Vaughans Anchor Inn

We went here for dinner and starting off, the food is amazing. Each dish we had was delicious and fresh. However, this place appears to be run by a handful of generally confused teenagers. The interior itself is also confused, oscillating starkly between a fine dining restaurant and a sports pub. The prices were reasonable for the mains, but €17 for two scallops seems a little bold? Overall, we would recommend the food, just be aware that it may be a slightly odd experience.

I know you hear it all the time but I honestly wish I could give more than 5 stars! ⭐️ I was skeptical booking this last minute B&B and I couldn’t have been more in love and obsessed. From the moment we got to the inn, we were greeted and immediately shown to our room which was beyond our expectations! Side note, they went the extra mile giving us a little welcome basket which was beyond kind. They ensured we had dinner reservations and can I say the food was AMAZING?! The whole vibe is so cozy. Not only the food and accommodations, the staff was out of this world kind, prompt, accommodating, easy, friendly and like I was a local. People make the trip memorable and this staff did just that. If you are looking for an amazing service, clean and cute room, great vibe, and experience… couldn’t recommend enough. Already looking forward to coming back!

Vaughans Anchor Inn is a true gem in the small town, offering an exceptional stay. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted by friendly staff who guided us to our charming and comfortable room. The inn blends quaint charm with modern touches, as both the room and bathroom were updated and very comfortable. One of the highlights was the daily basket of cookies left in our room—something we looked forward to every day! The included breakfast was delicious, made even better by the welcoming staff. We also made dinner reservations and were absolutely blown away by the quality of the food. Since we were on our honeymoon, they made the experience special by starting our meal with champagne—a thoughtful touch that we truly appreciated. With its warm atmosphere and top-notch hospitality, Vaughans Anchor Inn is perfect for anyone visiting the Cliffs of Moher. We were glad to have two nights to fully enjoy our time here and would definitely recommend a stay!

Stop !! What a find James isn’t a chief he’s a magician. Also one of the best wines lists I’ve seen in a long time. Staff are all amazing, happy and extremely helpful. Please come enjoy the night and lap up the wonderful atmosphere of exceptional food and an open fire ! Ps try the whiskey sour ❤️

If you’re anywhere near the area make it your business to call in for food and a really good pint of Guinness. The fish and chips are the very best we’ve ever tasted. A hearty chowder too. Highly recommend.

Can only review based on the food but we were incredibly and pleasantly surprised in the best way by the meal we received here. The octopus and black pudding was a particular highlight. I highly recommend it to anyone in the area to go for dinner.

Absolutely wonderful all around! The room was beautiful and comfortable. One of the best sleeps we have had in a long time. Great location with two additional pubs next door. The food was fantastic. Dinner was lovely, well priced, and the restaurant had a great atmosphere. Breakfast was even better. My husband is quite the critic, and he declared the full Irish breakfast as “the best breakfast he has had in his life.” I would go out of my way to stay here again.

Exceptional food , from the starters to desert 10/10 , best seafood in Ireland ! Very good service as well and cosy atmosphere

Stopped in for a bite after the cliffs and OMG FISH & CHIPS Absolutely delicious 100% recommend nuff said.

So glad we found this place because it was a really excellent meal. Probably the best fish and chips I had in Ireland, and I think that had to do with it being fried in beef fat, which was obviously amazing. It's made with their heirloom yeast batter that they've been using for like 20 years. Soo good; I dream of it. They know what they're doing! Service was great. Witnessed a pretty funny exchange between the lady sitting next to me, who was a vegetarian who kept asking menu questions, and the waiter who explained that anything they fry there is not vegetarian because it's fried in beef fat lol. My dining companion had the seafood chowder and mussels, and was also extremely pleased with the food as well. Just a great meal all around, and the perfect midday interlude to some hiking on the chilly cliffs.

The food is great but there is no toilet for a wheelchair user . It is such a busy bar and restaurant they could well afford to build on two toilets for wheelchair users.

Great food. Good service. We are staying in Lahinch and this place was highly recommended. We made reservations (which is recommend). There are nightly specials. They have a full bar but are strictly No to cocktails. So we ordered wine, We had some great starters. The oysters were very cold and garnished/flavored perfectly. The seafood chowder was good. The lobster boudin was so so good (must try). The sauces, caviar and lobster.... Such a delicious melody. The fish and chips here are known to be great and for good reason! My friends had and I tried them! Very very good. The chips also very crisp and good. I had the fish special and it was superb. The fish was cooked perfect and flavor was great. The dessert platter was so good. We ordered only because we all wanted to try the sticky toffee but we ended up liking several other items also. Tip: I would recommend if you can get a seat more inside. But take whatever seat if that is the only seat. We were seated right near the front door - next time I will request a seat more inside. Not a bad seat considering the place is busy and great food! But so many people come in that you get the outside air/smells from smokers etc. plus people trying to get a table and waiting at bar is right near.

