McSwiggans Bar and Restaurant

We visited Mc Swiggins Restaurant on the 28th December 2022 with our Daughter and son in law who were home from Australia for Christmas as a treat night out in Galway. The whole experience made it a very special night for us all. It is the nicest restaurant I have been in for many years exactly as a restaurant should make you feel. I have to say I would definitely recommend this Restaurant, you would come back for the ambience alone. The food was delicious and cooked to perfection, we were a party of 4 and we had the HAKE FISH AND CHIPS x2, PRAWN & MONKFISH CURRYx1, PAN SEARED SILVERHILL DUCKx1 then dessert PEAR AND ALMOND TART and WARM CHOCOLATE BROWNIE. The staff were excellent, professional and friendly, when my daughter asked them to recommend a red wine to go with her dinner the bar staff came up and went through the wine list explaining each recommended wine they were so helpful. Thank you for making our stay in Galway extra special. We definitely can't wait to go back again when we return to Galway. On facilities the bathrooms were very clean. All in all a lovely experience. Thank you again, Phyllis & David Flynn

Good food, excellent staff. We showed up, party of four with two babies, no reservations and they were absolutely accommodating. We all loved the cocktails and the food was hearty and delicious. Good ambiance as well. Lovely all around.

As many people know, Rick Steve’s might be completely biased to some places over others, but my new hubby and I were super happy we have this one a go!
The place as a great charm to it, and the wood on the floors are aged and taken care of. It’s a classic Irish bar on the ground floor with seating, as well as several floors above for the restaurant. It was late afternoon, so we sat to the right of the bar. It was a great haven from the heavy down pour, and all I wanted was soup– and that damn brown bread I’ve been eating all over Ireland.
The seafood chowder was just freshly made we were told, and it couldn’t have hit the spot more! With beautiful chunks of salmon, bacon, potato, and I think even cod — with a sprinkle of dill. Dip in some buttered brown bread, and you’re good to go! We got cups, but you can also get t his in a bowl serving as well if you want to get rid of that chill from the wet dampness that is Ireland.
For the main entrees, my hubby got the steak sandwich that was cooked like schnitzel, while I had Lorraine quiche. It was really light and filled with vegetables and ham; a good alternative if you are in need of less meat*. The steak sandwich was definitely the better of the two, since I asked like six times to have a bite from my hubby. So, I pretty much ate for two. Again…
The vibe was laid back. Like all Irish pubs, if you want to leave, get another beer, or pretty much anything else for that matter, you need to hunt down the waitress. Why I don’t mind it here? Because they are ALL like this; they are just letting you get to know your company that much better. Iphones? Leave them in your pockets and just eat, drink, and enjoy.
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less meat* — said no gay guy ever.

If you order steak, order like you would at a chain restaurant (order rare if you want med-​rare). The monkfish, arguably a signature dish, is nearly indescribable, very rich and flavorful but light at the same time with a wonderful, solid mouthfeel. Absolutely delicious. Bavarian chocolate mousse with cream for dessert, also, really amazing. Don’t bother with the ribs appetizer, the flavor is a little gamey.
The buildings amazing, it just goes on and on, and the staff were all very congenial.

Best meal I’ve had in 9 days in this lovely country. The chicken masala was a home run. Service is friendly and quick. Price was way less than expected. Headed back again before departing Galway. Very nice atmosphere as well. Someone did their homework.

I Recently went to Galway for vacation. Mc swiggans was recommended by a customer of mine who travels to Ireland frequently. I was told that if I wanted a nice place to get dinner this was it. She was right! The food was top notch. Service was great as well as the atmosphere. Can’t say enough good things about Mcswiggans. It was so good my wife and I ate there two nights in a row.

