cochrane inn in East Ayrshire

Working away and staying local. What rude ignorant people they are. We got to the bar and was greeted with can I help you. We’d like a drink please, I’m sorry I’m too busy for you to have a drink. Basically it’s not a pub it’s only drink if you are eating in. We planned to look at the menu and return in the week to have food. Never in my life have I been turned away for a drink. By the time they refused us a drink he could have poured us one. Rude people

Had a lovely afternoon tea at the weekend at The Cochrane Inn. The food was delicious and included lots of nice cakes. The atmosphere was cosy, will definitely be back soon.

Arrived without a booking on Saturday afternoon, pub was busy. Lady at desk was busy dealing with a group of ladies. Went to the bar to ask availability for a table for 2 for lunch. Gentleman behind the bar dismissed our request immediately in a very gruff tone. No alternatives offered, basically thrown out. We will never return, he was bereft of any customer skills. Very poor show for a recently opened business.

Had a lovely experience here enjoying some Afternoon Tea. The new owners have created a lovely atmosphere with gorgeous decor, and couldn’t have been more welcoming. Great selection of sandwiches, hot bites & cakes. Looking forward to returning soon.

Second visit. Lovely lunch. Chicken burger with chunky fries was excellent, with great homemade slaw. Warm, cosy & welcoming atmosphere in dining room & bar, helped by the friendly team who provide excellent service. Will be back very soon.

Nicely refurbished. Extremely busy. Staff excellent. My steak, sadly, was tough and gristly, and the gravy/jus extremely salty. The caramelised onions were sweet enough to offset the saltiness thank goodness so I kept on eating. Lovely mash and veg. Didn't have pudding but they looked delicious.

Went to the Cochrane Inn on Mother’s Day with my family and it was excellent! From the decor, to the service to the food, it was all great. The menu has a great selection, I had the chicken burger and the chips were to die for. I have recommended a visit to my friends and family and will definitely be returning very soon!

I think the initial meet and greet created a feeling like they were doing us a favour letting us eat there. Just had soup and a sanger but we weren't told it comes with chips when we ordered chips and it all seemed a little bit joyless. Adequate but not memorable

Friendly, prompt service. Food was superb and great portion size. Shortbread was fantastic. We were so impressed we have made reservation for our ladies Christmas lunch

Lovely lunch.Great service. Staff very attentive.More spacious now. Beautifully decorated. Thanks for your hospitality. We will definitely be back soon.

We went for Dinner last night. Missed coming here when it was closed, such a cosy restaurant and everything was amazing. Food was excellent, can’t wait to come back again ❤️

Brilliant dinner at the Cochrane last night – really welcoming atmosphere from the moment we stepped inside and service was excellent. Great selection on the menu – chicken tempura was outstanding and Ribeye was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend people to get themselves booked in, we’ll definitely be back!

Personally I think its overrated for what you get and pricey too

This is a lovely place to eat nice homely food and cosy place with 2 fires part of a larger company check out the rest of the places

Hadn’t been here for a number of years and had forgotten just how nice it is. Went with the family and even fussy stepson loved it! Menu has a great choice, the food is fresh and so tasty, the service is good....staff are friendly, helpful and attentive. Definitely won’t be leaving it as long till we go back!

Beautiful meal in lovely surroundings. Staff were very attentive and friendly.

A very welcoming and friendly atmosphere with impressive manicured gardens on the way in. The quality of the food is excellent with staff that seem genuinely interested in making your visit worthwhile.

Excellent dinner at a very good price. Staff were most helpful and menus varied, Early Bird menu was particularly good.

Staff were brilliant, without prompting, they brought the dessert out for the birthday girl wi us and started singing happy birthday. Great service. Food was also brilliant

Never disappoints. Food cooked to perfection very friendly and helpful staff. You want to change an item of your meal, rice or mash for chips say, no problem. It's not "fine dining", just good food, nicely presented in really pleasant surroundings. Breakfast at the weekend is great too. It looks quiet but we were first to arrive on a Tuesday evening, but more customers arrived steadily.

Weekend breakfast, lunch or dinner, you're always sure of a warm welcome from friendly helpful staff. This is not a "fine dining" sort of place, but you can be sure of good, mainly local, ingredients cooked to perfection and attractively presented. Nothing ever seems too much trouble for the staff, you don't want mash or rice with your main course, they'll happily change it for chips ( which by the way are perfect, golden and crispy not too thick or thin).Prices are very reasonable, £28 for two excellent meals.There is a decent sized car park and the premises are accessible for wheelchair users.Although it looks quiet, we arrived just after opening and there were quite a few more in by the time we left.

