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Martines or Kai or Rouge?

Bugalugs

12 men heading out to eat in galway at about 6pm on a saturday. Have narrowed it down to one of the three restaurants named above and am looking for a bit of local insight to make final decision. Thanks.

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swe_fi

I have been to all 3 places fairly recently

I would have said Kai over Martines if you asked a while back, but then I went to Martines (only place i could get for similar sized group with short notice) about 4 weeks ago and I was impressed, seems they are back on track.

Martines did drop the ball for a while and I had some so-so experiences there but the same is true for Kai and Rouge too. I had a group of 9 last time in Martines and everybody was really happy with the quality of the food. Even the French people that were with us ;-) I had steak, they have like a pick-and-mix selection of steak, was excellent and cooked exactly like i wanted it.

Rouge is the sort of place I would want to be able to recommend. It has good atmosphere, but i think they have just cut it too fine on quality vs value. They should up their prices and quality slightly, would not take much really.

Kai is more of a bring a date place in my books anyway and being honest i think the menu is a bit too minimalist. Still a very nice place and food has for most parts been great.

Next time maybe consider Da Robertas as well - the pizzeria part - Great quality italian food. Amazing how they can be so consistent. Yeah, I like consistency.

fishy fishy

dinneenp wrote: »

Mightn't be helpful but what about
Eight Bar; real lovely food and it's also a bar. Not a massive menu though.
If going to be not-quiet how about Cactus Jacks? Nice food and suits big groups.

that sounds like the best option on this thread.

fishy fishy

inisboffin wrote: »

I'm also a regular! I'm amazed you have never seen a gang of lads there? Even around race week? Seriously? You must only be going there on girl's night!:p

The food is plenty filling, in fact the same lad who had the brandy coffee always goes in for a steak. The steak and spuds is very filling. For 15 yo yos you get a main course/side/and a starter (small little tapas type things). If you're going on the lash, the beer selection isn't huge, but there IS beer available with your meal. Not all lads want a 'hape' of shlop the size of their heads every time they eat you know! I also know plenty of women with appetites that beat many lads, so I don't think we should base it on gender.

In summation: Is it somewhere to go for a hape of pints or a 'mop up' dinner post match - no
Is it somewhere reasonable, tasty food, decent portions, wine and beer (and whiskey if you want it in your coffee?) - yep.
The excellent wine selection is a huge selling point. More people have wine with that type of food at dinner than beer anyway.

My 4c:D

so in short you are saying that you have limited beer (which I actually said in a recent post here), no spirits except for your coffees, not a place to go for a few pints and a hearty dinner. You get a nice meal, steak and chips, fish and chips, and a selection of dainty starters.

kinda what I said previously.

No I have never seen a LOAD of lads at a table - mostly it is lads with their girlfriends, or two or three couples - funny I go there every fortnight and never saw a load of lads drinking wine - maybe I am going on the wrong night - maybe I should go to lads night in rouge - is there one?:D

joeKel73

fishy fishy wrote: »

Again, if you are looking for beer's like heineken, coors, bud, etc - hard luck = they don't do them - they to a "select" beer to go with their french influence.

I Love Rouge - I go there once every fortnight - this is how I know this.

^ Afraid this isn't true, would have prefered to try a "select" French beer but settled for a Smithwick's any time I was there. Can't remember the other options but all very common.

Seaneh

Bugalugs wrote: »

Going into town for about three, bit of bar hopping ( kings head, taaafes, quays sort of thing ) then dinner for about half five and onto the dogs. Not sure where to go after but a friend has told me to go 'westside' to bierhaus/ roisin dubh and wont be dissapointed.

Salt House > Bier Haus.

?Cee?view

Bugalugs wrote: »

Not sure where to go after but a friend has told me to go 'westside' to bierhaus/ roisin dubh and wont be dissapointed.

That's why I was suggesting Kai. It's right beside these places but they don't start dinner as early as you want.

?Cee?view

dinneenp wrote: »

If going to th Dogs then why not The Huntsman? Nice restaurant and food. Just walk over after

Actually have to agree with you here. If it's a choice between Martine's and the Huntsman, I'd definitely pick the Huntsman. At least with 12 of you you'll have plenty of room and you'll get honest good quality pub food.

In Martines expect to pay through the nose for so-so quality at best and you'll be likely sitting on top of each other; it's not a big place.

Bugalugs

Going into town for about three, bit of bar hopping ( kings head, taaafes, quays sort of thing ) then dinner for about half five and onto the dogs. Not sure where to go after but a friend has told me to go 'westside' to bierhaus/ roisin dubh and wont be dissapointed.

dinneenp

If going to th Dogs then why not The Huntsman? Nice restaurant and food. Just walk over after

Jim

A friend of mine with excellent taste in restaurants was in Anair last week and said it was the best meal he's had in years.

inisboffin

churchview wrote: »

Definitely Kai.

Absolutely perfect for 12 guys. They have a room upstairs which can be booked for private parties. It apparently seats 14 comfortably so should suit your group.

Didn't know about that room! Great stuff.

Bugalugs

Thanks all for your advice. I certainly did not mean to start a gender war debating whether a bunch of men would be happy to eat in a wine bar, for the record, we would have no problem with that.Don't want to get completely stuffed so smaller portions would probably suffice.
Anyhoiw as it turns out, Kai can't sit us until 6.30pm, Rouge until 6 but Martine's can do it for 5.30pm. Considering we have to out to the dog track for about 7.30pm, the whole debate is kind of moot, as Martines is the only one that can accomodate us time wise. All things being equal though, i think i would have went with Rouge. Thanks again for the feedback.

dinneenp

Mightn't be helpful but what about
Eight Bar; real lovely food and it's also a bar. Not a massive menu though.
If going to be not-quiet how about Cactus Jacks? Nice food and suits big groups.

