The best restaurantsof irish in Cork city council

14/12/2025: From entering the beautiful gateway, received by the concierge, welcomed with mulled wine, and shown to an exquisite bedroom with its own Christmas tree. What can I say. Amazing. The whole Christmas experience, the beautiful cocktail bar and 5 star food experience at the Bistro left us feeling we had being transported to another world. Discreet staff, nothing a problem, meticulously prepared rooms and overall ambience have me prepared to have that same experience at least once a year. Well done to you all, you’ve made both our birthdays and Christmas, so thankyou🥰

13/12/2025: Once again my friend snd I had a fabulous Christmas staycation at hayfield .the fact we got to check in early really added to the experience .each staff member , from the minute we parked up to our departure were so welcoming and pleasant .the food throughout our stay was gorgeous.an oasis of calm and beauty . We hope to return again next year 💕

21/12/2025: Excellent food and service. We had the tasting menu and wine pairing. Staff knowledgeable, professional and easy going.

16/12/2025: I loved the food it was so good and it wqs exquisite

22/12/2025: Pint a guinees and the Atmosphere, while busy, its obvious why. Top service

18/11/2025: Atmosphere was amazing but the pint of Heineken was very poor

21/11/2025: Staff were excellent, but food was dissapointing , new menu so we were excited to choose , I had the Hake with a veloute sauce , fondant potatoe and broccollini which was a little too al dente, the whole meal was too cool in temperature and very bland. My table mates had the same expereince with their choices. Clearly this is a popular venue with good reveiws , unfortunately we did not have the same experience.

18/11/2025: I LOVE that they use everything from Cork (or at least nearby). There is an information log in the back that tells you where everything is sourced, which was so fun to see after a visit to The English Market. Delicious meal, although the chicken breast was a teeny bit dry. Otherwise, was great!

12/01/2026: Popped in for some lunch and we really enjoyed it. Great service and very friendly. Also the best pint of Murphy's that I had over the whole trip!

09/01/2026: Had a few drinks here on Thur/Friday after Christmas. Atmosphere was excellent with live music both nights. Pint of Guinness was excellent and competitively priced. Great service and a nice place to spend a few hours... or more!

18/12/2025: Best place for breakfast in cork city

02/12/2025: Great Godfather themed breakfast place. It seems to be quite busy. So prepared to eat for a table if you’re a larger group.

22/12/2025: Absolutely delicious food and variety service was great servers very friendly and helpful atmosphere was happy and very friendly they also do a take away service which is great

22/12/2025: It was a very comfy stay rooms was nice he definitely going back

09/11/2025: Nice restaurant, steak bavette was delicious and chocolate tart very tasty. Lovely service.

27/10/2025: We stumbled on this restaurant after not being able to get into a different one. It was a great find! The food was incredible, the staff was amazing, and they were extremely kid-friendly! They provided us with a great experience on a busy evening, getting us in quickly even though we did not have a reservation.

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

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.

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.

09/12/2025: Unfortunately the set menu left a lot to be desired as a vegetarian. I recently attended a Christmas party here and was dissatisfied to see that the main course options included six fish and meat dishes while only having a cauliflower steak available for vegetarians and vegans. The cocktails were incredible and everyone else in my party thoroughly enjoyed their food but the lack of a second option for vegetarians was disappointing (especially when there was two options for poultry, fish and beef) Maybe the a la carte menu would be more inclusive but for anyone thinking of booking a party with a set menu, If there is a vegetarian or vegan in the group I would go elsewhere.

03/12/2025: Beautiful decorated venue for our Christmas night out. Staff were attentive and provided a wonderful service. Everyone enjoyed the food and the variety at the table.

06/12/2025: We visited here a few evenings while we were visiting the area. Seems like a low key great place for a few pints. They stop serving food pretty early though.

25/11/2025: Super spot, book to avoid disappointment. Great service, fantastic people running the place and top grub. Highly recommended.... Recommend the wings and burger.... Onion rings are top too.

28/12/2025: We did not eat but the food looked great. Great atmosphere.

27/12/2025: Major thumbs down on service and food today.

21/10/2025: Working in Cork and heard about this old school chippy and up there with the best. Lived up to its reputation, unreal lads 👏

14/10/2025: Good food, done well. Staff are friendly.

04/01/2026: Good atmosphere and service let down by the food on the day - we have dined here before and its normally much better

28/12/2025: Enjoyed lunch with family. Ordered Balinese Nasi Goreng. It was a bit salty, but it was tasty. Lovely warm atmosphere.