Petronella Restaurant

Last minute choice for anniversary dinner, did not disappoint! Everything was delicious!

+4

The atmosphere with great jazz music and antiques make for the start of a great experience that is topped by excellent food and the kindest owner and staff. I can't recommend this place enough. We had the shephard's pie and the short rib croquettes. Both were excellent; the croquettes were the best I've had.

Great food. Everything was really good and no complaints at all. Service was great, food came out quick. Sorry for being a group of loud American tourists 😁 but we just enjoyed it so much. Would absolutely recommend!

+3

This place is a gem! The endive starter salad and Burrata cheese appetizers were great. The main dishes were truly the stars of the meal. I had the chicken, and the vegetables that came with the plate were out of this world. The broccoli and carrots that came with this meal were hands down some of the best I’ve ever had. I only wish this dish came with the mash potatoes that came with my husband’s short ribs! Overall the service was great. The ambience was phenomenal as well. Highly recommend.

Unique medieval location in Butter Slip alley with Michelin level food and good service. Dim lighting and romantic atmosphere, delicious plates and a memorable dinner in Kilkenny for sure.

+1

Great food, quiet and relaxing atmosphere and friendly service. Appreciate a small and simple menu

+2

I had a lovely lunch here in Kilkenny. We started with the pork belly croquettes, which were excellent; the meat was perfectly tender and shredded, and the homemade sauces complemented them really well. For the main course, I had the cottage pie, which was also delicious and full of flavor. The interior is beautifully decorated, with exposed stone and a charming medieval atmosphere that really adds to the experience. On top of that, the staff were very welcoming and genuinely kind. A great spot for lunch, highly recommended!

Perfect little December festive meal in a timelessly old medieval restaurant. Loved the wooden beams in the ceiling and just the general interiors here. Tudor style. The staff were very friendly and welcoming. Window seat watching passing people come and go. High stools so be prepared to shuffle in. Little space to manoeuvre. Festive menu with something for everyone. Had the sea bass and a side of tenderstem broccoli. Just a little bit too much of the broccoli less would have done. It was a whole big portion of it. Perfect to share. The festive cocktail tipple was lovely. Aperol, Prosecco and cider. The dessert was delicious baileys crème brûlée with a gingerbread biscuit. My sister enjoyed her steak. All in all beautiful experience. Would most definitely return! Would maybe dine upstairs instead. Avoid the draft, hustle and bustle of downstairs.

What an absolute gem of a restaurant in Kilkenny. Make sure you make a reservation in advance! The rib roast dinner I had was one of the best meals I have ever had! My terms of reference for this statement comes from extensive travels throughout the world. There is a very deep history with the location of Petronella and the ambiance is so warm and inviting. Finally, the service was excellent!

This place has it all! Great service and excellent food in an incredible setting. Both our servers were perfect. The meals delicious, and as mentioned, you can't find a cooler restaurant interior! We have been all over Europe and eaten in some really unique places. The building housing Petronella is absolutely amazing - historic, picturesque, and intimate. It's down a small alley, so easily missed by most. Make a reservation in advance.

Just had the most amazing meal, actually it was an experience...not just a meal...with the best service. Im sorry, I did not get our servers name. He was sensational. Attentive, not too much..chatty, perfect service. The dark/low lighting, the table dressing, the menu offering (The Seabass was one of the best I ever tadted and my partners Beef Rib ...so full of flavour! 👌 , the other staff coming over to chat to us...the type of restaurant I adore but is very, very rare! Cannot wait to go back! Thank you guys so much!! 👌👌

