Roadside Tavern Lisdoonvarna

We stopped here on February bank holiday weekend and am I glad that we did! Smoked salmon and Gouda Mac & cheese was a religious experience. Beef and chicken burgers came with tasty fries, dipping sauce and possibly the best onion rings I’ve ever had. All served with a smile and a warm welcome. Will definitely return sooner rather than later!

We stopped here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon and the food was absolutely fantastic! We had the goat cheese croquettes and salad, as well as their wagyu beef hamburger and a big bowl of their wonderful handmade soup with Irish brown bread and butter. Our food was fantastic!

Great lunch spot in Lisdoonvarna! Stopped by this place on the way back from the cliffs and it was a solid place for lunch. We ordered the seafood chowder and fish and chips. Both dishes were solid and the chowder had a good amount of seafood in it. The service staff was very friendly and welcoming and the restaurant atmosphere is really cozy. Would recommend to anyone passing by Lisdoonvarna!

The food here was great. The portions were very good also. It was my first time eating oysters and they were very nice. I would definitely recommend this place.

My friend and I stopped in here on a whim as we road tripped through the Irish countryside. And LET ME TELL YOU - 10 out of 10 experience. It was voted #1 seafood restaurant for 2025. I had 1/2 dozen oysters (amazing) and the the asparagus and mushroom tarte. Hit the spot like the best lunch in the mouth. Also had the local craft beer - it’s from the nano brewery on site, you can’t get it anywhere else. As a beer connoisseur, one of the best lagers I’ve tried in a long time!! Plus the atmosphere is a quintessential pub, so gotta love that

Really nice bar staff. Table service was a bit slow side upstairs compared to main area but lovely staffs even though it was busy dinner time. Foods are really nice. We had bunch of starters to have it like tapas style. Recommend all seafood dishes. Smoked salmon was better than anywhere else. Highly recommend their own brewed beers rather than getting other drinks. We tried gold and black and they were really good. Wish they have the bottle so that we could take home. We went there every day and twice a day while staying in Lisdoonvarna.

I was so lucky to have the Roadside as my local pub for over three months: the staff is extraordinary and the place itself was my safe space after work! (The coziest Bar with the best and cutest Barman around: thank you Andrew for always having a pint and a good story ready for me) When I spoiled myself with one of Peters lovely meals, Bridie, Mayuko and Paola always made sure I had the best experience: they are kind and wonderful people and the service is fantastic! So if you have the chance to wine and dine in the roadside or to listen to a few tunes of a trad session with a good pint: do not hesitate! :)

Popped in on what seemed to be a rare quiet Saturday lunchtime, and had 2 smalls dogs with us. They weren't able to serve food outside that day but welcomed us inside to the perfect corner with the dogs which we really appreciated as we were hungry after doing the Burren trail. There was a stag in providing great entertainment but not rowdy and staff were very engaging with all customers throughout the time there. Food was nice (risotto and chicken burger), chips/onion rings could do a with a little more cooking time. The local ale was sampled for good measure too. Would definitely recommend especially for the friendly staff.

This is a great stop for drinks and a top quality meal. The service was also very excellent. I had a special lunch sandwich with peppered steak. The beef stew was also a hit.

Made an overnight stop in Lisdoonvarna, and this lovely pub was right around the corner. It's everything you could ask for in an Irish pub and grill. Live music, fresh pints, and good food!

They Close at 6. Got here at 5 and were turned away with it being totally empty. Twas a shame...

Prett good sized place and a good spot to stop with kids. The menu has been scaled back from the previous menus shown on the Yelp page. I think because they are just coming back to their first real tourist season since covid they aren't quite what they may have previously been. Still, the food was delicious. My husband and I shared fish and chips and a bowl of vegetable soup. Both were delicious. My daughter had the panko breadcrumbs battered prawns and she loved them. Definitely a good spot to stop in, just keep in mind the menu is smaller than the older ones shown.

