Galway - The Ultimate Guide

cooperguy · 16-12-2008 07:54PM #1

Well im just after finding out that im moving to Galway in January. Only problem is I dont know much about the city. So how about people give their best and worst of Galway? It would help me out and if the thread worked out it would help out any visitors coming to Galway or other people moving there. So people your best and worst:

Pubs
Restaurant
Fast Food Place
Club
Cinema
Pizza Place
Supermarket
Cafe
Chinese
Gym

Any other categories ye can think of you can add them aswell of coarse!

Aurora Borealis · 16-12-2008 08:51PM

Pub - Neachtains, great mix of people, cosy atmosphere and pretty much a Galway institution. Róisín Dubh for gigs.
Restaurant - Fancy outside of town Whitte Gables in Moycullen. In town, Oscars or Abalone I believe too though not been yet.
Fast food - Indian, Kashmir, nice for a sit-down too, Chinese, Curry House or Golden Rickshaw, or if you really want to go local good ole Supermacs. I still love it!
Club - Most are pants to be honest. I like the Cellar from time to time on a Saturday night downstairs. Funky house prob best description for it and pretty chilled.
Cinema - I prefer the Eye for comfort and the Town Hall do Art house too, mostly Sunday evenings. Check out the Film Club on their website.
Pizza - Best in town is still imho Monroes though someone else did post here recently saying they were dropping in standard. Great to sit in and have a lovely cold pint with it too.
Supermarket - Chains same as everyelse in Ireland really. For unusual products McCambridges on Shop St are good. Some lovely small specialised shops too. Sheridans on Market st (I think) for cheese is brill. Try the Satuday morning maket too for some yummy home-made produce. The fortifying Potato and Pea Curry is great particularly in this rather inclement weather.
Café - I love Javas on Abbeygate st still. Great wines too and nice to hang in the evening there too.

That's all for now, I'll post back if I think of more...

It's a great town, hope you like it!

spinandscribble · 16-12-2008 09:00PM

does anyone else miss the french themed cafe in the corn store? oooh almond pancakes.

skelliser · 16-12-2008 09:29PM

spinandscribble wrote: »

does anyone else miss the french themed cafe in the corn store? oooh almond pancakes.

cafe de paris? is it gone?

citycentre · 16-12-2008 09:37PM

The cafe is still there, it's the french bakery (Richard McCabe's) thats gone... tragic.
Though I have noticed that the Gourmet Tart Company seem to have filled the gap a bit - their almond croissants are almost identical to the ones you used to get from the French Bakery (they do gorgeous and reasonably priced sandwiches too).

bills · 16-12-2008 09:40PM

coffee shop is called java i think, definetely not cafe de paris any longer.

Mars Bar · 16-12-2008 09:41PM

MacDonaghs! I swear by the place for fish, chicken and chips!

ErnieBert · 16-12-2008 09:52PM

Pubs Myles Lee in city centre. Age 25 to 45. Also, Busker Brownes and O'Connor's in Salthill for trad music that isn't too loud.

Restaurant Asian Tea House is super. Also, Robertos (Italian) in Salthill.

Fast Food Place Kettle of Fish for battered sausies and curry chips. It's only 10 paces from the aforementioned Myles Lee pub. Taxi rank across the road. Perfect for a pissy wet nights in Galway

Club Not tooooo sure. Warwick in Salthill seems to be scaling down. I prefer late night pubs.

Cinema Eye cinema is a bit classier than than any of the Omniplex places.

Pizza Place I can't remeber the name of the place, but the pizza outlet is Westside Shopping Centre is the dogs. I challenge ye all to try it. Yummmmmy.

Supermarket There are about 7 or 8 Dunnes in Galway. For unusual stuff, I like Mortons in Salthill. The Saturday market is well worth checking out.

Cafe Elles Cafe on Shop Strret has is the cleanest cafe ever. Nice coffee too.

Chinese They are all pro MSG so I avoid.

Gym Walk the seafront in Salthill and fill your lungs with the Atlantic breeze. No 12 month Direct Debits to contend with either.

spiritcrusher · 16-12-2008 10:23PM

Regards cinema the Eye probably is the best. It's cheaper and just as comfortable as the more recently rennovated Omniplex. Stickier floors though, I find.

