Kirwan's

Chowder - I really liked the base and seasoning, however the fish inside was overcooked and each bite was amazing creamy, dill(?) broth around dry, gritty fish chunks. Tuna - I first tried the tuna plain without the topping and it was a bit "fishy". I eat a lot of fresh tuna so if you know you know. I can say that with the fruit topping it was good, because that masked it, however I would have been disappointed eating it plain, which really shouldn't be the case with seared and seasoned tuna. Service - everything with service was wonderful until I sat for 20+min awaiting the bill. I was eating alone, my entire meal took less than 30 min. After my leftovers were packed I sat, and sat, and sat with my credit card in hand. Had to eventually flag someone down to complete the transaction. It's a perfectly adequate place with a lot going for it, but as an international traveler with a lot of fine dining experience, I can't give it 5, or ever 4 stars. It's a seafood place, and the seafood I had was squarely ok.

We celebrated my mother’s upcoming 60th birthday in style. A beautiful meal from start to delicious finish. The chowder, gambas and vegetarian risotto were highlights, not to mention the mind boggling upside down cheesecake! Highly recommend for a special meal with a special group of people ❤️

I still think about this meal. It was the first meal of our trip and we just happened to walk by and they had a table ready for us pretty quick! I still dream about these mussels. A fantastic seafood dinner to lead into a night heading to different pubs. A breath of fresh air and fine dining before a night of pints all over town. But for real, order the mussels. I'm going back to Galway JUST to eat here. Great wine list too and fantastic service staff.

They got me in on a Saturday night with no reservation, I got to sit under the tent as it rained with the heaters it was so lovely. The service was quicker than ever and kind as well. The food was amazing fresh bread w creamy butter, a slightly sweet lobster risotto but when you add the lemon and some fresh cracked pepper perfection, oysters were the best I’ve had I just don’t know if I’m an oyster girl Thank you!

Good and tasty seafood, fresh oysters, and even a few well‑done meat options on the menu. Friendly service, and they’re open on Mondays, which is a big plus. Note: they have a wine licence only.

Unfortunately, I got food poisoning from the oysters. I also had the lobster risotto, which was heavy. It tasted ok. I had the pistachio creme brûlée for dessert, which was also just ok. I wouldn’t recommend this place based on my experience. It was also extremely loud. Service was 10/10, great staff.

A wonderful find in Galway for a nicer dinner! I went with my parents while we are here on holidays and it was such a great find. The oysters, mussels and fish were incredible as was the fresh veggies. We were seated outside under some nice heaters so my parents were wonderfully toasty. and our server Marcus was so lovely and gave us a lot of great recommendations both for what to order here as well as were to grab an early breakfast and was super accommodating to my father who has hearing aids and struggles in loud spaces like restaurants. We loved it so much we mag even be back tomorrow!

It was a nice place to visit. It's a very big restaurant with seating outside, inside and on the first floor. We were day upstairs that had a bar as well. We started with a very delicious carafe of red wine. They gave us some yummy bread for the table with some delicious butter. My daughter ordered their prawns as her main and a side of vegetables. My husband ordered the steak and I ordered the seabass. Everything was done well but it wasn't excellent. We enjoyed our meal and the service was very good. We ended with a pistachio creme brulee which was very good!

I am allergic to seafood, but was with a group that wanted to check out Kirwans. I don't know whether this was a special on the menu, or they just gave it out for folks who are vegetarian (I'm not, just didn't want a big steak at lunch) -- but I ended up with a delicious vegetable risotto. I remember it being delicious -- but to be honest, once the sticky toffee pudding made it to the table, I didn't remember or notice much else. I'd never had STP before and am wondering now why my parents hated me and never introduced me to it (probably because I would've insisted on it for 3 squares a day...). Delicious, with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream because, well, sugar. Really nice little space in Galway -- great for taking a break after walking around.

One of my favorite seafood spots in Galway. My boyfriend and I did not have a reservation but they were able to still accommodate us a little later in the evening which was great. I recommend the prawns and muscles as starters. We also really enjoyed the fish and the beef as our mains. They have a wonderful wine list to choose from. This spot is perfect for a date night or catching up with friends. If planning to go on the weekend, a larger group or would like to eat at a specific time, I would recommend having a booking.