Curtin's was our most authentic pub experience during our trip to Ireland. Thank you Yelp! We came in for a late lunch after visiting the Cliffs of Moher. I saw the pub on the way into town, but we almost did not come in because we had to park several blocks away. I am very happy we decided to make the walk. Service was great! Such a friendly greeting when we came in. There were only a couple locals in the pub when we arrived. The server was so friendly and truly seemed happy to see us. Decor is very homey with old photos, postcards, and even patches from Santa Ana Fire Department and Laguna Beach Lifeguards. We did not expect to see those souveniers from the O.C. while visiting the Irish countryside. On to the food. Everything was great. We started with a smoked salmon appetizer. The salmon is smoked next door. It was amazing. My son and I had fish and chips. Not super exciting, but very good and a large portion. My other son had a seafood stew that he really enjoyed. My wife had the fisherman's pie that was not a pie at all. It was a large portion of cheesy mashed potatoes with smoked salmon, fish, crab, and other bits in a creamy broth. It was so good and comforting. Meals were reasonably priced for the quality and quantity. If I lived nearby, this would be a regular stop.

This place had it all. Location, amazing food, cool, local vibe, and great service. There was a snafu with the check and the owner did not hesitate to fix it. To top it off, he brought out a map and gave us great tips for sightseeing. I wish we lived close enough to be regulars.

Amazing food and great vibes. We loved all the dishes our table ordered. Wagyu beef burger was top notch. The beef cheeks so tender and tasty and the goat cutlets perfect and full of flavor. The owner was very helpful and friendly, spending time with us to tell us about the history of the Tavern and the best places to visit in the area. Nice ambience inside and he said they have traditional music in the evenings. Well worth a visit.

What a SURPRISE. We found this place by accident as we were looking for a place to have dinner and this popped up for it's wonderful reviews. When I first arrived I thought it was just a regular pub and didn't expect very much. Boy was I wrong. The ambiance is warm and cozy. They have a live band singing Irish folk songs (live bands are not particular my cup of team but everyone else in my party and in the pub loved it). The staff are friendly and work really hard. We were seated quickly. The food was amazing! I was so surprised to find that I enjoyed the food given how remote the pub is. I am so happy to have come here and recommend it to everyone.

We had an incredible dinner here last night. I ordered the special, salmon crochet. My husband had the salmon noodle dish while my father ordered the fish and chips. All were exceptional. Oh, and we had the crab cakes as an appetizer which I feel were the best part of the entire meal. And, as a special treat, there was live music played by some of the locals. This is a spot you won't want to miss!

My husband and I stopped here on whim on our way back form working up an appetite at the Cliffs of Moher. We couldn't be happier that we did. This was one of the best meals we had during our stay in Ireland. We started with the meat and cheese board. The selection was tasty and fresh. The smoked salmon was some of the best I've had. The manager (head chef? not sure) came over and talked to us about the various items on the board and explained their technique for picking the best salmon. He was so nice! We also had their award winning salmon dish over potatoes and seafood chowder. Both were amazing! The salmon was cooked perfectly in the most delicious buttery sauce. The chowder had enormous chunks of fresh seafood. (my husband was particularly fond of the chowder over anything we had on our vacation!) We tasted a sample of their beer (they call it their beer for wine drinkers) I wish we could get it in the states. The owner also sparked up a conversation with us, he was great! Wish we could go back again soon, but if we ever head back to Ireland this is on our list of stops!

The Roadside Tavern has excellent food and they were very accommodating for food allergies. They have a cool environment and the service was great!! The staff were friendly and helpful!

Arrived about 8pm on a Saturday night and it was packed. We were told 30 min wait but it was only 10. Service was great and everyone loved their food. Before we left there was live music! We definitely recommend.

We stopped in after the Cliffs of Moher. We were pleasantly surprised. There were four of us dining and each of our meals was amazing. The staff was friendly and good is fresh.

Nice tavern to visit on your way to/from the Burren, Cliffs of Mohr or Doolin. We happened upon this place during September, so it was during the Matchmaking events, so it was a little difficult to find parking. Once we arrived, we were greeted by friendly workers and quickly shown to a choice of seats. We picked one near the bar so we could watch the local Hurling match (Gaelic games) and enjoyed the festive atmosphere as the local team was playing and the clientele were cheering loudly. We enjoyed the Guinness stew and a nice Ploughman's sandwich (ham and cheese) that came with chips and a small salad. The highlight for me was that they make their own beer (Burren Brewery is on premise) and they had 3 (Stout, an Ale, and a Lager), so I sampled each, and enjoyed the Ale and Stout quite a bit. This is a good place for a quick lunch with a nice atmosphere in this charming town.

