Ard Bia at Nimmos

After a lot of not so healthy pub food in Ireland and Scotland, lunch here was a treat! We stopped in for a late lunch, no reservation, and got seated right away in a cozy alcove of this little cottage (the décor is very Anthropologie-​esque). Very vegetarian friendly lunch menu, we had hummus sandwich, big quinoa salad, and avocado and eggs. We were too full to get dessert, but there were fresh baked goods on a counter that looked delicious.

Hands down, the best meal we had in Ireland. Our crew ended our vacation with an amazing dinner at Ard bia. The service was so friendly, and we got to chat with the guys a bit as the night was just getting started. We had mussels, salads, steak, and the veggie boxty. Everything was delicious and very well thought out. The bread was devoured! Start to finish, one of the best meals I’ve had in a while.

An excellent menu. The emphasis on quality and source of ingredients really shows through here. The dishes were all well-​seasoned, tasty, creative, and interesting. There were a few flaws in execution, but I still gave a 5 because the flavors were en pointe, and the ingredients were really top notch.
Reservations recommended. Service was a little slow but mainly because they were busy.
What I ordered:
* Pea + broad bean, wild garlic risotto, hazelnut picada– delicious, recommended
* Home cured + smoked Donegal mackerel, Ruby ale Cooleeney, purple violetta, pickled rhubarb– delicious, recommended
* Brady’s striploin steak, lemon crushed potatoes, sugar snap peas, smoked onion + cornichon butter– well-​seasoned, delicious, but unfortunately over cooked for my taste
* Pan roasted Atlantic hake, sauteed mushrooms, tarragon crème fraîche, sprouting kale– also delicious
* Parsley cake, goats ice cream, yoghurt — interesting. Not amazing in terms of flavors, but the creativity definitely/​uniqueness makes this one worth ordering.
Pea + broad bean, wild garlic risotto, hazelnut picada
— I love risotto and this was a very nice delivery of one. The wild garlic is delicious, and the freshness of the peas made this a really nice dish.
Home cured + smoked Donegal mackerel, Ruby ale Cooleeney, purple violetta, pickled rhubarb
— This was a nice balance of different flavors– acidity, saltiness, smokiness. The different components on the plate worked well together, and the quality of the ingredients showed through
Brady’s striploin steak, lemon crushed potatoes, sugar snap peas, smoked onion + cornichon butter
— Flavor-​wise this was my favorite dish. Delicious seasoned, paired with really nice elements on the plate and fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, I ordered a medium rare steak and it came back medium, with the accompanying chewiness and toughness that goes with it. I was really disappointed that it was overcooked because everything else was so well done that I think it would have been amazing if cooked correctly. I didn’t end up deducting a star because 1) the rest of the steak and the meal was so good, and 2) it’s possible my USA definition of medium rare is different from Ireland. I just don’t know, so benefit of the doubt given here.
Pan roasted Atlantic hake, sauteed mushrooms, tarragon crème fraîche, sprouting kale
— Delicious, tender, perfectly cooked. And as with all the other dishes, the quality of the ingredients was really showcased in this dish.
Parsley cake, goats ice cream, yoghurt
— Points definitely for creativity and interesting flavors. Parsley cake was not too sweet and had a nice parsley flavored that was subtle but not hidden. The goat’s milk ice cream was flavorful, albeit a little icy and therefore hard to cut with a spoon. And the yoghurt was good. Overall an interesting dish that gets points for creativity.

We had a fabulous brunch at Ard Bia.
First, I highly recommend reservations. We arrived shortly after Ard Bia opened for the day, and otherwise might not have secured a seat. We weren’t able to enjoy dinner without a reservation when we returned a day later for more.
I had some divine pancakes with berries and whipped mascarpone. We also shared a side of sausages that, like so many Irish breakfast meats, were salty and delicious. For a twist on a standard, I had a cardamom coffee, served Turkish-​style. It was good but I wish I’d opted for the normal brew.
Baked goods looked amazing, but I was too stuffed from my breakfast to try any.
Breakfast for two was 25 euro – a bargain for the high quality. I would definitely return to Ard Bia for breakfast, and would like to try it for another meal.

I happened upon Ard Bia by mistake since the brunch place I was looking for was closed. The restaurant is right through the Spanish Arch and overlooks the canal. From the outside it looks like a little shed or cottage but as soon as you squeeze in the front you realize it has a cozy atmosphere for brunch. I was on my own so I grabbed a seat at the coffee bar where I was able to watch the servers make artsy coffee designs and hear them crack jokes about customers.
I had the eggs Benedict with avocado mash with a Lebanese Cardamom coffee. The eggs were cooked perfectly and seasoned in a way I wasn’t used to but was really pleased with. The coffee was pretty strong and brewed with the beans so drinking every last drop wasn’t a good idea. However, the server warned me and said it was unusual but worth a try if I like my coffee black. The dishes were lovely and the pastries nearby looked decisions as well.
I definitely recommend if you’re looking something filling and flavorful! Or even for just a coffee since the inside is so adorable! Especially after a night on the square in Galway!

