The Belfry Bar

Just what Sligo needed - another pub claiming to be more than a watering hole. The Belfry Bar sits there on the main drag, practically daring you to be impressed with its grand notions of gastropub aspirations. And yet, here I am, reluctantly admitting that this place might actually be onto something.

I'd walked past The Belfry Bar countless times, watching the steady stream of both tourists and locals filing in with equal enthusiasm. "Surely," I thought, "they can't all be wrong?" Finally, curiosity got the better of my cynicism, and I ventured in, fully prepared to pen a scathing review about another mediocre Sligo establishment trading on location alone.

The first surprise was the space itself. Unlike the cramped, dark corners of traditional Irish pubs where you're practically sharing your Guinness with the stranger next to you, The Belfry Bar has managed to create distinct areas that somehow maintain the intimate pub atmosphere while giving you room to actually breathe. It's a neat trick, I'll give them that.

Speaking of Guinness, let's address the elephant in the room - the pints. In a town where a poorly-pulled pint is practically a criminal offense, The Belfry Bar's staff knows their craft. The wait for the perfect settle might test your patience, but it's worth it. And yes, I'm as shocked as you are to find myself praising something so fundamental.

The food menu is where things get interesting, and by interesting, I mean surprisingly competent. Their burger - which I ordered fully expecting the usual pub grub mediocrity - arrived perfectly cooked, juicy, and with none of that "we bought this frozen from a wholesale club" nonsense. The onion rings (my secret litmus test for any kitchen's attention to detail) were crispy, golden, and actually tasted of onion rather than just batter.

For those of you who like to watch sports while pretending to have a civilized meal, The Belfry Bar has somehow mastered the art of strategic screen placement. You can catch the match without feeling like you're dining in an electronics store. It's a small mercy, but one I've learned to appreciate.

The service walks that fine line between attentive and overbearing, though during peak times you might need to channel your inner assertive self to flag someone down. That said, the staff's knowledge of both food and drink menus is impressively comprehensive, and they're genuinely helpful without the rehearsed script feeling you get at chain establishments.

Live music features regularly, and unlike many venues where it's an excuse to blast your eardrums into next week, they've managed to create an atmosphere where you can actually hold a conversation while enjoying the entertainment. It's almost as if someone put actual thought into the acoustics. Imagine that.

The pricing sits squarely in the "reasonable enough that you won't feel robbed, but high enough to remind you you're not in a dive bar" category. Main courses hover in that sweet spot where you might briefly consider the cost but order anyway because, let's face it, you're not going to do better elsewhere in town for the quality.

For families - yes, they do cater to the smaller humans among us with a children's menu that goes beyond the usual frozen chicken nuggets. It's refreshing to see a place that doesn't treat feeding children as an afterthought, even if watching kids in a pub still feels somewhat contradictory to my sensibilities.

The Belfry Bar has done something I didn't think possible in Sligo - created a space that works equally well for a casual pint, a proper meal, or an evening's entertainment without completely botching any of them. The outdoor seating area, when weather permits (which, let's be honest, is about three days a year in Ireland), is particularly pleasant.

Look, I didn't want to like The Belfry Bar. I really didn't. But between the consistently good food, the well-kept pints, and an atmosphere that somehow manages to be all things to all people without feeling contrived, they've worn down my professional skepticism. So go ahead, book a table, order that burger, and enjoy proving me wrong. Just don't tell them I sent you - I have a reputation to maintain.