We stumbled upon Kieran's Kitchen in The Roadside Tavern because our driver, Fergus Lally (read my review for Celtic Chauffeur Services) knew the owner, Kieran O'Halloran, and told us we would experience the best pub food in Ireland. Boy was Fergus right! The atmosphere is beyond spot on for an Irish Pub. The staff was perfection and the food was amazing. I had the risotto special and it was life changing. I could have taken a bath in the sauce. My husband had the chicken sandwich special which he described simply as awesome and my daughters and daughter-in-law had fish and chips and prawns. OMG! The food is out of this world! Kieran, the owner, came over to chat and we took a liking to him quickly. He regaled us with stories about the matchmaking festival and his Uncle John who makes the trek down from the hills to attend this festival every year. We laughed and laughed at his stories about the festival and his Uncle John. We loved everything about this pub and recommend everyone make the trip to enjoy the food and company. We loved the stories about the matchmaking festival and can't believe it happens every year. We want to return to experience it al because of Kieran. What a perfect person to have on the matchmaking festival committee. He is such an asset to the town! Please, please trust me on this ---- visit this tavern when you visit Ireland. You won't be disappointed.

We had just visited the Cliffs of Moher and were on our way to The Burren when we happened to find this gold mine! 12 days in Ireland and this was the BEST food we had the privilege of eating! The outside and inside of the tavern lead you into believing that typical tavern food will be served but nothing could be further from the truth. The specials read like a 5-star restaurant: 1) rib eye steak with flat cap mushrooms, tomato & blue cheese, baked asparagus wrapped in serano ham, green peppercorn & coriander cream sauce...are you kidding me??? BTW, it was DELICIOUS. 2) seared fresh halibut fillet with mini crab cakes. We ate like kings and queens and enjoyed every last bite! Our waiter/chef filled us in on all the details about the food (locally sourced), the meats (smoke house next door), and the beers (home brewed). We left a picture of "Papa" on the wall in the pub area as we knew he would have enjoyed the food and atmosphere of this tavern as much as we did. This is a "do not miss" on my list of best restaurants in Ireland.

Wow. This might be one of my favorite pubs in Ireland. Somewhat hidden off the main drag in Lisdoonvarna, the place completely took me by surprise. There's a Wild West feel to the pub that I can't quite explain - the lure of a frontier that's comfortable but also pushing boundaries. The pub is affiliated with the Burren Smokehouse and has its own brewery as well. Does it get better? Rather than your typical bar food, this tavern serves freshly smoked salmon (or course), entrees that are upscale iterations of pub food and delicious home brews (get the stout, it's actually VERY GOOD). I'd call it a gastropub except that there's nothing modern about it and this, my friends, is one of the very best parts. We walked in and were told to find a seat in the front or back dining rooms -- spaces with simple wooden furniture so casually arranged, there's almost an old schoolhouse or library ambiance to it. The waiter we had was spectacular -- passionate about the food, full of excellent recommendations, and clearly invested in making sure that we enjoyed the experience. We settled on the seafood chowder, slow-roasted pork belly and hot smoked salmon. The seafood chowder was creamy with a full, rich smoky flavor imparted by the bits of salmon. The slow-roasted pork belly had heavenly chunks of figs to offset the saltiness of the tender, cut-with-your-fork meat. And the hot smoked salmon was a gorgeous filet of salmon with the most amazing smoked flavor I've had in a piece of seafood before, I must say. It was all very, very good and totally relaxed. The Roadside Tavern is a County Clare gem. Shh! Don't tell everyone! ;)

I ate Salmon like The Queen! It was delish & the atmosphere was as expected, tavernsque. You can enjoy a pint of your favorite ale here, with the locals, while dinning on a tasty meal.

We stopped in on the way to the Cliffs of Moher. The food was outstanding as was the service and the brews. They brew three of their own: black, red and gold. I had the gold and it was excellent. Among our food choices were the soup of the day, fish and chips and the tapas board. We recommend any. Also, the music was cranking up by 3:00. So much fun!

