Bridgend Hotel Restaurant in Argyll & Bute

The restaurant has basic pub style décor. They only offered raw oyster on the menu and when I asked if I could have the oysters grilled or roasted, I was told the chef does not know how to do that. How is that even possible? If I could have, I would have gone into the kitchen and done it myself. As a starter, my husband ordered the raw oysters, and we both ordered clam as our main. The clams were nothing but ok, and not nearly as good as the ones we had at Sea Salt Bistro. What a bust this restaurant was. So sorry we did not stick to our original choice for dinner and did not follow a recommendation to dine here.

We stopped here for lunch on recommendation from Islay classic tours and what a great place for lunch. Very charming, friendly and terrific food. We had the steak sandwich, blt sandwich and lamb pie and everything was delicious. Best chips on Islay.

When we were picking where to eat on Islay this was one place we were really excited to try. Sadly the night we visited there was a number of dishes mainly seafood not available. Burgers were really good but not what we had planned. What made this an average score, the service wasn’t great. Compared to other places we visited it missed that personal touch. The person waiting our table didn’t seem very happy to be there and almost threw our food at us. Interestingly when a group of men sat at a near by table with their accent similar to hers she found 20 mins to chat to them while we sat waiting for table to be cleared. Maybe just a bad night, but we found a number of better restaurants on Islay we would recommend before this one.

Amazing oysters, fantastic langoustines. Great service. Super fresh. Don’t miss this if you are on Islay. Really really great meal.

Vriendelijke, lollige bediening. Verse bereidingen. Opgelet: wel veel frieten. Beperkte keuze, op=op. Mooie ruimte om te eten. Ruime parking. Moeilijk bereikbaar te voet of met openbaar vervoer. Geen drankkaart. Reserveren noodzakelijk.

Friendly team from the start excellent. Polite and accommodating. Dinner husband had the highland chicken. I ordered the langoustine . Sadly the presentation let it down , I tried one although they were tasty and fresh they looked terrible, they were scummy. I have a problem with my skin so I couldn’t prepare them with my fingers , husband had to step in and help out so he couldn’t get to eat his dinner. Perhaps in the future make sure they are clean before cooking and perhaps offer a butterflied langoustine instead. They were tasty . Just a suggestion.

We had such a delicious meal, the lamb was amazing as was everything else. The service was lovely too very friendly. It was an excellent end to our holiday Thank you

Despite being very busy the service was attentive and the food very good. My wife had langoustines and the only downside was that everything was piled onto the one plate which made it a bit crowded. I had the chicken Balmoral which was a generous size. We went on a Monday night and had booked which I think was essential as it was extremely busy.

We stayed overnight at the Bridgend Hotel. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and the facilities. Great Food, Excellent Drinks, Comfy and Contemporary Accomodation with Roaring Fires, Attentive and Helpful Staff. Super WiFi infrastructure.

Outstanding taste, structure and construction of locally sourced food. Delicious, should be a hatted restaurant very soon. I never take photos of food as I believe it is to be enjoyed, this was an exception, as part way through I decided this food has to be shared with everyone, just amazing. And so well looked after by the lovely Margaret, magical evening.

We were recommended to have dinner here by the guesthouse we stayed at on the island. Cosy pub with friendly staff. We shared scallops, oysters and venison. Delicious food. Would definitely recommend the pub for a meal.

Excellent on all counts. Warm, friendly really good food, and menu with lots of gluten free options. Brilliant for us but the god was off such quality that it was good for everyone

After some research we pre-booked this hotel and our evening meal on the first night. It’s a traditional coaching inn situated at the tip of Loch Indaal and what could also be described as the heart of Islay. Deceptive from the outside as it’s fairly large once you walk in through one of the three doors. The staff provide a welcoming and comfortable place to stay where they offer the very best of Islay products. Manager Megan and staff Pete and Gabriel (our Portuguese star) go above and beyond to make sure you enjoy your stay. The rooms are a good size and well dressed, the food served in the restaurant is of high class for a small hotel. Breakfasts can be a hearty affair although lighter options are on offer. Beautiful gardens with private seating areas are available to guests, weather permitting. It has quite rightly been named as a 2023 finalist in the Scottish Hotel Awards - Best Country Hotel category. It’s absolutely the staff that make it! The hotel’s location provides easy access to many of Islay’s distilleries, beaches, hills, lochs, Machrie golf course, and cultural landmarks, such as Finlaggan, the seat of the Lords of the Isles. It’s also next to Bridgend Woods where several walks follow the River Sorn winding its way through the lush surrounding land. Islay Estates has limited salmon and sea trout fishing available on some beats. On our first evening we even had a rousing rendition of Loch Lomond by patrons as the bar closed! Highly recommended for a central location to easily explore the island. Not forgetting the great food, rooms and service!