+6

Amazing !!!!! Petronella Restaurant in Kilkenny (located on the charming Butterslip Lane) receives highly positive reviews overall, particularly for its food, service, and unique historic atmosphere. It’s often described as one of the top dining spots in the city, with strong ratings across platforms. • Overall ratings: Around 4.7/5 on Google and similar sites, 4.7/5 on Tripadvisor (with over 1,000 reviews and a Travelers’ Choice award, ranking it in the top 10% of properties), and high praise on OpenTable, Facebook (96% recommend), and other review sites. Good food: This is a major highlight. Reviewers frequently rave about the excellent, high-quality Irish and modern European cuisine, with dishes like hake, steak, beef cheeks, slow-cooked meats, seafood, vegan/vegetarian options, and desserts (e.g., sticky toffee pudding, death by chocolate cake) being called “outstanding,” “delicious,” “perfectly cooked,” and some of the best meals people have had in Ireland or Europe. Many mention fresh, well-presented food using local ingredients, and specials like early bird menus or Sunday roasts get strong mentions for value and taste. Snacking: The restaurant offers more substantial meals (brunch, lunch, dinner), but lighter options like soups, toasted sandwiches, salads, chips, or sharing starters are available, especially during lunch or early bird times. Some reviews praise affordable, tasty lunch specials (e.g., soup + sandwich + chips) as brilliant value and “the best sandwich” or great for a casual bite. Service: Consistently described as warm, friendly, attentive, and professional. The owner (often mentioned as Frank or from the O’Neill family) is highlighted for being welcoming, personable, and going out of his way to make guests feel at home—chatting with tables, sharing history, and ensuring everything is perfect. Staff are called “perfect,” “helpful,” and efficient, even in busy times, with minimal delays. There are occasional minor criticisms (e.g., a rare complaint about overpriced items, overcooked steak in one older review, or it being on the pricier side for some), but these are outliers—the vast majority are enthusiastic, calling it a “must-visit,” “gem,” “stunning,” and “best in Kilkenny” due to the combination of historic medieval setting (original 1600s beams and stone walls), romantic/intimate vibe, and quality experience. If you’re in Kilkenny, it comes highly recommended—book ahead as it’s popular

+3

What a fabulous experience. Tino and his team went all out to accommodate food allergies and intolerance. We were so delighted with the whole experience of eating their fabulous food in a fantastic atmosphere that we want to recommend this restaurant as the Nº1 place to eat in Kilkenny city. We will definitely be back next time we're in town.

Absolutely fabulous. For such a smallish Restaurant, it had everything. Plenty of room between tables, lovely atmosphere, the nicest staff,and the food was excellent. 3 friends out for dinner, and each one agreed on all. Well done. We will be back soon.

Had an incredible meal with my fiancee. Lovely building, atmosphere great for a Wednesday night but not too loud. Turkey and ham dish one of the best I have ever had. Staff very pleasant while not being too invasive. Side order of chips beautifully crispy and fluffy as good as you’d get anywhere. Could not recommend it enough

Food, service and atmosphere is 5 stars. This chef knows their flavours. This place and arán are my two favourite places in Kilkenny. I will be back. Thank you

Food was amazing and atmosphere was lovely staff were very attentive. I’d highly recommend

Had food here, been here a number of times. Staff always nice, food is lovely. Would recommend it.

The food was super delicious with a friendly host. We got the early bird special and the options were excellent. We highly recommend this place, you have to do reservations but we got some luck and we were able to have dinner.

After 12 years of residence in Kilkenny I've had the pleasure to go this wonderful restaurant in the heart of the city. There's a comedy show that evening and I was lucky to get a ticket, as it quickly sold out. The food was absolutely gorgeous, and the show put up by comedian actresses Anna Clifford was top notch. I was sat at the same table with her and her friend Amy, the evening couldn't get any better. I loved every minute of it. The decor is one of the most historic in Kilkenny. I strongly recommend that anyone passing through Kilkenny goes there, it's worth it, from good food to eye catching architecture.

Best cottage pie I've ever tasted, worth every penny. Perfect atmosphere for a romantic date.

The atmosphere inside the restaurant is incredible – huge compliments to Petronella’s interior designer(s)! Both the staff service and the food were great. I ordered the lemon sole goujons and it was excellent. Everything was wonderfully seasoned and well-presented. They could easily charge a bit more and I think people would still go – the food’s that good!

Our local friend, Arthur, suggested this place. I'm so glad he did! It was amazing! We were able to fit our group of 14 in at the last minute as they'd had some cancelations due to the weather. Very historic building. The food, service, and vibe were great. We actually talked with the owner Frank for a while. I feel he would have talked forever, but he was busy running food and working the front of the house. Everyone was hustling. Service was prompt, and the food was excellent. It was a very modern and inventive menu. My wife and I had the Swiss salad, with bacon, chicken liver pâté, chorizo pappardelIe, and crispy pork belly, I highly recommend this place. Everyone in our group spoke very highly of it!

The place was kinda hidden, in a quiet area if that's what you're looking for. It had a nice vibe inside and the food was delicious. I had the crispy chicken goujons which had an awesome texture, perfectly crispy outside and juicy inside. Then the cheesecake surprise was to die for !! I'd definitely come back.

