Out of the Blue

Top 10 fish I’ve ever had. Seriously local and fresh. The monkfish was perfectly cooked, melted in your mouth and tasted like lobster. The sauces were sublime. Too often you get one or the other (freshness or flavor)-at Out of the Blue you get Both! The octopus dish was superb as well.

The best. Simply the best. My husband and I are from Florida, live on the Mediterranean in Spain, and have eaten what we considered some of the best seafood in the world. Until this afternoon at our 4.30 supper reservation (what would be late lunch in Spain) because that’s all they had available—but we were told it was worth it. It was. And then some. The atmosphere is casual and relaxed like Ireland—but the food could be served at the snootiest of Michelin Star restaurants. No doubt. Just go. You’ll see. Let the pictures speak for themselves.

Probably one of the best, if not the best, meal we had while visiting Ireland. We live in a coastal village in NY so we are used to seafood but I have never had such delicious scallops. I must learn this magic! You can’t go wrong with any choice. You will have a wonderful meal if you come here. I suggest making a reservation though. We missed them on our first night in Dingle because we didn’t make a reservation and almost didn’t get one on our last night. So glad we made it! Also if you don’t like seafood don’t come here. Seafood only and no chips. Not a problem for us!

Great fish restaurant in Dingle and fully deserving of its on line ratings. The food was top class, atmosphere great and service spot on. Make sure you book in advance!

After seeing that it was fully booked online and realizing we were too late for reservations, we decided to try our luck in person and we’re so glad we did! We were lucky and they welcomed us immediately, and even though we had a shorter time slot, it didn’t affect the experience at all. It was more than enough to enjoy one of the best seafood dishes we’ve ever had. The service was flawless, and the food was just as incredible!

Great atmosphere. Delicious food. Wonderful service. My husband had the chargrilled seabass with beurre Blanc and I had the monk fish medallions with sautéed gambas and peppercorn sauce. For the finale, I had the ile flottante and my husband had the chocolate and Bailey’s mousse. Fantastic. Congratulations and Thank you to the talented chefs and team.

If you’re intoseafood, Out of the Blue in Dingle is a must-visit. It’s got that perfect mix of casual charm and high-quality food. Everything is fresh and depends on what’s available that day. We went all in on the seafood and weren’t disappointed. The scallops were cooked beautifully, tender and full of flavor, and the grilled oysters with spicy tomato sauce were a highlight.. The seabass and halibut were both excellent, cooked just right with rich, buttery sauces. Drinks-wise, we had a couple of bottles of Riesling, which paired well with everything. Desserts were simple but hit the spot after all the seafood. Service was friendly and efficien. The atmosphere is relaxed but has that nice touch of something special. The bill came to €300, which is on the pricier side, but for seafood this fresh and well-prepared, it felt worth it. Overall, if you’re in Dingle and love seafood, Out of the Blue is well worth a visit. Just be ready to spend a bit, and definitely book in advance!

I ordered black sole and hot oysters. It was one of the best fish I've ever eaten. Very friendly staff and great View.

Delicious bisque and fish and desserts. Amazing! I'm not surprised it's a bib gourmand. I wish I lived closer

Hard to get into. Cannot make reservations in person or online. Not very helpful when we stopped in. Better places to try.

Heard it was good but way too difficult to get into! You need to know about it and make reservations before you go on your trip to dingle.

This place was Out of This World! We ended up here after our initial dinner plans fell apart. I was so happy for the series of events that landed us here. You will not find fresher fare at an incredibly reasonable price with incredibly attentive service! We had a large table and our server was more than happy to walk us through the offerings for the evening. Everyone loved every dish we ordered (mussels, potato crusted pollack, monk fish tail, sea bass, SCALLOPS!). I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but everything we tasted, including dessert, was impeccable. If you're looking for the freshest seafood in County Kerry, look no further. Could not recommend more!

If you can manage to get a reservation, this place is absolutely worth it. My favorite bite of Ireland was by far their seafood chowder. The seafood options here were diverse and all tasty. Ambiance was intimate yet social. Everything tasted fresh from the Atlantic Ocean.

