McHughs Bar & Restaurant in Belfast

Six friends arrived for lunch in McHughs on our annual day out in Belfast together and were shown to the upstairs restaurant area. All very nice , exposed brickwork showing its historical past ,nice views etc. We all ordered the Irish Stew and some beers - a safe bet one might say!The waiter was friendly and helpful. The stew however was dreadful - very few potatoes not much meat and what there was ,was swimming in gloopy,odd tasting gravy. We were a local group from rural Ards who know their Irish Stew ,but everyone was disappointed at what was presented. After pointing out this issue we had to ask to see the manager . She arrived and after looking at what remained in the dishes she said she would speak to someone and disappeared. That was the last we saw of her. No ‘sorry about that and hope you come back again’ - nothing ,she just hid.We finished our beers ,asked for the bill , from which the stews had been removed and paid for the beers. We were astonished the manager didn’t return and there was an overwhelming sense of a lost opportunity by the manager to make the best of a bad situation. She made a disappointing meal worse by ignoring us and the issue. It wasn’t about discount or anything - it was about somebody agreeing the stew was poor and apologising. McHugh’s - get your act together for the sake of the real tourists!

Traditional pub downstairs with a restaurant above. Traditional Irish dishes and a few other surprises. Full bar and friendly staff.

Amazing service with warm welcoming and friendly staff who delivered a lovely meal to us even with a late evening booking 10/10 would recommend their Irish Stew was amazing.

Brilliant wee pub. Good beer, good atmosphere, good service. We were in on a Sunday and found it busy with a great feel about it. Popped in for 1 and stayed 2+ hours. Live traditional music in the corner helped. Defo return

Good food and service. Straightforward and traditional fair. Staff were pleasant and helpful.

Some of the best food that I ever had! Very nice staff and close to water.

Pub crawl starting point. Was not disappointed with the atmosphere. The staff were great, but alas only stayed for 1 and then onto the next!

Meal was not nice and ended up with food poisoning. Flies all over food and in toilets

We dropped in for a drink and ended up having a fantastic evening. The staff were extremely friendly and stopped to talk to us often. I had the best Irish Coffee in the world and left with a hand written copy of the recipe. One of the regular customers was so easy to talk to and made us laugh all evening. Sean, the manager was just wonderful. This was truly one of our favorite memories of Ireland!

Brilliant place to eat. Food gorgeous and staff are lovely.

Great trad music on Saturday afternoons

Common meal with mashed potatoes like every day

Great choice to try traditional Irish food. Service was also great, can't remember the name of the guy who looked after us (dark beard and blue eyes). Definitely recommend to anyone visiting Belfast 🍀

Oldest building in Belfast plus good food made this meal memorable and delicious! It was our first stop in Belfast. Near many great sights and an easy walk from our hotel. We enjoyed the Irish stew, a (local) gin and tonic, and alcohol-free Guinness. This is a place we would choose again and again.

Classic Irish pub, the food is just as good as the service. We went for lunch as it was scheduled on the tour, it is located in a good place near the Big Fish and the clock tower.

I visited this establishment with my wife & 2 other family members for a couple of drinks & a bite to eat. The interior is as you would expect from a building that dates back to 1711, although there are more modern parts that are additions to the original. I can heartily recommend the Brisket Boxty & the Reuben sandwich both of which were enjoyed immensely by members of our party.

Nice old fashioned styled pub, food was tasty, decent portions was like £23 odd for a pint and fish and chips, think the price was slightly high but work it for quality and quantity. Pints in here are £5 odd. The service however makes this place shine, the waiter was attentive, polite and nothing too much for him.

Our favourite bar in Belfast, this was our 10th visit to NI and we've spent every evening in here, very cosy and friendly, Hannah behind the bar was very welcoming, treated us very well! Hope to continue coming here!

I have to give this place a high rating. The staff is great here. I am currently sitting at the bar and having drinks. The bartenders are very friendly and great to talk to. The atmosphere is excellent and is a true depiction of an Irish pub. Only down side is that they do not have take out food. This is my only problem, but the atmosphere is grea. I will miss this place when I head back to New York City. Prost!

Not at all professional, the food was something terrifying, everything was terrible, the only thing that could be saved was the dessert, which was industrial. I do not recommend it nor will I ever return.

