Nice restaurants in Galway

evercloserunion

Hey all, taking the girlfriend to Galway for Valentine's, and I think we'll be staying in a hotel near Spanish Arch. Anyone know of a nice restaurant I can take her to? Obviously would have to be a central location because we don't know our way around the place. And obviously I want to to be nice and kinda fancy, not pub grub or anything. You know, expensive, but student expensive not millionaire expensive.

I'm looking at this place "Martines Restaurant & Wine Bar" at http://www.ireland-guide.com/establishment/martines_restaurant_and_wine_bar_.3552.html does anyone know if it's any good? Any other suggestions?

Any good bars or clubs would also be appreciated.

Thanks.

gaeilgegrinds

That and Vina Mara are both fab

m83

You're planning valentines already? Man, i don't even know what underpants i'm wearing tomorrow.. if any!


you whipped!

jmauel

I ate there last night and I thought it was very over priced and the food was dreadful. You would be better off going to Milanos. Very reasonable and consistently good.

SimpleSam06

jmauel wrote: »

I ate there last night and I thought it was very over priced and the food was dreadful. You would be better off going to Milanos. Very reasonable and consistently good.

Yup, there are relatively few places in Galway that do what I would call barely palatable food these days. All of them are well able to charge however! Martines is not great, the food is standard restaurant fare mixed with a "reputation" that they felt justified a high price. Bleh.

Chopper

Lemongrass

Quality food and not too pricey from what I remember.

ArraMusha

Chopper wrote: »

Lemongrass

Quality food and not too pricey from what I remember.

All these restaurants are robbers, they've been robbin people for years. The less people go to them the better we all will be. I know you gotta head to a restaurant for a birthday etc. But at 25+ for a bottle of wine...come on yea robbers and the big mark up on deserts...Jaysus, it would but you off eating by looking at the prices on the menu.

Abrawd as yea know, you can get a right feed (of similar quality or better) for a fraction of the cost. The usual sh*te of high rents and insurance dont wash anymore...cos they shouldn't be paying high rents these days...haggle with the landlord...haggle with the insurance companies, play one off another, and we can all enjoy our steak without choking on the bill.:o

Chopper

ArraMusha wrote: »

All these restaurants are robbers, they've been robbin people for years. The less people go to them the better we all will be. .....

eh... yea... that reply doesn't really help the OP find a nice restaurant for Valentines day now does it ?

banshee_bones

Milanos is consistently good and not over priced and they do very reasonable set menus for xmas, and valentines. Well worth checking out. da Robertas is also a great Italian place in salthill.

happyoutscan

Try McSwiggans in Woodquay. Great food and atmosphere and not too too pricey (I've always found it worth the price here anyway). Then you can pop downstairs and have a drink without having to brave the cold Feb evenings. Milanos is also nice, but I think your other-half would appreciate McSwiggans more. All the best.

Cathal01

The Tamarind is really nice although I would agree it is overpriced... €24 for two thin strips of monkfish with some stir fried veg and brown rice. In saying that though, I think you can get some reasonable dishes in there and it is delicious.

Oh yeah... it's right beside the Spanish Arch.

Zzippy

Oscars. Expensive, but worth it.

boardswalker

Have a look at menupages.ie. That might narrow it down for you.
Google maps is good for getting a sense of location.

It's always a risk taking opinions from someone you don't know. They may have very different opinions to you. See if there is anyway to "calibrate" their opinions against yours.

One thing I would say about Valentines night is that most restaurants seem to put on a fixed menu and jack up the prices.

Asian Tea House is getting favourable reviews lately as is Abalone on Dominick Street. I have not been to either myself so I can only report what I heard.

I have eaten several times in Martines. I always found it ok. However I do know that several of my friends don't like it.

For a special night in town, I would be looking at Vina Mara, Abalone, Oscars, Nimmos. I like Milanos but for me its more casual - limited menu - lots of families. Pizza and Pasta. Possibly Asian Tea House as well.

