A few years back we got to to here as the Belfast telegraph had a promotion on and even though its…read morea fair distance from Belfast we thought we'd take a gamble on it, definitely worth the drive as the food and atmosphere were above expectations with being in the winter and the open fire lit, really nice and cosy. The tables by the entrance are the best but don't be fooled by the small appearance its like Dr who's tardis as the space through the next set of doors there's a massive room for dining or dancing. You have to park in a car park on the opposite side of the road which is a bit inconvenient but its just added character and the food was nice too. We'd love to go back sometime soon .

Found Saltwater Brig by pure chance on a filthy dark winter night while on holiday from Scotland…read more But what a welcome inside! The staff were so friendly and helpful with my disabled Wife. As for the food, we have eaten in a lot of places in a number of countries but this was as good as anything we have come acrooss. And the finishing touch was dining beside the huge log fire on a freezing winter night. It was so good that we went back another couple of times during our week's stay. We are going ti Ireland again shortly on holiday and Saltwater Brig will be our number one priority for another visit. We were back in Ireland for another holiday in November. The Saltwater Brig was top of our agenda for a return visit.......and we weren't disappointed. Once again everything about it was superb - the beautiful location beside Strangford Lough, the cosy surroundings and the welcoming staff (especially Olive who is the friendliest waitress you could meet). Then there is the food. The extensive menu is fantastic and we cannot speak highly enough of its quality, and all very reasonably priced. If you enjoy "a taste of Ulster" put The Saltwater Brig on your MUST VISIT list. We guarantee you will love it.

We had a wonderful experience at The Crosskeys Inn. It's Ireland's oldest thatched roof pub and we…read moregot a brief talk about thatching, so look up as you're entering! Watch your head, unless you're as short as I am. We were on the CIE Scots Irish tour. We somehow got a table directly next to the band and had a wonderful time, let folks come and sit with us, got Guinness with Blackcurrant (which depending on who you ask is WRONG ... I thought it was fun). We had a BBQ buffet dinner that was good with plenty of food. They let us take home our placemats which are maps of Ireland. Also, there was a gift shop with some lovely items that came home with us, as well.

To the naked eye, it looks like a quaint country cottage with a thatched roof, but don't let the…read moreunassuming exterior fool you. This pub has been standing since the 17th Century, they know a thing or two about hospitality. Our party of five made ourselves cozy in the sessions corner as the pub keeper offered to light a peat moss fire for our comfort. They sell tee-shirts and tourist patronize this place, on account of it being a very old, beautiful Irish pub, but there were a few locals enjoying a pint when we stopped in. One of the owners is American, and I was surprised to see JFK Memorabilia in the smaller room. They have antique oil lamps, old firearms and assorted things on display for patrons to muse. They proudly serve Bushmills and even their own brand of Crosskeys Whisky, but I got a gin and tonic and enjoyed the Northern Irish craic that was on full supply on this June day.

The Rowallane Inn is your stereotypical crusty old man bar. Every small connotation will have at…read moreleast one pub like this where the bar is filled with the same people every day of every week of every year, and no one outside that circle of people. The atmosphere in here is hardly welcoming to say the least. Unless you have specific friends who like to go here I wouldn't go near this place with a barge pole. The only good thing about this place is the snooker tables which are good for a wee game every now and then, but there is nothing else going for this place. There was a restaurant inside that was fairly dire, and I am not sure if it still is open as it seemed to close and reopen arbitrarily. Do not go in here unless you are a hardened 40+ year old with sectarian leanings.

From the owner: Lively bar with live music every weekend, speciality cocktails, Sky sports and a beer garden…read more Under new management since June 2013.

We were all over Ireland and North Ireland last week and spent a couple nights at this nice bar and…read morethe super cool area just outside it (with all the lit umbrellas). Really enjoyed the bar and the area. Have to remember that they don't take tips anywhere in Ireland or North Ireland. I kept telling the bartender to keep it (I'd hand him a 20 for 18 bucks of booze) and he'd just walk away - no acknowledgement or anything. Were able to try some good whiskey's here including A Friend in Hand whiskeys (this is an amazing whiskey store just down the street). The whole time we were there we got no rain (same as our first time) so we sat outside a lot, people had cute pups out there. Super nice. Didn't know UK stuff was on yelp, hope to leave a few good reviews here.

This is a super cool and funky bar. You never run out of things to look at. Pretty busy too, any…read moretime of day.

Little pub in the harbour inn was such fun. Soaked in the northern ireland culture as best I could,…read morethe accents were thick! Everyone was so friendly and the beers were cheap. Don't miss it if you are nearby. They don't have a tip line on their credit card receipts, they said the irish don't tip but I felt really bad not having any cash to leave them because they were so kind, so bring some pounds.

When I am in town, I usually come here at least once on my vacation. I enjoy there Fried…read moreMushrooms, I know it is a starter but I usually ask them to make it a meal and they will put them on top of a salad. They are delicious. Their soup and battered chicken goujons are delicious as well.

A great wee placeif you ever happen to be passing this area, this is a must for something tasty to…read moreeat. The staff.all locals are friendly and chatty. The food is fresh and very tasty with good size portions.

