Clachan Grill in Aberdeenshire

Wonderful food, service and atmosphere. It’s a really great restaurant and booking definitely advised. We had a wonderful time for my sister in laws special birthday at their beautiful home in Ballater.

Delicious food, cozy atmosphere, and hospitable staff! Higher end, classy Scottish experience with a decent selection of alcoholic drinks and scotch. Highly recommend the Cullen Skink! Must have! We had a burger and the Sunday chicken roast as well. All items were delicious. About £20-30 per person with alcohol (depending on what drinks you get)

My partner and I had a lovely dinner here! The food and service were fantastic. Would 100% come back to try some more dishes!

Had struggled to book a time so had to eat at close to 5pm. On arrival and throughout our meal the restaurant was half empty. We ordered a starter, main and a bottle of wine to share. The service was good and the food was good. However, after our plates were cleared no one waited on us. We actually wanted another drink, but after 30 minutes we got up to collect the bill. They actually thanked us and said goodbye and I had to remind them we hadn't actually paid the bill yet. The 10% gratuity added on at the end seemed a bit cheeky after a 30 minute wait. Could almost understand if they were rushed off their feet but several of them were just stood there the whole time ignoring us. A shame as the setting and food were good.

Long lingering lunch with friends we don't see too often. Service and food all great. Staff couldn't not have been more welcoming nor more patient with our catching up chatter. Really nice ambience, felt we were truely on Royal Deeside.

There was a rather strange sauce on my burger and the roast beef my husband ordered was a little tough! Service was great, considering how short handed they seemed to be!

Great place. Looks lovely. Friendly staff Food was delicious and very generous portions. We had smoked salmon and garlic bread and roast dinner, one chicken, one beef. Couldn’t fault it. No room for dessert. Great Sauvignon and lager. Reasonable prices

Great food, low key atmosphere.

Very pretty and cosy restaurant with a nice atmosphere, and the owner is very friendly. However, that's where the positives ended. Our server wasn't too friendly (did not smile once), my order was not right (I asked for no onion or relish and was given both, also no rosemary on the rosemary salted fried), and the ice cream was very basic. The prices are for a 2 or 3 course meal, but the starters and desserts are normal prices and the main meal ends up costing £23!!! And they added on service charge! It is completely extortionate for what you get! Would not return.

Great place for Sunday lunch. You must book before going.

Very pleasant, dog friendly grill restaurant

Perfect Sunday lunch. Starters, mains and desserts were all delicious. Warm and welcoming restaurant. The service was excellent. Thank you very much.

Decent overall. Food quantities were fairly large.

We loved the Clachan Grill! This is gonna sound like a long story. But it's not. We ended up in Ballater on a cold rainy Sunday afternoon in December. The Clachan Grill was the only place open and weren't we lucky. We were the only diners and were greeted by the manager who served us as well. We sat at a table next to a cozy sleepy fire in a wood burning stove. The ambiance was perfect after a day at Balmoral Castle, Crathie Kirk and the ruins of St Manir's Church. We ordered some beers, and for supper chose the Turkey Roulade Sunday Roast and the Chicken Sunday Roast, each served with brussel sprouts, potatoes, carrots, bread and cranberry compote. It was all so delicious and they could not have been nicer or more relaxed. Other diners arrived closer to supper time and a din filled the dining room. For afters, I ordered a dram of Royal Lochanagar Whisky awakened with a few drops of water, and learned about the bartenders favourite whiskies to try as we continue our visit to Scotland. We could have stayed for hours, but we ended our evening short. Unlike this review. Sorry, turned out to be long after all.

We were wowed by not only the food but the service and the ambiance. It was peaceful and delicious. A classy restaurant that isn’t too overbearing. The dishes were supreme. We were a party of 5 that sampled many dishes and were not disappointed with any.

Amazing Sunday roast. Best have had in the shire. Welcoming and friendly staff. Highly recommend it.

Had a lovely meal here celebrating a family golden wedding. The staff were very good and nothing was any bother for them. Overall, it was a great place to have good quality food in a lovely atmosphere

This restaurant is absolutely amazing! The owner is incredibly welcoming, friendly, and went out of their way to help us with various things. And let me tell you, the steaks and burgers here are out of this world! The ingredients are fresh, and the cooking skills are top-notch, making every bite incredibly delicious. This was a memorable dining experience, and I highly recommend this restaurant!

