Sean O.
Yelp
A friend had recommended the Wild Honey Inn to me a few months ago. I was surprised that I'd never heard of it, as I know the area reasonably well from hillwalking / fishing etc., and thought in my arrogance that I knew most good places. I'm so glad she mentioned it! In a nutshell, it's a warm, welcoming, jewel of a place, with friendly staff and cracking food a 5 minute walk from Lisdoonvarna. What's not to like!!??
We were staying for two nights, me and my partner, and our two American cousins (18 year olds) over on a visit. A mix of walking / sightseeing was on the cards (weather permitting).
We arrived late enough on a Saturday night and saw various groups in the main bar/ restaurant all tucking in to their meals. We were conscious of being late, but asked if there was time to eat, and despite it being "officially" closed, the kitchen accommodated us and we had delicious fish and chips, and even dessert (those young boys are still growing :-)) The excellent Roadside Inn is just 3 minutes walk away. Run by the folks who own the Burren Smokehouse, this is an excellent retreat after dinner for some local microbrew beers and some Irish music.
Breakfast was lovely. Served in their breakfast dining room, it includes juices, pastries, granola, yoghurt etc., plus a menu of cooked options, including the full Irish, French Toast, and an Omelette Arnold Bennett (smoked haddock, gruyere these, etc.). All the breakfasts looked great, and my omelette was superb.
We had the full monty dinner there the second night : starters, mains, desserts. Every course was very good, mostly organic or locally sourced ingredients, and top top notch. The food is not showy, but is classy, understated and beautifully done. I'd return for the crab starter alone (an interpretation of a crab cocktail in a glass). Brilliant.
The rooms are lovely - spotless, good showers, nicely decorated. There's a lovely lounge area downstairs also with books and papers for chilling out. The staff were universally helpful and friendly, and of course Kate was always on top of anything we needed help with. Oh, and the pint of Guinness at the bar was pretty high quality :-)
I'd recommend this to anyone: couples looking for a cosy few days in the Burren / Clare area, groups going walking, just anyone really. I also found it good value for the quality on offer. I am already looking forward to returning.