O’Grady’s on the Pier

Tastiest seafood. I ordered the mackerel. Loved it. If you don’t like to debone your own fish then I wouldn’t recommend ordering but it was well worth the effort. The relish provided the right amount of tartness and sweetness to balance out the dish. They had the best brown bread too. I wasn’t a fan of it until ogrady’s. Service is attentive and friendly. A bit pricey but worth it.

I came here for dinner on a few occasions and the seafood here is superb and always fresh. They change their fish menu quite often, but there is also a few meat options for anyone who isn’t a fan of seafood. Most of the dishes come with steamed vegetables and potatoes as well so no need to order separately. The view from the restaurant is really nice and the atmosphere is quite subdued and formal. The only thing is that the prices for dinner here are quite steep, averaging around 18~27 euro for a main and 10~13 for a starter. The portions are not big, so dining here will cost you quite a bit. Also, the food takes quite long to come although that probably depends on how busy it is at the time, but we waited quite a while. However, the staff are friendly and the service is not bad. Overall, great atmosphere and high quality seafood at equally high prices.

We were staying right on the lane so we wandered in right around opening time without a reservation. They seated us upstairs with an incredible view of Galway Bay. The food was wonderful and the service was good. We felt lucky to have been able to get a table at such a wonderful place at the last minute.

No complaints… My wife and at ate a small lunch here and had the seafood chowder. The soup was really good and the atmosphere was nice. The prices are middle of the road which is just fine. You can make a fancier experience of it if you like. All in all, good experience.

We stopped here on a whim after exploring the bay in Barna on our honeymoon. I was a little hesitant at first because it looks a little divey from the outside, but was very pleasantly surprised once we got inside. The inside of the restaurant was LOVELY and it offered a beautiful view of the bay from the second floor. My husband ordered the Fish and Chips and said they were «amazing and super fresh». I just stuck with the Caesar Salad and the table bread because I knew we’d be eating a big dinner that night but both were excellent. I almost wish we would have just gone there for dinner because the scenery was super romantic (without being too over the top) and the food was super tasty! The service we received was excellent as well. I would highly recommend O’Grady’s for a great date spot!

Excellent food in a lovely location overlooking Barna Pier.

Great Fish Food!

Asked the staff at Lonergan’s Pub in Galway where to go for good seafood. They recommeded O’Grady’s on the Pier for the food and the best views. They told us it was just a 8 – 10 minute taxi ride from town. It was definitely not an 8 – 10 minute ride from town. We arrived without a reservation, and were taken right away to a table for 4. We inquired about sitting upstairs, for a better view but there were no tables available. No worries, our table was fine and the ambience downstairs was cozy with candle light. (Our candle was not lite however.) The selections of fresh baked bread were delicious, so much so that we ordered another basket, which was met with a somewhat rude response by the manager. (Uh, for the prices we were paying Honey, everyone should have had their own bread basket.) The rest of the service was fine. The young hostess who took our payment, was especially friendly and helpful and offered to call us a taxi back into town. The food was very good but very, very pricy. Our meal was also served with a family style serving of vegetables which were fantastic.
If you’re looking for good seafood, go to O’Grady’s on the Pier but bring your wallet and make a reservation if you want to sit upstairs to enjoy the view.

An exquisite evening, so worth the short cab ride form Galway City Centre. Remarkably busy for a Wednesday night, we saw a steady stream of locals warmly greeted. The food was some of the best we had in our Ireland visit, let alone Galway area. The local Pacific oysters were incredible. The thyme risotto was like a dream. Our table had a partial view of the kitchen — Chef ran a smooth operation, with servers running food out and up and down stairs. We never felt rushed even though the dining room was full.
With the sound of the waves, a nice bottle of wine, and memorable food and service, this was a relaxing and highly recommended evening.

