Bastion

Dinner was a truly memorable experience. The staff were warm and attentive, and every dish was exceptional, beautifully prepared and presented. It absolutely earned its Michelin stars. We came for a special occasion, and the team made it even more special. Thank you for an unforgettable evening!

Helen and the entire team at Bastion were absolutely wonderful. You can tell they are extremely focused on customer experience. The food was incredible, and the wine pairing complimented the courses perfectly. We would love the chance to dine here again!

Such a LOVELY meal at Bastion this last Friday evening! Food was amazing, the service was personal and personable, and the setting was lovely as well. It's a husband/wife operation and their passion for the food and the place comes through in spades. Three of us were gluten free and they were also super considerate about that. Irish wagyu beef course was the best thing I ate on the whole trip.

An absolutely wonderful restaurant. I went to Bastion for dinner this past Saturday evening and cannot praise it highly enough. The space is intimate and comfortable, appropriately elegant for a Michelin-starred restaurant without feeling overly formal. We shared the space with 5 other tables who all sat at 7pm, and we were all served the tasting menu at the same time, making for a nice communal experience. Each dish was artful, full of complex flavour, perfectly balanced. We also opted for the wine pairing and would highly recommend it. The meal was an adventure, with each dish and wine explained to us with great care. A special mention must be made of the proprietors, who took such care to treat each customer like their guest. Helen's knowledge and enthusiasm for wine was infectious, and Paul's friendly presence outside the kitchen to explain his beautiful dishes was a very nice touch. Both owners really made the evening, particularly Helen very kindly offering an extra bit of dessert with a candle for my birthday! They are genuinely warm, friendly people who have a very clear passion for what they do. An incredible restaurant experience all round, and certainly not to missed.

What an incredible experience we had on Saturday night! Everything about it was just perfect. The food was absolutely exceptional! We ended up going for the wine pairing, which I would highly recommend. It really takes everything to the next level. The attention to detail was unbelievable and the staff were incredibly kind, welcoming and attentive. I would highly recommend if you're looking for something to remember 🙂

Superlative. Chef Paul, and restauranteur/sommelier/hostess Helen, have cultured a pearl in the heart of Kinsale. My wife and I experienced the artistry of the tasting menu and a flight of fine wine assembled exclusively for the revelatory enjoyment of their diners. Fresh, local, ingredients and global wines come together immaculately to take you on a journey through seafood, game, and the land. The highlight above all, in my opinion, was the clearly refined rabbit dish packed with umami and gamey goodness, and not overpowered by a delicately chosen red (that I won't spoil). The pricing is as expected for European fine dining at a one Michelin star restaurant. Altogether we paid less than €500 for two, including the wine pairing. This is exceptionally reasonable for the quality and service. This is a restaurant on the course for another star should the service tighten appropriately. Helen's warmth is not diluted by her knowledge and confident style, which is a hard act to pull off. There is just a gap between one and two stars in terms of service expectation, but in my opinion the propriety and Scots-Irish charm of Bastion is closing the gap at pace. Chef Paul treads the fine line of innovative gastronomy and "reliably appetising food" with circumspect judgement. He has honed dishes which challenge taste and texture while pleasing the eye, nose, and mouth like the best of mammy's home-cooked fayre. Bravo!

What can I say but sublime. Nestled in the heart of Kinsale, Bastion was one of the last places I had to tick off the Michelin list and by god did it deliver. The wine list was excellent and the food and service sublime. Attentive but not overwhelming. The food, well sourced and wonderfully prepared truly an excellent display of localized contemporary food presented impeccably. Wholeheartedly recommended to anyone nearby - or even further afield. This restaurant will not disappoint in truly displaying the wealth of culinary talent and produce access that Cork has available to it.

Incredible. Our fourth time at this amazing restaurant and still love it as much. We had the tasting menu tonight. Superb. Not too much and great timing between courses. Helen and her team are still at the top of their game. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Best restaurant in Cork. Nestled in the heart of Kinsale, Bastion is a wonderful food experience that surprises you at every turn. We tried the 5 course tasting menu which was an eye opening experience. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. Total cost was 125e per person, that included wine @75e and tip.

