Ireland's Best Seafood Restaurants Picked By Our Michelin Chefs

The Irish Independent just asked Ireland's Michelin-starred chefs where they eat seafood on their day off. These are the best chefs in Ireland, they are in a close knit industry, so if they are recommending a place to eat, you should eat there.

Clare is the Seafood Capital

Clare is the seafood hotspot of Ireland. Vaughan's Anchor Inn & Linnane's Lobster Bar were each recommended three times.

Combine your time at the Cliffs of Moher with a reservation at one of these restaurants. A very good friend of mine is a well known chef from Clare and he says that all the tourists who go to Doolin are missing out on the real Clare charm in Liscannor. Stay in Liscannor instead!

Dublin's Best Fish & Chips

Fish Shop in Smithfield is also picked three times. I am a simplicity lover and their tiny menu is a joy to read. I chuckle when I read people recommending tourist traps like the Hairy Lemon or Brazen Head as having the best fish & chips in Dublin. Let them go there while you head to Fish Shop, although I almost hesitated sharing this because it's small and I don't want it ruined.

Klaw there gets a pick for its lobster roll. It's in the quiet end of Temple Bar. Pick up a book at the wonderful Gutter Bookshop afterwards.

King Sitric in Howth gets a recommendation. King Sitric has highly rated accommodation too. Spend a night there, enjoy a meal and the calm of Howth after the day trippers have left. Come on my walking tour when you are in Howth!

Blackrock in Dublin is home to the 2 Michelin star Liath and its chef, Damien Grey, recommends Sea Shanty in the same village. It can be hard to get a reservation at Liath (The Irish word for grey), so go to Sea Shanty instead.

Do my Coastal Dublin walking tour in the morning and have lunch in the Sea Shanty afterwards.

The Best Seafood Restaurants In Ireland

Here's the full list organized by county. You get not just the recommended seafood restaurants but also a list of the Michelin starred restaurants of Ireland.

Belfast

• Stock Kitchen and Bar | St George's Market, Belfast | stockbelfast.com
  • Recommended by: Stevie Toman | Ox, Belfast

Co. Clare

• Vaughan's Anchor Inn | Liscannor, Co Clare | vaughans.ie
  • Recommended by: Mickael Viljanen | Chapter One, Dublin
  • Recommended by: Kieran Glennon | Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, Dublin
  • Recommended by: Mike Tweedie | The Oak Room, Adare Manor, Limerick
• Linnane's Lobster Bar | New Quay, Co Clare | linnanesbar.com
  • Recommended by: Adam Nevin | Morrison Room, Carton House, Kildare
  • Recommended by: Danny Africano | Lignum, Galway
  • Recommended by: Robbie McCauley | Homestead Cottage, Doolin, Co Clare

Co. Cork

• The Fish Basket | Long Strand Beach, Co Cork | thefishbasket.ie
  • Recommended by: Ahmet Dede | Dede, Baltimore, Co Cork
• Goldie | Oliver Plunkett Street, Cork | goldie.ie
  • Recommended by: Vincent Crepel | Terre, Castlemartyr, Cork
• Fishy Fishy Restaurant | Kinsale, Co Cork | fishyfishy.ie
  • Recommended by: Garrett Byrne | Campagne, Co Kilkenny
• Dunmore House | Clonakilty, Co Cork | dunmorehousehotel.ie
  • Recommended by: Paul McDonald | Bastion, Kinsale, Cork

Co. Donegal

• Fisk | Downings, Co Donegal | fiskseafoodbar.com
  • Recommended by: Gareth McCaughey | The Muddlers Club, Belfast

Co. Dublin

• Sea Shanty | Blackrock, Co Dublin | @seashantyblackrock
  • Recommended by: Damien Grey | Liath, Dublin
• Fish Shop | Smithfield, Dublin 7 | fish-shop.ie
  • Recommended by: Keelan Higgs | Variety Jones, Dublin
  • Recommended by: Andy McFadden | Glovers Alley, Dublin
  • Recommended by: James Moore | D'Olier Street, Dublin
• Klaw Seafood Café | Temple Bar, Dublin 2 | klaw.ie
  • Recommended by: Rob Krawczyk | Chestnut, Ballydehob, West Cork
• King Sitric Seafood Bar | Howth, Co Dublin | kingsitric.ie
  • Recommended by: Stephen Hayes | The Bishop's Buttery, Cashel, Tipperary

Co. Galway

• The Seafood Bar @ Kirwan's Lane | Galway | kirwanslane.ie
  • Recommended by: JP McMahon | Aniar, Galway

Co. Wexford

• Mary Barry's Seafood Restaurant | Kilmore, Co Wexford | marybarrys.ie
  • Recommended by: John Kelly | Lady Helen, Mount Juliet, Co Kilkenny
• The Lobster Pot | Carne, Co Wexford | lobsterpotwexford.com
  • Recommended by: Josef Zammit | House Restaurant, Ardmore, Co Waterford
• Wild and Native | Rosslare, Co Wexford | wildandnative.ie
  • Recommended by: Killian Walsh | Bastible, Dublin

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