The best restaurants in Galway

25/10/2026: We visited Sophie's Rooftop Restaurant in Galway as a party of 5 friends and had the most disappointing evening in this restaurant. Before completing this review we would like to point out that one staff member, Karina, was the only good experience we had in this place. Our table was cleared while one of our party was still eating and the rude waitress in the flowery top actually took the plates and dishes that still had some food on them in a very hurried manner and without asking if we were finished. This same person then told me to stop talking while I was speaking to my husband because she wanted to ask us if we wanted to order drinks. She was one of the most obnoxious people we have ever met in a restaurant setting and clearly did not want to be working in her job. We all agreed that the service in the restaurant was one of the worst we all experienced anywhere. A positive point is that the food is good, although not wonderful compared to other restaurants in Galway. For the high prices that Sophie's in Galway charge for food and wine, we expected a much better experience. We were left disappointed and feeling like bold school children who weren't eating fast enough for the staff. This place is a completely pretentious rip off with staff that treat diners like toddlers. Highly advise against planning an evening here. ​​​​​​​​​​

21/10/2026: Absolutely delighted to be doing a review on Sophie’s Rooftop, Especially since I told the bartender downstairs that I couldn’t wait to review it and was told by him To knock myself out 😂, guess he didn’t know my last review was seen by over 1500 people and all my reviews have been seen by over 15,000 people. I don’t normally give bad reviews but I’m making an exception for Sophie’s. If you haven’t visited this place then don’t bother, the rooftop balcony is closed and you only see reflection on the glass after dark. We booked a table for 5 people for dinner at 9pm, arriving at 8.30 pm we made our way up to the restaurant as it was our first time visiting. When we got to the rooftop restaurant we were told that we were early and to go back down to the bar and wait until 9 pm, so we went back down to the hotel bar for a drink while we waited. When we arrived at the hotel bar the bartender was busy showing off his cocktail making skills to some American tourists and we were left standing there waiting to be served, eventually a waitress came up and offered us a table next to the bar and took our drinks order, , 10 minutes later we were still waiting for our drinks and eventually had to go back to the bar to retrieve our drinks as the waitress was nowhere in sight and the drinks were sitting on the bar at this stage. We paid for our drinks and hurriedly finished them as it was now 9.05pm and we needed to return up to Sophie’s for dinner. We arrived back up at 9.10pm to the restaurant to be told our table still wasn’t ready and we would have to wait. Eventually we were seated and then the fun began. 1st waiter took our drinks order and went away, then returned 10 minutes later to take our food order, where he was told we were still waiting for our drinks order, he disappeared and then a 2nd waitress arrived to take our food order, which was fine. The waiter then returned with our drinks which were fine also. The menu has a certain style of print so if your eye sight isn’t great you’re in trouble. The food arrived and was good but considering the prices the portions were very small and 1 order which was described as for 2 people most definitely was not. Considering the high prices I would have expected somewhat larger portions for a main. The Vegan option was very small but I’m told was fantastic so well done on that. All in all the food was to a good standard but very expensive with a T Bone costing €115 and a bottle of red wine €65 which was good quality. A 3rd waitress arrived during our meal to take another drinks order and while she was taking the order we discussed the dessert menu among ourselves to which she told us to be quite while she took the drinks order We were in shock at her rudeness as we were talking quietly among ourselves. We finished our meal and immediately the plates were taken away as it was now 10.30pm and I expected the staff wanted to clear up. We were made to feel uncomfortable so decided to pay the bill which was shockingly big for what we had and go back down stairs to the bar. We arrived back downstairs to the main bar at approximately 10.40 and went to order some drinks to which the bartender informed us that the bar was now for residents only, OMG at this stage we had enough and left the hotel. I cannot in all honesty recommend this place to anyone, it was a surprise birthday gift that turned into a disaster. Very poor staff No proper management or leadership Save your money and go elsewhere, you’ll be glad you did. Still baffled why the main hotel bar is residents only considering they have another smaller bar that’s also residents only.

26/06/2026: What a gem of a hotel! Centrally located on Eyre Square and so easy to find. The rooms were super comfy and had great amenities. The staff is extremely welcoming, friendly, courteous, and helpful. Short walking distance to the train and bus station. Highly recommend!

17/06/2026: I don’t think there’s a bad thing I could say about this place! Stayed in June 2024 for 2 nights. Location is great, staff were more than friendly, the two twin beds were fairly comfy (I hate a hard bed) and it was nice to be a part of the action with the bar so close below. When booking (like 8-9 months in advance) I asked to reserve a room in a quieter area and they fulfilled that request. We couldn’t hear anything from our room (above the closed night club, at the back I believe) and they provided us with earplugs just in case! Only thing we personally struggled with was the parking at the mall… could have been the jet lag though lol. When I come back to Galway (one day!) I’ll be staying here again. Thanks Skeff!

04/09/2026: Stopped in for a quick pint before dinner. Guinness was fantastic.