In the very early stages of planning our trip to Ireland, we knew that we wanted to spend some time in Dingle. We did a LOT of research into B&Bs, sightseeing, but most of all...the food. Dingle has some of the best food we've eaten in Ireland. In our research, we found this Michelin recommended seafood restaurant called Out of the Blue. We checked out the website and were absolutely thrilled to find out that their menu changes daily based on what is fresh caught. It is seafood ONLY. No steaks. No chicken. No shepherd's pie. Just seafood. When you do a thing well, you don't have to do anything else...and let me tell you...they do seafood better than just about anyone else. We made reservations a couple weeks in advance, and were lucky to get in. If you're planning a trip, make sure to book in advance! We arrived and were seated quickly. The restaurant is small, but cozy, clean, and it smells amazing. It was also packed! I have to say I love seeing smaller businesses (translation: not chains) doing so well, particularly with how the last couple of years has been. We ordered 2 gin and tonics with Dingle gin: if you've never tried this gin before, you absolutely should. Its my new favorite gin, and I bought a bottle to bring back to Vegas with me. For food we ordered: The fresh oysters Home Cured and smoked salmon with citrus dressing pan seared scallops pan fried plaice in saffron sauce pan fried brill with langoustine sauce. Everything was exquisite. Perfectly prepared, seasoned beautifully, generous portions. I can't rave about the food enough. This was legitimately one of the best meals we ate the entire time we were in Ireland. Service was friendly, and prompt. I very much recommend that when you are in Dingle, take some time to enjoy an amazing meal with Out of the Blue. You won't be disappointed.

Some of the best fish I've ever had. I did the platter and thought the fish taste was beyond the best! Don't second guess coming here. You must stop in!!!

We arrived late after a 6+ hour trip from up north. We had a reservation for 6 PM, but didn't show up until 715. We apologized profusely and the staff at the front of the restaurant considered turning us away but ultimately allowed us to stay. We were told that we had to be done by 8 PM when we made the reservation and we managed to finish our appetizer meal by that time. The food itself was very good. My favorite was the salmon carpaccio. The seafood and the salad greens were very fresh. The restaurant is small with no more than 10 tables. We could understand why they limited patrons time at the table and that you need a reservation. We considered ourselves fortunate to have a meal here.

When planning our trip to Ireland, we knew we wanted to enjoy some great seafood. When researching the best restaurants, Out of the Blue came up in our searches numerous times so we knew we had to give them a try. We heard reservations were a must for this popular spot so we booked an early dinner for one of our nights in Dingle. This little hole in the wall is small so it was perfect for our small group of four people. The restaurant is right off of the water so it felt like a little fish shack on the waters edge. The menu comes out on a chalk written chalkboard because the menu changes daily according to what is fresh. Everything sounded so good so it was difficult to pick just one. Everyone in my group chose something different. On a side note, OOTB did great at accommodating a gluten and other dietary restrictions. Overall this was one of our favorite dining experiences while visiting Ireland. The food and service were excellent. Even better was the price. We were pleasantly surprised that this dining experience didn't break the bank. Be sure to add Out of the Blue to your experiences while visiting Ireland.

The best meal we had in all of Ireland (but also the priciest). We emailed several weeks in advance to secure a 7:30pm dinner reservation. The menu rotates on a regular basis (always a positive sign), and during our August 2021 visit we ordered crab curry soup, sauteed shrimp, monkfish and scallop kebab, and the Dingle Bay lobster. They also serve complimentary bread. While everything was tasty and fresh, the lobster had to be the highlight. The meat was almost sweet. We were also celebrating a birthday, so got a bread pudding as a dessert. Service was fantastic and staff super friendly. This would be on the must-eat list if I'm ever back in Dingle. Highly recommend!

Outstanding! The monkfish was like none other. So fresh. Preparation was perfect. The fish chowder was excellent-maybe less salmon? Sole was like a rustic take on Julia's Sole Meunière. Chargrilled cod starter was delicious but big enough to share. Waitstaff were inviting and helpful. Even assisted in guiding us on our next stop: Killarney. Pro Tip: Book a table starting at 11:00 - call promptly at 11!!

Great Place to eat. Ryan was our server and he was so nice. The monkfish, sea bass was delicious. It is a bit pricey but it was our one "splurge" meal and it was well worth it. We sat outside because the inside was full, but we preferred outside with the heaters. All great and highly recommend.

