Alexandra Hotel Restaurant in Aberdeenshire

Absolutely lovely. Fiona and the lady who worked with her so sorry I didn’t get her name were the best front house staff I have seen and my husband and I travel a lot. Food at evening meal was beautiful and breakfast hot and plentiful. Great location but the 2 ladies are great can’t do enough to make you feel welcome an absolute pleasure to be under their care

Good local cuisine, and at a reasonable price (which seems to be rather uncommon in this region, alas...). The meat in the beef pie is top quality, that's a very good point. (You see so many restaurants that take advantage of the meat being hidden in its sauce and crust to discharge greasy and nervous chunks in the pie...) The haddock does taste like haddock (unlike some other recently reviewed tourist's trap). Good place to eat in Ballater

Lovely restaurant, friendly staff, excellent food, everything to like. Compared to overpriced restaurants elsewhere around here, this cosy attractive restaurant serves up good value tasty food with really chatty, friendly staff. The Steak and Ale Pie is most excellent and served up piping hot in a hot oven dish and stays hot till every scrap is scoffed. Same goes for the lasagne, and if you’ve room for a pudding, the cheese cake is delicious and artistically presented. A big slice too! I’d recommend the “Alex” Wasn’t impressed with the Cairngorm Ale but that was my choice - there’s plenty others.

The food here is always delicious and the home made soup was a delight. Friendly service and a warm pub atmosphere make the Alex one of the nicest places to eat in Upper Deeside. A great lunch experience.

In tegenstelling tot sommige commentaren kan ik alleen maar lovend zijn over het personeel en hun manier van werken. De eigenaresse van onze B&B had gebeld maar er zou die avond spijtig genoeg geen tafel vrij zijn wegens de drukte. Toch maar even gaan kijken en de eigenaar vond nog een plaatsje voor ons in de barruimte. Omdat wij maar met twee waren kon hij dit fixen. Geweldig, het was er gezellig en druk, inderdaad waren voor de rest alle tafels volzet. De bediening was soepel en heel vlot. Als voorgerecht soep heel lekker en grote soepkom met een lekker vers broodje. De hoofgerechten waren verzorgd en lekker. Eentje was gevulde kip met haggis en de andere was een schotel met geitekaas. Wij waren beiden heel tevreden. De menu in de bar is beperkter maar zeker voldoende voor een goede keuze. Wij hebben hier lekker gegeten aan een faire prijs.

nice hotel / restaurant in a beautiful setting on the river Dee in Ballater. Lovely meals all well prepared & presented. good service either eating or having a beer, with friendly staff

The food was good pub grub with decent portions and there wasn't too much of a wait, the environment was pretty nice as well.

Let’s have a drink in the bar before we eat, we thought. The bar staff were very rude and unwelcoming. We drank our drinks and left. Avoid.

Called in for dinner/supper as we liked the options shown on the menu outside. We hadn't booked so were pleased that they did have a table available. Service was quick - from showing us a menu, letting us know what the 'soup of the day' was, asking what we would like to drink and then the serving of the food itself. For starter, we had potato and leek soup which was very tasty - no potatoes dissolving into the soup here. Our main was chicken stuffed with haggis, and wrapped with bacon secure with vegetables and chips or mashed potatoes. This was also very tasty and plentiful, so much so that we did not need a dessert to finish - maybe need to have another visit to try one out. The staff there were friendly, good humoured and attentive to what customers were doing, e.g. table clearing within minutes of finishing each course. All in all a good decision to just pop in.

Popped into The Alexandra on a Saturday around 6pm. Most of the tables were already reserved. Fortunately there was a free table available. We had drinks and a main course. The food was excellent. I had the steak pie, all good quality meat with no fat or gristle. My brother in law had the fish and chips, also excellent. Our partners both had the scampi, which was also tasty. The staff were friendly and efficient. I would definitely book in advance at weekends and during the holiday season.

