MacNeill's Bar

Name: MacNeill's Bar
Address: 14-15 Eyre Square Galway, County Galway, Galway, Ireland, Republic of, H91 NFD2
Telephone: (091) 564 041
Price range: €30 and under
Rating: 3.7

3.7 (35)

€30 and under

Irish

14-15 Eyre Square Galway, County Galway, Galway H91 NFD2

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 6, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 5 times today

About this restaurant

Charming
Good for special occasions
Romantic

Nestled beneath the iconic Hardiman, MacNeill’s is a gastropub brimming with charm and character, offering a warm and intimate haven in the heart of Eyre Square, Galway. With its rich history and inviting atmosphere, MacNeill’s boasts a timeless Irish pub ambiance, enhanced by dark wood panelling, stained glass windows, and cosy nooks perfect for unwinding. Over the centuries, MacNeill’s has been a favourite spot for locals and it continues to blend tradition with a modern twist, making it the go-to destination for food, drink, and camaraderie.

For Private parties or tables of 20 + please email us or call 091 564041.

Live music every Thursday (Trad Session), Friday and Saturday evening.

Live sports shown also each day.

Serving Pub Food – lunch, dinner and small bites with the best pints and cocktails!

Enjoy the best pub food around!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
€30 and under
Cuisines
Irish, Gastro Pub, Pub
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–11:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(091) 564 041
Website
https://www.thehardiman.ie/hotel-dining/macneills-pub/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
14-15 Eyre Square Galway, County Galway, Galway H91 NFD2
Neighborhood
Galway City Centre
Parking details
None
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Vegan, Wine

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Chicken Wings (BBQ or Korean Gougijang)€7.00
celery sticks, blue cheese dip (3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Crispy Chicken Taco€7.00
guacamole, salsa, sour cream (1, 3, 7, 12)
Galway Goats Cheese Bruschetta€7.00
black olives, confit tomatoes, pesto (1a, 7)
Killary Mussels of the day€7.00
(4, 14)
Crispy Fried Squid€7.00
yuzu aioli (3, 10, 14)
Tortilla Crisps€7.00
guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo dubliner cheese (7, 12)
Mac & Cheese Croquette€7.00
truffle mayo & parmesan (1a, 3, 7, 10)
Smoked Hegarty's Cheese€7.00
chorizo Jam on sourdough (1a, 3, 4, 7, 10)

MacNeill's Mains

Seaweed Battered Fish of the Day€19.50
minted pea, chunky tartar sauce, chips (1a, 3, 4, 7, 10)
Connemara Lamb Stew€19.50
root vegetables, baby potato, pearl barley, watercress (1a, 3, 7, 9)
Crispy Fried Korean Chicken Burger€19.50
brioche bun, kimchi slaw, house pickles, coriander mayo (1a, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12)
6oz Beef Burger€19.50
brioche bun, mature cheddar, onion, beef tomato, pickles, chips (1a, 3, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Vegetable Dahl€19.50
chickpea, cauliflower, kale, coriander yogurt, basmati rice, grilled flat bread (7, 8, 9)
Striploin Steak Sandwich€22.50
confit garlic, rocket, caramelised onion, roast red pepper, chips, peppered sauce (1a, 3, 12)
Large Bowl Chicken Wings€18.50
BBQ or korean gougijang, celery sticks, blue cheese, chips (3, 6, 7, 9, 10, 12)
Mussels of the day, chips€18.50
(please ask Server for Details) (1a, 14)

What 35 people are saying

MacNeill's Bar reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

3.7

3.7 based on recent ratings

4.0Food
3.5Service
3.8Ambience
3.8Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Galway City
Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

MacNeill's Bar offers a lively atmosphere highlighted by "outstanding chicken wings" and "fantastic service." The bar is known for its traditional Irish music and "very nice" staff. While the food is generally praised, service and organization can be inconsistent. Some guests appreciate the "lovely atmosphere," but others note issues with noise levels and special requests.

