Blackthorn

Name: Blackthorn
Address: The Twelve Hotel Barna coast Road, Bearna, Galway, County Galway, H91 Y3KA, IE
Telephone: (091) 597 000
Price range: €51 and over
Rating: 4.5

4.5 (71)

€51 and over

Grill

The Twelve Hotel Barna coast Road, Bearna, Galway, County Galway H91 Y3KA

Make a booking

Blackthorn

4.5

€51 and over

Grill

Bearna

Make a booking

2 people

4 Nov 2026

19:00

Booked 8 times today

About this restaurant

Good for special occasions
Fancy
Charming

Offering a one-of-a-kind dining experience, Blackthorn will bring together the artistry of charcoal grilling, the finest locally-sourced ingredients, and a beautifully refurbished space designed to complement the natural beauty of the West of Ireland.

With a menu focused on expertly sourced, high-quality ingredients, Blackthorn offers a fresh take on traditional Irish cuisine, featuring dishes cooked over a Mibrasa charcoal grill.

The restaurant’s commitment to sustainability and support for local artisan producers is a cornerstone of its ethos. Blackthorn's warm, light-filled dining space creates an inviting atmosphere where guests can experience the very best of the West of Ireland.

Sunday's @ Blackthorn -
Sundays just got a lot better. Every Sunday from 12.00 to 5.00.
Your new Lunch ritual has arrived!

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
€51 and over
Cuisines
Grill, Seafood, Irish
Hours of Operation
Lunch Sun 12:00–17:00 Dinner Thu–Sat 18:00–21:00
Phone number
(091) 597 000
Website
https://blackthorngalway.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress

Location
The Twelve Hotel Barna coast Road, Bearna, Galway, County Galway H91 Y3KA
Area
Bearna
Parking Details
Private Lot
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Oysters
Connemara - Co. Galway
Wild Sea Trout
Line caught - Wild Atlantic Way
Buttermilk
Cuinneog - Co. Mayo
Beef
Organic - Grass-fed - Burren Beef Farm - Co. Clare
Crab
Connemara - Co. Galway
Live Brown Shrimps
Connemara - Co. Galway
Pigeon
Wild - Portumna - Co. Galway
Scallops
Hand dived - Norway
Smoked Eel
Lough Neagh - Co. Antrim
Caviar
N25 Kaluga Reserve
Mallard
Wild - Co. Clare
Venison
Wild - Co. Clare
Wagyu Onglet
Kingsbury Wagyu - Co. Armagh
Wild Mushrooms
Burren - Co. Clare
Truffles
Irish Hare Tree
Turbot
Wild - Co. Cork
Black Sole
Wild - Co. Cork
Duck
Thornhill - Co. Cavan
Flowers & Micro Herbs
Organic - The Bullarn Ark Farm - Co. Galway
Organic Vegetables & Potatoes
An Garráí Glas - Connemara - Co. Galway
Raw Honey
Leahy Beekeeping - Co. Galway
Charcuterie
Organic - Burren Beef Farm - Co. Clare
Sea Salt
Achill Island - Co. Mayo
Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese
Co. Galway
St.Tola Cheese
Co. Clare
Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Yoghurt
Co. Mayo
Blackberries
Barna - Co. Galway
Air Dried Ham
McGeoughs Butchers - Oughterard - Co. Galway
Foraged Coastal Greens & Seaweeds, Wild Herbs, Alliums & Fruit
Thalli Foods - Co. Clare
Wildflower Seeded Menu Paper
Connemara - Co. Galway

Crockery

Living Ginger Designs
Oughterard - Co. Galway
Paul Darrylmpie Ceramics
Co. Antrim
Sliding Rock Ceramics
Spiddal - Co. Galway
Fermoyle Pottery
Co. Kerry

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at Blackthorn.

4.5

(71)

4.7Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Diners' Choice Awards

Connacht
Good for business meals
Connacht
Healthy
Connacht
Neighbourhood gem
Connacht
Good for special occasions
Galway City
Best Overall
Galway City
Best Food
Galway City
Best Service
Galway City
Best Ambience
Galway City
Best Value
Galway City
Good for groups
Galway City
Healthy
Galway City
Neighbourhood gem
Galway City
Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Blackthorn offers a "complete experience" with "exceptional in every way" service and "outstanding" food and drinks. Known for its "great quality food with top flavours" and "brilliant food carefully curated," it is perfect for special occasions. Some guests noted the room's acoustics and limited vegetarian options.