We onky intended to have a drink but looked at the menu and ordered food.I had delicious steak pie with mash,peas and carrots,my partner had scampi which he enjoyed.Very reasonable prices,we will be back when next in the area.

We were here a couple of times for some drinks, the staff were really friendly and efficient , good value for money and worth a visit.

Went here a couple of times on my July visit to Ballater. Sat outside in the "Beer Garden" not the best of the surroundings but they were both nice and warm sunny days so I didn't want to sit inside. Had a couple of really nice pints - Nessie's Monster Mash (a malty chestnut beer) and Cairngorm IPA. Also had a very nice bowl of Broccoli and cheese soup. Spent a few pleasant hours there reading my book.

okay food and service at a reasonable price. No real complaints but expected a more pleasant restaurant from the photos on the web site. Turned out we were seated in the bar.

We popped in for an evening meal and a few drinks. Excellent relaxed atmosphere. Great service and friendly welcome from Fiona. She was even kind enough to offer a brolly for us to get back to our accommodation as it was heavy rain. Thanks again. G&S Beveridge Musselburgh

Had two evening meals at the Alexandra, we pre-booked and everything was set up safely. Menu choice was good and food was excellent. Staff were friendly and helpful.

Friendly staff, clean rooms and food good. No off street parking just now but plenty of space around the hotel

My friend and I stayed here for two nights. It's a great place to stay, right in the centre of Ballater. The staff were friendly and helpful, nothing was too much trouble for them. Although the restaurant wasn't open, we ate in the bar and...

Myself and a group of friends spent the night here and enjoyed our stay. When we entered we were greated warmly and shown to our rooms. She took time to check if we'd made arrangements for eating that night and advised us of breakfast arrangements....

We really love this hotel's restaurant/bar. A warm welcome, Covid safety and fresh, brilliant nosh at reasonable prices. We used to be regulars and wondered how the various lockdowns and restrictions in Scotland would affect what was offered but, if anything, the food was even...

We had an excellent broccoli and stilton soup as a snack and returned for dinner another day. We both had the steak pie, which was tasty and tender, in complete contrast to the grim, tough equivalent sold us in Craigendarroch's pretentious 'brasserie'. No pud -...

A great find, their beer garden isn't that obvious. Their food is beautifully cooked and is both tasty and well priced. The salmon starter was enough for a main meal. My black and blue burger was one of he best burgers I ve had, the...

Lovely homely hotel always so welcoming great stay good food great family hotel in centre of Ballater

Quite highly priced but decent quality food served here. Found the place was welcoming but nothing all that special really. Still, I guess Ballater is an expensive place for food. My dessert had clearly only just been taken out of the freezer and was insufficiently...

Ate here earlier this week. Staff were really attentive to our varied requirements, food was promptly served, all protocols observed and pretty inexpensive as well.

Enjoyed a 3-night stay. Rooms were very clean, bed was very comfortable although some of the decor’ is a bit tired (shower doors don’t or slide open/closed properly). Staff are very friendly. As well as breakfast, we ate in on 2 instances and food was...

Lovely pub grub had outside in the beer garden. I recommend the homemade lasagne and the proper chunky, crispy chips. Staff were so friendly, brought out biscuits for the dog and offered him water. Big portions, reasonable prices. All social distance measures in place, too.

Average pub grub that was just ok although the place seemed to be popular. The food appeared within minutes of ordering which usually isn't a good sign and presentation left something to be desired. Cheerful waiting staff.

Good pub food and friendly staff. My wife had the steak and ale pie and rated it excellent comfort food. Served with mash potatoes with a puff pastry top. Generous portion and tasty. I had the steak and chips. Could have used a little more...

atmosphère convivial, personnel aimable et accueillant. Bonne restauration d'un bon rapport qualité/ prix.

Visited here for drinks, then saw the food being served so we decided to eat there the next evening. Large portions. Both our meals very lovely. Staff friendly and chatty. Reasonably priced for food and drink.

