Charlie's Bistro, Isle of Benbecula. in Eilean Siar

Really friendly service. Great food - the scallops in particular were superb. Easy to find and worth the visit - we combined it with a trip on to the North Uist Distillery.

Having eaten here on several occasions before I knew I would not be disappointed with the food. Both the breakfast and evening meals were first class and there was a great selection of bottled beers. I spent three nights on one of the rooms and I must say it is the best hotel experience I have had on the island in the 15 years I have been visiting to work up there. The room was modern and very clean including a superb shower. I highly recommend Charlie’s whether staying there or just eating in the restaurant. The staff are all so friendly and could not do enough to help make the stay as welcoming as possible. Thank you!

Following a previous poor lunch experience persuaded to try again. Same issues I’m afraid… cold food on cold plates (the actual food was quite tasty but garnish a bit Spartan.) Server pleasant but all too sloppy! Training training training. Be a long time returning, shame in a limited market. 😩

Wow amazing food and service well worth a visit will be back for sure ! And perhaps to stay in the accommodation 😊

A warm Scottish welcome was just the start of our evening. Attentive and happy service was complimented by a delicious meal. We both had a burger special featuring local black pudding, crispy bacon, onion rings and a novel peppercorn sauce. It was portioned just right with delicious hand cut homemade chips. The Malbec we chose was also a delicious pairing. We had a good chat with the the fantastic Glaswegian lassie working their who shared local knowledge for our travels the next day. Unfortunately, the screen on the card terminal wasn’t working, and I didn’t have any cash, so I wasn’t able to leave a tip that was well earned — thank you!

We had many breakfast and evening meals in our months stay in Benbecula and the Islands. The care, attention and friendly service were outstanding. Brandon the chef for evening meals was terrific. How can such a young man produce such gorgeous meals. We loved it. We were made to feel welcome no matter how many times we went. Thank you iain and your wonderful team xxx Mike and Sarah xxx

Charlie’s bistro is fantastic, having been several times, the food and service is always first class. 👍

Wow! Cat & Lorna certainly delivered. Yummy. Amazing local ingredients and food superb. Especially the Fish stew which was packed with lovely mix of fish and seafood cooked beautifully. Can’t wait to come back. Thankyou!

Welcoming, friendly and delicious food. Really helpful in advising on local places of interest to visit. Can highly recommend ths smoked salmon and scallops- generous portions & the chips are amazing! Superb service by Linda & food cooked by Cat.

Very strict! You are given a specific time to order your food and even if the cafe is almost empty that is when you have to order, even if you have to wait for 30 minutes. Whatever you order cannot be changed, for instance if you don't like mashed potato, you have to have it anyway.

Stopped for a cup of coffee and had a lovely chat with the manager all about running the business and the music festival. We’ll have to come back another year for that! Busy so worth booking for lunch.

Excellent bistro with plenty of gluten, dairy free & vegan options. I had the scallop flatbread which was delicious and chocolate brownie with vegan ice cream for dessert (could not tell it was vegan). The nice lady told us all ice creams are made on site. Definitely worth a visit if you are staying in Uist!

Lovely lunch as usual , had lamb stew which was delicious and home made chips , partner had smoked salmon flatbread which he said was delicious and very well presented . love the use of the teardrop red peppers .

We had two meals here. Friendly welcome. Fresh delicious food . Definitely one to include when you are in Benbecula. Recommended

Now here's a place to go on the Uists and Benbecula. It's got a real American diner vibe to it. In fact, it reminded me a lot of places in Western USA I have eaten in. Try the smoked scallops for example. They are very firm and are served cold but you get plenty of them. I can imagine that they would work really well with a steak. Try a clootie dumpling - a bit like a Christmas pudding meets a spotted dick. Plates are on the large side reflecting the American influence. Nice staff. Bar and keg beers.

Lovely little place, out of the way but worth the visit. Booking in advance advised as only cooks for a few tables at a time. Wholesome tasty meals and good friendly service. Just a tip share the Camembert starter as there’s a lot just for...

Visited Charlie's at the beginning of June for an evening meal. The food was first class (the surf and turf was out of this world). Thanks also to staff members Linda and Yvonne who couldn't have been nicer (although we blame Yvonne for the amount...