Our table was in the bar area which is a bit noisy - the carpets restaurant area looked nicer. Friendly service but the food is moderate rather than good. My mac and cheese was tasty but a lovely- sounding dessert (elderflower millefeuille) was let down by odd-tasting lumpy creme patissiere. My companion had fish and chips. Batter was good but the fish was a bit over cooked and the chips were dry.

Absolutely fantastic the food is incredible. I wish we spent our holiday at this hotel and not the disappointing Ballygrant

Earth here regularly when on Islay. Excellent food and good service. Staff friendly and helpful. Nice atmosphere....3 areas to eat in ...bar, lounge and formal dining room. Macaroni cheese and fish and chips extremely good

Absolutely appalling food and service! Arrived and the female waitress who has the personality of a newt (sorry for offending newts) was rude and unwelcoming. We sat for around 20 mins and no one came to take our order. My daughter had to go and ask for someone to take our order. Unfortunately, it was the same female who had practically thrown menus at us. I ordered soup of day and my daughter Cullen skink. Chef (yes that’s who brought soup and cheesy fries to our table) arrived with soup only to realise we had no cutlery. He had to fetch cutlery. My soup was lukewarm. The Cullen skink was not Cullen skink but a pathetic glupey mess with tiny morsels of what was supposed to be Cullen skink ingredients. This too was lukewarm and utterly disgusting. I called over rude waitress to explain that the Cullen skink was disgusting. Her response was ‘well you’ll have to wait till other soup of day comes). The cheesy fries were fries with tiny bits of unmelted cheese on a few of them. Without doubt one of THE worst lunches I’ve ever had! That pathetic excuse of a waitress needs to undergo a personality transplant!

Great food, warm service We had a nice dinner and a very satisfying breakfast. Overall a positive experience.

Oh my goodness … what a little gem of a place and thank goodness we found it! Here for dinner, an overnight stay and breakfast too - this is one I would highly recommended to visitors to Islay. The pub is lovely, the food impeccable and the staff are just so brilliant. Huge thanks to Meghan for making us so welcome and to Mirka for being a brilliant hostess.

Excellent place to eat. There is a wide choice of dishes well presented..... Good service The portions are a good size. One can eat outside, in Katy's bar or in the main body of the hotel

While staying at self catering accommodation nearby, we noticed that the hotel does breakfasts and is open to non-residents. We popped in and were able to get a table with a lovely breakfast. With such a nice experience, we went back for an evening takeaway. Since we were a bit early we had a few drinks in the bar and ended up eating there. Very nice food and friendly staff. Would definitely recommend!

Très déçue…. Très mauvaise organisation donc beaucoup d’attente pour des plats qui sont soit préparés à l’avance (porc confit) soit rapide fish and chips !!!

Stopped off for lunch first and they had apple and cinnamon crumble which is always going to be a winner for me, and then we booked for Sunday lunch. Booking definitely recommended at main dining times as they were busy and having to turn people away. We had four dogs with us and there was a table near the bar where there was plenty of space for us all. Our meal seemed to have ended up forgotten about, the staff were very apologetic though and when it arrived the food was lovely as was the dessert.

The hotel is delightful. Interesting‘boutique’ style decor. Lots of classy artwork, nice furniture & good thoughtful tweed/paintwork finishes. Pretty gardens too. Overall we were very content at this hotel. The food was tasty, well presented & fresh (we even spied the chef in his kitchen garden!). Two very minor gripes: The shower-room lacked a towel rail + the shaving light didn’t work; A group of locals were having a ‘very good time’ in the nice modern bar and the noise spoiled the overall ambiance - even several rooms away in the cozy restaurant areas (it would have been helpful if the (otherwise delightful) staff could have asked them to be a little less rowdy). Minor negatives not withstanding, this is a lovely place and a highly recommended base for a stay on Islay.

