Fishy Fishy

Wanting a healthier lunch we got just one order of fish & chips this time and one of beet salad and…read moresplit them between the two of us. Both were excellent. The fish was hake. This was easily the best of the four fish&chips we've tried so far in Ireland. Outstanding actually. The batter had the most perfect crunchy texture, wasn't too thick, and it adhered well. The fish was just-off-the-boat fresh, flaky and cooked just right. The portion was enormous - two fillets, one large and one medium, with a relatively small portion of good fries. The tartar sauce was tangy with tiny chopped pickles. Vinegar was available at the table. This was served with a small salad of lettuces, spinach, scallions, and onions. Price was surprisingly low given the portion, right around average for fish&chips in our experience so far. We ordered the entree salad with the locally made goat cheese add-on for a small extra charge. More excellent leafy greens, beets in small cubes, pomegranate seeds, picked onions, candied nuts and plenty of chèvre in large pieces. It was pre-dressed with vinaigrette and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Very good, a far better choice for us than two orders of fried fish. Also on the menu were 3 other kinds of fish (monkfish, black sole, and plaice), each prepared differently. Shrimp scampi, seafood au gratin, and steamed mussels rounded out the seafood section. Oysters are on the menu but they weren't available that day. Other than seafood there were also burgers (beef and veggie), chicken wings, soup of the day, chowder, a steak, lasagna, pan roasted duck breast, cannelloni, liver paté, spring roll, and more. So a very extensive menu here, and not just the same things found everywhere. Sadly we didn't have room to try their desserts, which included sticky toffee pudding, banoffi pie, flourless chocolate cake, and meringue pie with raspberries and ice cream. They were hard to pass up.

Service was great! Bevin waited on us and she was awesome! I would highly recommend! My husband had…read morethe sole and my daughter had the prawns, all were fantastic!

Hallway

Chicken Roast with Chausseur sauce

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Exterior

Max's Seafood Restaurant

4.5(26 reviews)

0.1 km

•€€€

I did enjoy Max's very much, but a few things irked me enough to lose the 5th star. But I can be a…read morehard grader, and my expectations were set high by several enthusiastic mentions by locals and excellent reviews online. Not perfect but I still recommend it wholeheartedly and would love to return. We made a reservation for 6:00 and for a little while we were the only ones there. Did we even need a reservation? Yes. It was full by the time we left. And I'm sure summer is harder. There's a small selection of wines by the glass, all of which I've never heard of, mostly of European origin. We both liked our López De Heredia tempranillo and I chose the same when I had a second glass. The menu is prix-fix, sort of. Starter plus main for €49 - though there's a small surcharge for some items, like my scallops appetizer. Dessert is extra but inexpensive in comparison (€7-8) If you're a picky eater be sure to check the menu before coming and make sure something appeals. There's nothing crazy weird here but the selection is small. We had no trouble with the menu choices. My Sauté Scallops starter was prepared with venison broth, lovage, celeriac, Coppa ham, Irish Winter Chanterelles, wild leeks, peas, and cream and was truly excellent and very pretty. I particularly liked the slight caramelization of the tops of the scallops, the subtle flavors and textures of the vegetables, and how the broth flavor changed as the cream (which was apparently whipped) slowly melted in. The wife's Baked Goat's Cheese, with wilted leeks, roast butternut squash, pumpkin seed, confit of shallots in red wine, and hazelnut oil was also excellent, and beautiful. My main was Slow Cooked Irish Pork Belly: hint of 5 spice, rhubarb puree, carrot with lovage, braised local cabbage. I did like it, especially how all these different flavors somehow worked together (5-spice, rhubarb, and lovage - who knew!) And I finally figured out that the crusty part on top wasn't overly dried fat to be removed but a layer of sugar, caramelized, dark brown and which shattered like glass when cut into. Very intriguing. What I didn't like about it was the haphazard presentation - the various ingredients arrayed around the plate in random fashion with a single chive thrown on top seemingly as an afterthought - and that the portion was a bit small for an entree (as was the wife's, while both the starters were generously sized). The wife's main was Pan Fried Irish Lamb Cutlets, with chestnut mushrooms, Meli-Melo of vegetables, Sacred Basil Jus. What is meli-melo? French for mess or jumble, but it sounds better, right? As for the sacred basil, it's Indian and has a spicy, peppery, clove-like flavor not like the kind we're accustomed to. Perfectly cooked lamb cutlets and intriguing flavors but like my entree I thought it was too small (but she was fine with it and even gave me some!) All entrees are served with a side of steamed local potatoes, adorned with just a slight salt crust and chopped chives. I know Ireland is famous for potatoes but this seems rather gimmicky to me. Dessert selection is very limited. Just 3 that day: Sticky Toffee Pudding, Bourbon Vanilla Crème Brulèe, and a cheese/fruit/nut plate. I've been on a Sticky Toffee Pudding kick lately so I tried that. It was good but nothing special despite their attempts to make it differently. The pear and date compote was too subtle and as for the toffee & green cardamon sauce: I think I liked but there wasn't nearly enough of it. The pudding part was also small for that matter. As for ambience, it was a nice relaxing setting, even as the room filled up, our small table was by the window and had an assortment of fresh flowers in a vase and a real candle. Our waiter was ok but would only say that the green in the salad we asked about was "some kind of lettuce I think", though on pressing him he did ask the chef who said it was winter purslane. I suspect he's new and will eventually learn how to better handle challenging diners such as ourselves.

