To Galwegians of a certain vintage, the ‘Vic’, off Eyre Square, was a smoky hall to hang out in, play pool, then hit the town.
No more. The old stone walls exposed inside this classy restaurant and cocktail bar surround a welcoming space, with decor hinting at an art-deco past. It is still a place to meet, but is now also a place to remain, filled with marbled tables, upholstered leather benches, and palm trees potted beneath stained glass chandeliers. The Victoria Hotel has a properly covered smoking area, pristine bathrooms, and the bar staff are beyond excellent.
The Advertiser walked 100 paces from the bottom of Eyre Square (yes, we counted ) to assess the venue on a chilly, November evening, with dining partner, B. She was feeling cold, so Brendan, the charming yet discreet barman, immediately moved us to a table further from the door. No fuss.
A fizzy Bombay gin and tonic (€10.10 ) was delivered immediately in a proper highball – not the ridiculous, salad-filled goblets so adored by many establishments these days – alongside a Claddagh Cosmopolitan (€14 ), on Brendan’s recommendation. Queen Street’s Cosmo is sublime; perfectly crisp Grey Goose vodka tempered adroitly with accurate measures of cranberry, lime, and grape juice, stiffened by Cointreau, and subtly foamed. This sharp, sweet cocktail is as good as any served in London, or New York.
B had worked a long shift at the hospital, so was looking for simple, fulfilling food. She ordered calamari to start (€13.50 ), followed by fresh fish & chips (€22.50 ). The Advertiser went for goat’s cheese salad (€13.50 ), then a 10oz black Angus steak, served with sautéed onions, mushrooms, peppercorn sauce, and a side of fries, all for – these days, a not unreasonable – €36, when many places in town easily charge closer to €50.
As we supped cocktails while food was prepared, we observed a table nearby receive a very generous-looking pan-fried salmon fillet, served on a dollop of silky champ mash (€24 ), and an elegantly presented supreme of roast Irish chicken breast, served with petit pois, lardons, more champ and a red wine jus (€22.50 ). Portion size looks excellent.
Ambience
Besides steak, all mains on Queen Street’s signature menu are below €25, and there is a separate pizza menu with prices from €15 to €18.50 – worth noting if one is in town over the Christmas with hungry young mouths to feed, and one desires a peaceful environment.
And it really is about environment in Queen Street, with early evening dinner jazz playing in the background at unobtrusive volume. Even bottles behind the flowery cocktail bar are colour-coded, and backlit, communicating real attention to detail.
This is a particularly pleasant space to spend time, with one small gripe that not everyone wants to perch on barstools with backs. There are, however, plenty of other tables nestled in nooks with comfy benches instead, and a sunken, oval-shaped area overlooked by a balcony. This was booked by a glam collection of young Americans celebrating Thanksgiving when the Advertiser visited. It seems like a great spot for a party.
The Byrne Group, which also owns Salthill Hotel and Eyre Square Hotel on Forster Street, has secured planning permission to build a mammoth extension above the Victoria Hotel, including a roof-top bar on the tenth storey, with panoramic views of city and bay. Based on the decor which exists downstairs today, it will be fabulous.
The goats cheese salad was chunky – quite sufficient for a quick lunch – with Chèvre warmed perfectly, not melted, served on mixed, crisp leaves, zingy apple and a house dressing hinted with orange blossom. Delicious. The slightly chewy calamari had a light batter and came with a tasty garlic and herb aioli. It was grand.
B’s fish was very good, although the batter was a wee bit thick. Chips were first class, alongside bacon, mushy peas and a homemade, seaweed tartar sauce. Steak was cooked to order, washed down with a man-sized glass of Montepulciano (€11 ). Very little was left on the plate.
Cocktails
A very grown-up, virgin mojito (€8 ) was excellent, muddled with fresh mint. A tasty Salthill Sour (€14 ) was so strong, the Advertiser got shivers like the first time he dipped a finger into granddad’s uisce beatha.
For dessert, a mixed berry pavlova (€8 ) was served on excellent meringue, while the warm chocolate brownie (€7.50 ) we devoured with vanilla ice cream.
To finish, a White Blizzard (€12.50 ) was a festive mix of Disarano, Baileys and cream, and a Queen St Bramble (€14 ) was an expertly constructed gin cocktail with fresh berries.
The professional staff manage a perfect ambience, so much so, that the Advertiser actually forgot this was a review; that’s a real recommendation in itself.
It is a perfect location for a first date: suave, but never over the top. This was a fine meal: good company, and excellent staff providing a really enjoyable couple of hours punctuated with just the right number of cocktails.
Two three-course meals cost €101. Only €84 covered seven quite swanky drinks. We’ll be back.
