34 Best Restaurants in Ireland

The cloisters-and-refectory-style decor is definitely tongue-in-cheek at this upbeat, fun restaurant in sleepy Greystones, an old-fashioned seaside resort a couple of miles south of Bray. Dinner is served by candlelight and the menu specializes in uncluttered seafood dishes in summer and wild game on cold winter nights. Owner Pat Keown is a great host, and his laughter and love of good food and fine wine are contagious. Sunday lunches, in the bar area, are famous for their length (they often last into the early evening) and for the lively atmosphere.

This gem of an old Dublin boozer—which was once also the local grocer—has been turned into a gastropub and world-beer emporium, without losing too much of its real Dublin feel. It's the perfect spot for a quick pint of ale and a plate of black pudding (with pear relish and red chard) if you don't feel like a full sit-down meal. Microbrewery beers are hard to come by in Ireland, so the wide selection of small-label ales, lagers, and stouts is reason enough to make the trip to the evocatively named village of Stoneybatter on the Northside. The menu doesn't fuss around with too many choices, but the potted crab with sourdough soldiers is a great starter and the rib-eye steak with whiskey butter and twice-cooked chips is the pick of the hearty mains.

A landmark since the 1940s, Langton's is a labyrinth of interconnected bars and eateries. Up front is one of Ireland's most famous "eating pubs," often crammed to the rafters of its low ceiling with a lively crowd. For more tranquil environs, head out back, where you can enjoy a neo-Gothic garden framed by a stretch of the old city walls. Most of the seating areas, all with open fires, have different personalities—from the leather-upholstered gentlemen's club in the Langton Bar to an attempt at Art Deco in the spacious dining room. The main restaurant offers well-prepared traditional dishes, including (of course) Irish stew and a mean cod in beer batter. There are 34 Art Deco–style hotel rooms upstairs.

Previously a pub, the wood-clad restaurant is intimate and contemporary chic with brown leather seats at small wooden tables, and a menu starring fresh Irish produce and Asian influence. Start with sushi and sashimi, or wild-mushroom pearl-barley risotto with aged Parmesan, and follow with roast halibut with mussel, bacon, and clam cream or veal cheek ravioli. The food is plated with flamboyance and highly Instagrammable. Chef Bruce Mulcahy runs a tight ship, and many people in the know reckon he is one of Ireland's most talented chefs.

"Street food" is a painfully abused term in the dining world, but this downstairs Thai joint in the heart of Ranelagh has the authentic flavors and spice of a Bangkok noodle stall. The narrow dining area is beautifully tiled in simple colors and packs out quickly with locals and visitors. The Capmoo (pork scratchings with green chili relish) is a stunning starter, and the Hor Mok Talay (red seafood curry with coconut milk, prawn, egg, and Thai sweet basil) a favorite main. Finish with the zesty lychee cheesecake with fresh mint.

Originally a standard public house with low ceilings, this Shannon-side resting place on the main street of a tiny village to the west of Longford Town has been transformed into a gourmet's delight—a special gastropub, bustling with locals and tourists alike. Specialties include Thornhill duck, baked sea bream, and renowned John Stone steaks from an artisanal butcher specializing in Irish grass-fed beef. Potatoes and vegetables are abundant and even served al dente. The good-value early-bird menu stretches from Tuesday to Thursday 5 to 9:15 pm, Friday and Saturday 5:30 to 7 pm, and Sunday 4 to 6 pm (when the restaurant is also open for lunch). It's worth leaving space for the Toblerone cheesecake, which has become the sweet talk of Longford and has been a fixture on the dessert menu since 2000. An upstairs gallery has work by some of the finest and best-known Irish artists, including Paul Henry, Graham Knuttel, and Kenneth Webb, the latter noted for his expressionistic, thickly painted landscapes of Connemara.

Owner-chef Aidan McGrath and Kate Sweeney's modest Victorian premises on the outskirts of Lisdoonvarna have become something of a culinary landmark by being Ireland's first pub to be awarded a Michelin star in 2017. A brief, well-thought-out menu showcases the best of local produce, which includes hake, lamb, rib-eye steak, and pork. Food is served in the bar, which is warm and welcoming, with an upright piano, original painted-wood cladding, assorted wooden tables and bentwood chairs, cheerful cotton-check blinds, and a random selection of bric-a-brac. Guest rooms (doubles from €120) are spacious and stylishly decorated in neutral tones with nice Victorian touches such as brass bedside lamps, and peaceful views of the countryside.

Close to the Abbey and Gate theaters, so there's no danger of missing a curtain call, this creative eatery focusing on contemporary food—with eclectic Mediterranean and Eastern influences—uses fresh local ingredients. It's very popular with the artistic and literary set. The venison with potato rösti and a red wine jus is a standout.

