Review The Quays Restaurant - Portavogie

It looked like a storm was coming as we were looking for somewhere to stop for food. We stumbled across the New Quays as we rounded the corner. It looked busy, always a good sign. We were welcomed inside by a friendly waitress who gave us a choice where to sit. We chose a window seat looking out to sea. We both chose locally freshly caught fish and chips and standards size. The fish was large and hanging off the plate. It would have been interesting to see how big the large would have been! It was well cooked and presented, and the crispy batter was amazing. It certainly filled us up. There was a good choice of beers, etc, and plenty of free car parking. We managed to miss the storm while eating great food, result.

Best restaurant for fresh seafood. The chowder was full of fresh fish and really creamy. Served with a wheaten scone. I had the scallops and prawns to follow. Equally delicious. My son had the best scampi ever.

First class meal enormous portions. I would highly recommend this Restaurant

I'm ashamed to say I've never been before ,it's only a 30 minute drive for me ,the place is nice really clean booked a table didn't wait long to be seated ,good choice on the menu ,food came fast and was delicious,staff were lovely nothing was a hassle. Family of four 3 courses with drinks for £130 can't be bad to that.Can't wait to go back

Always enjoy a visit to The New Quays despite being a 30 minute drive away. Excellent seafood as well as a comprehensive menu and specials, at a reasonable price. Portions generous. Friendly local service. Best restaurant lower peninsula

Food was excellent. Staff were attentive and friendly. Placed was very busy, would advise reserving a table.

We had the sharing sea Food platter. Absolutely lovely. The prawns were like clouds. The smoked salmon so delicately smoked. The mussels wonderful. As were the thai fish cakes and fish goujons. Brilliant value. Just wish we had some where as good as this at home.

This has to be the best dining experience in the whole of North Down. If you haven't been... you haven't lived. The food is to die for, the staff are wonderful, friendly and jovial, and the portions are MORE than generous. All I can say is, this is 5* all the way and I cannot wait to return, so.... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!

The New Quays is a quaint, cosy restaurant located at the harbour of the busy fishing port of Portavogie. Owing to its prime location, and with such close links to the fishing boats rolling in only a few feet away, it is little wonder New Quays can specialise in Seafood dishes of exquisite quality. ‘Fresh local produce’ is a claim often made by restaurants but with New Quays, there can be no doubt of that, with the catch-of-the-day within such easy reach. The views and setting are excellent, and we were fortunate enough to be placed at a table with a view of the sea - perfect when eating seafood! This occasion was our wedding anniversary, and we chose to visit New Quays for the first time following great reviews by others. It was long overdue. As a seafood fan, I was looking forward to the meal and New Quays did not disappoint! I started with a substantial portion of Chowder, a favourite of mine, and it was honestly the best chowder I’ve ever had. I judge chowder on the quantity and variation of seafood provided; New Quays exceed my expectations by serving a terrific bowl abundant with langoustines, prawns, smoked white fish, salmon, and seasonal vegetables. This alone would’ve been enough, but on the side were two generously sized, chunky slices of homemade wheaten and butter. Deliciously fresh, they broke into the chowder and were used to mop up what my spoon couldn’t. The starter alone was enough for a main meal, and I wondered how I was going to fit in the next course! My wife had a large portion of prawn cocktail which she really enjoyed, and she remarked at how big the seafood pieces were. With so much seafood choice on the normal menu and the daily specials, it was hard to choose my main course. In the end, I opted for the Scampi – a conservative choice, but also another favourite of mine. Again, this the best I’ve ever had. I’ve travelled a lot over the past 20 years (due to my job) and have dined in many hotels/restaurants across Ireland and scampi is a dish frequently available. To say that New Quays is king, is a bold claim I’m happy to stand over! My wife was the first to bite into the scampi and she gave me a glance that said ‘this is to die for’… I have never seen scampi so huge! The batter was fresh and light with a slight crisp on the outside and that juicy, succulent langoustine interior you’d expect. Incredible. On the side was a typical slice of lemon, a tangy tartar sauce and a light dressed salad. Just what you’d hope for. This dish, like most others on the menu, also offered a choice of side and I opted for chunky chips with sweet chilli mayo. These were extremely tasty and ‘chip-shop’ like. A great partner to the scampi. With the main course as generous as the starter, I really struggled to finish it (and I’m a 14 stone man who loves his grub). My wife had the same main, but after getting 2/3 of the way through, she had to admit defeat. A very friendly waitress said we could take leftovers home and I ended up having it for lunch the next day! I decided to finish with Key Lime Pie – an American cheesecake style dessert that I’ve never tired before. It too was a lovely homemade offering which I found to be beautifully sweet and tangy. It was served with a little portion of ice-cream. The New Quays is a very homely place, and we found the service to be excellent from the moment we walked in until the moment we left. The owner is a lovely, friendly woman who is very down to earth, she took time to speak to us on a few occasions and we saw her getting involved wherever possible to ensure customers receive great service. Two other staff assisted us throughout and they were extremely attentive and efficient and with good personality. (A quality lacking in other places these days). Meals were served quickly, and dishes were collected promptly, and we were often asked if everything was ok. Water for the table was brought immediately when we asked. Everything was perfect and we almost felt like VIPs. This was our first visit, and it certainly won’t be our last.

Really good sea food, but great meat options too. Friendly, efficient and helpful staff. Nice view over the Irish Sea and comfortable well spaced seating, plenty of parking. Never disappoints, well worth the drive, can't recommend the place highly enough.