Amazing service with a smile, friendly experience and lovely food. Dogs not allowed inside however have an equipped garden seated are if your are needing.

Well, yet again, another great meal at Charlie’s. Been 3 or 4 times over the past few years. Always had the 16oz steak, recommended by Ian to be done medium. These beasts are always cooked to perfection by Ian, and tonight we had another magnificent...

We endid up here by accident and ehat a night we had at Charlie’s Bistro! We enjoyed excellent food, perfect drinks, marvellous live music, lovely laird dance perfomances and best staff! Lamb casserole, beef stew and scallops were soooooooo good.

Well what can i say eaten here a few time and realy cannot put a fault in anything Weve eaten in a lot of resturants around uk and scotland even in places abroard but this place has it to tee The staff are very freindly...

Fantastic place very friendly staff and informative of the local area and promoting local produce this was our second visit this week the chef Kat was amazing and the food was brill will be eating there again and again

I have just had a well presented and delicious serving of scrambled eggs with salmon and toast. Pleasant staff in clean and Relaxed surroundings.

Came for dinner . Welcoming and pleasant surroundings. The fish chowder was amazing. Yum. My venison burger was dry and my brothers lamb was not much lamb but lots of fat. I would say a little expensive as main was disappointing but the chowder was...

Great staff and food. A good place to eat and drink, with a comfortable environment to relax whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Had a few fantastic meals at Charlie's while on holiday. Everyone of them was five star. Thank you to the fantastic young chef Cameron. Good luck for the finals. Thank you to the amazing waiting staff always got a smile and always happy to help....

We visited for impromptu lunch to find this restaurant to serve lunch all day until 5.30pm which we found unusual (and useful) for a quiet island. Simply decorated but has an easygoing local feel with Gaelic music in the background. The seafood was well prepared...

We nipped in for a quick lunch before catching the ferry. We both had burgers (one surf and turf, one chicken) and they were delicious! Despite us being a little demanding as we were short on time, both the host and the chef were lovely...

After a beautiful walk along Benbecula airport beach this was a very welcoming bistro with friendly staff serving amazing food

Once again another great meal at Charlie’s. Have been a few times over the years with a friend when we come up cycling. Came up with family this time, and they loved the place, food great, staff are brilliant and a great atmosphere in it....

Stopped by on a recent work trip and very pleased we did. The bistro has such a lovely, comfortable and cosy vibe in it and the staff were all really friendly. Had a great breakfast roll and coffee, and staff called us a taxi when...

Called in with friends. Great place. Good menu and lots of energy. Best meal I had in the Hebrides. In particular I enjoyed the tiny sweet peppers in the salad. Would most definitely return if ever in the area

Absolutely amazing food and experience. Everything we ate was delicious, especially the smoked salmon chowder. The owner and server were super friendly and attentive. Maybe one of the best meals we have ever had!

Loved our visit to Charlie’s. Kids had plenty of choice and the seafood was beautifully presented and delicious. Great atmosphere and service on what looked like a busy night. Thanks.

We were looking forward to visiting but the menu was very limited and too expensive! Food and service was okay but not good value for money, especially the vegetarian options - risotto, and chickpea salad

The only selection for me was a 16oz Steak, far too big. The service was not particularly good and not very friendly. It was recommended, but disappointing.

Fabulous food. Charlie's Bistro was actually my third choice when trying to book a table for an evening meal. The line dropped as soon as it rang on the first place and the second place did not answer. What a stroke of luck! I'm sure...

Fantastic food and service, great small bistro, very friendly and attentive service. Went for lunch, had a bratwurst and chilli wrap and a vegan chickpea, mango and mandarin salad. Really fancied the summer cheesecake, but we were too full! Luckily they gave us two to...

Excellent seafood, delicious meals, wonderful local produce and knowledgeable friendly service. Good music too.

Very popular place so you need to book. Great atmosphere, friendly staff and excellent food - we shared a delicious salmon 3-ways starter and then chicken in a mustard sauce with 'proper' chips.

Had a fab meal at Charlie's Bistro. At first the only occupied table, it soon filled up - I can see why booking is said to be essential! We both had the Salmon chowder and it lived up to its reputation - amazing. I then...