Had reservations for 4 months and it was worth it. It looks fancy but come as you are is perfect. Much fancier food but low key atmosphere. Great chargrilled sea bass and potato crusted pollock everything was great. Pinot noir was a little weak but that might have been my wrong choice. Plum and almond tart was over the top. Loved the staff, the environment, and the food. You will be very happy with your choice here. Make reservations and ask for an early seating

Super disappointing. The food was expensive. The langostine bisque was thin and flavorless, acidic, yet overpowered by the chives added to the top of it..you couldn't even tell it was made with langostines.. skip it and save your money. The chili calamari salad was ok. The potato/hashbrown covered pollock was so oily and soaked in butter, and not in a good way either. The side salad was so acidic and overpowered by anise that you could not enjoy the different elements of the simple salad. My SO enjoyed the seabass which was fine for him. After a disappointing meal the waitress casually said, oh you can leave a tip if you want. Being from America, it's standard to leave a tip, as the food service industry does not pay well, and you tip standard amounts and go off of the amount based on if you got good service or a great experience. The gall of the waitress to say "you can leave a tip" - was so forward and off putting, especially in a country where tipping is not the norm. I was just ready to get the heck out of there. The waitress spent more time at the table behind us laughing and making recommendations to them longer than the entire length of standing in front of us, looking more annoyed than anything while taking our order. Just make some recommendations to your guests, be more personable, or just simply checking on the table to see if people need more water would be great. What a shame, especially when I had made these reservations well in advance. I was looking for a nice meal out and great food, but everything was lacking from the lack of good service, the sub par food, and the overpriced food. Yelp - you let a girl down tonight. I understand it's a small town, but I'm really shocked at the high reviews here.

Really good and fresh food but not so great service. They have really great fresh fish. Oysters are a hit!

You wouldn't think it from the outside, but don't judge a book by its cover. The food is inventive and really fabulous. The service is friendly and helpful. I had the sea bass and it was excellent. My wife had the halibut and it was also fantastic. Reservations are recommended and can be made online.

They're known for freshly.com seafood and they live up to that reputation. The menu changes daily and the only options are seafood. A standout dish was the seafood chowder with chunks of fish and a creamy but not too thick broth. The fish trio was also good, especially since they had a John Dory as one of the trios. Its a small place so book ahead as tables can be hard to find!

Despite the lack of recent reviews, we chose the restaurant for our last night in Dingle. We arrived early for our reservation and were able to be seated in the outside dining area. We picked the perfect night for outside dining. We started with mussels. They were abundant and very flavorful. I had a potato encrusted pollock entree. My wife had the monkfish and scallops. Both were excellent. The service was spot on. Although not inexpensive, the experience was wonderful.

The freshest seafood selections each and every night. This is truly one of the best places to get seafood. Highly recommend!!

Really good food, nice ambiance, did not meet the expectations and a bit overpriced. Tough place to get a reservation so book in advance.

Yes it's busy. Yes you should have a reservation. Yes it's fantastic. We went in early (1800 ish) with no reso and got a table in the back. Great service. Fresh oysters were excellent. The muscles were not garlic but leek based. Great broth. The monk fish came on a skewer with veg and Salmon and the mustard sauce was buttery and light. The John Dory was fantastic with a leek puree. All entrees are served with potatoes, peppers, broccoli, and cauliflower on the side.

Celebrated our 35th anniversary dinner tonight and thought the dinner was fabulous! We started with the seafood chowder (very tasty and lots of seafood swimming in the creamy soup) and my husband had the pan fried scallops salad, which he declared extremely good. Our mains were the roasted Hake with leeks and saffron sauce accompanied with potatoes and carrots. OMG. Extremely good!!! My husband had the pan fried Brill fish. He had a lot of fish and barely put it all down! For dessert we had a plum tart, which was also very good and didn't last but seconds between the two of us. The restaurant is fairly small and intimate but that added to the ambiance of it all.

This was the best meal we had while in Ireland. From the seafood chowder to the main seafood courses (all were good) and the dessert...YUM! Make a reservation ahead of time, and go there!