We went tonight for the trad session and the music and atmosphere was very welcoming. I ordered the Brisket boxty and it was very different from the last one I had here. Tonight it was more like a roast beef Sunday. dinner. It was lovely as a dinner but not when you're expecting something different. Still a great place for food and music

Great atmosphere and a mix of ages

Lovely pub near the waterfront. Staff were super friendly. Drinks cold and food excellent. We went for the Boxty meals. A large fat potato cake topped with beef or chicken, sauce/gravy and fab tasty greens. Nice atmosphere. Highly recommend.

What a bar. I cannot rate it highly enough. The food, the staff, the atmosphere, the Guinness! Fantastic. We visited every evening of our 3 day trip and then had a meal there as well.

Just dropped by for coffee. Lovely place

Very friendly and welcoming staff . Comfortable surroundings , plenty of choice on the menu even though several options were unavailable due to a large party earlier . Food was very tasty and portions good . Service was a tad haphazard but overall an enjoyable experience .

Best bar in Belfast and iv lived here all my life staff r amazing good also amazing and central. The trad music fabulous too. 100% a place 2 go. For locals as well as tourists

Enjoyed a nice pint of Guinness sat outside taking in all the scenery. The weather was nice which made a difference. Nice to see some locals playing some music inside. Good prices to.

The food was limited in range but was very good. The staff were lovely. Other pubs were super touristy but McHughes offered a much better blend of service and atmosphere. Make sure to look up at the light.

Quiet environment and very friendly staff despite language problems

This bar and restaurant is perfect for family’s and couples had a couple of drinks in there when I was in Belfast. I would recommend going in there and enjoy a drink . The staff are very friendly and very talkative telling you about the history of the place,

Very nice Irish bar. Quick friendly service

Very popular pub in Belfast, on concert days it is packed and you can hear perfectly, if not see, from there.

Good food, very nice and cozy atmosphere, great service

Really nice place friendly staff, great atmosphere, with outside seating, not to be missed

Lovely restaurant, main course and dessert was fabulous. Definitely 5/5.

Superb service and food. They serve belfast black which in my opinion is 10x better than guiness. The food was top notch. Steve and finula were excellent hosts. Found my new favourite place in Belfast. Edit 2024: sadly no longer serve belfast black but still a solid pint of Guinness

Incredible atmosphere, live music downstairs, which remains as ambient music upstairs, the restaurant. Great food, the best in Ireland, and unbeatable service, and very friendly waiters. Out of 10.

Only had one drink here before getting back to the train station to go home.Mysic too loud to be able to talk to our friends easily without shouting.

Stumbled across this on a rainy day and with no plan other than to wander to the Titanic museum. Staff really welcoming and we only order starters / sides. They were superb and more than we had expected. Food delicious. All really great other than toilets are grim!

Great Pub..food was excellent, service was warm and inviting..Go back when I visit again.

Can't fault this bar, great staff and food was delicious. Thanks for looking after us.

Nice looking exterior but the real wow factor is when you walk inside. Really lovely interior. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food is served upstairs. We had the boxty with brisket beef and cabbage. Delicious.

Went in early Thursday evening. Good selection of beers & outstanding choice of Whiskeys (all priced on the bottle). Music provided by two young lads (playing banjo & guitar). Fine voice too.

We took advantage of a cruise stopover to have lunch in this pub which had good reviews and we really appreciated the copious and tasty dishes as well as the kindness of the waitresses. Quite a long wait to get the dishes but it was probably to serve our large table of 8 people at the same time. The prices are very reasonable and correspond well to the quality of the dishes.

Nice staff, very friendly, and good service! Great spot for a few pints!

I ordered boxty with sliced rump steak, onion rings and peppers. There was onion rings and boxty in what was served, and there was some kind of very small meat pieces in a sort of a slop, but it was not sliced rump steak by *any* stretch of the imagination. It was OK and strangely very familiar but tasted completely wrong and out of context with the Boxty and onion rings. My friend and I were in a hurry and I didn't want to make a fuss, but later that evening I realised exactly where I knew the taste, smell and texture from - M&S tinned beef curry. It even repeated on me the same way so that I didn't have to trust my memory of the meal. I know it is hard to believe, however, I have had this curry, with rice, many many times. I used to keep it as a trusty standby in the cupboard for when I had run out of fresh ingredients. I guess chef had the same idea. I'm disappointed they didn't just say they were out of that rump steak instead. It was doubly disappointing because I have eaten there before and found it really good quality, lovely food.

