I was delighted by the Ceili Cottage. There's all this hype about the yurt. I don't understand the yurt. Couldn't get into the damn thing and there was a private party going on the other time I tried. So, I'm reviewing it independently of its famed tent.
I went to Ceili Cottage twice during the coldest weekend of the year. The dining area is tiny but very, very cozy. The bar is great. Flat screen television, huge selection of spirits, wonderful fresh Guinness and a lovely array of local draft beers. Friendly bartenders and staff, many from Ireland. The menu focuses on oysters and Irish fare. I really appreciated the passion about the selection and shucking and presentation of the oysters -- it reminded me of similar thatched roof pubs near Galway in Ireland with similar focuses. The food was quite good - we opted for one of the roasts. My only complain was that the Yorkshire puddings were overdone and rock hard. We unfortunately were too cowardly to complain about this. Everything else was pretty ace...from the atmosphere, to the Guinness, to the crowd. Felt at home and will be going back! A good but crowded place to meet up and watch a football match.