Right in the center of Kilkenny it's easy to find. Try and make a reservation ahead of time because they do get busy. I love the cozy ambiance, great for a date or more intimate meal. The star of the show was the braised short rib with Parmesan risotto. Absolutely delicious and so tender! The crostini with porchetta was delicious as well. read more

See all

Making a reservation online was easy! Loved the elevated ambience here. Bread service was good and I really enjoyed my Spaghettoni Aglio, Olio e Peperincino con Granchio! Description: Spaghettoni, tossed on the pan with fresh Kilmore Quay Crab, garlic, extra virgin olive oil, a touch of fresh chilli, served with a prawn bisque It was rich and delicious! I enjoyed the soup of the day as well which was a carrot and ginger soup. Service could have been more attentive but overall good experience! read more

Ristorante Rinuccini - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

Absolutely delicious lunch with excellent, charming service! When they bring out bread and butter at the beginning, be sure to ask for some olive oil as well -- it's their own brand, and delicious. If I thought I had room in my suitcase I would've bought some to take home with me! Started with the tomato soup, and then had the burrata with eggplant and prosciutto (this is also an appetizer, but I wanted to save room for dessert!). All fresh, with the most delicious dressing on the salad. Others in my party got the (homemade) pasta and raved about it. Did I mention dessert? Holy smokes, they were delicious -- and made on site. Tiramisu... baked pear... Torta al Cioccolato con Caramello Salato... gelato... You're going to want to return numerous times to enjoy all these! Definitely keeping this restaurant on my "to return to" when I go back to Ireland. A real treat! read more

See all

Amazing food and service. I would definitely recommend call ahead seating. The food was more authentic Italian than anything I've had before. Excellent all around!!!! read more

See all

Excellent service, very polite workers/staff. The food was lovely. While it may not have been the most traditional, it was super tasty! We had the saltimbocca and cannelloni. The interior was a little chilly, but one of the workers was kind enough to point the air conditioner away. :). It can be a great place for a romantic dinner. It's a little on the upper-mid range, but great for a night out! We would definitely recommend it, and would visit again. read more

Ristorante Rinuccini - Saltimbocca - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

See all

We smelled something amazing being cooked after we left the Kilkenny Castle and our noses led us to this obscure restaurant. We had the most amazing fried calamari for an appetizer and I decided upon the stuffed rolled pork belly. I still can't stop talking about it! The waiter was wonderful and made our visit very memorable. read more

Ristorante Rinuccini - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

What a beautiful meal in a lovely place. If you're in Kilkenny you'll have to make a reservation here and enjoy the fare with a nice glass of Borolo! Fresh made pasta and vegan options super fresh and delish! read more

See all

I had heard so many great things about this restaurant and wanted to try it. I made a reservation and arrived 10 minutes early to be sure we weren't late. Our table fir 5 was ready and they seated us right away.... That's about the only thing that went right. No one came to take a drink order. We had to ask for menus and they brought 4 so I person had to look on with another . A waiter finally hurried over and rushed through taking our order. 1 person only wanted a side salad because she wasn't hungry after a long day of travel. The waiter was rude and acted like he wouldn't do that. He said he'd have to ask the chef. She finally said never mind and didn't get anything to eat. Food was okay... nothing spectacular. I've had better at much less expensive restaurants! Again, waiter was just downright rude the entire dinner. Had to ask for our check. No "thank you for coming". Nothing!! We just got up and left I won't ever come here again. Very disappointed read more

The food was marginal, which really bummed us out. We wanted to experience this Michelin star restaurant, and while the ambiance and service were good, the food was not. The Gnocc Alla Norma was d round in an undercooked sauce that overtook the dish, and you couldn't event taste the gnocchi or eggplant. The duck was overcooked, and the or;Ange sauce also overpowered this dish, making it hard to enjoy the flavor of the duck. Then the cannoli, touted to be "Sicilian" style were filled with too much marscapone, and it was VERY sweet and dense, so you couldn't even taste the ricotta. Maybe it was because it was a Wednesday night, or maybe they've lost their touch. I suppose if your not Italian and don't know the taste of truly good Italian food, you may not notice how marginal the food actually is. read more

Average quality food but rather expensive. Used to be better in years gone by. Would brush back to be honest

Not sure why this is considered Italian food. The waiter seemed rushed and with a bit of an attitude. The bread was inedible. None of it was Italian. He seem irritated when I asked for help with a cocktail. We have traveled to Italy close to 10 times and I've never had food like this. The pasta dish tasted like too much sautéed garlic. That was the prominent flavor. Look, this place in no way deliverers on many levels. It's not Italian and I'm not sure what it is. It was recommended by so many. I was very dissatisfied with all the main dishes and appetizers. The dessert was delicious. read more

