Danny Mann Pub & Restaurant (Killarney, Ireland)

We didn't do any good research beforehand on where to eat in Killarney, and it seemed as though every eatery we passed just didn't sound good (we weren't in the mood for fish and chips, didn't feel like anything too ethnic, some places just didn't smell good, etc.), and it seemed like we wandered for a while before we came across the Danny Mann Pub. Not only did the menu sound good, it was priced right, and there was a big sign out front saying that there would be live traditional Irish music.

It sounded like a good plan, especially with as exhausted as we were, considering we walked the Gap of Dunloe earlier in the day - in the pouring rain. Our bodies were tired, and we were ready for some comfort food, a relaxing atmosphere, and some music.

Mark had the Leg of Lamb while I enjoyed the Shepherd's Pie

We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment and atmosphere and stayed for a couple hours to take it all in. The Danny Mann Pub was precisely what I envisioned when I think of a traditional "Irish Pub", and it is a fond memory for us in Killarney :)

The Country Market (Castleisland, Ireland)

After a long day driving around the Ring of Kerry and making our way up to Castleisland for the night, we found we couldn't check into our B&B early, so we made our way into town to find some supper.

Castleisland was an adorable little town that, while we were less than impressed with, we probably needed at this point in the trip. We did manage to find food there, but it definitely was not at all geared towards tourism at all. It is a good 20 miles past Killarney, and an equal distance from Dingle, and after asking multiple people on the street, it was pretty obvious that for some good Irish food, we probably should have stopped at one of the two cities along the way.

There isn't much of a nightlife there, nor is there much decent shopping, so we found ourselves somewhat bored until we were able to check into our B&B.



The food was good at The Country Market, but nothing to write home about. I vaguely recall some sort of pressed sandwich and fries, but it was more like a lunchroom cafe type of feel, not a relaxing, laid-back pub like we were hoping for.

If we had it to do all over again, we would have still stayed in Castleisland, because the B&B was incredible, but we probably would have spent most of the evening in Killarney instead of rushing ahead to Castleisland.

Durty Nelly's (Bunratty, Ireland)

While in Ireland, one of the "absolute must go" eateries was Durty Nelly's right next to Bunratty Castle. I'm sure that this very highly-recommended pub was actually more of an evening recommendation, but we already had reservations for a medieval banquet at Dungaire Castle that evening, so we decided to visit for lunch before visiting the Bunratty Castle and Folk Park that afternoon.

We decided to (once again) split a sandwich and soup for lunch, which were both good! Of course, even at this point in our trip, we were still trying to adjust to the blended-style of soup in Ireland. We're so used to chunky soup in the Midwest, so while the flavor was always very good, we did miss the chunks of carrots and potatoes.

One of our favorite parts of visiting these pubs in Ireland was the atmosphere - and the feeling that you just met new friends everywhere you went. Perhaps it's the fact that most everyone you meet is also on the vacation of their dreams - perhaps it's just that everyone is really that friendly. Either way, we met a large group of older folks from the states that we visited with for a good hour before heading off to the castle. We swapped cameras for a few quick pics first :)

The White House Restaurant (Kinsale, Ireland)

Kinsale is one of our absolute favorite cities from our trip to Ireland :) The city is just ablaze with bright colors and shops, a little seaside bay, and the cutest little B&B - Danabel - which is where we got the recommendation for The White House for supper the night we stayed there.

I ordered the Famous White House Seafood Pancakes (INCREDIBLE!!), and I have absolutely no reservations saying this is to DIE for! It was incredible! But, eaten regularly, it would also probably give you a heart attack :)

Mark went a little safer with the Stir Fried Chicken, which he said was very good as well!

The place was jam-packed, but our service was still good! Granted, we probably would have rather had a bigger table, as it was pretty tiny.

Kyteler's Inn (Kilkenny, Ireland)

After our first day with a car, learning to drive in Ireland, we finally made it (after a few wrong turns, of course) to Kilkenny, and at the suggestion of the owner of the Bed and Breakfast we were staying at, we ventured to downtown Kilkenny and tried out Kyteler's Inn.

If you weren't aware, the Inn is supposedly haunted! You can check out the story behind this on their website: http://www.kytelersinn.ie/history.asp


Mark tried the Kyteler's Traditional Irish Stew while I ordered the Kyteler's Traditional Shepherds Pie. Both were pretty good, but the atmosphere was the best! Of course, I completely forgot to take any pictures inside, but we're really glad we decided to go with Kyteler's!

Cassoni's Fish and Chips (Bray, Ireland)

We stopped for some fish and chips in Bray, about 30 miles out of Dublin, after picking up our rental car at Hertz (and learning to drive on the opposite side of the car AND road).

Some of the best fried fish I've EVER had, although I missed my tarter sauce. They serve fish with mayo and malt vinegar in Ireland, and while it's good, I still missed tarter sauce :)

The view was pretty great from their upstairs dining area. Cassoni's is rated very high on the best fish in the country, and I'd have to agree! I'd go back!

Bewley's Cafe (Dublin, Ireland)

Our final night in Dublin before exploring the rest of the country, we struggled to know where to eat - not wanting to miss out, but also not wanting to walk too terribly far. Bewley's Cafe just drew us right in, and we were glad we decided to stop!

I do fully realize that this picture may or may not actually appeal to you, but it.was.incredible! We got this deal where we got an appetizer of brown bread slices, a Parma Ham (with mushrooms) pizza and dessert for 20 euro, which - in Ireland - is a fantastic deal!


As part of the meal deal, we got this yummy Connemara Pie with some pirouettes!

Stage Door Cafe in Temple Bar (Dublin, Ireland)

After a long, overcast afternoon of walking, we made our way over to the Temple Bar area to see if we could find some lunch before our Dublin Bus tour to Malahide Castle and Howth. What a fun area to check out! We decided the Stage Door Cafe looked pretty cool, so we decided to pop in and split a bowl of soup and sandwich.


We both just loved the cozy, warm feel of this place :) It was exactly what we pictured when planning the trip - hanging out in an Irish cafe (or pub) with a bowl of soup while it rains gently outside :)


Unfortunately, at the point we spotted this really cool clock, we also realized that we were running extremely late for our bus tour, and ended up having to run about 10 blocks to the bus terminal for our tour! We made it, though :)