We always come here staff are lovely and friendly, nothing is a bother to them, food has always been beautifully cooked, we normally come here on a Sunday especially for breakfast, but after a rather hectic day we decided to come for dinner and we weren't disappointed, whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner, it's by far the best place to eat, looking forward to visiting again soon

Went back into this place today after a long period eating elsewhere within this companies outlets. The staff were friendly and polite there it ended. Of all of this companies outlets I visit and eat in throughout Ayrshire is must be the worst effort in cooking presentation and quality I have come across, by a long way.It was mid pm on a Sunday, it was not busy the meal served was a joke . I was askd by the staff if we needed and sweet or coffee after the main course, NO I replied. There was no interest in asking about the main course , however , I did advise the staff that the meal was poor , that the chips were half cooked ( stake and sausage pie) was overcooked and simply shredded into mush . Well for £13: 00 it had a few sliced carrots, a small portion of overcooked stake pie and that included the tuff parts I would not give my dog. including two small parts of a sausage.Overall I would have been better buying a MacDonald's drive through. Lazy carless approach by the cook , simply not a chef . Senior management of the entire operation need to address this , perhaps this is why in the old days it was always busy. NO surprise it was empty , or at least very few inside. Perhaps the chef used on other occasions was off today, it appears that way, My wife dinner was pasta seemed ok but, once again the chips were half cooked. I Will never return and waste money in this outlet I would give the food a minus , and 1 for staff attention so 0 out of 5 as a average rating that Is all it deserves . Scotts Troon harbour , longboat Kilmarnock and Elliots including the lido in Troon are far better quality where we eat on a regular basis for similar money.

We visited on Valentine's Day, service was slow, had to keep asking for drink top ups and we found it a bit cramped. Food was good though.

It was fab it is local to me and I just love the food. Another lovely meal tonight.

Best apple pie in the town n av ate Ma fair share et pies defo Ma favourite service was ace bbq burger brilliant

Lovely food and great atmosphere and friendly staff

Never ever fails, you can be assured of good food here, it’s got a lovely country feel to it but like most CC establishments his mark is here and it shows...Talented Guy ...

Fabulous meal. Staff absolutely great. Loved everything about place-will definitely be back.

One of my husband's favourite restaurants....enough said!!

Lovely place, cosy country vibe, food was fab.

Had a lovely meal here on Christmas day, great staff, great food and a really nice cosy atmosphere. Different courses arrived at good intervals. Very impressed

Me and my family had Christmas lunch at the Cochrane inn and it was fantastic food was lovely and the service was second to none will go back soon ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Excellent would be back anytime great staff friendly helpful great service food is fantastic there are the best so bypass the rest

First noticed knive still had food on it when sat down at table, then no butter with starter had to ask for it when it came dish was chipped, then I asked for another pint she said will give in new glass would think so, then couple in next table gave meal back no idea why, prices not good.

Warm friendly pub lounge, great service and good food

Excellent quality.. local sourced ingredients

Great food, friendly staff & prompt service.

Good kitchen. Friendly service.

I don't usually post bad reviews but last night really annoyed me. We live locally and the Cochrane is our nearest restaurant but we don't visit it very often. Why? Over the years a variety of disasters but we keep trying but last night my husband and I booked a table for 6.30pm we arrived promptly and had to wait a short time to be seated.we ordered our drinks and all went well,we ordered our food and waited and waited. After 40 minutes my husband could not contain himself any longer and went to the bar to enquire about our food only to be told that they had thought it had been served

Good service and food exactly what you need for a quick lunch. Well presented

The food was first class with lots to choose from a varied menu. The service was spot on also. My only reservation was with regard to the cramped dining room . Too many tables in such a small space with no real sense of privacy. That said it hasn’t put me off and will almost certainly return.

Love this place. Highly recommended.

Popped in for a drink scoping it out for a meal. Very welcoming staff. Looking forward to eating out here very soon.

Visited Cochrane Inn with my wife and family this is an excellent venue for a family lunch or even a small party. The food we had was very good,freshly cooked to order,from the wde ranging menu. The staff were very friendly and efficient the atmosphere and decor was great. I would recommend it to any looking for good meal in the Kilmarnock area

Good traditional Ayrshire biased food.