With the breakfast menu having ceased at noon, the number of choices was more limited Salmon Chowder was good as was the Brie and beetroot salad (though we dislike olives). These were accompanied by the usual soft drinks, tea and coffee plus a raspberry crème...

A warm welcome from the very professional and friendly staff. The food was freshly cooked and the portions were very generous. A visit to Charlie's is a must if you are staying on the island - but remember to book as it is very popular.

Wonderful fresh, food. Not a vast menu by any means, but for me thats good, not to be overwhelmed by a selection of burgers or sourdough pizzas. Staff were attentive & friendly.

Great food and friendly staff - highly recommend the local smoked salmon chowder (and it was a reasonable price too). Partner had the burger, which was also delicious. Slight wait as the food is clearly cooked from scratch. Chips were fresh, homemade and piping hot....

We arrived a little earlier than expected and the place was very inviting. The food was excellent but we did think the service was shabby. The young man serving us spent most of his time chatting to a couple at the bar - possibly waitress...

Lovely small bistro, relaxed atmosphere. Advise booking as its only small & one of few places too eat on benbecula. Really good quality locally sourced food . Not cheap but not ridiculous Salmon chowder was delicious As was the local lamb, the taste of the...

Ate in Charlie's Bistro a couple of times during a visit to Benbecula -great food, lovely atmosphere and very friendly, helpful staff. Would definitely recommend!

We had eaten here 3 years previously, but after this experience, we won’t be back. Our booking was for 4 people at 7pm on a Tuesday evening. Arrived and was seated promptly. Menus took 10 minutes to arrive and we then placed our drinks order....

Visited the smoke house who own the bistro and were recommended here. Lively atmosphere and warmth in rainy day. Great fresh salmon chowder but good choices and friendly staff. Love their sustainability ethos and wanting to use local produce. Worth a visit .

Returned to Charles after 3 years and it was well worth the wait. Excellent service, friendly attentive staff. Food was excellent. Great choice, high quality. Well worth a visit.

Had a lovely evening with my family in this nicely decorated inn. Good selection of food and starters. Food portions were really good and food quality was excellent. We did unfortunately encounter other ungrateful English customers that were intent on finding fault with anything and...

Well what can we say about this restaurant, arrived 10 minutes early for our booking, Restaurant busy, waited ages for staff member to take drinks order. Long wait for menu, couldn’t take our order until everyone before us had ordered. Waited over an hour and...

We had smoked salmon chowder and local lamb both delicious great atmosphere staff very friendly would recommend. We booked several weeks in advance as we are cycling Hebridean Way and there is very limited availability on the islands.

Our visit to Charlie’s bistro was so unexpected, food was amazing and service was very friendly and atmosphere was excellent. Our only negative was the coffee, ordered flat whites which is a double shot of espresso in a small cup with a little hot milk....

great service, friendly. best surf & turf Iv ever had - superb local produce & really can't complain

Great little restaurant in the Uists in the Outer Hebrides. Friendly staff, delicious meals reasonable prices for food and wine, and cosy ambience. We had the Hebridean fish stew, the seared salmon and the chicken breast. We liked it so much we are there two...

My mum and I pop in here every few weeks or so for breakfast - usually a bacon and egg roll and a caramel latte. Kat always makes a cracking bacon banjo and there is always good banter from everyone. Ive also had dinner a...

Lovely bistro. Warm welcome, it was busy and we hadn’t booked but they made space for us. Food was delicious, highly recommend.

Great place to eat. Staff are brilliant and attentive. Great atmosphere in it. Second time eating there, and both times we had the steak. First time there we where advised to have them medium/ well done (no blood), and they where to die for, so...

Great atmosphere, traditional Scottish music through the speakers and even better local burgers! We even got a round of darts in.

We hadn't booked for dinner, which is recommended, but the staff very kindly squeezed us in. (The place we'd planned to go to was closed due to a family bereavement) The staff were helpful and friendly and the chickpea and fruit salad was excellent. Lots...

We nipped in for a quick soup and sandwich for lunch not having booked. A table was found for us and we were made welcome. I had Hebridean fish stew. It was more expensive than leek and potato but sounded different. It was so delicious...