JohnCleary

boardswalker wrote: »

Have a look at menupages.ie

It appears they remove (some) negative reports on restaurants, see here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055397739&highlight=menupages.ie

So I wouldn't trust that site tbh

cornbb

Martines has good and bad nights but Milanos is worse in my opinion. Always full of hen parties. You could try KC Blakes, the Malthouse, or Oscars which is really worth splashing out for.

sgthighway

I would take a walk up Shop St from your hotel and go for a drink in McSwiggans. The pub is a nice cosy one. Then head upstairs for a meal. You would need to book at least 3 or 4 weeks in advance.
2 x 3 Course Meals would set you back about €70 not including any drink.
After your meal you can head back towards your Hotel stopping of at: Taffes - Kings Head - Front Door - The Dail - Ti Neachtains - The Quays

JohnCleary

sgthighway wrote: »

You would need to book at least 3 or 4 weeks in advance.

You're havin' a laugh, right? Went for a meal there last week only booked the day before. Have often walked right in

sgthighway

JohnCleary wrote: »

You're havin' a laugh, right? Went for a meal there last week only booked the day before. Have often walked right in

Some laugh trying to do that Valentines Night ?

JohnCleary

sgthighway wrote: »

Some laugh trying to do that Valentines Night ?

Ah thought you meant in general

boardswalker

JohnCleary wrote: »

It appears they remove (some) negative reports on restaurants, see here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055397739&highlight=menupages.ie

So I wouldn't trust that site tbh

What menupages is good for is giving an overview of the restaurant - location, type of food, cost indicator. Thats still useful information - identify a few restaurants and then ask about specific restaurants.

McSwiggans is getting very mixed reviews as far as I can see. I wouldn't have thought of it for a special night either.

JohnCleary

boardswalker wrote: »

McSwiggans is getting very mixed reviews as far as I can see. I wouldn't have thought of it for a special night either.

Yeah i'd agree, McSwiggans is great for a casual meal with a few people. Also great if you want to have a few drinks/have a bit of a chat/laugh with your meal - We had a baby in there the last week and she let off the odd scream and people/staff didn't bat an eyelid

BannedGugai

Artisan

evercloserunion

Thanks very much for the replies guys, and by all means keep them coming. Lots of different suggestions which can be a little overwhelming! If only I had some personal experience with any of these...

Milanos and Lemongrass I have heard of before. I hear they are very nice restaurants but I think as we're going to be in Galway we may as well try a local restaurant.

Oscars sounds promising, I was originally put off by the look of the exterior but it doesn't seem too shabby at all. Vina Mara also looks very nice. I've looked at their websites, but Vina Mara's is advertising a 2006 Christmas menu and Oscars is advertising "a non-smoking area that accounts for 50% of the restaurant". Pity they seem to be so out of date.

Abalone has very good reviews but I can't seem to find a website for it.

Thanks again guys! Pity I'm so awful at making decisions!

bladebrew

anyone know the name of the restaurant straight across from the quays bar?,would definetly go there,lovely food and isnt that expensive,though this is going back over a year,

BannedGugai

BannedGugai wrote: »

Artisan

http://www.artisangalway.com/

Ronan|Raven

Malt House. Wasted much money there but the food was good.

Shelflife

Artisan is excellent both for quality and value for money, nice place as well.
da robertas in salthill has top quality food but not as nice as above.

chris1970

pierre's is the french place across from the quays bar, still open? vina mara or oscar's in town, pricey but quality food about €100 for 2 course x2 & wine,normally ...
lohans in salthill, quality lunch menu, reasonable.rest the more or less the same quality, chefs hangover may have bearing on what passes as food in most of them..

pseudonym1

My favs are cookes in abbeygate street da rabertos in salthill Donnelys in Barna.
That is all things considered - quality of food; atmosphere; service; wine list; value for money.

Perhaps take her somewhere following day out of town (Glenlo Abbey?) for an amazing lunch instead of splurging on somewhere that imo is vastly overpriced.

