One holidaymaker says a Clifden pub served up the best lamb stew of their entire trip to Ireland – and the review is a reminder that Connemara lamb is still the dish visitors come looking for.
Writing on Tripadvisor in September, the diner – posting as Didier B – praised everything at Guys Seafood Bar on Clifden’s Main Street, from the setting to the smiles of the staff. Then came the line every kitchen dreams of: “I ate the best Irish lamb stew of my trip there“.
The review was headlined simply “Best lamb stew!!!!” – four exclamation marks and all.
A seafood bar famous for… lamb
There is a twist in the tale. Guys is best known for its fish, chowder and seafood – it’s right there in the name. But the review shows how a classic Irish stew, made with local lamb, can steal the show even in a seafood house.
Guys Seafood Bar sits at number one on Tripadvisor’s list of the best restaurants in Connemara, with a rating of 4.5 out of 5 from more than 1,800 reviews. Other recent diners described “fabulous food” and great value for portion sizes in October.
It’s not all glowing, though. One business traveller in September said he waited 35 minutes for a lunch special that never came and complained about the attitude at the bar. As any Clifden local knows, the town’s pubs and restaurants are under serious pressure in high season.
READ MORE
➤ A TASTE OF NOVEMBER: Blas na Samhna food festival enters its final fortnight
➤ SMOKED TO PERFECTION: the Tír an Fhia salmon firm crowned Ireland’s best organic exporter
➤ CHRISTMAS IN THE WEST: every Galway and Connemara Christmas market
Clifden’s great lamb debate
Guys isn’t the only Clifden kitchen winning praise for its lamb. A trawl of recent reviews shows Connemara lamb is the dish that keeps coming up:
- Ardagh Restaurant, on the Ballyconneely Road: one reviewer called its Connemara rack of lamb “glorious”.
- The Willow Tree: a diner said the Connemara rack of lamb was “super” after the Thai mussels impressed the night before.
- Mannion’s Seafood Bar & Restaurant: a recent visitor rated the Connemara lamb stew “excellent”.
- Ravi’s Bar and Restaurant: a June reviewer said the lamb chops were “superb”.
So the question for locals: who really does the best lamb in Clifden? Let us know on our Facebook page.
Why Connemara lamb tastes different
Connemara hill lamb is raised on the mountains and bogs of west Galway, and it turns up on menus right across Clifden – from rack of lamb in the town’s fine-dining rooms to stew in its pubs.
Clifden’s food scene is having a strong year. If you’re eating out this month, Galway’s Blas na Samhna food festival is running one-off dinners and tastings until the end of November.
Before you go
- Guys Seafood Bar, Main Street, Clifden H71 Y277. Phone 095 21130.
- It gets busy in the evenings, so book or arrive early.
- Opening hours change in winter, so check before you travel.
Reviews quoted are the personal opinions of individual diners posted on Tripadvisor and Wanderlog, not the views of the Connemara Journal.
Sources: Tripadvisor – Guys Seafood Bar, Tripadvisor – best restaurants in Connemara, Wanderlog
Leave a Reply