Olde Castle Seafood Bar image

Olde Castle Seafood Bar

Restaurant Bar Seafood restaurant

One of the Best Places To Visits in Donegal ED


Address

Castle St, Donegal, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal, Ireland

Website

oldecastlebar.com

Contact

+353 74 972 1262

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

4.50 (1.4K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Wednesday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Thursday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Friday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Saturday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Sunday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Monday: 11 am to 8 pm
  • Tuesday: 11 am to 8 pm

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: good (20) service (17) Great (16) fish (14) seafood (14) staff (13) delicious (11) Donegal (10) table (9) friendly (9)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 2/5 Vilnis V. 1 year ago on Google
    Place is on the main street in Donegal town, very lively and busy spot. But I would call it a tourist trap, things are overpriced and actually very bad quality. We ordered fish and chips that most likely was made from frozen fish and missing all the seasoning, if they wouldn't serve lemon and salt , probably not possible to enjoy at all. The worst thing was when we ordered steak on the sourdough, well done version came looking and tasting like a "shoe". Disgrace to make steak like that at all. The only thing that is priced like everywhere else is beer. Would not go back and would recommend to do more research and find some other spot in the town, where to enjoy better quality food. This place doesn't deserve high ratings on Google at all.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Sibeesh V. 2 years ago on Google
    The food was delicious. We have tried a burger, chicken wrap and the garlic bread. The restaurant is near the Donegal Castle. The place is crowded and you may have to wait a little to get a table for you. The food usually takes 10-20 minutes to be served. I recommend this place.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 niken a. 11 months ago on Google
    Great lively ambience! We came just before lunch time on weekend and the place filled up fast. Wide selection for food. Portion were massive and overall food was good. We really enjoyed the soup of the day and the mussels. The only thing was the seafood linguine sauce is too sour for my preference.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Stephen T. 1 year ago on Google
    Great place for dinner or a drink. Everything was delicious. (Excellent fish and chips!) Friendly staff, even on a busy night. Great atmosphere!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Gael B. 1 year ago on Google
    You will be sitting in a old look castle, very busy and it closes pretty early, so it is better to book in advance if you want to have a chance to try this amazing restaurant ! But you will have the feeling of eating like few centuries ago with this mix of wood and old stones. Specialties from the bay, very famous for their fishes! I had the Supreme Chicken, Best food I had in Northern part of Ireland so far! Really recommend this beautiful place.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Ryan M. 1 year ago on Google
    This bar is every image of an Irish pub I've ever had. The low ceilings, wood accents, intimate seating and bar selection were like a travel poster, but they were all real. They also have outdoor seating with a view of the castle across the street. The "Diamond" shopping are is right there outside the door and several hotels and B&B's within a 5 minute stroll. The vibe was warm and friendly and very welcoming. If you want the classic pub/bar experience this is it.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Shona Lisa M. 1 year ago on Google
    THE place to go when in Donegal! I wished we’d have gone here every night we were in town. The pub itself is a quaint little place with such cool memorabilia everywhere. The service is fantastic. We had chowder for starters which was so delicious, the fish pie was so so good! The venison pie was incredible. Guinness was cold and delightful too. Great prices too. Highly recommend.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Jill S. 8 months ago on Google
    Stopped in here and had a really nice dinner. I had the Olde Castle seafood platter and my husband had the venison pie. We enjoyed both. My seafood was a tiny bit over cooked but there was a good variety and the flavor was good. Great location too.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Mickey Q. 7 months ago on Google
    The food was delicious and the place was warm and inviting. Drinks were great. The service was horrendous! I realized they were busy, but when the table of 4 who came in 15 minutes after us were served their food before ours, I was not pleased. Then had to stop 2 people to inquire about our order. Finally showed up. Food was very good! Again had to grab someone to get dessert. Waiting again! If you want to wait forever for someone to acknowledge you, then this is the place to eat!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 2/5 Kyle 4 years ago on Google
    Weird smell in back of bar

  • 4/5 Ast F. 4 years ago on Google
    Great place for a quiet meal and drinks

  • 5/5 -Tracey -. 4 years ago on Google
    Always a lovely cozy place to dine.

  • 5/5 Toastmaster Derek J Ewing M. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice atmosphere, nice people and good food.

  • 4/5 patrick b. 4 years ago on Google
    Small but friendly staff we didn't eat

  • 5/5 Jordan R. 4 years ago on Google
    Awesome people. Awesome food.

  • 4/5 Shawna L. 1 year ago on Google
    Best Guinness in Donegal and served cold (as it should be!) This homey, traditional Irish pub has friendly service and a warm atmosphere, but is known for its perfectly chilled draught Guinness, which I sampled myself and have to agree it's delicious! The raw oysters were mouth-watering and I enjoyed the seafood chowder immensely. If you are here I'd suggest the fish and chips or fresh seafood, and steer clear of the smoked salmon and "prawn" with bread. (It's an open-faced sandwich with pink baby shrimp not what we consider prawns which may disappoint.) The most attentive table service here is during non-peak times and you'll need to approach the bar to settle your bill instead of waiting for it. All in all great place for a pint!

