John Keogh's Gastropub — Restaurant in Galway

I made reservations for 9:15 and showed up at 9:00. I was told the kitchen was closed, but they were still serving drinks in the bar area and was told to grab a seat at the bar. I told them we had reservations, and they immediately showed us to the dining room. So let that be a lesson to ya’ - make reservations!

The temperature was pretty warm inside.

After this little SNAFU, things went pretty smooth. We had the best server in the world. She was FUN and she knew the menu upside down and was able to answer all of our questions.

We ordered the duck spring rolls as an app (€8.00). There was plenty of tasty duck tucked inside these rolls, with sweet, poached plums on the side, served on a bed of crispy kale and sprinkled with a bit of coarse ground black pepper. I highly recommend them (and I’m not a huge fan of duck).

I had the traditional fish and chips (€17.00) which were decent, but nothing to brag about, and not worth the steep price. I found fish and chips to be exactly the same anywhere in Ireland or in the U.S. It included a chunky tartar sauce on the side and a small side salad. PLENTY of food to fill you up, but just no “wow” factor here. It was typical fish and chips.

We also ordered the hand-rolled gnocchi (€14.50). It was served over a tasty spiced tomato sauce, with pesto, and a few roasted red onions, all drizzled with gorgonzola cheese, pesto. It was a great combination.

Drink prices: A pint of Bogman Irish Amber Ale (which I didn’t see anywhere else in Ireland) was €6.50 - I highly recommend this one if you like amber ales.

Bottle of Corona is €5

Jameson and Ginger Ale is €7.30

My advice to you - don't try the fish and chips at an upscale place. Try a hole in the wall joint, or even one of the fast food joints...

Honestly the poorest experience I’ve had dining out in Galway! The standard has dropped dramatically in this is so called award winning establishment. I had my 17 year old niece with me who is a real plain eater and doesn’t eat much I asked for the kids menu to see if there was anything she would eat of it, chicken goujons was on it. The waitress come back and decided to tell me after handing me the kids menu that my niece can’t eat of it as she’s over 12! First thing wrong here don’t hand me a kids menu to then tell me she can’t eat of it! With disgust I asked for the manager to explain she’ doesn’t eat much in general, the waitress come back not the manager to say oh she can’t eat eat of it now as I made it very clear I was angry that she would be refused to eat of it! As some one who worked in hospitality for many of years I found this quite appalling. The fact the manger sent the waitress back to do his dirty work instead of dealing with me by request didn’t speak volumes that’s for sure! Just to add the kids chicken goujons were the most processed chicken goujons I’ve ever come across not really standard for an award winning restaurant! They weren’t eating and clearly left on the plate. I didn’t want to embarrass the waitress anymore but when plates are cleared and food not eating clearly there is a problem, should of been reported to back to the manager, inexperienced manager it seems he just looked busy scrolling through his phone and didn’t interact once after he sat us! He actually sat us with out menus we waited for a few minutes before he sent a waitress over with menus he didn’t look to be proactive at all from what I seen and experienced!...

Needs Improvement Found this pub listed as one of the best pubs in galway with good ratings and reviews so decided to try it out on a thursday night for a date night with my wife. We booked a table online but when we arrived it seemed they had no record but managed to find us a table all be it in a high traffic are en-route to the toilets. We ordered wings to share for starters and they were amazing I ordered fish and chips and it was reasonably good it was nicely cooked and decent sized portion although the triple cooked chips could have done with longer in the fryer.

The real issue came with the Sea Bass my wife had sold as being served on baby roast potatoes it came with boiled baby potatoes which my wife does not like we called the waitress she took it away and came back saying that it would be a few minutes but it was in hand fine we thought just plated up wrong, 10 minutes later back she comes with a fresh dish where they had either flash fried or grilled the already boiled potatoes again not what was advertised. She decided to just not have a main course and instead ordered another bowl of wings.

In fairness to the manager he gave us complimentary drinks and her dessert as well but how difficult is it to actually cook what the menu says, its not like they have an extensive menu anyways.

The atmosphere and buzz in the pub was great and the staff were very...