Welcome to The Snailbox Bar & Gastro Restaurant in Ashbourne Co Meath.

They hang down from the ceiling — over 4,500 of them — in neat rows, looking for all the world like multi-coloured bats. Hats from the locality, hats from around Ireland, hats from across the globe. Each one has been donated by customers, who have heard of this strange but compelling gathering — a gathering of hats that aims to, one day, win a Guinness World Record gong for the most hats in a public place.

What the Snail Box has, though, is what many other restaurants have not: a special kind of atmosphere, a familiarity and a warmth that is easy to manufacture but impossible to fake. The truth is, there’s nothing fancy about this place — you can roll up in your best threads or in the jumper and jeans you’ve worn all day, and still feel good about your position at the dinner table. No one is going to look at you because they’re too busy eating their food. No one is going to comment about your lack of a smart jacket because they’re too busy wallowing in the buzz of contentment.

Irish Pubs

Discover the best pubs in Ireland

The Snailbox Bar , Restaurant & Accommodation, Ashbourne

The Snailbox Bar , Restaurant & Accommodation, Ashbourne

Login