We stopped here and although it was late for lunch we got a table right away and had delicious soup. It was served quickly and staff were friendly.

Wow what a find!! Amazing Food really relaxed service and we thought amazing value for money considering the portion sizes. Had the smoked salmon chowder could not believe how much fish there was. Then a surf and turf burger, both courses were presented with care....

Exceptionally friendly service. The staff could not have been more welcoming. This felt like a local bar with everyone else invited. Food was suoerb with really good local ingredients prepared well. No fussy presentation. Our fish taster platter was amazing. Get booked in if you...

Lovely people. Gorgeous food. Excellent service. The rooms incredibly well appointed and immaculate. Brilliant!

We popped in today for lunch with our dog. We received an apology that no dogs were permitted inside, but were invited to eat outside. The sun was shining, so we were happy to do so - and I’m glad we did. We both had...

I only booked for one night,I wish I could have stayed longer.Lovely room,lovely people.The room was very modern with a smart tv and efficient shower. I really liked the fruit and other snacks that were offered

Really enjoyed the food, ambience and great service from Iain, Cat and Cameron. Relaxed atmosphere and most importantly delicious food. Will definitely return on our next visit to Benbecula and The Uists.

Called at Charlie's bistro without a booking and were lucky to be seated by a very friendly young man- I'd advise booking as it was busy when we went in mid April. There were 3 of us and every one of us rated our meal...

The best salmon fish cakes we’ve ever eaten! Their burgers are also delicious as is the Banoffee pie. Staff are super welcoming and made us feel at home. They serve local Downpour gin too which was a real treat.

Lovely coffee and delicious muffins, friendly staff, service good and efficient. Would recommend, lovely ambience.

Had lunch here on a dreich day on Benbecula. It was cold and wet outside but the welcome at Charlie's was warm and we felt right at home immediately. Hot drinks soon warmed us up and we very much enjoyed our lunch. We shared a...

My first visit to Uist. Visited Charlie’s for a family wedding which was held here, ceremony & reception. Arrived & welcomed/shown to our rooms which are spotless & tastefully furnished. As a family we ate here several nights & the food was delicious, freshly cooked,...

Lovely lunch catching up with my good pal Mairi Ladyman (MacDonald) which was cooked by young Cameron Rae and 10/10. Excellent.

Lovely, friendly, and very welcoming little cafe on a very wet and stormy day! It was my son’s 10th birthday and he said the surf and turf burger was the best thing he has ever eaten! Smoked scallops so good we asked if we could buy some more to take home and happily they were able to grab a bag as they make them themselves!

We had a recommendation from our accommodation on North Uist to try Charlie’s Bistro and while a forty minute drive it was well worth it.Upon arrival we were greeted, shown to a table and made to feel very welcome. Drinks arrived swiftly as did our meals. All were beautifully home cooked with all of us really enjoying the food. Great food, pleasant staff and a great little hideaway for any one wishing to have a lovely lunch or dinner

Saw a sign at the side of the road while driving around and decided to have a look as we were getting ready for something to eat. Pulled up outside on a rainy afternoon and found the outside uninspiring. First impressions can be so wrong. Went in had some lovely food delivered by friendly staff. freshly cooked very tasty could not fault the place.

Lovely setting. Very polite staff. Mains are huge but it's not a complaint. Our food was faultless. Totally recommended

We stayed at Charlie’s bistro and Bothy while cycling the Hebridean way, , our accommodation was very comfortable and facilities were perfect, I would definitely stay here again. The restaurant was lovely,,staff were friendly and the food was delicious,

We were made very welcome on arrival, great service and fantastic food. Had we dined there at the start of our holiday we may never have gone to any other restaurants.

A quiet Saturday lunchtime but we were welcomed, seated and order taken in good time and with a smile. Chatted with owner Ian and his wife. Chowder was excellent as was the feta salad. Mussels were yummy as were the salmon fish cakes. Great ice cream to follow. Highly recommended,

Recommended to us by our accommodation host and it did not disappoint. Staff were very welcoming and professional. Food cooked by the owner was exceptional and he (Ian) took the time to leave the kitchen to speak to all diners.