Me and my friends try their steak twice. We all think that it is the best steak in British. Steak taste juice and full of buff flavour.Meanwhile, wine sauce is truly tasty！I have to say when you come Ballater, you have to try this restaurant！

Lovely tasty food, excellent staff, couldn't fault a thing for our Golden Wedding Anniversary.

Third time here, always a good experience and would recommend. Good service and friendly staff.

Delightful & delicious. Superb food & AMAZING whisky selection - ask if they don’t have what you want as they have an extensive whisky ‘menu’!

Heerlijk gegeten, aardige mensen, leuke locatie en een gezellige sfeer!

Beautiful and warm place with a roaring fire in the room. Food was super delicious! Scottish fare and good quality. Service was good but could be more welcoming when greeting people into the restaurant. Simply say hello and welcome with a smile. Have a bit of simple chat to welcome folks in especially if you're charging a service charge. People expect more.

A short walk from the town center. Very cosy restaurant with extremely lovely staff. Ordered the Sunday roast which was amazing. Do give this place a try when you are in Ballater

We loved the Clachan Grill! It felt like an authentic Scottish experience for our group of five American travelers. The food was delicious and the service was fantastic. We highly recommend the Clachan Grill!

I think the majority of the reviews here are influenced by the good attention that is provided at the restaurant otherwise it would be hard for me to understand how they give more than 2 stars to the food. I visited this restaurant today with my family and friends and we were super disappointed, starting with some white loaf bread straight out from the bag and some foiled wrapped butter, followed by a super basic salad with 5 extra thin soggy battered calamari’s on top and a super ordinary dressing. The main was not bad but nothing special taking in consideration that you’d pay £35 for the two courses meal or £43 for the three courses. We feel that we were ripped off, terrible experience.

Enjoyed a fabulous Sunday lunch at the Clachan Grill. The food was well presented and packed full of flavour. The chicken breast was wonderfully moist, accompanied with vegetables that retained just the right level of crunch. The service was attentive but not intrusive and provided by friendly staff.

Great food, lovely cosy surroundings and nice people, nothing not to like. Our second visit on our yearly pilgrimage north or the border. Our first visit was last year and we were on a fairly tight timescale, wanting to get done by 8pm to go and see the lone pipers tribute to the late Queen outside Ballater church (a very poignant moment), so the food whilst delicious was probably not savoured as much as it deserved. This time however we had no such time constraints and this allowed us to fully appreciate the food we were served and I can honestly say, for the price the food is some of the most tasty and flavoursome you can find. Service is fast, friendly and professional and food is served at a steady pace with plenty of “breathing room” between courses. They operate a fixed price 2 or 3 course menu which is varied and embraces lots of local produce and Scottish delicacies. Flavours throughout are rich, vibrant and multi-layered, something that I always rate highly. There is no need to add salt and pepper to any of the dishes I found, they all were delivered perfectly seasoned, which is an art in itself. Suffice it to say we loved it and even the spillage of a glass of Prosecco (which our server was so apologetic over) was quickly mopped up and didn’t dash our enthusiasm for this place. It is safe to say we will return every time we are in the area, well done to everyone involved and especially the chefs who quietly muster up great tasting food!!

Visited Clachan Grill again while on holiday in Ballater. Lovely friendly staff and great service. Husband had pork terrain for starter and I had the tasty sweet potato and coconut soup. We both had the roast chicken Sunday roast and cleared our plates as was delicious. Will definitely visit again.

I won't lie, I had high hopes for the food here before I even sat down and they certainly delivered! The food was amazing. The cod was perfectly cooked, and the sides perfectly seasoned. I don't eat dairy and they were very accommodating and helpful with what I could have, even making some unexpected adjustments so I could enjoy the most potatoey baby potatoes that ever potatoed.

