2 Best Bars in Ard an Ratha (Ardara), The Northwest

You'll likely find this place packed, as it features music almost every night from May to September and on weekends the rest of the year. It's a great place to mix with locals as well.

With its glowing fire, Nancy's, now in its eighth generation of the same family, makes you wonder if you've wandered into the owner's sitting room. The walls are filled with framed black-and-white photographs of the family and of old Ardara. Seafood, in the form of chowder, oysters, prawns, and mussels, dominates the menu served noon to 9 year-round. Ask for the house special, the Louis Armstrong sandwich, which consists of "jazzed-up" smoked salmon with grilled cheese on wheat bread. To accompany your food, try the old-fashioned, naturally fermented farmyard cider—a big hit with summer visitors. There's also live music on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer months.