Lovely bar/bistro atmosphere, warm and friendly, music playing - but good old fashioned soft rock the food was super unpretentious bistro fare

Lovely little bistro. Friendly service. Veggie friendly. Very reasonable well-presented food. Licensed. Very Covid careful.

From beginning to end Charlie's Bistro and Bothy was amazing! Thanks to Iain, Emma and Bistro/Bothy Staff for a special, memorable night for my daughters 21st Birthday!! The food was excellent with something for everyone buffet style, from mouth watering Curry, Macaroni and Cottage Pie (to name a couple of things) to delicious brocoli salad, naan bread, chips and rice. Kids and Vegan/Vegetarian guests were also catered for with delightful results! The food was exactly what we requested! The drinks flowed and there were laughs a plenty! My Daughter was just delighted and thoroughly enjoyed her evening and to top it off 2 nights in the bothy, which is as classy as it is comfortable! Beds are amazing!! Best night's sleep I've had for as long as I can remember!! The rooms were spotless and well equipped with gorgeous en suite, smart tv, tea/coffee etc We didn't want to leave!!! Keep up the excellent work!!! Thanks again

We are staying on the island at Otters Edge campsite and the owners recommend Charlie’s Bistro. We went for lunch and although we hadn’t booked they managed to accommodate us. The food and service was very good and the chips were just like the ones my mum made me as a child.I’ve read some of the reviews on here and am astounded how unkind people can be based on one visit in a place where it must be tough to run a business in non Covid times let along what hospitality has had to endure over the last 18 months. We should be supporting each other not moaning and complaining about something that in my opinion is just unnecessary. Get a life and support local businesses.

First of all, if you’re reading this review then you’re either planning on visiting the isles of Uist and Benbecula or you’re already there and I envy you! Back to the review, we spent a week in North Uist and ate in some lovely places. Unfortunately Charlie’s Bistro was not one of them.We booked a table for 4 for dinner at 8:00PM mid week. Welcoming place with a nice decor. The menu is quite narrow and is very meat heavy with sea food almost non-existent. There is a daily’s board but the dishes here include - Fish & chips, sausage & beans, chicken korma, so not what I’d call specials really. Entrees start at about £16-£17 up to £25 for the steak. (The dailys board is a bit cheaper).The wine list I could term as “basic” at best.The staff are lovely and very friendly, but I’m not convinced they know the menu well.We ordered a Crofters Platter as a starter. I was immediately told that they had run out of cheese so it was no longer available. When I pointed out the menu said “selection of cured meat, pickle, garnish and oat biscuits “, no cheese, he went to check, came back and said it was actually available and he got it wrong. No problem, it happens. We asked if they could make the platter for 2, They were happy to do so. For the mains we had 2x steaks, pork chops and fish&chips.For drinks, The bottle of Malbec was an Oliver & Gregs, (there are no choices, it’s Red Wine - Malbec, Merlot or Shiraz) and was extremely weak and fruity. The glass of Rose tasted suspiciously like Echo Falls. None of this was too much of a problem though I would have liked a wine list of some sort.When the starter came it was honestly a board with 2 rolled pieces of prosciutto, 1 piece of salami, 2 cubes of cheese and a couple of strawberries! I pointed out there there must have been a mistake and was told, no this is what I ordered!We went with this and waited for the mains. This is when things went really bad, the fish & chips was really the saving grace. The steaks cooked medium rare were the most chewy and bloody steaks I’ve seen in a long time! The pork chops though large portions were so dry they could have done the microwave trip a couple of times.We left most of the food on the plates. Kids had deserts which were ok.Overall I paid the £137.00 bill for a meal that was probably the worst I had on the holiday in the islands.I understand that it’s possible that we went on a bad day / time, but when you’re charging Edinburgh Fringe/London prices, you haven’t got much of an excuse!There aren’t that many places on the islands and this place has the potential of really becoming great with its lovely staff and inviting ambiance. But without decent food it just won’t work.

We really enjoyed our meal at Charlie’s. The menu is quite narrow but the chef made me a vegan korma from scratch which was delicious!

