McDonagh's Seafood House

McDonagh's Seafood House Review

This longtime Galway landmark is partly a self-service fish-and-chips bar ($) and partly a "real" fish restaurant. If you haven't yet tried fish-and-chips, this is the place to start: cod, whiting, mackerel, haddock, or hake is deep-fried in a light batter while you watch. The reasonably priced fish is served with a heap of fabulous freshly cooked chips (which have won a nationwide competition for the best french fries in Ireland), and eaten at communal tables—a great way to meet the locals. Or go for the slightly more expensive Seafood Restaurant menu: Galway oysters au naturel, perhaps, followed by seared scallops with black pudding; or splurge on a seafood platter—local mussels, scallops, prawns, and oysters in a garlic-and-wine sauce. The McDonaghs are one of Galway's biggest entrepreneurial families, in charge of several hotels in addition to this spot.