Best Restaurant in Letterkenny?

Bocban · 07-02-2009 7:07pm #1

Hi,

Anybody able to recommend a decent restaurant in Letterkenny, either traditional or Chinese.

Ta,

Bocban

smashey · 07-02-2009 8:08pm

Indian - Shapla on the port road near Kelly's Toyota garage.

byte · 07-02-2009 9:48pm

As regards a standard restaurant, The Oak Tree opposite An Grianán is good. Yellow Pepper and Lemon Tree used to be well recommended too.

There used to be a good Chinese restaurant beside Voodoo. Can't remember the name of it or if it's still open.

Beanstalk · 08-02-2009 1:19pm

Theres an Italian restaurant in a business park out by the Dry Arch roundabout, can't remeber the name, but its by far the best restaurant in Letterkenny imo. Apologies if its not what your looking for!

GSF · 08-02-2009 2:19pm

Beanstalk wrote: »

Theres an Italian restaurant in a business park out by the Dry Arch roundabout, can't remeber the name, but its by far the best restaurant in Letterkenny imo. Apologies if its not what your looking for!

Weird place for it beside the NCT centre isn't it?

Supposed to be good though.

Beanstalk · 08-02-2009 2:28pm

It is a bit strange for a restaurant alright, you'd need to drive or get a taxi. I know its owned by a man called Davide Tullio and it is a lovely place. I just cant remeber the name!

GoldenGreen · 09-02-2009 12:15am

think it is called la Fantaisie, might have wrong spelling, I would highly recommend it even if it is in a bad location. Also that Beetroot into is lovely too

Cherry Blossom · 09-02-2009 10:28am

Another vote for the Lemon Tree! Pricey but well worth it

slogue · 09-02-2009 12:15pm

Was in new indian on Pearse Road last nite called D Chilli Shaker

A bit pricey but well impressed

Service quicker than Shapla too

Place is beside back of Sister Saras across the road from Gleneany house

madalig · 09-02-2009 12:21pm

The Lemon Tree is pricy but good, also down the road behind the grill there is a nice place, it's called I....... something i can't remember but the food was really good and reasonable prices, good attention to customers in there.:pac:

googlehead · 09-02-2009 1:05pm

slogue wrote: »

Was in new indian on Pearse Road last nite called D Chilli Shaker

A bit pricey but well impressed

Service quicker than Shapla too

Place is beside back of Sister Saras across the road from Gleneany house

must give it a go, i like shapla lovely food,

i would like to see a mexican food restuarant in lkenny

jimbo32123 · 09-02-2009 4:40pm

Oak Tree - Lovely, the best IMO, large portions and beautiful food

The Brewery - Possibly the nicest soup in the country, lovely food in a lovely place.

Lemon Tree - Poor Poprtions and the food isnt that great, also the layout is terrible. They have an open kitchen and the noise is terrible!!

Yellow Pepper - Nice food, bit pricey but there menu NEVER CHANGES. its always the same, Medallions of beef and banoffie Pie is nice on it which has to be said. DONT HAVE THE STEAK JALFRIZZE, i had it twice both times it was just thick roast beef with peppers on in...

Beetroot - Indian spice, flutters and flavours thrown over EVERTHING, i dont think it works to well.

Steakhouse, Mountain Top - its ok, nothing over the moon just basic.

Shapla - not my seen, ate in it once, won't be back. Thats cause i do't like indian.

Mount Errigal - Good food, bit pricey aswell but relaxed atmosphere

RandomAccess · 10-02-2009 12:16am

Oak tree, service was poor but the food good

Lemon Tree, unusual opening hours and quite a cramped restaurant. Food is excellent however.

Yellow Pepper, good service and food. Menu is getting a bit long in the tooth. They serve un-filtered tap water in jugs which is the worst tasting in town (dont know why!)

Beetroot, the place has little atmosphere, service is variable food is ok.
Shapla, very good food and service

Have not tried the chilli shaker yet.

If you dont mind a trip out of town try the waters edge in Rathmullan

Heres one that not many people know about,
The two restaurants in the Radisson letterkenny
Tribeca is more formal with great food.
The Oakk bar & Grill is fantastic value and the food is very good, its more of a sunday lunch location though.

muffler · 10-02-2009 1:27am

Although I have never been in it I have heard numerous good reports about Gleneany House.

NickyOD · 10-02-2009 2:16am

byte wrote: »

There used to be a good Chinese restaurant beside Voodoo. Can't remember the name of it or if it's still open.

Still there but it's easy to miss. Owners name is Sunny. He does very little sit-in business, nearly all take-away but I prefer the food to the Tin-Tai.