02/09/2026: Class Bar, Justin a fantastic barman with great character. Tyrian Lanister wouldve loved him 👏

18/03/2026: The room was great and the included breakfast was fantastic! Also a perfect location for a one night stopover to fully enjoy the Latin Quarter. However, the check-in experience really dampened our enthusiasm. Expecting Galway would be busy for St Patrick's weekend, a few months ago we researched hotel rates and reserved at HH's "special offer" at the time, €199/night. Definitely higher than every other city/town on our 2 week trip, but assumed high season in a city. Waiting in line at check-in though, two separate parties of walk-in/no reservations ahead of us were offered the current special of almost 50% less, €105. When we asked if we could switch to this rate, we were told this was not possible, we would have had to cancel our existing reservation 48 hours in advance and then re-book at the current offer rate. The only option was being upgraded to a larger room. We had not paid for the room yet, and the reservation was directly through the hotel, not a 3rd party booking site. Very disappointing initial impression of an otherwise enjoyable visit.

14/03/2026: I booked at the very last minute on the bus when I arrived in Galway, and what a wonderful surprise! Everything was absolutely perfect from beginning to end. I was greeted by a very kind young lady whose name I unfortunately forget, and then Paige took over and looked after everything with incredible care. Truly exceptional service. The room was magnificent, incredibly quiet, soft, and comfortable. The bottle of Prosecco included in my package was a thoughtful and much-appreciated touch. As for the bed… simply heavenly! The hotel is ideally located right in the city center, which made the stay even more enjoyable. The breakfast was absolutely fantastic! All the staff are smiling, welcoming, and very professional. And for such quality, the price is very reasonable. I recommend this establishment 2000% and sincerely hope to have the opportunity to return someday. A huge thank you to the entire team!

22/09/2026: Great vegan options. Liked it a lot.

21/09/2026: Amazing food and friendly Staff.

03/08/2026: Room was not clean. - Lights and bathroom were very dusty - Toilet was unclean - Shower had black mould - Milk sachets were out of date - Bed linen was ripped - Under the bed was not cleaned from previous stays At breakfast, we were not informed about ordering different eggs. We spent a substantial amount on the stay for 2 nights. The price did not in anyway reflect the cleanliness of the room.

21/07/2026: Good hotel. Tasty restaurant, but you need to improve your service. Waiting 1.5 hours for a meal is definitely too long.

28/07/2026: High roof. Plenty of tables.. cheap bar food massive TV for sport

01/07/2026: Visited Galway from Canada for a conference and found that this place operates on a completely different economic logic than the rest of the city. Cheapest prices, good food, good drinks. Whoever is responsible for keeping these prices student-friendly, please know you are doing god's work.

29/10/2026: Mohamed and musi the bosses best chefs going

29/10/2026: Good food and very fast service

30/09/2026: No time for food again, just some drinks and move on. If you want to try very rare and expensive whiskey, this is your spot. Good service, good atmosphere.

21/09/2026: There’s no front door around the corner

16/09/2026: Can’t miss Caprice on your way to shopping and the cathedral.

09/09/2026: Lovely café with a beautiful interior and a really nice atmosphere. We had breakfast here and were very happy with both the food and the portions — everything was fresh, tasty and definitely not small! The café itself is beautifully decorated, with a stylish and cosy interior that makes you want to stay a little longer. A great place for a delicious and satisfying breakfast. Would definitely recommend!

28/10/2026: Excellent, with everything, great beer and great food

15/10/2026: Beautiful Irish pub...very large and well furnished

16/09/2026: We had a lovely stay at the Nox, the hotel is really nice with a great bar/breakfast area and quite a chic downstairs vibe in general. The room and bathroom sizes were large and more "american" sized which is always a plus for those of us who don't pack light for long international trips! The location was easy with lots of parking and also taxis when we didn't want to drive. I like being close enough to downtown to pop in without the hassle of parking in the city center. It is a bit of a walk without a car to get downtown, but the taxi/uber service was quick and easy. The thing that really made me write this review is that I forgot my e-reader when we left and they found it right away and spent over a week communicating with me on various ways to get it shipped overseas. Being an electronic made it complicated and I was stil travelling and then not having much luck in the US getting something figured out. They were proactive about reaching out, offering suggestions and trying options as well and they were always extremely responsive. It was a bit of a minor item truly, but such a convenience to have it back and I appreciate so much all the time and good cheer the staff, notably Anna, provided at every opportunity. Excellent experience!

01/07/2026: Pleasant rooms. Lovely entrance way and great places to relax in the lobby. The breakfast counters could have a little more space in between them, was bumping into people left right and centre and it wasn’t all that busy

29/09/2026: Good pizza. Nice gentleman who took our order

17/09/2026: Perfect for a quick bite. Friendly service and great staff. Thank you!

30/10/2026: Great comfort food. My wife and I lived in Galway for years, and this was our go-to on a rainy night (had a few of those). Thanks for all the curry and spice bags! :)

09/10/2026: Numeric review: 4/5 Summary: Very good Asian fusion food with pleasant and expedited service. Detailed review: Pros - - Fast service - the food is delivered in excellent time so much recommended for a fast paced lifestyle - Delicious broth and sushi preparation - the broth was well seasoned and the sushi was graciously prepared with a lot of attention to detail. The noodles could be cooked a while longer to soften them and the broth could definitely be more hot Areas for improvement - - Consider expanding the seating arrangement to include more patrons during peak hour since the lunch and dinner menus are absolutely brilliant!