After just having a 3 Michelin star meal in Chicago and being underwhelmed, I realized I hadn't given appropriate props to Bastion this spring. Husband and I ate here in April 2023 and were beguiled by the wonderful food, presentation, and service we received. We will definitely return if we are fortunate enough to get reservations. We had been advised to plan ahead, so lucky us--a tasting menu reservation was able to be procured. As it's been awhile, I cannot remember many specifics, but we were not disappointed by a single dish. And the wine pairings were exceptional, as was the warmth and charm of service. I would happily return.

Holy smokes this place is incredible. We are still talking about the croissant 2 months later. Langoustine with apple balls was insane! Service was what you'd expect, wonderful!

This was an absolutely perfect experience. From the food, the wine, to the staff, all amazing! Jill, Helen, and a gentlemen whose name I forget (I'm sorry!) were all so kind and helpful. The chicken skin with the bacon jam and mascarpone was so tastey. All of the courses were excellent. The duck may have been the best duck I've ever had. Thank you all again so much for having us!

I will not insult this place with words because it is indescribable: Definitely have the rabbit with gnocchi UNREAL The wild forest mushroom orzo is SUPERB Crab cakes are OUT OF THIS WORLD Foi gras BEST I EVER HAD DON'T MISS THIS SPOT

OMG - we were in Ireland for two weeks and every restaurant was good, but this one was the best. My steak was one of the best, if not THE BEST, I've ever eaten in my entire life. It was soooooo good. Seriously, the highlight of my vacation.

Amazing food, atmosphere and prosecco cocktails. Spent 2 nights in kinsale and came across this place on our way to dinner. Stopped in for a drink and it was the best decision we made. Looked forward to going in the next night for dinner as they were booked solid.

Lovely tasting menu with wine pairings. Each dish was beautifully prepared and elegantly presented. We started with a fresh pea soup, followed by a light sea bass, lamb two ways, and a lemon desert. The wines were an unoaked Chardonnay, a delicious Semillon, a CA Zinfandel, and a crisp prosecco. Highly recommended.

We had one of the best meals of our lives at this restaurant. The starters are just incredible, flavours are put together perfectly. Great service.

This is the best restaurant we ate in on our ten day visit to Ireland. The four of us that ate there each ordered something different from the menu. It was all well prepared and presented. We could tell everything on the menu was thoughtfully created with the best of fresh ingredients. Going back in a couple of months.

I arranged a 50th wedding anniversary dinner (via emails and phone calls from the States) for my visiting parents, and the owners were amazingly helpful. They went above and beyond to make the evening a memorable one - and my parents reported the meal was outstanding! Thank you Bastion for your world class hospitality.

A Disney like setting in the beautiful town of Kinsale, Ireland. A most welcoming and friendly staff serving a gastronomical delightful menu . The potato "soup" and duck are highly recommended while fish lovers will delight in the turbot . Sit a while and engulf yourself in the warm atmosphere of South West Ireland where the Celtic sea and the Atlantic meet

After reading some reviews, picked Bastion for dinner over a more acclaimed restaurant and so happy to find this lovely spot. Excellent dinner better than any expectation in this intimate spot. Their food is quite simply beautiful and memorable. This chef obviously loves his job. (Also, across the street from two great spots for music after dinner.) There are a couple of famous Kinsale restaurants, but don't miss Bastion if you want to be wowed.

Oh, my, what a wonderful meal! We enjoyed the tasting menu with the wine pairings. Everything was beautiful and delicious from beginning to end. I highly recommend this place for a very memorable meal.

Excellent!, Friendly staff. They Had just won 2nd place a the local chowder cook off. I had the Seafood chowder and it was wonderful. Flavored with Pernod, saffron and other good stuff. We also had the truffle orzo, and wonderful salad. The espresso creme brûlée for desert was fabulous also.

Recommended by our hosts at Old Presby, Bastion was perfect for us. The decor was light and airy, with big windows facing the street. The broad selection of small plates suited our appetites. Helen, who manages the front of house, was very helpful and unphased by our steady stream of questions; 'What's this?' and 'How is this done' and 'Is it gluten free'? The Seafood Chowder was amazing. Seriously, best I've ever had. We also ordered the Grilled Scallops and the very fun 'Salmon Cannoli'. It's not a dessert as it features crunchy beets and salmon on a plate sprinkled with Wasabi as both a sauce and as 'caviar'. As for dessert, the Irish Coffee Creme Brulee was an entertaining treat with Whiskey Jelly (who knew it even existed) floating on foam in a big coffee cup. The Creme Brulee is way down and the bottom, so dig deep to get the full effect.