in town.

I recently stayed in Portmagee on the Ring of Kerry (Kenmare - Sneem - Waterville - Chaerdaniel - Portmagee - Cahirciveen).
We stayed at a place called The Moorings (€60 for a double room). They have a restaurant and also do excellent pub food.
It overlooks the harbour in Portmagee and, weather permitting, you can arrange boat trip to Skellig Rock from here. http://www.moorings.ie/
Would highly recommend.

Right next door to Murphy's in Killarney is a fun place called Buckley's. The craic is great there, with less tourists than other places. We enjoyed the trad music very much at Buckley's on our recent trip.