Absolutely LOVED our dinner here! Our Airbnb was just across the street so extremely convenient…read more They said the didn't have an opening but to check back later and they could probably fit us in, so we went down to The Tap Room, had a pint and came back. My sister has been craving lobster but it's not on any menus. We were seated at a great window table, and they said there was an added starter which was a grilled half lobster. SOLD x 3. It's a fixed price with many choices. One had the sea bass, one the pork belly and one the lamb. All were unbelievably great with beautiful sides, and because it's Ireland, a bowl of salted roasted potatoes. We split a bottle of great wine and made the trip back to our B&B in about 30 seconds! Max's is near the harbor and city parking on Main Street. Best meal of our trip so far, and we've eaten out for 2 1/2 weeks.

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High Tide

4.8(11 reviews)

0.0 km

It was a Sunday afternoon and I wanted something to eat and a Murphy's beer. We walked around a bit…read more but there weren't too many pubs in that section of town. Stopped in High Tide and got a table for two. Place was pretty full for 1:00pm. Must have been all of us cruisers. We both ordered fish and chips. They were out of Murphys beer so I had a pint of Draught Heineken. I loved my fish it was hot and fresh with hot fries. I didn't ask for ketchup but I would have loved some. My wife almost finished half of the fish and chips. She didn't care for it. She ordered a tonic water which came to the table warm. No ice was offered. We didn't ask. Trying not to be annoying Americans. The service was okay. They pointed out a table for us when we arrived, took our order, brought our food and later our check when I asked. No questions if the food was okay or if we needed anything.

High Tide was not a planned stop but was definitely worth the stop. Such good food! The fish and…read morechips and spicy tomato soup were a hit with my group. Service was prompt. All around would visit again. :)

Outdoor dining when the sun shines.

Prawn scampi appetizer.

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Colourful, nautically themed; such a cute spot

Man Friday

4.5(24 reviews)

•€€€€

A hidden gem in kinsale! Across from the Spaniard, down an unassuming staircase, lies an amazing…read moremodern restaurant with breathtaking harbor views. The atmosphere is bright, fresh, and vibrant. The menu options were varied and intriguing and reasonably priced. The food itself was astounding! Beautifully plated and well portioned. Even the complimentary bread service was was remarkable. Wine list was also nicely curated. We ordered a bowl of lobster bisque as a starter. We both ordered the beef short rib as a main course, and we ordered roasted root vegetables as a side dish. We also had a bottle of French Pinot noir as our wine. All of the food was delicious and beautifully plated and presented. The service was as expected in a European restaurant. While while we were too full for dessert ourselves, the desserts that passed by us looked amazing! We made note to come again to try them--hopefully that will happen someday! Highly recommend.

