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Hours
Sun
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Wed
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Thu
5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri
5:00 pm - 9:30 pm
Sat
5:00 pm - 9:30 pm
MICHELIN
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Ratings and reviews
4.5
Travellers' Choice Best of the Best 2023
MICHELIN
View more on MICHELIN GuideRATINGS
Food
Service
Value
Atmosphere
Food and ambience
Local cuisine, Irish, European, Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
MICHELIN Guide's Point of View
It might not be the most glamorous of settings, but you’ll certainly leave this established, family-run restaurant with a smile on your face. A brother...
Read more on MICHELIN GuideCan a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?
Details
About
The Lemon tree has recently moved MAY 2017 to a NEW location in Letterkenny at the Courtyard Shopping Centre to the rare of the building at the carpark. This is a Letterkenny owned family run restaurant opened in 1999. The three brothers in the kitchen have a unique style with a mixture of traditional Irish and French classic, influenced by country house cooking which was collected by their many years experience all over Irleand. All meats are Irish sourced and fresh fish is a special feature. Everthing is made freshly on site including all breads, pastries, pastas and desserts. The Wine list is ever growing and includes something for all tastes with over 90 different wines. The restaurant offers a Early bird menu 7 days available from 5 - 7 pm and a full A la carte menu from 5 - 10 PM. Lunch is available from 1 - 2:30 PM on Sunday.
PRICE RANGE
$39.00 – $64.00
CUISINES
Irish, European
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Dinner, Drinks
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Street Parking, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Accepts American Express, Accepts Mastercard, Accepts Visa, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
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4.5
806 reviews
Excellent
627
Very good
128
Average
39
Poor
9
Terrible
3
Joe Hanley
Carlow15 contributions
Aug 2021 • couples
Visited the Restaurant on Tuesday 10th August 2021 with my wife and another couple and had a fantastic meal. I would put this restaurant up with one of the best restaurants I have eaten in anywhere. The menu was large enough to cater for all tastes and all food was sourced locally. The staff were very friendly and attentive. My wife ordered a cocktail when we were waiting for our friends to arrive and she was enjoying it with no complaints when one of the staff possibly a floor manager noticed that it was not as she described up to their usual standards and asked if she could replace it with a fresh one. This without any complaints shows this establishments standards. The food was beautifully presented and for the quality of the dishes we experienced I would have to say great value. The little extras as in tasters as we waited for our first course were an extra plus for this restaurant experience. I have no difficulty in recommending the Lemon Tree to anyone who wants a great eating out experience. I am also happy to say all Covid Regulations were properly regulated.
I look forward to my next trip to Letterkenny as it will definitely have a return visit on the agenda.
Written 11 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Adrian K
2 contributions
Dec 2020 • couples
Both myself and my fiancee decided on this restaurant this evening on a visit to letterkenny while Christmas shopping. Upon arrival we were greeted pleasantly, shown to our table in what was an elegant surround with plenty of space to ourselves. We were given nice touches while we waited, such as a selection of house baked breads, and a chicken liver parfait (not for our palette but for anyone who likes it)
The menu was modern but yet with traditional aspects, refined but also humble. We both went for two courses, I requested the mussels be cooked in a different way to what was stated, no problem at all and they were delicious.
Our main courses arrived, being from a catering background I couldn't fault one aspect of our dishes, my slow cooked beef cheek and all the accompaniments were fabulous and my finances hake dish was divine! Champ didn't taste reheated like so many places do, was fresh as tou would expect and "piped" into the service bowl. If I had to pick a highlight of the meal, it would have to have been the rich, tasty pan juś that came on the main course!!
Requested the bill, a very pleasant waitress lifted our plates and made conversation for a good five minutes after our meal (not a common occurrence) in the long and the short, we both will be back!! Definitely a visit for anyone visiting letterkenny
Signed
Happy Customer 😊
Written 8 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kelmo
22 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
We booked a family lunch (two adults and two children) as the last meal of our holidays before hitting the road back to Dublin. We came across this restaurant online and I am soo glad we did! From start to finish the service was amazing with friendly staff tending to us throughout our meal. The food was second to none, my pork main course looked like a work of art! I was delighted to see a large map of Donegal highlighting the local producers that supply the restaurant, it made our final Donegal dining experience feel really authentic. Compliments to the chef, staff and owners on creating a fantastic dining experience for our little party- we will highly recommend this to family and friends visiting the region.
Written 23 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Claire S
Singapore22 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
Excellent food. The staff were very nice. The layout of the restaurant is nice and it feels very spaced out. We had two kids with us and the staff let us know that most dishes they could do small portions for the kids which was great. They also do chicken goujons if you want.
Our pair shared a starter and ordered smaller portions of the steak and the chicken. I think they thought our youngest was not having a starter as her main came out whilst we were still eating our starter but the girl very kindly took it away. That was the only negative as that felt a little rushed but after that it was lovely.
The presentation and flavour of the food was lovely. I had scallops to start and monkfish and pork belly for main. All were excellent.
You can book online which i love and they did confirm by phone a couple of days before hand.
Well worth a visit if you like very good food and are willing to pay for it.
Written 22 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rory M
8 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
Had a small family meal.
My starter of Mussels in cider was excellent and probably the best mussels I have ever had.
The duck I had for my main course was a let down in comparison, can be just be described as forgettable. Noting wrong with it but it was just MEH.
Salted Caramel dessert was good. However a restaurant that is pitching itself at this level should be able to offer a cheese board to properly showcase local produce.
The waiter we had was spot on but the maitre d rather than politely reminding a party member to wear their face mask felt the need to make the comment 'That it won't do you any good in your hand' which was unnecessary and did nothing for our impression of the place. Hence only a 3 star review.
