Cafe Kisimul in Eilean Siar

We had visited Cafe Kisimul some 6 years ago when walking Hebridean Way and were really looking forward to taking our respective wives there. I'm sure they thought we were exaggerating that there was a really good "Indian" restaurant on Barra. Neither we, nor they, were disappointed. However if you want to try the place for yourselves yo may have to wait until Spring 2025 as I believe they close for the winter season. Friendly staff, busy so reservation recommended. Probably essential

Can’t say the curry wasn’t good. We ordered the Cranachan it was £9:50 ahead. It was a bowl of cream with a few berries mixed in with a little raspberry sauce and about 10 oats sprinkled on the top!! To say this was Cranachan was just wrong. It was also a rip off. What we were served would have cost max £3 for all desserts. We did ask the Irish waiter about it but he was absolutely not interested. Won’t be back!

Really nice food and a good atmosphere. Staff very friendly. Bit pricey for 1 but plenty of food to share between 2. Compared to other places to eat the price is comparable. Given the short season and transport costs very acceptable.

Excellent food! Scallop pakoras were a first and a real treat. The lamb curry was delicious, local lamb very tender. We also had a round of cocktails which were tasty. Nice atmosphere.

Great laid back atmosphere with excellent attentive professional staff which was only topped by the absolutely fabulous food . Cannot recommend this highly enough. A must if visiting Barra ….

Really enjoyed this surprising and delicious combination of Scottish seafood and Indian tastes and spices. As expatriates living in the US, we miss good Indian food, and when visiting relatives on the small Hebridean island that I spent many summers as a child on, we were advised to try this unconventional little restaurant. We were not disappointed. The hand dived scallops pakora were delicious - and then the Monkfish Korma was equally tasty. My wife had really good vegetable pakora, then a nicely seasoned Channa Dal. So often bad Indian food is greasy and excessively spiced - this was just enough spice to enhance and emphasize the tastes, the pilau rice was very light and fluffy, the garlic naan was hot and delicious, and the poppadoms crisp. Great chutneys too. Good range of beers, and my only regret was not bringing cash, as they had no ability to add a gratuity to the credit card payment - which was a shame as the service was pleasant, attentive and nicely paced and deserved a good tip. I’d definitely go back there, and have no hesitation in recommending it to all….

Closed! Drove here after reading good reviews and it was closed. Very disappointing, update the opening times information!

We had absolutely first rate service by the whole team here! We hadn't booked, they were busy, but they still managed to jiggle things around and accommodate us. Delicious food, with the monkfish masala being the standout dish. The Scallop pakoras were very nice, and the Barra Lamb was very good too. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, reasonable prices for the quality, and good drinks. Would definitely return if we were nearby

My partner and I had a fantastic meal at Cafe Kisimul last week. We’d read the amazing reviews in advance and pre-booked to make sure we got a table and I’m so glad we did – it was packed! The service was great and everything we ordered tasted amazing. The monkfish saag curry was particularly good, but the standout dish by far was the hand-dived scallop pakoras and we discovered we were lucky to get them as they had been off the menu for a while and only just back on that day. There was no naan bread available on the night we were there due to an oven issue and no local engineer to fix it, but being a remote island these challenges are part of life and we certainly didn’t miss it. Overall a fantastic meal in a fantastic place. Can’t wait to go back.

The curry was excellent. I chose an option to have mine with local organic lamb, which was great. The establishment was very busy, and if you hadn't booked a table then you didn't get in.

Our second visit to this Indian restaurant was very disappointing- no warm welcome and when seated we were given a list of items which were unavailable - no Naan bread, no cauliflower, no scallops (despite there being a seafood supplier on the island and scallop pakora bring the restaurant’s signature dish) no salmon, no fish, no mango chutney! Whilst we appreciate we’re on an island and supplies may be limited or perhaps not delivered there are nearby shops. We ordered popadoms for 2 with spiced onions and 2 curries with rice. We received 2 popadoms and a measly amount of onions. We also had chicken pakora which was tasty enough. When our main meals arrived we served our food onto cold plates which quickly made the food cold. We really missed not having any naan bread and it probably would have been a nice gesture to offer more popadoms as an alternative. The staff were friendly enough but not as attentive as previous owners. The price for our meals, starters, one sweet and 2 bottles of lager was £63. We felt this was overpriced for the portion sizes. I also hate to say shortly after leaving the cafe myself and my partner had upset stomachs. Our previous visit was much more enjoyable and I sincerely hope this is just a temporary blip in deliveries and supplies. This has the potential to be so much better. Also the staff could be more interactive and friendly. Unfortunately and I’m sad to say I won’t be rushing back.

