I visited the Malthouse with friends recently, it was my second time dining here. I am sorry to report that I was left disappointed on this return visit. I am a vegetarian, and am often left frustrated by limited menu options when I dine out, however, generally I find most restaurants quite accommodating if I don't find something on the menu which I can eat. The Malthouse served two vegetarian options on the night we dined- one containing Goats Cheese and the other containing tofu. Unfortunately I do not eat either-though I fully acknowledge that most vegetarians would be happy with these menu options!! When the waiter asked for my order I enquired if there was an alternative, I was told I could have side orders of vegeatables. There was an awkward silence before I asked if perhaps the chef might do something else? The waiter seemed put out by my enquiry. He later returned and said the chef would do a vegetable thai green curry, there was not a second option. When the dish arrived it was luke warm and had a film over it as though it had not been reheated properly, It was also very bland and tasteless, I would have conveyed this to the waiter has he asked how our meal was but he did not.I don't mean to do a disservice to the food overall as my friends enjoyed their meals but its just disappointing in this day and age that those who don't eat meat are limited to two options on a menu with little or no thought put into offering an alternative.

4 of us went for dinner and it was highly enjoyable. The last time I ate here(about 2 yr ago) I was very disappointed as the quality was poor. I understand the place has changed management and the level of service and food has improved no end. I would recommend the haddock for any fish lovers but overall all 4 of us were very pleased with our meal.

We visited The Malt House on Christmas Eve this year and We were all highly disappointed with what it had to offer. Firstly for Christmas lunch the prices were ridiculous considering we were told by the manager that they were "using up food". Firstly there was no set menu and all dishes were priced as if we were sitting down to an evening meal, it was 2.30pm. When our food had been ordered, only then we were told they had run out of one of the main and most reasonably priced dishes in the place.The restaurant lacked atmosphere and not one of the staff wished us a Happy Christmas. In short, an over priced, bland meal and I certainly would not be in a rush back to this place, as one felt that even in these harsh economic times this restaurant was out to make a fast buck and didn't consider the patrons who visit there year on year.

22 of us went here for a family celebration. The Early bird was on offer which 18 of us took up, most having the soup and the steak. I believe the soup was standard, grand. The steak was like a minute steak which had being flattened to make it fill the plate and was about a millimetre thick. This came with a small bowl of chips and nothing else. I was told it was tasteless and in all very bad value. I ordered the duck egg with asparagus salad. It was pleasant but the asparagus had being chopped into tiny pieces, overcooked and mixed in with the potatoes, it was a bit of a shame to do this. The main of claims with linguine was lacking in clams and instead of a white wine sauce more like a quart of cream poured over it, no flavour and no attempt at cooking really. I don't think we will be going back. Poor, poor, poor.

ate there last weekend.had the monkfish osso bocco with the gremolata for mains.10 out of 10.had the scallops with golden raisin dressing for starters.again ,10 out of 10.well done to everyone .we will be back.

Ate there on Easter Sunday. They had an offer of 3 courses for €24 which we thought was excellent value..and we were proved right! While choices were limited we all choose different starters and had no complaints and for the mains everyone had the lamb. All was excellently prepared and the staff were very attentive. Will definitely be back.

Enjoyed dinner here last weekend, food was excellent and is all locally sourced. Atmosphere was very relaxed which was lovely after a busy week. Good wine list as well!

Stopped by for lunch last week. Good busy atmosphere and everybody else's food looked good. However I was not impressed with my seafood chowder mainly due to the lack of seafood - in fact there was none and the rest of it was below average. So I paid €6 for a small bowl of luke warm tasteless vegetable chowder.The coffee was good though.

4 of us had a wonderful evening here the food was great, the wine superb and the service was excellent, what more can one ask for. We all ate something different the scallops and the rack of lamb were the winners. We will definately go back there next time in Galway.

Ate here on a Friday night. We had the value menu which was good value for money. The choice is somewhat limited as you'd expect though there should be something for everyone. Unlike a previous reviewer we did have access to the full menu if desired. The service was really good and the waiters were friendly and attentive. The food was good though not outstanding (we had no complaints given the value). I did have two areas of improvment however. Firstly, although the restaurant offers value there was a lot of upselling going on. The waiter kept refilling our wine glasses even when we had only drunk a small amount and was clearly looking to push a 2nd bottle on us. They also demonstrated clear dissapointment that we didn't order desert. Secondly, the accoustics in the restaurant meant that individual voices carried very loudly. I really like a buzzy, lively restaurant but it actually was a bit distracting to our own conversation.

Had a very enjoyable meal here last Saturday night. Arrived as a party of 6 with no booking into a very busy restaurant, however they immediately arranged a table for us. Crab toasties were lovely, as was my main of Scallops and Pork Belly - yum! Service was a bit slow but restaurant was very busy and staff were pleasant. We would definitely return.

I was disappointed. The last time I visited this restaurant (about a year ago) I had a memorable meal and was looking forward to eating there again. The menu was far more limited and it just didn't live up to the memory of my previous visit.

