Reliable food good craic! One of Birr's finest establishments. Check it…read moreout."............"......................."

I was with an American friend accompanying me on a visit back to my family in Ireland. She said her…read morefamily came from Birr Offaly and that she knew they still lived there somewhere. We went to Birr to see if we could possibly track them down. The first place we stopped at was Kelly's pub. We had the best service and ate the best food. The soup was served with fresh homemade brown bread & Irish butter and the cottage pie was served piping hot with a rich flavour that felt not only delicious but nutritious too, The vegetables we were served tasted like they had just been picked. We asked the waitress if she could direct my American friend regarding sources of possible information on her long lost Irish relatives. Before I knew what was happening the owner John drove us to meet her family. He made phone calls, got their address and brought us there himself. I was so proud that my friend got to see the magic of Irish hospitality and selfless acts of kindness towards a stranger. I highly recommend this bar, the owner John, his staff and all customers that helped a stranger find her long lost Irish relatives. #goforthefoodstayforthepeople #ifieverwriteabookthiscouldbeachapter

Like most traditional Irish pubs, you can't see into this place. The windows are clouded and if…read moreyou're looking for your friend you're going to have to go in to find them! This was another pub I stopped into with my dad and my uncle during a trip to visit family. When we entered, the bartender immediately came over to say hello. Turns out he's the son of the owner, and remembered my dad's frequent visits way back in the day. The bar itself is long, with lots of seating for small groups of people. The friendly staff and patrons made this place an instant favorite for me. The Guinness was delicious as well! I highly recommend stopping in if you find yourself in the area.

If you're traveling on the N62 through the counties of Westmeath and Offaly, you're traveling…read morethrough the centre of all Ireland, and the junction where the R356 and R357 regional roads meet it, is one of few places in the world where apparently a traffic roundabout is called "The Square". This is Cloghan, Co. Offally, looking like a frontier town crossroads, and dominating the scene, where's there's not much else to compete with it anyway, is the very colourful exterior of Clancy's Bar. Stopped off here only really because a mate was on nostalgic look at where his dad came from, and while he was off exploring, & not being the driver, I thought I'd see how the "blonde with the black skirt" was inside. It was only just after 2pm on a weekday but it was near packed, with a disco thumping away. Everyone seemed smashed, nice smashed & not unfriendly, but it was difficult to find out what it was all in aid of, some local sporting victory I guessed. After a couple of Guinness, and a nice free rather large, "small one", (no complaints), that was pushed into my hand by a fella who I think in retrospect mistook me for his mate, the driver of our vehicle returned with a look on his face that was a mixture of disgust & envy, and we were on our way to a friendly farewell of Yazz's "The only way is up", which given that most of the afternoon disco crowd were having trouble standing up by then, was rather ironic. Nice place to stop off in the middle of Ireland, despite a sign suggesting bar food, there wasn't any sign of any,(apart from the liquid variety), but the pub was lively fun, and cheered me, on what was otherwise a rather bleak road.

We ate dinner at Spinners on a trip through the Midlands. I thought the meal was really "just OK"…read more The service was VERY slow and not all that friendly. We had a steak sandwich which was a bit tough and thin but had a nice flavor. We had a burger that was rather dry, but again had a nice flavor. The dessert was lovely. The prices were fair. All in all - it was just OK. There was really nothing about the visit that would make me want to try it again. What bothered me the most was the restroom, which was not well maintained or especially clean the evening we were there. It was cold on our visit, but the outdoor area looked very nice. Perhaps a good place to go for coffee and dessert in the evening.

Ate their with my family and parents on 21th of feb, the building was an old wool store in my youth…read moreand had been brilliantly restored, the standard of finish is stunning, lovely bar that you can eat in, very nice court yard that you could in the summer laze away an hour over a coffee and birr castle just across the road, we were shown to a very comfortable waiting area and after a drink there and orders taken then onto our table, the food was faultless, starters were top notch and salads served were very fresh with great presentation, service was top notch and the L shaped dining more was airy and has a lovely atmosphere, Spinners is not cheap but is worth ever penny and both mains and desserts were to die for, I will be back.

While not exactly the most exciting place to be it is very welcoming and cosy. The roaring fire is…read morelovely on this cool November evening and the beer just €4.20 which certainly beats Dublin prices. There's Irish music in the backround and pictures of locals busy with ploughing and playing hurling which gives a bit of a quaint but homely atmosphere. There's only a few people here right now but I can imagine how lively this place when there's live music on the stage. A pool table completes the entertainment for the young which is always a staple of country life.

A group of us traveled to Ireland and stayed in Kinnitty and this pub was next door. We walked in…read moreand we're immediately identified as "Americans". Normally, this would have been awkward but everyone in the bar was friendly, warm and introduced themselves. The owner Kieran made sure we had everything we needed. We danced, laughed, drank great whiskey, red ale, and had the best time hearing a out the Ireland's history and culture. While traveling around Kinnitty the next day, we ran in to some of the people we met the night before and they hugged us like we were life long friends. Needless to say, if you want to immerse yourself in the local culture, this the place to be. A big shout out to Martina, Shamus, Kieran, Conor, Jimmy, Sharon and everyone else in Slieve Bloom Bar.

This place is legendary throughout the region. "Well you HAVE to go to Hough's when your in…read moreBanagher" was a refrain heard dozens of times. One local described it as the "best and dirtiest pub in Ireland." It did not disappoint on either account. On the night we were there the music was not of the quality we had come to expect in an Ireland pub. It was apparently not to the standard normally expected at Hough's given that owner, Michael Hough, a great local character, actually came up to us and said, "Sorry, their seems to be a shortage of singers." We were there on a week night and there was plenty of room but we were told that on weekend one needs to arrive before 8 to get a spot.

This business is the best restaurant around. I've had breakfast and lunch here and love it. They…read moreprovide very generous portions in beautiful surroundings with great service. The lunch carvery is done very well. For years Mountmellick only had take out so this has been a very welcome addition. We had the breaded chicken and the carvery both of which were excellent. Generous helpings of roasted and mashed potatoes with cabbage, carrots and numerous sides. The deserts were delicious. I had the lemon meringue with a coffee and wished I had more room it was so good. The staff were so helpful and genuine. Thank you and keep up the great work !!

Best local place for a good dinner. Great range of food and portion sizes. Accommodate for…read moreindividuals, families and parties. Also nice selection of deserts available. Staff are friendly and the restaurant and bathrooms are always spotless