If you’re in love with seafood like us, Howth is the best village to go to! You’ll find its shore lined with the best seafood restaurants serving the freshest produce from the sea.
But if you’re not much of a seafood lover, fret not—there are plenty of restaurants in the village that serve a variety of local Irish food (even international food) that will make anyone’s mouth water!
Average Spent on Food Per Day at Howth Restaurants
According to a few budget trip sites, people spend around €44-60 each per day for food. Breakfast is the cheapest meal of the day while lunch and dinner cost higher.
Just a heads up—these rates are based on budgets of recent travellers and can change any time.
Top Restaurants in Howth Perfect for a Food Trip
We picked the best restaurants in Howth based on the following:
1. Crabby Jo’s Wrights öf Howth
| Popularity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Local Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location | ★★★★★ (4/5) |
| Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality of food | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Pricing (Higher score = better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (5/5) |
| Quickness of Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
If you’re looking for a family-friendly and tourist-friendly restaurant in Howth, Crabby Jo’s Wrights öf Howth is the best place to go! While seafood is its main specialty, the restaurant also offers other local Irish food and even international food!
In fact, some of its customers will agree with us that Crabby Jo’s serves the best buttermilk pancakes. And just in case you prefer a heavier, more savoury food in the morning to fuel your strength for the day, there’s a full Irish breakfast on the menu!
Speaking of the menu, Crabby Jo’s serves a wide variety of seafood—from the traditional fish and chips to gourmet lobster dishes! We’re also pleased to know though that the restaurant serves salad, steak, and chicken as well.
In terms of pricing, we think you’ll be surprised that for the quality of food, it’s not that expensive. You can even get a full-breakfast for less than €10.
We also want to praise the customer service—the staff are very attentive to the needs of the customers. If in case one of them gets your order wrong, the manager is quick to act and will immediately apologise before replacing your order.
The restaurant is also accessible to everyone. It’s near the greenery, so after hiking it’s easy to get a table for you and your companions—at least if it’s not the peak hours.
One of the things we’re a little turned off about is that Crabby Jo’s can get a little too crowded so it’s hard to find seats at times. If you’re getting takeaway, the line can be long as well.
But if you want to experience the best of Howth, Crabby Jo’s is a good food place to start! We don’t doubt that you’ll keep coming back at every chance you get!
Pros
- Reasonable price
- Family and tourist-friendly
- Has wide dessert choices
- Serves breakfast
- Top-notch customer service
- Lively atmosphere
- Serves other Irish and international food
Cons
- No delivery
- Can get a little crowded
- Long queue for takeaways
Customer Reviews
Great seafood and great service
We stopped here for a family dinner for my father-in-law’s 75th birthday. Since he loves both seafood and the sea, this seemed like a great pick. The atmosphere and wait staff were great. The food was great, except our “seared” tuna dish came out well-done, which is not what we were expecting. The waiter got the manager, who explained that is more of what is served in Ireland when you get “seared”, but he willingly obliged and brought us a whole new plate with the tuna medium rare and seared on the outside. The seafood sampler platter for two was great–some of the best calamari and mussels we’ve had. All in all a very nice experience and would definitely go back.— Jeff S., Opentable
Reasonable and quality stay
Wrights of Howth in Dublin is my go-to spot whenever I’m in Howth. Their chicken strips and chips are an absolute must-have, and I’m also a huge fan of their excellent fish and chips. It’s the perfect place for a takeaway, especially considering its proximity to the greenery. Despite the usual queue, especially on sunny days, the wait is well worth it. A must visit takeaway spot amidst the picturesque backdrop of Howth. — Grzegorz Kotecki, Google Reviews
2. Octopussy’s Seafood Tapas
| Popularity | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Local Reputation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer Reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality of food | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Pricing (Higher score = better value) | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quickness of Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Octopussy’s Seafood Tapas is very popular among the locals and tourists alike. In fact, we all know it’s a good restaurant when people are willing to wait for 30 minutes or more just to get a table!
It’s really one of the most popular restaurants in Howth, and its main specialty is seafood. However, we’re quite happy to know that there are also a few options for non-seafood lovers like a variety of salad, bread, and chicken.
Another thing we appreciate about the restaurant—Octopussy’s has gluten-free options as well. This is great news if you’re watching your diet!
In terms of pricing—it matches the quality of food and service. And the best news for us—the restaurant has good wine selection to pair with every seafood menu.
