Quay St

1. Name and Location: Galway's central pedestrian street is Shop Street (along with the adjacent High Street and Quay Street), which stretches from Eyre Square to the Spanish Arch and is the heart of the historic city center. 2. History and Atmosphere: The street has existed since medieval times (mentioned as early as the 14th century), retaining its ancient facades. In the 19th century, it was a major shopping thoroughfare. Today, it is a lively pedestrian area with buskers, pubs, and traditional Irish shops. 3. Cultural Role: Shop Street is the center of Galway's street festivals, including the Galway International Arts Festival (July) and the Galway Oyster Festival (September), where artists perform, and pubs like The Quays and Tig Cóilí offer live traditional music almost every evening.

So amazing and vibrate! Definitely go! Lots of good food choices. Restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream plus gift shops

Visited on a Sunday during the arts festival. Street was very busy and lively with multiple buskers and street acts. A very vibrant place to visit with plenty to do.

Very lively, loads of locals and tourists in the pubs, shops & restaurants. Music on the street from trad to anything goes, and spontaneous dancing.

🌍 Explore, Taste, and Travel with Us! Follow our adventures and food journeys on Insta: vibrant_wanderer_rhythm Loaded with restaurants, pubs, bars, shops to shop at. Lively street . Live music in the evenings. Sure to include in your itinerary for touristy kick.

Very alive, lots to do from eating to shopping or just strolling by and catching a street performer. A little crowded. Lots of photo opportunities.

vibrant, lots of street performers, doesn’t feel like a tourist trap but more like people of Galway authentically living their lives 🇮🇪

Cool old style architecture. A few good shopping options offering local products. Very busy with tourists, and angry fire juggling street performers berating tourists: "I don't get paid to do this, anything less than a 5 euro donation is an insult after I entertained you for 45 minutes!!"

Thanks to the Yelpers, I found Quay Street Kitchen for lunch while I was exploring the city centre of Galway. With so many different restaurants and crowds of people, I was lucky to find Quay Street Kitchen, which had delicious seafood in an intimate setting. I visited Quay Street Kitchen after the lunch rush, which worked well for me as I was able to be seated as soon as I entered, especially since the restaurant is small, so seating can be limited. The staff was super friendly and service was very fast. The menu featured a good amount of different classic, Irish dishes, including seafood specials. I ordered the mussels and when I asked for the large size, the friendly server told me there was no way I would be able to eat the large size on my own. Therefore, I went with the recommended smaller size. And the small size is indeed a huge portion. You could even share this with someone else. But you won't want to because the mussels were very delicious in a creamy broth that was perfect for dipping the bread in. Or fries, which I ordered on the side, and these were very crunchy and went well with the mussels. I can't recommend Quay Street Kitchen enough if you're in Galway. There are so many different restaurants around, but I can see why Quay Street Kitchen has such high ratings. Delicious food, friendly service and the setting doesn't at all feel touristy. It's intimate, charming and wonderful.

One of our best meals during our Ireland tour. The leg of lamb was done exceptionally well, my wife's GF fish and chips were good but slightly over-fried. Looking at the others around us, hers was an anomaly unfortunately, but was still quite good. The GF meringue with berries was light, a nice touch to filling meals. The GF stags bán pale ale was nice. We were an early walk-in in December, come early if you want a seating, as several after us were turned away due to reservations already on the books. They seated us but asked we finish in 1-3/4 hours, which normally wouldn't be a problem. The place was delightful, a quaint small room. While the service didn't feel rushed, we struggled to get them to give us the check and help them turn their table in time for their reservation...they seemed more intent on us having a nice, leisurely time! :)

Stop by this place on a weekday evening, no wait but there was only one table open when we got there. The place is pretty small and cozy. Did took a bit of time to get our order and to get the check but overall they were very nice. I got the lamb shanks which is pretty tender and I really enjoy the mash potato and gravy that came with it.

I dined at The Quay Street Kitchen in Galway for lunch yesterday, based on our hotel's recommendation, and had a pleasant experience overall. Located in the heart of downtown Galway, the restaurant has a cute and welcoming atmosphere. We started with coffees with steamed almond milk, which were delightful. For mains, my husband had the fish and chips, which was a substantial portion with nicely battered fish--definitely a hit. I opted for the sizzling flash-fried warm beef salad. The flavors were unique and delicious, though the beef was a bit chewy. One downside was that the restaurant wasn't very accommodating to dietary preferences. I had hoped to substitute falafel for another protein in the vegan salad, but this wasn't possible. Additionally, the kitchen couldn't make adjustments for dairy-free needs. Despite this, I'd definitely return for the great food and charming ambiance.

