Overrated & Underrated in Galway

ChemicalColony

First off this is not a bashing thread so please lets not just start saying things are ****.

I think a lot of things are highly overrated in Galway City especially by casual visitors to the city.

McDonagh's chips is a big one; scalding hot and tasteless, any taste is the highly underrated vinegar they use. Vinnie's back West do much better chips and that Best Chips in Ireland award is just "as chosen by Derrick Mooney."

Gigs in Galway are also overrated especially compared to Cork & Dublin.

The Market, 'nuff said

Mr. Beans Organic veg in the shopping centre is highly underrated. What a gem of a place.

civis_liberalis

ChemicalColony wrote: »

McDonagh's chips is a big one; scalding hot and tasteless, any taste is the highly underrated vinegar they use. Vinnie's back West do much better chips and that Best Chips in Ireland award is just "as chosen by Derrick Mooney."

Best chips in Galway (that I've tasted myself) are to be found in An Púcán.

HardyEustace

civis_liberalis wrote: »

Best chips in Galway (that I've tasted myself) are to be found in An Púcán.

Marios behind Bodkins have stellar chips.

Placebo Effect

Overated : The Front Door & Busker Browns...No soul.

Underated : Woodquay

Wompa1

HardyEustace wrote: »

Marios behind Bodkins have stellar chips.

Bethlehem chips ftw!

The "Craic" in Galway is over rated!

Caveat

Overrated? It's status as a city.

It's just like a largeish town really.

ingalway

Caveat wrote: »

Overrated? It's status as a city.

It's just like a largeish town really.

Could not agree more...people who travel here from all over the world must spend ages wondering up and down the one shopping street looking for the 'city'. Also, the poor people who drive here and don't know any better and pay €2.60 and hour to park on street for their day out in the city.

muppetkiller

I'm way underrated !

Black_Knight

ChemicalColony wrote: »

Mr. Beans Organic veg in the shopping centre is highly underrated. What a gem of a place.

Got a mauldy looking (inside) pepper in there one day, found it hard to go back.

Front door is overrated really, been there a good few times and never rated it as highly as its reputation.

Bethlehem is underrated, but probably because of its location.

Charcoal grill can be overrated sometimes. Unless your locked, its just not as nice.

DOTHEDOG

Rental accommodation in galway is way over rated

gandroid

Overrated:

• Agree on McDonagh's.....their cod/fish is not even local....it's imported from Norway I think.
• Front Door.
• Charcoal Grill and probably all kebab shops
• Most restaurants...Galway is just not at the races in terms of quality, value or choice.
• The market!

Underrated:

• The prom.
• Underused: The Racecourse

biko

Overrated: How hip Galway is.
Underrated: How safe Galway is.

axiom32

overrated: monroes "best pub in Galway"
mcdonaghs chips
quay st

underrated: the sea and all local waterways


i don't row but wud lough atalia not be a perfect place for a international event. looks to me like its wide enough or near enough the width of the ones at Olympics

Dr McManus

Overrated:
Central Park nightclub is so talked about but doesn't live up to the hype.
Eyre Square shopping centre, and Shop street don't offer much selection for a city.

Underrated:
Silver Strand beach, not as popular as the Prom but beautiful.
Sheridan's in Knocknacara, great pub but never mentioned.

Bob_Harris

Overrated: Nightlife and artistic hippy culture.

Underrated: Hot females. There's so many.

kosmo

Overrated: Antons cafe

Underrated: swimming in the bay

c_man

Overrated:
- The Roisin. It's a grand place, but c'mon...
- McDonagh's chips: Awful, just awful.


Underrated:
- Arra now, I don't want them packed out :pac:

Aiel

Overrated:Galway's night clubs are the most overated thing in my opinion,some are complete holes.

Underrated:Bethleham restaurant in Ballybane
Cafe Luna in the city centre.
Bon Apitito just off shop street.
Mc.Swig's to relax in during the afternoon for lunch.
The Prom-what a gem of an amenity we have.
Safety:Someone else rightly pointed out how safe Galway is compared to other urban areas.Theres town's half the size of Galway that i would be nervous about being in late at night(Birr,Athlone,Portlaoise to name but a few).
I love Galway to bits.There's places alot more overrated then Galway.

Galway K9

ChemicalColony wrote: »

First off this is not a bashing thread so please lets not just start saying things are ****.

I think a lot of things are highly overrated in Galway City especially by casual visitors to the city.

McDonagh's chips is a big one; scalding hot and tasteless, any taste is the highly underrated vinegar they use. Vinnie's back West do much better chips and that Best Chips in Ireland award is just "as chosen by Derrick Mooney."

Gigs in Galway are also overrated especially compared to Cork & Dublin.

The Market, 'nuff said

Mr. Beans Organic veg in the shopping centre is highly underrated. What a gem of a place.

The market is amazing! and McDonaghs def have in my opinion the best bag of chips and the nicest chicken, fish is debateable.

outwest

overrated

roisin dubh
cuba
kellys

underrated
woodquay

Steyr

Placebo Effect wrote: »

Overated : The Front Door & Busker Browns...No soul.