?Cee?view

Definitely Kai.

Absolutely perfect for 12 guys. They have a room upstairs which can be booked for private parties. It apparently seats 14 comfortably so should suit your group.

For those who are "into" their food, the stuff they create is top notch.

For those whose meal out is just shteak, they have the most melt in the mouth steak you'll ever eat.

Couple this with a few good pubs within an ass's roar and you've the perfect spot.

I'd book the private room asap. If you're in the general area downstairs I can't see where they would seat 14 and the atmosphere wouldn't be right, whereas in your own room you'll make your own atmosphere.

inisboffin

fishy fishy wrote: »

oh, they have just opened the exclusive wine bar across the street now inisbofin - wine and charcuterie.

Why is it exclusive? Did the not let you in with runners?

*ducks*:D

inisboffin

fishy fishy wrote: »

I go there once every fortnight

I also have never seen a group of men in there - for starters the meal is probably not going to fill them - I would say they would be looking for something more hearty than dainty hor-deuvres, miniature soup bowls and spoons, and dainty pineapple on sticks.

Fine if you want to entertain your girlfriend.

Just my opinion as a regular.

Lads. save Rouge for your girlfriends. Its Fab, but not for a crowd of men.

I'm also a regular! I'm amazed you have never seen a gang of lads there? Even around race week? Seriously? You must only be going there on girl's night!:p

The food is plenty filling, in fact the same lad who had the brandy coffee always goes in for a steak. The steak and spuds is very filling. For 15 yo yos you get a main course/side/and a starter (small little tapas type things). If you're going on the lash, the beer selection isn't huge, but there IS beer available with your meal. Not all lads want a 'hape' of shlop the size of their heads every time they eat you know! I also know plenty of women with appetites that beat many lads, so I don't think we should base it on gender.

In summation: Is it somewhere to go for a hape of pints or a 'mop up' dinner post match - no
Is it somewhere reasonable, tasty food, decent portions, wine and beer (and whiskey if you want it in your coffee?) - yep.
The excellent wine selection is a huge selling point. More people have wine with that type of food at dinner than beer anyway.

My 4c:D

fishy fishy

oh, they have just opened the exclusive wine bar across the street now inisbofin - wine and charcuterie.

fishy fishy

inisboffin wrote: »

Do you not like Rouge?
I mentioned spirits because my friend just had a lovely brandy coffee there he was singing its praises. I'm nearly sure I had a straight brandy there but it right after it opened so I can't swear they've stopped it.

One or two beers is STILL beer, and if we are being pedantic, they DO serve spirits. I've seen plenty of men in there, and they didn't look too uncomfortable in their masculinity glugging back a bottle of fine wine - you don't have to sip it you know!;)

brandy for the french coffee, and whiskey for the irish coffee. thats it - if you are looking for vodka, gin, rum, hard luck. Again, if you are looking for beer's like heineken, coors, bud, etc - hard luck = they don't do them - they to a "select" beer to go with their french influence.

I Love Rouge - I go there once every fortnight - this is how I know this.

I also have never seen a group of men in there - for starters the meal is probably not going to fill them - I would say they would be looking for something more hearty than dainty hor-deuvres, miniature soup bowls and spoons, and dainty pineapple on sticks.

Fine if you want to entertain your girlfriend.

Just my opinion as a regular.

Lads. save Rouge for your girlfriends. Its Fab, but not for a crowd of men.

inisboffin

fishy fishy wrote: »

actually no they don't - they only serve the liquors as hot drinks as in irish coffee, or brandy coffee - they do not do spirits and they only do one or two beers. LOL

Do you not like Rouge?

I mentioned spirits because my friend just had a lovely brandy coffee there he was singing its praises. I'm nearly sure I had a straight brandy there but it right after it opened so I can't swear they've stopped it.

One or two beers is STILL beer, and if we are being pedantic, they DO serve spirits. I've seen plenty of men in there, and they didn't look too uncomfortable in their masculinity glugging back a bottle of fine wine - you don't have to sip it you know!;)

fishy fishy

inisboffin wrote: »

They have beer and spirits too! LOL!

actually no they don't - they only serve the liquors as hot drinks as in irish coffee, or brandy coffee - they do not do spirits and they only do one or two beers. LOL

inisboffin

fishy fishy wrote: »

by all means - if you like sitting round sipping wine Rouge is the place for you.

They have beer and spirits too! LOL!

fishy fishy

by all means - if you like sitting round sipping wine Rouge is the place for you.

inisboffin

Rouge for that gang. Don't think it's too girly for 12 lads, particularly as ye'll get a table to yourself The Restaurant part is in the back - the 'wine bar' part is to the front. Kai is lovely, but a bit small for what you need (and frankly a bit girlier than Rouge imo!). I'm not gone on Martines, I find it a bit overpriced, but some friends like it as they have gone for years.

Das Kitty

Rouge for that description. But this Saturday? They book out early, so get on the blower to all three.

chuky_r_law

kai. best restaurant in galway!

fishy fishy

Kai and Rouge are fab
not to gone on Martines - went downhill fast a few years ago.

Rouge is a wine bar - to be honest, it is fabulous, BUT it would be more suited to 12 women instead of 12 men. - you may find it a bit "girley" for your liking.

Kai is great but they have a bit of an "alternative" menu also that may not suit.

Seaneh

Kai, but I've no idea where they would seat 12 people.

Rouge is nice too, great value, only €15 for steak and a starter.

Martines is nice but a little over priced.