What a weird experience. It was the last night of our vacation in Ireland. We wanted to go to a place for Irish music but we also hoped for another bowl of Irish seafood chowder before we left. We have had wonderful seafood chowder all over Ireland. My husband went in to ask if we would be able to sit at the bar for some chowder later in the night and they said yes. So we went to another place for the music and came back here for the chowder. When we walked in, they sent us to the upstairs bar, which was fine but we felt like we were treated differently (lower) for wanting chowder at the bar. We also ordered a gambas appetizer and I ordered a cider - a local Galway cider- the last of our trip. It was an odd overall experience. It took quite a while for someone to acknowledge us. We felt like we were treated differently (poorly- even though they had no idea of our background - we can more than afford a place like this). The chowder also ended up a disappointment. The broth was thin but fine. There were what appeared to be slices of smoked salmon in it instead of chunks of fresh fish. It was probably the worst seafood chowder of our trip. The gambas dish was a play on Spanish gambas Pil Pil and it was fine. If you are looking for a friendly laid-back place to take in some Irish seafood, go somewhere else. We quite liked Hooked- go there instead!

Superb! After a very wet day in Ireland and while staying at a less than ideal hotel, I really wanted a delicious hot meal. And Ireland, in general, has great seafood. I had no reservation. They squeezed me in at the gorgeous marble bar. Each dish was really beautiful and so flavorful. I really enjoyed the prawns. The staff were all so friendly. I was grateful to have had a wonderful meal. Perfection!

The restaurant was tucked out of the way but a great getaway from the rain and cold. They asked if we had reservations but we were still seated as this was just a brief stop through town. I wish I gotten more pictures but I'm in vacation mode. My wife got the seafood chowder which was a healthy portion and delicious. I got the Linguine with clams and mussels. It was so fresh and delicious.

While in Galway, I read that they have their own oysters, and knew I needed to try. Asked a couple local bartenders where to go and they said Kirwans. The place was busy, but I like sitting outside, so that worked in my favor. The soup of the day was potato leek, so being in Ireland, I ordered that too. The soup was fully pureed, so different from many of the U.S. varieties, but the flavor was good. The oysters were really meaty with deep cups. I'm so glad I tried them.

Excellent evening of dining being blessed with a cancellation and filling at the upstairs bar ! Seafood chowder , mussels and closure with crème brûlée

This is a wonderful restaurant with high quality food and excellent, creative dishes. My husband had the black sole with samphire and I had Hake with risotto. Both were delicious. We went with the talented waiter's recommendations and were so glad we did. Make sure to put this restaurant on your list if you are in Galway City!

I really liked this place and the friendly staff. We were promptly seated and the server helped me pick out my dinner because there were so many choices. Just as a tip this place is dark and probably not the best for large groups. We started with a soup of the day which was a seafood like bisque. It also had a drizzle of pesto. We ordered the 10oz steak which was served with broccolini and a potato wedge. Very flavorful and cook to our liking. We also ordered the sea bass that was pan fried and served with a pan fried fish cake (like a crab cake). Both dishes were wonderful and tasty.

The beat. Fresh Galway oysters. Hale and Sea Bas were excellent. It's worth it. A hidden gem in Galway. The freshest seafood around.

Service was great. Seated right away on a Saturday night without reservation. We had oysters and mussels. So good.

Best restaurant in Galway! Have not ordered anything that wasn't great. Highly recommend the mussels. The very best I've ever haf

Went down a small alleyway got hit by a pigeon but we finally made it to this restaurant. It's small and cozy it's so beautiful to sit in and look at. I got a small thing of the muscles and it was perfect to fill me up. I also got the fish and chips. The fish was a little soggy but I did enjoy the tempura kind of fry on it. Chips were delicious. The wait staff was super nice but some of them were on their phones so I kind of charged me out of my peaceful relaxing time in the restaurant.

Not bad, not great but worth the try. Had the fish and chips and they were pretty good. Friendly service. Lots of locals.

Just around the corner from our hotel (The Residence) super convenient and away from busy street noise. Excellent food and service.

Our final meal in Galway was at Kirwans Lane Restaurant. From the moment we entered the door, the superb service began. Every bite of our food was pure perfection. Want to experience fantastic seafood? Make your reservations and enjoy!

