Boathouse Restaurant in Killybegs

Went there for the acclaimed seafood chowder. Had to wait for 25 minutes for it to be served to us. It was nice but lacked fish, lots of vegetables but not a single piece of salmon or haddock on my plate. A bit disappointed. Nice place, was very busy which I suppose is a nice thing.

Outstanding dining experience. At the end of the meal, Garry came out to say hi. What a great guy. What an amazing team. The food is fantastic. Everything we ate was carefully prepared and delicious. It’s a must if you find yourself in Killybegs.

Top class restaurant. Delicious . Live music on a Wed. Need to book

Walked up last minute without a reservation but they squeezed us in and from then on it was superb! Food quality was excellent, portions more than generous and they had a live band playing in the background. If you’re in Killybegs, this is the place to eat!

The best restaurant of the sixteen we visited in Ireland. They treat fish with special care, which shouldn't be surprising in a fishing village. We ordered to share, and the first course was served separately, thank you very much. The second course was a combination of different fish dishes, with individual plates to share. All washed down with a Sauvignon Blanc. Although the Emerald Isle doesn't have vineyards, the occasion called for it.

The food was very good, but you shouldn't be very hungry, as the portions are very small and expensive. Very loud music and unfortunately, not particularly friendly service.

This was the first time my boyfriend and I visited Anderson's boathouse restaurant and we were both impressed. The place was busy when we arrived for our 8:15pm reservation. (Booking is definitely recommended so not to be disappointed if you can't get a table just by walking in). We were there on 12th July which also fell on a Saturday so it was busy with holiday makers and locals too. We were welcomed by a member of staff when we came in, only took a minute or so, if even. We were shown to our table which just needed to be wiped down as the previous couple of people had not long left. This was fine, we could see how busy they were. We were told about the specials and who would be serving us and we took our seats. We both got to order a drink each quite promptly and they came out quick enough. I got a gin bramble and my boyfriend got a bottle of Peroni. We then decided what we'd like and shared the mussels to start, the portion was quite small for 2 to share but would have been ample for one. They were tasty and then we had both ordered a fish dish each for our main. My boyfriend had the monkfish and I had the hake, we both tried each others and they were both very tasty meals. We thoroughly enjoyed our drinks and food. The staff were very friendly, attentive and efficient. The atmosphere was buzzing, the position we were in, we were getting a lovely breeze from the open doors at the other end and could see the harbour. We could hear low playing music which was nice and it wasn't so loud in the restaurant with others that you couldn't hear each other speak. We would definitely return, we had booked on short notice but still managed to get a table so that was wonderful. I have no negatives from our experience.

Anyone traveling in this part of Ireland should definitely eat here. It's not more expensive than most pubs in the area, but the quality is significantly higher. A genuine fish restaurant with great dishes, but everything, as is typical for Ireland, is very relaxed and informal. Reservations seem to be absolutely necessary, though.

Sunday mid pm I decided to go for the €40 fish platter. It was probably the nicest fishy thing I’ve eaten for ages. Small portions of lots of delicious fish and seafood with appropriate sauces. There was also some divine gratin dauphinoise. Glass of Sauvignon blanc. Very happy. Service excellent. There is a nice terrace but it was blowing a gale.

Anderson’s Boathouse Restaurant Killybegs. Anderson’s Boathouse, a wonderful restaurant in Killybegs, Co Donegal, is owned and operated by Garry & Mairead Anderson who serve up a varied menu championing the superb selection of fish caught by local fishermen. The restaurant has been open for six years, following the success of its award-winning sister business Killybegs Seafood Shack. The Boathouse serves sophisticated, elevated dishes in a casual, stylish dining room. We were warmly greeted, and seated at a lovely window table, and while we sipped on a welcome glass of Prosecco, we perused the menu. We started with an amuse bouche of rich, earthy Spiced Cauliflower Soup, and we loved Garry’s Premium Old Fashioned with “The Midnight” Silkie Donegal Smoked Whiskey. The perfect aperitif. We then shared a portion of Ward’s Crab Claws in garlic butter and chilli, with seasonal leaves: probably the tastiest, meatiest crab claws we’ve tasted in ages. To follow, we ordered two stunning seafood specials; Megrim Sole on the bone, panfried, with Samphire, Lemon Caper Butter and Mashed Potatoes, and crispy skinned Sea Trout, pan seared, with Sautéed Potatoes, a White Wine Sauce, Asparagus and a platter of vegetables. Both fish were beautifully cooked, and perfectly seasoned. For Dessert, we had a delicious delightfully crunchy-topped Crème Brûlée. (Unfortunately, Garry’s legendary Tiramisu had sold out…next time!!) Many thanks to Garry and Mairead for welcoming us to their beautiful restaurant in Ireland’s premier fishing port, and for a delightful evening of superb seafood and excellent hospitality.