If anyone else goes to the chilli shaker pelase report back!

K-9 · 10-02-2009 3:16pm

Always like the Lemon Tree, great for fish.

Find the Yellow Pepper hit and miss, over rated tbh.

Haven't been in the Italian on the Port Road in a while but it was very good. Lovely fillet steak.

madalig · 10-02-2009 9:02pm

Infusion.....i only spotted it walking to mceverleys sports, found it reasonably priced and really hot food, good portions. Recommended by me!

byte · 10-02-2009 11:02pm

NickyOD wrote: »

Still there but it's easy to miss. Owners name is Sunny. He does very little sit-in business, nearly all take-away but I prefer the food to the Tin-Tai.

If anyone else goes to the chilli shaker pelase report back!

Yeah, when I was living in LK, I preferred it to Tin Tai, though it seems Tin Tai is favoured by many others.

Was/Is it called The Great Wall? That name is ringing a bell for some reason. I know it did change name a few years ago.

Senna · 10-02-2009 11:42pm

Tin Tai gets a lot of business because its easy to get parked and its very quick, having said that i think the food is very nice also.

Pique · 12-02-2009 8:43pm

I can't understand the attraction of Tin Tai....the food is completely sanitised to the point where you'd be hard pushed to call it a Chinese.
The place beside McGinleys, Canton Cottage, has delicious food and even do Thai food which is even nicer...well spiced and great value (IMO).

By the way, the place out by the NCT Centre is called La Fantasia and the number for anyone who's interested is 07491 13421.

lordhawhaw · 20-02-2009 8:50pm

best sirloin steak is possibly the place out the ramelton road about 2km out called silver tassie? The waters edge is very good in ramelton for sunday lunch about 25 eu for 4 course.

Local-womanizer · 20-02-2009 9:26pm

Beanstalk wrote: »

Theres an Italian restaurant in a business park out by the Dry Arch roundabout, can't remeber the name, but its by far the best restaurant in Letterkenny imo. Apologies if its not what your looking for!

La Fantasia.

The manager had his mother over visiting last month.She was baking her own bread for the place,have never tasted anything like it:eek:

Fantastic.

The indian on the square is nice,aswell as Pats on the square.

motherfunker · 21-02-2009 10:35am

Was in Beetroot last night to see what all the fuss was about. I found it over priced and over rated.
The starters were nice but why do people think they can charge almost €10 for a tiny plate of food.
The main course was ok, pasta sauce was like water though.
Desert was ok.
The wine is ridiculously over priced as well but that is the same in most restaurants.
I for one will be glad when this recession kicks in and these restaurants are forced to bring these prices down to a decent level, they have been ripping people off for years.
A restaurant I worked in bought its house wine for €4 and sold it for €22.
A chicken breast costs about €1, how can they justify selling it for €17, just because they add a little sauce.
Dont get me started on steak, I just get cross. €33 for something I can get in Tesco's for €6, believe me it dosent cost €27 to cook a steak.
The only way to stop this is for people to stop going to restaurants for a few months, teach these people a lesson that we are not willing to be taken for suckers anymore.

cadete · 21-02-2009 6:39pm

there is a lovely place opposite old dunnes was there last week thought it was reasonable price and good portion, La Fantasia in kilmacrennan is lovely too, avoid the steak house mountain top its really terrible, rubbish service and the food was inedable!!!!

Farls · 27-02-2009 3:02pm

Head out the golf course road to a place called 'Castle Grove House' absolutely lovely food but the surroundings really do make it.

As for eating in town I prefer the Yellow Pepper.

dlambirl · 06-03-2009 2:05pm

When i was in LEtterkenny recently i ate in the Yellow Pepper. Lovely food and the place was buzzing. Slightly expensive but a way nicer than the dinner we got the second evening in the Radisson SAS.

Pique · 08-03-2009 4:12am

It'd be nice if they changed the menu now and again.....

martblue · 08-03-2009 1:22pm

hard to beat Shapla and La Fantasia both excellent, and with La Fantasia's fixed menu of €25 for 4 courses is excellent value..for quality food:)

jenbecca · 09-03-2009 1:48am

if it chinese its tin tia, if it indian its shapla's, if its itilian in primavera, if its other lemon tree I have never ever had anything less than excellent in these resturants.

Farls · 09-03-2009 1:50am

jenbecca wrote: »

if it chinese its tin tia, if it indian its shapla's, if its itilian in primavera, if its other lemon tree I have never ever had anything less than excellent in these resturants.