  • 5/5 Roger N. 4 years ago on Google
    Great food and polite staff would highly rec6

  • 5/5 Dorothy C. 4 years ago on Google
    Lovely cosy friendly place.

  • 5/5 Daniel R. 4 years ago on Google
    Great food

  • 5/5 Kenny M. 4 years ago on Google
    This place is a must! The options are not mind blowing, however the quality and execution of the classic dishes is espectacular. The seafood is wonderful a must try, the cider on tap is sparkly and refreshing. If you are walking around after visiting the Donegal Castle I highly recommend stopping by this restaurant. It is not wheelchair accessible, there are a few steps inside the restaurant. The staff was so welcoming and ready to provide a recommendation.

  • 5/5 Gerald D. 1 year ago on Google
    Was in Donegal for the long weekend and wanted to get my 14 year old daughter to try lobster for the first time. Thankfully they did have it available, because it is not always on the menu. We also shared a seafood platter for one. All I can say is 'EXCEPTIONAL '! I will let the picture talk for itself!

  • 4/5 Karl L. 1 year ago on Google
    Much better than we experienced last night at another restaurant, her burger and my venison pie were tasty and well cooked. Service was pleasant too, prices more reasonable. Get there early for a seat as they don't take reservations.

  • 5/5 Ina S. 1 year ago on Google
    I know this locale is in the middle of a tourist area and in the summer I'm sure we couldn't just have walked in and asked for a table as we did (it's the middle of October); I'm glad that we didn't pass up the opportunity to visit. That quintessential pub atmosphere and very friendly service, along with absolutely wonderful food made this a "so happy we stopped in" visit! Fish pie and apple pie for dessert were my choices. I'm not a foodie in any sense of the term. I don't live to eat, I eat to live and can make do with a sandwich while on the road. However, I do appreciate good good and this late lunch was highly enjoyable. All of us (four people in our party of which two ARE foodies) are on the same page about this place! Fish and chips were not soggy and overcooked, the Calamari wasn't rubbery, the chips (French fries) were perfectly crispy. The apples in the 'pie' literally melted in my mouth. And, oh yeah, the restrooms are spotless!

  • 5/5 Aleksei E. 8 months ago on Google
    Great place to have a proper dinner after a challenging hike. Seafood dishes are delicious and properly prepared, kudos to the chef. Good selection of beers and hot drinks - Irish coffee was a saver, and helped to warm up. Desserts are very delicious, and most probably the best desserts I've ever tried in Ireland.

  • 5/5 Dennis O. 9 months ago on Google
    Great food! Service was a little slow as I imagine just because it was super busy. But I highly recommend the food!

  • 5/5 John-Paul M. 7 months ago on Google
    Amazing seafood platter, hit the spot, if you are with a partner you can probably share it for 1 and get another appetiser

  • 1/5 Shannon Shelby D. 8 months ago on Google
    We arrived to be met by a lovely lady who told us a table would be half an hour to get a drink which we did. The table was available before half an hour which was great. We were seated at a tiny table asp fine. Mussels were off the menu so I asked what was on the seafood platter to be told “different types of fish” , which I asked well could you tell me what they are please - and another member of staff named out the types of fish - severs of which turned out not to be on the dish - one including “mussels” I asked are you sure as it says sold out and she said yes as we keep portions for our sea food platter…. It arrived out with 3 types of salmon (2 hot and one cold) and no mussels. In which I asked is the mussels on their way? To be told “aw they must not have any” I said “I asked 2 members of staff to double check and would have changed it knowing there was no mussels” to be told “we’ll there’s nothing I can do now”…. End of meal as we both had finger fish food I asked “could I get a bowl of hot water, lemon, ice for my fingers”… where I watched a staff member go over to the turn on the boiling water into the bowl with a lemon and bring it down to us…. Not only would be be scalded thankfully I had watched him so knew not to but others would not have seen this as we were sitting in front of the bar.. I then had to go to the bar to ask for ice to cool it down. We order lobster also and our bill was €101.30 - to have paid this and have the service we did was outrageous. All in all would not go back

  • 5/5 Colleen O. 6 months ago on Google
    Had lunch here right across from O'Donnell castle. Great atmosphere. We had the burger, steak sandwich and shredded chicken (chicken salad for USA folks) and all were very good. Recommend!

  • 5/5 Noah M. 6 months ago on Google
    They say it’s hard to get pub food wrong but it’s even harder to do it very well! On that note it’s rare you come across a genuinely excellent fish and chips but this place nailed it - crispy batter and perfectly cooked fresh fish. Would have loved a few more chips as they were also top!

  • 5/5 Molly C. 6 months ago on Google
    Had the lamb hotpot and it was delicious. Loved the cozy atmosphere. Looking forward to eating here again!

  • 1/5 Geraldine D. 5 months ago on Google
    Had lunch here. Ordered the Mussels and seafood platter. Mussels cooked in a garlic water.....dreadful. I was hungry and under time pressure so ate them the Mussels themselves were good. €38 for a seafood platter- very disappointing. Couple of shrimp- couldn't call them prawns, 3 chunks of fish, 1 Oyster, few Mussels and I think there was some smoked salmon and salad fillers. The skinny fries were good. Service was pleasant and efficient.

