The best restaurants in Kilkenny

29/08/2026: Had a great time, hurling was fun, the band was great and had everyone involved.

11/08/2026: If you find yourself anywhere near Stoneyford (Co. Kilkenny), go to Malzards. If you are not particularly near Stoneyford, this remains my recommendation. We went to hurl. It rained. Ireland. (: So instead there were pints and rooms that kept leading to other rooms and people at the bar and fresh chips and Billy and Jim playing music, and somewhere along the way we stopped being people watching the evening happen and became people participating in it. We sang. We danced. Billy and Jim handed me a drum. I played the drum. Eventually, being a polite person who understands that one cannot simply move to Stoneyford and become the permanent third member of Billy and Jim, I tried to give the drum back. They declined. So. I was in the band now. There was a Guinness pouring contest. Several people competed. A particularly attractive young woman roughly the bartender’s age won. Was hers the superior pour? Perhaps. Was the judging conducted according to internationally recognized standards of Guinness-pouring impartiality? I have questions. No objections, mind you. Just questions. This is Malzards. It’s a wonderful, rambling pub with big rooms, small rooms, cozy corners, and seemingly a space for whatever kind of gathering might break out. But mostly, it’s full of really lovely people. The owners are genuinely welcoming. The patrons are warm. Nobody makes a production out of making you feel welcome. You just are. And before you know it, you’re talking to everyone, singing with the band, and apparently employed as a percussionist. Go. Have a pint. Talk to the people at the bar. Stay for Billy and Jim if they’re playing. Enter the Guinness pouring contest if you’re feeling confident, particularly confident if you happen to meet certain entirely unrelated demographic criteria. (: If someone hands you a drum, understand that you may have entered into a binding agreement. Thank you to everyone at Malzards for the hospitality, the music, the craic, and a ridiculously fun night in Stoneyford.

28/07/2026: 3xactly what the name suggests. Very old little bar, very friendly bartender. But the only beer you'll get is a guiness!

26/07/2026: We had a great time. It was August’s first night bartending. He is from Wisconsin and so are we, so we had that going. It was just like being back home in your local tavern.

03/08/2026: Lovely atmosphere and service. Food was amazing. Highly recommend for brunch or pastries

03/08/2026: Located on a side street in Kilkenny, they offer very good coffee and tartlets. Super friendly service. Highly recommended, away from the tourist crowds.

02/09/2026: There is plenty of free parking available. We had to search a bit to find the check-in area. This could perhaps be made clearer. It was at the bar. The room was modern and spacious. We didn't want to open the windows because the kitchen was directly below the room and the exhaust air came right out. However, there was a proper air conditioner, which was sufficient. The room was quiet. A note about privacy: the bathroom door is a sliding door that doesn't lock. It only provides some visual screening; noise simply passes through it. We drove into Kilkenny city center; it was too far for us to walk.

23/08/2026: Excellent room, clean and comfortable. Coffee maker and teas included. Extremely friendly from the moment we arrived. We had dinner upon arrival, breakfast the next day, and everything was wonderful.

05/09/2026: By far the best Italian authentic food you can have ! Very good service,great menu selection and the food is amazing and cooked as it should be ! It makes you feel like Italy!

03/09/2026: Had a lovely tasty meal here with family, staff, food athmosphere were excellent

14/09/2026: Food is dire, last time I ordered takeaway I was given a portion of stone cold chips, each of the approximately 10 times I ordered food with bacon, the bacon was way overcooked, pizza missing toppings with no substitution or warning, chicken in Cesar salad way overcooked.

11/09/2026: Had a pizza and dirty fries, absolutely delicious, and the beer was fantastic, especially the black session on nitro!

13/09/2026: Service-minded staff who really help the customer, very good! Cozy old-style place, which feels a bit luxurious and very fresh. The food was fantastic and the wine as well, really recommended for a visit.

03/09/2026: Petronella is outstanding , food, service , atmosphere . Do yourself a favor and make a reservation .

21/08/2026: Clean pub and friendly staff, always a good atmosphere 🥰

14/07/2026: A spectacular pub I stumbled upon. Congratulations on the beer selection; the quality absolutely did not disappoint. I recommend making a reservation, especially if you're in a large group.

01/09/2026: The food was phenomenal! And ALL of the staff could not have been nicer! Lovely surprising find! ❤️ The GF potato/celery soup ! Yum!!

29/08/2026: LOVELY! daily specials, breakfast all day, resonable prices, very friendly staff, very busy though as others like them too. tx.

26/08/2026: A charming and welcoming place where you can enjoy a delicious meal. A great little find to satisfy a small hunger!

25/08/2026: Such a lovely spot in the center of Kilkenny. We went here everyday of our weekend there. Very dog friendly too we all had great food and a lovely time. Also the greatest brownies maybe ever are sold here too !

06/09/2026: Honestly, some of the best steak I’ve had. One of the few places where the sides are just as good too. I always go for the cowboy or ribeye and you really can’t go wrong with any of the sides - but the sweet potato fries are especially good. The staff and service are great too, although the music can be a bit loud sometimes

04/09/2026: "The best steak I've ever had". I cannot stop telling people about this place! My wife and I were there midweek- very busy. Glad we booked! We both ordered the 10oz striplion.. all the trimmings, mash, chips, veg - we wanted to try everything! Cant fault a thing. Booking was for 7.30. We were welcomed in, seated AND served by 7.45. Very friendly staff. Well done 👏

16/08/2026: Beautiful Sunday Lunch. Excellent service and lovely atmosphere. Looking forward to going back

09/08/2026: Fantastic French/Irish restaurant. Well located in the center of Kilkenny next to the castle. Vintage decor with a bistro feel. Excellent menu, impeccably prepared. Attentive and professional service. Very good wine list. Homemade and well-made desserts. Very reasonable prices. Well worth a visit.

25/08/2026: Dropped in for pizza in the pizza garden. It was delicious and service was fast and friendly.

24/08/2026: Steak tatki. Fish tacos are great

31/08/2026: Any time I'm in Kilkenny, I cannot leave until I've had a La Bottega sandwich, they're incredible, so fresh and beautiful flavours. I don't know of anything else like this in Ireland, it's a must visit if in the area!!

17/08/2026: We stumbled upon this place by chance, looking for something quick and vegetarian. What a find. Friendly, attentive service, and truly Italian sandwiches, well recommended. The Caprese sandwich with pesto deserves top marks, even if it were in Liguria! Generous and very reasonably priced. Feeling like I was in Italy, I even relied on an espresso, a rare treat for me! It was a great experience, it was delicious!!! If you're passing by, Italian or foreign, pop in for a taste of true Italy!

24/08/2026: We had a great time and our waitress, Keira, was really nice and she gave us really good food recommendations.

21/08/2026: At first it felt like a touristy place and I wasn’t so excited. But the food came and we were blown away by how delicious it all was! The music was fantastic and starts earlier in the afternoon which is a plus.