I’ve been here many times and never had a meal that was not outstanding.
Very fresh seafood carefully prepared in a simple, understated style. Simple veggies and boiled spuds served family style complement, but leave focus on the entrée.
Great service.
Oh, and there is a view :)

This was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.
The photos on the website don’t do this lovely restaurant justice. I first saw it on a sunny day and this cute blue restaurant is perched right on the edge of Galway bay. We strolled down the road and asked for a seat upstairs so that we could enjoy the view, the hostess was so kind and obliging and we got an amazing corner table.
To start I had mussels. Oh. My. Goodness. A large black pot filled with delicious mussels in a beautiful white wine sauce arrived and thankfully I had some help to put them all away. The brown bread was great for mopping up the tasty sauce. Yum.
For my main course I had the monkfish in a prawn bisque which was beyond words. Do you ever have a bit of food that leaves you speechless? The prawn that sat on top of my monkfish left me in a stunned silence. Beautiful monkfish and the sauce was delicious. Not only was the main event beautiful, but the potatoes and vegetables served with this were gorgeous too.
You might imagine that we were pretty full after this, but yes, there is always room for dessert. We shared the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream and mint tuille. A little bit of all these three on one bite was pure perfection, it was incredible. Great service, impeccible food and a wonderful evening. I’m still smiling at the thought of it.

Not sure what ruler the other reviewers are using, but I think this is the best fish restaurant in Ireland.
Perhaps they didn’t start with the seafood chowder, which everyone should. It is easily the best seafood chowder out there, and I’ve had it everywhere – all over the US, Ireland, UK, etc.
Every meal on our table was outstanding. The fish is incredibly fresh, and the mussels better than anything I’ve ever had in Brussels. In fact, the mains are so good that you actually feel bad that you can’t eat the sides: the potatoes and veg are also fresh and perfectly cooked.
Getting a table by the window in the summer is a real treat: you can watch the sunset over Galway Bay while you’re eating fresh, fantastically prepared food.
Rather unusually in Ireland, the service is also top notch. Attentive and polite but not pushy, they’re happy to let you eat at your pace. I can’t wait to go back!
As another reviewer said, skip the restaurants in the city centre and get yourself to Barna.

Very nice restaurant. The kind of place to celebrate. I recommend you sit up stairs. During Summer the sunset happens at 11 pm. Any dinner time service is going to provide a beautiful view of Galway bay.
I liked the fresh fish. The mussels were excellent and garlicy. The deserts divine.
The service people provided great service to a family that brought their 2 – 5 year old kids. The Twelve restaurant across the street is much better for brining the little ones.

Perched at the end of a solid stone pier in Galway’s quiet Barna Village, O’Grady’s on the Pier is a restaurant making waves. Already reviewed and awarded many times over, our visit to O’Grady’s was marked by the impressive silverware crowding for space by this vintage restaurant’s front door.
The friendly staff offered a genuine welcome as we shook off the blustery sunset chill. An open fire warmed the first floor dining area –no bigger than a generous sitting room with enviable daytime views of the beach and bay beyond. Here décor was kept simple, with simple accents to enrich the surroundings without backsliding into touristy shtick as seen in similar establishments in nearby Galway City. Our table was ready in a matter of minutes and, though busy, we were seen too with calm, friendly professionalism.
Our first course kept with O’Grady’s theme of fresh, delicious and local with his selection of resh oysters served with a fiery splash of sweet and sour ginger vinegar dip. I opted for mussels in a white wine and cream sauce, and almost regretted not ordering it as a main course; my vast pot of rich black oysters was more than enough to whet an appetite, and he was more than happy to assist in finishing them.
The main course was another delight, with a plate of tangy Thai-​style salmon and vegetables jostling for room on our tiny table with a whole dover sole on the bone with lemon and parsley butter. Paired with a well-​chosen white recommended by an efficient and helpful waitress, the meal was both a rich and relaxing way to spend a chilly autumn evening.
By the time the plates were cleared there was no room to consider O’Grady’s dessert menu –a slim but rich offering including chocolate fondant, a Baily’s and white chocolate pannacotta, or poached pairs in white chocolate and praline sauce to name just a few. Instead, we mustered ourselves and asked for the bill. Paying was its own delight; a glass of wine, two starters and mains was reasonably priced (as these things go) at around 80 Euro.
Open year round with a menu focused almost entirely (and deliciously) on the best of Irish and world seafood recipes, such is the demand that the tiny bay-​side restaurant now books two dinner seatings at 6 and 9pm.
For those taking a weekend away in Galway, skip the restaurants in Galway City Centre and head just a few minutes out of town to O’Grady’s on the Pier.