Went here last Saturday night for a romantic meal with my husband for my birthda. Had eaten here before and was looking forward to a great night out. Unfortunately that was not to be..they have this new menu which offers 3 courses for €30 which seems like great value except that the choices are very limited and are very much of the bog standard carvery variety. When we asked the waitress for the full menu she replied this is the full menu which got rid of the old one. Was left feeling very disappointed to say the least. Will not return again

Ate there on Saturday night. Good atmosphere - the restaurant was very busy. We both had the early bird menu which is available up to 9 o' clock and was very good value. Food was good - especially at the price. Would definitely go back. There is an up-side to the recession!

I ate here earlier in the week. We arrived at one and were told the wait would be over half an hour. By the time we returned it had settled down, so I'd advise to come after 2! I got the soup, which was small but delicious and my friend got the falafel, which was a good size and very tasty. We then got two desserts. The helpings were very generous and smothered in brandy custard, the mince pies, and cream, a peacan pie. This was washed down with a pot of tea. The waitress was friendly and so attentive. We were in no rush to leave our cosy little corner table.

I visited here a few weeks ago, I won't make the same mistake anytime soon. The portions were small, the prices too high, the food just ok & the service argumentative. I asked about a dessert that came sprinkled with black pepper, I asked that they leave off the pepper from mine. Not so! I gave up after 5 mins of the waitress insisting that the 'pepper brings out the flavour', I don't care!!!! I'm paying for what I like! The tables are too close together, that & charging for bread / veg looks greedy.

We booked here early for a saturday evening meal because we were given a voucher for the restaurant. We both thought the food did not match the price that the restaurant was charging. Mains were between 20-30 euro and on the menu the dishes sounded amazing but in reality they were very plain and small portioned. Nice interior and atmosphere inside though.

went with my wife one day. firstly some of the staff are idiots as we were seated near the front and there was a load new york ladies speaking and we quietly asked the lady if we could move. she moved us in the back and then when the load new york ladies table was ready she put her right behind us. then you have to pay extra for your potatoes and veg also is separate. That's E7 before you even get your meat. it was pricey. however it was nice to try pheasant as not many places have it.

Nice Restaurant, but high prices. The food is good but very small Portions.

I ate here with my girlfriend about 6 weeks ago. We were looking forward to trying out their new menu. We were already fans of the old menu so thought that this change would be exciting. Upon arrival we were greeted by the friendly maitre d'/manager. I noticed a cleverly placed "recent" review from Tom Dorley in the waiting area. I like the emphasis on local/organic where possible. I get the impression the same designer who works for The Kings Head had a hand in designing the menu/brand. While it was a relatively enjoyable experience we found that the portion sizes had shrunk considerably and the prices had increased. We also felt that the additional charge for bread left a bad taste in our mouths. The menu is brave eg Chocolate torte with chili but well executed but at €160ish for 2 starters/2 mains/2 desserts & wine we felt it was pricey. The service is a little cold and the atmosphere was lacking. I will be back though

Excellent home made, fresh Irish food. I was here on a Monday night and it was packed with a great atmosphere. We were entertaining a foreign guest and this restaurant was a fine example of good Irish food. All the basics put together really well. The service was prompt and efficient, all round it was a great night.

Nevermind the last guy. The makeover is amazing. Love the food and the staff are top dollar. Well worth a visit any day

Readers should be aware that the Malt House underwent a very significant overhaul of both the premises and the menu in May 2008. The decor is greatly improved and modernized and the main dining room no longer looks like your grannies house circa 1979. The menu has changed beyond all recognition, whether for the better or not is open to debate. It is now a very short, one page affair compared to the much longer previous version. There is very little fish/seafood on offer now whereas the restaurant used to be quite well known for its fish dishes. They are placing a big emphasis now on good quality/organic produce which is to be commended. However, should you think that the prices have been pared down to match the Spartan decor and menu you would be very much mistaken. One standout thing that I find particularly objectionable is that there is now a €3 charge for the same bread they used to serve gratis. It feels extremely penny-pinching on the part of the restaurant to do this and seriously devalues the customer experience in my view. To use an American expression, you get the feeling you are being 'nickel and dimed'. They have also discontinued their Early Bird menu which, at €25 for two courses and a glass of wine was at the higher end of the early-bird price scale compared to other restaurants but worth it in my book. Personally I object to paying high Malt House prices for a quick pre-theatre dinner when, let's face it, you are dining in a fairly empty dining room without much atmosphere. When I ate there recently before going to a show and while I enjoyed the food I left feeling quite ripped off and the experience as a whole left a bitter taste in my mouth. I should mention that the portion sizes tend towards the small, my crab toasty starter was certainly reminiscent of nouvelle cuisine. I should say at this point that I do spend a lot on eating out very frequently and have no problem with paying high prices as long as I feel I am getting value for money.

Excellent menu, both food and wine. Choice and quality supreme. As you may have guessed I was blown away by this place on my first visit. Found it be accident but I can guarantee will be a repeat customer on my next voyage to Galway. Highly recommended/