IL Vicolo

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#55 of 384 Restaurants in Galway€€ - €€€, Italian, Mediterranean, Vegetarian friendly

+353 91 530 515+ Add website

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Hours

Sun

12:00 - 21:30

Mon

17:00 - 21:00

Tue

17:00 - 21:00

Wed

17:00 - 21:00

Thu

17:00 - 21:30

Fri

17:00 - 22:30

Sat

12:00 - 22:30

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What is Travellers’ Choice?

Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.

Ratings and reviews

4.0

689 reviews

#55 of 384 Restaurants in Galway

Travellers' Choice 2024

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Food and ambience

European, Italian, Mediterranean, Contemporary, Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options

“Others had meatballs to start, turbot for main and mango sorbet for dessert.”

“I opted for the clam and monkfish linguine main course which was adequate but...”

“All in all, it was hit and miss, and with pasta dishes way way overpriced.”

“We ordered the seafood linguine and carbonara and both were delicious!”

Location and contact

Bridge Street The Bridge Mills, Galway H91 R1WF Ireland

+353 91 530 515

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Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

Unsure

Details

Manage this business?

About

Located in the historic Bridge Mills building, Il Vicolo is Galway's premiere destination for modern Italian dining. Come in and see the centuries old mill as you nibble on Beef Carpaccio or one of our homemade pastas. Or perhaps sit on Galway's only riverside terrace and watch the Corrib flow into the sea, all while sipping on a bottle from the city's largest selection of Italian Wines. See you soon!

PRICE RANGE

€9.00 – €22.00

CUISINES

Italian, Mediterranean, European, Contemporary

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, After-hours, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Live Music, Jazz Bar

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4.0

689 reviews

Excellent

399

Very good

121

Average

Poor

Terrible

Darragh

Cork6 contributions

Can’t recommend enough

Aug 2020 • couples

Came here on a Sunday for lunch. Sat outside alongside the river and would highly recommend anyone to do the same if there are seats available. Staff here were very friendly and made sure everything was alright. They made a slight error with our order but fixed it immediately and only charged us for one meal even though we would have happily payed for everything. Will definitely be back again.

Written 10 August 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John M

Lyon2062 contributions

One of the most memorable restaurants in Galway in a great setting.

Aug 2020 • none

This is one of the most memorable restaurants in Galway and we were relieved to find it open during mid-week in August AS many other adjacent restaurants in Dominic St were closed. There was a slightly narrow steep trip downstairs before opening into a darkened area, where the center piece was water wheel that has been in operation since 1849. We asked for an outside table in the evening sun and the staff were glad to oblige with a table in the outdoor patio. The setting is striking, and we were right by the rustling water underneath the bridgemill. We had Poitin aperitifs went for the brill special new potatoes. Poitin is made from cereals, grain, sugar beet, molasses, whey and potatoes and is rarely on the drinks menu in restaurants in Ireland. It was coloured pink/rose and a bit sweet and grainy. Overall the food was excellent in a really cosy environment and is highly recommended. We plan to return.

Written 1 September 2020

roziecorbett

London21 contributions

Lovely setting, disappointing food

Sept 2020 • couples

We booked here on recommendation from a friend and were really impressed by the beautiful riverside setting and views. Unfortunately the menu didn’t live up to expectations; I’d planned to order fish based on recommendation, all the fish dishes contained shellfish which I’m allergic to and when I asked for them to be adapted the kitchen said it wasn’t possible. Ended up with an aubergine dish which was quite bland, and my boyfriend had Bolognese which turned out to be a small portion with not much flavour. We had some nice wine though and would say it’s a romantic setting for drinks when drinks-only is possible. From our visit, it seems like you pay for the setting and shouldn’t expect high-standard food, especially if you have dietary requirements. But I can see there are mixed reviews on here so others might have a better experience!

Written 6 September 2020

Annelise

Galway2 contributions

No Covid Safety Measures

Aug 2020 • friends

I booked a table for 3 people via their website after trying to call them multiple times. We asked specifically for a table outside but once we arrived were *rudely* told that this is first come first served. We were in close contact with at least 5 different members of staff, none of which were wearing masks or screens and were constantly on top of each other. Staff also leaned over the table and pointed to paper menus (which I hope were not being reused). There was only sanitiser available at the reception, however you have to touch two door handles to get to the bathroom. There were no limits to the amount of people in the bathrooms although they were extremely small with no room for social distancing. The food was delicious, however the portion sizes were so small that after a 3 coursed meal I ended up cooking something at home the same evening. The was also quite a long delay on the desert. The wine that was recommended was very good and most of the staff were extremely pleasant. The restaurant itself is also beautiful. However, after thinking about booking a table for years this evening was a great disappointed as everyone felt extremely uncomfortable. This review means no disrespect to the chefs and staff but I would not recommend this restaurant due to it's lack of concern for the safety of its employees and customers.

