Recommend a good (romantic!) restaurant in Kilkenny please

ToadVine

I'm in Kilkenny with the better half for a short romantic break on 16th Feb. Can anyone recommend a nice restaurant please? Doesn't matter about the type of food served.

What is the name of that place downstairs almost directly across from the main gates to Kilkenny Castle? Is it any good?

Thanks in advance

windy bee

The nicest is either Zuni's or Campagne, boook both in advance, food is excellent in both.

The place across from the castle is alright it's called rinuccini's and it serves italian food, nothing special very creamy.

Had a bad experience there before, GF booked a table for my birthday a week in advance and they put us in the hallway on a tiny table crammed out the back, wasn't impressed (it was obvious rinuccini's put us there due to was a profitable hen party on out the front) but haven't (and won't be) been back since.

Would have walked out only the GF booked it and I didn't want to offend her.

Davaeo09

I have to say I love myself an Italian Connection.

It's down on Parliament Street almost directly opposite Rothe House

Great service, lovely atmosphere, good food and good prices

Captain Havoc

Try get yourself a window seat in the Rivercourt, nice view of castle and river.

Threadhead

I had the exact same experience as windy bee in Rinnucini's, booked in for an anniversary meal and we were put at a tiny table in a hallway out the back. Still paid a huge bill with nothing for our (evident) discomfort. That was 5 years ago and haven't been back since.

Haven't been to Campagne yet but have heard great things.

Autosport

I love either a Italian Connection, Little Italy or Langtons

1984baby

Also had a bad experience in Rinuccinis and won't be returning there ever. I'd recommend campagne - very good food. The Rivercourt Hotel has a very nice restaurant with great views of the castle out of the restaurant window. Stathams on Patrick Street is also good. Bar out front and a large dining room separate from the bar at the back. I've ate there with my girlfriend a good few times, never any complaints.

ft9

Worlds End have a fantastic A La Carte menu.

(Are we still doing this?)

Threadhead

The World's End legitimately has a chef. No joking.

His name is Bullet. Says it all really.

Autosport

I have to say I have never been in the World's End, Am i really missing out

Captain Havoc

Autosport wrote: »

I have to say I have never been in the World's End, Am i really missing out

I know one day someone will post feedback in here after reading a recommendation.

toby2111

Spending this weekend in Kilkenny,booked Zuni for tomorrow night,is it a good spot?Any recommedations from their menu?

Threadhead

They do fairly amazing homecut fries, a damn fine risotto and if you like dishes with black pudding, then there's a great chicken dish that's loaded with black pudding.

toby2111

Sounds nice,is it a good spot?I could always cancel and go elsewere if theres a better restaurant around.

Wimbago

Zuni is good but portions are a bit on the light side.

If you like Indian, across the street from Zuni is Royal Spice, ace.

Was in Cafe Sol on William St. on Tuesday, excellent quality of food with decent menu. Early bird runs quiet late too idb (maybe until 7:30 or 8 but check 1st)

Chinese, never been to Swans on the Parade even though I've heard its good so I'd recommend Emerald Gardens on the end of High Street/start of Parliament St.

If you wanna play it safe, Langtons is always a solid choice but eat in the restaurant and not the bar

Sky King

Lovely food in cafe Sol alright but I personally don't like the vibe in there. It's too open plan or bright or something, and the windows on the front are huge. It doesn't feel cosy... to me anyway.

Royal spice is an excellent Indian if that's your thing.

Zuni is very good. I don;t recall skimpy portions but it's been a while since I was there. I remember the service being excellent though.

Nothin p***s me off more than self styled upmarket places with awful service.

Captain Havoc

I probably wouldn't do the romantic dinner in Café Sol but would highly recommend it for lunch, I think I took a girl there once for lunch, the food was basic but very well priced, service was good.

1984baby

Never been to Zuni, but it's meant to be excellent. Campagne on Johns Green is also a good restaurant to go to. I would not recommend Cafe Sol, been there twice and I didn't find it good - average food and expensive for what you get.

Autosport

Zuni's is a lovely spot, service is excellent

caoimhghin72

Food in La Trattoria on John Street is very good. Wouldn't recommend Little Italy anymore, had bad experience. Grapevine on Rose Inn Street can be nice. The Hibernian also - very good. Zuni - good, but don't like the open plan 'noisy' kitchen. La Rivista good quality but maybe lacks the 'Romance.