We went to Mc Swiggans simply because I found their gluten free menu online and it was vast and interesting. The website also said their meat was all locally sourced and sounded like it was probably free range. (It wasn’t, unfortunately). When we arrived, the Sunday lunch menu was much smaller than I expected, with very few gluten free options. It was then explained it’s only the evening menu that has a number of gluten free options available. I was gutted. I ended up having the wedges, which were tasty though extremely spicy, and did leave me feeling quite ill.
Others in my party had the Turkey special, which was good but we had to ask for the accompanying sauces. Despite saying on the menu the dish came with them you wouldn’t get them unless you asked — that meant the garlic aioli for the wedges and cranberry sauce for the turkey. We also had two burgers which were quite average. To be honest, we weren’t that impressed with the overall meal which was a real shame, especially as when walking around Galway we found places that would’ve been much better suited to our meal.
To their credit, our server did go out of her way to check on the ingredients of food items and the status of the meat despite it meaning she had to run back and forward to the kitchen so many times. I was thankful for that. I personally wouldn’t go back, and I wouldn’t recommend it, but for some it may be just what they’re looking for.

The food here is amazing from start to finish. I’ve been here a few times and have yet to find a problem. It’s a pretty cool place décor wise. Lots of nooks and changes in levels but still doesn’t feel cramped. There’s always a good buzz there too.
I recommend the steak! Mmmmm…

I came here with my friends for my 22^nd birthday since I know this place as casual yet classy, not to pricy and has something for everyone. We went on a friday night and it was packed, almost all the seats were full, and we probably wouldn’t have got a table if I hadn’t made a reservation.
It’s great for groups and birthdays, and you can give in your cake for them to bring it out later, and they supply candles as well but only 3 or 4 per cake. The atmosphere is very lively so it’s not a place for a romantic dinner, but perfect with friends or family.
In terms of food, they have a good variety of items on the menu, ranging from fish, chicken and steak to vegetarian, soups and salads, so there is something for everyone. The average cost per person would range from 20 euro for just a main to 26 – 30 euro with starter and/​or dessert. The portions are generous and the standard is high.
I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a good irish meal in Galway city.

Great spot. If you want a drink and some privacy, try to the comfy leather couches across from the bar upstairs. Used to be one spot of the NUIG MAs in Writing. Great stuff!

Walk ins are welcome, but I recommend a reservation. The restaurant has multiple levels and each level is very unique. We started out having a drink on a comfortable couch while waiting for a table.
The food was very tasty and the service was very prompt and welcoming. The mushrooms for an app were delisicous. I had the porterhouse and my wife had the halibut. Both dishes were fantastic. We both got plenty of food and the prices were very reasonable.

McSwiggan’s is a quintessential Irish pub with great food and friendly atmosphere. Sadly, the «restaurant» part (upstairs) was too full for us, but we were able to get a spot on the main floor (the «bar»), which has a separate «bar» menu. For bar food, the options were surprisingly sophisticated, like elevated bar food. For example, I ordered the Grinder’s Special, which included Cajun chicken, avocado, tomato, and cheese, served open-​faced on toasted bread. It also had a fresh salad on the side, which was especially unique for «bar food.» If THAT was the bar menu, I can only imagine how great the food was upstairs!
I also must mention that they carry Bulmers Cider in every flavor here. If you’re looking for something to drink, try a bottle of the pear cider!

This turned out to be our very favorite place in all of Galway. It’s thankfully far enough away from main strip that it doesn’t suffer from the same crush of stag/​hen parties and goon squads that many nearby joints have and whenever we stopped in, it was always pleasantly filled with people from all walks of life, thoroughly enjoying its lively ambience. Wine and beer are extremely reasonably priced here as well, so my advice is to buy drink on ground floor and then go upstairs where there are some cozy couches and another smaller bar next to their restaurant. We never ate there, but their menu looked quite good, so we’ll definitely check it out on our next trip.

I always loved this pub, so much so that whenever I travel back to Galway from my home in San Francisco I make the effort to pay them a visit. When I first started frequenting it after college in the early 90’s I was amazed at it’s labyrinthine layout, comfortable décor, and friendly warmth. Today it remains the same only more so. Go there now, find a cosy corner, order an exceptional pint of Genius and admire atmosphere at it’s best.