Have to disagree there, money tree is the best chinese in the land, bar none!

jenbecca · 09-03-2009 1:55am

I will argue with you as I have been to both several and I admit money tree is lovely and food is good but service has lacked a good few times. So for over all it has to be Tin tai and believe me I love my chinese food so I go to all but I would give it a four out of 5

Farls · 09-03-2009 2:25am

jenbecca wrote: »

I will argue with you as I have been to both several and I admit money tree is lovely and food is good but service has lacked a good few times. So for over all it has to be Tin tai and believe me I love my chinese food so I go to all but I would give it a four out of 5

I'll admit the service could be better in the money tree not to mention the way they stand looking at you eating, but the food they come out with eases a lot of woes!!!

Aligator Farmer · 09-03-2009 7:29pm

Farls wrote: »

.. not to mention the way they stand looking at you eating..

I get that in my local Chinese restaurant too, its wierd.
I put it down to trying to sell more wine, as soon as the glass is anywhere near empty they're over filling it up, you lose track.

Senna · 10-03-2009 12:15am

motherfunker wrote: »

Was in Beetroot last night to see what all the fuss was about. I found it over priced and over rated.
The starters were nice but why do people think they can charge almost €10 for a tiny plate of food.
The main course was ok, pasta sauce was like water though.
Desert was ok.
The wine is ridiculously over priced as well but that is the same in most restaurants.
I for one will be glad when this recession kicks in and these restaurants are forced to bring these prices down to a decent level, they have been ripping people off for years.
A restaurant I worked in bought its house wine for €4 and sold it for €22.
A chicken breast costs about €1, how can they justify selling it for €17, just because they add a little sauce.
Dont get me started on steak, I just get cross. €33 for something I can get in Tesco's for €6, believe me it dosent cost €27 to cook a steak.
The only way to stop this is for people to stop going to restaurants for a few months, teach these people a lesson that we are not willing to be taken for suckers anymore.

Agreed with 99% of your post, bar the steak. Was taking to a butcher that supplies a good few restaurants in LKY, a 10oz Fillet steak costs about €12 from this butcher, so taking VAT into selling price, i'd say €25-30 is about right. You can get a brilliant Fillet steak with a side order in the Brewery bar for €24.XX, which to me is a good price.
Your right about the chicken, its less than 90c a chicken breast.

Local-womanizer · 10-03-2009 12:49am

motherfunker wrote: »

Was in Beetroot last night to see what all the fuss was about. I found it over priced and over rated.
The starters were nice but why do people think they can charge almost €10 for a tiny plate of food.
The main course was ok, pasta sauce was like water though.
Desert was ok.
The wine is ridiculously over priced as well but that is the same in most restaurants.
I for one will be glad when this recession kicks in and these restaurants are forced to bring these prices down to a decent level, they have been ripping people off for years.
A restaurant I worked in bought its house wine for €4 and sold it for €22.
A chicken breast costs about €1, how can they justify selling it for €17, just because they add a little sauce.
Dont get me started on steak, I just get cross. €33 for something I can get in Tesco's for €6, believe me it dosent cost €27 to cook a steak.
The only way to stop this is for people to stop going to restaurants for a few months, teach these people a lesson that we are not willing to be taken for suckers anymore.

My neighbours and aul pair have been to <SNIP> and will nevr go back.Ignorant owner,terrible service.The neighbour had a hair in her starter,sent ti back and the new one had a hair in it too.Manager dident say a thing!

Mod edit; For obvious reasons its best not to name any individual establishment if the comments are going to be less than complimentary.

dcr22B · 12-03-2009 3:24pm

Everytime we're in Letterkenny for the rally in June, we've always eaten without fail in the restaurant in Arena 7. Top class service and the food is spot on as well.

googlehead · 12-03-2009 11:23pm

ireland i find in general is terrible for service.

K-9 · 12-03-2009 11:39pm

Senna wrote: »

Agreed with 99% of your post, bar the steak. Was taking to a butcher that supplies a good few restaurants in LKY, a 10oz Fillet steak costs about €12 from this butcher, so taking VAT into selling price, i'd say €25-30 is about right. You can get a brilliant Fillet steak with a side order in the Brewery bar for €24.XX, which to me is a good price.
Your right about the chicken, its less than 90c a chicken breast.

100% Mark Up would be tight enough. You'd have 2/3 chefs, 2/3 waitresses, management, Rent, Light & Heat, Rates etc to pay for.

Senna · 13-03-2009 3:47am

K-9 wrote: »

100% Mark Up would be tight enough. You'd have 2/3 chefs, 2/3 waitresses, management, Rent, Light & Heat, Rates etc to pay for.

Agreed, normally food costs would be 30% of pre-tax price, but the price of beef is so high that most places will take more of a hit on beef and make up for it on chicken and other cheaper dishes.