This little shop is in a little fishing village on the west side of Ireland and has a charming Irish bar feel. BUT, the highlight was their amazing fish and chips, which was THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. The batter is a 20 y/o (yeast starter) batter and fried in beef fat. The chips (fries) was also the best I've had as well. They hand cut the potatoes, pre-steam them (what a great idea!!), then fry them in beef fat. Result: super light, crispy fish paired with crispy fries on the outside and soft on the inside. It was a mind-blowing experience.

OMG, today has been a very stressful day with travels. We were so hungry and made a reservation 99 min prior to arrival. We got in and got the Seafood Chowder and the Fish & Chips. Seriously the best fish and chips ever!!! I highly recommend this place. The chowder was just as amazing, as was the staff. You won't be disappointed.

Our driver recommended this place for lunch instead of eating at the cafe at the Cliffs of Moher - he was absolutely right. The fish and chips were amazing - apparently they fry it all in beef fat. And the batter on the fish was some kind of starter they've been using for years and years. We had fish and chips several times and this one was at the top of the list (right above Quinlan's). Plenty of room, very friendly and a nice cozy dining room. Definitely worth a stop after visiting the cliffs!

Wonderful recommendation from a friend who heard we were visiting the area. Service was attentive, friendly and professionalional. We stareted with Oysters and some scallops. Both were top notch and the presentation on the scallops was spot on. There was little noise even with a large table of golfers near us. We had Turbo, Black Sole, Fish & Chips, Crabmeat Rissoto and Halibut. Each person said their dish was excellant. After a little sharing the Fish & Chips and Sole were top rated. The dessert sampler was both pleasing to see and eat. Every aspect of the dish was attended to in the kitchen making our time there enjoyable all around.

Freshest fish and chips of my life. Found this place on the way to the cliffs of Moher

Showed up without a booking. The restaurant was empty. We were turned away! Too bad they didn't know we spent 300 euro the night before and left a 50 euro tip!

This restaurant was phenomenal and we ate there several times, wait staff was attentive and the food was top notch. Would highly recommend this restaurant

This restaurant had a great atmosphere and food. First off, the size alone of the fish and chips was "very generous". Add on top of that a delicious family batter recipe that's 20 years old. I would also highly recommend the oysters. The Thai sauce on them was amazing!

Fish n chips is a common lunch in America but holy cow....Vaughan's knocked it out of the park! I've had some good fish n chips in my day, but this is THE best I've ever had. We tried some oysters that came with lemon and a dark brown type of sauce, all I can say is it's not for us. It's fishy and slimy, but they were thick and straight from the ocean. Crispy steak cut fries that bring out the real potato flavor and plenty of them. Had a variation of the large and crispy ends, the variety was nice! Now for the fish, woah nelly it was incredible. It was refreshing and not overly fishy. Battered in the perfect crispy and crunchy shell that coated the fish like a fluffy winter coat. White, tender, and flavorful meat that you could cut with the fork alone. Huge portion size, easily split between two. However it was hard to part with the other half because it was so darn good. Lovely atmosphere and boat house that made you feel like you were right on the shore. Attentive staff and friendly customers. If I ever come back to Ireland I'm coming here again! But in the mean time I'll highly recommend it for you!

Not at all Michelin quality but a nice meal. Cool area and loved the quaint bar up front. Had the fish and chips and they were solid and came in huge portions. Service was poor at best and nothing about the food was exceptional. We had equally good fish at pubs.

The cutest local pub with all the charm of Ireland. I recommend stopping here after you work up an appetite at the Cliffs of Moher! A MUST GO!

I stopped by on my drive back from the Cliffs of Moher and I'm glad I did. Delicious food and friendly staff!

Stopped here for dinner after a couple of recommendations. I ordered the seafood chowder, and the fish and chips. The chowder was served in a little silver bowl with two slices of brown bread and butter. For me, the chowder wasn't what I expected but it was good. The soup base was more bouillon than creamy, but there was loads and loads of fish chunks. I didn't notice any shellfish though. The fish and chips was a really decent portion, and served with a really tasty tartare sauce. No mushy peas. The fish was coated in a really delicate and crispy batter and the inside was soft and creamy. I have to say, it was delicious. The chips were damn good. Chunky. Crispy. Glorious. I doused them in salt and vinegar. Lunch was served until 6pm, so we ate off the lunch menu. We had a look at the dinner menu, and it had several different options. The fish and chips was €4 more expensive on the dinner menu, so get there before 6pm if you can. I am deducting one stay because there was no Wifi. I think Vaughans should offer free Wifi for patrons considering most visitors are tourists.

