Ard Bia at Nimmos — Restaurant in Galway

This small cozy restaurant on spanish arch has some potential, but i find it overrated for what it really is right now. It radiates cheapness with interior, having walls and shelves all painted in one go with cheap primer. Yes walls and shelves painted together...cheapest possible chairs and tables.. all is very cheap except the food. Roughly 70 euros for starter, main, juice and desert puts this restaurant in upper range of expensivefor whats available in galway, while it offers little for that price, compared to some other places. Ladies servers there were nice, polite, engaging, however food was brought by a male server who literally threw the plates onto the table. Now food it self : Starter was Donegal squid.. whats suposed to be famous squid for its quality, ended up being undercooked chewing gum in soury soup. Taste combinations were original and pleasant, presentation ok, but main ingredient.. the squid was bad. Mains we had were a steak and monkfish and both tasted perfect. Steak was done exactly as we asked, sligtly pink, no blood, and it tasted fantastic. Desert presentation was very high level, however both tasted very bland. What was suposed to be vanilla based ice cream tasted but absolutely 0 like vanilla, more like froyo. They seem to be aiming at offering fine dining but overall experience was not that great, especially after we realized that our table was a sewing machine. Service id rate 3/5 coz of the rude server, interior is 0 , food 4-5, so a 3 star average from me with clear directions on...

Ard Bia sits on the Claddagh Basin in a small unassuming building that you could easily walk past. In fact I think I embarrassingly have on previous trips to Galway. The tardis-like space, which seems to hang over the water somehow, is warm and inviting with wood panelled walls, and energetic sprightly wait staff who are unabashedly sincere and enthusiastic for the food they serve.

My first trip there was with my husband for brunch one Saturday in our first week in Galway visiting his family after 18 months of Covid in London. The second was a few days later, with family, for dinner. Now, years later we returned for lunch and the quality of food, service, and style has endured.

I ordered Pan fried Sea trout and I don't know if its perfect seasoning, or the freshness of the fish, but the flesh was soft and salty, the skin crisp. Every meal I've had there has been overwhelmingly fantastic.

We chatted with our server and I told her the food here makes me emotional. "Why?" she asked with a quizzical wide eyed curiosity. "The food tastes so good, so fresh... It's nurturing, feels healthy, and tastes of Ireland. And for such a reasonable price. I can taste the love and care that's gone into it. I don't get that from food very often."

I've always wanted a favourite restaurant......

...Just okay 2/5 stars

Started with their elderberry juice cocktail, and their chili with blood orange gin and tonic. They were... just okay (didn't finish them).

Mains were the Steak and gnocchi dishes and they both looked spectacular!!! Taste wise they were ... just okay (didn't finish them).

Not because there was too much food (good portions), just wasn't worth it flavor wise (We had to ask for salt and pepper to season our food

I also found a sharp, white, 3 cm long piece of broken plastic container in my gnocchi that I nearly choked on. It was coated in the green sauce, and attached to a piece of asparagus. Really hurt when that hit the top of my mouth, and made me lose my appetite.

Staff was nice about it though, and even offered us free tee, coffee, or a slice of cake for the inconvenience, but we honestly just wanted to leave.

When they came with the bill, they did knock off one of the drinks we couldn't finish though as a courtesy, everything else we were still asked to pay full price (even the gnocchi dish with the shards of plastic)

Left hungry and disappointed, but based off of the other reviews we probably just went on an off night (everyone's allowed to be off their game time and again).

2/5...