The best restaurants in Cork

26/12/2025: Food terrible, frozen soup not fresh, slow service, dry bread , expired muffin . Terrible, highly NOT recommend it, avoid this place at all cost.

04/12/2025: The guy who runs this restaurant does a great job!

16/01/2026: Excellent all-day breakfast menu. Highly recommend. Great food and lovely service

14/01/2026: Unreal food staff unreal couldn't get better

21/01/2026: Good food. Good service. Must try restaurant in Cork City Centre 😁

13/01/2026: Good food, good staff. Very busy though and a little over priced.

04/01/2026: I am not a food critic and very seldom leave a comment but I feel that the experience I had recently at the Elm Tree needs to be shared. Following a recommendation I organised a meal for 9 people for a very special occasion. On arrival we were all very impressed by the festive decor and warmth of the restaurant. However, my good experience ended there. Three of the people ordered starters but only two were served. Apart from that hitch the starters were excellent. When the starters were eaten and the plates were removed, the cutlery was also taken and not replaced. The guests in question had to ask for replacements after their main course had been served. But then came the main course. Three of the guests ordered hake. On arrival this appeared to be a huge portion but turned out to be mainly mashed potatoes. The fish was presented skin side up. This is an entirely acceptable practice when the skin is crisp but not when the skin is soft (as if it had been steamed) and covered in sauce. A great deal of this dish was returned by each of the guests. One guest ordered the house steak. This steak was absolutely tasteless. It beggars belief that anyone could manage to make steak so bland. The remaining guests were content, though not overjoyed, with their main courses (salmon and burgers). Now comes desserts. Only two guests ordered desserts, for which they had again to ask for cutlery. One guest was presented with an incorrect dessert, which was changed, so was satisfied in the end. The other guest ordered a sticky toffee pudding which arrived completely tough and dried out. Having complained about this dessert it was agreed that it was indeed sub standard and it was removed from the menu for the night. The staff member who dealt with the complaint was attentive and professional. His solution to my problem was the removal of the sticky toffee pudding from my bill and not adding the 10% surcharge to my bill. He did inform me that the head chef was working that night. To finish this review off I feel that the Elm Tree is now living on a reputation that may have been deserved in former times but is not currently relevant.

04/01/2026: Went to The Elm Tree last night and overall had a really great experience. The place itself was amazing. The vibes, seating, atmosphere and service were all excellent. Staff were friendly and attentive and the restaurant has a really lovely feel to it. I ordered the featherblade and it was honestly 10 out of 10. Absolutely incredible. I really enjoyed it and will definitely be back because the food was genuinely outstanding. The only issue I want to mention is about menu transparency. When we arrived we made sure to ask if certain dishes contained alcohol as my boyfriend is Muslim and does not consume alcohol. We were told that the featherblade is cooked with alcohol but this is not stated anywhere on the physical menu or the online menu. While I personally do consume alcohol and still chose the dish I think this is something that should be clearly mentioned as many people may not think to ask and could unknowingly eat something that goes against their religious or personal beliefs. Aside from that everything else was excellent. Amazing food, great service and a brilliant atmosphere. Clearer menu information would make an already fantastic place even

17/10/2025: I was having breakfast this morning, I order eggs Benedict, and I think the rashers were cooked the last year. Be careful with the ingredients guys.. it's really annoying.

16/10/2025: Lovely atmosphere. Street side seating also.

31/12/2025: Overall good experience, giving 4 stars out of five. Something is still not yet there to be rated at five. Food quality was great. Service well on point. Small place, at full capacity it can be very noisy. Management should consider solutions to absorb sounds waves. Recommend.

31/12/2025: Unbelievable from beginning to end! I had the duck special and my partner had the ragu. Both were so tasty. The service was spot on and the place was packed with a lovely atmosphere. Can't wait to come back again!