It was one of my best meal in Ireland!! We walked in at around 6pm, without a reservation, we were so lucky to have a table. The restaurant was full!!! I sat at a spot that can see the kitchen, I could see they constantly cooking fish and chips, and I could see why. The piece of fish was huuuuuuuge!!! Bf ordered fish and chips, and I ordered a cod dish. Too bad because we didn't have enough time, we didn't order appetizer or desserts. The bread basket consists of two slices of brown soda bread, one slice of banana bread (that was the best), and one slice of sourdough bread. With a piece of super tasty butter. We even got a small cup (like espresso cup size) soup "service" ;) The soup was tasty. It was some kind of potage. Both dishes came about 40 min after we ordered. Yes it took a while but it's all worth it!! The piece of fish in the fish and chips was huge!! Very nicely seasoned and super crispy. The potato was wedges so it's not our fav, but the potato tasted way better than North American ones. My cod was cooked to the perfection with lagostine sauce etc. the mashed potato was to die for. If I come back to this area, I definitely will make a reservation and reserve more time to have appetizer and dessert.

Decided to stop by this establishment after trekking the Cliffs of Moher. Had a craving for seafood and this looked like the perfect location. I started off with the seafood chowder. It was full of fish meat in a nice semi-thick broth. It was perfect for the cold day. We also had the perfectly battered fish and chips and boy do they give you chips! The garlic mussels were also delicious and cooked to perfection. The service was really good and the interior had a nice warm ambience. Thumbs up and fist bumps!!

Best fish & chips! Great oysters. Delicious salmon. Scallions in their mashed was a nice touch. A great stop after The Cliffs of Moher. Clean bathrooms.

I started off with the seafood chowder with brown bread. It was delicious. Big chunks of salmon and white fish. My main meal was the fish and chips. The flaky white fish was fried to perfection. Batter was not too think. The wait staff was super attentive and the atmosphere was like you were dining in someone parlor.

Yummy Galway oysters, accompanied with fresh shallot vinaigrette which is such a great combo. Seafood chowder was different, lots of fish, lighter than the typical cream-based kind but a bit fishier Mussels- lots of them!! Fresh, decent flavor. A good staple The banana bread pudding was absolutely amazing!

Chowda and seafood and mashed sweet potatoes, oh my! Vaughn's Anchor Inn, located in Liscannor was a sleeper for my wife and I, as newlyweds, while driving around the southern region of Ireland. Having left Galway and on our way to Cork, our appetites had found us in a bind; this was not as n issue as we did stumble upon a fantastic mom and pop, local, Irish seafood delight that is Vaughn's. The pub-like feel to this restaurant and bar was so cozy and real, and yet the efficiency might be able to revival large city line chefs. Of course, Vaughn's is certainly not a chai or line chef driven place. The minimal menu contained perfect option for both my wife's thirst for authentic Shepard's Pie, as well as my love for seafood, specifically, salmon. Oh boy did Vaughn's deliver and then some. The salmon was so fresh and flaky, one mig be able to assume it was caught just hours before. Surely not farm raised and not frozen. Not at all. My wife opted for Shepard's Pie, which she had tried days before and was in hope for something as good as what was presented in front of her on this stop. Along with entree, I was surprised to also receive a hearty portion of mashed sweet potatoes, which I now have a great fondness for and am looking forward to trying them again when back in the USA or other places abroad. All in all, I was so pleased with the options and fare we were presented with and would suggest Vaughn's as a great stop off to anyone with a seafood or meat craving. Cheers.

What an awesome place for seafood! Best oysters I've ever had, fresh! Order the octopus and leave room for desert for two.

Great little pub to grab a feed of seafood if you find yourself in the vicinity. The scampi and chips I had were so good - light and fresh and cripsy, I doused them in lemon juice and dunked them in the lovely homemade tartare sauce (so good I needed a second one). Definitely on my list of places in Clare to re-visit. *Tip: They do take-away portions of fish 'n' chips and scampi 'n' chips if you want to grab a bite to eat in a more scenic spot (the outdoor area is basically a car park...still lovely on a sunny day though!)