Easiest the best chowder I've ever had. The lamb was outstanding. Service was excellentread more

The room not harborside

Roasted vegetables

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French Pinot noir

Kitty O'Se's

4.1(36 reviews)

kitty's was great craic. We went in early for lunch and drinks, hit a few different pubs and ended…read moreour evening there for drinks and live music. The kitchen Closed at 9 or 9:30 so we got a pizza from a local place and continued to have drinks and share our pizza with the tables around us. A bouncer approached us rudely and asked why we would bring outside food into the restaurant. We had already patronized them earlier for food and drink and they had no food to offer once their kitchen closed. Just absurd after a wonderful experience. The rest of the staff was amazing. Food was amazing and service was amazing. the Bouncer was a total a-hole Bully.

We loved Kitty O'Se's!! It is a fun, lively, and welcoming…read morepub. Each time we went, and we went three times, there was a fun Irish band playing. It does seem like there's music constantly. On Saturday night we were there while one was playing and another was setting up. We were there during the jazz festival so we were unable unfortunately to eat, so I will have to wait until next time to try the fish and chips. The bar always has snacks for sale. I just love pubs because there's never any pressure to purchase more or as soon as your drink is empty a server coming right up to you asking if you wanted another. We really enjoyed ending our night here with live music and the fun atmosphere and just ordering a drink and a soda. If you are lucky enough to get a seat, grab one and if they aren't just find a place to stand and enjoy the environment. Super friendly staff and very clean restrooms

Monday night live !

Prawns

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Out front

Vista

4.4(16 reviews)

0.2 km

We stopped here for dinner after passing it during the day. The crowd was lively for lunch and menu…read morelooked like they had a wide variety of options. The menu changed for dinner and on a Monday night around 8 the crowd was much smaller and was very open to walk ins. We sat on the outdoor roof upstairs with a wonderful view of the marina! The staff was very friendly and had a charming atmosphere. Our waiter even gave us blankets towards the end of the night Incase we got a little chilly (we did)- very sweet. The hummus was tasty as were the soups. I would stick with the soups/ salads and fish options they have !

They currently don't have a chef so they aren't serving their regular menu. Just serving pizza FYI…read more Would recommend calling and asking to see if full menu is back before heading over

View of the marina from upstairs.

Seating outdoor area upstairs! Marina view to the right of this photo.

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Specials.

Dinos

4.1(89 reviews)

0.1 km

Stopped by Dino's during a day trip to Kinsale! My friend and I were very hungry and very eager to…read moretry the fish and chips from here per the recommendation of our tour guide. There was a small line that we waited in but it gave us to be sure with what we were ordering. Naturally, we opted for some good ole fish and chips. We noticed some benches down the block so we took our food there to eat and people watch. Everything was very delicious! My friend and I were quite hungry so we quickly ate everything on our plate. The fish was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Between the salt, vinegar, and tartar sauce it hit the spot. The chips were hot and went perfectly with the meal. Overall, I had an efficient but yummy experience at Dino's. Definitely a great place to grab a quick bite.

We ate lunch here while in kinsale. It was recommended to us as the best fish and chips in Ireland…read more Maybe that's true. I don't know. The batter was sweet on the fish and there was a mound of chips. So, maybe?

Interior

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The Bulman Bar & Toddies Restaurant

4.6(65 reviews)

1.6 km

Seafood chowder was the best I had in Ireland. Atmosphere was outstanding. Probably one of the…read morehighlights of our trip

Employees were really rude kicked us out because they said and I quote "there are wet people…read moreoutside you cant come in" keep in mind there is a pier in front of them where people swim all the time so no wonder there were wet people

Too late to take picture of food. It was delicious

Steak n Potatoes

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Bastion

5.0(18 reviews)

•€€€

Of course the service was exceptional. Each course of our tasting menu was perfectly planned and…read moreexecuted in terms of taste, texture and presentation. If you're planning a splurge dinner anywhere in the area, do it here.

Amazing. Definitely understand why they have a Michelin star!! Fixed menu that is thoughtful and…read moreexceptionally well prepared. Go -- if you can score a coveted reservation!

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Lemon Leaf Cafe

4.2(67 reviews)

0.2 km

I am gluten free and went here with family, it was absolutely fantastic! Service was wonderful and…read moreknowledgeable, the restaurant was clean and not too loud, and the food was absolutely brilliant! I loved the gluten free coffee walnut cake, and wish I had more time in Kinsale so I could come back

Top tier! Some of the best(!) food in Ireland after having sampled in Dublin, Galway, Cork and…read morebeyond. Lovely, chill ambiance, too.