We started with their Crispy Squid and Onion Soup. The squid was delicious and the onion soup very tasty. For mains we had their Lamb chops, Veal chops, and a steak. Each was served with triple cooked chips (French fries), rocket salad with parmesan and either peppercorn sauce or red wine jus. Each of the meats was cooked perfectly and were most tasty. The triple cooked chips were excellent and the peppercorn sauce heavenly. For dessert we chose Sticky Toffee pudding, whiskey iced parfait and a Scottish cheese board. The Sticky pudding was the best we have had and the parfait light and very nicely done as was the cheese board. Service was excellent and the restaurant clearly a very popular destination.

Very good food and friendly service. I'll be back here

Have had Sunday Lunch 3 times recently, food is delicious

Outstanding meal! One of our best in Scotland so far! I had the lamb steak, and it was sublime! Cooked perfectly, with a delightfully mild yet extremely tasty salt and pepper rub, accompanied by a wonderful salty Parmesan salad and thrice-baked chips. The peppercorn sauce was strong but a great accompaniment - I rather enjoyed dipping my chips in it and chasing the lamb steak down! With a pint of Magnars cider to wash it down, I was in Heaven! The only thing that could improve it was the sticky toffee pudding, which was equally heavenly! A delightful meal on all accounts! We will definitely be back!

Awesome food , I was blown over. Really good attention to details. I had the steak and my wife had chicken supreme. Cheese board was all excellent and starter was incredibly tasty

Reading through earlier reviews something must have changed significantly. Food and service were ok, not matching the price class though. Steak ok, but definitely not worth the uplift. The "automatic" service surcharge finally took us by surprise - a unique experience on our trip.

A wonderful dining experience. Delicious, locally sourced menu choices, excellent service and a lovely setting.

We were a little disappointed by our experience here. Considering the many positive reviews we were expecting a fine evening but it fell somewhat short of this. The food was adequate although not special but most disappointing was the perfunctory and uninterested service, completely different to every other restaurant we visited in Scotland. The food was served much too promptly and we were in and out in only an hour despite asking for the dessert to be delayed 10 minutes to allow us to digest. It was not cheap and we did not think it value for money.

Great Sunday Roast! Would definitely come back for such good food. Not nice: discretely changing our order. Kids ordered ice cream from the kids menu, received adult portion (with service staff even pointing that out in a generous manner!) and were charged for adult portion without further explanation.

Tasty, authentic, rustic...and has another bar on other side with a whole different array of delicious food.

Lovely setting, friendly staff and delicious food. Perfect end to our holiday in Ballater. If to make one constructive suggestion would add one more vegetarian option to main course, although gnocchi was excellent. Would definitely come back.

Très bel endroit, de très bons plats. Ce n'est pas un restaurant gastronomique, la quantité n'y était pas forcément dans nos assiettes .. les tarifs quelque peu élevés

Eten was goed op een een ding na, dat was een soort soesje zonder vulling. Het paste niet bij de rest. Rosbief met aardappels broccoli op een bedje van kool. Ik kan het niet anders omschrijven als het deeg van een chocolade bol maar dan zonder slagroom en zonder chocolade. Deeg gevuld met lucht. Waar geen smaak aanzit. Dit hadden ze beter weg kunnen laten. Als toetje een stickypudding met toffesaus. Deze was echter heerlijk. Wat betreft de prijs vond ik het iets te veel, voor het niveau van eten wat ze serveren.

Eat here this evening on arrival we’re met with a guy wearing a kilt who could only be at the best be described as “dour” not in the least bit welcoming we felt uncomfortable, our mains were fillet steaks one was fine the other not so am afraid, we did get the bill adjusted as we pointed out how disappointed we were. Ordered the cheese board for sweet OMG the portions of cheese were the size of a dice they couldn’t cut any smaller if they tried. Cost of this meal with drinks over £100.

So lucky to have so many lovely eateries on our doorstep, Clachan Grill been one for a special treat. Beautiful setting, you can eat outside if the weather is favourable!! We had 2 courses on the dinner menu, squid (better than Spain) and smoked haddock starters, (complimentary Balmoral bread) good size portions. Sirloin steak and fish pie (specials board) superb!!! Need to order extras if having steak, so can be a bit pricey! Quality wine list, as expected. Good service throughout with an added extra of liquor coffees!!! Great evening 👍🏼

Booked on a whim as we were nearby at Strathdon for the day. Really lovely pea soup and squid rings, and the 6 year old scraped his bowl of Mac and cheese clean.