08/01/2026: Beautiful 5 star hotel outside of Cork City. 10 minutes drive to Cobh . We went here for a birthday celebration and it was fabulous and very relaxing. Definitely worth a visit. Also the spa was incredible

07/01/2026: After a busing Christmas we stayed in fota for 2 nights. The resort is in a great location, service was top class and the food could not be faulted. From the moment we stepped in we were made feel welcome. The door man Michael I think it was really made our trip. So welcoming every time and very helpful and informative. We stayed in a double room. Very spacious. The bathroom is spotless and the cleaners did a stellar job. We enjoyed our stay so much we extended for a day. The price quoted at reception was quite a bit more expensive than booking on hotels.com or bookings.com. We said this to them and they matched the price instantly. Very happy with all interactions.

13/12/2025: Didn't eat in so I can't comment on that hence zero stars. Atmosphere was top notch amd service eas very fast and amazingly polite taking crowd inside in perspective. Definitely plaec6to have a few pints.

09/12/2025: This is a great pub with wonderful staff. The pizzas are excellent and there is a good choice of wines and beers.

01/01/2026: Friendly local pub, Great pint of Beamish, a good age mix here, well worth a visit.

29/11/2025: Lovely bar...calm, quiet relaxing.

10/01/2026: Came as a group of 4 lads on a very busy Friday night. Staff accommodated us in the quickest way they could. By far the best burgers, chicken, slaw and fries we’ve ever had. It was so good we had to shake the chefs hand😂

09/01/2026: A savage feed with very friendly and attentive staff. We got seated outside immediately but wait times for indoor were up to 30 minutes on a busy Friday evening. Well worth a visit

07/01/2026: Not really authentic Italian if that's what you're in the mood for. Pasta was bland eating in, and a while back we got takeaway and had 2 different pasta dishes that tasted basically the same (and equally lacking in flavour besides just cream and garlic). I've been going here on and off for about 6 years, used to LOVE it back then, but I don't think I'll be going again as I feel the quality and taste isn't the same anymore. But - if it not being authentic doesn't bother you, it's still a decent spot, popular with locals. I'd recommend the pizza, and the Panna Cotta.

28/12/2025: This place is truly a hidden gem. We visited with our family and were honestly impressed from start to finish. The atmosphere feels elegant yet warm and inviting, giving it a premium touch without being stiff or formal. We ordered a variety of Italian classics — spaghetti, pizza, and a few other dishes — and every single plate was outstanding. The flavors were rich and authentic, the ingredients clearly high quality, and everything was beautifully prepared. The service was attentive, professional, and made us feel genuinely welcome. It’s rare to find a restaurant that combines top-tier food, a refined atmosphere, and a relaxed family-friendly vibe so effortlessly. An absolute must-visit for anyone who appreciates excellent Italian cuisine.

18/01/2026: Great place to have large and smaller gatherings. Very welcoming staff and lovely food. Parking very handy. Pity there is no wheelchair accessible toilet..

16/01/2026: The white horse is a fantastic place to visit for food great music. Great atmosphere.

14/10/2025: Old Rustic bar in South Main Street, the City Center of Cork. Across from the old Beamish and Crawford Brewary, there's a lot of history in the area. There's a younger crowd frequenting it now, and they have some seating outside. The staff are nice as is the atmosphere.

07/10/2025: Nice pub. Good music. Not the best beer selection. Used to have real candles on each table with wax spilling over the bottle they were in, now changed for fake candles. It's a pity, it was part of what made it a cosy pub.

17/12/2025: We booked it months ago for dinner before the panto in the opera house for 10 people. We booked it in person in the restaurant. When we went there was no reservation and they couldn't go anything for us. We were left with no booking for any dinner, hungry kids and just very disappointed. We couldn't get any other restaurant the week before Christmas with such short notice and a big group of us. Very disappointing!

13/12/2025: A must visit. The breakfast was great for a family of 5 with good variety. Been there for dinner before and the wings are awesome.

09/12/2025: Nice and pleasant place, the waitress was very friendly and the chai latte was very good 🤗

20/11/2025: Cool café right on the River Lee with some outdoor tables. Delicious, handmade pastries and excellent coffee. Friendly service behind the counter. It was very noisy during our visit because a large group of young tourists was also in the very small space... but that shouldn't be the norm!