Written 17 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pete121280
Thank you for your review
We don’t usually leave a comment to reviews as we welcome the feedback.
We are not pitching ourselves as anything only a restaurant doing what we love.
We would like to point out that the member of your party was reminded to wear her mask which she replied the table is just there waving her mask in her hand and marched on over to the table totally disrespectful of the guidelines which are in place.
In these difficult times we are doing everything we can to protect both our customers and team by following the guidelines set out for our sector.
Masks are required in restaurants until seated and when leaving the table and must be worn on the face covering both nose and mouth.
Written 18 September 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Shane C
Sligo34 contributions
Sept 2020 • couples
On a Tuesday during a pandemic it speaks volumes to see it busy. Superb food in a great setting. Staff looked after us extremely well.
Food was incredibly tasty. Photos don’t even do it justice. Melt in the mouth from the start! And it’s not overpriced for what you get. We ate a 3 course meal for 2 plus 5 drinks each for €120
The digital menus are a great idea. No handling of paper or laminated menus after somebody else.
Great end to a great day in the North West.
Written 2 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shannon E
London4 contributions
Sept 2020 • friends
Both the food and service were spectacular. Three of our guests had gluten intolerances and were provided with the most beautiful gluten free bread along with their starters. Easily one of the best dining experiences we have had, cannot recommend enough!
Written 23 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PhilipTipp
57 contributions
Sept 2020 • none
Dined here last night and it was absolutely fabulous. The food was of the highest quality from locally sourced producers, served by excellent staff.
Thankfully, we are returning on Tuesday on the last night of our holidays to experience more of the same.
Well deserved accolades for this excellent and passionate family run business.
Written 6 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary - Dublin
49 contributions
Sept 2020 • friends
On our recent trip to Letterkenny we stopped off at this wonderful restaurant, without a reservation, for early bird dinner.We had the most wonderful, freshly cooked food , the staff were attentive & knowledgeable about the menu.We really enjoyed our dinner,we felt safe as all Covid guidelines were in place. We look forward to a return visit.
Written 13 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ClaireLaois
County Laois194 contributions
July 2020 • couples
Absolutely fantastic meal in every respect. I am vegan and I let them know when booking. I didn't have to mention this to any server when we arrived or when it came to being offered bread, dessert etc. All were well briefed which is so professional. I was even given 3 choices for each course. The arancini dish i had was spectacular. It's a sign of a great chef if they can make a vegan dish well as it's very easy to make food taste great with butter, cream and cheese! My husband is not vegan so he ordered from the regular menu and he is still taking about the food (he is a trained chef from Italy). I am only disappointed that we only got to eat here once during our trip to Donegal.
Written 23 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KevinandLucy
Ireland148 contributions
July 2020 • none
We visited here one evening recently as a family for 2 adults and 2 teenagers, having booked online earlier in the day. We were seated just inside the door. The tables were well spaced out around us. We scanned our phones to bring up the menu's.
We only gave this restaurant 3 out of 5 for 2 reasons: - the service was quite slow, both to take the order, and then to deliver the food, and the food itself was just ok, nothing spectacular.
Written 3 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobcubitt
124 contributions
Jan 2023 • none
We don't live in Letterkenny but when we visit we always try to eat out at least once and this time a relative took us here.
It was probably the best restaurant meal I've had in a while - and we've had plenty.
The interior design is modern without being flashy, pale walls with white trim, subdued lighting without it being too dark.
The food is modern in concept and presentation, but old fashioned in portion sizes. Make sure you are really hungry when you arrive. The meal starts long before the first course, as we were offered not just bread, but also amuse bouchées which were very tasty. I could happily have made a meal of them by themselves.
The menu isn't extensive, but concentrates on a small range of food cooked well. The restaurant prides itself on sourcing its ingredients locally, to extent that it has a list of their suppliers on the wall.
We went there mid-week and had no trouble getting a table but we were told that it is very difficult to get a table at the weekends, so book well in advance if you want t visit on Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
The price of the food reflects its high quality, but the size of the portions means that you get value for money.
The service was excellant, the staff pleasant and unobtrusive.
We are very happy to recommend this restaurant if you aren't on a tight budget, or you are looking to celebrate a special occasion.
Written 19 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah K
13 contributions
Aug 2020 • none
Had the most fabulous meal in the Lemon Tree. The online booking system makes booking or making changes to the reservation very easy. The hotel was very clean with hand sanitizer on the way in and tables spaced out nicely too. All staff members wore visors which made for a very comfortable setting. All of the food ordered was presented beautifully and tasted amazing! The duck and chocolate pave were exceptional! Can’t wait to return here again.
Written 16 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
4fromDub
6 contributions
Aug 2020 • family
Really enjoyed dinner here two nights in a row while on holiday in the area. Despite restrictions etc this restaurant still managed to provide a warm welcoming atmosphere and the feeling of enjoying a treat. Each of the dishes was presented as a mini work of art and every detail packed a punch flavour wise. Great choice too and a real plus that small portions available for the children so they're not restricted to kids menu. Would happily recommend to others. Lucky locals to have this in your area.
Written 23 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ales J
Tuam51 contributions
Sept 2020 • couples
Fantastic food and very good wine list as a wine enthusiast missing a little bit of imagination with wine list / description, selection and food and wine pairing recommendations. Food definitely didn't disappoint, chorizo risotto was to die for, chicken breasts with parmesan chips also delicious. Service could be also slightly better especially recommendations and descriptions of food. Would definitely recommend to food lovers, lovely flavours and attention to detail.
Written 15 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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