The waiters were really ice and on top of their job. The soup of the day was so delicious I which I got a full portion of it instead of just a tasting of it complimentary from the chef! My husband enjoyed his fish and chips. We also enjoyed our side of onion rings. Really cute place. First too Is completely different from third room. Really interesting!

Really lovely rooms with good sized comfy beds. Really relaxed feel in the bar/hotel. Received a lovely basket of goodies after we'd checked in with peanuts, tea, biscuits, and water. Lovely touch. Breakfast was delicious! Only downside was the room could have been warmer- but the bed it's self was warm and cosy. Would definitely recommend here as a place to stay

We ordered the salmon lunch dish. It came with mash and seasonal vegies. The sauce was delightful and complimented the salmon nicely. The meal would have been perfect but it arrived to us warm, not hot. The wait was longer than expected so I think the wait staff missed an opportunity to deliver a hot meal meal to us. Other than that, can't fault the meal itself. The salmon tasted fresh and perfectly cooked.

Just stopped by after the Cliffs and had some wonderful fish and chips and Nick had seafood risotto that was to die for.

Holy crap. Day 9 of eating local fish n chips and this place knocks it out of the park! I was beginning to think this fried fish craze was overrated, but alas...they're done so right. Do NOT skip! Even for a super touristy area, this is awesome. Service is slow, but that's just the way it seems to be in Ireland.

Just going to add on to the many times it's been said in prior reviews- Vaughan's has the absolute best fish and chips I have ever had in my life. My wife and children all agree with this statement. We visited off season, and while not packed they were doing a good business for dinner on a Monday night. The food was absolutely amazing- juicy and delicious fish, and while fried, was not greasy or heavy. Truly amazing. Great staff as well!

Classic Irish pub food...but the best fish and chips I have had in my whole life. Coming from someone who grew up next to the ocean eating fish and chips, Vaughan's take on the classic dish blew them all OUT OF THE WATER. The most fish you'll ever see in such a dish and cooked to perfection in the absolutely amazing batter.

A cut above the rest. Most of their fish, crabs etc are brought in daily by local fishermen and processed on site. I ordered the Seafood Platter and it was without question the best seafood I can recall. If I could give them 10 stars for amazing food and service I would.

Absolutely Delish! I'm a huge fan. When I travelled across Ireland last year, a guy on the plane gave us two tips: stay at the Moyhouse and dine at the Anchor Inn. And so we did. Best. Decision. Ever. Vaughan's cute litte Pub, which is also a restaurant, serves seriously awesome food. We hadn't been to Ireland before and were quite amazed how good the food in pubs was across the country. But this one topped it all! Seated in the rear, with not many other people, we drank a bottle of great wine (they have a decent selection) and got some appetizers. I got a the Roasted Black Pudding, Scotch Egg, Caramelized Red Onion and Piquillo pepper. And my +1 the O Connell's Liscannor Bay Crab with Tasting of Beetroots. Both dishes were served on a slate plate. Really awesome! (check out the photos) As a main dish we got the 21 day dry aged Chateaubriand of Donald Russell Beef for two people, Triple Cooked Chips, Tempura of Onion Rings and Béarnaise Sauce. And again, it was so good! The meat was tender and juicy, and perfectly cooked. The fried were really special, there were like three huge pieces of triple fried potatoes, so they were still were soft inside which I don't like too much. But it was okay, as we couldn't eat all of them just because of the amount of meat! Then we shared a dessert, a selection of different goodies, from caked to crèmes, it was again absolutely delicious! Vaughan's has won several awards and this doesn't surprise me. It's not just a pub or a restaurant, but it's a gourmet place. Everybody who drives by and loves good food must stop by. I heart this space and I wouldn't hesitate for a second to go there again if I were in the region. Totally worth a drive! My recommendation for nearby accomodation: Moy House (http://www.yelp.com/biz/moy-house-lahinch)

Good selection great servers and a nice location. We were with a big group and even when we had the same dishes each person had a different experience. Some of the fish were not fully cooked for the fish and chips and some were too cooked but it was a good experience

Absolutely Amazing! People told me to go there for the award winning Sea Food Chowder and yes I did and it was delicious.. What the secret is? I can't tell you besides of that the soup had all kind of fish in it and the broth seemed to be made of potato soup rather than cream.. it is worth a try! For main I decided for the Lobster and Prawn Risotto, the seafood for this dish comes from a guy called Michael, who lives in the area and provides the restaurant also with Crab for their starters. No cream here again, very original made :) All in all, I am very very happy - with service and quality of the food to affordable prices.

