The Galway Irish Public House — Restaurant in Gulf Shores

I don't know how else to start a review of this place other than to say everything was darn good. If you've got a hankering for Irish food (or just want to drink beer under green lights) then this is a great place. The bar and restaurant seating areas aren't large but they're just right-sized when it comes to a neighborhood pub, which this place nails in vibe.

Unlike that other bar over in Orange Beach, the menu here really leans into the Irish thing with "Lucky Sprouts" (Brussels Sprouts) and Boxtys of corned beef and even a Scotch Egg on the appetizer menu. The theme continues to the entrees with a lovely Lamb Shank, a real-deal Shephard's Pie and even Bangers and Mash.

And if you don't drink, there's still sweet tea. A good bar needs good apps and if the Corned Beef Boxtys (shredded potatoes, corned beef brisket, Swiss cheese, rolled and fried like boudin balls and served with remoulade) are any indication, you're gonna be putting on serious weight while you hang out here. I'm not a huge fan of fried stuff but this was an indulgent take on Cajun boudin balls. I liked how the creamy cheese and salty beef were tempered by the tangy sauce.

As for dinner, if I see lamb on a menu here I almost always get that. The New Zealand Lamb Shank here is served with colcannon (shredded cabbage and mashed potatoes) along with a nice brown sauce and Irish brown bread. The lamb was fork tender and definitely a quality cut. As it should be for $28! The colcannon was an insanely good pairing with the savory meat and umami-rich sauce. The brown bread was kind of like pumpernickel without the twang; the star of THAT show was the butter which must have had some Guinness infused into it, or something similar, because it was amazing in a way I can't quite put into words.

My other dining partner tried the Shepherd's Pie, which also features lamb along with ground beef, veggies and more colcannon and brown bread. At first it didn't look like much but in the true spirit of hearty soups and stews it was a good, filling meal. The port wine & Guinness deglaze was quite rich!

My third dining partner went for a more safe choice, the Fish & Chips. Captain D's, eat your heart out: these big and meaty cod fillets are battered in an Irish Red Ale and have that perfect crispy crunch on the outside while the fish remains tender and flaky inside. The real star in my mind, though, was the malt vinegar aioli in place of a traditional tartar sauce. I wouldn't think of ever putting malt vinegar in the sauce directly but since it's traditional to use malt vinegar on fried fish it actually works amazingly well to replace the sour/sweet pickle flavor in a regular tartar sauce. Rated 10/10, would steal from her plate again. There are also house chips which are just nicely battered fries. I tried a few and didn't hate them, which is the nicest thing I can say about a french fry.

Honestly, despite being a smaller place with a smaller menu, I am already eager to go back. The prices are a little on the higher side, especially if you indulge in alcohol and apps, but my goodness, the quality definitely seems to be there.

My only real complaint is that, being a bar scene, it was pretty noisy inside even though I wasn't visiting during prime drinking hours. The inside is sufficiently dim and rich with dark wood that you might want a flashlight to read the menu, or to consult the version on their website on your phone.

Overall, an excellent meal and a welcome addition to the downtown Gulf Shores...

We went to Galway last night for our anniversary and our expectations were blown away! Upon entering we were immediately greeted and welcomed. Once we found a table our server, Hilary greeted us and went over the menu with us. I got the three dots and a dash to drink. It was a yummy rum drink with an orange cream flavor. My only critique would be if it was slightly sweeter, but that’s a personal preference 🤪 They had 14 draft options as well as a multiple wines and other specialty cocktails. We started with the Bavarian pretzel which was nothing short of amazing. The everything seasoning on it really gave it a unique touch that sets it apart from a regular bar pretzel! The beer cheese and mustard that it came with were both awesome. For entrees we got the shepherd pie and the Galway burger. Both were phenomenal with perfect seasoning and intricate flavors. I will say, these items are cooked off in beer and you can definitely taste that flavor in them. Which we loved! The shepherds pie was a winner for both of us, but the chips and beer cheese with the burger were imposible to put down!! Everything about our first visit here was amazing and we will happily be back. They nailed the pub feel and I love the slower pace...

I really like this new addition to Gulf Shores. The aesthetics are reminiscent of an Irish/English pub, and I love that they had a live feed to downtown Dublin that made you feel like you might actually be there. The bar has plenty of room to grab a pint, and there are many choices for sitting (booth, table, around the fireplace in leather chairs, outside, etc). I do wish they had a bit more legit British beers (that might be the fault of draconian alcohol laws in Alabama), and maybe a few “cask ales” as well. I did get the obligatory draft Guinness and it was delicious. The bangers and mash were as good as anything I have had across the pond, and came with three decent sized sausages. My wife got the fish and chips, and they were tasty as well. My only critique was that the prices did seem a bit on the higher side, but we do live in a tourist beach town so maybe my expectations on price were not realistic. All that said, I will be back and look forward to trying the rest of the British/Irish fare on the menu (the pot pie looked...