Fair-sized pub that serves some out of the ordinary food, a welcome break from the pub menus you usually see. The curried-veg soup was very good, as was the brown bread. The cold smoked salmon plate was excellent, and so was the Ploughman's sandwich. I tried one of their craft brews - the stout -- and it was good, too. Lots of paraphenalia on the walls, and a bit of history, too. Fun place to stop on your way to the Cliffs or Lisdoonvara.

Highly recommend for true Irish pub experience with the added bonus of a restaurant. Cozy fireplace, and the best seafood chowder I've ever had. It is great stop after visiting the Cliffs. Make it one of your stops. You'll enjoy!

Excellent place for a pint and a bite, just steps away from Main St and festival madness. Livelier but comfortable feel. Traditional Irish music on weekends. My local favorite!

Nice little gem on the way to cliffs of moher, very nice people, they have their own brewed beer, try their stout! Even their food was great. I had the bacon and cabbage and it was good. Highly recommended.

This place does NOT serve food. Evidently it hasn't for some time, "because of unforeseen circumstances," according to the guy behind the bar.

The history and tradition of this pub are fascinating, and the owner, Peter, is happy to share that history with visitors if you are fortunate enough to make his acquaintance. And the food!! Surprisingly complex, excellently presented, and delicious with hearty portions. There is also a selection of micro brewed beers not to be missed. Definitely make this a stop on your way to the cliffs.

Authentic Irish pub. Good food, friendly service and live music. Try their craft beer. They have gf and vegetarian options (marked on the menu. A great place to meet people and mix with the locals.

We visited Dublin, Dingle, Galway, Inish Oire, Kilkenny and Doolin and this was by far my favorite restaurant we ate at! OMG the food was delicious. They not only brew their own beer, but they also own the smoke house right next door. Best smoked salmon ever! Also, the older male bar tender was hilarious and the rest of the servers were incredibly friendly. It was my husbands birthday and when we told the bar tender, he gave him 10 Euros! Was not expecting that at all! My husband and I had such a great time that we spent the entire night here. This was an amazing experience and a night I will never forget!

Best seafood chowder I've had in Ireland, having tried it at about 8 different restaurants. Great chill vibe on a rainy day.

This small town doesn't contain an overwhelming amount of options, but Roadside Tavern was excellent nonetheless. Here's why: -They brew their own beer. They offer a stout, a red ale, and a lager. I tried the lager and the red ale, both of which were excellent. It was nice to stray from the typical Irish standby's (Guinness, O Hara's, Smithwicks). -The food was better than the typical bar food. This is primarily driven by the fact that there is a smokehouse right next door which supplies fresh smoked salmon and other smoked items. Get some variation of the smoked salmon - it's far and away the best thing they offer. -The atmosphere is great. Easy to make new friends here.

Sample their beers! Also the burger was probably the best burger I ate in Ireland. Parking is a mess, so just park in town and walk back down.

Everything was superb here! The Food, the Service, the Music, the ambiance! We ordered the Irish tapas board for starters. Then the beef goulash, lamb stew, Irish burger and award winning hot smoked salmon and each one was delicious! Great waitstaff! Eddie was amazing! 5th day on our family tour of Ireland and definitely our favorite meal!

We stayed 3 nights in Lisdoonvarna, and ate here 4 times - the food was excellent (well prepared, and much more creative than any of the other 'pub food' we had during our stay). The seafood chowder was great, and the vegetarian option much appreciated. The beer was great - IMHO, the stout was better than Guinness, but the Euphoria was a real gem. The tavern atmosphere was fantastic - busy, laid-back, welcoming, good music in the evenings. Last but far from least - the staff (Eddie in particular, but everyone else involved) are lovely - friendly, professional and really, really good at making us (2 adults and a young teen) welcome. A real highlight of our visit to Ireland. PS - the local bus to the Cliffs leaves from the bus stop opposite the tavern. Very convenient.

