McLeary's Cafe in Waterford

18/10/2026: Exceptional food, will come back for more !

10/10/2026: I'll preface this review by saying that I'm nobody or nothing to the food game. I enjoy cooking and messing about in the kitchen at home. I booked the tasting menu at Mara with my wife for our wedding anniversary because once a year we are absolutely worth it. The restaurant is small, only eight tables but immediately felt like stepping into your cooler friend's living room. The lighting was soft, the furniture quirky and the music gloriously familiar. The front of house staff were lovely, the food was genuinely exquisite, nothing short of a gastronomical triumph! I'm not going to attempt to explain an eleven course meal 🤷 The following afternoon I was standing outside a shop staring at the world through my open mouth when I spotted Chef Martin. I approached him and we chatted for a few minutes. He is an incredibly humble and chilled out individual. I cannot recommend Mara highly enough.