Written 18 August 2020

Kellie G

Dunleer514 contributions

Pretty good

Aug 2020 • family

First time visit here with my husband and daughter. My husband had the chicken liver parfait to start which he said was really disappointing. My daughter and I shared the meat and cheese platter which was huge and really tasty. I had the pasta with sausage which was quite bland. Sauce tasted like it was out of a jar if I'm honest. My daughter had the tag bolognese which was pretty nice but a bit dry. My husband had the pasta with seafood which he loved. Maybe just bad choices by us. Service was very attentive and decor really nice. Setting outside gorgeous if weather was nice.

Written 6 August 2020

Warner Hols

20 contributions

A Disappointment

Sept 2020 • couples

We had previously dined here and enjoyed it very much but were very disappointed on this visit. I ordered a pasta dish with ndjua sausage and when it came the pasta was different and it was some other sausage. I queried this as I am familiar with this ingredient and was fobbed off, being told that it was what was advertised when it was obviously something different. Only about half the servers wore face coverings and by the end of the night we could only see one staff member wearing one. We observed the ‘cleaning’ of a table after customers had left and their sanitizing was a joke. We will not be revisiting especially during the ongoing COVID pandemic.

Written 30 September 2020

lainey88

Galway6 contributions

Great Food and Drinks in a Beautiful Setting

Aug 2020 • none

I have dined in Il Vicolo twice in the last number of weeks and on both occasions the food has been delicious. The seafood linguine is the best I have ever tasted as the seafood was cooked to perfection with beautiful pasta. Their selection of wine is lovely and the deserts are delicious. The restaurant is in a beautiful old stone building overlooking the river so is very atmospheric although I did find it quite chilly on one particularly wet evening. The waiting staff are so friendly but on the last occasion that we dined there, the food came so quickly that we were in and out in less than an hour so it felt a little rushed. However, all in all a beautiful restaurant with amazingly flavourful food.

Written 2 September 2020

corkdave

Cork326 contributions

Michelin? Really??

Jun 2022 • solo

Either Il Vicolo got lucky the day Michelin called, or I got unlucky. First the positive. The setting is fantastic, in a really old atmospheric space in the basement of a truly historic building on the river bank. The walls ooze with charm, showing evidence of sensitive maintenance. This quality is not diluted by bright artificial lighting, to the extent that your eyes are drawn to the views of flowing water outside. The staff were courteous and efficient, knowledgeable about the food choices on the delightful menu, and obviously well trained. Three different people were involved serving me at different times, and it was seamless. I opted for the clam and monkfish linguine main course which was adequate but not wow, and certainly not something that would excite the palate of a Michelin reviewer, in my opinion. The dessert was a complete disappointment. Advertised as a pavlova, it consisted of a small circular meringue of the sort sold in packets in any grocery store. My server insisted that it was prepared in the kitchen, which did not help because it tasted bland when it could have provided some sweetness to the otherwise cheerless (and tiny) compote of fruits. In case you think I am being unfair in my comments, see the photo, with spoon included for scale. I am a huge fan of restaurateurs in Ireland because they are the heroic front line of tourism attractions. I do not like giving negative reviews and mostly find a reason to award at least four stars, but on this trip to Galway I left feeling disappointed and ripped off for paying €8.50 for that poor dessert. I will pay Il Vicolo another visit, in the hope that I caught them on a bad day, and will be glad to revise upwards my assessment.

Written 21 June 2022

Karen W

Galway14 contributions

Lunch

Sept 2020 • friends

My second time eating at IL Vicolo . We ate on a sunny Saturday . This restaurant is very unique given its location overlooking the corrib . The views from inside or outside are nothing short of exceptional . We requested to sit outside if a table became available and our needs were met promptly. Staff are extremely personable kind friendly and chatty . I ordered the charred mackerel with salad and brown bread and a side of parmesan and garlic sauce potatoes . My friend ordered a burrata salad. Both were delicious . The only criticism I had was perhaps the table we sat at could have been cleaned better there were some food particles found . This does not take away from the wonderful experience I have had both times here .

