6 Best Restaurants in Cong (2024 Edition)

Although it’s a small town, there’s some mighty restaurants in Cong.

Famous across the globe for its appearance in the Quiet Man movie, Cong packs a punch when it comes to great grub.

And, if you’ve spent the morning ticking off the various things to do in Cong, a find feed in one of the town’s eateries is a must.

The best restaurants in Cong

Thanks to the Quiet Man fame, Cong receives a consistent flow of tourists to its narrow streets. And, while there are plenty of attractions in the area, there’s also some great places to eat.

Below, you’ll find famous spots, like Pat Cohan’s and Danagher’s to some of the more overlooked Cong restaurants.

1. Pat Cohan’s 

First up is arguably the most famous of the many restaurants in Cong – Pat Cohan’s Gastro Pub, located in the heart of Cong on Main Street.

Aside from delicious food, the pub’s claim to fame is that it was featured in the multi-Oscar-winning 1952 movie, The Quiet Man. 

The traditional pub is open for lunch and dinner, but they also have a wide range of wine and craft beers available if you want to pop in for a drink!

Their farm-to-fork approach uses locally-sourced produce in their Irish cuisine, with customers raving about their seafood chowder and grilled lamb rump. 

2. Puddleducks Cafe

Puddleducks Cafe on Main Street is a perfect spot for lunch or a hearty breakfast. The cafe has a lovely covered outdoor seating area and there’s also a cosy indoor dining room, for when the weather gets a little too chilly. 

They have a large breakfast/brunch menu, with classics like “The Full Duck” (A.K.A a full Irish), brioche French toast, and granola.

Their lunch menu consists of light bites like salads, gourmet sandwiches, soup, and a selection of pizzas. 

It’s a family-friendly establishment with a kid’s menu available. They also have vegetarian options and dairy-free milk for coffees. 

3. Danaghers Bar & Restaurant

Danaghers Bar & Restaurant is another of the more popular restaurants in Cong and you’ll find it in the centre of Cong just steps from Cong Abbey.

Head over for a traditional pub lunch or dinner, or for a drink at the Old World-themed bar.

There’s plenty of seating inside, as well as outdoors in the covered beer garden at the back, or out the front. 

The restaurant serves pub classics like fish and chips and burgers, but, the t-bone steak and Guinness stew are customer favourites!

Inside, there’s an inviting atmosphere thanks to the friendly staff, open fire (in the winter), and traditional decor. They also regularly host trad music nights. 

4. Crowe’s Nest Bar And Bistro

The Crowe’s Nest Bar and Bistro is a traditional pub/restaurant in the heart of Cong located inside Ryan’s – one of the more popular hotels in Cong.

They have a seasonal lunch and dinner menu and a large selection of ciders, beers, and whiskey (if you’re after a post-adventure pint).

The inside is cosy and traditional with three different sections. Out the back, there’s a large covered beer garden/dining area with nice views. 

The menu has traditional Irish and international cuisine, with dishes like brioche beef burgers topped with black pudding, Connemara smoked salmon salad and chicken quesadillas. 

5. Lydon’s Lodge

The restaurant at Lydon’s Lodge Hotel is a great spot in the centre Cong for lunch and dinner. Their menu features Irish and international dishes made using locally sourced seafood and meat. 

The menu is subject to change, but expect dishes like Atlantic Seafood Linguine with tiger prawns, mussels, hake, and samphire in a creamy white wine sauce, or Roasted Ham Ciabatta, with baked ham, camembert, honey and mustard aioli, red onion, and Ballymaloe relish. 

Inside, there’s traditional decor, with a wooden bar and plenty of seating. There’s also outdoor seating on the patio out the front.  

6. Cullens at the Cottage

Now, a quick note before we tell you about Cullens at the Cottage – this is only open to guests and residents staying in Ashford Castle.

Out of all of the Cong restaurants mentioned in this guide, this is the only one you’ll have to drive to (it’s 4 minutes from the town).

The thatched-roof cottage used to be the Cong Cinema and was the first place to show The Quiet Man in 1952. 

Inside, the dining room is light and airy with contemporary decor and a stylish bar. Outside, there’s seating on a lovely patio that overlooks a manicured garden. 

The restaurant serves international and Irish cuisine with a separate kid’s menu. Some must-trys are the Connemara Lobster Bun for lunch and the Cottage Surf and Turf for dinner. 

What great places to eat in Cong have we missed?

I’ve no doubt that we’ve unintentionally left out some brilliant places to eat in Cong from the guide above.

If you have any Cong restaurants that you’d like to recommend, let me know in the comments below and I’ll check it out!

Cong restaurants FAQs

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from ‘Where’s good for a fancy feed?’ to ‘Where does vegan food?’.

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.