One thing to note though, by the way, is that Octopussy’s food is served tapas-style. They have no starters or even main dishes, but there are options for small, medium, or large servings.
We also think you’ll appreciate the view, most especially if you get an outdoor table. The harbour view with the sea and some sea lions just makes the experience worth it.
We advise booking in advance though so you won’t have to wait for a long time to be seated. Other than the fact that Octopussy’s extremely popular, it’s also quite a small place even with the tables outside.
Pros
- Offers seafood, Mediterranean, European
- Has gluten-free options
- Has outdoor seats with a good view
- Has small or large serving options on the menu
- Seafood is always fresh
- Has good wine selection
- Price matches the quality of food
Cons
- Very small place
- Always full so there’s a need for reservation
Customer Reviews
Amazing food with reasonable prices
Amazing food. The seafood was super tasty and fresh. Portions were generous in terms of seafood variety and amount. Lovely staff and reasonable prices! We had paella, chowder and calamari rings and it was more than enough for 2. Place is small so be prepared to wait a bit for a table but we had a luck to be seated straight away — Julia Denisova, Google Reviews
Best place for seafood lovers
Just delicious! For seafood lovers, this is MECA! All super fresh, great atmosphere in front of the bay and fisherman village. The mussels plate is simply the most tasteful I’ve ever tasted. They should take care more about cleaning, as this could be a plus plus to the already exceptional place! As the place is super small, many people tried to get a table, but had no chance! — Luciane P, Trip Advisor
3. Aqua Restaurant
| Popularity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Local Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality of food | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Taste | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Pricing (Higher score = better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quickness of Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
According to its loyal patrons—both locals and tourists—Aqua Restaurant has one of the best views in Howth. And we agree!
What we love the most is that wherever your table is, you have two fantastic views—Ireland’s Eye or Howth Harbour. And either will add to the elevated experience of eating good food with the best view!
In terms of the menu, we’re glad to know that it offers not just seafood but also beef, chicken, salad, and pasta. The restaurant even has a kid’s menu, so if you have children, there are good options for them to try.
We think adults will also love the cosy bar. There are several cocktail options you can enjoy with your food.
And oh—Aqua Restaurant also has a lot of vegetarian options on the menu. So if you have certain preferences, there’s something for you to choose.
Another thing we love about Aqua Restaurant is that the food is always well-cooked. The seasoning is also perfect as well—not too strong, but not bland either.
We also want to commend the friendly staff who are very attentive to the customers’ needs. They greet you warmly and pay attention to your orders just in case you have requests.
Just a little warning—make sure to check your bill and the items you ordered. There are times when some food you didn’t order gets added to the bill.
Not to worry though—the restaurant makes sure to rectify the mistakes once you alert the staff. But it’s still better to double-check to avoid further issues.
Pros
- Fresh seafood
- Has large windows with a sea view
- Lovely setup
- Has vegetarian options
- Stunning view
- Friendly staff
- Well-cooked food
- Offers other local Irish food
- Has a cosy bar
Cons
- Mistakes on the bill
- Needs reservation
- Place is quite small
Customer Reviews
Excellent value for food
Just back from an early bird in Aqua. Beautiful restaurant and excellent staff and value. Three courses for €38 excellent value. I had mussels , my wife had seafood chowder as starters both excellent. Being in Aqua we had excellent fish centred main courses. One of the party had chicken and was very satisfied. Unfortunately we were overfed and declined the desserts. — Jim C, Trip Advisor
Amazing sunset view
This was my second time dining in Aqua Restaurant. I have to say every time I experienced warm and friendly service. First time I had their lovely lunch food, and the second time was a nice sunset dinner menu. Both lunch and dinner food were delicious and the view was amazing. Will definitely recommend this place. — Jenny Wang, Google Reviews
4. The Pier House Restaurant Howth
| Popularity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Local Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Accessibility | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Quality of food | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Presentation | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Pricing (Higher score = better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Service | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quickness of Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
What makes The Pier House Restaurant Howth stand out to us is its simple menu elevated through taste and presentation. Not only do the food taste good, they look good too—and the lovely setting just adds to the perfection!
Some local patrons we talked to told us that they appreciated the intimate ambience. Some of them were couples, so they loved that the setting and the food gave off a romantic vibe.