71 Reviews

M
Mark
Connacht1 review
5.0
Dined on 25 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
A really enjoyable experience, the food was amongst some of the best dishes I have tasted in Galway in recent years. We were a party of 7 and it was a pleasure to be able hear ourselves talk to each other throughout the meal without competing with the restaurant background music as is sometimes the case in other locations. Would highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely return again soon.
Is this helpful?
S
Sean
Dublin8 reviews
4.0
Dined on 22 October 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Good choice on menu, we started with fish, then both had pigeon and venison, too ambitious to have 2 heavy courses. The venison was a generous portion but too much for us!
Is this helpful?
R
Rosa
Manchester/Greater Manchester1 review
5.0
Dined on 4 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyable Sunday roast, full of flavour & great service, return visit & would come again
Is this helpful?
J
Jerry
Cincinnati / Dayton10 reviews
5.0
Dined on 24 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Really great food and excellent service. Strange background music that was too loud.
Is this helpful?
J
John
Dublin1 review
5.0
Dined on 27 August 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A pleasant welcome exceptional meal. We were happy
Is this helpful?
J
Janice
Greater Boston34 reviews
2.0
Dined on 9 August 2026
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
Sunday brunch for 4 people at 1:30. We arrived and were the only party in the restaurant. We ordered iced tea and it was 30 minutes before it arrived warm with a small amount of ice. While waiting for our drinks we placed our food order and 2 other parties arrived and were seated. We were the last table to be served after over an hour wait. The parties that arrived after us had eaten and left by the time our meals arrived, interestingly the table next to us ordered the same items but were served first. The server seemed inexperienced, can’t take issue with her but not well trained and no apparent management in the dining room. The food was fine, the steak was not the best cut of meat, very chewy. The highlight of the meal was the potato. Highly disappointed to pay premium prices for average food and service. I recommend you choose another place for your meal.
Is this helpful?
A
Anita
Munster1 review
4.0
Dined on 1 August 2026
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service & the food was fab! Great place for a special occasion, definitely will go back.
Is this helpful?
K
Killian
Connacht1 review
5.0
Dined on 30 July 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great quality food with top flavours served promptly by very friendly staff. A cut above other ordinary fine dining experiences around Galway.
Is this helpful?
d
david
Bath/Somerset3 reviews
3.0
Dined on 18 July 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
The food was of a high-quality and unusual. Staff were very helpful apart from the maître D who appeared quite flippant and unhelpful. The room is dark and sterile so that sounds travelled when we asked for the music to be turned down we were told it was at its lowest level and the maitre D could hardly hear it.
Is this helpful?
S
Sarah
Dublin4 reviews
1.0
Dined on 4 July 2026
1. Overall 1
2. Food 1
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 1
No vegetarian option. Poor fish option. Expensive. No vegetables with out dinner. Only potatoes
Is this helpful?

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
€51 and over
Cuisines
Grill, Seafood, Irish
Hours of Operation
Lunch Sun 12:00–17:00 Dinner Thu–Sat 18:00–21:00
Phone number
(091) 597 000
Website
https://blackthorngalway.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress Code
Casual Dress

Location
The Twelve Hotel Barna coast Road, Bearna, Galway, County Galway H91 Y3KA
Area
Bearna
Parking Details
Private Lot
Additional
Gluten-free Options

Make a booking

Blackthorn

4.5

€51 and over

Grill

Bearna

Make a booking

2 people

4 Nov 2026

19:00

Booked 8 times today

Blackthorn

Make a booking

Blackthorn

Make a booking

About this restaurant

Additional information

RAW

oysters, air dried ham, buttermilk, chive€10.00

wild seabass, cucumber, radish, chilli€14.00

beef tartare, kearney blue, wild garlic capers€18.00

START

crab, kohlrabi, grilled wild prawn, 'tom yum'€19.00

barbecue pigeon, pear, kuri pumpkin, foie gras dashi€21.00

embered scallop, smoked eel, potato, N25 kaluga€25.00

EMBERED

duck, apple, walnut, boudin noir, young buck€45.00

venison, grilled over juniper, parsnip, blackberries€45.00

wagyu onglet, wild mushroom, irish truffle€48.00

wild black sole, capers, brown butter€55.00

bone-in burren striploin steak€55.00

hereford côte de boeuf - 950g€110.00

DESSERT

toffee apple, sheep’s yogurt, wild sorrel, chestnut€14.00

chocolate, toasted vanilla, smoked almond€14.00

selection of irish cheese€18.00

Tasting

À la carte pairing - four wines€75.00

land, fire & sea menu€100.00

& wine€95.00

Provenance

Oysters

Wild Sea Trout

Buttermilk

Beef

Crab

Live Brown Shrimps

Pigeon

Scallops

Smoked Eel

Caviar

Mallard

Venison

Wagyu Onglet

Wild Mushrooms

Truffles

Turbot

Black Sole

Duck

Flowers & Micro Herbs

Organic Vegetables & Potatoes

Raw Honey

Charcuterie

Sea Salt

Kylemore Farmhouse Cheese

St.Tola Cheese

Velvet Cloud Sheep’s Yoghurt

Blackberries

Air Dried Ham

Foraged Coastal Greens & Seaweeds, Wild Herbs, Alliums & Fruit

Wildflower Seeded Menu Paper

Crockery

Living Ginger Designs

Paul Darrylmpie Ceramics

Sliding Rock Ceramics

Fermoyle Pottery

Diners' Choice Awards

Review summary

Additional information

Make a booking

Blackthorn

Make a booking