13 Of The Best Restaurants In Howth For A Fine Feed

In search of the best restaurants in Howth? Our Howth restaurants guide will make your belly happy!

Although the picturesque town of Howth is arguably best known for the Howth Cliff Walk and its bustling harbour, there’s plenty of excellent places to eat in Howth.

From long-standing favourites, like Beshoff Bros and Aqua, to new arrivals, like The Pier House, there’s plenty to choose from here.

In the guide below, you’ll find our favourite Howth restaurants, with a bit of something to tickle most tastebuds.  

Our favourite restaurants in Howth

The first section of our guide to the best restaurants in Howth tackles our favourite places to eat in Howth.

These are pubs and restaurants that we (one of the Irish Road Trip team) have munched away in at some point over the years. Dive on in!

1. Aqua Restaurant

You’ll find one of the finest seafood restaurants in Dublin situated right at the end of Howth Harbour’s west pier – it’s called Aqua and it has some of the village’s best views.

Housed in a former sailing club, the elegant building dates from 1969 though it looks a lot older (my opinion of 1960’s architecture is pretty low, so this surprised me somewhat!).

Boasting panoramas across the harbour and to Ireland’s Eye, Aqua’s views are exceptional so try and get a seat by the windows. 

And of course, its selection of locally caught fish is as fresh and full of flavour as you can imagine. Definitely give the Dover Sole a try. 

2. Beshoff Bros – Howth

Getting stuck into some fish and chips when you’re by the sea is a rite of passage, and Beshoff Bros in Howth Village are some of the best in the business.

Located in the heart of Howth Harbour, the Beshoff Bros story actually goes back three generations and they’ve got five different restaurants around Dublin now. 

They’re something of an institution in Howth now and such is the quality of their fish and chips that long queues can form outside on warm summer days, so don’t dither too much when you’re feeling peckish!

Related read: Check out our guide to the best pubs in Howth (from old-school trad bars to cosy pubs with open fires)

3. The Brass Monkey Restaurant and Wine Bar

Fancy a bit of seafood tapas? Just a little further down from Aqua lies the Brass Monkey, a great spot for a less formal seafood experience.

And with their wooden tables out front, it’s even better in the summer when you can watch the sun go down behind Howth Village.

If you don’t want any seafood then Brass Monkey does serve some ace hot chicken wings but we definitely recommend the fish plates when you’re here.

Their indulgent deluxe seafood chowder features a delightful mix of prawns, scallops, crab claws, fresh cod, smoked haddock and mussels.

4. The Pier House

The Pier House is one of the newest restaurants in Howth, having only opened in 2020, and it has made waves (terrible pun, I know…) on the Howth food scene ever since!

The Pier House is an awesome addition to Howth’s west pier and they serve up some seriously well-prepared fish.

Kick off with their four shucked Achill Island Oysters with chilli and ginger dressing before moving on to the pièce de résistance – a ray wing that’s beautifully charred and served with browned butter, charred cauliflower and cockles.

5. The House Restaurant

Back in the village on Main Street, The House focuses more on modern Irish cooking as opposed to the exclusively seafood style that many other Howth restaurants lean towards.

Serving up everything from goat’s cheese panna cotta to pork belly with a spiced potato croquette, The House has been voted as Ireland’s ‘Top 100 restaurants’ list for 5 years now. 

They’re not averse to fish though, and their pan-fried Monkfish Tail in a saffron fondant is exceptional. The elegant old building also has an interesting history, as it was once home to the infamous Captain Bligh towards the end of his career. 

Great seafood restaurants in Howth

Now that we have our favourite places to eat in Howth out of the way, it’s time to see what else this picturesque corner of Dublin has to offer.

Below, you’ll find everywhere from the brilliant Oar House and 30 Church Street to a couple of Howth restaurants that tend to get overlooked.

1. Mamó Restaurant

Opened in 2019, Mamó Restaurant brings a bit of panache to the usually light-hearted fare you’d find beside the seaside.

Situated on Harbour Road between both piers, they serve modern European cuisine in a relaxed and friendly setting and source all of their produce from North County Dublin where possible. 

Lead by exciting young chef Killian Durkin, it’s a class spot you might want to check out if you like your fine dining and have had your fill of fish and chips.

The food is great here so perhaps order a number of smaller plates so you can try as many different flavours and textures as possible. 

2. Octopussy Seafood Tapas

Clearly, seafood tapas is a bit of a thing over in Howth and why not?! Sharing is caring and at Octopussy Seafood Tapas (not sure on the James Bond reference there) they encourage you to try as much as possible so get stuck in!

With their fish supplied by Doran’s on the Pier seafood market next door (who operate a fleet of fishing boats out of Howth), their fish is as fresh as it’s possible to be.