We had dinner here on two evenings,the food was excellent and well presented. All the staff were welcoming and helpful throughout the evening.

Great fish and chips and regular hamburger. Fries delicious. Batter crisp, not oily. Be sure to make a reservation as the restaurant gets very busy and also caters to the boarders. Highly recommend.

Outstanding first class service from the moment we entered to the moment we left, good to see the buzz back about the place. Great Job Iain and Team

A relaxing restaurant, with decent food and wine. Service is brisk and efficient and it is well located. Given the limited number of good restaurants at Islay, this is almost a must-visit.

Excellent service and food. Great atmosphere....open fire. Staff very friendly and helpful. Good range of meals available. Food beautifully presented.

Had a great staff night out in this lovely restaurant out in the middle of nowhere ! Well worth a visit - would recommend the pork belly and fish and chips. Very nice staff and manager was on tools which is great to see.

The food was lovely, immaculate throughout,great menu choice with specials on, and locals were welcoming. The soup of the day was tasty and vegetarian friendly so welcomed by my partner. I ordered a Mac and cheese starter as a main with cray fish referencing with...

Enjoyed a lovely lunch in the bar, nice menu, not huge but good variety. Service good, although needed to seek reassurance as to whether or not we could take a table in an almost empty room. Just a small wrinkle, otherwise it would be 5*....

We had continuous friendly attention from all the staff, especially Iain. We had a great room, with garden views and a fantastic hot bath. Breakfast was enormous and very well cooked, with lots of healthy choices and plenty of hot, strong coffee, with hot milk...

Had a fabulous meal with friends here. We got the Soup, Fish and chips, Lasagne and Halloumi and roasted red pepper sandwich on a delicious ciabatta and chips - everything was delicious and so fresh. Even the side salads were brilliant - the crispy onions...

My husband & I were on Islay for a week & booked a table at The Bridgend for an evening meal. We were pleasantly greeted & shown to a table in the dining room. The decor was very pleasant with nice lighting & lovely art...

We visited this restaurant as a family party of 10 last night - the whole experience was first class from start to finish. Service in the bar friendly, informative and efficient. Our order was taken and we didn’t have long to wait before being shown...

My wife and I ate in the restaurants of most of the best Islay hotels during our holiday on Islay. The food at the Bridgend Hotel was outstanding, and we immediately booked a second evening there based on our exceptional experience. Service was also good....

Stopped in for lunch on the way back from Bruichladdich distillery, recommended by their staff as the best food on the island. Fortunate for us that the recommendation lived up to this! We ordered from the specials and dessert- all fantastic. Staff were honest that...

We booked for dinner on our first night on Islay and were so glad we did as we realised quickly how good the food, service and atmosphere was that we ate here on 2 further occasions. We had our dog with us and as such...

Six friends stopped for dinner & drinks, great food but expensive. Atmosphere a bit lacking and staff seemed to favour residents over walk ins but all told a very nice evening - mac & cheese a must!

I had recently made a review but it seemed to of got deleted?? Anyway first class thats what i have to say.The Hotel and restaurant were closed for a couple of years and now reopened again with all new staff and the chef is amazing....

Although it might just be because I was quite drunk after a visit to Bunnahabhain, the burger was quite possibly the best I’ve ever had. It ruined every other burger I had on the trip—nothing else came close. The Mac and cheese with bacon was...

Put simply the food was very good, staff friendly and attentive, atmosphere welcoming, with a nice mix of locals and tourists. This was a last minute booking, but so glad we made it.

Think this hotel has recently re-opened. Looks lovely and meals were very enjoyable, Told by a local that it had been closed during the pandemic and staff were dismissed rather than furloughed so also lost their accommodation. Very sad if this was true. The current...

Shut. Someone told us they couldn't get staff after shutting for the pandemic and laying off their staff.

We were touring the isle and had reservations for dinner. We were the first to be seated in the dining room and were quickly taken care of by Melissa. She recommended the house Merlot (which went well with out dinners) and told us of the...