Lovely food in a relaxing and quiet atmosphere. Always a nice spot for a family celebration meal out.

Sunday lunch, very tasty home cooked fresh produce- roast beef with Yorkshire pud, roast potatoes and delicious vegetables. Organic Malbec was superb, and a great price point. Sticky toffee and local ice cream superb👍

Sehr gutes Essen in angenehmer Atmosphäre! Schnell serviert und lecker. Buchung über Open Table war leider fehlerhaft. Preis Leistung stimmt.

Food very good and staff very friendly. We're here for a 50th family birthday dinner and Patrick with his staff couldn't have been more accommodating. Best sirloin steak I've had in a long time.

Was here for a family 50th birthday dinner. Patrick and his staff couldn't have been more accommodating. The best sirloin steak I've had for a long time.

We booked online and we were seated immediately. We loved the simple uncomplicated menu. The food was top notch. Even though we didn’t order starters we were given lovely bread. The staff were very nice and also quick and efficient. The service charge was included...

Wonderful staff and the food was excellent my calamari was beautiful and my pork was cooked to perfection and of course you must try the sticky toffee pudding and absolute delight

Very tasty food and good service. Felt a bit rushed -we had starters , mains and desserts. The whole meal lasted one hour . I suggest to leave a little more times between courses -then we would have ordered more drinks :)

We were looking for somewhere to eat last minute as we were passing through the area on our camping trip. We hadn’t booked and they were more than accommodating. Staff were so friendly and knowledgeable, couldn’t fault the service at all. The food was full...

Great food good service wonderful atmosphere

We were visiting family in the NE area who took us out for the day. We had an amazing lunch here, sitting outside in the sunshine. All three courses were scrumptious. Staff attentive and friendly. Good Value on lovely food and drinks

This is a must place to eat when you visit Ballater great food great staff .

Kwalitatief niets te klagen. . Maar veel te duur voor wat je krijgt. Stuk prima lamsvlees, paar frietjes en plukje...

Tasty, well cooked food in a nice setting

What a shameful place! Over price, with 10% service on the top, meat lamb awful and hard. Nothing great! What a bad feeling you show at tourist people ! Doesn't reflect the good food and good service from Scotland ! Terrible !!

top resto with nice dishes, real Scottish style, friendly service 👌

Entered after a 5 hour drive with Kids. Met a lady who was either overwhelmed or didn't like ppl without reservation , or maybe it was us. Eithway place was 80 percent empty and we were turned away without a smile. Best thing. Went a few miles to cambus o may hotel and had the meal and view of life. With a bucket loads of smiles

Phew, I be lived 18 years in Scotland and this was by far the worst ripoff I’ve ever experienced. 50 pounds for three courses and the meat had a consistency of leather…

Amazing restaurant. The food is excellent and the local ingredients taste yummy. Highly recommended

Good service lovely food well presented Good variety Friendly professional efficient staff. Our second visit. Would highly recommend the feather blade beef

Auf unserer Reise gab es einen Stopp in der Nähe von Ballater. Zum Nachtessen haben wir in diesem Restaurant reserviert....

Heerlijke sunday roast gegeten. Met Sticky Toffee Pudding als dessert. Geweldig eten met gastvrije bediening en ook nog een gezellige...

Lovely intimate restaurant in Ballater. Great service, attentive, interested and friendly. Table d’hote menu choice very good, recommend the smoked haddock starter. Veal chops lovely main and small but tasty cheese desert. Small but nice wine list. Pinot Grigio was lovely.

Great place hidden away We enjoy the cozy restaurant the place is very well kept Enjoy a nice dinner should we had the time would have gone again. Well done

Sunday roast was delicious! The beef fell apart, very tender

Sehr gemütliches Restaurant mit tollem Service und fantastischem Essen. Wir würden jederzeit wiederkommen!

Ein ganz tolles Restaurant mega essen passt alles komme gerne wieder

On a day visit in the area, four of us had a Sunday meal here. We chose this dining venue based on the reviews but alas our experience didn’t live up to our expectations. The Sunday roast portions were pretty meagre to say the least...

