Italian Connection was a great place for us to go to while staying in Kilkenny. We walked about a mile from our hotel, which was light and easy to navigate to. The restaurant itself has a fancy feel right what you walk in, but the menu doesn't feel too fancy in terms of options, and I don't mean that a bad way! Dim lighting, and an elegant feel to the place. They have a bar, but it's quite small. They did ask us if we had a reservation when we walked in, so maybe plan to make one if you intend on going! We got two salads and a pizza. The pizza reminded us of Punch Pizza, a restaurant back in the states. They were great, and honestly like a sense of comfort food. It all came out so fast, I want to say 10 minutes or less. After dinner, we got the Apple Tart and Tiramisu. I'd order the Tiramisu in a heartbeat! So summer and delicious - definitely get that if you have room! Service was great too. When you're done, you stand up and pay by the bar. That's something we've had to adjust to while over here - to not wait for the bill at the table. Overall, 4 out of 5 stars! read more

Italian Connection - Tiramisu & Apple Tart - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

Ordered takeaway and it was ready pretty quickly! The restaurant itself did seem like a nice vibe. We got the garlic bread & cheese and penne arrabbiata - both were great! read more

Italian Connection - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

This is a very good Italian restaurant on the edge of City Centre Kilkenny. Italian fare has always been fine for me, but not anything I eagerly seek out. This place appeared exceptional, however, as the ratings were favorable, its location was convenient for me at the time, and the storefront was appealing. Stepping inside, the small bar area was what I encountered initially. I was welcomed right away and seated quickly. It was 4 PM on a Sunday and reasonably busy considering the off hour. There were many families there enjoying their Sunday meal. The dining area was quite pleasant and comfortable. My waiter attended to me in a very timely fashion and did a good job throughout my visit. I decided on the Crostini with Goat Cheese to start, and a Caesar Salad with Chicken as my main. They were both quite good. The Crostini was particularly enjoyable. The final cost with food, drink and a small tip was €29. The drinks included a finishing coffee. I was happy enough with the value this represented. I was happy with my experience at this establishment. If I get back to Kilkenny, I will look forward to returning. read more

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Yum! I went in here this evening for dinner with my Mum & Dad. It was quite busy when we went inside as there were some first communions today, alot of people were out so the place was buzzing. We said to the lady that greeted us that we didn't have a reservation but she said that was ok and showed us to our table. The layout is very nice, lovely funky bar as you walk in the door, then long dining area, and at the end there is an open kitchen so you can see the food being prepared which is always nice. Dim lighting with little blue fairly lights on the trees give nice vibe to the place. On the menu there is a selection of starters,salads, all about 5 euro, then you can get pizza or pasta, these are all in 10 euro bracket, steak and fish dishes are around 20 euro, chicken dishes around 15 euro. There is a wide variety of food to choose from. I opted for the penne con pollo, which was a lovely pasta strips dish served in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and diced chicken through the dish. Please see attached photo. We were given bread and water while we were waiting, we didn't have to wait that long, maybe 10-15 minutes, then the meal arrived, the waitier apologised for the delay, which I didn't even notice, just seemed right about of time to wait for a meal! I was given a good portion of pasta and the waitress asked did I want any parmesan, and sprinkled a delicious helping over the pasta. I was full from the dish, didn't have a desert afterwards. I had a cappuccino which was delicious and plentiful size! Very friendly staff, very efficient, great service, delicious food! Highly Recommended! read more

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Went here with my girlfriend and her daughter, as soon as we walked through the door we were welcomed it was a Saturday evening and we had not booked but luckily they had a table for three down the back of the resteraunt the staff were lovely and the food was to die for I would well recommend this place to anyone 5 stars from me ;) read more

Italian Connection - Lovely - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

Very nice place. We were a group of 8 and the service was very good. There was no problem with each couple having thier own check. Food was good but not great. Those who had prizza were satisfied. Would recommend for all. read more