The place was dirty we should have left when we got there No menus apparently they were in short supply Ordered lamb cutlets but the waiter did not mention that there was a 30 min wait When I asked to have them medium well done the waiter said that they would be cooked whatever way the chef comms them ! When they did arrive they were not lamb cutlets but a gigot chop a completely different cut of lamb When I pointed this out to the waiter he was disinterested and told me that’s what the chef calls a gigot chop Will never be back most disappointing meal in a long time Your money is better spent elsewhere until this place cleans up its act

Downstairs was filthy. Thankfully we were put sitting upstairs. However then we were told there were no free menus as they were busy. When we eventually got menus and ordered lamb cutlets, we asked for them mediums to well done and were told we couldn't specify how we wanted them cooked! We had to eat them whatever way they were cooked. After 50 minutes still no food. We asked waiter if he could check if our food was ready, he wasnt pleased to be asked. What came out was not lamb cutlets it was a gigot chop. Childs burger was totally dry. Would not recommend.

The food was delicious and really pleased we didn’t order a starter as the portions were large. I had the boxty with chicken and my husband had the Reuben’s sandwich. Shame that in the room above us there was Irish Dancing practice going on, it meant that we couldn’t hear ourselves at times let alone hold a conversation. We therefore didn’t hang around after we finished our food.

Wonderful historic pub. Great staff and service. Delicious food n beer.

Got to this place for dinner at 8:30pm and was told that food was finished and they were closed. Only the bar was open 👎

BEST PLACE IN BELFAST. REALLY! Delicious food. I highly recommend any boxty! The waiter was so friendly and irradiating so much energy and happiness. Thanks for that 😊

Nice pub and restaurant all on ground floor,nice selection on menu , enjoyed the place 😁

Like others spotted this pub en route to the Titanic Museum and had lunch on the way back. Lovely building that claims to be the oldest in Belfast. Friendly enough and enjoyed a fish and chip lunch with a reasonably priced glass of wine. There were still quite a lot of people eating after 2pm which made for a nice atmosphere.

Couldn't get in the first day we went because they had a big party in. Got in the next day alright though. Had the Irish stew and a side of mash, but to be fair we could have done without the mash as the bowl of stew was full to the brim with a slice of bread it was very filling 😋

Best feed I’ve had in Europe ! I got the fish and chips and I’ve never seen a battered fish that big in my life ! Amazing , the service was pretty average but the food made up for that highly recommend

Went there for a pint, had a great time! Props to the bartender who even recommended me to another bar in the city with a nice selection of whisky to visit afterwards! 🙏👌🫶

Yesterday we thought we'd call in for a quick bite and to escape the heat. We were starving and were trying to manage a tired 8 month old. Despite seeing us struggle up the stairs with the baby, car seat and usual accompaniments.. the waitress thought it was a good idea to sit us as far away as she could from the stairway, despite there being lots of more convenient tables available. We then got a starter, 5 prawns and the smallest amount of soggy salad i've ever seen. A Spanish family beside us asked, when their dinner would be ready (clearly having other plans), the waitress answered I can't tell you (even though there were less than 20 people dining in the restaurant), they probed for an estimation, she replied it will depend how long it takes the potatoes to cool down 👀. We had a similar bad experience 2 years ago but hoped the customer service had improved.. it hadn't. P.s one of the girls who served us was helpful but they both had dark hair so its difficult to distinguish them.

👍passage as part of an organized trip

Amazing food and decor...I love wee traditional Irish pubs that r a little dark🤗...gr8 fast service too.nice friendly staff...my brother and I got two course's for £20! ..excellent value for such delicious food

Great drop-in whilst waiting for the bus! Good Guinness.

One price for the locals and a different price for visitors, been a few times over the years, several times each visit- won’t be back.

Here for meet up and pre-concert drinks-it's a short walk to SSE Arena. Very busy but good drinks service and friendly staff. My only complaint is toilets are upstairs.

Definitely recommend. Great pints, good food, and dynamite live music. Boxtys are a must try.

Music from 3pm Guinness was good got table 👌

Walked in on a Sunday evening, got seated right away. This is an old building with lots of character and is a little dark, we were at a window seat upstairs for our meal which was nice. Enjoyed the meal, staff were attentive and friendly. Bathrooms need attention. Would visit McHughs again.