The restaurant has a history about the town and the staff were amazing and kind enough to share the story embedded in the walls and sands of time.

During our haunted guided tour we were recommended to eat here. Definitely a must when coming to Kilkenny! We had soup, vegetarian pasta and the chicken breast and it was delicious! Staff was also very lovely!

Phenomenal 💯 got the beef short rib, chicken salad and pulled pork croquettes. Will be going back next time I’m in Kilkenny

Not just for a birthday meal as it happened to be for me. Couldn't help but recommend Petronella. From moment checked in for our meal, attention to detail, friendly and professional staff in stunningly chilled surroundings and final thanks to manager. A wonderful night for me and my wife. All that and you'd almost forget the fantastic food..a must if you enjoy great food, great service in a beautiful restaurant.

We had a group meal the day before our wedding in Mountain View in Kilkenny and this restaurant was the perfect spot to kick things off. The food was delicious and compliments to Gerry the chef. Hidden gem down one of the old lanes in Kilkenny city centre.

Dropped in on spec on a saturday night and were lucky to obtain a table for two. Excellent restaurant in the heart of Kilkenny. Great service, superb food, beautiful atmosphere, all in all a beautiful experience, no complaints at all. will be back.

Lovely place to eat, food was delicious. Table was not ready, so a drink art the bar was the offered. Few minutes of chatting to bar man and up we went. Small area upstairs but we'll laid out, felt like we had space. Starter was the pulled pork croquettes, very tasty. Main course 10oz rib eye and a delicious chocolate and raspberry brownie with a nice cup of tea.!! Definitely recommended!

Beautiful restaurant, atmosphere cosy and welcoming and food absolutely delicious. Service excellent, warm and friendly, look forward to returning

We really enjoyed our meal, great service-thank you Daniel. Lovely atmosphere, conducive to conversation… We’ll be back!

Beautiful place to have a nice meal. Everything was good, especially the croquettes that we had for starters. We went for the sunday roast and it was good, a bit overpriced for the portion, in my opinion. Other than that, really good, will be back again soon.

Went with family for a birthday celebration. The food was mostly very good, my dad’s steak was slightly under-seasoned and a bit chewy. Desserts all around were fantastic. Atmosphere was really good. The staff were incredibly friendly, however there were some slight mistakes but nothing major. Overall I think it’s very good, would happily come back again.

Petronella is one of the top rated restaurants in Kilkenny and I can see why. The history of the restaurant is interesting and the interior is very unique with its large wooden beams. There are vegan and veggie options on the menu. We had the brushetta which was delicious. The bread itself was very well toasted and the bruchetta topping itself was flavourful and well seasoned. For my main I had the cauliflower wings which had a delicious batter as you would expect. It was served with some very well cooked chips and some fresh salad. The satay sauce was fantastic as well! The dishes overall were very tasty and the flavour profiles well matched. I would really love to see more vegan options on the menu as the ones they did have were lovely but very limited. The service was very prompt and we were always asked if we needed anything. The staff weren't particularly sure what was and wasn't vegan and had to double check with the chef around a number of dishes. It would be good to see the management have this more clearly labelled or described for staff, but they did everything they could to accommodate us. I would advise coming here when you are in Kilkenny 😊

The staff was really friendly and the prices weren't high at all. I had the Goujon sole thingy which was delicious whilst a bit greasy to my taste. Would have loved to have more choice on the desserts. Those available were a bit heavy on the tummy 😅

This place is truly beautiful and unique—however the food was bland and pretty average. Service was lovely and I’m happy I stopped in, however, I wouldn’t personally recommend.

Food was lovely a bit pricey but the kids meal was outrageously priced and poor value nearly €10 for 5 chips and a handful of frozen fish fingers definitely not fresh. Place is no longer a vegan/vege reasonably priced haven since the take over. Staff were excellent! Adult meals very tasty but pricey, kids meals not worth ordering.

Restaurant is lovely and staff are friendly but it is definitely overrated and very overpriced for what you get. Starters were nice but still way overpriced. €56 euro for two main dinners which we ordered the chicken supreme. It was a tiny piece of chicken on a spoon of mashed carrot and parsnip, and a few mini potatoes. I couldn't believe it was served as a main dish and at such a high price. Very disappointed. Would not return, and would not recommend.