Visited this restaurant briefly and walked out. They didn't seem very busy, but, when we walked in they told me we couldn't eat inside as there was no room and patrons weren't allowed to eat in the front area (despite the fact that I stopped by an hour and a half before and saw people eating in said area as I checked out their menu. Read Jessica's review below, that's where they sat.) They told us we could sit outside, so we did, then I asked for a menu and they said they would bring it out when they had a chance. Look, if you don't want to serve people, and you don't want my business, that's fine. I happily spent over a hundred euros next door at the boatyard restaurant and they were AMAZING! Cheers!

Our experience was disappointing. We had made reservations about two months earlier to guarantee a table. I almost wished they had turned us away so we could've eaten some place better. Our meal wasn't memorable. We eat seafood almost everyday and this was a huge let down. My halibut had a spongy texture that made me suspect that it may have been previously frozen. Husband's John Dory had very little flavor. The smoked salmon starters were ok. Our dinner was nearly €100 and quite a disappointment. Service was prompt and friendly. We were seated right away and our server took our drink orders quickly. She was also helpful with the menu and answered all our questions. The restaurant is also crowded and noisy. The ambiance is uncomfortably loud. Tables are close together so expect to hear every detail of the conversations around you. So the combination of disappointing food and a noisy atmosphere made this a terrible experience. I don't recommend and certainly won't return.

Had the OOTB chowder and the black fish with bone in....Best food I've had in Europe yet!

The most amazing meal we had in Ireland. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for amazing food in a friendly and casual environment.

Beyond brilliant. Exterior looks like basic fish n chips shop; the magic they create inside has to be tasted to believe. Way beyond good. Along with Murray's Hotel in Inishbofin, the best seafood I've eaten in Ireland. Same deal - wildly fresh fish + French chef = absolute bliss. The deal. To go to Dingle and not eat here is to miss out.

The best meal of our Ireland trip was at Out of the Blue. Everything was amazing from the fresh fish, oysters and the olives were a nice touch. The potatoes were even bursting with flavor. I highly recommend this place.

InSANEly good fresh fresh fresh fish!! We came in on a Saturday night without a reservation (HA!!) and lucked out to get two chairs by the front door at a small counter. Every bite from first to last was outstanding. Service was excellent, the Irish Lager (Tom Crean) was a perfect compliment and the pollack in roast potatoes was an epiphany.

Superb seafood restaurant. If you like fish it really doesn't get any better than this. Great fish, perfectly prepared, and absolutely impeccable service. Very popular, so reservations are practically essential.

A wonderful treat in Dingle. A great concept where they only serve the fish they caught that day. Therefore the menu changes everyday. Since I am vegetarian, the staff prepared a vegetarian plate. It contained this delicious potato au gran, along with white asparagus, lentils, slaw, salad etc. It was quote good despite being a little sweet for my taste, but there is hot sauce on the table - so that will solve the sweetness problem. Overall an excellent experience.

This restaurant was highly recommended by our hotel (Dingle Benners) and we felt lucky to get a table with such late notice. This was definitely our best meal in Ireland! The fish was very fresh and we enjoyed the atmosphere. Loved how the menu is written on a chalkboard and brought to your table! Three at our table got the John Dory and scallops. One person got a white fish dish. Everyone was happy with their meals but the quality of cooking (not ingredients...the fish was extremely fresh) was done very well but wasn't spectacular. The scallops weren't over cooked! That's always a plus. Our service left something to be desired, though. We had a second waitress coming over frequently and helping out. She apologized a couple times saying 'oh, that should have been done I'm sorry' which gave me the impression that our server was a little MIA. Our server also forgot to pour wine from the bottle we purchased into all of the wine glasses at the table...we laughed about it and I served it. We travelled with elderly family members who are a bit hard of hearing and not totally 'up' on culinary lingo and I think this was a little annoying for the server as well. It worked out fine but just thought I'd note that.

Lovley place right off of the pier. Highly recommend making a reservation. We walked up and ended up sitting outside on one of the open picnic benches. Minus the slight drizzle of rain, the food was good as was the service. We had the muscles and oyster starters and the Monkfish dinner. The muscles were amazing in a tomato sauce. We appreciated the beverage suggestions from our waitress as well. A great spot!

Out of the Blue= out of this world good!! My husband definitely did his research before our night in Dingle. You need a make a reservation here in the morning for that night. Their food is so fresh, so fresh that they will not open the restaurant if they do not have fresh fish to serve. We started out with the steamed mussels which were great! My husband ordered the cod and I ordered the potato crusted pollock. Both we great! I would highly suggest Out of the Blue to anyone visiting Dingle.

