The Penne Arrabbiata here is proper comfort food&mdash;you can tell they don&#39;t mess around with the ingredients. I popped in on a Saturday evening and there was live jazz playing, which made the whole place feel a bit special. Only thing is it got fairly busy, so we waited a little longer for the food. Still, I&#39;d go back for that pasta.

Taco fries were solid, really tasty. Chicken shawarma&#39;s pretty basic though, mostly purple cabbage, but still good. That 2-for-1 kebab deal between 12 and 4 is the real winner. Can&#39;t argue with that price.

The fish and chips were spot on &mdash; crispy batter, fresh fish. Sat on the terrace with a view of the water, which made the whole lunch feel a bit special.

Came for the match on the big screens, ended up staying for the food. The fish chowder was proper&mdash;creamy, plenty of fish, not just potato filler. Chicken salad was fresh too, decent size for the price. Place was busy but we got our order quick enough. Solid spot if you&#39;re after a bite with the game on.

Food&#39;s solid and the tortilla is spot on. Croquettes were good too. Portions are a bit small for the price though. Fine for a quick bite.

Solid spot for a quick bite. Got the pasta, it did the job. Place was busy so service was a bit slow, but the food came out alright. Wouldn&#39;t mind coming back if I&#39;m in the area.

Been coming here on and off for the past year. The steak was cooked exactly how I asked, medium rare, and the chips were proper crispy. Place gets busy around 7 so you might wait a bit for a table, but it&#39;s worth it. Same quality every single time, that&#39;s why I keep coming back.

Bit of a wait to get served, but the sandwich itself was solid. Good bread, decent filling. Place feels more like a casual cafe than a 4-star hotel spot, which caught me off guard. Fine for a quick bite if you&#39;re in the area, just don&#39;t expect anything fancy.

Full Irish breakfast came out hot and quick, on proper warm toast. That&#39;s exactly what you want on a cold morning. Staff were sound, no fuss. Place is small but has a decent buzz to it. I&#39;d say it&#39;s a solid spot if you&#39;re in the area and need something filling without the wait.

Open 24 hours, which honestly saved me the other night when nothing else was open. Got the hot chocolate with the chocolate stick&mdash;nice touch, melts right in. Also tried the Moroccan tea, proper good. Place was quiet enough to sit and chill for a bit. Will be back if I&#39;m stuck late again.

The lamb shank was the standout &mdash; fell right off the bone, proper rich gravy. Had the chowder first, decent enough but a bit thin. Waiter mixed up our order but honestly didn&#39;t care, the main dish made up for it. Would go back just for that lamb.

Stopped in for a quick bite and grabbed a few pizzas to share. The team sorted out a big order without any fuss, which I always appreciate. Food came out quick and hot. I had a glass of red with mine, and it did the job nicely. Solid spot if you&#39;re in the area and want something easy.

Great coffee and they actually have oat milk, which is handy. Sandwiches are decent for a quick bite. The space itself is pretty snug though, not much room to spread out if you&#39;re staying a while.

The slow-roasted lamb was decent, but honestly the portions are what sold me. Generous for the price, and the chicken curry was a solid pick too.

Owner and staff were dead sound. Thai latte was unreal, ingredients tasted fresh. Spotless too, even the toilets. Kitchen closes early on weekdays though, caught us out.

Stopped in for the steak sandwich with chips and peppercorn sauce. It was gorgeous, exactly what I needed. Staff were friendly enough, no complaints there. Place had a decent buzz about it, not too loud. Solid spot if you&#39;re after a casual bite, I&#39;d say. Might be back again sometime.

Stopped in for a club sandwich and a smoothie. Sandwich was solid, chicken was fresh. Staff were sound, had a bit of a chat while I was waiting. Place was busy enough for a Tuesday. Smoothie was cold and thick, just what I needed. Might head back if I&#39;m in the area again.

Stopped in for breakfast and grabbed the avocado toast with a side of eggs. Plenty of options, even gluten-free and vegan stuff, which is handy. Staff were dead on, friendly and quick about it. Place was busy but we weren&#39;t waiting around long. Solid enough for a morning bite if you&#39;re in the area.

The popcorn tofu at Koto was really good&mdash;crispy outside, soft inside. Portion sizes are generous too. I&#39;d go back just for that dish.

Big portions and the staff were sound. We sat inside cause it was lashing but it still had a nice buzz. The terrace would be deadly on a sunny day.

Your ultimate guide to dining in Kinsale. Discover top-rated restaurants and local favorites, based on authentic traveler ratings and reviews. ▸ See menus & photos ▸ Find hidden gems ▸ Plan your perfect trip.

The best restaurants in Kinsale

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Hayes Bar & Kitchen, Glandore

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Scoozi

Sultan Cafe Restaurant & Shisha Lounge

Il Padrino Italian Restaurant

Grain and Grill Restaurant

Amicus

Hillbilly's Family Restaurants

O'Briens irish sandwich bar

Eco on Winthrop

The Wilton Old

Domino's Pizza - Cork - Blackpool

The Ballymaloe Cafe

BiteSize Cafe

Monk's Lane

The Auld Triangle

Spice Indian Cuisine

The Fish Basket

Café Velo

Paddy the Farmers

The Pantry

Dukes Coffee Company

Koto

Salt Food & Wine