There’s a whole bunch of tempting items on the menu so don’t hold back. Highlights include calamari with aioli dip, teriyaki salmon and fresh Carlingford oysters.

Related read: Check out our guide to 14 of the best things to do in Howth (hikes, pubs, tours and more)

3. 30 Church Street Howth

Located just off the main road into Howth Village, 30 Church Street boasts stunning views over Howth Harbour, St Mary’s Church ruins and Ireland’s Eye.

Basically, it’s a good start and it gets better. 30 Church Street performs the simple task of serving crowd-pleasers like pizza and steak to an exceptionally high standard. Oh, and of course they do some fine fresh seafood too. 

Most people would come here for their awesome wood-fired pizzas, however, and there’s a solid list of classics to choose from, including pepperoni, quattro formaggi and Hawaiian (they might even convert some pineapple-on-pizza haters!)

4. The Oar House

Originally a simple fishing cottage on Howth’s west pier, one look inside suggests that The Oar House has faithfully kept many of its original features.

With its old nets and ancient ropes hanging from the ceiling, this might be one of the more authentic seafood experiences in Howth. And as an award winner, the food is pretty good too!

The battered fish and chips is always going to be a tempter but check out their impressive array of starters and turn it into a seafood tapas if you like. The seafood chowder, cajun style calamari and roaring bay mussels all look like winners to me. 

Related read: Check out our guide to 4 of the best beaches in Howth (including the often-missed Red Rock)

5. Crabby Jo’s

With its row of flags and royal blue canopies, you can’t really miss Crabby Jo’s as you approach Howth’s west pier.

Seafood (unsurprisingly) takes pride of place here and there’s a whole ton of great stuff you can order from the menu. It’s also a great place to bring kids (they have their own kids menu), so if you’re here on a family trip, this could be the place to head. 

Don’t let the family atmosphere detract from the quality of the food however, as there’s some top quality stuff here, including a fabulous tempura and chips. 

Other popular places to eat in Howth

The final section of our Howth restaurants guide is packed with a mix of popular and, in some cases, more causal places to eat in Howth.

Below, you’ll find everywhere from the brilliant Dog House and O’Connells Pub to the very popular Gwen’s Café.

1. The Dog House & Blue’s Tea Room Restaurant

One of Howth’s quirkier spots, the enormous billboards and large statue of half a shark outside will let you know that you’re on the right track to The Dog House.

But it’s also a great place to relax. Curl up in an alcove with a good book from the open bookshelf, or sit outside in the sunshine and watch the world go by.

The food’s good too and they like to keep it simple – wood-fired pizzas, juicy burgers and fresh seafood will sort out anyone in search of a good feed. 

If you’re looking for dog-friendly restaurants in Howth, Dog House & Blue’s Tea Room Restaurant is worth nipping into.

2. King Sitric Restaurant

Almost as recognisable as The Dog House albeit on the opposite side of the harbour, King Sitric is a local favourite in a great location that provides instant access to the popular Howth Cliff Walk.

While it’s been serving up fine seafood since 1971, in 2000 the old harbour masters house which houses the King Sitric was extensively renovated and the dining room was moved up to the first floor where it commands sweeping views into Balscadden Bay and across the harbour from its large windows. 

They have a few guest rooms at the King Sitric too, so if the cliff walk and fresh seafood are priorities then it’s probably not a bad idea to pitch up here!

3. O’Connells Pub & Restaurant

Perfectly perched to look out over the Harbour, O’Connell’s is in a picturesque spot. It’s also one of the first pubs you come across on your way back into town following the Howth Cliff Walk.

Food is served here all day from noon and, being in Howth of course, they offer a fine selection of seafood.

And definitely don’t miss their seafood chowder (it goes down exceptionally well with a Guinness!). If you’re here for a long weekend, then check out their Sunday Trad sessions too.

What Howth restaurants have we missed?

I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some other great restaurants in Howth from the guide above.

If you have any favourite Howth restaurants that you’d like to recommend, drop a comment into the comments section below.

FAQs about the best restaurants in Howth

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from what are the best restaurants in Howth for a fancy feed to which Howth restaurants are nice and chilled.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.

What are the best places to eat in Howth?

I’d argue that the best places to eat in Howth are The Brass Monkey, Aqua and Beshoff. However, any of the spots above are worth checking out.

What Howth restaurants are good for a fancy meal?

If you’re looking for Howth restaurants to mark a special occasion, check out Mamó Restaurant, The Pier House an Aqua.

What are the best restaurants in Howth for something casual?

There are some great casual places to eat in Howth, with O’Connells and Beshoffs the pick of the bunch, in my opinion.