Dining at Cairnbaan Hotel in Argyll & Bute

My meal had been forgotten and so I had to wait for another 20 minutes whilst my party ate theirs. The fish pie was full of bones and when we went to pay I was offered no recompense. We tried to add a tip for the staff but the bar man used some colourful language to the staff around him as he couldn't work the till. Very poor all round

We visited on a sunny lunchtime, a group of 7 of us, There was an extensive menu available very varied with lots of choices. every dish served to our group was absolutely beautiful.I have not had a better meal in years. delicious and cooked to perfection. All desserts were also homemade and delightful. It also helps with an idyllic outdoor eating area right beside the Crinan Canal. Food has the WOW factor.

We have eaten out at many different places in Argyll recently and my meal here today was by far the best. Basic food prepared incredibly well. Thank you!

Well situated along the Crinan Canal - this small pub has delicious food and warm atmosphere. Stroll along hte cnal after your supper.

found this place when struggling round loch guiphead had a vegan in our party. catered for all our needs. very good food and value for money.

There’s plenty of choice with both a standard menu and a specials board. I had a halloumi and mushroom burger and my partner had the beef burger. Both were beautifully cooked.

Such a shame. The staff were generally friendly and nice, but just not trained or experienced enough to bring it all to life. We watched staff deliver food to nearby tables but not think to clear ours. Every opportunity to add value was missed, time and again. Where’s Al x Polizzi when you need her! Nothing individually so bad, but with the footfall and opportunity this place has, they could be doing so much better. Oh, and the bought in cheesecake really shouldn’t have been served in the plastic dish! Please? We won’t come back this week even though it’s within walking distance, but we truly hope you improve things for next time. Get some professional help, and success is yours!

We were staying locally for a week nearby. We’d visited a couple of times for a quick drink after our walk. The bar lighting we thought was a bit dark and suppressed the atmosphere, the conservatory was comfortable enough but overall would benefit from a bit of TLC! We were unsure whether we would eat here or not, however we noticed that on each occasion we went for a drink most of the tables were booked therefore we gave it a go. Overall impression was very good. My wife had the beef stroganoff which was very nice. I had a soup starter which was spicy tomato and vegetable, excellent, I then had the beef burger with cheese and bacon..not disappointed! I could have made separate sandwiches with the cheese and bacon, came with hand cut chips and a nice side salad. The beers were good and I was offered a taster when asking what a certain beer was like. I wouldn’t turn my nose up this place.

The barman was miserable and not welcoming at all. Ordered a beer which was cloudy and undrinkable but didn’t feel that we could mention it to the barman because of his attitude. The starter was very nice, but the main course was not what you would expect of hotel food. My partner ordered the beef burger with cheese, however the cheese was too thick, very salty and had an overpowering taste. I ordered the fish with tartare sauce, however the tartare sauce seemed to come as an extra that we had to wait ages for, along with the salt and vinegar in sachets. We asked for the wine list with a view to ordering, but no one came back to take the order, so we decided to pay up and leave.The young staff were trying very hard but lacked leadership.

We, as a family always holiday in this area and we always end our holiday with a meal at the Cairnbaan. We have never had any complaints in the past. On this occasion, the service was very poor. the barman couldn't care less and the food has gone down hill, a lot. We were asked for a table i the restaurant the previous day, when we arrived on the night, we were sat in the bar. There were only two diners in the restaurant area. The steak, for the price was small, badly cooked and full of gristle. We waited for so long after our main course for service, dessert, that we paid and left. We will not be frequenting this place again in the future.

Excellent food, friendly staff, reasonable price. The Fyne Ales are really very, very good. The menu doesn't do the food justice as it was so much better than it sounded, the salmon was amazing and lots of it, thick cut chunks too- no lacy slices! We did book the day before as we had been told they get busy, and indeed they were busy but we weren't made to wait and there were enough staff on. Overall, I would definitely recommend it and I would go back.