I really wanted to dive I to the Galway seafood scene and this was a great place to do so. I came by for lunch. The food was tasty and fresh. Service was also really great. I would recommend it to anyone in the area

What a delightful place off, just an extension off of quay street. Stopped in here for lunch after a recommendation from a local bartender. The ambience inside screams romantic date night, but still conservative enough for a power lunch meeting. Sat at the bar & ordered a local craft cider (aka, the adult version of apple juice, refreshing, crisp, & enough to get a 100 lb chick tipsy on an empty stomach) & their seafood chowder, buttery, perfect mixture of broth/chowder to seafood ratio. Stop in if you're touristy'ing the area & a crave a good meal.

My fiance and I set out to find a special restaurant for us and our sponsors to celebrate our wedding back in 2018. As a coeliac I thought I may have some problems but believe it or not the very first restaurant we visited (Kerwins) ticked every box. The food, staff and the little extras on that evening made our wedding day so special. The food was out of this world and needless to say we have been back for our anniversary and taken many friends there for meals since. It may be a wee bit pricey but to me the standards would have to take a major drop fot it not to be worth the extra few euros.

Absolutely wonderful food! The braised ribs were amazing!!! I ordered the salmon and my boyfriend ordered the sirloin and we were both in love. The creme brûlée was very good! Definitely a must try!!!

I emailed this message to the restaurant the morning after our visit and after 48 hours received not even an acknowledgement so I've decided to share the content for others. I visited your restaurant with my husband and two adult children. The experience got off to a great start as we ordered a bottle of wine, oysters and prawns (recommended by the person who took our order (there were a few helping with drinks, water, etc.). Our starters arrived quite fast and they were spectacular. Then we waited....and waited...and waited even more. We saw several tables seated after us complete their meals before we had ours. Not once did anyone come by to see our wine and water was empty. When the food arrived, it was good but we were so disappointed by the lack of concern or attentiveness that it took away from the meal and our evening overall. We certainly can't envision a reason to return or recommend to others I am sorry to say.

Arguably our best meal in Ireland; being in a port/fishing town, it seemed logical to track down some good seafood. We felt very successful. Choosing to eat outside (another mild evening provided by a heat wave), our starters (especially calamari served aside a mild curry sauce - perfectly balanced...and their seafood chowder - a must when you are in Ireland - was the best we had on our trip) and wine got us off to a great start. My sea bass (felt like I was served most of the fish!) was fantastically fresh, and prepared with that in mind. Would definitely come back if we wanted a solid, reasonably priced seafood meal.

Nice restaurant. Small and cozy. Food good. Service good. Relatively expensive. The highpoint was their very delicious flourless chocolate cake.

Our hotel recommended Kirwans Lane and one other restaurant as options for our first night in Galway. We walked by both and chose Kirwans based on the posted menu and location. While the other option may have been very good, we could not have been more pleased with our selection of Kirwans. The restaurant is a nice size - not too large - and the service was attentive and very pleasant. The menu was sufficiently large and diverse to satisfy most tastes. We enjoyed the mussels with ample quantity in the smaller portion for the two of us plus... The seafood chowder was outstanding - rich and creamy but balanced and delicious with a nice amount and assortment of fin and shell fish. For main courses, my wife had the Fresh Papaerdelle Pasta which she said was among the best she'd ever eaten! I had one of the fish specials which was delicate and wonderful. We shared a bottle of Sancere which paired beautifully with our meal. No room for dessert. Overall, a five-star experience.

This place is fabulous! I'm not one who posts, but felt compelled to do so. My husband and I both had specials; he had the scallops (with roe attached, testament to their freshness) and I had the hake with fresh pappardelle. Wow. Both were prepared perfectly. Also, the chef amended the one dessert special to accommodate my husband's dairy allergy - warm carrot cake with mixed berry sorbet - and it was off the charts. Great service, nice small wine list, outstanding flavor. Highly recommend!!

Starting with the local oysters, they were plump, pleasant texture, and perhaps some of the saltiest liquor I've ever experienced. And I grew up on the Chesapeake Bay. They we're fantastic. I would get them again in a second. I had the linguine with mussels, clams, and shrimp. Again, it was fantastic. Light, pleasant sauce, and the clams were the highlight. Wife had the salmon which I tasted, and I'm not certain either of us could move on to the next item on the menu, even though there's no reason to expect anything but a delight. The service was what I have found to be typical across Ireland. Fine service up to the point your entree arrives. Then I think you could have a heart attack and no one would notice. Maybe it's me. Can't miss dining experience if you love local seafood.

Ate here for dinner and it turned out to be the best meal we had in Ireland. Great seafood and excellent service, all at reasonable prices. Dinner with cocktails for the two of us was slightly more than 100 euro, which is on par with nice restaurants that we frequent.