One night in Dingle and had to pick the right place for dinner! I love gems like this. Casual atmosphere, fine dining execution. Great food and service. Had two courses: seafood chowder and crusted pollock. Both great selections. Lots of food for one person! The bowls of seafood chowder are meals themselves! Light and creamy broth, not heavy at all but loaded with fish. Yum!!! The pollock was prepped well and served with a whipped chive butter that was delicious. It also had a variety of side items that were all very random, but worked well with the dish. It helped enhance the flavors.

I made a last min decision to check out the seafood at this restaurant, and the rest as they say, is history. In fact, I was so pleased, I uploaded a picture onto Facebook before I finished my main course - I don't usually do that. My partner had the Pollock in a potato crust & cream of chives, while I had the Chargrilled Halibut cutlet with almond butter. I thought the food were creatively plated, and the decor nice and casual. The food, however, is the real star. I usually do not like the hassle of having fish which requires effort in removing the bones, but trust me when I say the Halibut was worth it. The service staff were really friendly and made us comfortable. Overall, we enjoyed our meal thoroughly and highly recommend this restaurant.

Out of the Blue was easily our favorite restaurant in our entire 10 day Ireland Holiday! From the outside, Out of the Blue looks like a hole in the wall shack. However, when you enter, it is really large and nice inside. We had made reservations the night before and I highly recommend reservations. There is not a printed menu. Instead, they write the menu on large boards based on the catch and availability for the day, as nothing in the restaurant is frozen! There was a nice wine list and my husband and I decided to split a bottle. We started with the lobster bisque. The soup was very flavorful. For a main, we split the Sole and Scallops. The scallops fell apart in my mouth and the sauce underneath was addicting. I absolutely loved the veggies on the side they served with the meal. So well seasoned. We split everything and I appreciated so much that they split it on the dishes for us so we didn't have to share a plate. Such a lovely touch. Absolutely fantastic and fresh meal!

Delicious and fresh... Other reviews say the place is a shack, but inside there is a lovely dining room with excellent servers and lovely decor. Daily menu based on fresh catches. Highly recommend after a day shopping in Dingletown. Stop in around lunch to make a reservation for dinner- they have a fish deal (US equivalent of early bird special) from 5:30-6:45 an outstanding value. Superb meal.

Ok so this place looks like a little humble seafood shack from the outside where no shoes, no shirt = yes service. We were a little shock when we went in and the waitresses were dressed up very professionally and asked if we had reservations. We really didn't know what we were getting into and I had no service so I couldn't check it out on yelp... Tip you guys: it's ok to go to random places even if you can't check them out on Yelp ;) The menu is on a big black board. They serve fresh seafood, so whatever is on season. We were a little hungry so we decided to order their Dingle special. It was a mixture of seafood goodness with some pureed veggies in season. My husband also ordered the seafood chowder. While we waited for our food, we order a beer, the only one bottle they had left, Killarney blonde. Very crisp and refreshing. But don't worry, they got plenty of wine here if that's your cup of tea. We were also served some olives which went pretty good with our beer. We had told the waitress that we were gonna share our food. We don't mind passing the plate around or sitting very close to share our food, we do it all the time. We were very impressed when we got our plates split and displayed so beautifully, it was almost hard to eat. I took a lot of pictures of those masterpieces and we got on digging. The scallops had some weird looking orange thing attached to them. Whatever it was, it was so delicious. It tasted like scallops, duh, but the texture was different. We got 2 langostines on each of our plates. I've never had this shellfish before. I've been missing out. I can't remember what kind of fish we got but it was equally amazing. The veggies that came on the plate were so delicious also. We got pureed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and celery roots. We also got a little side of cabbage which was very tasty. What do they put on these things? All of the sudden I'm starting to think vegetarians don't have it so bad. My husband's seafood chowder was the best he and I had ever tried. Nice chunks of real crab, lobster, and other yummy fishes. We came out of that place feeling so happy. Thumbs up all the way. What a way to deceive us by the exterior looks. Never judge a book by its cover, that's for sure. Best, best food we had in the whole island.

It was Ok. Fish was fresh, the quality seemed decently high. It was definitely over cooked. I'd recommend just sticking with the mussels, they were the real stand out for this place.