Anyone any been to / have reviews of that place in Butterslip, 'The Colusseum'?

oldyouth

Can anyone tell me if any of these nice restaurants are open on Sundays? Heading over this weekend

foxcoverteddy

Campagne, without doubt, went to runnicini, small table, never again, the waiter's looked like the mafia, didn't rate Zuni at all, and the one in Ormopnde sT, waited so long all but gave up, not ever again, Wm St not really romantic, good food, Italian connection okay, very italian, what about opposite, not bad, yep Langton's straight up no nonsense, right about the bar, a no no.
Went to Campagne the other night, rave about it, nice inside some cosy spots, fantastic menu, the orange posset for deseert was hmmmmmmmmm, tried making one yesterday. Parking easy in Barrack st or on the green. Early bird some nights 6 till 8pm, check it out, enjoy

fabbydabby

Where do you dine on Bloomsday?

foxcoverteddy

Rachels kitchen, which used to be the Mulberry, or Mulcahy's but neither are romantic, nor is Cillin Hill, food great but decor, ugh, but then it is a farmer's restaurant. The battered Cod is superb, no one does better in Kilkenny, except meself of course.
Foxy

Threadhead

My 2012 dining experiences in Kilkenny thus far are:

Langtons - service in their restaurants has hit the same level as their bars and clubs, namely deplorable. Eamon should start taking some staff coaching tips from Gerry Byrne. I'm off Langton's for the rest of this year at least. For an establishment of their reputation, they should be ashamed.

Zuni - Went on Sunday, good food, good service but was rushed out. Also, it's way too formal an experience. No hurry to return but I went on Mother's Day so I wouldn't write them off entirely. They were dealing with hyperactive kids everywhere.

Rinnuccini - went there last month after avoiding it for 5 years. Still too packed, too cramped and the food just isn't that great.

Grapevine - If tapas is your thing, this is the place to go. Great ambience, great food and wine but make sure you get a good seat. Some of them are a bit too squashed.

Vindees - Thai food probably isn't everybody's thing but everything about this place was excellent. It was my second time there and I'll definitely be going back.

Key Largo - Despite the constant strong smell of cleaning materials, A1 for food, price and service. I've been eating there for 8 years and have never had a bad experience. Apart from the smell of bleach. Hey, at least it's clean!

foody28

I have eaten in this restaurant for years as well as frequently using it's take away service and am disgusted by the level of customer service I have received tonight. We were seated as a table for four and ordered and received our starters with no major upheaval. Unfortunately, over forty minutes after ordering and with our starters long gone we were informed that they had run out of the fish special and needed us all to reorder our mains again. If this had been brought to our attention from the beginning it would not have been such an inconvenience but one of our party had chosen to have a main and a dessert from the set menu so was due to be waiting over an hour before she had anything to eat.
At this point I mentioned to the waiter that a complimentary glass of wine might be appreciated due to the inconvenience, since nothing had been offered by the restaurant itself at this point, and we spoke in good humour. Around twenty minutes later we had heard nothing from the waiters and were being virtually ignored by the waiting staff in terms of water bring refilled etc. At this point I
Asked to speak to the manager and was received by a very rude, aggressive woman. Upon voicing my complaint about the time taken to receive our food and the absence of any service during that time I was told I was 'arrogant' and lucky to have received a table at all. I then was informed of how difficult it is to find fresh fish these days, none of which is my concern seeing as I was complaining about the service and not the fishing industry of Ireland. The manager continued to call me arrogant because I had suggested some form of compensation for the very long delay with our food even though I have been a loyal customer for years and would expect some gesture from any restaurant that made a mistake and delayed it's customers to that degree. The manager was so belligerent that I could not even get a word in so I returned to my seat and waited a further fifteen minutes to receive our main course. At that point I could have been eating raw sewage and wouldn't have tasted the difference I was so upset. At the end of the meal my daughter and I went up to the manager and she explained how we were unimpressed with the service and how there was absolutely no arrogance in my interaction with the waiter. The manager spoke over my daughter and just repeatedly called me rude and arrogant whilst simultaneously reminding me that I have given a lot if business throughout the years. A slightly contradictory argument if you ask me. I ended the interaction by asking to pay, a pricey 120 euro even though my daughter left without her desert due to the unpleasantness, and the manager behaved like a child, making me wait with my card while she pretended to be busy. The level of service I received by management tonight is a prime example of a restaurant that continues to receive customers due to location and does not care about how it treats it's customers. I will never darken it's doors again and will be advising anyone I know to do likewise.

mefynn

foody 28 can you tell us which restaurant you were in,or maybe i just missed the name

blockic

Name and shame...only answer for it.

foody28

Apologies! It was rinnuccini restaurant, never again!

