Chestnut in Ballydehob

First class food and service. Great tasting menu. Extremely welcoming and engaging service from the brilliant Australian waitress. Food was amazing. The tomato dish and the languistine were out of this world. The cured meats were top class and so full of flavour. Thoroughly recommend

We had an incredible evening at Restaurant Chestnut. From start to finish, we had one of our most memorable dining experiences. We arrived with high expectations having dined at the space before, upgrading our recent visit from the four course option to the tasting menu - we felt we couldn't miss out on the opportunity. It did not disappoint. The menu's introduction began with an array of stunning snacks, with all featuring produce from a local, neighbouring supplier or chef Rob's own family through the charcuterie plate's options. My partner, who has an intolerance to gluten, received such special treatment throughout the meal. The bread course especially comes to mind, with us asking the kitchen team some tips on achieving something similar at home, which they gratefully passed on. Starters followed with highlights from the langoustine dish, a smoked tomato bite & a seafood tartlet - all incredible. A stunning whiskey sour palette cleanser set the tone for what was to come. A delicious reset from our introductory courses. The mains continued with a seafood dish (the exact fish escapes my memory - possibly hake), which was served in a delectable beurre blanc sauce accompanied by locally foraged, dried seaweed. The main event was the duck, perfectly cooked & portioned, which was served with a delicious sauce. At this point, we started to regret the meal coming to end. Dessert followed, with a dish showcasing local blueberries foraged that morning, as well as another stunning sorbet-like recipe. Petit fours arrived finally, with each bite unforgettable. From the sweet pastille, to the rice paper covered toffee, and chestnut chocolate ganache bite, it was a suitable finale to an outstanding meal. We also went with the wine pairing, at incredible value for €60 per person. Each pairing being expertly chosen and detailed in full by the restaurant's team. From our warm welcome from Elaine, Rob, Selena & team, to the food & drink served on the night, this has been one of our most memorable meals to date at what's become our favourite restaurant. There's an inherent Irish feel to the space through the welcoming & personable, yet professional service from the team. Everyone within the space at our time of dining was on a first name basis, leading to a warm and friendly atmosphere. That service being paired with a stunning, contemporary tasting menu featuring local suppliers makes this restaurant so special. We can't wait to return.

Fine dining perfection ... West Cork Style

We had the tasting menu here on Friday night and we were given an experience that we both thoroughly enjoyed. Between the service and the food we were not disappointed, both were spot on and worth the trip . We have decided that we will definitely be coming back

We had dinner in Chestnut to celebrate our wedding anniversary, courtesy of our adult children. We had the most gorgeous tasting menu which kept getting better and better with each course. Every element was thought through, beautifully prepared and presented- all obviously done not just with expertise, but with love. We certainly ate with our eyes as much as our tummies! Rob and Elaine could not have been more welcoming or charming. The staff are as knowledgeable as they are friendly - absolutely no stuffiness in this amazing Michelin starred treasure. The option of lLght Bites upstairs is very clever- we'll definitely try that soon. Run, don't walk to book this jewel in West Cork. We drove quite a long way there and back and we'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Went for the "snacks and nibbles" menu and the signature tasting menu. The dishes in the snacks menu were nice, and the atmosphere upstairs was quite casual. They had a good selection of wines in both, the snacks and the signature menus. The signature tasting menu was excellent, this was, by a remarkable margin, the best fine dining experience I've ever had. You could see the chef's attention to detail in each and every dish, and many of these dishes were very innovative and tasted absolutely delicious. Even my least favourite dishes were ones that I would love to have again, and the best ones were to die for. The serving staff were very friendly and so knowledgeable. They knew the cooking methods, the ingredients and the origin of these ingredients. Some of them even gave me general directions to the ingredients' origins. Kudos to the chefs, service staff and everyone involved who made this experience possible. Highly recommend visiting this place, worth every penny

Exquisitely created dishes from starter to dessert - kudos to the chefs. Wine pair boosted the overall dining experience, along with delicated service team who ensured we are all good at couple of seconds. Very heart warming restaurant!