In Dingle for a few nights? You MUST stop in here. The food is incredible, fresh and inventive. All the fish they cook is caught fresh that day. The chefs create meals based on what the fishermen have for them and nothing is ever fried nor do they serve chips/french fries. The restaurant is adorable with a homey feeling the moment you walk in. Cozy entry area with dining for a few, then up the small set of stairs to an open eating area with various sized/shaped tables, a nook, and colorful fish themed art all over. The lighting is dim and perfect for dinner dining and each table has a different fish themed book on it, be it an encyclopedia of fish or a colorful photobook of tropical fish from around the world. Cute idea. I had the potato crusted pollock with fresh chive cream dolloped on top. They had a chalkboard full of various seafood options, scallops from the local Blasket Islands, mullet, flounder, bass...they had so many to choose from. Then each main entree you choose comes with an array of salads that were petite and impressive. An olive tapenade, a couscous raisin salad, shredded carrots with sesame, beets with olive oil and dill...unexpected flavors like a party in your mouth. YUM! They even offered to bring me more of any of the particular salads I enjoyed at no extra cost, so attentive. No liquor but a good wine selection and fairly priced by the glass. I didn't spring for dessert, but they do give you a small french chocolate with your bill in a little toy box. Service was spot on, ambiance was perfection, and the food was like nothing else I had in all of Ireland, delectable and memorable. Next time I'm in Dingle I will be sure to go back. Question is, how am I going to stop myself from eating there EVERY night? Mmmm!

Delicious meal with fish fresh off the boat. Everyone said this place didn't have a freezer and you don't know the menu until that day. It was great. We got reservations (you need 'em) and sat in the back. Monkfish and scallops kebabs and black sole were amazing. Soups and salads and a great bottle of wine. Friendly servers and an all around great experience. Go here if you can get reservations.

Totally fantastic. Don't let the fact that the outside looks like a shack deter you. Once inside and past the bar, the dining room is contemporary, and very nice. Fish truly is the freshest of the fresh, and preparation is excellent. I have eaten at many restaurants all over the world, and this seafood rates among the best I have had anywhere. I had the Turbot/John Dory combo, and it really was to die for Everyone else at the table loved everything as well. I tasted Lemon Sole, and Black Sole, and both out of this world. Service was also fantastic, with the server, without even being asked, deboned the bone in sole for my wife. Can't recommend highly enough.

Referred by a local as the best seafood. She was right! Outstanding!! Cheers from Los Angeles California! Mussels melted in your mouth. Bake fish so delicious, monk fish wonderful!

The food is good, but the some of the staff has attitude! Snobby! It also does not have very comfortable seating, and it's noisy. I'm not sorry I went. I just wouldn't go again.

First of all I'm astonished by these reviews, we waited a whole day for reservation excited about getting in: and it was absolutely subpar, middle of the road, nothing to write home about. We had amazing food all over Ireland and this was by far the weakest. Certainly the service did not help...the barman wouldn't even look up to greet you, very unfriendly and our waitress was okay but not even the typical friendly and accommodating Irish...just so so. Not bad but no feel good moments from start to finish. The Whole experience kind of gave you that feeling that they're so busy with tourists they could care less whether you enjoy the meal or not. So sad that we could've gotten a meal way better at almost any restaurant in town. We r not picky reviewers or eaters, the oysters were good. But I'm being straight up honest that many other options in town would be wayyyyyyy better.

One of our favorite restaurants of all times from all parts of the world. Eat here!!!

Make no mistake you should make a reservation. We had two couples and made a reservation. During the meal we saw many people walk in and be turned aside. We had the fish specials. The monkfish was excellent. I suggest walking by earlier in the day, looking at the specials and making a reservation. The fish stew was thick and hot.

My husband, our 2 year old and I ate there last night and everything was delicious!! We had made a reservation the day before and we got the last table so it fills up quick and I recommend booking in advance. It looks like a shack from the outside and is quite small on the inside, but it's cozy. Everything is fresh and the menu changes daily and they also have a good wine list. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. The food was amazing and the portions were sufficient. As a note: they don't have a children's menu, which is not a problem if your kids eat fish since that is all they serve. Definitely worth a try if you're staying in Dingle!!