Rozzers Restaurant manages to be both elegant and country-chic while serving some amazing local cuisine near Killarney, Ireland. Located in Killeen House, a small hotel that more resembles a bed and breakfast, Rozzers Restaurant instantly makes you feel comfortable and at home while presenting you with 5-star cuisine.
Though just a 10-minute drive from downtown Killarney, Rozzers Restaurant is located out in the countryside in the small town of Aghadoe. The restaurant has two seatings each evening and when my husband, Tom, and I arrived for the second seating the first was still finishing up. It was no problem, though, as we were sat in the cozy bar lounge and handed menus to peruse while a drink order was taken.
The menu at Rozzers is set up as a one-price fits all depending on the number of courses you’d like to devour. The pricing starts at 38.50 and the tiers include:
- Choice of entree and one other course
- Choice of entree and two other courses
- Full menu including one choice from all courses
The cuisine is focused around local meats and seafood. There was also a daily specials menu (which I ended up ordering my entree from) plus an upgraded entree option on the menu, which for an extra cost you could upgrade to a prime beef or Dingle Bay lobster entree. Tea, coffee, and petit fours are included with all meals.
Michael, one half of the husband-wife duo who owns Rozzers Restaurant and Killeen House, was amiably chatting with each table, and eventually made it to our table. He was a delight to converse with and had a lot of insight into the area and travel in general.
His wife, Geraldine, was all business as she bustled about taking orders before escorting us to our table. Later in the evening, when everyone was happily fed, she matched her husband’s helpfulness as she provided us a map and gave us tips on how to go around the Ring of Kerry before we left the restaurant.
“That was the most helpful couple of all time,” Tom said as we walked to our car.
Helpful and in charge of a deliciously gourmet experience. Oh, yes, without further ado, back to the food.
The Cuisine of Rozzers Restaurant
After being seated, we were promptly served a basket of bread. The soda bread was dense and flavorful (as we’d come to expect of Ireland’s bread staple) and the house roll was a fun surprise, as it was made with parmesan, chorizo, and sun-dried tomatoes. The latter paired well with the olive tapenade served alongside the butter. Soon the appetizers arrived. Open ravioli with prawns and scallops for me for me and pork belly for Tom. The scallops were tender and paired well with the garlic cream sauce.
As I enjoyed the appetizer, I let the background noise of Andrea Boccelli’s singing waft over me from the speakers and I took in the surroundings, which had a stately, yet comfortable feel, like they’d combined the mansion of Downton Abbey with a quaint little farmhouse.
The dining room was surrounded by windows on two sides, which looked out over the countryside and an old church steeple. Killeen House is actually housed in an old rectory that has been massively remodeled (the dining area was a new addition 17 years ago) and is where the archdeacon lived back when the church was operating.
I ran outside at one point to snap a picture because how can you not interrupt your dinner to do so when the views look like this:
When I returned from snapping pictures, Tom’s seafood chowder had arrived, to which he now compares every other chowder.
That’s because Rozzer’s version was more seafood than chowder. It had massive chunks of fresh fish (salmon, cod, sole) that took up practically the whole bowl. The broth enhanced the fish, not the other usual way around.
“It’s not soup, it’s chunks of fish. There’s like a quarter of a fillet of fish in here!” Tom said as he wolfed down another bite in between me stealing a few.
The chowder had a hint of smokiness to it from the smoked salmon, which gave it a unique flavor that also helped it to stand out from other chowders. The broth was creamy and not overly buttery and seemed perfect for a rainy Irish day in a stately cottage. There were a few bones in it, but…well, it’s fish – comes with the territory.
Next up were the entrees.
I got the monkfish, which is still a fairly new fish for my tastebuds. I don’t see it in the USA much and have only had it a few times when I’ve been in Europe. I really like it as it has an interesting texture that seems meatier than most fish and a hearty flavor that isn’t too overpowering.
At Rozzer’s the natural fish flavor was enhanced by sweet sundried tomatoes and a decadent béarnaise crab sauce.
Tom had the lamb, which was tender and made with a good chutney crust on it.
We were also served a plate of veggies to share alongside our entrees. As far as vegetables go, these were pretty awesome since they were mixed with just the right amount of butter and pepper.
I loved the fact that in addition to the broccoli and carrots, there were more potatoes, since we already had potatoes on our entrée plates. Ireland does love its potatoes!
And then dessert, which to my delight had a sticky toffee pudding on the menu, one of my favorite sweet dishes.
We somehow managed to be the last people in the restaurant despite not being the last table sat, but on our way out we passed the bar which was still lively with people who it appeared were staying at the hotel.
You don’t often see such a small hotel (only 23 rooms) with a full bar in it, and Killeen House seemed a fun and relaxing place to stay — plus staying there provides easy access to the memorably delicious Rozzers, one of the culinary highlights during my time in Ireland.
If you’re interested in dining at Rozzers Restaurant, it is highly recommended to make a reservation beforehand as they fill up fast and can also be booked out pretty far in advance so make sure you reserve a table as soon as you know you’ll be in Killarney. You can make a reservation by calling +353 64 6631711 or going to Rozzer’s webpage and then clicking on the “Make a Rozzers Reservation” link.
Headed to Killarney? You also may find my One Day in Killarney blog post helpful, which has tips on what to see and do, plus where to sleep and what to pack.
Note: I was provided a complimentary meal at Rozzers Restaurant, but — as always — all opinions are completely my own.
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