We arrived at tea time on sunday, a bank holiday. Sat at a table outside as we had a small dog with us and it was far too hot to leave him in the car. When we went in for menus the man refused to serve us food outside, despite a waitress serving a tray with tea cups and lots to the table beside us. Not what you expect of highland hospitality. On a plus note we went up the street to Victoria 's tearoom and they even let the dog inside and served us a lovely meal.

A little gem in a fabulous spot in Scotland.We all enjoyed our stay in Ballater and the Alexandra Hotel helped it to be a happy time.A great little pub with excellent food, beer and service. Everyone we met were so friendly and we cant wait to return. Its simply a great pub serving great pub food.

Sat outside this place for a drink on a sunny day and it was nice to watch the traffic and tourists go by however warm sunny days like that are infrequent in Ballater. Inside the bar was rather drab and totally empty. Perhaps it gets busy in the evenings but there was nothing there to make me want to return. Even the staff were rather quiet in comparison to what we found in other places. Prices or drinks were ok.

This is the first place we come when we arrive in Ballater. The haddock and chips is consistently beautiful. Lovely local pub and the owners are always gracious and welcoming.

Nice traditional bar with two cask beers and a selection of keg and bar menu. Great to sit outside and watch the world go by. Just yards from the river.

We enjoyed very good food, excellent service and minimal waiting time. Would recommend to all. Situated in a very pretty street in an exceptionally pretty town.

Wir waren während unseres kurzen Aufenthalts in Ballater zweimal im Alexandra zu Abend essen. Fish&Chips; sind sehr zu empfehlen. Das Ambiente ist nicht so urig, wie in anderen - älteren - Pubs, aber das Essen schmeckt und der Service passt.

A lovely old hotel, very friendly staff and locals. Lovely food in good portion sizes, tasty and satisfying and reasonably priced.

On entering The Alexandra we found that the restaurant was closed and that they were only serving food in the bar area, which was fine by us. There aren't many tables so we had to wait to get seated. Again, didn't bother us. The bar takes up most of the space here with one row of two-top tables running alongside and a handful of larger tables at each end of the room. There was a tv on with no sound. In fact the whole place was quiet. A bit of background music wouldn't go amiss if you ask me. The man of the house took our order with very little to say. I chose haddock and the wife had scampi, which was served by a lady with nothing to say. During our meal my wife asked the man for an extra pot of tarter sauce, to which he replied 'sure' but never delivered. I gave her mine. Both dishes were okay. The plates were taken away by a silent lady, then I asked the man for our check and again he said 'sure' but never brought it. Another lady appeared behind the bar who my wife asked for the check, which was pleasantly provided coupled with a friendly chat about Ballater and the surrounding area. All in all the overall visit was satisfactory but could do with a little more atmosphere and little more conversation.

Good food. Not too expensive. Would return and recommend. Friendly staff and welcomes kids in restaurant

It was sunday evening, raining, lot of people downtown looking for a place for dinner. We entered Alexandra, no table available at that time, came back 20mn later and the table had been reserved for us.

Je travaillais au deeside inn et je venais souvent mangé avec mes collègues au sein de votre restaurant votre fish and chip et le meilleur que j ai pus mangé merci beaucoup pour votre acceuil chaleureux et votre professionnalisme j espère revenir un jour merci

First class food, great service and Cairngorm Brewery beer that is always in perfect condtition. Just be sure you are there well before 8.30 if eating. Ballater is nota late night venue!

We dropped in here after a distressing visit to Balmoral Castle (I’ll never go again, please see my review) where I needed a scotch or two to calm my nerves.

Evening meal with our daughter in bar on a quiet Sunday night whilst on holiday in Ballater. The food portions were good and it was very tasty. Staff friendly and helpful.

Visited here for a meal with friends. The food was excellent. The menu had something for everyone and the portions were huge. The food was tasty and served piping hot. Our server had a great personality and we enjoyed a few laughs with her and we were made to feel like regulars. Definitely would recommend this restaurant.