Stopped here for dinner while staying a couple of days in Galway. The place is nice and very near to the city night life, the atmosphere is classic and romantic. Low lights and ambient music. It's a bit pricey but the menu is definitely offering some nice dish.We tried the mussels, with coconut and curry and I have to say I found them very tasty.We tried also one of the evening specials , wild peasants croquette that we really enjoyed as well. Raccomended if you find yourself in the area looking for something more.

If you're looking for a little more upscale (which I was) this is a very good spot. The service was terrific and the food was some of the best I'd had in the area. Prices are fair and location is great

We were looking for a restaurant to try the famed Galway seafood, and Kirwan's did not disappoint. We had excellent starters of gambas prawns (tasty garlic sauce) and Connemara salmon with capers. For mains we had the gambas linguine (same delicious garlic sauce), salmon with chorizo, and seabass. My husband did not like the seabass - it wasn't as thick and hearty as we are used to in the States. Dessert was great - chocolate nemesis with pistachio ice cream and a berry crumble. Highly recommend this intimate restaurant if you are looking for a great seafood experience in Galway.

We picked Kirwan's when we arrived in Galway last night at 20:30. I had the large Connemara mussels in lemon grass, coconut milk, and curry. I love mussels and I've had them many times in many places. The mussels here were among the very best. The sauce was spectacular.

Everything was fantastic. My husband and I arrived around 7:30pm on a Wednesday night and were quickly greeted. They were packed and we did not have a reservation, but the hostess offered us a couple seats at a cozy, basically private, bar upstairs, which was perfect! The bar was the service bar for all the servers upstairs, so there was always someone close by if we needed anything. Ordered the seafood chowder, some of the best we've ever had; ordered the small mussels, the freshest we've ever had and they were basically a meal themselves; then I had the seabass special and my husband had the haddock fish and chips. Both were phenomenal. The seabass was perfectly cooked and came with these lovely crispy gnocchis and butternut squash purée and the fish in chips was potentially the best we've ever eaten. Absolutely amazing all around and the staff were wonderful as well. Highly recommend!!

As good as any place in town. Imaginative fish dishes well prepared. The service was attentive and professional. It's not to be confused with all the tourist places around the corner. This visit I enjoyed the sea bass, served on a bed of veggies and ham; my wife had salmon over a well-done risotto. We were a bit chilly from a day trip to the Aran Islands, a bowl of squash soup with coconut warmed us right up.

Down a side street next to all the fun night life, this seafood resto is a gem. The menu was interesting and i enjoyed that they had local food. They only serve beer or wine.

hands down the best meal we experienced in all of ireland. extremely fresh, flavorful seafood with exceptional service and upscale but cozy atmosphere. we ordered: (starters) seafood stew shrimp with garlic herb butter sauce sautéed crab with clam sauce main entrees: lamb shank special linguini with clams and langoustine a must-try if in galway... avoid the tourist traps on the main street at all costs!

we had a huge group and a tremendous dinner, the food was wonderful, the room was great and the service was thoughtful. One of the top restaurants in Galway, off the beathen path.

Down a little side street, an alley really, is this charming seafood specialist. We had some wonderful salmon and a delicious seafood tomato bisque. Service was knowledgeable, recommending good wine pairing for our lunches and steering us toward better and more seasonable selections. Check it out.

Went on a Thursday evening without a reservation so we were happy to sit at the bar. Place is hidden away from the action of the Latin Quarter, but still packed so that's a sign that it's something special. Really great seafood and service is top-notch but not stuffy. Highly recommended.

Amazing and delicious! Just a few meters from the craziness of Quay and top notch seafood. Loved every dish, wine and dessert. Be sure to have the fresh oysters and mussels.

Kirwans just off Quay street in Galway is the real deal. A genuine seafood restaurant with great staff who are genuinely warm and friendly and not sacharine (artificially sweet). We had the seafood chowder with half portion allowed for our 11 year old which was superb, warm crispy duck salad - pear was a little hard but good and for mains we had the whole lobster which was a special on the night at €29.95 which was superb and great value . Overall a great experience with great staff , service and food at a reasonable price for fresh seafood. Would definitely recommend and we will return as there are not too many really good seafood restaurants in the heart of Galway . The other good one is Oscars who recommended Kirwan's as they were booked on the night.