Added extra drinks too our bill , theiving scum , if I tried too walk out the door with these drinks in my pocket I would have been done with shoplifting but they are allowed to get away with oh sorry about that because I looked at the bill , please check youybill and avoid this scum

Cafe Kisimul is a properly authentic Indian restaurant and, if you like Indian food, you will not be disappointed. Very good range of options and what they do they do extremely well. I had vegetable pakora, chana saag, naan and rice and all were outstanding. My family had a variety of chicken curries and everyone was extremely satisfied. Such a surprise to find an Indian restaurant on Barra and could not believe the quality. Brilliant.

Lovely take away from this Indian take away which wonderfully blends Scottish produce and Indian flavours. The pakoras were especially good but we enjoyed the whole meal!

Café Kisamul has a good sized menu with friendly efficient staff. The food was delicious and plentiful. The place was hopping for a weekday evening, so definitely call ahead to book a table, regardless of your party's size, as it's not a big place.

We were lucky to get the last booking of the day and found several participants of the inaugural Castlebay Science Festival relaxing and taking in the warm friendly atmosphere. The food exceeded our expectations and the staff could not have been more accommodating. We would definitely recommend eating here if you are visiting Barra and lucky enough to get a table. We booked our table through the website without any hassle. Hope to be back soon.

Spending a week on Barra and having read the reviews booked in advance. I wish I hadn’t bothered. Jaipuri was bland and not at all flavourful. The Rogan Josh Lamb should be called “Spot the Lamb”. Where was it ? Staff were friendly and attentive. I don’t mind paying a premium because it’s an island and must be expensive to get products. But twice the price of a far superior Indian meal in Glasgow? I hate posting negative reviews but on this occasion no choice. Hopefully we just caught a bad night

Muy buena atención y comida rica, aunque algo picante (cosa lógica, teniendo en cuenta que es comida india). Si comes fuera en un día soleado, es un lujo. El personal del restaurante, muy atento y simpático

Wow! A delicious and spicy start to our holiday. The food was incredible, my jaipuri was so flavoursome and my husbands madras was the spiciest he has had but still bags of flavour. The rest if the family had a mix of dopiaza with either chicken or lamb. Quality of both meets was excellent. Portions were huge too. Very friendly staff too, welcoming and helpful.

Needed to book early as there was a lot of demand but was worth it. Really great food and loads of gluten-free options. The pakoras melted in the mouth, and the main course curries were fantastic, tender meat and rich sauces. Great location right on the harbour.

Best curry I have had in a long time. The staff were friendly and welcoming. A must go to if in Barra

We were advised to book early by friends and so we did, 6 months in advance. We’re glad we did as there’s not a huge choice of eateries on Barra and the location is superb on the Harbour front with views of the Castle. Being...

Heard so much about this place. The scallop pakora was excellent . Took 3 goes to get my main course right and felt it was my fault! Staff were surly. There is nowhere else to go. I get that it's isolated but would it be so popular with some competition ?

The last thing I expected to find in Barra was an Indian restaurant. Visited as a group of girls on an organised walking holiday . The menu is quite extensive to suit all tastes. Fantastic atmosphere .

Lovely place, great food and friendly, efficient staff. You definitely need to book. Good choice of dishes and variety of drinks.

This is the best Indian restaurant we have ever been to! Exceptional food with clearly high quality ingredients. Best popadoms ever! Thank you!

Disappointed. I’d booked our dinner at Cafe Kisimul well in advance and was looking forward to it having read the reviews. However, our experience was ruined as the staff tried to feed a party of 23 at the sane time. Two of my menu choices...

we felt lucky to get a meal in Castlebay since options were limited. they had no tables for dinner but obliged us with a very early 4.30 p.m. meal. it was excellent staff were friendly, they were also doing good trade in take away food....

Fresh, exceptionally flavoursome Indian cuisine served with a smile. An fabulous eating place that stands out from the crowd.

I don't often eat Indian food in restaurants because it is so often disappointing. However the limited choice in Castlebay and the hugely positive review on Trip Advisor persuaded me to try Cafe Kisimul. And I was not disappointed The cafe is cosy but charming...

We are so glad that we reserved in advance as we met so many people looking for availability. The food was really good , especially the dips with the poppadoms, and the staff were lovely. We’ll be back.