We had a wonderful time at The Quays. There is no reservations so we did have to wait for about an hour at the location for a table. The place is small so if you have a large group like us it might be a wait. But once in the food was great. The menu was flexible for all dietary needs. The only thing I would change was the menu outside said one thing and the one inside said another so I was banking on the outside menu. Just check to make sure.

Such a great time on vacation. We ordered the Quay seafood platter which hit the spot on many levels. Of course when in Ireland you have to get a Guinness. I'm not big on oysters, but my family ordered some and enjoyed them. Fish and chips was my meal of choice and it was perfect. The service was great which made the experience really special. The lighted floor gave the place a special touch.

The four of us went for a late lunch. We had clam chowder (best ever), braised lamb shank (very good), sirloin strip steak (very good), and sea food stew (good). This place is small and a little loud. Great service and good prices. Four stars for it being so loud.

Lovely place isn't big at all so spaces fill up fast. Great salad and seafood soup and the fish and chips crispy fresh and delicious. Pass up the tourist traps and go for some real food here!

We only had about a 20 minute wait on a busy Friday night which wasn't bad at all. Well worth it! I had the lamb shank and it was melt in your mouth delicious! Also the smoked salmon salad was fantastic. The seafood chowder is a must have. Highly recommend! The service is really impressive and I think they only had 2 people running the front of the house.

Amazing food , great wine and beer selection but best of all the staff very helpful and professional. Great music selection.

They were busy so it took a while to get a waitress. The food was decent. The clams were good. It was big portion. The steak and potatoes were ok.

International review! So excited to check this place out while in Ireland. They have a menu & then items of the day. I ordered their sea bass from the items of the day. It was absolutely delicious. I recommend it to get it. They have seating both outside and inside. Additionally they even have blankets for you if you seat outside to be a little more comfortable. Seating inside is limited so if you are able to set up a reservation I would recommend it, allows for you to get a table.

Restaurant is kind of a date night spot. Not sure if you need reservations. Probably worthwhile to call ahead and check. At first it seemed the staff was not warm and welcoming. We thought we made an error in our dinner choice, then pleasantly surprised! The food was very good! Excellent fish(haddock) and chips! Goat cheese salad was delicious! Big turn around! I would return!

Super busy place. From the reviews, we thought this would be a really good place to go, but the food was not good at all. I had the shepherds pie. I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe they have other items that are better.

It's a very popular restaurant. I found it on Yelp. We came at dinner time two days in a row without success. There was an hour long wait to get a table. We decided to try lunch as soon as it opened at noon. Wola , we got a table. It was packed very quickly after we sat down. Cozy and comfortable setting, service was warm and attentive. Prices were reasonable and comparable to similar restaurants. The food was very good. It could easily be 5*, but we haven't tried enough dishes, so I hesitate to do that. We ordered light for lunch, so we couldn't sample their signature dishes. 3*Summer vegetables: lightly buttered, pretty healthy. 4*Goats Cheese Salad-Lightly Pan-Fried Goat Cheese topped with Red Onion Jam with Summer Leaves, Roasted Beets & Beets and beet roots purée: healthy without too much sauce. 4*Off the Coast Irish Mussels-Steamed with Onion, Crushed Garlic, Dash of White Wine & Cream with Crusty Dipping Bread: there's a choice of small and large. The small size is pretty large to me. The large size must be super big. Mussels were fresh and tender. The sauce was a bit rich and salty. It wasn't healthy but perfect for dipping bread.

We joined what looked like a long line of people with at least 4 groups ahead of us but one group gave up and then we were in within 20 mins. Large number of Gluten free choices and staff were both friendly and professional. Regular bread provided to go with mussels and crab starter looked like it came out of a plastic sandwich bag. I would expect freshly baked bread from the local baker from a restaurant like this and I could tell my husband was not into the bread. My gluten free bread was your typical white cardboard which was also disappointing since I've already had some great whole grain GF breads here. Mussels were good but sauce was very heavy which along with our order of Fish and Chips really weighed us down. Both were delicious but we've had more refined dishes. Salad that was served with the Fish /Chips and the crab starter was good. We had limited time on our parking and wanted to take dessert home but were told they don't do take out as the kitchen is too busy - which seems silly since in my mind, doesn't make a difference whether we ate dessert there or not... that dessert was still going to have to be prepared. We left and got a gelato down the street. Overall, nice place to eat but not enough to get us back in during our limited 5 day stay in the area.

After a long day of touring, we were looking for a good dinner. We got the last table available outside. We enjoyed the fish & chips dinner special. So delicious with crisps & salad and a cold pint. Our waitress was friendly and efficient. This place is very popular and there was a line for a table when we left. They do provide blankets for the outside diners. Definitely recommend.