Absolutely first class service from the team and delicious food. Nothing was too much trouble. We had a large family meal including children. Everyone had a fantastic evening

Visited Charlie's bistro a couple of weeks ago and we had an amazing dining experience there, even if we were earlier for the lunch menu we could order seafood platter which was delicious, also I must admit there is the best coffee on the whole Hebrides, either shot of coffee with nice crema and frothed milk professionally- highly recommended! Also, the waitress was very kind, friendly and delivered fine service meanwhile being busy! Thank you!

It took us 20 minutes and three phone calls to locate Charlie’s as google and apple maps pointed us way off piste. When we eventually found the place, we were greeted by incredibly friendly staff, but sadly the menu and food were just not what we were expecting. We had rather hoped to find offerings of delicious fresh fish, mussels, langoustines, crab etc but ended up ordering pizza, charcuterie and salad. It just wasn’t that great and we are surprised that restaurants, in general, on these islands don’t profit from the local seafood much, instead opting for quick and simple culinary solutions. Staff really were lovely though.

Quick lunch of chowder and Grimsay seafood platter. Service was very friendly and the food wonderful. Great place in a wonderful location

Turned up to our 6.30 booking looking forward to an end of holiday meal for 6. One other family of 6 there , and our table was next to them, so close the chairs were practically touching. We asked to move further away (social distancing ) but unfortunately in this otherwise empty restaurant it was not possible. To be honest, we weren’t wanted there, they were glad to see us go , and we were glad to escape from the rude , belligerent team. I would not recommend this place to anyone who still believes in social distancing and respect for others.

Booked at Charlie’s following seeing their card at the camp site we were staying at. Lovely little bistro, nice atmosphere, friendly and helpful staff with excellent food. I had salmon chowder, a signature dish for starter, my friend I think had haggis and scallop as a starter. We had highland pork chops and chicken dishes for mains, which we shared. All of our food was totally delicious. The mains were served with vegetables, the main of which was asparagus wrapped in bacon, also a bowl of chips. Produce is locally sourced and reflected in the menu. Excellent food and service, wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.

Perfect end to our holiday. The food was amazing couldnt fault a thing .the staff were helpful , friendly and made the whole experience very enjoyable .highly recommend and we will certainly be back

After reading the reviews, it seemed like a no brainier to book, however it didn’t really meet the reviews. Somewhat disappointed. We visited for both lunch and dinner. Lunch - no pretzel buns for the burger. That was explained (and I accept that availability in the islands might prove challenging), but it was served in a plain white bun and didn’t get the chips it should have come with, so £11 for a patty in a white floured roll with cheese is a bit steep!The macaroni was decent portion for lunch and enjoyed that.Dinner - a tale of two halves. Pork chops - x2 - massive portion, but it was loin, not chop. So much, I had to give my hubby one. He ordered the scallops on a bed of haggis (note the ‘s’). What came out of the kitchen was ONE tiny scallop! Way overpriced and not as stated.The platter (as a main); never seen such a small platter of meats and cheese. Felt like they were running out of produce. Again, overpriced for what it was.Not sure if we landed on a bad day, but as guests who are chefs, Charlie’s was sadly not what we expected. Still can’t understand why raspberries garnish everything! There’s work to do to maintain both consistency in portion sizes and value for money. I don’t mind paying, but these prices were over inflated for what you received. Sorry Charlie’s, you have a lovely environment but food didn’t match.

We passed Charlie's whilst driving through to South Uist, sat in for lunch and were treated to a nice lunch. I enjoyed the Tandoori Chicken burger but arguably the most unique item was the Salmon burger. I had never seen something like that on a menu, when a member of our party ordered it, I had a cheeky bite of it, wish I'd ordered it, but I was still happy.The seafood platter was also great, even if I thought it was a bit smaller than I expected.Set the right tone to our tour of the outer hebrides.

Wonderful gem of a restaurant, open when others aren’t and serving delicious food throughout the day. The decor is warm and inviting, toilet facilities (inc baby changing) were spotlessly clean. Staff were professional and friendly, especially Iain the owner & Cat the chef who came out to check on us… Definitely worth a visit, excellent quality Scottish produce cooked to a high standard. Refreshing to find somewhere that cook everything from scratch from local seasonal produce. Thank you