Hidden away above Galway city’s iconic crossroads by Tigh Neachtains is the stunning Kasbah Wine Bar. With a reputation for its amazing views, tasty cocktails, great ranges of wines and delicious food, we knew we had to check it out for ourselves. Discover how our visit went below..
For decades, Kasbah Wine Bar had been a place for Galwegians to meet and come together to enjoy great food and drinks in good company. At the end of 2020, the bar temporarily closed its doors, but fortunately it was able to reopen earlier this year after having gone through some exciting changes. As its reputation precedes itself, we decided it was time for us to pay a visit to the wine bar that has earned a place in the hearts of many Galwegians.
Soft natural light illuminates the wine bar during the late afternoon, and on the street below, tourists, friends and strangers blur together in an unhurried colourful parade as they drift past decorative window displays, buskers, and al fresco drinkers and diners. As the wait staff ushered us to a table that faced out onto Quay Street, we realised all our wine and dining was about to be complemented with the entertainment of witnessing one of Galway’s busiest streets on a busy midweek afternoon.
The wine bar itself is a small yet open space with a rustic feel thanks to the sand wood wine racks, books and Galway-inspired posters and paintings that decorate the space. Across the dining room tables for two have been thoughtfully laid out, giving diners the wholesome impression that you are dining amongst a wider group of friends even while remaining strangers. Sitting slightly apart from the rest, a cosy table and snug for small groups is separated from the main room with two opposing stained glass panels depicting salmon swimming in reeds.
Naturally, given that it was midweek, we opted to order two cocktails from Kasbah’s in-house mixologist and the expert cocktail maker, Aileen. With our orders placed we watched as she prepared our drinks with a skilled artistic flair. The results were gorgeous. Taken aback by the combination of flavours within both cocktails, our taste buds were on cloud nine. As tempting as it was to continue our way through the entirety of the cocktail menu, we were there to wine and dine so that’s exactly what we did next.
The food menu at Kasbah Wine Bar comprises a selection of dishes that all sound incredibly appetising, and we struggled to narrow it down to order only a few dishes. Once satisfied with our decision, our waiter helped us find the red and white wines to match our picks. With our wines before us and food on the way we were happy to sit back and enjoy the easy-paced atmosphere of Kasbah once more. Our food swiftly arrived and we tucked into a delightful array of dishes. The grilled beef brochettes were perfectly tender and melted in our mouths, the empanadas Argentinas are beautifully crisp pastries with a heavenly lamb and tomato filling, the duck breast was exquisite and of course as we ordered a mixed meat and cheese board we got to enjoy Kasbah’ homemade focaccia which we piled high with Irish cheeses, meats and chutneys. We chatted as we dined, and time was forgotten as we contentedly enjoyed over an hour sharing gorgeous food, wines and cocktails.
With winter fast approaching and the evenings getting darker earlier, Kasbah Wine Bar is the perfect place to spend a night when the room is aglow with the shimmering fairy lights over the street outside and filled with the chatter of couples, friends and family members. Delicious food and drink are best enjoyed amongst friends so the next time we go to Kasbah we hope we see you there.
To make your reservations for Kasbah Wine Bar please visit their website at www.kasbahwinebar.com or tap the link here. Kasbah Wine Bar at Tigh Neachtains is currently open Wednesday to Saturday from 5.30pm until late. If you have any queries you can contact them at +353 (0)85 734 0164 or kasbah@tighneachtains.com.