Excellent food! Our tour guide recommended the Irish Lamb Stew and it did not disappoint! The lamb, carrots, and potatoes were perfectly stewed in a savory broth that was lightened by the addition of mint. We also shared the rib eye burger special and the potted crab. The burger and chips were flavorful with crispy bacon atop the burger and crispy chips. The potted crab was a cold spread over toasted bread triangles - tasty, moderate portion. Both were accompanied by a flavorful salad, with a slightly sweet vinaigrette. It was refreshing to have quality greens with our meal given that many places just offer chips. Overall, would highly recommend.

we had the fish and chips and a dish that had all fish in forgot the name really good food

We had a reservation for dinner, which is highly recommended because this place was so busy! Our hostess/server was nice and took our order without writing anything down or reconfirming after we finished. I've seen people do this before without any issues, so I wasn't too concerned. After about 20 minutes, our wine had not come out yet, so we had to flag another person down to check on that. At this point, the tables were dwindling down, so it wasn't as busy. This woman came back to ask us again what we had ordered, as nothing was written down and no one was aware of our order. This was very disappointing because that meant we'd have to wait even longer for our food. Ultimately, we got our drinks and meal, so it wasn't a huge deal. My husband got the lamb shank, which was delicious and so tender. I got the large portion of the mussels, which I regret on the size because it was A LOT of mussels. It is definitely something to share with the table, but overall, it was tasty.

Food was very tasty. I had a fish special with tomato pesto. The place isn't very large and service took a little time but I think that was because they just opened and were flooded with a full house almost immediately. There is outside seats but it was too rainy on the day we visited.

The sea bass was great ordered white wine was so delicious paired well everything was great.

This restaurant is quaint and delicious. We ordered the old fashioned potted crab to start and it was very tasty. I only wish they served it with more bread or crackers. I ordered the soup du jour which was a tasty tomato bisque. My husband order the sirloin steak and loved it. Everything was beautifully displayed and guaranteed to be of local origin. - Although, it is somewhat difficult to get a table. Plan ahead to walk up and put your name down for a table. We waited about 15-20 minutes but had to wait nearby since we did not have cell service. Otherwise you can put your name down and they will call or text when your table is ready. They can only accommodate so many people on the waitlist and we saw them turn away a lot of people from the waitlist just because they didn't have enough staff to support it. It's definitely possible to plan around that though if you are patient or come when there is no lunch or dinner rush. -

Looks very cute on the outside and decided to go in for dinner. Everything was delicious and the service was excellent. Would definitely return for a dinner date.

The best grilled seabass and beef stew I've ever had. Very nice service and atmosphere. We did not have chance to try slow roasted leg of lamb, but people next to us ordered this, looks soooo delicious! Definitely will go back!

The best mussels I think I have ever had!! Not to be missed. Friendly service and nice atmosphere. Very casual.

Stopped here while in Galway; had the seafood chowder, fish and chips, and lamb shank and all three were delicious! It's a small but cozy spot.

I found this spot based on the great reviews, and this place did not disappoint! I was able to get a seat outside which was lovely. This is in the Latin Quarter in Galway. Sitting outside provided nice views of the Latin quarter. My waitress was so nice. She comped my glass of wine because she forgot to put my order in initially. She was so sweet! I told her she absolutely did not have to do that, but she still comped the wine anyway. The tomato soup was piping hot which was welcome on a cool Galway evening. The soup was balanced with basil and other spices. The fish and chips were the best I had while I was in Galway! The chips were perfectly crispy and the fish was perfectly seasoned. This is an excellent place to get dinner, especially if you are looking for fish and chips!

Food was beautifully presented and very tasty. Encouraging to have so many fresh and healthy options. Service was prompt and attentive. Wait staff was young and fresh, excited to be working and enjoying their work. So refreshing! Intimate seating areas both inside and a covered exterior option.

Good food, good service, and great atmosphere. I had the spicy chicken sandwich which was very good. I would come back here again.

Delicious Irish stew and a generous portion at that. I couldn't finish the whole thing. Very meaty and hearty .

Can't comment on food, but the host should find an occupation better suited for her abrasive and unhelpful personality. Through an error that was admittedly our fault (foreign SIM wouldn't work with WhatsApp, or something like that) we didn't receive an notice that our table was ready before the time we were told it would be available. After waiting 45 minutes, we returned at the appointed time, and were told that our table had been given away because "the phone number didn't work". We were then told that the wait would now be an extra hour. I respectfully asked - no, pleaded - that she at least try to find us a table sometime before an hour, she said she couldn't. I explained that one of our party has celiac disease, which limited alternate opportunities. Still "nothing I can do for you". Fine. It's the commentary she dispensed along with the rejection that truly pissed me off. She told me she "had a business to run" and since it wasn't her fault that WhatsApp didn't work. When I asked if we split up the party and she just seat our celiac member, she brusquely replied "no". I understand that restaurants get busy and disappointments do happen, but her attitude was abysmal and certainly not suited for a customer service job.

