Stopped by Friday afternoon, plenty of parking which was handy. Staff were friendly enough at the door. Menu&#39;s got a good few options, though nothing blew me away. Grand spot for a quick stop.

The gluten-free bread here is genuinely good, which never happens. Fish and chips were solid too, proper crispy batter.

The gluten-free pancakes were lovely, really nice to find somewhere that does them properly. Staff were sound and didn&#39;t make me feel awkward about asking questions. Will be back.

The place has really good natural light and the seats are actually comfortable, which is rare for a coffee spot. I grabbed a pastry and it was decent. Didn&#39;t try the hot food this time, but I&#39;ve heard it&#39;s a bit hit or miss. Nice spot to just sit for a while though.

The carbonara schnitzel was a fun twist&mdash;creamy sauce over a crispy cutlet, worked better than I expected. Trout was fresh, cooked just right. Truffle hash browns stole it though, proper crispy without being drowned in oil. Place was busy but we got seated quick enough. Would go back for those hash browns alone.

The steak was cooked exactly right again, and those wings with blue cheese are still my favourite thing on the menu.

The vegan potato cakes and sweet potato chips were really tasty&mdash;proper flavour, not just fried for the sake of it. Staff were sound, had to double-check the ingredients a couple of times but no hassle. Irish breakfast was decent too, not greasy at all. Solid spot if you&#39;re in Kilkenny.

The vegan cherry chocolate cake is properly good&mdash;rich but not too sweet, you can tell they put effort in. Just wish they&#39;d add a few more vegan bits to the menu.

The hot and sour soup was genuinely top-tier. Chicken Szechuan with cashews was solid too. We sat there for two hours chatting, no one rushed us out.

The pistachio basque cheesecake was properly good &mdash; rich and creamy. Small spot, so there&#39;s a bit of a wait, but fine for a quick stop.

The lamb was properly tender, not overdone. Sourced local, you can taste it. Bit of a trek to get here but the food does the talking.

Stopped in for a quick coffee and a bite. Service was fast, no hanging around waiting to order. Staff were sound, friendly enough without being over the top. Place was busy but they kept things moving. Good spot if you&#39;re in the area and need something efficient.

The club sandwich and tea were lovely again &mdash; fresh as always. Service was spot on too. Been coming here a while and it never lets me down.

The upstairs seating is a good shout if you want to hear the trad music without it being overwhelming. Chicken sandwich and goujons were honestly some of the best I&#39;ve had in a while, chips were proper fresh too. Service was sound, no complaints at all.

Lovely little family spot by the river. Had the soup and it was fresh enough. Service friendly, nothing fancy. Good for a quiet sit-down when you want to watch the water go by.

Stopped in for a late breakfast &mdash; coffee was properly hot and the staff didn&#39;t rush me. Food came quick too. Decent spot if you&#39;re in the area.

The live trad session was the best part, hands down. Food was decent, nothing crazy, but the music and dancing made up for it. Staff were sound too. Place was packed but we still got a seat. Wouldn&#39;t mind going back just for the craic alone.

Great spot for a catch-up with friends. Got the kids menu sorted too which was handy. Prices are fair for what you get. Service was lovely and friendly.

The open kitchen really makes the place feel alive. Pizzas have that proper crispy-chewy crust, no complaints there. Service kept up fine even when it got busy on a Saturday. Only thing is the seating near the counter gets a bit cramped, but it&rsquo;s alright for a quick bite.

Stopped in for a drink and tried the Christmas gin with the strawberry swirl&mdash;lovely. Paloma was good too. Prices are a bit steep for the size, but you&#39;re paying for the vibe.

Stopped in for a quick breakfast. Food came out fast, no messing around. Had the bacon cheeseburger&mdash;solid, fresh, exactly what you want. Place was busy but service kept up fine. No complaints for the price. Wouldn&#39;t go out of my way, but if you&#39;re nearby, it does the job.

The smokey burger really stood out &mdash; proper char on it. Jambalaya had decent depth too. Staff were sound. Just found the place a bit warm inside, but I&#39;d go back for that burger.

The early bird menu is decent value for what you get. Food came out hot and tasty, which I always appreciate. Staff were friendly enough, not hovering over you the whole time. Nice spot for a quiet Sunday evening when you don&#39;t want to fuss over cooking. My only small gripe - the tables are a bit close together, but it didn&#39;t ruin the meal.

Nice spot for a quiet pint, small tables and good craic. Service was grand, just a bit slow at the table.

Stopped in for a pizza last week and honestly it&rsquo;s the best I&rsquo;ve had in Carlow. The dough was light, just the right amount of chew. Service was spot on too, friendly without hovering. Only thing is it&rsquo;s a bit easy to spend more than you planned, but the quality&rsquo;s there. Already thinking about when I can go back.

Find the best places for Brunch in Portlaoise. Explore 53 spots with authentic reviews from real users, compare menus and photos, and book your table instantly on Trip.com.

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