J.J. O’Malley’s named Best Gastro Pub in Mayo

J.J. O’Malley’s in Westport has been named Best Gastro Pub in Mayo at the Irish Restaurant Awards Connaught regional final 2026, held at Knockranny House Hotel in Westport. The regional winners now go forward to the national finals in May.

The award marks a significant moment for the popular Bridge Street venue, which was revamped and relaunched under the ownership of Tom Bourke in September 2024.

Since taking over the business, the focus has been on building a warm, welcoming bar and restaurant experience centred around quality food, great service, live music and a menu shaped by local ingredients and seasonal dishes.

J.J. O’Malley’s has become known for offering the best of both worlds in the heart of Westportr: A lively downstairs pub atmosphere, a more relaxed restaurant experience upstairs, and live music that brings people through the doors night after night. Its food offering places a strong emphasis on Irish produce, with local seafood and seasonal menu changes helping to shape the experience for both locals and visitors.

Tom Bourke, owner of J.J. O’Malley’s, said the award was a lovely boost for the whole team.

“We’re absolutely delighted to receive this award. Since taking over J.J.’s, our focus has been on creating a place that feels warm, welcoming and consistent, where people can enjoy really good food, good service and a great atmosphere.

“We’ve put a huge amount of work into the venue over the past year, from the food offering and service right through to the live music and overall experience, so it means a lot to see that recognised.

“We’re very grateful to our team for everything they do every day, and to all of our customers, both local and visiting, for the support they’ve shown us since we opened the doors.”

The Irish Restaurant Awards are one of the country’s leading hospitality awards programmes, with public nominations opening in January before judging took place across the regions. This year’s Connaught awards celebrated hospitality businesses from across Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim and Sligo.

For J.J. O’Malley’s, the award is a welcome recognition of the new chapter underway at the venue and of the work being done to continue building it as a standout food, pub and music destination in Westport.

The venue currently has live music every night and a new spring/summer menu with new seasonal dishes.