My partner and I arrived at around 7 on a Saturday night without a reservation, however we were fortunate enough to still be able to get a table (something that several couples arriving after us were unable to achieve). Service was prompt and efficient, a true display of what can happen when a Front of House and Back of House team gel perfectly, especially on a busy Saturday night. We ordered the arancini to start, with both the cannelloni romana and the cannelloni ricotta for our mains, with all three dishes cooked to perfection and paired well with the Argentinian Malbec we chose to drink. For dessert we had the panna cotta and the tiramisu, both of which were excellent. If we ever find ourselves back in Kilkenny, we will certainly be stopping by, maybe for take out too! read more

We popped in dreaming of a lovely Italian meal and we weren't disappointed. Great service and really delicious, fresh food. Bruscetta was big enough for four of us to share,very tasty. Pasta was so yummy, delicious sauces and the ice cream!! Wow Highly recommend this little gem. read more

We ate here on a busy Saturday night. The restaurant was busy but we were seated quickly. It took a little long to take our order. Other than this little hiccup service was excellent. Food preparation was a little off though. I had a spaghetti bolognese starter. The sauce was good but made with ground beef. The pasta was undercooked. My second course was veal with mushrooms. The veal was overcooked and dry. The other party had a potato and leek soup that was served hot and tasted very good. The restaurant only services house wines by the glass but wine quality is excellent. read more

Some of the best italian food we have ever had! We did NOT expect to find it in Ireland!! The pizza was so fresh and amazing!! Wonderful appetizers! Highly recommend this hidden gem!! read more

Amazing! Great food and service. Best food we had in ireland, including Irish food!! Highly recommend.

Good food, nice atmosphere, fast and friendly service. Definitely not disappointed with our choice our first night in Kilkenny. Nice portion sizes, lots of choices on the menu. I'd definitely come back. read more

This restaurant came as a recommendation from a trusted friend who had lived in Kilkenny. The short story is that it was some of the best Italian I've ever had. I ordered pizza -- the Quatro Staggioni (mozzarella, tomatoes, ham, pepper, pepperoni, mushrooms) -- which was one of the best pizzas I've had. It was 'thinnish' crust, but not crusty. My dining partner ordered cannelloni (stuffed with spinach and ricotta cheese), which I sampled, and we both agreed it was superb. We had earlier shared an antipasti plate, which was a fresh and delicious assortment of meats and cheese. The service was attentive, but unobtrusive. I felt the food was a decent value, especially considering it was on the High Street in a town visited by many tourists. There was an 'Early Bird' special which was decently priced, but we ordered a la carte. This place is Don't be put off by the somewhat speak-easy atmosphere or the quirky floor-to-ceiling head-shots of people in the front room (which makes for memorable photos). The back room has interesting framed photographs from the 1950s. This will become one of my favourites I am sure in Kilkenny. read more

The goat cheese salad and chicken and pasta were tasty. The manicotti was extremely salty. It reminded me of a frozen dinner heated up in the microwave. The couple who sat beside us thirty minutes later were served their main course first. We asked for more water which we never received. Busy? Ok. Understandable. But it was a hit and miss with the food. read more

Absolutely delicious, nothing quite compares to the exquisite dish that is an Italian Connection pizza, if you are looking for a not only delicious pizza but one that is a delicacy, you've come to the right place. The staff were as welcoming as can be. The decor was top notch, caught my eye as soon as I entered the warm embrace of the building, I felt at home. Everything was clean and neat, I could have eaten of any surface. The price was extremely reasonable. This restaurant will always have a place in my heart. read more

One of my favourites in Kilkenny, Lovely food and a nice atmosphere. I've also rang for a pizza for collection for those night when a movie night in is on the cards. Highly recommend. read more

I had eaten here before with my children and really enjoyed it . They used to have a kids menu which included ice cream but that was gone but i told them i would get them an ice cream. My starters came out and there was a long very obvious black hair sitting on top of it..when i called staff over they were very blase and said it must have happened on the way out and just got me another one .. I was not happy with the way it was dealt with at all and was offered nothing not even an ice cream for the kids..i will never be back read more

Always been happy when eating here. Nice food. Quick service. Clean. Not too expensive.

I love Italian food and this restaurant really lived up to my expectations. Great food, good service and in a really nice atmosphere. What more could you want! read more