We had the scampi and the lasagne

We were staying in Ballater for a week and went here on our second night and ended up going 3 times during the week as we enjoyed the food,the hand pulled beer and the excellent service so much. We were made very welcome by the staff and as the place was very busy and we were a group of five we sometimes sat at the bar for drinks while a table became available. Between the five of us we tried most things on the mains menu and the food was excellent and service was very good with all of us enjoying all our meals, the Haddock and chips probably been the most popular although the chicken breast stuffed with black pudding and wrapped in bacon was my favourite. We did eat at other places during our week there but the Alexandra was in my opinion the best. We didn’t book a table but each time we visited it was busy and we were made very welcome by the staff and they were very professional in the manner in which they would advise you how long you may have to wait for a table to become available but it’s well worth the wait.

We were looking for somewhere for the whole family (7 adults, a 3yr old and a 1yr old!) and were hard pushed to find anywhere when someone recommended the Alex lounge bar.

Stopped in to have a beer one afternoon and came back for dinner another night because we loved our chat with the barkeep, Allan. The lamb chops were tender, moist and tasty. Fish and chips were typical but the tartar sauce was on par with the best I’ve ever had. Stands out among the few places open at night. Highly recommend stopping by to visit with Allan!

The service in this local pub/hotel/restaurant was quick and friendly. The food was of a good standard with generous portions. We would have preferred the pretty restaurant dining room but it’s the low season.

This rather unassuming and quiet Hotel is perched at the end of the High Street in Ballater just before the bridge over the River Dee. We ate twice in the lounge bar of this hotel and both nights were blown away by the welcome we received, the lady that served us and the food that was cooked for us. Compliments were sent to the Chef on both evenings and we came away saying that the Steak and Ale pie was the best we had ever had. The pie came in a pie dish with puff pastry lid, the dish was full to the brim of perfectly cooked beef in a rich ale gravy. Beef and gravy - perfect consistency of gravy, lovely taste of the ale and beef that melted in your mouth. The puff pastry lid was equally delicious - not too flaky, not too dry, perfect. Served with a choice of potato (we chose mash) and peas and carrots. You may think this is a simple dish, which perhaps it is, but when simple is done really really well - it equals perfection. Go to this Hotel, eat the pie, you will not be disappointed. The lady that served us was so very friendly and efficient - the whole experience was a joy.

Good choice of bar snacks and food, a well stocked bar and a pleasant welcome from the staff - nice surroundings and atmosphere.

Genau das, was wir gesucht haben: angenehme Atmosphäre, gute (und leckere) Auswahl an lokalen Bieren und gutes Essen. Wir haben uns im Pub so wohl gefühlt, dass wir gar nichts anderes mehr ausprobiert haben.

Damp autumn evening and hungry we went to the restaurant for dinner. A group was there and was told we’ll get your food out soon as possible. Expecting a long wait, but food came right out. The steak and ale pie, with a puff pastry topping was delicious. Generous portion was appreciated.

Visited this restaurant on a very wet night so it was an excellent choice to forget the weather. Received a very nice welcome and we were seated at a table in secluded area which was good as we were entertaining a cousin from Canada. The menu choice was excellent and each member of our party chose something different. Food was served promptly and greatly enjoyed by everyone. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting Ballater.

Visited this hotel for the first time and was very impressed with the quality of the food. The meals were ‘very good pub grub’. Two of our party had steaks and both said they were excellent. I had the homemade lasagne and my friend had the chicken. All were very very nice and substantial in portion size. Would recommend this hotel if you are looking for great food which is not too expensive.

Sehr guter Fish&Chips;, freundlicher Service und nette Atmosphäre. Uns hat es sehr gut in der Bar des Alexandra Hotels gefallen. Preis und Leistung sind ok.

I've not stayed at this hotel but have eaten here many many times on my trips to Ballater.. very friendly staff, relaxing atmosphere and wonderful home made food, generous portions.. Well worth a visit or two..

