The Locke Bar — Restaurant in Limerick

Really cool place to eat, right on the canal front between the River Shannon and The River Abbey. The scenery can’t be beat!

It does get crowded but if you can’t find a seat inside, there’s a ton of seating outside, and even across the street. If you are dining outside, you have to order and prepay inside, then they bring your food out to you.

We had the Fisherman’s Pie for €17.50 and the Classic Steak and Ale Pie for €15.00

The Classic Steak and Ale Pie was pretty much steak and gravy stuffed into a puffed pastry. It was good, but it was really just steak and gravy. It kind of reminded me of the Mexican carne guisada dish, but wrapped up in a French pastry instead of a tortilla. Kind of salty like carne guisada can be. It was a huge serving, and the pastry was soft and flaky. It came with plenty of French fries, and also a side of marrowfat peas (you’ll have to Google that one like I did to find out what it is - they were good though!).

The Fisherman’s Pie was ok. It was a mixture of haddock, cod, and smoked salmon, topped with parmesan mashed potatoes. The combination tasted a little on the fishy side and the smoked salmon seemed to add a heavy, salty, smoky taste to the dish. It included a decent side salad.

We ended the night with the creme brulee for €6.50

Draft beers are just a tad over €5. Not bad for a tourist area I guess.

Traditional Irish music started right at 5. It was a two piece band, consisting of an acoustic guitar player and a fiddle player. Occasionally, an Irish folk dancer would come out and dance a jig. All in all, it was a great experience.

The service was very friendly, but they didn’t check up on us very often, so I would rate...

Ok my first night and second day in Ireland 🇮🇪 visiting from the U.S.

The Locke Bar – A Proper Irish Gem in Limerick

Was at The Locke Bar last night with the boys for a few pints, and let me tell ya—what a spot. The lounge band was absolutely class, the kind of music that makes you forget you said you’d be home early. The pints were flowing, the craic was mighty, and the atmosphere was pure electric.

So naturally, after a late one, I came back today to soak in the riverside views and see if the food was as good as the vibe. Spoiler alert: it was. Sat outside, soaking up that Irish sunshine (which, let’s be honest, means it wasn’t raining too much), and ordered the Fried Chicken Burger and Shrimp Tacos.

First off, the chicken burger—spot on. Proper crispy chicken, fresh toppings, and that Locke burger sauce did the job. The fries were solid too, golden and crispy, none of that limp nonsense.

Now, let’s talk about those Shrimp Tacos. Whoever made that chipotle mayo must have summoned the souls of Irish goddesses or something—because it was unreal. Perfect balance of smoky heat, creamy goodness, and just enough spice to make you question your life choices but in the best way possible. The shrimp were cooked to perfection, crunchy but not overdone, and the fresh lime tied it all together. I’d fight a man for another plate.

Between last night’s tunes and today’s feast, The Locke Bar has officially won me over. Whether you’re in for the live music, a proper pint, or food that’ll make you rethink everything you thought you knew about pub grub, this place has it all.

If you’re in Limerick and you haven’t been here yet, do yourself a favor and fix...

Once we were ready to head out for dinner, we were looking forward to checking out Limerick at night and visiting The Locke Bar (August 2023). Both the hotel staff and Dean from Treaty Bar had recommended it, as well as finding it during our planning, we felt it was the must-do place. Thankfully, Dean told us that the fish tacos were the best option and let me just say... He was right, absolutely delicious!! Quite possibly this was the best meal we had eaten. The bar was busy when we got there around 8:30pm, and even though we couldn't find a place inside to eat, they had literally over a hundred tables. We got one that was mostly under the awning and luckily the rain kept to a light drizzle until we were done eating. The process was efficient and the food came out fresh. We split one order of the fish tacos and one order of the shrimp tacos and both came with french fries (chips) and all of it was super flavorful and delicious. The tacos reminded me of Pedros from home but instead had the chili mayo. After we ate, we managed to get a table inside the bar to listen to some traditional live music. The musicians were very good and would take requests. Sometimes a traditional Irish dancer would join them and she was also very good. The energy in the place was fun and lively and we were definitely glad with our choice...