Best dinner I had in the highlands. From soup to main course everything was great. Staff was friendly and efficient.

My husband and I had a lovely meal at The Clachan Grill on Sunday 9 th April. The quality of the food was excellent. I had roast beef dinner, where the meat was so tender and thoroughly enjoyed it. My husband had The venison meatballs...

Come here every year when up, brilliant restaurant, lovely ambience, incredible food (especially the steak), great location, fantastic friendly service…strongly recommend!

We stopped here for a quick Sunday dinner on our travels through Scotland. They accepted us slightly ahead of our reservation time, which we appreciated. The ambiance was very nice, with pleasant decorations and warm, welcoming staff. The food itself was hearty and good, with...

Lovely small restaurant with Scottish flair from decor the the waiters in kilts. The Crispy Squid starter was to die for! The most tender squid we have ever had. From the fresh fish to the tender beef, you can’t go wrong. Our new favorite place....

Das Essen war lecker und sehr guter Qualität, die Location gemütlich, der Wein wirklich gut und der Service freundlich und...

Absolutely fabulous Sunday lunch, food really delicious, service fantastic, waiters both very friendly and knowledgeable. Great service. Would highly recommend. This place is a must.

Went here for a birthday dinner and was one of the best meals I have ever had. Portions were just right and food service was fast and very friendly. Was hands done the best roast I have ever had (and I don't usually likes roasts too much). Atmosphere was also great, place is not too big but the people get spread out nicely as they arrive rather then all being together. Would go back in a heartbeat and recommend anyone in the area to go.

Had a wonderful meal here Amazing food and drink and awesome service

Food was delicious, crispy squid with orange starter delicious. 2 different steaks cooked to request, good quality meat. Had Malbec which went so well with choices. Staff were attentive and knowledgeable. Ambience just great for us both on our stay, would definitely recommend and could...

Our 2nd visit to this lovely restaurant. We devour the Haggis Bon Bons so delicious… I’ve had a Roast both visits..both times just perfect!

Food very tasty, staff excellent. This restaurant is well worth a visit excellent value for money

Very nice food, atmosphere, service and price Will definitely be back now we’ve discovered how good it is, family of 3

Food was truly fantastic! Highly recommend the fillet steak. And the puddings!!! Only downside was the wait time for drinks. Pretty expensive place but considering its location to be expected. If you want proper food, give this place a try. Two waiters worked their socks...

They certainly known how to make excellent burgers. Wow, extremely tasty.. Lovely place , staff were lovely. Everything perfect.

Fantastic food, child friendly and were really accommodating with our little girls allergy’s. Will definitely be back in future.

Fantastic food selection and the staff bend over backwards for you. We had a lovely family meal here and I would recommend it to anyone passing by!

We stopped in for an early dinner so the restaurant was nearly empty. We started with the Mac Attack which was quite tasty and then had the venison hotpot and the chicken roast special, both of which had great flavor and reasonable portions. Service was...

An amazing meal with brilliant service. Came here just before Christmas, lovely decorations and better food. Haggis balls were really good and the steak was also amazing. Couldn’t recommend highly enough.

Poor and rude service. The 2 members of staff should really consider lowering their voices as they criticise their customers’ dish choices. Food was simply mediocre. Spend your money elsewhere.

Lovely staff, good food, cosy atmosphere. Went for Sunday lunch and the portions size was perfect and the sticky toffee pudding was one of the best I've ever had.

We have used the Clachan many times before and it never disappoints. I had the Cajun chicken burger and my husband had the Schoolhill burger, both delicious and good size portions. Desserts, I had peach Melba sundae and husband had Apple crumble, again wonderful. Service...

Lovely Sunday evening spent eating & drinking in this very pretty cosy restaurant. I enjoyed the roast of the day, 5 spice maple cured gammon, roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, carrots & Brussels sprouts… shared Haggis Bon Bons to started and I finished with sticky toffee...

We had a lovely meal in a relaxed atmosphere, served by friendly, good humoured staff. Although we visited on a dreich December Sunday evening, Ballater was beginning to look festive and welcoming as was the Clachan Grill.

Really enjoyed dinner in this cosy restaurant in Ballater. Great service and some excellent dishes on the menu.