Liz H.
Yelp
I'm from the US and have been planning my Irish elopement since Covid canceled my wedding, twice. I did a ton of research and found The Twelve and West. Both were extremely highly rated, and even listed as "best of Galway" for several years, despite not being actually IN Galway. We'd originally thought we were going to have people with us, so I'd been in touch with the helpful and genuinely kind staff ahead of time to book a private dining room, etc. When it turned out that our guests couldn't make it, the staff was extremely accommodating and able to switch our meal reservations around, despite it being a significant shift. It set the right tone from the beginning.
Upon arrival we were delighted with the quirky front outdoor seating, and treated with a refreshing glass of house made juice. Aine was just lovely and made us feel immediately at home. We had booked the X11
Suite for the night (pricey, to be sure, but WORTH IT) and were thrilled with the layout and decor. We enjoyed an excellent bottle of champagne, played some Bob Dylan and the Eagles on the record player, giggled whilst boxing with Rock 'em Sock 'em Robots, marveled at the luxurious and soft couches (note to self: replace current couch with velvet couch!), and made bubble forts in the 2 person jetted tub (sorry for the extra bubbles!). We then changed for dinner and made our way down the single flight to West for our evening meal, where we were given choice of seating.
Pro life tip: don't waste your money on a gigantic wedding in some wedding factory with stained wall-to-wall carpeting serving dry chicken. Spend a fraction of it on a night in the most posh, eclectic, apartment-sized hotel room, and then: get the chef's tasting menu at West.
We consider ourselves to be foodies; we love to eat and enjoy everything from takeaway pizza to gastronomy. It doesn't matter the level, as long as the food is done well. Let me tell you all right now: West does EVERYTHING well. We were eating for literally 4 hours. From the amuse bouche down to the decadent chocolate trifle, everything was hands down amazing. Their new(ish? 6 months) head chef is an artist. In the 10 yrs my partner and I have been together, this is perhaps our favorite meal. At least in the top 3. It was EPIC. The chanterelles with truffles was the winning course, but everything else was not trailing by much. I will dream of that oyster with cucumber gazpacho and jalapeño sorbet. My partner said he will dream of the pan-seared turbot with dill oil and lobster curry. I did not disgrace myself by licking my plate, but I certainly contemplated it. Multiple times.
And to make the evening even more perfect, the staff was beyond compare. Fergal should be given his weight in awards. He was fantastic. Dare I say genius? I can't sing his praises enough. A sherry that drinks like a dry cider? A Chardonnay that I ACTUALLY enjoyed to the point that I looked it up to purchase? All of the wine pairings were on point, and just as delicious as the food. But also, I can't neglect the rest of the waitstaff. The lads who served us were so friendly and knowledgeable and we had just the absolute best time with them.
This experience truly made our special night beyond amazing. It was well worth the cost, and we are already planning our return trip. Thank you to the entire staff of Twelve and West. You are all amazing.