I know of one place in letterkenny that serves a very popular dish for E9.50, but the raw food cost E6.50-7, but another item on the menu cost E12 and the raw food only cost E1.40.

Pique · 15-03-2009 3:31am

Local-womanizer wrote: »

My neighbours and aul pair have been to <SNIP> and will nevr go back.Ignorant owner,terrible service.The neighbour had a hair in her starter,sent ti back and the new one had a hair in it too.Manager dident say a thing!
Mod edit; For obvious reasons its best not to name any individual establishment if the comments are going to be less than complimentary.

Don't understand this Mod Edit. If it's a good review, then fine. But if someone has a genuine greivance then it's edited...why ? The 'Ignorant owner' bit maybe ?
As for the rest of it, are Libel laws really that strong in Ireland ?

googlehead · 15-03-2009 10:50am

Pique wrote: »

Don't understand this Mod Edit. If it's a good review, then fine. But if someone has a genuine greivance then it's edited...why ? The 'Ignorant owner' bit maybe ?
As for the rest of it, are Libel laws really that strong in Ireland ?

yeah it seems free speech is not tolerated here.

smashey · 15-03-2009 11:47am

Pique wrote: »

Don't understand this Mod Edit. If it's a good review, then fine. But if someone has a genuine greivance then it's edited...why ? The 'Ignorant owner' bit maybe ?
As for the rest of it, are Libel laws really that strong in Ireland ?

Anything that could lead to possible litigation against boards will be removed. We already have one on-going case.

googlehead wrote: »

yeah it seems free speech is not tolerated here.

Now that you mention it, there is no such thing as free speech on here. This is a private site with its own rules.

muffler · 15-03-2009 1:06pm

What smashey said.

muffler · 15-03-2009 1:39pm

Im not sure if you will be able to read this. But if you can it will set you straight.

Now back on topic please.

peachesxcream · 15-03-2009 3:37pm

Arena 7 do the best chicken stirfry...!

lovinit · 19-03-2009 3:39pm

Think the Oak tree is very good:)

Harps · 02-04-2009 11:15pm

Anyone been to the Lemon Grass yet, new Indian restaurant next Grianan Theatre, been tempted to check it out over the past few days

Vic Vinegar · 20-04-2009 6:00pm

Harps wrote: »

Anyone been to the Lemon Grass yet, new Indian restaurant next Grianan Theatre, been tempted to check it out over the past few days

Tis very nice! they deliver too which is always a bonus (unlike Shaplah & D Chilli Shaker!)

rikerdonegal · 06-05-2009 11:39pm

Yellow Pepper - Hands down, the best spot in town. Best food and service. Always my first choice. Great friendly staff, too, so I always have a relaxed and fun night.

La Fantasia - Great spot. Been there a couple of times and will be going back. Loved it.

Pat's On The Square - One of those great places that keeps getting overlooked (I think).

Primavera - Haven't been there is ages, but I really like it. Remember it as being great value, too. And they have a place in Buncrana, too. Not been there in ages, either. But I did like it. Honest!!

Tin Tai - Great chinese.

Money Tree - Great chinese.

Lemon Tree - I have a friend who loves this place, so I tend to be there a lot. Food is fine, I suppose, but I don't think there's enough choice and the layout of the tables doesn't appeal to me at all. Find it impossible to relax in there, and can never find anything on the menu that I really want.

Oak Tree - It's fine. Handy for theatre. That's about it.

All in all, I think we are spoiled for choice in Letterkenny. I only ever had one truly bad experience. Many years ago, a group of us ate in in a place which is on longer to be found in town. One person's meal (a steak) didn't arrive with the others and we were told that a member of the kitchen staff had mistakenly eaten it! So, one of us was a hour later than the rest of us in getting his food. So we were very late leaving, and the staff were trying to clean up and leave and they were less than friendly about us sitting there chatting (while one person ate) in the middle of an otherwise empty place. Feeling self-conscious and uncomfortable, we complained to the manager about the the whole "a member of the kitchen staff had mistakenly eaten it" story. When the manager asked the waitress about this, she denied it had ever happened and the manager then accused us of being drunk (we weren't) and asked us to leave.:eek:

The place is long gone now...

smashey · 06-05-2009 11:41pm

rikerdonegal wrote: »

Pat's On The Square - One of those great places that keeps getting overlooked (I think).

I couldn't agree more. That is a great place.

rikerdonegal · 06-05-2009 11:50pm

I'm guilty of over-looking it, too.

It's off the radar, or something. Yet, when I do think of it, we totally love it. Great food and (I think) an amazing location/atmosphere.

Best Restaurant in Letterkenny?

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