A little surprised about the five star reviews, maybe I ordered the wrong things. The seafood chowder had more of a broth base than a cream base, was generally bland besides salt, and had lemon seeds in it. I've had vastly superior chowder in country at several restaurants in Howth. The fish and chips were much better. Light batter, very creamy, definitely the highlight. The chips were a bit mushy and generally forgettable. The burger was cooked well done by default and was bland and lacking in a country known for its beef. Better burgers are available for less around town. Again, slightly surprised at the reviews, this isn't a particularly great place to eat, especially for the price.

The Chowder was a delightful along with the Fish and Chips. A gem next the one of the wonders of the world, "Cliffs of Moher" Ireland.

We stopped here for lunch after our visit to Cliffs of Moher. I got the chowder (pretty good) and my boyfriend got the mussels which were just ok. We also split a half dozen oysters (fresh and tasty) and each had beers -- we spent 45 euro. I got the feeling this place is pretty touristy since there arent a ton of dining options near the cliffs -- the ambience was meh and the food was 4 stars, but it seemed pretty pricey compared to other places nearby.

If you are in the area of the Cliffs of Moher, THIS PLACE IS A MUST!! The location and vibe is small town Ireland... priceless! The food is on par or better than anything you will find in all of Ireland-seriously! We stopped here by chance, and honestly have yet to find a food experience that equals to this one. Please stop here and support a local, yet sublimely exquisite food destination and experience the best that Ireland has to offer!! Thank You Vaughan's!!!

One of the Best Sea food places I have ever had. We can me from Pennsylvania and I have had a lot of sea food. I got the fish and chips, so light and flakey. Absolutely amazingly fresh! My wife got the crab claws and she likes them. They were like nuggets of claws with good flavor. Mashed potatoes were fantastic. If you're going to the Cliffs of Moher, this place is right there. We were staying 1&1/2 hours away and we considered driving back just to eat. Highly recommended!

This restaurant was recommended by our B&B hostess. Excellent food and courteous efficient service. First time I ever saw a fried egg on top of a hamburger. Ireland law forbids cooking hamburger medium rare. The chips were well done. Wife had fish chowder. Very yummy and filling. Great place to eat when visiting the Cliffs of Moher. Try to order before 6 to get the lunch prices. Their half pint of Guinness was very small. Order a full pint!

Best fish and chips I've had in Ireland. The best dish in the pub however, were the mussels in white wine and butter. They where giant and so plentiful. Served with brown bread, they were the perfect ocean-adjacent meal. This is a classic Irish pub doing really good food! The "chips" or fries are fried in beef fat, vegetarians beware!

If you're looking for excellent quality pub food using the areas local abundance of seafood this is your place. As other reviews have said the seafood chowder is excellent and the quality of the other dishes is incredible in a traditional pub atmosphere. Service is exactly what you'd expect from a pub: good enough, gets the job done. The fish and chips was definitely some of the best we've ever had. It was very simple, the chips were fresh and memorable, crispy on the outside and steamy soft with fresh potato in the center. Highly recommended, would definitely come back.

Our tour guide had previously arranged for us to bring in our own wine. We are from California and we like to bring bottles that are special to us to share with each other when we dine on our golf trips. Upon arrival everything seemed to be in order, but unexpectedly a snotty manager came to the table to inform us that" they only open bottles that we sell." We offered to be charged for a wine that was on their list to open ours, since they refused to accept a "corkage" fee. I was so upset I decided to leave. Horrible experience. Called my guide and we went to Gus O'Conner's and had a great meal instead. Never will recommend...Never will go back.

Fell upon this great gem after a long walk to and from the Cliffs of Moher, decided to keep walking and ended up here! Pleasantly surprised. Arrived early so we were about an hour too early for dinner so we enjoyed some pints and lunch menu. But because it was so rainy and we had no where to be the guys in the group also had a full dinner meal while I had dessert! All which were so delicious! Love the decor inside as well! Keep doing what you're doing! I hope to come back next time I'm in Ireland!

Fish and chips the best we've had! Great location if you're out by the Cliffs of Moher.

After a wet trip to the Cliffs of Mohar my wife and I were in the mood for some hardy pub fair and Vaughan;s Anchor Inn was great. We went on the recommendation from our hotel concierge and it did not disappoint. I had the Fish and Chips and my wife had the suckling pig and both were great. I highly recommend eating lunch here.

"Fantastic Dinner" I met 2 friends from the US and we had dinner here our 1st night in the area. The oysters, lobster and steak were all fantastic!