So I never got to eat food here but the experience alone was extremely noteworthy and absolutely horrendous. I have severe allergies and after talking with the host(waiter?) in length about my allergies and severity, I was told they could accommodate them. I was seated and was ready to order when someone came over and told me that after speaking with his manager & kitchen they simply could not accommodate me, AFTER sitting me which was after I checked if I could eat there with my allergies. It's frustrating because the whole reason I ask the staff if I can eat at any restaurant the moment I step inside is because of my severe allergies. Telling someone they can eat there, sitting them down, and then changing your mind is honestly the worst thing a restaurant can do and should simply not be how you run a restaurant. Be upfront and honest at first. This might possibly have been the worst experience ever and is absolutely not how anyone should run a restaurant, especially one that is so highly rated. read more

I have to say this place was absolutely fantastic!!!!! Best food eveeeerrrr!!!! OMG!!! I chose the Mussels as starter, superb! the sauce was so delicious. My impression was when i got Cunard Fish with pizzaiola sauce, it's from another world!! and finally Pannacotta for desert. uuufff!!! The waiter from "Montenegro" was more than helpful and friendly and added to an enjoyment! I'm definitely coming back and back and back again for more! There's one bad thing about this place, there is no other like it in Dublin. well I will have to come to Kilkenny for dinner... :D read more

See all

Famished after a big walk in Kilkenny Castle and its grounds, out came my Yelp app which led me to this place. Prices are a little steep - even for lunch, I paid close to €17 for a chilli garlic prawn spaghettini. It was lovely but for that price, I'd expected it to be gorgeous and the prawns to be just a little bit fresher. Service was good but also just that little poncy (does this word get used in Ireland? See: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=poncy) It's probably a place more suited for dinner perhaps? read more

Ristorante Rinuccini - Garlic chilli prawn spaghettini - quite good but not sure it's worth €17 though... - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

1st visit here while visiting Ireland. Really really great food. Superior service and attention read more

Ristorante Rinuccini - Looks good taste better - Italian Near Me - Kilkenny, KK

See all

Decent food but the staff was very rude and appeared to not want us to eat here. The only place so far in Ireland that seemed to be disparaging of Americans read more

We just missed the early bird special by a few minuets but still decided to order a starter and entree. We were not wowed by the appetizers or pasta. Nothing tasted badly, but nothing was memorable either. The 20 euro bottle of wine was a good deal though. Staff was attentive but serious. I think I insulted them when I did not eat my entire plate because they kept refusing to take the plate, telling me to eat more. Maybe it is a cultural thing? All in all not a bad meal by any means, but not worth the price. Maybe with the early bird menu it might be worth it. read more

I don't think anyone could ever write a bad review of this place. You go through an outdoor arch into the dim lit restaurant that smells just like Italy and immediately grabs your attention. Now it's a small restaurant and I can only assume it isn't easy to get into every night, but we didn't have much trouble on a Thursday night. We were immediately seated at a beautifully setup table with fresh flowers. The waiters took our coats and we say down to eat one of the best meals of my entire trip to Ireland (Italian in Ireland doesn't make sense but it's worth it I promise!). We all started with drinks: their award winning prosecco and house red wine that prepared our palettes for the delicious plates we had coming up shortly. If you're going with any beef entrees, the house red wine is a simple pairing that fits perfectly. While the prosecco is an all around fitting choice no matter what you pick for dinner. We started with a few apps, I mean let's be honest, we are Americans and we can finish our fair share of food. The meat and ricotta starter alongside the bruschetta e mozzarella and smoked salmon on ciabatta bread were great appetizers that had big flavors with every bite. I would recommend each one if your party has arrived with a big appetite. They all come with a plethora of spices that each person can enjoy. When it came to the main dishes we all chose slightly differently. I chose the ravioli al pomodoro (I can't say no to anything stuffed with cheese and spinach), two others got the cannelloni dello chef (pasta stuffed with beef that actually melts in your mouth: proof of its high & delicious qualities), spaghettini con gamberoni (probably the mostly simple dish of us all but the garlic sauce made it even more exciting, if you just want garlic and olive oil this dish is the perfect combo) and polpetinne con spaghettini (I mean if you love spaghetti and meatballs as much as my father does you cannot go wrong with this, a lot of food and even more flavor). On top of the pristine presentation of our food within seconds of it being laid out in front of us we were asked if we wanted some fresh grated Parmesan to go on top, they actually grated it in front of you, and you would have to be a fool (or lactose intolerant) to say no. If dinner has been enough for you move on to dessert. We didn't have room, but we made room. We chose the chocolate mousse with caramel ice cream and tiramisu. Thinking about it now even makes me want to drool. And I think we finished it in maybe 3 minutes (that is most certainly overestimating). My father even said that this was the best tiramisu he has ever had (and he's had a lot....) So if you're willing to eat some Italian food in a small Irish town, this is a fantastic option. You won't be disappointed. read more