We ate in Katie's Bar rather then the restaurant, that was quite acceptable considering it was the bar. 5 of us arrived at opening time without booking and were receivd in a friendly and cheerful way. Tables were rearranged so that we could eat together....

We dined at the Katie's Bar portion for dinner in October 2019. The atmosphere isn't much, but the food was good. The service was incredibly slow and disinterested. The food however, was good. Two of us ordered Cullen Skink and the other two decided to...

We are at both the restaurant and the bar . Firstly the bar was excellent with good sized food portions and service was good . Cater well for my severe nut allergy . We had a large group for the restaurant with young children who...

We had a few (small) issues with the hotel and were concerned about the food but that was unfounded. The food was very tasty. What let it down was that the wine and Prosecco we ordered was brought up from the cellar rather than from...

One of the better restaurants on Islay, nice atmosphere and the food was good. Recommend a reservation. Service was very friendly, a bit slow at rush time. Bar has a great selection of Islay and other liquor, and good wine options.

Freundlich, lecker mit vielfältigem Angebot. Haben zweimal dort gegessen, die Tagessuppe war beide Male sehr lecker. Darüber hinaus können wir...

Our last night on the Island, and we really wanted to treat ourselves. We were able to dine in ‘Katie’s Bar’ with our dogs. The food was tremendous. Best we’ve had this holiday. Lovely friendly service. Seafood fresh off the boat an hour before we...

We arrived on the island on Sunday and were staying in Bridgend, so we were looking for a lunch spot. The hotel looks charming and the food was wonderful. I had the lamb and my wife had the beef and we were both very pleased....

Although our food was OK we were disappointed with the slow and disinterested service of the young lady in charge of the dining room. Perhaps as we were the only people there we had interrupted her nap. This really put us off as there are many hotelries on Islay keen to accept our money and be nice to us.

Ate there two evenings - first nighst was very fast service, the following night I think we were forgotten for a while - the bill was adhusted in recognitions of this. The food was very good though.

What a lovely meal. I had Cuillin Skink and fish pie both were excellent. Staff are friendly and the decor is very pleasant. I would definitely return.

Nachdem die letzten Bewertungen schlecht waren, hatten wir überlegt ein anderes Restaurant zu wählen, obwohl wir im Mai sehr zufrieden waren.

In August, my family vacationed on Islay, my childhood home. We had a golden wedding anniversary celebration dinner at Bridgend Hotel and enjoyed the experience thoroughly. The hotel and restaurant maintain a fine standard of food and service. I've been eating there for seventy years, and it's the best it's ever been.

Stopped here for dinner while staying on Islay....had considered staying here but at £205 a night was just too expensive and I’m glad I didn’t stay!

Really busy on the day we were there. Staff were rushed off their feet so we had to wait quite a while before our food arrived. The meal was fine but nothing special.

Nicht mehr empfehlenswert. Versalzen, verbrannt, zu fest durchgebraten. War früher um Klassen besser - schade.

Abbiamo scelto questo ristorante sulla base delle numerose recensioni positive, ma siamo rimasti delusi sotto ogni punto di vista. Iniziamo dal servizio: benché avessimo prenotato, abbiamo aspettato circa mezz'ora per essere accompagnati al tavolo, nonostante la sala fosse mezza vuota (e tale sia rimasta fino a fine serata). Peraltro, il tavolo riservato era piccolo per tre persone. In ogni caso, è stata la cucina a lasciarci maggiormente contrariati. Il menù non prevedeva i bei piatti di frutti di mare e crostacei freschi che si vedono nelle foto degli altri recensori, quindi abbiamo ripiegato sulla carne. Antipasti (gamebird terrine) accettabili, ma la portata principale (cervo) era ai limiti dell'incommestibile: una suola di scarpa, a causa della cottura eccessiva. Dolci nella media, conto non proporzionato alla (insufficiente) qualità.

We had dinner here, the food was average at best. Very expensive for what it was We and others had complaints. They were very well handled but would have been better not to have been put in that situation. Staff were very good but standards need much improvement in the kitchen. Very disappointing experience

A bit late in posting this, as I really just logged in to read my wife's post. Having read some of the other posts, we're wondering if they were at the same place as us!

First off I am extremely disappointed that a once lovely traditional bar/restaurant has been turned into a generic restaurant such as can be found anywhere.