From the owner: We have taken on The Ship Inn which has been closed for several years.read more

The Lonely Poet is one of those great places that really does have something for everyone. I have…read moreseen people have business meetings over coffee and pastries at 10am, rowdy girly lunches at noon, romantic nights out (even one first date and yes I am an obsessive eavesdropper) and raucous Big Nights Out. Oh, hold on, that was me. I recently had a night out with a large group in the lonely Poet, for a meal and (lots of) drinks. I am delighted to say that the waiting staff were friendly, efficient and had all the patience required to deal with a bunch of over excited thirty somethings let loose for the night. I had Thai fish cakes to start - totally yum and served with lime dressing and then I played it safe with a steak as I needed something substantial to line the old tum with. The steak was perfectly well done as I had requested, and the extra chunky chips I ordered were certainly chunky! The rest of the night was a blur of multiple drinks orders and our lovely waitress didn't even flinch at the end when we tried to calculate our shares of the bill. On the visit before that with just a couple of friends, I had a chicken ceasar (ok ok, chunky chips too) which was top notch and then enjoyed the live music which I think happens every Sunday. It will sound like I never cook, but I was recently in the Lonely Poet with another group of friends for a birthday lunch. There were a couple of small kids in the group and they were treated like visiting royalty. A colouring in book and crayons for the young lady? Of course. Some complimentary carrot sticks? Certainly. Sausage and chips which aren't even on the menu? No problem as we say in Belfast. Anywhere that makes this much effort to keep the whole family happy will always get my vote!

Oh goodness...I'm really in two minds about this place…read more On the one hand, it really is the most gorgeous pub / bar. Well decorated, sleek and refined, it really is a million miles away from what the pervious pub looked like. Having frequented The Lonely Poet almost every Sunday night for a couple of months, my friends and appreciate the fab wee Irish band who play their hearts out each week. The very first time I went to the Lonely Poet was with a couple of friends for dinner. The food wasn't brilliant - my pasta tasted a bit watery, and we did have a very long wait for it, despite the fact that there really weren't that many other people in the place. I was a bit disappointed. The first time I went on a Sunday night with a large group of friends for a drink, we waited 25 minutes to be served, and there must have been at least 10 of us sitting there. Not a great start. Since then, it has really been hit and miss. The staff have sometimes been lovely, other times they've been stand-offish and a bit awkward. One Sunday, we were told that the kitchen had been closed early, even though it was only 9pm, and they didn't close for at least another 2 hours. Oh dear. So, there you have it. I'm really no clearer, and in fact, probably a bit more confuddled. Still, Sunday nights at the Lonely Poet will probably be a regular occurence. The only way is up, eh?

Quaint Irish country pub with outside seating and strong, delicious cocktails. Has a lovely mellow…read morevibe and is heavenly on a summers day. But just beware the few wasps which hover about outside and seem to be attracted by nearby apple trees and the scent of fruity cocktails! I visited in August 2017, as part of a Carlingford Mystery Cocktail Tour, and amongst our party of sixteen ladies, for most, this pub was a firm favourite. It was an extremely enjoyable stop during the tour. Will definitely be returning.

I was coming back from the Sunflower festival after having packed all our stuff and just had to pop…read morein for a bite!! My wife and I passed The Pheasant every day as we travelled home from the festival. Today I got my chance to pop in...was I in for a treat. The interior decor is definitely period and works really well....check it out!!It has a great location and there is ample car parking. Absolutely superbly decked out inside and staff excellent. I went for the calamari and Caesar salad. When it arrived it was huge and delicious-the Caesar must have been the best (tastiest and creamiest) I've ever had. Calamari cooked to perfection and in a lightly spiced batter (I was expecting more).As a starter it was excellent value and big portion well presented. Will be back for more!!!!

If I could give this place six stars - I would do it in a heartbeat. The food in this place is…read moreAMAZING, and never fails to disappoint. I was lucky enough to have them cater my wedding and the food was outstanding. Nothing was too much trouble for them. We had a beautiful chicken dish with a sweet potato side, and soup also to start, and a trio of mini-desserts to finish. My husband and I were allowed our own meals, I had sushi followed by duck, and he had steak and chips (he is a straighforward kind of guy!) We had an evening with the two sets of in-laws one night when we got to sample a selection of meals in order to choose our wedding menu. I've never felt so spoiled in all my life. The atmosphere was very special, and we were treated like royalty - the chef came out for a chat with us afterwards which was very thoughtful. Food just kept coming, delicious and beautifully presented, which wasn't a suprise considering the chef had recently left a job in the Ivy to come and work here. For our evening buffet they served us gourmet hot dogs and burgers from an open barbeque outside, with carmelised onions and relish - people went back several times! There was a vegetarian that we forgot was coming to the evening do, and they sent down to the restaurant to get her a selection of cheeses and bread - and they never even billed us for it. Angela who looked after us throughout our wedding was cool, calm and collected and made everything run like clockwork. I would highly recommend The Pheasant if you are looking for caterers for an event, and even for a special night out, the restaurant itself is perfect.

Great beer garden on the rooftop. The floor of the main saloon was quite sticky from spilled drinks…read moreand the acoustics were just OK for the live band that was playing. I'd like to go back and check it out on another night where there is no live music, just to get a better feel for the vibe without the noise.

Great bands on weekend nights .. We saw a cover band called…read moreOff The Record .. Electric energy performance from a group of 50 odd year olds .. Slamming out Pistols , Thin Lizzy , Killers U2 , Stereophonics , T Rex etc .. with great accuracy and a few twists .. Food simple , yet delicious , well priced and served .. Great funky decor .. Love the JamJars cocktails .. Great night out .. Would recommend