See all

We stopped here for dinner on our visit to Kilkenny and we were really impressed with Rinuccini. The portions were ample, and the food was quite good. Its not Italian thats going to blow your mind, but if youre tired of Irish fare this is a good switch up. Its hearty portions, good quality, and reasonably priced. I would definitely go back. read more

I've had plenty of Italian, high end and budget and this one just missed the mark on several levels. My order was taken at 7:57pm and I left the restaurant before 8:30pm. As a solo diner I was hoping for recommendations and opinions but I was met with "I prefer beer" when asking about wine recommendations and didn't see my server between the time I placed my order and when I paid. I worked in food service for years and I appreciate good customer service, which wasn't this. I felt rushed through the dining experience and served food that was lackluster at best when considering a flavor profile. I will say their presentation is decent. They have several awards and stipulations on their website. I'm sure it was something great previously but I think the accolades have prevented them from providing an experience and more focused on flipping tables and maximizing profit. Skip it if you're considering. read more

Ate here while visiting Kilkenny. The hostess was able to fit us in after kindly juggling a couple of reserved tables. Most of the diners were local Irish residents with some tourists. It was a welcome change from Pub food. The pasta was homemade and fresh. Ingredients for most dishes were from local places and listed on the back of the menu. I had the Chicken Cacciatore which was very good, well presented. The service was excellent. read more

A distiller taste tester James, at Pearson Lyons Whiskey in Dublin, highly recommended Rinuccini. On a tour, stopped at 11:45am. Even though we were early, the were happy to see us! A nice welcome and seating we had tomato soup with parsley, hot and excellent. Ordered the spaghettini & meatballs which was outstanding. Enjoyed with a glass of chianti reserva was a great touch! Great recommendation, stop here for lunch or dinner and pamper yourself and see all their awards! A Must stop! read more

Authentic Italian, Rinuccini's is an institution in Kilkenny and allegedly one of the longest standing restaurants in town. I can well believe it having visited here first almost 20 years ago. I doubt it has changed much in the meantime so it's a little tired around the edges. But so what? It all adds to the charm of this fine eatery just across the road from the impressive Kilkenny Castle. Booking is essential as it is a very popular spot and usually booked solid. Our latest visit at 7pm on a Saturday night was no exception. I had the spaghettini and meatballs as a starter which was a brave decision considering the potential damage to shirt but I survived and was rewarded with a sublime example of perfect pasta and just right meatballs. My main was a steak, cooked medium rare to perfection, accompanied by roast, sliced potatoes and cauliflower. Delicious. My companion chose the cannelloni which she declared to be equally excellent. All washed down with an acceptable house Merlot with a couple of extra glasses thrown in for good measure. Rinuccini's has never disappointed us yet and will always be our 'go to' restaurant whenever we're lucky enough to visit Kilkenny. read more

Food and service was top of the line...and the wine list was more than impressive. As a couple that has travelled to Italy several times, we were skeptical with an Italian recommendation from our concierge, but we are so happy we went. My fiancé declared this as "some of the best Italian food" he's had. I ordered the cannelloni dello chef which were filling and delicious; highly recommended. Fiancé had the tagliatelle with truffles and mushrooms; more bread was requested to finish the sauce. Overall an excellent option if you need a break from the traditional Irish food you'll find in most pubs. read more

My favourite Italian in Kilkenny. Never had a bad experience. Both food and staff are 5 stars

Service was exceptional! Very attentive and friendly! We had the meatballs and pasta and the Seabass. The homemade pasta with the meatballs was so very tasty and fresh. Lemon cheesecake was heavenly...light and just the right sweetness! Not too rich. Presentation was very good. Great wine selection! read more

See all

This restaurant is highly overrated. We went on the basis of the reviews and our hotel's recommendation and felt like we ended up in a tourist trap. I used to live in Italy and this food was not authentic at all. The food was very disappointing and the wine equally so. We got seated right away but felt very rushed to order so they could flip the table. I would definitely avoid this restaurant. read more

So. Delicious. We were craving some comfort type food and this Italian food was out of this world. We had calamari to start, I had the spaghettini with prawns and garlic, my husband had the cannelloni. The flavors were fresh and the food perfectly cooked. The service was very attentive, the wine list extensive. The best Italian food I've had outside of Italy. read more