Written 27 September 2020

Orla

5 contributions

Fantastic meal

Sept 2020 • none

Had a fantastic meal here with my boyfriend during a visit to Galway. We were so happy we chose IL Vicolo as a place to dine on our trip. It lives up to all of our expectations of wonderful Italian food executed perfectly. The cocktails to start were delicious and very reasonably priced. The warm focaccia served with the starter of meatballs was just perfection and the mains to follow (gnocci and risotto) were just as wonderful! We luckily squeezed in the panna cotta for dessert and this finished the meal on such a high note. Service was as wonderful as all the food with very obliging and kind staff. Amazing meal and looking forward to returning!

Written 28 September 2020

Joey

6 contributions

A fantastic evening

Aug 2020 • couples

Where do we even begin with this little hidden gem nestled on the banks of the river corrib. Its not very often I write reviews but the extraordinary service that we received yesterday warrants such a review. Could not fault anything, from the olive oil and balsamic vinegar, the chicken, the halibat and even the desert, all were so tasty fresh and delicious. The wine was gorgeous. The ambience was absolutely perfect. We really appreciated the fact that our request for a table overlooking the river outside was accommodated, it made our evening. The staff are fantastic, but we must mention in particular our server Nicky. Never have we ever experienced such fantastic service and we eat out alot. Its very clear Nicky enjoys her job, she is a credit to your restaurant. Thank you all for such a wonderful evening we will Definitely see you soon.

Written 19 August 2020

Mattwick

Culdaff4 contributions

The food was exceptional

Aug 2020 • couples

The food was exceptional, we both had the pasta bolognaise for mains with the Parmesan potato’s. Could not fault the food or service. The one thing I was not happy about was how quick the food came out. Our reservation was for 7:30 and we had our main in front of us at 7:45. I think when you go for a meal you want to relax and have a couple sips of your drink before your order is taken and then get your food. This was my only disappointment.

Written 28 August 2020

Debbie D

4 contributions

1st year anniversary dinner

Aug 2020 • none

Myself and my partner went here for our 1st year anniversary dinner and it did not disappoint. We got one of the best seats in the place, just at the window above the stream. It was a very cosy setting. The food was amazing, my partner got the carbonara and was surprised how tasty it was. I got the gnocchi and it was lovely. We shared a bruschetta to start and we got breads at the table too. As I'm not versed in Italian wines, I asked the staff to recommend something similar to a rioja and they recommended Salice Salentino - which i'm not on the hunt for it a store. A fantastic evening ending with a cocktail. The staff were amazing and very tentative.

Written 1 September 2020

Michael G

Galway26 contributions

Over priced and poor service

Dec 2022 • friends

This was a very disappointing experience. We were a party of eight people, we understand that this can cause service issues, we know that it’s Christmas party season, we have had lovely meals here many times. Unfortunately last night was very poor on many fronts. The service was very slow right from the start, we were asked to wait at the bar, which is fine but it took the staff forever to serve the drinks. We waited a long time at our table for the waitress. When she arrived she was very pleasant and took our orders. Again we had to repeatedly ask for the wine and beer orders, they eventually came. The wine was beautiful. The food however was not. My friend ordered mussels, they were completely over salted to the point of being inedible, he returned them and asked for a main of scallops instead, he was then given a starter portion. My wife had linguine seafood, it came in a pool of watery extra salty liquid and she didn’t finish it. This restaurant is not cheap, we spent over €600 . All of us left being very disappointed. It would not recommend il vicilo, especially at Christmas. Overpriced and very poor food.

Written 18 December 2022

Aaaaa

6 contributions

Rude staff, very overpriced

Sept 2022 • family

I will say that the food here is good, not amazing by any means but good. Meatballs are excellent but pork belly is a bit dry so it can be inconsistent. My one star review is for the attitude in this place. The staff are frankly rude and only interested in getting you in and out as quickly as possible. The prices here have become absolutely crazy since they were fined for breaking COVID regulations. They refuse to serve cake for functions despite the fact large groups will spend a lot of money there. They cited insurance as a reason but this is absolute nonsense and I've never been to another restaurant with this policy. They were also beyond aggressive about pushing desert whilst refusing to serve cake. This place has no interest in having repeat customers and is absolutely not worth giving your custom to.

Written 4 September 2022