I went here in early April this year on a trip with my wife to Ireland and out all the places we ate at this is the one I cherish the most. The bar tender (an older gentleman) was a riot and made our experience one I will never forget. He spoke in a dialect no one understood completely (including the staff), but everyone enjoyed utterly. The owner/head chef was very open to all guest (many of which were the usual locals I assume) and made us feel not only welcome but displayed great pride and enthusiasm in his tavern. The food was all locally sourced and absolutely delicious. I had the Smoked Salmon (smoked at the adjoined smokehouse), and could not have been happier, although the spicy Moroccan Lamb looked delicious and the smell was mouth watering. My wife had the Cod special which was a huge serving and she proclaimed it to be very tasty. The on site brewery served three beers: a blond, a red and a stout. I tasted the blond and red, but continually ordered the stout. Guinness is the obvious beer of choice in Ireland and many of the customers that came in ordered it as religiously as it is ordered everywhere else. However, I found their stout to be a welcome departure from Guinness, it was had a robust roasted and earthy flavor. I was not that worried when I went to Ireland about where I would spend my 30th birthday, because I knew that wherever my wife and were at the time would be perfect. However, I feel lucky to have chosen this establishment!

Have read loads about this place, and after an afternoon scurrying around The Burren, our group and I had built up a thirst and hunger for some smoked salmon. Sadly due to pour research on my part, the kitchen was closed for the winter, so a liquid lunch and bag's of tayto would see us right until we got back to Limerick that evening. Home of the Burren Brewery we had a sample of their range of beers before we went on our merry way. Burren Black - a lovely luxurious nitro stout - very creamy - really enjoyed it Burren Red - an irish red, which seemed to have a hint of smoke Burren Gold - a crisp easy drinking lager. Next time we hope to have food as well, but a pint by the fire is as quintessentially an Irish Pub experience as you can get/

We were there as a quick stop and the food was really delicious. First, we had the tapas to share and then we had the salmon, which was perfect.

Delicious food, the baked smoked salmon with the mustard cream sauce was delightful. Guitarists played and sang all through dinner. I highly recommend it.

I had read reviews of this place and wanted to check it out. We drove through the town once and didn't see it. My husband said let's drive through one more time. Glad we did. Their stout is excellent and the master brewer was very friendly. We heard their food is excellent... We'll back some day to try it out.

A nice stop after Cliffs of Moher. Staff is very friendly and provides great service. The Smoked Salmon Couscous was delicious. Recommend stopping here for a taste of Ireland and the Burren Brewery experience

Delicious food, yummy homebrews, great atmosphere and live music every night. If it was just a little less expensive, it would be a five star home run! I must return for the hot smoked salmon!

Excellent food and service with quaint local atmosphere. Live music was a plus. I would definitely recommend.

One of the great meals in my time in Ireland - terrific seafood chowder and a smoked fish plate with four different specialties of the house. Really enjoyed the food and friendly atmosphere. One in our group had the mussels and they were beautiful as well. Craft beer is rare in Ireland (still) and even more rare in the West and the local Red is excellent. Stop by this little gem on your tour of the Burren, and check out the next door smoke house as well for some snacks later.

Stopped for a beer and ended up with an exceptional meal and outstanding service A great find.

Absolutely phenomenal service and food! The seafood chowder is the best I've ever had. The smoked salmon was to die for. The beer, the muscles, everything was just spot on. I would definitely come back to Ireland just to have dinner here again!

Went to the Roadside Tavern looking for a restroom and a cup of tea to warm up with and ended up having an unexpectedly great time. It was around noon and the sign said "open", but after going inside we were the only ones in there till the proprietor, Peter Curtin, came down to say hello. Peter has the Irish gift-of-the-gab because after 10 minutes I felt like I was in the living room of an uncle or old friend, knew all about him, what his family are up to in their lives, and the goings-on of the town. The tea was 3.60 for two, but the experience was priceless.

Amazing experience in this local pub. Food, beer and service were exceptional. Highly recommend to get off the main road and away from the crowds of tourists everywhere to appreciate this little gem.

This place was a wonderful little restaurant around the corner from our hotel. I had the stew and my husband had the beef goulash. Both were delicious! Live music played as we ate.

Best meal I have had in Ireland! Excellent and friendly staff. I had the lager which was a very nice beer! Would recommend to everyone!

Fresh, excellent food!!! The steamed mussels are local and tender. French onion soup outstanding. Gluten free bread is baked in house and superb. Fantastic meal with in a true Irish pub. Great staff and wonderful service!

Great food, could eat here multiple nights to try the other things on the menus others at the table had. Home made cooking.