We visited this restaurant on the last night of our holiday ( wished we had found it earlier) the Bridgend Hotel has a lovely outside searing area, a clean modern bar which also sells meals and a very comfortable restaurant. The food is well presented and of very high quality, I had lamb which was very tender, most of the food they serve comes from the island or surrounding islands which just goes to prove we don’t need to import from distant places we have some of the best seafood and meat in the world, this restaurant proves that. The staff are attentive and friendly, all credit to the young boy who was serving our table, he was friendly and polite, all the staff were.

Fish soup was superb, I haven't had mussels like that in a long time, big, fat and plump with plenty of wine and cream sauce. The salmon salad was packed with everything required, at prices that won't break the bank.

This was our first time to Islay so we were trying to find somewhere to get something to eat with 2 dogs. It is a dog friendly hotel and restaurant and was ok seating and the staff were very helpful however we found that the menu wasnt great there was not a lot of choice and when the food came it was average.

Stopped by this place after visiting the nearby Islay Woolen Mill (which also rules). The restaurant was cosy, pleasant, and, thankfully, not too loud at all. Food was really good and featured some nice local ingredients; I had the steak and ale pie, which was honestly just perfect for a rainy day, along with some tasty local beers. What really stood out though was the staff - charming, welcoming, and really good at what they do. They even helped us arrange a ride back to our flat, after nearly all the taxis on the island were booked! Highly recommended.

Leider wurden die Erwartungen an das vielseits gelobte Restaurant überhaupt nicht erfüllt.

Called in for a drink which we enjoyed sitting outside watching across to the bowls match over the road. Food was very good and we did visit again but this time had a bar menu - both menus were reasonably priced and the food was lovely - staff very helpful and welcoming and chatted about the surrounding area and what we should see on our trip. Would definitely recommend.

We ate here as a treat after reading some of the reviews and booked ahead. The restaurant was very quiet with only 2 other couples. The service was good but I was a little disappointed by the food, the starter of scallops was OK but slightly over seasoned. The main course of Luing beef was very tough, chewy and dry. We booked this as a treat but left feeling a little disappointed. Someone else ordered the lobster and it looked good, made we wish I'd chosen that instead.

Went there for dinner with the family and tried local food. Food itself was amazing, service staff were professional and friendly. Prices were very reasonable for the quality food. Highly recommended.

On y a bien mangé : la cuisine est plutôt de bonne qualité à l’exception de la viande de bœuf beaucoup trop cuite dans le hamburger

We were not lucky to get a reservation at the restaurant but were seated in the bar with a bar menus only. Nothing wrong with this as it was a quiet place and the food looked reasonable. We had to wait very long and the service was not so good. We were told the food at the bar will be served in minutes but yet we waited an hour. We ordered lamb but unfortunately this was a bad choice as the meat was not tender and chewy nearly cold. Very disappointing. Had to wait long to get the bill, the staff was not attentive at all.

Needed to book a table even though we we staying in the hotel. Food was good, but the choice was limited. Staff were busy with the small number of tables and the bar.

Il ristorante si trova all’interno di un hotel. La sala è piccola e l’arredo è modesto ma il cibo è buono, i prezzi normali e il personale cordiale e gentile. Abbiamo mangiato un ottimo fish and chip e una splendida aragosta di Islay

après un accueil chaleureux de Cathy, nous réservons pour 12 personnes 3 jours à l'avance. Grand désespoir à notre arrivée, pas de table dressée pour tous, des plats plus que banals et sans saveur, non cuisinés. Quand Cathy n"est pas là c'est le bazar....!

Popped into 'Katie's Bar' for a quick lunch and stayed longer - had another pint! Nice atmosphere, friendly and polite staff and most importtantly the food was good.

Chegamos já depois das 14:00 e ainda estavam servindo almoço. Os pratos estavam muito bons e bem servidos, atendimento bom. É uma opção a se considerar em Islay.

Egal woher man hierher zum Essen kommt, Bridgend liegt zentral und das Preis/Leistungs Verhältnis ist sehr gut. Wie fast überall auf der Insel hervorragend frische Meersfrüchte, eine gut sortierte Getränkekarte und bemühtes Personal runden einen netten Abend ab.