Called in the afternoon of 6th Aug asking for a table for dinner. We were told they were fully booked. Fair enough our fault for not booking earlier. As we were staying nearby we walked about a mile to the hotel for a drink. On arrival we asked if they'd had any cancellations, we were told no. fair enough so we decided to have a couple of drinks in the bar. I was completely ignored by the barman and he even served a diner who walked up and stood behind me. Eventually a very pleasant waitress asked what I'd like. When I got the drinks I noticed there were 3 tables with reservation names on them and 7.30pm written on the card. it was now 7.30pm. When I caught the attention of the barman who seemed to be the boss I asked if we could get a table if they had any "no shows". I was told "no, we are full". We sat at a table and about 15 mins later with the reserved tables still empty the pleasant waitress came over and asked if we would like something like a plate of chips. We didn't want chips but asked if we could maybe have a starter? She went and asked and said that would be fine so 2 starters ordered. When we finished the starters another waitress came to take the plates away and asked if we wanted something else. A strange question after the carry on before hand. We explained to her that we were told we could only have starters. She said she didn't know anything about that and dashed off. 2 mins later she was back asking if we wanted a main course as it was now OK for us to have a full meal. So in the end we had our average 2 course meal and a couple of drinks each but what a way to treat valued customers.

A very friendly hotel. The barman was very amiable. We look forward to returning soon. This is an example of a prime Scottish hotel.

We have eaten here before, so we’re happy to get a dinner booking. The table we had was in the bar and the seats were so high I struggled to get on. I asked if we could eat at the restaurant, but we’re told these were for “regular eaters”. The staff were all youngsters with mobile phones in their pockets. My wife had beef stroganoff, but instead of being served with white rice, it was served with pilau (easier for the chef who also served curry. When I asked for the bill, it was literally dropped on to the table in passing. On checking the bill we had been charged £25 for a bottle of wine priced at £19. The steak which was priced at £21.75 was charged at £28.50. When this was questioned I was told to wait in the queue at the bar to speak to the manager. There were 4 or 5 queuing. So I insisted that the manager came to me. It appears the prices on the billing were all wrong! He took £20 off the bill. I wonder how many people have paid the wrong price and not checked their bill! Needles to say we won’t eat there again.

Shockingly awful food only improved by lovely young waiting staff and the maitre d’. Grease is the word. Worst steak I’ve ever had in my life wasn’t even sure it was beef never mind sirloin. Starter and fries done at wrong temperate and ended up as pure oil. The staff were so lovely I didn’t want to complain. The pudding redeemed itself as it was delicious except the serving style of plating up on a square like a school pudding slice didn’t lend much to the experience. I remember previous wonderful meals at the Cairnbaan and had saved this delight til the last night of my holiday. What a mistake. I suggest you take your chef into a city and let he or she see how a proper dinner should be cooked.

We stopped here for our lunch as the halfway point of a walk along the canal, we decided to eat outside, took a while for our food order to be taken but when it arrived it was well worth waiting for, we both had the...

A very friendly hotel. We look forward to returning soon. This is an example of a prime Scottish hotel

Would like to say a massive ThankYou to Vikki and Alan for my take away pizzas! Great choice on menu and very well priced, staff very pleasant on arrival and fantastic COVID19 safety measures. Staff very friendly and helpful and pizzas were quick once ordered....

The food was ok and there were good vegan and vegetarian options. I guess the price was reasonable, but the experience was unpleasant. We waited almost an hour for our food to arrive. The general atmosphere was unwelcoming. Although we live nearby, we won’t be...

I’d say the food was good in this hotel restaurant but it could be better too. The chips were not hand cut but frozen, the bread was limited to two small bits in my langoustine, salad and bread main and the pudding oddly was served...

Had dinner here in this hotel where we spent our honeymoon 50 yrs ago. Have not been back since. A wee bit tatty round the edges but nice and clean. Food very good and nicely presented and staff friendly and helpful. If you don't like...

We had a meal here when our hotel let us down at the last minute. Slightly limited menu but what we had was tasty and well cooked. This is a canal side place and was rather quiet. I get the impression they would up their...

Very indifferent experience at this grubby hotel with poorly maintained buildings and a joke weed filled beer garden in the car park. Windows and wood cladding in need of a paint

Staff did not really seem to be interested in serving. No sugar with coffee, then brought the sugar without a spoon. 2 lattes from order missed until another trip inside to ask if they were coming. Had paid for them but not brought out. Lovely...

I ate here yesterday with my family who live in the area and feel I should right a review. Firstly the meals were really nice so compliments to the chef,however there was a problem with the first impressions. The place looked shabby and really needs...