They dont even do Kopparberg Mixed Fruit, screw that im going to Sally's.

Steyr

Galway K9 wrote: »

The market is amazing! and McDonaghs def have in my opinion the best bag of chips and the nicest chicken, fish is debateable.

McDonaghs is over rated, now the Kebab House on Domnick Street beside the Roisin will give ya proper chips.

mrsdewinter

McDonaghs were just the 1st chipper in Galway to give us chunky, irregular shaped chips, the kind any Italian chipper in Dublin had been serving up for years, so I guess that's why people rave about it. But you're right: it's deeply overrated.
Underrated: Anywhere over in the West, bar Roisin's.
Underrated: The coast road between Galway and Oranmore.
Underrated: Old Mervue. The original council houses just get better looking with age - and look far better than anything built by any local authority during the boom.

mrsdewinter

mrsdewinter wrote: »

Underrated: Old Mervue. The original council houses just get better looking with age - and look far better than anything built by any local authority during the boom.

Except for the lead.

ErnieBert

OVERRATED
Front Door. You Q for 20 mins and it's not full when you get in
Clifden. It's an ugly hole surrounded by beauty
Eyre Sq, It's just a field. no character.
Galway Airport. By the time you check in, you could have driven to Dublin.
Market. Jumped up car boot sale.
Galway City Tribune. Regurgitated press releases.

UNDERRATED
Cottage Bar. Quirky and funky.
Bianconi pizza. Pricy but tasty.
Promenade. Who needs a gym?

Overrated

"The west" in general, I don't understand the love people have for going out down there, I never like that side of town for going out (the odd time I was forced down there). Give me the front door followed by Halo any day!!

McDonaghs, its nothing special

I'm sure there is more that I cant think off.

Underrated

The city in general, when your only around every second weekend or so you realise what a great little city Galway is even just to walk around.

Mr.Mister

muppetkiller wrote: »

I'm way underrated !

I'll overrate this.

paulhannon

Julia Unimportant Thimble wrote: »

Give me the front door followed by Halo any day!!

*puts head in hands*

yeehaw

ErnieBert wrote: »

OVERRATED
Front Door. You Q for 20 mins and it's not full when you get in
Clifden. It's an ugly hole surrounded by beauty
Eyre Sq, It's just a field. no character.
Galway Airport. By the time you check in, you could have driven to Dublin.
Market. Jumped up car boot sale.
Galway City Tribune. Regurgitated press releases.

UNDERRATED
Cottage Bar. Quirky and funky.
Bianconi pizza. Pricy but tasty.
Promenade. Who needs a gym?

Why would you queue to get into a pub?
I have no issue with Clifden as a town.
What would you have in Eyre square? It's not Hyde park but what do you want it to be?
Galway Airport is the fastest Airport to check in/disembark at that I have ever flown in out of. I work in London and I regularly use City Airport and in terms on convenience and speed, Galway is miles ahead of it.
The Galway City tribune is excellent for local news and sport. As I said I live in London, but I read it online every week.

paulhannon

paulhannon wrote: »

*puts head in hands*

I feel the same when someone mentions the roisin or cuba.

The front door is a fantastic spot and yes I like going to Halo always have great craic there, Its probably my favourite club anywhere never mind Galway.

PopeBuckfastXVI

Different strokes for different folks...

lookinbusy

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

Different strokes for different folks...

What you talkin bout Willis ?



OVERRATED : oyster festival , Arthur Guinness day

Underrated: the galway coast line , monroes pizza

muppetkiller

lookinbusy wrote: »

Underrated: the galway coast line , monroes pizza

I actually think the Kebab Hut in Bridge Street may have taken Monroes Pizza crown

irisheddie85

muppetkiller wrote: »

I actually think the Kebab Hut in Bridge Street may have taken Monroes Pizza crown

kebab hut is owned and run by one of the family from monroes so should be very similar

Dr McManus

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

Different strokes for different folks...

Maybe he means this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4-8BsQxLZI&feature=related

lookinbusy

Dr McManus wrote: »

Maybe he means this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4-8BsQxLZI&feature=related

nice tune, different strokes though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v17lMr0j2D8&feature=fvst

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Under-rated:
Pizza Napoli
Old Folks
The Barber's Chair
Rusheen Bay
Gourmet (for rolls/sandwiches)

Over-Rated:
Coyotes
Subway
The Eye Cinema (well, was)

ErnieBert

yeehaw wrote: »

Why would you queue to get into a pub?
I have no issue with Clifden as a town.
What would you have in Eyre square? It's not Hyde park but what do you want it to be?
Galway Airport is the fastest Airport to check in/disembark at that I have ever flown in out of. I work in London and I regularly use City Airport and in terms on convenience and speed, Galway is miles ahead of it.
The Galway City tribune is excellent for local news and sport. As I said I live in London, but I read it online every week.