This is my first review, I normally like to be positive. Firstly there were no naan, the plates were cold, the curry was cold and the rice wasn't cooked. I complained to the manager who reheated the food and returned with cold plates. When I...

We had a takeaway from this lovely place as we were passing through. All of the staff were friendly and accommodating and we could not fault the food at all, it was delicious X

Ate here during a roadtrip around the islands. We did book in advance as it gets busy, but it was well worth it. Service was great, the food was so fresh and delivered quickly.

Perfect little restaurant with very cheery helpful staff. Food was great and highly recommend. Pre-book to avoid disappointment

Are here twice inside a week. Staff are really friendly and very helpful and accommodating. Good is first class and compares easily with Indian restaurants in big cities. Really need to book as the place is small but that's no problem and only adds to...

Fantastic meal on a busy Saturday night. The monkfish pakora was outstanding and followed by the monkfish bhuna. Also delicious My partner had salmon to start and barra lamb sag which was also excellent. Throughly recommended. Book first to save being turned away!!

Absolutely fantastic food. Portion sizes were a good size and we cleaned the plates. They also seemed quite flexible in making menu changes to fit the customers needs! Great friendly service too. You will want to book in advance if you’re going though as it...

After hearing great things from fellow travellers my friend and I decided to try this place to see what it was like. Overall I would have said it was good although there were a couple of issues. I have given it four as it I...

Lovely food we had the Monkfish in a v nice curry sauce with a side salad , followed by cake and custard.. Nice selection of beers and Whiskies. Music was Rock but played far too loudly. Recommended

This is a lovely little place for an evening on the island. The curry was really nice and not badly priced at all. The only downside is that the place isn’t bigger as I can imagine in summer season it is difficult to get a...

In need of a takeaway meal (sadly because there wasn’t a dog friendly eatery on Barra) Cafe Kisimul came up trumps with an excellent and very tasty takeaway meal - I highly recommend the Lamb Rogan Josh - the slo cooked meat was local and...

A total GEM! Punjabi-based food, Brazilian music, artwork by a local artist - perfect fusion. The food - complete surprise! Scallop pakora - MOUTHGASMIC experience! Perfectly cooked scallops encased in a slightly spicy batter accompanied by a subtly spiced dressing. All time BEST scallop dish....

What a wonderful meal we had. Scallop pakora was unbelievable! Mains were just as good. I had an amazing monkfish balti, while my wife had lamb bhoona. Both were exquisite. In addition to the amazing food, the service was top notch too. My local Indian...

Visting Barra for the first time, everyone's top dining list includes Cafe Kisimul. High expectations are thoroughly met. Great atmosphere, fabulous curries, attentive service. If you go to Castlebay dine at Kisimul.

We weren't sure what to expect and we weren't disappointed. Nice menu, very tasty, lovely, friendly staff. Really recommend a visit or two!

Cracking and just as the reviews claimed. I don’t really want to tell anyone as I might not get a table again. 😂. I’d say it’s in my top three places that I’ve eaten Indian. Only draw back and it’s a BIG MAHOOSIVE one. It’s...

*You need to book in advance to sit inside for an evening meal* , but believe me its worth it. We came in for a curry and it didn't disappoint. Staff were all very friendly, polite and our glasses were always full :-). Hands down...

Oh my goodness, the food here is so good. If you want to eat here you definitely need to make a reservation. They have 6pm and an 8pm sittings and offer takeaway at 7pm. The local scallop pakoras were a delicious way to start the...

I wanted to love it here, the atmosphere was great and the menu was interesting. My husband enjoyed his scallop pakora and lamb curry. My meal was not so good, burnt pakora, too salty paneer curry and lukewarm rice. I was so excited to visit...

Spent 2 nights in Castlebay and had dinner in the Cafe Kisimul both nights, the food was amazing. Had Scampi the first time and a great Lamb Rogan Josh the following evening. The staff were very nice, and the service was excellent. A word of...

Another excellent dining experience at Cafè Kisimul. Such a shame to hear the business is up for sale, hopefully the potential new owners can keep up the high standards. Was unsure about a wine selection but the delightful host Harris suggested a perfect pinot noir...

Authentic food, great service, lush cocktail, MUST book a table as its very busy. Highly recommend, does take aways

Wow wow wow what a fantastic family run restaurant. The food was exceptional. The service was first class. We absolutely loved the whole experience… Thank You

Unfortunately we had left it too late to book a table in the restaurant but were able to book a takeaway for the evening. Food was ready at the agreed time and was absolutely delicious. Recommend the butter chicken. Shame the owners are looking to...