There’s also nice music in the background which adds to the relaxing feel of the place. We recommend choosing from the restaurant’s good selection of beverages to complete the vibe—good food, good company, and a good drink just hit the right spot!
Like what we mentioned, there’s nothing extraordinary in terms of the food choices, but the overall presentation and taste more than make up for the simplicity. Everything is well-seasoned, and is served hot and fresh.
Another thing we appreciate is that there’s no rush between courses. You’ll get to enjoy your starters, your main, and your dessert without having to eat fast.
Pricing is reasonable too, at least for the main dishes, which we really appreciate. However, we’re quite surprised about the Pier House’s dessert menu prices—quite expensive, which might make you forego dessert.
Just a final piece of advice—dress nicely. We’re pretty sure you won’t be sent away whatever you’re wearing, but if you want to jive with the atmosphere of the place, which is a bit formal and a little intimate, you might as well dress the part!
Pros
- Lovely staff
- Intimate ambience
- Staff pays attention to customers’ dietary needs
- Lovely food presentation
- Good selection of alcoholic beverages
- Staff don’t rush you between courses
- Freshly cooked food
- Generous portions for mains
- Simple menu
Cons
- A little formal
- Pricey desserts
Customer Reviews
Perfect for special occasions
The staff are so welcoming and friendly. Restaurant is small but intimate with lovely decor and nice music in the background. Food was delicious. Oysters and shrimp for starters. Baked cod and Ray wings for the main course. Very well presented and no rush between the courses. Good selection of wines and cocktails. A little more pricey than usual but lovely for a special occasion. — Redser, Trip Advisor
Generous portions and well-seasoned food
Delicious seafood and fish dishes in a lovely setting. The mussels were amazing and served with fresh bread and butter that was made in house. Portions are generous but dishes are delicate – definitely worth a visit and worth the trip from Dublin city centre! — Johanna H, Trip Advisor
5. O’Connells Pub & Restaurant
| Popularity | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Local Reputation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Reviews | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Location | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Accessibility | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambience | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Cleanliness | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quality of food | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Taste | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Presentation | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Pricing (Higher score = better value) | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Customer Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Communication | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Quickness of Service | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
If you’re looking for a really varied menu that serves local favourites, seafood, and international menu, we recommend O’Connells Pub & Restaurant. It functions as a bar and restaurant, so other than the food, it also has a good selection of drinks.
What we love the most about O’Connells is the overall vibe of the place. It has a nice. cosy interior, there’s good music, and the atmosphere inside is fun and lively—a really deadly combination!
Another thing we appreciate is the efficient order system. It doesn’t matter whether it’s busy or not—customer orders are taken fast and served fast and fresh as well whether it’s appetisers, main, or dessert.
The staff are also quite attentive, which we consider top-notch customer service. You don’t need to ask for things you need twice—they immediately come and attend to your requests without delay.
The food is also delicious—and served with generous portions! Pairing them with good drinks from the bar will make the experience more worth it.
Some of the items on the menu are overpriced though. If you have a limited budget for food, just choose among the other items—there are a lot of other options!
We think it’s also worth noting that the pub tends to get a little crowded since it’s quite small. So if you want to get easily seated, come early.
Pros
- Functions as a bar and restaurant
- Wide range of food options
- Big serving
- Serves local Irish favourites
- Attentive staff
- Efficient order system
- Accessible location
- Top-notch ambience
- Fun atmosphere
- Serves great coffee
Cons
- Some items on the menu are overpriced
- Place is too small for a pub
Customer Reviews
Efficient customer service
Went O’Connells bar for the first time on the 23rd Aug even though I’ve been to Howth hundreds of times over the years. The staff were brilliant and the food was delicious. I had our 8 month old baby with us and after I finished feeding him a staff member asked if I’d like our bowls and cutlery (which we brought with us) cleaned. It’s the little things that make the difference and I have to say the staff were on the ball from the minute we opened the door to leaving. Super efficient taking orders, food came promptly and bill came when asked. Highly recommend for the great staff and old style pub atmosphere — James Trip Advisor
Good food and good sea view
Had a really lovely meal upstairs in O’Connells last night with a gorgeous view of Howth harbour. The staff were so nice and attentive even though they were so busy. Brie starter was excellent and the crab and haddock skillet was delicious .Great spot if you want a nice treat by the sea . — Linda Grant, Google Reviews