Clifden is damn ugly,

Eyre Square wasn't broken in the 60's but they fixed it and then fixed it again. It's just another European style plaza but with bad grass. They removed the main attraction (statue of Padraig O'Connaire), removed tress and slapped public toilets almost as a centre piece when they could've been placed in a less prominent location.

I probably misrepresented my gripe with Galway Airport. It's as easy to get Dublin Airport now with the advent of the M6 motorway. One used to be able to fly to Amsterdam, Paris, Prague and Malaga from Galway but now it's mainly UK destinations.

Galway City Tribune has declined rapidly. Sales have dived to an all-time low. I figure it's because the contents are poorer. I never miss buying it but I just don't enjoy it. Their sports coverage is still brilliant though.

Arnold Layne

Overrated: Kashmir

A Chicken Tikka Masla should not taste like it has sugar/sweetener add. I have made better myself. Thats not lamb, its fat!!

Underrated: Tulsi & Eastern Tandoori

Tulsi shades it as the most underrated Indian when compared with ET & Kashmir. Become a regular, i.e. once a month and enjoy the preferential treatment, even with takeaway. I always get a Cobra thrown in

ErnieBert

THFC wrote: »

Under-rated:
Pizza Napoli

Where is it?

brianthebard

irisheddie85 wrote: »

kebab hut is owned and run by one of the family from monroes so should be very similar

Kebab hut is a fine establishment, half pounder burger is serious value.

KittyeeTrix

Galway Cathedral imo is hugely underrated. I was in there during the week to get my mum a gift from the gift shop and it was just beautiful. I'm not at all religious myself but it was so peaceful and serene in there.

I just sat for a few mins taking it in and it was just gorgeous:)

Mrs OBumble

ErnieBert wrote: »

OVERRATED
Eyre Sq, It's just a field. no character.

Nah, you just have to imagine the gallows up by where the fountain is, and the crowds gathered below looking up to see the day's "entertainment".

Then look around and see all the current day homeless people trying to blag money off people: I almost laughed out loud the day I saw one man do the "spare change for the homeless" line on another Fairgreen client who he hadn't quite looked hard enough at to recognise ... they had a right old chat after that.

And watch the kids playing ballgames beside the council signs banning them.

Loads of character. And characters.

Galway K9

Overrated: McDonalds

Under rated: Fish shop opposite buskers

Utopia Parkway

ingalway wrote: »

Could not agree more...people who travel here from all over the world must spend ages wondering up and down the one shopping street looking for the 'city'. Also, the poor people who drive here and don't know any better and pay €2.60 and hour to park on street for their day out in the city.

Hardly matters does it. By Irish standards Galway is a city. By US standards it isn't. We live in Ireland therefore it's a city. End of story.

kraggy

THFC wrote: »

Under-rated:
Pizza Napoli
Old Folks
The Barber's Chair
Rusheen Bay
Gourmet (for rolls/sandwiches)

Over-Rated:
Coyotes
Subway
The Eye Cinema (well, was)

How does one get to Rusheen bay by road?

Also, never would have thought that Coyotes would ever have been rated at all. So wouldn't even be possible for over-rating in my book.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

ErnieBert wrote: »

Where is it?

I'm terrible with street names but I think the name is Cross Street. Beside Busker Browns, or across from the Front Door (just before the turn onto the pedestrianised street with McDonagh's)! That's Cross Street, right!?

magentas

THFC wrote: »

I'm terrible with street names but I think the name is Cross Street. Beside Busker Browns, or across from the Front Door (just before the turn onto the pedestrianised street with McDonagh's)! That's Cross Street, right!?

yeah that's cross street, it's at top of Kirwans Lane

Mrs OBumble

kraggy wrote: »

How does one get to Rusheen bay by road?

Well this is how you get there by bus, extrapolate from there:

Silverstrand beach / Rusheen Bay / Barna woods / Tobar Éinde or Tobar EannaCatch the 2w - Seacrest or 33 - Knocknacarra or 34 - Cappagh Rd bus. Get off at the bottom of Ballymoneen Rd (2w) or Cappagh Rd (33 or 34). Continue walking along the Barna Rd.


Rusheen Bay is on the left: there are various entrances marked for the riding school, the picnic area etc.
Barna woods is a park area on the right hand side of the road, a little after the petrol station on the left.After that, the first turn-off to the left leads down to Silverstrand beach. It's a narrow road with no footpath: walk on the right hand side of the road so that drivers can see you.
Tobar Eanna is in a small clearing on the left side of the road down the beach: the entrance is in the middle of a hedge and is not marked.


The walk from the bus-stop to Silverstrand beach takes 15-30 minutes, depending on your speed.


Public transport info for Popular Places

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Galway K9 wrote: »

Overrated: McDonalds

Under rated: Fish shop opposite buskers

The Kettle of Fish? Only good thing in there is the battered Mars Bar (which is heavenly) and I heard that has nearly 2,000 calories! I remeber the day I had 3 and a half... Nearly needed a new toilet!

NewApproach

THFC wrote: »

Over-Rated:
Coyotes
Subway

Who 'rates' these places? Surely you can't say something is overrated, if everyone thinks they are crap in the first place!