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Just had the most satisifying superior-ly delicious experience at Galway Bay- this irish restaurant knows how to do it RIGHT. from traditional irish dishes like sheperds pie- hearty with beef and vegetables baked under a this layer of fluffy, buttery mashed potatoes, to original dishes, like my oven roasted duck cheese steak, smothered in grilled onions and mushrooms with thin slices of tender, medim-medium well duck on a crusty roll with irish chips- i was in heaven.

in annapolis, you HAVE to have the crab dip wherever you go, and Galway Bay's does NOT disappoint, creamy, fulll of shredded crab, served warm in a bread bowl with a side of carrots and celery. We also ordered the mussels- a heaping platter of lemon, garlic and wine soaked delights from the bay. Tender, not too chewy- only one of 30 had that briny, sea water taste i always try to avoid.

Crowning glory- the tomato and Jameson's whiskey soup- the best tomato soup i have had since leaving germany in 1998. chunks of deeply ripened tomatoes and sweet onion in every bite, in a creamy tomato base with a zesty, tangy bite to it that we couldn't quite pinpoint, and fresh parsely. perfection. absolute perfection.

Lots of excellent irish fare in Annapolis but Galway by FAR was the best we've had in years. not to mention the warm irish atmosphere (deep cherry wood, stained glass, and a frosted glass map of Ireland, good Irish tunes playing lightly in the backgroud) and superior service- Cristy, our waitress, timed every entree perfectly and kept our pints full. try the Galway Red Ale if you are a fan of red beer- it's a smooth delicious finish to every bite of whatEVER you order.

I have a full happy stomach and thought i should share. The review- NOT the food. Go enjoy! I've got a case the the "itis" now... nap time!

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I've always like Galway Bay... it started out as the place with good shepards pie (with Castle Bay being the one with good fish and chips)... but I think this place has the best food of the Irish bars in Annapolis now overall. Pub quiz on Tuesdays is fun. I'm lucky to make it to Galway Bay once a year now that I live in the District. The most amazing thing about this place is the hostess (whose name I'm kicking myself for not remembering) has been there since the early days (if not the first day) of Galway Bay's predecessor, Little Campus Inn... some 40 years of working in the same place.

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I've always like Galway Bay... it started out as the place with good shepards pie (with Castle Bay being the one with good fish and chips)... but I think this place has the best food of the Irish bars in Annapolis now overall. Pub quiz on Tuesdays is fun. I'm lucky to make it to Galway Bay once a year now that I live in the District. The most amazing thing about this place is the hostess (whose name I'm kicking myself for not remembering) has been there since the early days (if not the first day) of Galway Bay's predecessor, Little Campus Inn... some 40 years of working in the same place.

Peggy! I did not have the pleasure of meeting her but i hope to on our next visit- we will definitely be back this summer.

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I have two annapolis secrets: Navy hockey games and Galway Bay food. I will make at least a trip or two to Annapolis each year to indulge in them.

Our favorite is their Corned Beef and Cabbage. Most places do this dish a disservice, but Galway Bay does SOMETHING to that Corned Beef that is just out of this world. Since our first trip not long after GB opened, we'd ask them - how do you make the Corned Beef? What's the secret? We spoke at length to Finton Galway, the owner. Super nice, but... They'd never tell. We've asked maybe 10 times.

So a few weeks ago, Galway Bay was featured in "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" - and lo and behold, they showed how they make their Corned Beef!! The unofficial youtube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c57up4z5bOc

I still think they're holding something back about the cooking time or method. But at least I have a start :) and something to do this weekend.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

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The return of Navy hockey meant our return to Galway Bay.

Too bad - I ordered my normal corned beef and cabbage and was served something that was so far removed from the same dish that was served in the past.

Normally, the corned beef would be 2 huge blocks of tender, juicy, fork-cuttable red meat, nicely seasoned and slow cooked. Instead I got about 8 slices of dry meat that looked and had the consistency of an overlooked ham steak that then sat and dried out for a while. The outside of the meat had even turned that dark burgandy, like it was pan fried on a hot pan with no moisture. It was one of the worst meat dishes I've had in a restaurant of any kind of meat. Yeah, I ate it. It was just SOOO far from the expectation. Why didn't they just say they were sold out?

I wasn't going to say anything, because that's not what I do. Before we got the check, the waitress specifically asked - "two of you got the corned beef - how did you like it?" I told her that well, since she asked...and said how bad it was. She replied that they'd changed meat suppliers and she and some of wait staff were lobbying to change back to the old source. I thought she mentioned something about adjusting the bill, but wasn't sure.

Got the bill, no adjustment, full price/ $18.99 each, and the entire bill came to about $160 with tip (I gave a full tip).

I tend to give places two chances before giving up or saying something negative. I felt like the two chances were used up in the one visit.

I don't know if ownership changed or times are tight or what's going on. There are too many decent choices around that area to fall for that again.

On an up note, Navy won in an exciting overtime shootout and only cost $5 each.

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I was actually just at Galway Bay for the MD Ave street festival on Sunday, we have a friend who plays with the Oyster Boys who were playing that day.  I got crabcakes as appetizers and they were still really good.  I just had that and drinks though.  I know it seems weird to get crabcakes here, but it is one of the better places in Annapolis for them, and remained consistent.  I didn't see the owner there that day, but it was really busy.  I have never had corned beef there, will avoid it unless they confirm no longer using new supplier.

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