I was attracted by the menu, one step above basic pub food. We had a soup and salad for one and a Steak & Ale Pie for the other. All good food and good drinks as well. It was a very local crowd, with a lot of the B&B; folks from Ballater as well. A decent and enjoyable dinner.

I arrived at my accommodation after cycling from Aberdeen and asked for recommendations to eat. They recommended "Als" but warned I would not make it by 8:30 when they take last food orders.After a very quick change and a run down the road and, 7 minutes later I arrived at 8:27. By 8:34 my pint and my starter were on the table. For main I had the chicken breast stuffed with black pudding served with mashed potato. There were probably more dainty items on the menu but this was exactly what I wanted. Very friendly too.

Eating out in Ballater does not offer a huge variety of choices, The Alexandra is unashamedly a local pub with a good local clientel, and B and B Facilities, It will probably not win an Michelin Star but will satisfy those who seek a satisfying meal at a fair price.

Well i was very disappointed with the staff tonight thought they were very rude they had ignored our table most of the night... had to ask a few times for some drinks.. waited for a while for bill as one girl sat on her phone behind the bar other 2 just completely ignored us... won't be back and definitely won't recommend the place

This hotel/restaurant doesn’t look much from the outside, but you walking in and you are welcomed by a lovely smile and a friendly hello.

We booked a table for my wife her sister and I . Although we did contemplate going somewhere else . My wife and I have eaten here on a couple of occasions before and haven’t been disappointed. Tonight I had a starter of tempura prawns with side salad and sweet chilli sauce, and my wife’s sister had broccoli and Stilton soup both starters were excellent. For mains my wife’s sister had chicken curry. I contemplated having scampi for a change !!! However the waitress said that they had fresh fish in today and for me that sealed the deal as I do love fresh fish. All the food which we had was served promptly and efficiently by friendly pleasant staff. The fish was so fresh that you could almost taste the sea water some of the best fish I’ve tasted in a long time. Time and time again we return here because we know we are going to enjoy our meal.

My wife and two teenage grandchildren sat out in front on two different accessions in one day. There are only about twenty seat outside the hotel. Had lunch of lasagna and haddock and chips. The owners were friendly the pub clean the food very good.

Food was of a well heated temperature which was dried out making the food tough We did not stay the night but heard some people say they would not go back. The bar was always busy and could not be heard in the restaurant.

The food served is delicious and a good selection to suit all tastes. The staff are lovely to chat to and helpful. Would definitely recommend for friends or family.

Great freshly made chicken and pesto sandwich with a pint of Guinness. Not a big restaurant and does have some outdoor seating.

We ended up going here three times while we were in Ballater over a ten day period. The food is great and the selection of ales, and spirits should meet your needs. I had the chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with haggis. My wife had dinners made out of two appetizers. Try the ales on tap from the Cairngorm brewery, but be aware that they are served slightly warmer in temperature than American beers. They are tasty and you can get use to the temperature.

Was will man mehr von einem schottischen Pub mit Restaurant ? Super freundliche Bedienung, angenehme Atmosphäre und eine kleine, aber feine Auswahl beim Essen. Falls es auf der Karte steht: Ich hatte Hähnchenbrust gefüllt mit „Black Pudding“ in einem Speckmantel mit Senfkörnersoße... Absolute Weltklasse !!!

Decided to pop in for a lunchtime meal and very pleasantly surprised. A really light and well decorated interior and the staff extremely friendly and welcoming.

Haad a good meal in the restaurant a very good choice of home cooked food with all the usual pub fare and more. sat outside lateron for drinks and watched yje world go by

Cracking meal in comfortable surroundings with very attentive and pleasant staff! Would certainly return and recommend to all.

Belle surprise que ce coquet restaurant à l'entrée du village. C'est chaleureux, un peu vieillot mais le service comme la cuisine a du cœur !

After a 14 mile walk we were all ready for some honest to goodness pub grub, and we were not disappointed! Fish and chips was just what the doctor ordered, and all at very reasonable prices.

