Although my semester in Galway was cut short, I’m sure my friends will attest to the fact that I fit in more meals during my 2 and a half months there than the average Irish student fits in during a year. I quickly realized that Galway was filled with incredible restaurants and I was determined to try as many as I could. I could write countless blurbs about myriad cuisines and unique experiences I had at restaurants in town, but today I’d like to focus on burger restaurants.
Why burger restaurants?
Well, being from America, a burger is what I think of as a classic American cuisine. I was surprised to find that Galway was home to so many different versions of burger restaurants, and each one had their own special distinguishing factors. Below is a summary of my thoughts and recommendations of the burger restaurants in Galway I sampled, in no particular order.
Wholly Cow
Wholly Cow is conveniently located across from campus on Newcastle Road before you get to town if you’re walking from Goldcrest/Corrib Village. Wholly Cow has solid burgers, but they stand out from the other burgers mentioned because of their homemade pickles and sauces. Combined with local beef and cheese, the burger as a whole makes for a tasty experience.
The sauces are especially highlighted with the loaded fries side option, which is my favorite menu item from Wholly Cow. Of the loaded fries, I recommend the “Messy Fries” which features secret sauce and onions, and the “Better than the Rest” which is made of smoked belly bacon, garlic mayo, and cheese.
Burgerstory
Burgerstory is unfortunately further away from the dorms at NUI, Galway and it was tough to get over there for a meal on a given night. It’s a shame that I only was able to go once as I really enjoyed the experience, but do not fear—I spent over 40 euro sampling as many things as I could!
The Double Bacon Cheeseburger was very tasty, and I appreciated the extra cheese that spilled over the side of the burger. I also ordered the bingo wings so I could partake in the Spicy Wing Challenge, which lived up to its name. Next, I had the chili cheese fries and a bourbon chocolate milkshake. The real shine of Burgerstory is the boozy milkshake and burger combo, as well as the presentation.
Chili Shack
Chili Shack is a solid choice for a quick and tasty burger, and it was my go-to choice for food delivery because of the speed. The wings are quite tasty as well, but their distinguishing factor is the homemade chili that is made with local beef.
This homemade chili is very tasty and perfect for a cold, rainy day (a frequent occurrence in Galway). I enjoyed eating in and taking shelter from the rain with chili nachos a few times myself. Favorite picks of mine off of their burger menu are the Bacon Cheeseburger which uniquely features chipotle mayo, and the “Big Cluckin Burger” which is made with fried chicken and smoked cheese.
The Gourmet Offensive
Located down the street from Chili Shack, The Gourmet Offensive (TGO) is actually a falafel restaurant that features vegetarian and vegan friendly options. When I had to convince my parents that I wasn’t only eating burgers and pizza, I would stop by here for their healthy “Arancini Burger.”
Delicious and nutritious, it’s a beetroot risotto burger with kale Caesar salad and homemade slaw. The bun is absolutely incredible as well, and it cheaply pairs with fries and a drink for only 1 euro more. It felt really good to indulge here and convince myself that it was healthy. One of the more unique and tasty burger experiences in Galway.
BóTOWN
Tied for my favorite restaurant in Galway, BóTOWN offers some incredible burgers accompanied by a complete and tasty dining experience. The burgers are great and the BóTOWN sauce is super tasty. My favorite burgers were the “Smoky Bo” that featured smoked cheese and peat whiskey sauce, the “Westender” that featured chorizo, and the “Guac-a-mhac” which featured chunky guacamole, thick bacon, and chipotle mayo. Paired with hand cut beef-dripping fries, these burgers are sure to be a great dining experience.
But BóTOWN also offers so much more. Some of the many great sides and appetizers are the chicken wings, the Mexican corn, and the mac n cheese bacon balls. BóTOWN also features a bottomless mimosa Sunday brunch and an amazing selection of craft beers. The owner is very nice and welcoming, and I honestly cannot say enough good things about it. To the right is a picture I took of the last dinner meal I ate at BóTOWN.
Caribou
Tied with BóTOWN for my favorite burger restaurant, Caribou offers another amazing and complete dining experience that I also cannot write enough good things about. It was actually the group’s collective favorite restaurant and it was where we chose to have our last meal together. Caribou is one of the most affordable options on this list, offering fantastic burger, fries, and drink specials for the late afternoon. Their menu rotates fantastic specials, and features incredible craft beer.
My favorite special was the Cowboy Loaded Fries that included spiced chicken strips and melted cheese with spicy barbecue sauce and other herbs. They have a fantastic buffalo chicken sandwich that I enjoyed a countless number of times with Loaded Truffle Fries. Nothing is better than Loaded Truffle Fries in my opinion, and Caribou's Loaded Truffle Fries feature a load of truffle flavor and melted cheese. Pictured are the Cowboy Fries and the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with Loaded Truffle Fries. One thing that’s worth mentioning about Caribou is their rotating beer menu that features some of the most unique and tasty beers I’ve ever had.
Honorable Mention: Supermac’s - the perfect and convenient place to end a long night. Think of Supermac’s as a better version of McDonald’s combined Papa John’s pizza.
Closing Thoughts
Most of these burger joints also feature chicken wings. Additionally, Chili Shack and Burgerstory feature chicken wing speed eating contests that are sure to be a lot of fun with a group. If completing the challenge at Burgerstory, it’s paramount to have a boozy milkshake on hand to extinguish the inevitable flames in your mouth. I belong to a buffalo wing club at Notre Dame, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed the unique sauces of many restaurants in Galway. Definitely recommended.
Credits:
Created with an image by Jonathan Borba - "untitled image"