Not a welcoming environment. Enjoyed a nice meal with my family of 5 but we had questions about the menu. The server answered nicely but then went to the bar about 25 feet away to talk about how dumb our questions were to the Bartender. I could hear the conversation and overheard the Bartender repeat questions we asked in a mocking tone while laughing. This definitely made our experience less enjoyable, as you shouldn't make customers feel stupid for asking questions about the menu. It's a small restaurant as is, we were the only patrons in there, don't talk bad about the customers while they are in the same room? Seems simple.

What a find! After a bit fish and chips losses the luster. Still good. But not every day. Quay Street checked all the boxes for two adults and one very choosey child. Added plus. Vegetarian options were delicious. Halloumi and hummus sandwich. Bert, goat cheese salad. And young person food as well. And the soup! So good. Could've been a meal by itself.

Very tasty food almost everything can be made gluten free!! Very fast service and cute atmosphere.

Make sure you made this little gem part of your stop in Galway!! So good! Everything we ordered was so tasteful and done well! Definitely would recommend and come back here myself!

We had four patrons and one of us had a good meal really enjoyed great meal tell the three of us it was -meh! Ashes fell on our food from the roof street musicians strolled the streets harassing us for money. Bad service and cramped seating

Off the Coast Irish Mussels Fantastic recommendation by the locals in Galway. Worth the trip to stop by. Also ordered the Guinness Beef Stew and Seafood Chowder (not pictured). Had to pair the food with the classic Guinness, no comment needed.

Looking for amazing vegan/vegetarian food that also has a mix of things for meat eaters? This is the spot! We loved that this place did not limit the menu for any specific diet and truly had it all! The vegan wrap was delicious and filling, the tomato soup was divine and tasted so fresh, and the fish was pretty good but the cut of fish would could have been better. Overall, super cute restaurant with an expansive menu with a variety of options for everyone. Healthy, health, healthy!

Chicken burger was really delicious, will be trying to replicate the grilled chicken breast with grilled pineapple and Swiss! The staff were lovely

Had a delightful lunch here when everywhere else was closed for the afternoon. The service was friendly and the food was delicious! The roast pork belly was cooked perfectly and had me full for the rest of the day. The atmosphere is cozy and has great people watching

We had one of our best meals of our vacation here. We (two of us) each ordered from the specials menu, but both were traditional Irish dishes. I had the beef and Guinness stew. The broth was so deep and rich; the meat appropriately tender and flavorful. Just delicious! My wife had the fish and chips, done perfectly with a thin, crispy batter on the fish. Good service; good wine; reasonably priced.

Great place for a nice bite of food. Outdoor dining was very comfortable with a nice over hang in case it rained. The food and service was also great. Very nice portions and made you enjoy every bite

Intimate and quaint, with delicious food and drinks. We arrived close to closing time but received great service. Delicious food that included vegan options.

We came upon this absolute gem via a last minute Yelp review on the way back from driving around. We lived in Ireland for 2+ years, and have been back to visit on multiple occasions and this is probably the best place we've been to in the entire country! The vibe is great, there are only about 10 tables, there is a menu but also a blackboard of daily specials. We had the Goat Cheese Salad, Sea Bass on Red Pesto, and a Beef and Guiness pie. While that last one might seem a "tourist trap" meal, there was an Irish family of 8 next to us, 6 of whom ordered the Guiness pie. It was by far the best I've had anywhere. My wife even loved it and she hates stew. Cannot say enough good things about this place. Will be back for sure on our next visit!!

Small and quaint. A nice quiet place to stop and unwind. Many traditional Irish favorites. Perhaps the best steak and Guinness stew I've ever eaten. Staff is very attentive. Service is outstanding.

Goat cheese salad may be best salad I've ever had. Stew and clams were delicious as well. Clean and friendly atmosphere with great music piped in.

This was one of my favorite restaurants on our tour of the UK and Ireland. We got to Galway in the mid afternoon and needed a lunch meal so my cousin and i wandered into this restaurant after recognizing the name on recommendation lists. It was a small space with cozy/modern-rustic decor. I had a chowder with chips and my cousin ordered mussels. The waitress input our order wrong and apologized and gave us another order of chips to tide my cousin over while she waited for her mussels. The staff was very friendly and the food was high quality. I almost came back here a second time but that's a sin in my book of travel so i resisted!

Good service, excellent food, and it was easy to find dietary accommodations. We had the goat cheese salad (it came with a whole wheel of goat cheese!), the seafood chowder, and the mussels. All of it was very tasty and satisfying, and the atmosphere on Quay street is really lovely. I'd definitely recommend this spot to others.