The food is amazing - we asked for a few sandwiches only at lunchtime as we were 1 - not that hungry and 2 - in a rush to explore the area - a "mountain" of varied sandwiches - all delicious was provided at a...

The Cairnbaan is perfectly situated half way along the Crinan Canal so the perfect stop off during exploring or a great way to end the day! My wife and I have eaten there several times and the food is always excellent. We are both vegan...

We generally eat and drink here quite often when we are in Cairnbaan. The hotel has a very nice bar, which is dog friendly, with a free treat or two for your four legged friend. The Chicken Madras is superb and is our staple when...

Awesome again this was lovely i had the house curry the wife had sweetcorn chowder.. The taste was fantastic quick to serve meal was hot atmosphere good..And the Beer was great. If your in the area drop in you will not be disappointed.

We were staying across the Loch at Ardifuir (part of Duntrune Castle) and drove over to the small town for lunch. Very nice tavern style restaurant with surprisingly upscale food.

We walked here along the tow path from Ardrishaig. It’s in a lovely position. The first impression on entering is a smell of damp. We turned right into the bar which was full. The dining room was closed, so we ate in the lounge, where the tables were coffee table height- very odd when everyone in here was eating. Why not open the dining room? The decor was very dated and all a bit grubby. Food was OK, béer was good. Menu seemed too extensive for a place of this size.Could all be so much better.

We stopped here while walking along the towpath for lunch the staff were very welcoming and helpful there was three adults one in a wheelchair and a small dog they found us room to sit and looked after us well. The menu was very extensive with lots of fish etc our food was excellent and although they were very busy with a big party we were not kept waiting and it was all pipping hot.

We booked in advance, letting them know we were vegans and they had a menu for us with two choices each for starters and mains. I believe they always have one vegan main available. Nice place and decent food.

We ate at the Cairnbaan Hotel as guests of friends. All 4 of us had a very enjoyable evening, firstly in the bar lounge and then in the main dining room. By coincidence we all ordered fish that night; different dishes, but all excellent quality. The food was piping hot. The service was quick (and calm), there being many waiters who obviously worked well as a team. We were particularly impressed by the service because the night we were there coincided with a very large retirement dinner - so we had rather expected to be less well attended.I should add that I have a nasty milk allergy and the restaurant had no preknowledge of this. Eating out for me can be a bit scary as some places seem rather ambivalent and reassuring without real consideration of the consequences. The waiter who took my order was very careful to check with the chef that the dish I ordered would be quite safe for me.I recommend this venue.

A good pub lunch stop with generous helpings of tasty Ciabatta rolls. The menu was extensive and we ate in the conservatory looking out towards the (busy) canal.

Quick lunch with a friend today, I said to the waitress when she collected the dishes, that was delicious (chicken & sweetcorn soup) but I think they forgot to add the chicken !

Had dinner here whilst staying in local area, lots of choice, hot and very well cooked , so good we came back the next day. Nice vegetarian options. Friendly and welcoming service, does get busy so best to book in advance.

I had booked for 10 of us for a family celebration however there was a mix up and when we turned up the staff were not expecting us. The bar and lounge was very busy but we were quickly sorted out with a table in the restaurant. There was a good choice on the menu including seafood and despite all our varied tastes there was plenty to suit everyone. Food was delicious and wine reasonably priced. We all enjoyed our visit and would happily return.

Poor food. Badly presented, badly cooked. No care or attention to detail and no scotch potato cakes, crumbs in my little pot of butter!! Scruffy dining room just no love in this place. Just don't want to see stained carpet and bad food. Not for £12+

We walked a long way from Dunans Cottage to get here and it was worth every step! From the warmest welcome, lovely fish & chips and smoked haddock with the cheesiest sauce. The very friendly Lisa & Meg were overrun with customers but coped very well.

Went for a meal with family and friends while staying in the area. Very welcoming and lovely time although cold outside was lovely amd warm inside. Great food and wine list.

Out of all the establishments in the area, the Cairnbaarn is by far the best for cuisine. I have eaten here several times, both lunch and dinner, and it is always top quality. Yes you pay a little more but you are never disappointed. I love the friendly atmosphere and I especially like the conservatory when just having a drink or lunch. You can eat in the bar, which is cosy and welcoming. I would recommend booking to avoid disappointment. Our Christmas meal was outstanding. I can't wait to go back.