Favourite club has to be DeBurgo's on a Saturday. Great atmosphere in there and I love the layout of place. Roisin Dubh is pretty good too, as is upstairs in the Quay's.

I find the Chinese's all taste pretty similar but I think the best I've tried is probably The Golden Rickshaw. Still only average.

JohnCleary · 16-12-2008 10:25PM

ErnieBert wrote: »

Gym Walk the seafront in Salthill and fill your lungs with the Atlantic breeze. No 12 month Direct Debits to contend with either.

Post of the day

skelliser · 16-12-2008 10:33PM

Myles Lee? were is this place?

rain on · 16-12-2008 10:37PM

I had a surprise move to Galway a couple of months ago, came up here without knowing anything about the place. (Having a brilliant time btw!)

My favourite places so far are:
-Bierhaus for beer
-Zatsuma for really nice crepes in the middle of the night.. I don't know what time they close but any time I'm stumbling home langers and hungry they're always open
-Milano's for fancy expensive pizza
-The sushi place in the Saturday market for sushi
-The Saturday market generally for all my fancy olive/bread/cheese needs
-Roisin Dubh for gigs
-O'Connor's in Salthill for old man pub goodness

Zzippy · 16-12-2008 11:03PM

skelliser wrote: »

Myles Lee? were is this place?

The Dew Drop is the other name for it

cL0h · 16-12-2008 11:16PM

I'll second your pizza recommendation. Excellent!
There's also a really good Indian beside the Aldi in Westside.
BTW the Asian Tea House on Mary St. doesn't use MSG.

As for the Warwick for clubbing!!! OK so you said you prefer late bars but I can't believe you said that after all your fine recommendations.

ErnieBert wrote: »

Pubs Myles Lee in city centre. Age 25 to 45. Also, Busker Brownes and O'Connor's in Salthill for trad music that isn't too loud.

Restaurant Asian Tea House is super. Also, Robertos (Italian) in Salthill.

Fast Food Place Kettle of Fish for battered sausies and curry chips. It's only 10 paces from the aforementioned Myles Lee pub. Taxi rank across the road. Perfect for a pissy wet nights in Galway

Club Not tooooo sure. Warwick in Salthill seems to be scaling down. I prefer late night pubs.

Cinema Eye cinema is a bit classier than than any of the Omniplex places.

Pizza Place I can't remeber the name of the place, but the pizza outlet is Westside Shopping Centre is the dogs. I challenge ye all to try it. Yummmmmy.

Supermarket There are about 7 or 8 Dunnes in Galway. For unusual stuff, I like Mortons in Salthill. The Saturday market is well worth checking out.

Cafe Elles Cafe on Shop Strret has is the cleanest cafe ever. Nice coffee too.

Chinese They are all pro MSG so I avoid.

Gym Walk the seafront in Salthill and fill your lungs with the Atlantic breeze. No 12 month Direct Debits to contend with either.

ErnieBert · 16-12-2008 11:41PM

cL0h wrote: »

BTW the Asian Tea House on Mary St. doesn't use MSG.
.

I know. It isn't a traditional Chinese restaurant as you can tell from it's name. They sell Maylasian, Thai and Japanese food too.

extraice · 17-12-2008 01:05AM

skelliser wrote: »

Myles Lee? were is this place?

here there website http://www.thedewdrop.net/

corren off Cross st and Mainguard st

banshee_bones · 17-12-2008 01:18AM

Pubs- The Front Door, Neachtains

Late Bar/Gigs- Roisin Dubh

Cinema- Eye

Restaurant- The Huntsman, Da Robertas, Milanos, Thai garden

Fast Food- Charcoal Grill

And a visit to the market on a saturday is a must!

Black_Knight · 17-12-2008 08:17AM

There was a 10 ten pubs in galway thread a while back. Results were as follows:

Black_Knight wrote: »

Ok, so ive taken everyones top pubs in Galway and tallyed them up to give a list of the top voted for pubs.