Dozen Wicked Words

Been in there twice, with my wife. Found service fairly slow both times, and manageress very abrupt with us the 2nd time, hovering over us to finish to get someone else in despite the delay between courses, although not as bad as foody28 experienced. I am in no way a slow eater and it wasn't like it was an early bird. We were in and out in 2 hours ish(No idea if this is same lady as it was over 2 years since I've been there and never going back I don't think.)

foxcoverteddy

Sorry you get what you deserve, walk out if the service is not up to standard, do not stand the ****e they call service, it is your money and time, probably better off going to "Supermac"
Food is important, Kilkenny should be leading the way forward.
Better off to cook it yourself.

Yamanoto

foody28 wrote: »

The level of service I received by management tonight is a prime example of a restaurant that continues to receive customers due to location and does not care about how it treats it's customers.

If that were the case, as a repeat customer of long-standing, surely you'd have encountered or observed poor levels of service on previous occasions & accordingly taken your business elsewhere?

irish_goat

Grapevine is great if you like tapas.

foody28

Yamanato, my outrage was directed at the fact that a new manager was employed who clearly has about as much customer service skills as a turnip! I was upset as I have gone to the restaurant for years and was shocked at this treatment, I only spoke of one incident with a manager I was unfamiliar with, not an ongoing problem.

Sky King

If you are unhappy with a place, slate them on Tripadvisor.

Just be sure to commend the places athat are actually good too though. I always do this. It's good for the service industry overall if people rate online - it goes a long way towards eliminating tourist traps and business with high turnover off passing trade and makes everyone up their game.

Benny Cake

Sky King wrote: »

If you are unhappy with a place, slate them on Tripadvisor.

Just be sure to commend the places athat are actually good too though. I always do this. It's good for the service industry overall if people rate online - it goes a long way towards eliminating tourist traps and business with high turnover off passing trade and makes everyone up their game.

Well said, this is the way to go. Wrt the poster, I'm not particularly surprised, I've found the staff in Rinuccini to be very arrogant....

foody28

Definitely, I always have a check of tripadvisor when travelling so have voiced my opinion there also!

wellboytoo

Not from Kilkenny but I eat there a bit, imo you have a gem in Campagne number one in Kilkenny by a country mile.
Zunnis is also very good package all round.
Sol a lovely cafe never ate at night but tasty and imaginative.
For a relatively small place you are really blessed with good eateries .

foxcoverteddy

I checked tripadvisor, to be honest the accolades the restaurant received makes one wonder about the poster's comments.
I personally have only eaten there once, but I would not put the place down on that experience.
There are others who rave about campagne, yes it is lovely but there are some adverse comments. One should remember food is like a wine, some good some not so good, it also depends on ones expectations and the quality of food you are used to.
Okay if I dine at the Ivy in London there is no way one can compare Kilkenny restaurants, different world.
Food is very personal, Mc Donalds is down to earth and very reasonable, I am not a food gourmet by any stretch of the imagination, it has to be served hot depending on what is ordered, presentable and most of all clean.
Michelin or any other stars mean very little, is it not the same with the chef, because he or she is well known it must be good.
Just enjoy or if you have a complaint tell the management, do not attempt to ruin business it is hard enough these days, personally I think too much has been written on the subject.
A storm in a teacup

OpenYourMind

I agree with the above... Food is very relative, one person's feast is another person's gruel. In general, Kilkenny does offer a lot of quality places to eat for a city it's size.

I find that Tripadvisor is starting to 'level off' in terms of overall ratings. I'm not just referring to Kilkenny or restaurants. We were in a well-known holiday spot last year (travelling independently, not on a package etc). Ate in some really poor places, which were overpriced. Looking back at Tripadvisor then later (in an effort to find a decent place), we found all restaurants in the area were averaging total "scores" of 4.5 or 5 out of 5 - even the ones that clearly didn't deserve it. I've noticed a similar trend throughout the site.

My point is... well, the first sentence I wrote, and also TA is reaching 'maturity' as a business concept I think - you need to approach everything with an 'Open Mind'.

catbear

Roma cafe, she'll never forget!

Captain Havoc

foxcoverteddy wrote: »

Michelin or any other stars mean very little, is it not the same with the chef, because he or she is well known it must be good.

We're gonna have to very much disagree on that one, it takes a huge amount of effort and quality to achieve a Michelin star.