I had venison burger, lamb shank and cooked breakfast over a 2 night break. Everything was top notch. Great choice, great food. Give it a go!

Visited here on a short holiday, and the menu was varied and interesting. The dishes we had were very good, and the prices were reasonable. We would definitely eat there again.

Really good value for money with an excellent range of menu. Slightly spoilt for choice. Friendly staff and would definitely recommend. Ill be back....

It was well worth stopping at the Cairnbaan for lunch on Sunday, the staff were very friendly, great food (beef burger a definite recommend!) and the beer was very good, so will definitely be going back.

Went for dinner here on a Friday night, we booked a table in the restaurant and after ordering were taken through. The food was lovely we both really enjoyed our meals and they were reasonably priced. however the waiting staff could be more attentive, I didn’t realise there were no sauces on the table and we weren’t offered any when our meals arrived. I had to leave the restaurant to order another drink as waitress left the room as soon as our plates were down, when they arrived empty glasses weren’t removed.

We stopped here for lunch today and enjoyed ciabatta sandwiches which also came with salad. This meal lovely and fresh. Hint, grab a table in the sun during the winter and you won't want to leave.

We were recommended to ome here for our evening meal by the landlord at our bed and breakfast. Good recommendation as the meal was very good, enjoyed by all. Retired to the conservatory for drinks after we had eaten, nice relaxing spot.

Been here several times before due to repeat holiday trips in the area and never had a bad word to say in such an idyllic location. Waited 5 mins to be served for a drink at the bar whilst it was very quiet in the middle of the day, staff were uninterested and had a staff meeting in the bar area whilst guests were present, explaining the short falls of the hotel and incompetences of the staff which was most inappropriate. The food was average, but plates were just placed on the table with the waitress walking away immediately. Cutlery was given out in a metal tin which had food smothered around it.

I had a starter and a main ordered as I was starving but I only made it half wat through the main as I was a bit optimistic food was great but the size of the portions beat me

Sorry to see some other poor reviews here. We had a very enjoyable evening last Tuesday. Dinner for 7 - no complaints. We all had main courses served at the same time, all cooked well - varying from beer battered fish, risotto, mussels, Gannon steak and Cajun chicken Caesar salad x 3. The bill including wine and soft drinks was very reasonable. Service was good. My only criticism is indeed the menu which was written on a blackboard - so obscure in places, I couldn't read it all with my specs on or off! Between us we managed....ha ha. Lighten up people you are in mid Argyll not downtown Edinburgh. Thanks for a great evening!

Crinan canal is a lovely spot, popular with yotties and with good reason so the Cairnbaan is well located.

I have been to this hotel a few years ago and it was ok, nothing special. However as I was in the area with friends decided to go there for a meal. We were met with a couldn't care less attitude and made to feel very uncomfortable. Asking for a menu as one of us has AMD and cannot see well we were told the menu was on the board. This consisted of a very large board with smallish writing , half of which was partially rubbed off. Also told' I can't take your food order for at least another 15-20 mins.'

8 Years ago we went to this restaurant and it was superb, this time it was dreadful, poor leadership, poor staff training. The manager if that was who she was had a conversation with the bar staff while serving us, 4 members of staff were standing by the bar talking and all looked scruffy, one member was moaning about a customer in the restaurant, a customer had to come out of the restaurant to find a member of staff to order more drinks. The food when served was very ordinary and looked as though it had been micro-waved.

We've been coming to the Cairnbaan for food for years and will always make a point of eating here when in the area. It is a traditional canalside hotel with the charm of age and we've always been impressed with the extensive menu and found it difficult to choose. I had the tastiest most succulent prawns in garlic butter with chilli and I simply can't understand where Tao C is coming from with his vitriolic attack about his prawns. Mine were superb served with bread and fresh salad. My wife thought her beer-battered haddock could have been thicker, but the fish was fresh and melt-in-the-mouth and the chips and peas were plentiful and of a good standard. Contrary to Tao C'd advice I'd recommend you going out your way to visit this excellent bar/restaurant and I'd be very surprised if you didn't agree!