Food excellent and pleasant staff though service can be slow at times

First visit in a long long time. Couldn’t fault it. We chose off the early bird menu. I expected the portions to be smaller but definitely not. I would highly recommend this place

Food is excellent but they have cramped too many tables in I went for a family meal out and four of us were put on a table barely big enough for two next to us was a table where people were calibrating a birthday we were all pushed in a corner made the meal very unpleasant could not hear easy other and had to keep moving in and out to let people get to their seats. Will not go again most unpleasant.

Just had an amazing meal there. Tasted great and decent portion size too. Staff were super friendly. Pure pleasure!

We made a booking but ended up arriving mega early

Haven't been here for a while, loved it the first time, this time it was average. The building, like most costley establishments are pretty, well kept with impeccable gardens, Inside, it seemed smaller, I don't know why! Lovely fire burning. Two female members of staff , both attentive, polite, welcoming. We decided to eat off the early bird cheaper menu. The garlic mushrooms was watery, in like a breakfast bowl, I didn't even take a pic of it, didn't taste as bad as it looked, it was what I had last time, but it was soooooo different. My husband had breaded haddock, when I asked him why was he putting vinegar on it, very unusual, he told me it was dry. My sausage, mash was on a boiling plate, with soggy onion rings and a mustard sauce that burned the back of my tongue. Although it was only £36 with a couple of soft drinks, I don't think I'd be rushing back

Lovely meal, fab staff, Melissa served us, lovely girl very friendly Food delicious, good value at teatime.

Disabled access is very poor with only one narrow door which is very heavy and difficult to manage wile pushing a wheelchair, we had to rely on help from other customers. The path leading to the door is also very narrow and could be difficult to negotiate. Food was very good but drinks were far too expensive paying £10.80 for a glass of house wine and a rum and lemonade. But the big issue with me is the disabled access,

A long way from home and you don’t always understand what the locals are saying. So looking for a restaurant to celebrate your wedding anniversary isn’t all that easy. After reading reviews, ringing up and asking google you make a decision. Take a breath, ring up and make a booking - hey that was easy and friendly. So into the wilds of Gatehead and not a problem. Easy to find and plenty of parking. The welcome is relaxed and seating is easy. My request for a different chair caused not a ripple.

Lovely food with friendly waitress service

My daughter and i went here for some lunch as a wee chance to catch up after we had both been on holiday. We both had salad,she had goats cheese and i had the caesar which had a whole chicken breast on it,only small complaint was it could have had a bit more dressing. The service was really good and attentive without being intrusive. Choice of desserts were really good but i settled for the eton mess while my daughter had fresh fruit salad. Bill was really reasonable too. Been too long since i had been but cant wait to go back.

meals are expensive, good food all round, service not great, staff not to friendly, low point was the seating arrangements to put it mildly you could not swing a cat in that allocated space for diners who are crammed in like sardines..

This was a special meal for my parent's wedding anniversary. The food was great, we didn't have to wait long and the ladies serving were really friendly. Even the kids meals were great quality. All 4 adults are from the set menu which had lots of choice and we were not disappointed! Would highly recommend and can't wait to go back!

A good local pub that serves a good value breakfast menu. Welcoming, friendly staff make it a regular place for us to visit.

Just tried the Cochran inn for the first time and it wont be the last went for the early bird menu and wasn’t disappointed tasted superb big portions (suits me ) and the service was next to none the best I’ve ever had and I have had a few good and bad

Great value meal - good sized portions (especially the macaroni and the chocolate cake!) And great quality food.

Dissapointed in this place. First of all, we were squashed ìn like sardines. Portions was a disgrace for what they charge. Won't be back.

Went for evening meal. Disappointing menu. Garlic mushroom starter very unappetising and watery. Offhand staff. Plate with main course was burning hot but waitress did not warn us so burnt hand. No one asked if everything was ok with our meal. Very disappointing visit.

Firstly we were seated in a non busy restaurant next to very close table could not have a private conversation in any way! esp as it was not busy why sardine their clients in one area!! Tables are a disgrace far too many to close together. We never got napkins had to ask after starter was delivered, main courses again no cutlery had to ask with no apology forthcoming! Worst of all my husband been ill with upset stomach within half an hour of leaving, had to go home where for hours he took all sorts to settle his stomach , not usual at all from him and he says def was his meal you could see his colour change he felt that bad. Staff not very attentive nor that bothered. Been here before many times after this never be back. All in all was not a pleasant nor relaxing experience food not good at all.