Great pub with high quality food staff. Landlord talked us through whiskies and offered recommendations away from our usual preferences. Fantastic evening. Thanks for a great evening.

Very good fish and chips, monster size fillets of haddock and steak pie is excellent too. Wash it doon w’er pint and a dram o wuskey, it’s great! Very friendly staff.

My wife and I had our lunch here during a brief visit to Ballater. It was a cold and snowy day and this was once of the first places we came across. It has a cosy and local feel with friendly staff. I had soup and a baked potato and my wife had panini and chips. My soup was delicious and we both enjoyed our meal. It was just what was required on a chilly spring day.

Gute und reichhaltige Auswahl. Das Essen war reichlich und hat sehr gut geschmeckt. Service freundlich und zügig. Preis/Leistung passt.

Very enjoyable pub meal with friends. Food tasty and well presented plus the added bonus of sport on the TV. Great service and highly recommended.

Lovely staff very friendly, limited menus but very tasty food , definitely worth a visit , Very clean Local beers, good variety

A really nice simple pub meal. The service was really great, and they put on BT sport for us especially....

Me my friends & their 4 children went for lunch, welcome was excellent,service was excellent & food was excellent .nothing...

Very good food. Reasonable price. Also comfortable pub as well. We really enjoyed visiting with the staff. Super friendly.

Had a lovely meal in the bar area of this hotel, being winter it’s possible there’s no need for the...

Was not impressed. Whilst out walking with family members we stopped off here for a refreshment. The men had a...

Good family menu. Tasty food. Pleasant dining room. Friendly service. Well worth a visit for accommodation or meals.

Best 'Scottish' lasagne I've eaten out for ages. As good as my own homemade!! The chips were out of this...

We had a very nice meal at the Alexander hotel, we wanted to eat in the restaurant but it was not open that evening so we reluctantly ate in the lounge bar, We were pleasantly surprised because it was a quite atmosphere and laid out pretty well for dining. We both had the steak pie with vegetables and mash. The food was excellent, plenty of meat in the pie and very tasty wholesome vegetables. A single main course had us full so we cannot comment on the other courses, I am pretty sure they would have been a good standard. The service throughout our visit was very friendly.

We all had the fish and chips on a recommendation and it was great. The restaurant wasn't opened so we ate at the small tables in the pub. It was perfect for our expectation level. Hot, fresh, well cooked fish and chips. The staff were very accommodating (albeit a little stressed when we turned up without booking), but they managed to turn it around and sort us out before the kitchens closed at 8.30pm. Job well done.

After the busy Ballater Games, finding a good place to eat, not filled with tourists, was difficult. Luckily, a short walk to the river brought me to Alexandra Hotel, where the crowd was a pleasant mix of locals, families and a few tourists.

Was here with a club event for dinner, great meal with good service. Reasonable portions at reasonable prices.

The hotel has a decent, straight forward bar in the centre of Ballater. Three real ales on, all from the Cairngorm Brewery when I visited. We didn't eat or stay in the hotel, but the landlady was very friendly.

We visited this restaurant for an evening meal. We had the Jumbo Haddock and thick cut chips. It was absolutely delicious, the fish was the freshest and best tasting fish we have had anywhere. We would thoroughly recommend it. The staff were very friendly and helpful.

Quiet pub belonging to the hotel. Food was very tasty, and we felt welcome. Excellent value for money.

its a pleasant restaurant in this hotel and the prices are very good value. The lentil soup to begin was very tasty as were the garlic mushrooms on toast. We both had the steak and ale pie which had a deep rich flavour and a large crusty topping. It's good honest home cooked food at a very good price. We also received some local knowledge as to what to see in the area etc.

Best fish and chips I had in years. Lovely service, good traditional bar. We returned for drinks and it was still good.

When the staff bring the kids main course along with th e parents' starter you know you're in a place that understands family meals out. Even had smaller cutlery for the you guns. Food was tasty and portions plentiful. Good beer on tap as well. Couldn't fault it!