Talk about an inventive menu?
This is not stodgy Irish cuisine, far from it. And yet the elements that make up Irish food are all here, just served up in very inventive and tasty ways.
Reading the menu as a singular treat, having to choose was difficult.
Service was warm and helpful, and such a delightful place.
Enjoy!

So delicious! Everything we had from appetizers (risotto) to wine to the main courses (monkfish and boxty) were excellent. The décor is cute, romantic, and warm.

The atmosphere and food was absolutely amazing for a weekday brunch. The eggs were poached perfectly and the pesto with them complimented them well. The granola and yogurt was delicious — especially the berry compote on top. I only wish I lived closer so I could visit more often!

First time eating here and we’ll definitely be coming back. The food was amazing. Plenty of fish on the menu but also prime Irish beef. Great options for vegetarians in each course. Quality for money with portion sizes just perfect in 3 courses. Simple seasoning which bring out the natural flavours in the food was simply amazing, ie smoked onion seasoning with a wild mushroom sauce on the steak was 10 times better than any pepper or garlic butter sauce. The mustard leaf sauce mixed with a cool yoghurt made a very tasty accompaniment with the monkfish. Every course cooked to perfection. Well done Ard Bia, for the excellent menu and service.

Quaint place with an awesome old school European feel. People are so friendly and welcoming feels as if you are at someone’s house vs a restaurant. Yummy yum yum !!!

Stopped there for lunch. The place is cozy and the atmosphere is very nice.
The fish was fresh and tasty and there is a great choice of teas.
As Italian I’ve found the coffee a bit too roasted but the meal definitely made for it.
All fresh and local ingredients mixes to make simple and tasty dishes. Definitely raccomended

Ah Galway you lovely lovely place.
Hunger was intense, breakfast was needed and Unilocal had good things to say about this place.
The service was great, they answered all my many questions about gluten with a smile and worked around it, I had poached eggs, with bacon on toast with a side of smashed avocado and a hot chocolate, everything was so tasty except for the the hot chocolate, it was the powder stuff and it tasted more like milk than chocolate.
That being said food, service and location was amazing and I will be back next time I am in Galway!

Having grown up in Galway but lived elsewhere for the last 10 years this was actually my first trip to Ard Bia at Nimmo’s and I can’t believe I’ve been missing out this whole time!
Full of nooks and crannies we grabbed a table by the window and watched as the Corrib River raged by.
Our server was a helpful young guy who fitted in perfectly with the quirky atmosphere of the place.
The avocado and eggs what I settled on with an order of smoked salmon and a fresh liver cleansing juice.
Juice arrived first and I did think that at € 4 they could up the serving size, it came in what seemed like a 200ml bottle, not a lot of bang for your buck.
The avocado and poached eggs arrived next, when I added the salmon (which was one of two options, the other being bacon) I presumed it would be on the sourdough toast too but it was served separately in a little bowl which made for some messing. Everything tasted heavenly though. Good quality ingredients, served beautifully. I’ll be back again!

I was completely impressed by the quality of food and the helpful service. The food was out of this world… from the cheese plate and the beet and goat cheese salad to the monkfish, the steak and pheasant… all the way to the after dinner drink! Food was cooked perfectly and perfectly seasoned! Loved the ambiance. We sat at the bar and had a fun time interacting with the staff.

Tout simplement un des meilleurs brunch jamais fait !
Tout est parfait !
Le lieu est coquet un peu vintage cosy on s’y sent chez soi
Le brunch est juste dingue un choix raisonnable mais que des excellents produits et merveilleusement bien cuisines
Et l’equipe est agreable et serviable !
Bref un lieu incontournable en plus dans une demarche saine !

Ard Bia is, hands down, my favourite restaurant in Galway City. I’ve only been here for weekend brunch, so I can’t speak to other meals.
I usually get either the Hippy Fry or Pancakes/​French Toast and it’s all very good! They serve 3FE coffee which is one of my personal favourites and it’s sort of difficult to get on this side of the country which makes me appreciate it even more.
I would really recommend you check out the disco brunch on Saturdays if you can — there’s some trippy (but fun) music in the background which really sets the tone for a relaxed weekend.