Here goes:

12 recommendations
Roisin Dubh
10 recommendations
Blue note
8 recommendations
Freeneys
Front Door
7 recommendations
Beirhaus
Dew Drop
Monroes
Neactains
6 recommendations
Bazaar
O' Connells
5 recommendations
Quays
Taffees
The cottage
4 recommendations
Bar 903
The Kings Head
Massimos
Sally Longs
3 recommendations
Aras Na Gael
Cellar
Mc Swiggans
2 recommendations
Busker Browns
Cookes
De Burgos
Murphys
Sheridans
Skeff
The Crane
Tig Colli
Only 1 recommendation
An Pucan
Bunch of Grapes
Garavans
Hughes
Kelihans
Living Room
Murty Rabbits
Number 8
PJs
Red Square
The Spanish Arch
Tonerys
The office

SimpleSam06 · 17-12-2008 11:08AM

ErnieBert wrote: »

Chinese They are all pro MSG so I avoid.

MSG is viewed as a tasty seasoning in a lot of Asian countries, they call it yami-yami, so if you're getting it in your food, that actually is traditional Asian grub, just like you'd find over there. I have to keep throwing the stuff out as my wife is from those parts.

big b · 17-12-2008 01:51PM

cL0h wrote: »

As for the Warwick for clubbing!!! OK so you said you prefer late bars but I can't believe you said that after all your fine recommendations.

Just curious - what's wrong with The Warwick? (never been)

Bonzodog · 17-12-2008 03:55PM

Wheres "Kettle of fish?"

I know I have passed the place before, just cannot remember where.

I'm a Brit living here in Galway, and the only English thing I miss is a proper UK style chippy.

Up to now, when i wanted a good chippy, I went to McDonaghs.

Aurora Borealis · 17-12-2008 05:24PM

It's across from Buskers on Cross St.
Haven't tried it though it does look nice.
Report back if ya do....

buzz55 · 17-12-2008 05:39PM

Pub - Neachtains, PJ's in Salthill, Freeneys - haven't been to the Dail yet so can't comment.

Restaurant - Asian tea house is lovely IMO, Kappa-ya Japanese place on Middle St. also good, and Mustard on same street do lovely pizzas. The Cottage in Salthill is pretty good for food. Cava on Dominick St. is a tapas bar, good but v expensive for what you get.

The pizza place in Westside mentioned below is called Bistro Bianconi - google it & you'll get a menu.

I'm starving now after reading this post

SimpleSam06 · 17-12-2008 05:48PM

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

It's across from Buskers on Cross St.
Haven't tried it though it does look nice.
Report back if ya do....

Tried it, not impressed...

spinandscribble · 17-12-2008 07:14PM

My fave restaurant is the malt house, pricey but worth it though. a close second is thai gardens.

cL0h · 17-12-2008 10:05PM

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

MSG is viewed as a tasty seasoning in a lot of Asian countries, they call it yami-yami, so if you're getting it in your food, that actually is traditional Asian grub, just like you'd find over there. I have to keep throwing the stuff out as my wife is from those parts.

In China it is put on the table like salt which means you can choose to put it in your food or not.

happyoutscan · 18-12-2008 12:58AM

buzz55 wrote: »

The pizza place in Westside mentioned below is called Bistro Bianconi - google it & you'll get a menu.

Easily the best pizza in Galway, think they've won Best Irish Pizza couple times or something.

cooperguy · 24-12-2008 06:14AM

Thanks everyone some great stuff there. Will definatly be checking some of it out. Any suggestion for a good butcher. A boring topic I know but its always good to know!

SimpleSam06 · 24-12-2008 11:01AM

cL0h wrote: »

In China it is put on the table like salt which means you can choose to put it in your food or not.

I didn't eat in many restaurants...

rkevin · 02-01-2009 08:39PM

went to buskers brown pub in galway and they could not be bothered in getting a dj and did no count down to the newyear.
what a crap bar one to be avoided in 2009

pointofnoreturn · 02-01-2009 09:01PM

Would this help abit?
http://wikitravel.org/en/Galway
Very handy place to get info when travelling

Galway - The Ultimate Guide

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