Had breakfast, nice atmosphere, good food and company, enjoyable.

Had an excellent lunch here. Food and service was spot on. Take note others... This is how it should be done 👍

Read negative reviews but chose to ignore them and give it a go. Glad we did. Very nice meal (even with a long blonde hair in my pate salad). Tasty food, pleasant (but a little crowded) dining areas, good range of drinks, a bit overpriced against quality however all in all a nice place to visit and will be back.And I judge everywhere against Lido in Troon which is always a high 5 so 4 stars is a good result.

Visited this evening with family. Greeted by kitchen staff smoking in the car park. Terrible first impression, especially from those preparing your meal.

Nice food, good sized portions.

I haven't visited The Cochrane Inn for quite some time, so was looking forward to going there for diner last Saturday night. It was busy , but the table we were shown to was in extremely close proximity to the couple who were sitting next to us. I felt so uncomfortable, as I could her all of their conversation . I did look around initially to see if we could be moved to another table but at that time it was full. This impeded on my experience, as I felt I had to whisper to my partner, so not to be overheard by the couple.

Fabulous lunch , lovely staff

We visited here from abroad we never seen the early bird menu but found the food quality and prices quite expensive to other pub lunches also the tables were far to close together which allowed for no privacy whatsoever there are much better pubs and hotels in the area.

I’ve not visited for a few years as I don’t live in Scotland. Went back with family for my birthday and will certainly be back again. Food and service were very good and they offer an early bird menu too. Good value. Highly recommend the Cochrane.

Dropped in on way home and as always food was great there is a fantastic selection of food on the menu I had Cajun Chicken main course and Sticky Toffee for my sweet my wife had Cumberland Sausage for main and Strawberry and Meringue sundae for her sweet all course were first class only negative I find about the Cochrane is that the tables are quite close to each other

We had the early bird menu which was great value. Three courses for £15.95. Portion sizes were really good and food good quality. The restaurant lacked a bit of atmosphere and could do with a you get crowd. But would definitely return again.

This was our first visit and we will definitely come again. The food was very tasty, the service was great and the restaurant has a very friendly atmosphere.

My wife and I recently had the set lunch, good value at £13.95 for two courses, very tasty and plentiful.

Dropped in for lunch with my wife. Great value 2 course menu but the portion sizes are far too big for lunch. The food is tasty but you would need a nap in the afternoon if you finished your main course. They should offer half portions.

My wife and I have passed the Cochrane Inn on many occasions while taking our dog to the beach at Barassie and we always thought how beautiful it looked from outside. We decided to visit today for lunch, weird entrance like you are entering someone's house, two open fires going even though its May, relatively nice decor and pleasant staff. We were handed the normal menu, a 2 or 3 course set menu and a specials menu and ordered a drink. There was not one thing I fancied off the specials and the other two appear exactly the same. Don't know what the chef is thinking but every dish had weird combinations that don't go together and we nearly left again because I didn't want anything... And I was very hungry. Eventually clutching at straws I ordered pate and a main of Cumberland sausage. The starter came with garlic bread which put me off but I liked the look of the others even less, who serves pate with garlic bread, give me delicious rustic bread and plenty of butter. So when it came there was a lovely big slab of pate, chutney, a side salad and one tiny thin slice of garlic bread, I asked for more which was a wee bit embarrassing but what was I meant to eat the rest of the pate with?

Delicious food on our first evening visiting so we went again before we left Scotland, had a different meal and it was outstanding, a little pricey but worth it and I would highly recommend

Never been before but this lovely inn is definitely worth a visit. Friendly and welcoming the service and food were great. Excellent menu to cater for all tastes, we opted for the macaroni cheese and Cumberland sausages. Both dishes were superb and arrived promptly after ordering by very pleasant and professional staff.

Having just visited the Cochrane Inn after many years, the food.,the staff and the service is excellent.

Excellent food both in terms of quality and the personable and attentive staff who couldn't be faulted. Good menu choice and all in all good value for money. BUT if you are a CAMRA member you will be 100% disappointed. There is no real ale on tap of any description and not only that no bottle conditioned beer which I always fall back on.

I have been a regular visitor to the Cochrane Inn for many years and have often thought it is somewhat overlooked by the Costley group. Some of the other Costley establishments could learn a lot from Yvonne and her team when it comes to customer service.