Ate and drank here on two successive hens. I wouldn’t reccommend this for a hen unless you are a bottomless pit as we ate so much that we could hardly drink! That is hardly a minus point though. They catered for the hen fabulously, they let us open presents and have a laugh just once it was respectable.
Three fabulous courses for € 50 with a free glass of wine, as far as I can remember. I remember having a ceasar salad and duck which were both of a great standard.
Downstairs both nights was packed, both Saturdays, to be expected and the bar staff was great with dealing with the demand. Give it a consideration for a fabulous meal, you will be stuffed after.

I truly love this place. The food and the atmosphere are very nice. The tree inside is amazing. Just go to try the curry vegetables … so tasty! :D

Note: all my recent vacation in Ireland Unilocal reviews will have the same 1^st paragraph preamble, for just the review itself skip to the 2^nd paragraph.
On a whirlwind 2 week vacation to Ireland, the girlfriend & I tried to see & experience absolutely as much of this incredible land as we could. We did not accomplish every last activity we wished we could have on our rather ambitious itinerary. Nonetheless, we did discover a land of numerous stunning & magical wonders. We did see a land of unending natural beauty. We did learn of a land with a monumentally long history of trials, tragedies & triumphs. We did get to meet many kind, humorous, warm & generous people. Our vacation to Ireland was just 2 weeks, but that was time enough to know this is a land easy to love & a land to be sorely missed.
Well into the afternoon of a lazy day spent recuperating from the frenetic pace of our vacation, hunger drove the girlfriend & I out of our hotel room & over to Galway city center. We parked the rental car in a dubious area outside of parking enforcement & roved the streets in search of eats. McSwiggans Bar & Restaurant looked promising, so in we went.
Patronage looked to be a fair mixture of locals & tourists. We sat at a small table in the bar area. At the table next to us were a couple of little old ladies who seemed to be from the area enjoying bowls of soup. At the bar was a group of New Yorkers from the States along with a Scotsman relative of theirs on vacation in Ireland. The place felt lively but not raucous. Our menus, orders & service was handled by both a server & the bartender. Both were very friendly & conversational.
Of course, we started with a couple pints of Guinness. Having had a really great Seafood Chowder just a couple days before in Dingle, I ordered the Seafood Chowder here along with the Special Quiche. The girlfriend, also recently having had a memorable dish of her own, breaded Hake fillets in Killarney, ordered the Catch of the Day which was Plaice here.
It didn’t take long before our order was brought out to us. The Seafood Chowder was decent but not outstanding like the one I had in Dingle. The Special Quiche was pretty good but also not exceptional. The girlfriend said she really liked her Plaice but admitted that her Hake dish from Killarney was better. Her dish also had some kind of little fried mash potato balls & veggies. She told me I had to try those little fried mash potato ball things & she was right. I don’t know exactly what those things were, but they were absolutely delicious.
McSwiggans Bar & Restaurant is a nice spot in Galway with good food & a good crowd. While some of the dishes may not have been the best ever, just those little fried mash potato balls served as a side make this place worth a visit.

McSwiggans is a surprising restaurant, you walk in expecting traditional Irish fare but you soon realize that they have a wide selection of cuisines and a great wine selection. The only downside was that our bottle of wine (a Malbec from Argentina) wasn’t opened in front of us but was instead opened out of view.
The rack of lamb was delicious and the chicken was done to perfection. The location of this restaurant is great and it’s a short walk from any of the city centre hotels. Next time I’m in Galway I’d be up for going here again.

excellent Restaurant, I eat there every time I’m in Galway. They are consistently good and the food tastes great.
Good value for money.

Had the pleasure of eating here while visiting Galway. The food here is quite good and is a mix of American food with hints of Asian, Latin and Irish influences. Dishes here aren’t what you’d normally expect however in a good sense. Very unique taste to this place and definitely worth the visit if you’re in the area or live here.
I had the surf and turf and am accustomed to the American version of beef used in this dish. They used salmon as the surf and a very good cut of meat for the turf here. The meat, albeit different than what Americans are used, was very, very good. Can’t quite put my finger on what they used but I know it tasted damn good.
Sadly I’ll probably never come back here since this trip was a one time thing however, if I ever get back in Galway, first pit stop will be here for their food.

Best salmon. Holy shit.