When it comes to an organically sourced menu, it's hard to match the offerings at the Casey family's wonderful, oceanfront restaurant close to the tiny, roadside hamlet of Baltimore. The mussels come from their farm at Roaring Bay, water from the property's spring well, and root vegetables travel a couple of feet from their garden to the kitchen, while the bread arrives warm to the table as it's freshly baked on-site. The produce they can't source on-site hails from local West Cork trawlers and farms. To cap it all off, the craft beer by bottle and on tap like Sherkin Lass Pale Ale comes from the family's nano-brewery in the garden. Of course, none of this would amount to anything if they didn't bring it all together with culinary perfection and precision (as they do) at the hands of their pedigree chefs.

This busy Victorian-style pub (with guest rooms) was once the coaching inn for the national network of horse-drawn coaches known as Bianconis; today, it serves local seafood and traditional Irish food. Its dark-wood interior has a rambling barroom with a tile floor, leatherette banquettes, and ancient stuffed animals above the booths. The menu includes such favorites as Dingle Bay prawns, local oak-smoked salmon, a steaming pot of garlic mussels in white wine broth, and braised shank of Kerry lamb.

Advance booking is advisable in summer and on weekends.

A casual, modern Irish eatery, Bodega Restaurant is known as the fun place to eat in town. Everything is prepared with locally sourced ingredients, with the Kilmore Quay haddock bake a hearty favorite, along with celeriac and baby carrot risotto with sherry vinegar caramel, crispy potato rosti, mascarpone, and Parmesan. Bright colors and comfortable couches give it a festive feel, while the extensive wine menu gets everyone warmed up. Bodega also hosts intimate gigs by some of Ireland's top folk singers.

Candles and an open fire cast a warm light on Persian-style rugs and dark red walls hung with antique engravings of Killarney at this cozy little eatery set above a ground-floor craft emporium on the main street, while simple country-style wooden tables and stick-back chairs are set within "snug" areas created by stained-glass panels. The good-value menu features boxty (Irish potato pancake) with a choice of fillings, including vegetarian. Other options include baked salmon stuffed with crabmeat, char-grilled beef fillet, and roast rack of lamb. And, in the unlikely event you didn't hit a craft shop in Killarney, you can browse the shelves before making your way to the restaurant.

The Japanese teppanyaki area at this classy Pan-Asian restaurant on bustling Baggot Street, where the chef cooks your food right on your tabletop, is a feast for the eye as well as the palate. The simplicity of the white walls and dark lacquered furnishings are enhanced by the delicate glassware and fine green-washed porcelain. The menu picks the best from Chinese, Thai, and Japanese dishes, with the Asian tapas a good eat-and-go option.

Located in the impressive vaulted cellar of Bellinter House, Eden sticks strictly to a seasonal ethos with menus based on locally sourced produce. Oenophiles rave about the value-for-money wine list. A popular starter is the house-made duck liver parfait, with blood orange jelly and toasted brioche, and the Andarl Farm free-range pork belly with smoked Irish black pudding croquette, celeriac purée, and pickled apples is a standout main.

The small, dark, L-shape room (hence the name) on the ground floor of a handsome town house is dominated by a blue-tiled chimney with a wood-smoke grill, whose aroma pervades the room. There's a masculine ambience here, as befits a brewery and smokehouse renowned for hearty portions of grilled food and triple-cooked chips. The always-buzzy atmosphere is encouraged by helpful, welcoming staff.

The Elephant was long established in Temple Bar before the Tiger (Celtic, that is) came and went and changed the neighborhood forever. Large windows are great for people-watching in the city's trendiest area, but "nothing fancy" would be a good motto for the traditional American food. Charcoal-grilled burgers, salads, omelets, sandwiches, and pasta make up the much-thumbed menu.  When the service is good, the turnover tends to be quick, although you may be inclined to linger. New Yorkers, take note: yes, this is a cousin of the restaurant of the same name in Greenwich Village.

Foodie and fashionista couple Chloe Kearney and Niall McDermott returned from London to open this standout addition to the flourishing Ranelagh dining scene. Behind the minimalist white exterior lies a small but buzzing ambience and some inventive food with a Mediterranean twist. The menu is short but very adventurous: the lobster, crab, and kohlrabi is a stylish starter and the shiitake mushroom tagliolini a favorite main. Add delicious sides like broccoli with pomegranate and yogurt then finish with a dessert of ricotta cheesecake with black currant.

Cross Patrick's Bridge to the River Lee's north side and turn right to reach this large, atmospheric brasserie in a converted 18th-century warehouse—a true Cork institution. Modern art, muted jazz, high ceilings, and well-spaced tables with colored wooden tops create a relaxed setting. The menu focus is contemporary---fish cakes, crispy duck confit, or steak. Service is friendly and efficient. Reservations are advisable Friday and Saturday evening. 