Never had been before but what a pleasant surprise. Welcome very sincere..staff very attentive and best of all the was food just a treat

Visited recently with friends. Restaurant busy but shown to table straight away. Staff very polite and attentive. I had king prawns to start and found them a bit rubbery and oily - would not have again. I then had the liver (which I always have) and it looked like a steak!! It tasted ok, just ok. Everything else on the plate was nice except the liver. It was never like this before and I was very disappointed. They might have changed the chef and I won’t be back for a long time. Really can’t beat the liver served in the Blair - it’s outstanding!

the Cochrane inn is on the outskirts of Kilmarnock at gatehead food is excellent and is good value for money good selection of starters ,mains and desserts staff are very good and helpful toilets were clean and surroundings were tastefully decorated if you want a good meal at reasonable prices give this a visit

My husband and I tried this place for the first time yesterday(25th May) and it was brilliant. I had the Macaroni Cheese which was delicious and my husband had an amazing Lamb Curry, rice, popadom and spicy onions. It was one of the best lamb curries i've tasted in a long time. I had rice pudding with apple compote and my husband had a massive Toffee sundae. Both desserts were very tasty. The staff were very nice, pleasant and helpful. The Inn has tables outside for when the weather is nice. Very busy place. Thank you all for a wonderful first visit. We will be back.

Went to try to cheer up my partner. Atmosphere good, staff friendly but food was dire . Extremely disappointed in general with quality of the food. After hearing good things about the Cochrane Inn it's a shame.

Stopped for a bite before going to the ferry. Had a fantastic burger. Friendly staff nice warm place with two fires. If I had to be picky, and I will be, the food took a little long to arrive. But worth the wait. If you are going to or from the ferry and need a bite, stop here.

First visit this evening to the Cochrane Inn. I have often driven past but never ventured inside, so when looking for somewhere different, thought it was time to give it a try.

Although this may not be the grandest of Costley's establishments we find it by far the best! The food is always to a high standard, the restaurant itself is immaculate, with a friendly atmosphere but above all the greatest strength is the staff team. Yvonne and her team run a great ship and are so welcoming and accommodating to all their customers. They are a credit to the Costley business.

Went here on recommendation. Good friendly atmosphere but let down by the lunch. The roast beef was over cooked as was the liver dish. The starters were large and could easily have been main courses. We were a bit disappointed but it may just have been an off day and we will try it again.

Had a lovely meal to celebrate a family birthday. Service was really attentive, friendly and helpful. Food very tasty. Highlights were duck (superbly cooked) and Cajun salmon. A thoroughly enjoyable evening, thanks!

Safe little place that will send you away relaxed but not stirred. Probably best to stick with popularchoices. Staff remarkable friendly despite working while the restaurant is seeking a buyer. We ate duuck breast and sea bass which were well cooked and presented though the fish skin should have been crisper.

Travelled up from Wales to visit family. Booked a table at the Cochrane Inn. Tempura starter was great but the quality of the main meals truly let it down. Steak was overcooked had been sliced lengthways. I mean you expect customers to pay £22 for a steak served like that, shocking get a new chef! Macaroni cheese was bland/really tasteless, a batchelors pasta n sauce has more flavour. Was so disappointed with main meals didn't stay for dessert. Won't be returning to this restaurant ever again.

Beautiful food, portions just right so you could enjoy 3 courses. Cocktails were yummy and staff are just amazing. Nothing is too much effort and they are always smiling. Thankyou as always. Joolz & Steven x

Yvonne and the team went above & beyond for my dads birthday today, nothing was too much trouble. We had a party of 33 for lunch and all were delighted with the food and full of praise for the service. Can't thank them enough for making it so special

We visited the Cochrane Inn on the way to visit my mother in a Dreghorn Nursing home, we have eaten there before but not for about 20yrs as we used to live in the area but have moved to West Lothian. We were pleasantly surprised to see how bright and modern the interior is now without taking away from the cosy farmhouse feel it has. The meal we had was one of the best meals we have had for some time and therefore we would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone and if it was nearer us we would be there every week. I had a starter of prawn & smoked salmon salad my husband had moule marinade, we both had beef borguinon & lemon cheesecake to follow. The staff could not have been more welcoming and the service was first rate even although it was a very busy time due to quite a few parties in for their Christmas outing we were infact very lucky to get a table as we had not made a booking but will in future be sure to book in advance if we are going to visit my mother.