Have you heard about Rúibín’s newest cocktail menu? Well, if you’re even just slightly into cocktails, you’re going to want to hear about it. After months of experimenting, tasting, and fine-tuning, the team’s latest cocktail menu is really a thing of beauty, and it’s one that feels a little more personal than ever before. Read all about it below...
The cocktail menu is less about one name and more about a team coming into its own. Yes, Rúibín’s master mixologist, Dennis O’Neill, is still at the heart of the new selection, but as he steps into a more front-of-house role day-to-day, he decided to give the bar team the chance to create their own cocktails and take a place on the menu. The result? A menu full of creative, flavour-packed drinks that gives us plenty of reasons to book a visit and enjoy more than one.
“I just felt that even though I know I’m well known for the cocktails here, I wanted to put the whole team front and centre,” Dennis explains. “They needed to have their moment, their stamp on the menu as well because they’re the busiest people on a busy night.”
above: Blue Belle (by Brian)
To make that happen, Dennis gave Paul, Brian, and Cassidy several weeks to come up with their cocktails. It wasn’t just a quick brainstorm either, this was a proper creative process as the trio sent over concepts, flavour combinations, and ingredient lists as they worked through different versions, with Dennis offering guidance along the way. From helping them find the right balance to steering them away from out-of-season ingredients, he helped shape each cocktail without taking away their ownership. “They all had four or five weeks to come up with ideas. I was giving them feedback on ingredients,” he shares. “I wanted them to focus on where they were going wrong with their ideas, as in, off-season ingredients and things like that. They all got heavily involved, did their research, and you could see that they were really enjoying it as well.”
It all clearly paid off. For Paul, it was his first time building a cocktail from scratch, but once they found their footing, the results spoke for themselves.Whereas Cassidy and Brian, already had a strong interest in the bar side of things and used the opportunity to lean into the finer details, from flavour to presentation.
The end result is a menu that feels genuinely collaborative, with each of these drinks backed by its own flavour profile and personality. Check them out below;
above: Blood & Smoke (by Paul)
Cocktail 1: Blood & Smoke (by Paul)
One of the standout creations (and Dennis’ personal favourite) comes from Paul, whose ‘Blood & Smoke’ delivers a bold twist on a Margarita. Built around blood orange-infused tequila, the drink is elevated by an infusion of Achill Island sea salt with smoke and red wine, creating a deep, savoury edge that balances the citrus beautifully. Dennis recalls the moment it clicked: “On his first go, he got it. I just clapped. That’s perfect. That’s it. You can go home now.”
Ingredients: Blood Orange Infused Tequila, Cointreau, Lime, Sugar, Smoked Salt.
Cocktail 2: Blue Belle (by Brian)
Brian’s tiki-style ‘Blue Belle’ leans into a lighter, summery profile. Inspired by a classic julep, it combines Irish whiskey from Ahascragh Distillery in Galway with a homemade blueberry and mint shrub, alongside a citric acid-adjusted apple juice that mimics citrus while adding a subtle fruitiness. “It’s really, really good,” Dennis says. “It’s very popular as well.” Expect something refreshing, slightly tart, and deceptively easy to drink.
Ingredients: Clan Colla 7, Valencia Island, Blueberry & Mint Shrub, Apple, Acid, Bitters.
above: Dessert Cocktail (by Cassidy)
Cocktail 3: Strawberry Dessert Cocktail (by Cassidy)
Not officially named just yet, Cassidy’s creation sits on the dessert menu, and it’s already making an impression. Featuring strawberry-infused white rum, Mozart white chocolate, and a macerated strawberry syrup, the drink is finished with cream and crumbled wafer on top. “She’s still working on the name, but it’s phenomenal,” Dennis says. “She really knocked it out of the park.”
Alongside the new additions, a few of their most popular cocktails have made a return, including the much-loved The Beekeeper, which regulars never stopped asking for. “It was off the menu for six months, and even up until we printed this menu, people were still asking for it every weekend,” Dennis explains. “We just had to put it back.”
With the Elderflower Enzoni, Dennis offers a fresh take on a classic. This Micil Gin-based drink with grapes, elderflower, and Campari, is a softer, fruit-forward alternative to a Negroni and is super easy to drink.
It’s not all about alcoholic options, however. Rúibín’s short ‘Low & No’ cocktail menu continues to impress, with the same level of attention and creativity applied across the board. From a Green Tea Lemonade with house green tea syrup to the Chilli No-rita; a spicy, alcohol-free take on last summer’s Sunburn cocktail. These drinks effortlessly match the intensity of flavours and taste of the regular cocktails. “It’s probably one of the better zero cocktails in Galway,” Dennis notes of the Chilli No-rita. “In terms of the flavour, it has everything you’d want in a spicy marg. It’s because of how intense the flavours are, it’s hard to tell there’s no alcohol in it.”
above: Chilli No-rita
Despite the menu only being live a few weeks, Dennis is already planning ahead. “We’re already working on the summer menu now as well,” he says. “This one will run until around July, but there’ll be small changes along the way.”
That constant creativity of the team here is part of what keeps things exciting, not just for the staff, but for guests as well. “It’s probably one of the most well-received menus we’ve had in a while,” Dennis says. “The feedback on everything is very good.”
The cocktail menu at Rúibín is one of the must-try drinking experiences in Galway right now, and there’s never been a better time to visit. Whether you’re popping in for one quick drink (which, let’s be honest, rarely happens) or settling in to work your way through the menu, Rúibín has given us every excuse to make a night of it. Rúibín continues to deliver on all fronts and this is one menu that’s well worth raising a glass to. Sláinte!
Make your reservations for Rúibín at ruibin.ie, for groups of 6+ people contact them to book by emailing info@ruibin.ie. Walk-ins welcome.
All photos by Ciarán MacChoncarraige
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