Fantastic curry and good friendly service. Scallops pakora were divine. Barra lamb for a main and this was superb. Good selection of beers and gins in a really warm welcoming environment

Excellent restaurant offering both Indian cuisine and fish and chips for my sister! Also try their speciality cocktails which were yummy.

Wow - what an excellent find. Quirky place playing Bowie and Wings on entry which we love for a start! Booked for husband’s 50th and if certainly was special. Starter of scallop pakora was delicious alongside popadoms and mouthwatering homemade chutney. I had melt-in-the-mouth lamb...

Fantastic little Gem. Book to avoid disappointment although you can get take away. Staff were lovely. Not in your face but attentive. Cosy atmosphere with food to absolutely die for. Next visit to Barra this is first middle and last stop

Excellent food and tender meat. They stopped serving italian food though. Booking in advance strongly recommended, at least when scottish school holidays are on.

A small Indian restaurant in Castlebay. I had seen good reviews so booked it in advance. It has a great atmosphere, busy even on a Monday night. Staff really friendly. Food was all delicious. Kids got half portions of their meals. There are also fish...

Well this came as a surprise! Why a fantastic little restaurant Make sure you book for this little gem on the quayside on the Isle of Barra. Small menu, but it do they deliver! Great food in an informal surrounding. Recommended.

Amazing food, top star customer service and a lovely atmosphere! Would definitely recommend visiting this amazing restaurant if your in the Isle of Barra! Cafe Kisimul’s Mango chutney is divine…your missing out if you don’t try it! The cocktails are 10/10! Lewis & Megan (...

I ate here recently on a 3 week tour of the Outer Hebrides. It was one of the best meals that I had during my trip and reasonably priced. It is really important to book ahead as I saw many disappointed punters turned away, especially...

Our servers were will and Anna. They were both amazing! Food was super fresh especially the cocktails which were delicious. The food portions were small but good value for money as very high quality. Delicious and can’t wait to be back!

A fantastic meal in a welcoming atmosphere. Delicious food served with a smile. Sadly Castlebay isn’t graced with a host of eating places so Cafe Kisimul is much needed.

The place was fully booked. They did though provide us with a lovely carry out. The staff were very nice and delivered our carry out to us as we waited in the car.

Excellent food, excellent service and excellent music. The best meal we had in 10 days cycling through the hebrides. Very popular so book well in advance

Delightful restaurant serving lovely food. The menu offers a choice of a number of favourite Indian dishes. Ingredients are resourced locally where possible. Great choice of local bottled beers. Young staff were very welcoming and friendly.

Unexpected gem in a stunning setting overlooking the castle in Castlebay. Very tasty food and pickled cucumbers were good addition. Gluten free options for my wife, but same fryer is used for pakora ( wife was looking forward to scallop pakora) and breaded scampi and...

Excellent food served by very enthusiastic and helpful staff. Kisimul Café is a bit of a local institution and one of the very few places you can eat in Castlebay (or Barra). We experienced many people being turned away who had not booked, so plan...

We ate here at the end of May and had a lovely meal. The restaurant is small but has a great atmosphere and the staff were very friendly. Our meals were really tasty and it was amazing to have a really nice Indian meal in...

Excellent curries and lovely staff. We had a lovely takeaway which we took back to our tent and it was really tasty. The restaurant looked lovely and we would have eaten in but it was a lovely sunny night and we had our dog with...

Turned up with not particularly high expectations. The food was delicious. Favourite was the scallops pakora. We had 2 monkfish a lamb and a chicken dish. All were fab. Served by a young enthusiastic staff who were good fun and friendly. If you’re in this...

What a wonderful evening. We were served by a young and enthusiastic team and the food was delicious - the scallop pakoras, smoked haddock pakoras and monkfish curries were very special and rarely seen on menus, whilst the dahl and lamb rogan josh superb. Almost...

Went here for an anniversary dinner while staying with friends. Staff were all super friendly and helpful, food choice for veggies and non veggies was really good. Great buzz about the place, wide range of beers and wine to choose from. The scallop pakora to...

Lovely little spot and great food. Really enjoyed the haddock pokora and monk fish archari... Best I've had in a long time.

Considering the lack of restaurants on Barra, this place is a quirky little delight. A really fun atmosphere where the staff appeared to enjoy the experience as much as the diners. Great food and a wide range of drinks. It's a pity we only booked...

