Planning a date night out in Galway

A good Galway date night comes down to three decisions made in advance: a place whose food you have seen rather than guessed at, a table booked at a time that suits the evening you want, and a note in the booking asking for somewhere quiet. Book a few days ahead for a weeknight and a week or two ahead for a weekend, and have a plan for after dinner, because half the pleasure of a night out in Galway is the walk.

What kind of date is it?

The right place depends on the evening, and it is worth being honest with yourself about which one this is.

• A first or early date wants somewhere relaxed and not too formal, with a menu that is easy to share and prices that do not turn the bill into an event. A shorter meal with the option of a drink afterwards beats three hours of tasting menu with someone you have just met.
• An anniversary or a big night can carry more: a longer menu, a better table, a bottle you would not order on a Tuesday.
• A regular night out together is the time to try somewhere new rather than the place you always go.

How do I choose a romantic restaurant in Galway?

Forget the adjectives on a website and look at the food. On Mosey every rating comes from somebody who ate there, with photographs they took at the table, so you can see what the plates actually look like before you commit. Mosey also rates individual dishes, which helps on a date: you arrive knowing what is worth ordering rather than reading the menu in silence. There is more on that in the dish, not just the place.

Look for the things that make or break a date:

• Noise. Photographs of a packed, tightly spaced room tell you more than a star score does.
• Lighting and seating. Booths and banquettes are easier to talk across than a high bar table.
• Menu shape. Sharing plates work well for a relaxed date; a long tasting menu is a commitment.
• Somewhere to go next. A place near the centre puts a pub, a late café or the water within a short walk.

Mosey's Galway page is a good place to build a shortlist from what people have rated. Save the candidates to a list, and share it with the other person if choosing together is part of the fun; lists stay private unless you share them. See lists for how that works.

Booking the table

Once you have chosen, book, because turning up at a full place is the quickest way to deflate an evening.

• Weeknights: a few days ahead is usually plenty.
• Friday and Saturday: a week or two for a popular place, more in summer and during the city's festival weeks, when Galway fills with visitors.
• The time: around half seven is the most contested slot. An earlier table can be calmer and leaves time for a walk while it is still light in summer; a later one suits a slower evening.

In the booking notes, ask for a quiet table, a window, or a booth if the place has them. Mention an anniversary if it is one. Add any allergies so you are not explaining them over the bread.

If your first choice is full, set a cancellation alert for it on Mosey and you will be told when a table there is offered up, or join its waitlist where it runs one. Last-minute tables in Galway covers getting in on the day.

Early bird perks for an earlier evening

Some places attach a perk to their earliest booking slots, a glass on arrival or a dessert, shown on the slot itself while you choose a time. There is no voucher or code: book that slot, arrive, and the place honours what it said, with the wording saved onto your booking. If you were planning an early dinner and a long walk anyway, it is a nice extra. Catching early bird deals in Galway goes into more detail.

Planning the rest of the evening

Galway is compact and walkable, which makes the before and after easy.

• Before: meet for a drink somewhere near the place you are eating so nobody is late or lost.
• After: a walk along the river or down by the Claddagh towards the bay, or out along the prom in Salthill if the weather is with you. On a summer evening it stays light late on the west coast.
• If it rains: it is Galway, so assume it might. Have a pub or a late café in mind within a couple of minutes of where you are eating.

The small things that make it

• Arrive on time. If you are running late, tell the place through the app before the booking; places hold tables for a grace period and may release them after.
• Sort the bill quietly. Decide beforehand whether you are splitting or one of you is paying, so there is no awkwardness at the end.
• Know the cancellation terms. If a deposit was taken it comes off the bill, and Mosey takes nothing from it. If plans change, cancel early or pass the booking on rather than not turning up.
• Remember it. Rating the meal afterwards, with a photograph of what you ate, is a good way to remember a night, and it helps the next couple choosing.

A date as a present

If the date is a gift, a voucher for a Galway place you know they would like makes a better present than a card. On Mosey it reaches them in the app straight away, and they can book when it suits.

Find a Galway place on Mosey whose food you can see, book a quiet table, and plan the walk after.