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Home > Drink & Eat & Stay > Wild Honey Inn

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Wild Honey Inn

Cafe/Bar / Pub / Restaurant with Rooms

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Denotes genuine Irish food culture, ie special Irish food products/companies/producers, and highlights the best places to shop for regional and artisan foods; the selection excludes obvious 'non-Irish' elements regardless of quality, eg ethnic restaurants and specialists in coffee, wine and other drinks, unless relevant to local production or history. Eat & Stay establishments are chosen for their commitment to showcasing local produce and Irish hospitality. Highly Recommended as a Special Place to Stay Pub with good food and atmosphere Serious About Seafood Previous Georgina Campbell Guides Award Winner The "Best of the Best" - Only the very best establishments across various categories have been chosen for this accolade

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Wild Honey Inn

The Wild Honey is a true inn, offering rest, relaxation, refreshment and good company. But good food is the main focus and deciding against opening a formal restaurant was a key decision, reflecting a wish to be seen as a pub offering high quality food in an informal setting.
Rooms 14 (2 junior suites, 2 with separate bath & shower, 1 wheelchair friendly, all no smoking); children welcome. B&B from about €90pps. Free broadband wi/fi throughout. Restaurant seats 22. Children welcome. D Tue-Sat 6pm-9pm (May-Sep), Wed-Sat (Mar, April & Oct). Set 3-course D €55. Bar menu also offered. SC discretionary. Closed Nov-Feb. MasterCard, Visa abbreviations

Set in pretty gardens on the edge of Lisdoonvarna town, this old hotel was re-opened by Aidan McGrath and Kate Sweeney in 2009. They renamed it The Wild Honey Inn, and the world wasted no time in beating a path to their door.


A well known chef, Aidan has worked at top establishments in Ireland and abroad and now, together with Kate (who runs front of house and oversees the accommodation) and established forces in the town like the Sheedys and the Curtins of Burren Smokehouse, they have made Lisdoonvarna a destination for food lovers.


The Wild Honey is a true inn, offering rest, relaxation, refreshment and good company. But good food is the main focus and deciding against opening a formal restaurant was a key decision, reflecting a wish to be seen as a pub offering high quality food in an informal setting.


So Aidan’s superb meals are served in the attractive high-ceilinged bar – a pair of rooms with open fires, partly divided by the bar/serving area and comfortably set up for dining – and you can also eat outside in fine weather.


The place is full of character and there’s a sense of anticipation when reading the encouragingly concise menus – maybe half a dozen dishes to choose from on each course, plus seasonal blackboard specials in both cases.


There will always be a soup of the day – a deeply flavoured potato soup with flaked smoked haddock perhaps, served with very good breads –and then starters might include sautéed Liscannor crab claws with garlic & chilli butter sauce, a pretty salad of St Tola organic goats with hazelnuts, roasted organic beetroot and hazelnut cream, or an unusual speciality of black pudding and foie gras terrine.


Among the main courses you will find the excellent house Fish and chips - breaded fillet of haddock, pan-fried in olive oil and butter and served with sauce gribiche (egg sauce with capers, an alternative to tartare sauce) – and perhaps a special of rare breed pork belly with morels à la crème, spring greens, leeks & crackling.


Delicious desserts offer a nice balance of the homely (tart tatin for two, with Glenilen organic clotted cream) and the sophisticated (pavé of chocolate with poached raspberries & crème fraiche).


Aidan - who was our Chef of the Year 2012 - describes his food as bistro style, ‘informed by living on the rugged West coast of Ireland where there is an abundance of local produce from land and sea’ and there is a clear commitment to using locally sourced and organic ingredients where possible, with local foods named in dishes and suppliers listed.


But this is no ordinary bistro cooking, and what marks Aidan’s food out as exceptional is his unique combination of finesse and simplicity – the legacy of his classical training and many years in fine dining establishments, together with a philosophy of showcasing the superb seasonal foods of the area in an accessible style.


A short, well priced wine list offers a good choice of bottles carefully chosen to match the food, with most available by the glass – and smart and friendly staff complement this sassy food perfectly.


Well pitched for our times and delivering on quality, service and atmosphere, this is a place that is enjoying well deserved success.


Banqueting (40). Seats 45-50. Open Wed-Sun, D 5-9. A la carte. House wine from about €20. Children welcome (high chair, children’s menu, baby changing facilities); reservations recommended for groups (8+). Restaurant/bar closed Tue, 24-26 Dec, Early Jan - mid Feb.


Accommodation:


Very comfortable, reasonably priced accommodation includes three large and recently upgraded rooms on the ground floor overlooking the lovely gardens at the back; with direct garden access via little private patios, full bathrooms (bath and overbath shower) and WiFi, one of these would make a great base for anyone staying a few days to explore the Burren and the beautiful Co Clare coast.


The other bedrooms are high-ceilinged rooms with period features in the original 19th century building, and have en-suite showers and views of the surrounding countryside.


A very tasty cooked-to-order breakfast is served by cheerful and efficient staff in a bright dining room opening onto the gardens – an enjoyable meal and a very pleasant way to start the day.


It's an ideal base for enjoying the walking routes or having a cycling holiday in this unique landscape - Lisdoonvarna is very close to The Burren National Park. Walking and cycling maps are available, and there are facilities to store bikes. Guided walks can also be arranged, with advance notice. However, if making any special requests do bear in mind that the Wild Honey Inn is a restaurant with rooms, not an hotel, so don't expect hotel level service. 

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  • Cycling
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  • Budget Accommodation (under €100 for two)
  • Family Friendly
  • Ground Floor Bedrooms (accessible for less able)
  • Location - Beach <5km
  • Location - Scenic
  • Location - Town Centre
  • No Smoking Establishment
  • Outdoor Dining Avail. (summer)
  • Private Parties
  • Wedding Venue
  • Bistro
  • Seafood
  • Al Fresco
  • Café Bar
  • Character Pub
  • Coeliac Friendly
  • Daytime/Coffee
  • Informal
  • MSG Free
  • Old World / Traditional
  • Organic Produce used (mainly)
  • Pub Grub
  • Sunday Dining
  • Traditional Pub
  • Vegetarian Friendly (always at least 1 starter & 1 main course)
2012 Award Winners Chef Of The Year 2012
Last Updated: 28-12-2020
Author: Georgina Campbell

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Contact details

+353 65 707 4300
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Address

Wild Honey Inn
Kincora Road, Lisdoonvarna Co Clare
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From town centre take Ennistymon road; 300m on left.
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