You are an inspiration to the Galway men on boards

inisboffin

The food in BK's Restaurant and wine bar (Spanish Parade) has been really good of late.
It is very traditional French, loads of meat options, good fish, not really a veggie haven, to be honest (couple of things).No beer tho, just wine, cheese, port etc.
It is great for atmosphere when it is rocking, and often has music at weekends.

boardswalker

Another good website that might help the OP narrow it down is www.ireland-guide.com. Georgina Campbells site, it lists many of the restaurants in Galway and provides brief descriptions of each. It also gives a price indication and categorises the restaurants ie. Cafe, Restaurant, Hotel/Restaurant, etc.
It can only help. Not all restaurants are listed but as far as I can see the better ones are in there.
Here's a link http://www.ireland-guide.com/discover/placesto.php?aArrQlt[15][]=211&s=Eat&county_id=721&town_id=747&x=31&y=8&from=10#refine.
That link doesn't seem to be showing up correctly - you might need to copy and paste. Basically I searched in places to eat for Galway County and then Galway City.

RoyMcC

Had a very good, reasonably-priced Indian at the Kashmir on the 26th. I always head there on my occasional forays over to Galway.

inisboffin

I used to be an absolute preacher of the Kashmir, but have been swayed by the folks of Eastern Tandoori near Spanish Arch.
The decor/atmosphere is a little better in the former , but I found the food better in the latter, and also more generous portions for a big meal. The staff are nice in both, but a little more efficient in ET.

RyanAsh

Hi my boyfriend and I go for dinner in Galway as often as we can so my opinions as follows:
McSwiggans would only do for a casual dinner, cheap too, - wouldn't be special enough for valentines in my opinion, we'd go in there after some late night shopping for example, not dressed up or anything
Gemelles/Cookes/Oscars/Malthouse/Vina Mara - all fab restaurants for food, staff and atmosphere, you'd be looking at spending over a 100 quid though so worth keeping that in mind..but very special....
Da Robertas in Salthill, very nice but you have to head out to salthill for the night or get a taxi in and out which is hassle at best on valentines night
KC Blakes - overpriced the last time i went and wouldn't go back because of it.
Martines - nice food and gorgeous decor and atmosphere but wouldn't think you'd feel you get value for money esp if you're on a 'student expensive budget'...Ard Bia would be similiar....high prices for the sake of it.
Kirbys - i think this could be your best bet, the menu isn't too pricey and you're right beside busker brownes for drinks after and the front door is across the road or for a quieter scene The Dail down the street a bit, think its nice enough to be special as well. Although a friend went there for valentines and said they were stuck practically sitting on top of another couple which didn't make for much intimate chatting!
Oh! or Al Muretto, near enough Eyre Sq so wouldn't be much of a walk for ye but very nice Italien food, very reasonable prices and nice atmosphere.
Tamarind is also very close to where you're staying and is really nice, lovely food and fancy enough for a special dinner
Thai Gardens next door is more casual so would avoid i think....
Milanos - pizza and pasta, the same as it is in every city its in....not very different or special i dont think
Abalone - gorgeous food, a bit pricey, the only problem is that the food is very rich.....might be a problem for some.....probably not for most!

ok ill stop now, menupages is good for comparing prices, take the recommendations from here and then try decide, and maybe ring places in the new year and see what deals they're doing for valentines....i wouldnt' worry too much, you're very thoughtful to be organising it now...our night will be a last minute job!!

ps. what hotel are you staying in? i think the house hotel has a restaurant which is quite good. Not totally sure tho....

Good luck and enjoy!

evercloserunion

Hey all, so we went to Oscars in the end. I had been hesitant to book it because of the exterior appearance looking rather cheap but I'm so glad I did! The interior is completely different to the exterior, really fancy. And the food is absolutely AMAZING. It was pretty reasonably priced for such a quality restaurant as well, and we ended up paying a good bit less than I had expected. We went to the Roisín Dubh after, just because it seemed to be quite popular, and that was cool as well, there appeared to be some local bands playing and they were quite good. All in all a great night!

Thanks to everyone for your help!