I was taken here on a very romantic birthday surprise, and it had long been on both of our lists to try out. With that in mind, the expectations were justifiably high, considering how much we had heard about this place and the rave reviews here on Unilocal.
It’s a beautiful little place, the size of a cottage and decorated in that well balanced modern/​traditional style. We were seated in the corner to the right of the bar, and later found that there were better seats on the other side, but it was nice and private (at least until a six top of gloriously boisterous ladies joined us in the corner.)
The menu is small, and there’s nothing bog standard on there. It’s all very lush sounding– while printed on brown paper. I went for the steak, the most expensive on the menu but at 26 euro, not much more expensive than your usual good steak. The SO went for the monkfish risotto.
The steak was enormous, and perfectly done (rare, done just right). It came on a bed of tasty greens and horseradish baby spuds, which I didn’t touch. I really enjoyed it!
The risotto was allegedly nice, but nothing that couldn’t have been done at home (while acknowledging that the likelihood of bothering with Lobster and Monkfish at home was very very slim.)
We went for desserts, my SO the chocolate mousse and myself the nougat, berry, cookie. My dessert was actually printed as just those three things on the menu, so I had no idea what to expect. It was really, really delicious and something I’d never seen before on a menu.
The chocolate mousse was also lovely, but again nothing out of the ordinary.
Service wise, I have no complaints. Our first guy was maybe a little too hipster-​y and asking us what we’d been up to for the day was not a conversation we were prepared to have, but he was nice. The other two seemed nice also. And they put a candle in my dessert, which is always a nice feeling.
I likely won’t be back here, just because of the steep prices, but I’d agree that it’s definitely a place you have to try if you’re in the city.

Boyfriend and I came and got very lucky. No reservations and got seated immediately! It was packed for the rest of the night and people waited a while for a table. The food here is definitely treated with a great sense of respect. The menu is small and rightly so; they do it all very well or they don’t serve it. You can’t really go wrong with anything but we had the crab appetizer as well as the goat cheese salad, which were both phenomenal. For mains, I had the hake which was Awesome! Really fresh and flaky, nice texture on the skin and the flavor pairings were on point (Beet root, a cream sauce). He had the steak medium rare which was pretty good (not mind blowing, I’ve had better steak). For dessert, we had the chocolate mousse and the frozen hazelnut nougat. YUMM overall, a really cute space and food with a lot of integrity.

I didn’t realize that Galway just to the east of Williamsburg (Brooklyn).
The best thing about this visit was that our table was waiting for us when we arrived for our 8:30 reservation. As it turned out, it was perhaps the best table in the restaurant, as they are squeezed in everywhere, making for what appeared to be some very uncomfortable situations. I’m sure the restaurant’s marketing materials highlight their reclaimed and recycled materials used for everything. While technically true, these things would also be considered by most to be junk.
Right after being seated, we were served some good bread that came with nice herb salted butter. I wish we had been forewarned to ration the bread to get us through some of the long spells that were ahead.
Hipster server #1 had an odd and apparently very deliberate approach to his job. At first we were OK that we sat for about 15 minutes without any contact, because we could see how busy the three servers were — the restaurant was packed and they were fully booked for the remainder of the Sunday night. After he took our order, he went by us numerous times, yet never brought our wine. When I finally motioned for the wine, he said it would be coming soon (as if it were being prepared and would ready in just a moment). Then the appetizer came, and then the wine. I noticed this was same approach at other tables. We decided against ordering a bottle, as we feared that might not come until after we finished our entrees.
The food was not worth the wait or effort. Simply, it was boring. The appetizer of ham and asparagus was blah — the asparagus had no flavor and the ham was ok, but just tossed atop the asparagus. The quality of the lamb entrée was not great. It was gristly and tough; a lot was left on the plate. The carrots in a harissa sauce that came with it were very overcooked. It all came in a broth of pea purée which made for bit of a mess. The other entrée was brill topped with artichokes served over black lentils. That sounds good, and it certainly did look good, but was so dull I needed to request salt to give it at least some life.
A little while after we left the restaurant, we ran into the group that was squeezed into alcove behind us. They asked us what we thought of dinner, and to be polite, we said «it was not what we were expecting.» They heartily agreed too.

An ideal date location: When I first came to Galway, I tried a whole bunch of times to get last minute reservations to Ard Bia and was unsuccessful; eventually I learnt my lesson and booked a few days in advance. I was not disappointing by the grub, every dish was incredible, lots of flavour and seasonal veg. Plus there was plenty to choose for vegetarians. The desserts were moreish and the wine wasn’t ludicrously expensive.
It’s dear, but worth the cost. The only downside was on the two occasions I went there, although the staff were very nice, when it got busy we were waiting a long time to order additional courses or the bill.

This is absolutely one of the most beautiful places to eat in all of Galway, and I will never forget the meal I had here. The food was absolutely divine and you really cannot beat the view. My only suggestion for improvement would be the attitude of the wait staff. Maybe it’s because they work at such an esteemed location, or maybe they are burned out, but their overall tone was not very friendly or welcoming. We definitely felt that we were in the way, rather than welcomed and celebrated guests.
Other than that, it was a pretty incredible experience and we loved everything from the appetizers to the wine to the desert. My best recommendation would be the honeycomb dessert! :-) It’s unforgettable!

Das beste Restaurant am Platz.
Sehr moderne internationale Küche. Die Speisen waren toll zubereitet und wundervoll angerichtet. Hier ist das Auge mit. Ein MUSS, wenn man in Galway ist.