  • 5/5 Marian O. 3 years ago on Google
    Food was delicious along with the service! Felt very safe in a Covid world and very clean

  • 5/5 Lost R. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice old looking bar, good selection of food even at lunch. I went for the mixed seafood plate, and i couldn't chose better: high quality fish, tasty and definitely well cooked and served. The young girl who served us is really kind, and let us feel comfortable like at home. Truly suggested!

  • 5/5 Dan 3 years ago on Google
    Traveled from Dublin to get the best Donegal chowder . What else should I say?

  • 5/5 James K. 3 years ago on Google
    Friendly staff and food was 5 stars, well worth a visit

  • 1/5 Tony O. 3 years ago on Google
    Called into this establishment this evening at 7.30. We were left waiting at the counter for 5 minutes, while the front of house gentleman ignored us. Then as he approached us we enquirefd if we could book a table for 4 In a very abrupt manner he told us there was no table available. when we asked if he could recommend another establishment in Donegal towh his reply was NO. A lot of front house training is needed here. Tony O Connor.

  • 1/5 Brendan D. 3 years ago on Google
    Rude front of house person. The owner of this business must realise how badly he is treating customers. Very poor experience.

  • 5/5 davy m. 3 years ago on Google
    Had the sea food chowder which was great with a pint of Guinness. Make the most of what you can get at the moment ??

  • 5/5 Anthony D. 4 years ago on Google
    We randomly stepped in this pub for lunch and have been amazed by the food. The dishes are really delicious, way above what we can find in the most of the Irish pubs. The seafood was very fresh and tasty, with a very good price.

  • 4/5 Joe C. 4 years ago on Google
    We arrived at. Very busy lunch hour. The service was okay and the fid good.

  • 1/5 Zdravko K. 3 years ago on Google
    Lamb kebab!!!Potato hard ,15 grams of rubber "lamb".... and price for that is 17.50 e!! oo yea sauce big fail ...omg 17.50e

  • 5/5 Louise 3 years ago on Google
    Had the oven Hake & cheesecake, both were delicious! Dog friendly also! Would definitely visit again!

  • 5/5 Amanda O N. 3 years ago on Google
    Fabulous fresh food, the kind you'd find in a fancy restaurant, even better than most fancy restaurants. Friendly and efficient staff. Love going to this place.

  • 3/5 Annette H. 3 years ago on Google
    Just had meal, food was great very disappointed when we asked for another drink and told we had used our hour and 45 minutes,. When we arrived, there was a couple who had been there 30 minutes before us, we even had a drink with them. They were there 2 hours and 15 minutes. Very disappointed

  • 5/5 Tadhg M. 3 years ago on Google
    Not cheap but the service and food was excellent.

  • 5/5 Laurence K. 3 years ago on Google
    Very good food and service

  • 5/5 Linda C. 3 years ago on Google
    My partner and I were here for a meal for my birthday. We were super impressed. I had the fish cakes which were beautiful. My partner had the 10 oz sirloin, he said it was lovely

  • 5/5 George S. 4 years ago on Google
    Nice old looking bar - restaurant! Very good selection of food! High quality fish, tasty and definitely well cooked and served. The young girl who served us is really kind, and let us feel comfortable like at home. Truly suggested!

  • 4/5 KYOUNGMIN L. 3 years ago on Google
    Really good.

  • 5/5 adrian b. 3 years ago on Google
    Great food as always, friendly service, very good covid processes to ensure that we were comfortable and safe. Always a place to visit in Donegal town.

  • 5/5 John P. 3 years ago on Google
    Good food and service. On street parking.

  • 5/5 Pamela N. 3 years ago on Google
    Food and service were excellent.

  • 5/5 pollyperks2005 3 years ago on Google
    Amazing food as usual, love this bar & restaurant. So cosy and lovely staff.

  • 5/5 Dalia A. 3 years ago on Google
    Highly recommended

  • 5/5 Katherine G. 3 years ago on Google
    Excellent food friendly staff in the centre of Donegal Town well worth a visit.

  • 4/5 Jacueline R. 3 years ago on Google
    Nice food and staff

  • 5/5 Orla C. 3 years ago on Google
    Lovely food and great service

  • 5/5 Elisabeth S. 3 years ago on Google
    Nice service and good food.

  • 5/5 Karl K. 4 years ago on Google
    Great food and great staff

  • 5/5 Janice C. 4 years ago on Google
    Fabulous place, beautiful food and friendly service will be back

  • 5/5 Brennan H. 4 years ago on Google
    Great service, easy location, usually good food and specials

  • 4/5 Ingrid R. 4 years ago on Google
    (Translated by Google) Great old inn Great seafood !! (Original) Klasse altes Wirtshaus Tolles Seafood!!


Call +353 74 972 1262 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Spirits
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Late-night food
    • ✓️ Vegetarian options
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible toilet
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Takeaway
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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