We came on our first night on the Hebrides. The food was absolutely incredible. Couldn't get better curry anywhere else. Service was efficient but very considerate and informed. So friendly and welcoming. Wish we were staying in Castlebay longer so we could come back!

An amazing meal and super atmosphere! An absolute must if you are visiting Castlebay. An excellent way to start our Hebridean Way adventure

Greeted with a friendly smile and warm welcome. The food was simply the best. Fresh with delicious flavours. The setting is basic but this adds to the charm of the place.

The cafe was full and people arriving for take always. Haddock pakora was light and delicious. Monkfis bhuna and a lamb sag with garlic Nan left us very satisfied.

We arrived with great expectation only to discover that there had been an IT stuff up and our booking did not go through. The restaurant was fully booked but the staff offered a take away option - but when they saw out disappointment , it...

Simple brilliant place to eat, the staff were so friendly and attentive. Highly recommended and would strongly booking in advance. A truly memorable evening with superb food. Many restaurants could learn from the staff service during the evening. The scallop pakora were delicious, a true...

We had an excellent meal for two after arriving that evening on the Oban ferry. The menu is innovative, the food is outstanding: local, fresh, delicious. The gin cocktail was simply amazing, The standard of cuisine was better than many top London restaurants.

Our first frustration was that although the restaurant advertises that it does Italian as well as Indian cuisine on the night we were there the food was only Indian. Portions were very large and the service was attentive and knowledgeable. We were concerned that tables...

we were really excited to come here on our trip to Barra and it didn't disappoint. we prebooked weeks in advance and we're so glad we did because the place is really small and was full to the brim. easy to see why - excellent...

Cafe Kisimul is basically a harbour front cafe transformed into a lively and vey good restaurant. You can have an excellent Indian curry or an Italian pasta, washed down with local craft ales or reasonably priced wine. The monkfish and haddock masala is a must...

Lovely food! Fresh and beautifully cooked. The langoustine Rogan Josh was amazing. Warm friendly atmosphere and excellent choice of beers. Will definitely be back!

A great menu with Indian and seafood at its heart. Big portions so don't order too much. Food was lovely and service friendly. We immediately booked back in for another night.

What a great place. Eclectic mix of scottish and asian food. The Scallop Pakoras were amazing. Wish they could deliver ... to England!

A lovely little restaurant with such friendly staff. We had some car trouble and the cafe was open and helped us use their phone and borrow their jump leads. We are so grateful to them for their help. We booked a table and were not...

A nie menu - full Indian cuisine and options for fish and chips etc. Our hotel barman recommended we try the scallop tempura. Just amazing starters as were the poppadoms. Dansak and Rogen Josh were very tasty too. Friendly staff. A very cosy place. Little...

Ab Fab. Scallop pokora followed by haddock and chips eaten on the edge of Castlebay, whilst watching a storm in full flow, was just wonderful. Could I fault the food or portion size? No, just perfect. Scallop pokora was piping hot, the dressing cold, but...

We had been advised that there weren't many places to eat in Castlebay and book before we went. Kisimul was the first on the list that we were sent and we are so happy that we were able to get bookings for both nights that...

Café Kisimul is renowned for both Indian and Italian food. We went twice. It’s a small restaurant that has two sittings and a carry out service as well. First time we chose from the Indian menu which was very good. An extremely good curry followed...

Tried signature Monkfish & Cod with Tuna Masala + Langoustine Rogan Josh - amazing! Terrific flavours, great service, lovely ambiance

You must not compare a VG rating with the same assessment for an establishment say, in London. You can only compare with what else is available in the Outer Hebrides. This is an renown institution. Although there is very little choice on the island, everyone WANTS to eat here. You must book ahead. They do takeaways but you'll miss out on the whole experience. Their young staff worked hard and were very polite. It won't be the best indian you'll ever eat but it will be one of the most unusual locations to have asian (and italian !) food. The lamb bhuna was very tender (actually totally surprised us, one of the best we've had) but the mixed veg (more channa than veg) curry was too mild for our taste. Good to see that they serve local Scottish beer unfortunately not from the Outer Hebrides.

We went due to the reviews and local advice, a great decision. We booked to long time in advance on line and communication was good. The service was appropriate to the casual nature of this tiny place.The food was outstanding, one of the best experiences of Indian food we have had with distinct and different flavours in all the dishes.

I would return to this restaurant time and time again to have the scallop pakora and mango chutney. A great restaurant, food is delicious, staff are amazing. Great friendly vibes all round with tasty curries.