35 Reviews

N
Noel
Connacht1 review
2.0
Dined on June 23, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
I booked a table at MacNeill’s Bar for a family of five (4 adults and 1 teenager) via OpenTable for 7:30pm on Monday, June 23rd. During the booking process, I was given the option of low or high-top seating and selected high-top. However, upon arrival, we were seated in the low-seating area at the back corner of the restaurant. Although it wasn’t what we requested, we accepted it without complaint. We ordered drinks and food, but as time went on, the atmosphere became quite uncomfortable — the noise level was very high, with a large number of loud (albeit friendly) American tourists nearby, and a vocal baby added to the noise. A large TV was also on near us, adding to the disruption. The lighting was quite bright and overall not what we had expected. Eventually, we asked to move to a high-top table in the front bar area, which the staff accommodated without issue. This area was much better — quieter, with a window view overlooking stairs to the basement. A speaker outside on the stairs played traditional Irish music, which we could hear clearly from our table. While clearly aimed at tourists, it was still preferable to the previous noise. The food was good — not exceptional, but decent. We all ordered burgers and chips. However, service was lacking. We had to ask twice for drinks, and a request for tomato ketchup was never fulfilled. While the staff were friendly, the overall service was poor. The final bill came to €215, which I thought was reasonable. However, due to the poor service, I chose not to leave a tip — something I very rarely do, as I normally tip well when service meets expectations. Overall, the atmosphere wasn’t great, and I wouldn’t return.
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S
Sara
Connacht1 review
3.0
Dined on June 2, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 2
If you're planning to celebrate a special occasion that requires attention, I advise against choosing this place. I booked a table for ten to celebrate a birthday with friends. My daughter brought candles to the restaurant so they could be placed on a dessert for us to sing "Happy Birthday." However, they completely forgot about the birthday celebration. They served all the desserts without any candles, and when I asked for one, they only brought out a single used candle placed on a spoonful of ice cream. When I later requested to get our candles back, they didn’t even realize we had brought them. There was a complete lack of communication, and it was clear that the special requirements noted in our reservation were never acknowledged..
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E
Eileen
Jacksonville / Northeast Florida1 review
5.0
Dined on May 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
We did the small plates and had the chicken wings, which were outstanding the goat cheese. One was the best. We were lucky enough to be there on a Nike where they had traditional music playing during dinner love the whole atmosphere.
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S
Sarah
London1 review
5.0
Dined on April 19, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is a great place to eat the service and food were fantastic. The staff are so polite and so helpful, would definitely return!!
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M
Maria
Connacht1 review
5.0
Dined on March 30, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Underrated! Food was amazing, great choice, great service and lovely atmosphere
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P
Patrick
Dublin1 review
5.0
Dined on March 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
very good experience, food great. Staff were very nice
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c
catherine
Connacht1 review
2.0
Dined on March 17, 2025
1. Overall 2
2. Food 4
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 2
Hard to get staff to order. Didnt seem to be enough staff on. I asked the waitress where the bathroom was she said over there and walked off, was suprised by that. Food was very nice, good price too
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OT
OpenTable Diner
London2 reviews
4.0
Dined on February 28, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Bar was quiet when we came in and lots of staff. Food was good and service was good too we had a nice evening in the bar with live music after we had dinner
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C
Caroline VIP
Dublin11 reviews
3.0
Dined on January 26, 2025
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
It’s a nice looking bar but the food was very bland. The food was expensive for what it was. Better places to eat in Galway.
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S
Sophie
Connacht1 review
1.0
Dined on January 13, 2025
1. Overall 1
2. Food 3
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 4
I had a very frustrating experience at McNeills Bar & Restaurant on January 13th, 2025, which prompted me to write this review despite my usual reluctance to share negative feedback. I had made a reservation for five people on January 9th at 7 PM, but when we arrived, the staff was disorganized and had no knowledge of our booking. It took a while to sort out a table for us, and when we were finally seated, there were no cutlery, glasses, or water at the table. We sat there for 25 minutes without being acknowledged by any staff to place a drink or food order, so I had to approach the bar myself just to ask if we could order drinks. Once we were able to get the attention of a waiter, he was disorganized, taking one person’s order at a time and walking away before others could place theirs. After we asked if the rest of the group could order, he returned, and I at least got my glass of wine—though the delay in receiving our drinks was maddening. It took an hour and 20 minutes for two cocktails to arrive. I went up to the bar three times to check on the drinks, only to be told there was just one person making them, despite three staff members behind the bar who completely ignored me until I raised my voice. When the food finally arrived, it was excellent—definitely the highlight of the evening. However, it came without any cutlery, and when I asked the bar for some, a staff member shouted at her colleague in front of us. This was unprofessional and unpleasant. It seemed like the staff was more focused on ordering each other around than providing service to customers. Though the food was good, the overall experience was ruined by disorganized and inefficient staff. There was a clear lack of initiative, and it was evident that the staff had no organization or common sense in handling tasks. While I can usually overlook minor service hiccups, the sheer disarray at McNeills made this visit particularly disappointing. To make matters worse, the cocktails were undrinkable
MacNeill's BarResponded on January 18, 2025
Dear Sophie, I have already sent a reply privately to you there., Kind Regards, Patrick
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FAQs

MacNeill's Bar is rated 3.7 stars by 35 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jul 6, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 5 times today

14-15 Eyre Square Galway, County Galway, Galway H91 NFD2

Additional information

Neighborhood
Galway City Centre
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 12:00 pm–11:30 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 12:00 pm–11:00 pm
Price
€30 and under
Cuisines
Irish, Gastro Pub, Pub
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
None
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Additional
Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Vegan, Wine

Website
https://www.thehardiman.ie/hotel-dining/macneills-pub/
Phone number
(091) 564 041

MacNeill's Bar

Make a reservation

About this restaurant

Additional information

Ask Concierge
AI Beta

Menu

Small Plates €7 each, 3 for €20, 5 for €30

Chicken Wings (BBQ or Korean Gougijang)€7.00

Crispy Chicken Taco€7.00

Galway Goats Cheese Bruschetta€7.00

Killary Mussels of the day€7.00

Crispy Fried Squid€7.00

Tortilla Crisps€7.00

Mac & Cheese Croquette€7.00

Smoked Hegarty's Cheese€7.00

MacNeill's Mains

Seaweed Battered Fish of the Day€19.50

Connemara Lamb Stew€19.50

Crispy Fried Korean Chicken Burger€19.50

6oz Beef Burger€19.50

Vegetable Dahl€19.50

Striploin Steak Sandwich€22.50

Large Bowl Chicken Wings€18.50

Mussels of the day, chips€18.50

What 35 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is MacNeill's Bar restaurant rated?

Is MacNeill's Bar currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information