We tried the house soup and Irish lamb soup. Good, quick and friendly service. Heart warming soup with fresh taste of tomatoes & spices. The lamb stew is my first in Ireland, so I can’t compare it to others but it was delicious & filling. Homemade, tender lamb & mild taste. Historic place worth a visit, not to mention a good selection of beers & old style ambience.

Nice experience, also the service. The food was very tasty

Perfect! Great dining experience - I was after an old Irish pub with food - done job! Food so good we forgot to take photos.

What an amazing place. The oldest bar in Belfast, the ambience is fabulous, the Guinness is top class, the staff is so friendly and we always come here when we meet up in Belfast. It just has so many happy memories for myself & my friends, and it will do for years to come. We had the most amazing St. Patrick's day here the atmosphere was fabulous!

I had the Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. My buddy had the fish and chips. We both thought the food was amazing. Loved the historical significance that it was the oldest surviving building in Belfast (dates back to 1711).

The history contained in an Irish restaurant. Historic building, two floors where you can dine and drink in company. Sun-kissed outdoor garden with tables for drinking beer. Menu with typical Irish specialties. Boxty really good, soup varies depending on the day. The staff is friendly and helpful in making you feel at ease. The restaurant room is in typical Irish style.

Perfect pub in Belfast. The steak and Guinness Pie was outstanding, and the lamb grew was very good. Service was fast and friendly

Very nice food and good service very old pub i think since1711 very friendly helpful staff reasonable prices too location in the centre of belfast near to most things

A very nice pub with delicious food and very kind staff. Enjoyed our lunch there, can say was best place we were in the city. Found a promotional menu 2 course food for 20£ which was very delicious and quickly served. Portions are quite big. If you are around it worth to step in for a drink or to eat something good.

Has gone downhill needs a bit of tlc.

Everything was amazing and very tasty. One star less is due to portion sizes. I would leave this happier and healthier if portion size was half the original size.

Sunday, mic night? Avoid like the plague. Good beer but my ears and other organs are yet to recover from the loud off-key barrage of untuned guitars

Great vibe, friendly staff and good food (big portions! 😱). Avoid the toilets. 🤢

Didn't personally have food but reviews form friends were good. Decent beer and polite staff. Live music practice on too which was a bonus

Recommended 100% Good service, cozy place, correct food, I would return

Food was just okay but nice for a pint

Roast beef dinner the best I have had for a long time

We saw this pub while walking to the Titanic museum and decided to go that night. Great pub, very friendly staff and a great band performing Irish music. We booked to go back for Sunday lunch next day before we flew home and it was excellent

Cool pub, you can stop for a beer. Nice service and good atmosphere

Group of 6 adults popped in for some drinks. This spot is great for a casual drinks. Tried their Guinness and wasn't disappointed. Thumbs up all round

I had my first Guiness in Belfast. Nice pub, with gorgeous interior and outdoor space!

Typical Irish food. Fantastic Iris Stew as a main course.

Amazing vibe, so old school and tasty food!

Que decir, un pub enorme con una oferta de menú durante el mediodía. Acudimos entre semana y comimos muy bien, eso sí, acomopañando la comida con una guiness.

Sat down at 4pm. Restaurant was hardly busy. No one came to serve us or even cared. So we went to long johns fish and chips instead!

Great service, great atmosphere, great decor, great Guiness! Our first Belfast pub experience and it didn’t disappoint! Plenty of screens for sport.

Typical Irish bar, the food was quite nice, we ordered the typical stew, sausage and mash, burgers. Their prices are reasonable £20 per person with the option to choose two dishes (starters, main courses or dessert) Pleasant attention and very attentive staff. The beer was very good

We were walking to the big fish when we passed in front of this restaurant and saw the sign that it was the oldest building in Belfast. And it was a pleasant surprise!! The place is old, with a limited lunch menu and very friendly service. We ordered the steak with potatoes, chicken wings and fish and chips. All delicious. A couple of history with a good meal.

Cracking pub, especially the live music, weather outside was pony

Service and atmosphere are excellent but please let us sit upstairs!

Good selection of beers in one of the oldest pubs in belfast

Pub with tradition!!! Live music, pints and Irish food. great atmosphere!!!??

Nice pub,good atmosphere... didn't eat as was too late but was recommended