One of Ireland's original bar--restaurants, this is a Kinsale institution that serves local steak, lamb, duck, and fresh seafood. Choose from the inexpensive daily specials in the busy bar, or have a more leisurely meal among the mahogany tables, dark red decor, and oil lamps of the somewhat baronial restaurant. Classic homemade desserts (profiteroles, crème brûlée) are substantial and the Irish coffee is renowned.

Adjoining the village's only thatched cottage that isn't in the folk park, gastropub JP Clarke's has an airy, mountain-lodge style interior with a brightly painted, vernacular exterior. On a sunny day, diners eat in the front garden space or can request seating under a glass roof. The menu is reasonably priced and straightforward---and the highlights are the daily specials listed on chalkboards throughout the premises. It's popular with locals so reservations are recommended.

Tucked inside a renovated cottage in the shadow of St. Ignatius's limestone belfry is one of Galway's best restaurants. The bare stone walls and floors are brightened by a pop of color from thrifted chairs and a skylight that draws in natural light, but what really shines is the reasonably priced and locally sourced organic food. The menu changes daily, but offerings are always excellent, local, and pulled together with intelligence and creativity.

Joan and Aidan MacManus's well-known seafood bar down by the harbor attracts many contemporary visitors to the old town. It's in a Georgian house, with the yacht marina and port on one side and sea views from which you can watch the boats land the very fish that might be tomorrow's special. A house specialty is the smoked haddock smokies, but lobster, caught just yards away in Balscadden Bay, is the big treat—it's best at its simplest, in butter sauce. Sitric was an 11th-century Norse king of Dublin who seemed to be very fond of Howth.

Experienced foodies Jules and Joanne Bradbury have taken a creative approach to tapas adding local flavor to their Moorish-inspired, brightly decorated bar and restaurant. Tapas choices include wonderful sweet potatoes with truffle mayo and cheese, and roasted red peppers stuffed with salmon and crab. The wine list always offers something out of the ordinary.

You might not expect to come to Dublin for fabulous Nepalese cuisine, but this place is a real standout. The decor is nothing to write home about, but the food at this little eatery in the middle of bustling Temple Bar is as authentic as it is unique. Kachela, raw minced lamb with garlic, ginger, herbs, and spices, served with roti bread (a delicacy among the Newars of Kathmandu) or a shot of whiskey, is a more adventurous starter. For a main course try momos, dumplings served with momo chutney, a favorite street dish in Kathmandu. 

There's a fine line between re-creating tradition and looking like a theme bar, but Nancy Hands just about pulls it off. A galleylike room juxtaposes old wood, raw brick, and antiques with contemporary art to create a convivial, cozy dining area. The quality is high for bar food, with the rib-eye steak a standout. Other popular mains include the schnitzel with seasonal veg and a pie of the week with hand-cut fries and house salad. Numerous wines are served by the glass, and the selection of spirits is one of the most impressive in the country.

A Carrick institution, this gastropub is very popular, so advance reservations for dinner are usually needed. Main-course dishes may include glazed pork belly, Hereford beef burger, 12-hour slow-cooked beef daube, or sustainable fish such as ling. Try some of the craft beers or ciders, including its own Oarsman lager, Galway Hooker, or Anderson's red ale. Save room for the lemon posset, or cotton-candy dessert. There's a resident guitarist Tuesday through Saturday evenings.

Taking full advantage of Galway's fish-rich waters, Oscar's offers a daily changing menu based on the availability of the straight-from-the-trawler catch at the local market. Its warm interior with a ruby red backdrop, billowing fabric, and pine furnishings in close quarters has the essence of a seafaring vessel, with mackerel from the Aran Islands, and monkfish and scallops.

Once the village pub, the Pier Head is still a bar, but it sells more food than pints these days. The location is idyllic, at the top (head) of the village's pier. Lunch is served in the bustling, wood-floor mahogany bar (restaurant lunch Sunday only), with outdoor seating and modest sea views. At dinner, you can choose between the bar and the more formal upstairs restaurant with unforgettable views across Kinvara Bay to Dunguaire Castle. Both have roaring open fires and friendly staff. Fresh local seafood and locally reared meat (beef, lamb, pork, and duck) feature on the simple, unfussy menu. Don't forget that in summer there will be enough daylight until around 10 pm to enjoy the view.

Take a seat upstairs overlooking the serene waters of Donegal Bay and feast on some of the area's best produce. The early-bird (5--6:30 pm) is the best value with two courses for €19.95. Although there's a crossover between the menus, a much wider selection is on offer for dinner where you'll find steak, chicken, Guinness-braised shank of Donegal mountain lamb, or fisherman's pie made up of a robust combination of cod, hake, shellfish, and smokies (smoked haddock) straight from the boats. Round off your meal with a Boozy Bailey's: an espresso coffee and a shot of Bailey's Irish cream liqueur with a vanilla ice cream float, all topped by a dollop of softly whipped cream.