The Blue Haven Restaurant & Bistro — Restaurant in The Municipal District of Bandon-Kinsale

Unfortunatelly, I have to leave this review and make a case about how young families with babies are not welcomed here.

I was our today, with my wife, my parents and our 5 month baby, looking to get some breakfast and have a nice family time. Its hard enough to find a place to sit in Kinsale as it is, restaurants mostly refuse to take bookings over the phone, and you simply have to be lucky enough to find a spot. We did find a table at Blue Haven restaurant, outside, but to my shock, disappointment and disgust to be honest, the staff refused to allow us to sit, once they found out we have a buggy. They initially were OK with 4 adults (my wife, myself and my parents), but once they realised there is a buggy, they refused to let us sit anymore. For the ridiculous reason that "there is no room for us to walk around".

Now, I have no photos of how the outside dining area at the Blue Haven is designed, but there is literally a dedicated walkway right next to the tables. Large enough for 2 double buggies. So I found it odd, disrespectful, for them to refuse us a seating.

We are locals, we had breakfast, lunch, dinners here before the pandemic, and we came in afte the pandemic as well. We're not regulars, but we're not strange of the place either. But after the disgusting experience today, we will never set foot there anymore ever. I'm not sure now if it was worth cutting about 1m off the street to accommodate their tables. It definelty was not worth it to us. Never setting foot...

To begin on the positives: the Blue Haven is a nice setting and all the staff I dealt with were pleasant and accommodating. Two stars for the staff, as well as the pints of Murphys, which were far better than your typical hotel fare.

Now for the negatives.

The food.

This place is completely out of place in Kinsale, which is awash with excellent restaurants for every budget. I feel sorry for any tourist that parts with their cash assuming that this premise is anyway a representation of the best of what Kinsale can offer.

I ordered the following: "BAG OF DOUGHNUTS A LA MER” - €12.50 -Crab and shrimp fritters with -lime & cilantro mayonnaise

What I received was something similar to an onion bhaji from the frozen section in M&S. The existence of crab or shrimp in these fritters is questionable.

My parents had the fish and chips. I'd be shocked if the chips weren't from a bag in the freezer. The fish was fresh but coated in a soggy thick batter. Badly missing salt. Prawn pill pill was over cooked and the oil was something akin to rapeseed.

I should have known better the minute I saw each table with a bowl of plastic sachets for condiments at each table....

I've heard many good things about Meeran Gani Manzoor's cooking in Rare at The Blue Haven. Any time I felt like trying, it seemed to be only available in tasting menu format. I experience tasting menus as a not very enjoyable posey rigmarole, so when an Indian pop-up - 2 or 3 courses - appeared as part of Kinsale Restaurant week, we went for it.

We had a great time. There's always a good buzz in The Blue Haven, and tonight was no different. Stand out dishes were, Murgh Palken ( kolhapuri style chicken w spinach coriander and spices), Meen Polichadhu (haddock baked onion and tomato masala, Prawn Xacuti (fried shrimp w poppy seed and tamarind in coconut curry) but Rara Gosht (slow cooked lamb w onion tomato cardamom and clove garam masala) was superb. Chocolate Cardamom mouse, delicious. Often, in a group, someone's meal isn't great. Not tonight, four...