Really enjoyed the food and atmosphere in this little restarant. Ate once in eth restaurant and the rest in Katie's Bar but the menu is pretty much the same. The local produce was excellent - especially the beef and lamb, although the chef cooks them a bit Scottish style i.e. pretty well done! Only dish we didn't like was a seafood bisque which was VERY strong for our tastes. But that is probably just us.

Ate at this establishment twice on our cycle trip. Once we had booked the next night we hadn't but the very helpful staff ensured we didn't wait too long. Good food also!!

Walked in with my wife and asked to have dinner. The waitresses said there were no more tables available. I said it’s ok we can just eat at the bar. She asked the manager and she said “No” they were not making more food. It was 7:30 in the evening.

We visited this excellent bar on a couple of occasions when we visited the Island in late April/early May and found the food and service very good. A speciality are the local Loch Gruinart oysters which we thoroughly enjoyed. As we will be visiting the island in the future I expect this to be a regular haunt.

Wir waren vor einigen Jahren hier für ein Whisky-Dinner und waren begeistert. Es heisst ja die Vorfreude ist ist die schönste Freude. Leider trifft das zu. Wir haben für das Abendessen reserviert. Der Service ist unaufmerksam: Brot mussten wir extra bestellen, Wasser gab es erst nach der Vorspeise. Das Essen war für die angebotene Qualität zu teuer Der Risotto war verkocht, die Speisen lauwarm, am Salat hatte es nur Öl, keine Sauce.

I expected a "wow" after reading the reviews, but did not quite get it. The food was good but not exceptiional. They almost delivered on service. We ordered and received our pre-dinner drinks in the lounge. immediately after we received it , we were then rushed through to the dining room, carrying our own drinks. The ambiance was ok, a bit austere, few people in the dining room. I was really happy to see woodcock on the menu and ordered the "roast Pheasant Breast, Breast of Woodcock, Root Vegetable, Woodland Mushroom. I was not told which is which, and sadly I was not enchanted by the meal. Our server disappeared and we were then served by a kid. A cute kid, friendly and well trained though. My companions expeienced the same sense of deflation.

Trevlig personal och god mat. Bra utbud med lagom bredd på menyn. Bra även för vegetarianer som inte äter kött

We enjoyed our first visit so much we went back. Great food- we chose seafood mostly and it was delicious. Nice desserts too. Good wine list

We enjoyed a lovely meal in the bar at this hotel, friendly and efficient service. The food was delicious and fresh. Be sure to check your bill.

At the centre of the map, between the northern, southern and western distilleries, this is a great location for lunch. The menu has something for pretty well everybody, and service is good.

We had lunch at this restaurant and we were very happy about the way the food was cooked. It really felt like home cooked. All seven of us said that this is a restaurant that we will recommend to friends that will be visiting Islay.

Firstly, the staff are wonderful. So so friendly and couldn't do enough to help. Proper characters here. The food is also very very good and they have a superb collection of whisky. I cannot recommend this place enough.

The restaurant and bar are associated with the hotel. The restaurant was crowded with a big group, so we ate in the bar which was much quieter and quite adequate. We could choose from either menu and all 4 of us had fine dinners. The oysters were excellent, as was the venison. Nice, friendly service. Prices are reasonable and the entire experience was excellent.

As a local decided to pop in for meal in Katie’s bar, food was very good scallops cooked and served in shells then langoustine salad plenty large ones,homemade soup and steak pie and the burger was big with extra cheese and bacon overall a very nice meal and service was very good considering the restaurants were extremely busy and service was spot on. We will be back again soon.

Went for lunch & it was fabulous! Haggis from light bites & then half a beautifully cooked lobster. As with everywhere we dined on Islay, the wine list was limited & only zinfrandel rose, which personally i don't like. Staff an absolute joyful hoot & service superb!

Recently ate here twice for dinner. Both times the food and service were excellent. Cosy atmosphere, good selection options on the menu

Die Atmosphäre war gut und sehr nett. Die Speisekarte etwas klein. Das Essen war gut, etwas überteuert.

Average food at top prices. Food portions were...... small. Our bill for 4 reasonable mains and 4 drinks was £95, and I left hungry. Not a place I could happily return to or recommend