Decent Italian, little bit pricey, tad old-fashioned but nice people and great choice of menu

So so good! I can only recommend this to everyone in the area. Great service, great wine and brilliant food. read more

Delicious food, lovely warm atmosphere and fantastic service! Every time I come to Kilkenny I make it my mission to visit Rinuccini's. I have been going here for years and years and have never once been disappointed by this fabulous restaurant. The restaurant, located opposite the castle, has a very cosy, warm, intimate atmosphere and is a great escape from the hustle and bustle outside. The staff are always so welcoming, friendly, professional and attentive and really add to the warmth and charm of the place. The food is always exceptionally tasty and cooked to perfection. The menu shows a list of the various suppliers and I was delighted to see that so many of the ingredients were sourced locally. On my last visit to Rinuccini's I chose from the Early Evening menu. To start I had the seared Kilmore Quay scallops which were absolutely delicious. The dish was simple, but very tasty and the sauce was a lovely compliment to the scallops, without taking away from their flavour. For my main I had the spaghettini with prawns, again this was a fantastic dish that was full of flavour and the portion size was just right. I highly recommend paying a visit to Ristorante Rinuccini, I know I will certainly be going back! read more

We had dinner this evening and we had stopped last time in Kilkenny but no space was available. However we were spot on this time. Greeted by Tom who turned out to be the back waiter for our dinner. The front waiter, from Montenegro who was excellent, fine spirited and a pleasure. The food was so tasty, delicious and lovely. The prixfix menu was perfect for Carol and I, calamari, an eggplant rollatine, cannelloni and risotto with fruit of the sea followed by tiramisu and an apple rhubarb tart. Great wines, excellent service and food you couldn't ask for more. read more

Beautiful little Italian opposite the castle. Food and service second to none with an extensive wine list. Would definitely recommend.

Our hostess at the bed and breakfast we stayed at in Kilkenny recommended this restaurant to us and I'm so glad she did. After a long drive from Dublin and lots of sightseeing we had worked up quite the appetite and were really looking forward to Italian food. We walked in the door which is adorned with awards might I add and descended down the steps into an intimate dining room with several tables. We sat by the kitchen at a cozy corner table. After a long day, we all to eagerly sprung for the large glasses of Prosecco and basked in the smell of delicious entrees making their way out of the kitchen. After much thought and some bread I decided on the Rigatoni con Pollo e Panna and Bobby ordered the soup du jour and a salad. This food was AMAZING! The best Italian food I have ever tasted. The chicken was cooked to perfection and placed over a bed of fresh pasta covered in the most delicious creamy mushroom sauce! If you're in Kilkenny this is a must go for sure. When we make it back to Ireland this will be one of my first stops :) read more

A fantastic Italian Restaurant in Kilkenny city centre, the menu clearly indicates which items are gluten free & the staff are very knowledgeable. The bread was the best my wife ever had & was indistinguishable from normal bread. With early bird menu options the price was very reasonable. The service was top class & the atmosphere of the restaurant was excellent. Would recommend to anyone visiting Kilkenny. read more

This place was fabulous. From the decor and ambiance of the restaurant itself, to the wine list and delicious food, it was an overall wonderful experience. Perfect for a date night or special occasion as it is a bit expensive. But definitely worth it! read more

Ristorante Rinuccini is fabulous! The food was exceptional, the atmosphere is very romantic, but also enjoyable as a group. The staff is superb. We got a side of noodles with our pasta that was an excellent choice. Definitely want to go back. The highlight of my Ireland food experiences. read more

You cannot go wrong at Ristorante Rinuccini, located in the heart of Kilkenny city. Fantastic service, ambiance and authentic Italian food.

An Italian restaurant, run by actual Italians, this place offers a range of delicious, authentic Italian meals. Everything I've ever had here has been really great. The lasagne is definitely worth ordering. Besides traditional Italian food you can also get steak, veal or chicken. All come with vegetables including the odd-sounding but surprisingly tasty deep-fried brocolli. The desserts include tirimasu and a really rich chocolate mousse. The staff are warm and efficient and the whole place has a cosy, relaxed feel to it. It's also quite reasonably priced so is great value for money. Come here for a perfect meal every time. read more

Truly a great Italian restaurant in the heart of Kilkenny. Our meal included a spaghetti with meatballs and the duck. The portions were quite ample. The pasta was cooked perfectly. The sauce was excellently seasoned with a rich tomato flavor from the San Marzano tomatoes. The pasta was served with nice seasoned veal meatballs. The duck was cooked perfectly medium with a crispy skin. It was served with sautéed vegetables and roasted potatoes. read more