Can’t actually tell you just how horrific this place is not only do they serve prawns with their guts still in them that could hospitalise someone they take food back to the kitchen scrape the cheese off it and then server it back to you! If it was someone with a dairy allergy they could have killed that person!!! I can’t explain why they would risk the health of their customers but the lack of basic food hygiene practices is an absolute joke. Don’t waste your time as it will take you forever to get served as the staff just seem to stand about doing as little as humanly possible. It’s also a complete waste of money and you will leave feeling like you have been robbed!!! And you will still be hungry when you leave. What ever you do just avoid this place.

Big plates of good food. Smoked haddock was delicious but not a vegetable in sight. Belly pork too was delicious but no vegetables. Service was excellent, friendly and quick.

We almost stayed at the hotel until I read the reviews. We ate there and were glad we hadn't booked the rooms. Although the food was very good, the reviews about the rudeness and lack of service by the manager (owner?) are true. He came and took the order of the people sitting next to us, he then turned to us and said "go order at the bar".

Stopped on the spur of the moment and glad we did. The food was good. The lasagne was lovely and cheesy and the fish a generous portion

We have eaten here a few years ago and it was fine. Today stopped for a beer. Poor lager, flat and tasteless which we would have tolerated until we spotted black bits floating. Took them back and we swopped for bottle beer which was ok. I guess that can happen anywhere but this is a very busy bar restaurant and shouldn't happen and I has the impression it was a standing issue. Resting on their laurels?

Had two meals here and would go back again and again! Great choices and we all had something different and all of it was cooked perfectly. The spiced potato cakes were fantastic!! Great service and friendly people.

The hotel has a comfortable bar/lounge and a conservatory overlooking the Crinan Canal,both of which allow well behaved dogs to enjoy your company while eating. The food is delicious and well presented. Staff at this hotel are local folk who are most polite and helpful...

I love this hotel. for its quaint beauty and surrounds. The staff are very friendly and the food is delicious . Next to the Crinnan Canal, you will see boats sailing past and feel so relaxed that you will want to return again and again.

We're Staying in the local area for the weekend, popped into the cairnbaan Hotel for some dinner tonight. Food was absolutely lovely, nachos were delicious and my pepper steak was excellent. The other half had fish and chips which was also great. The chips were...

We live in the local Area. So this is the 3/4 time we have had lunch in the Cairnban this year. We have not had a bad meal yet. Today I had the halloumi and beef mushroom burger. Which was great very tasty. Wife had...

I'll keep it simple, the food was good, the Sticky Toffee Pudding was excellent, the food service with our meal not so, the barmaid with our drinks to begin before our meal was very nice, however the tapped beer was off in one case (The...

The bar man said what our bill was tonight. We asked to see an itemised bill as it sounded a...

I travel to this part of the country every year and usually eat here at least 3times. This year we...

We attended a Natural Environment presentation last week and as a last minute option, I asked, at 7.10pm if it...

Had fish and chips. Came with salad and the fish tasted fresh. Service was efficient and friendly. A good range...

Fuimos para bebidas inicialmente con amigos que luego se amplió para incluir entrantes y postres. El hotel no estaba muy concurrida, dado el escaso tiempo, pero fueron bien recibidas por el propietario Darren. Sábado en el salón sofás cómodos en vez de sentarse en el...

Yo no me di cuenta de que había comentarios". . "así como críticas para la Cairnbaan. Ver mi examen detallado.

Nuestra legislación nos decidimos ir a comer aquí una noche (estábamos cerca en una casa local). Después de viaje - aconsejar este sitio no era exactamente lo que esperamos nuestra visita, sin embargo, me llevé una grata sorpresa. En primer lugar - el menú, es un juego un poco extraña para que el menú normal es muy pequeño y limitado, mientras que las ofertas especiales son múltiples y abarcan una amplia gama de cocinas. Me volveré a ser honesto si las ofertas especiales no habían estado allí habría sido un poco perplejo qué elegir del menú normal.

4 of us visited for Sunday lunch. Menu was varied and well priced. Place was not busy but service was worst I have experienced in a long time.

We booked a table in the restaurant here for 7.30, we arrived early, had a drink and looked at the menus. Our order was taken for food and we then waited 1/2 hr to be taken into the restaurant which was empty except for one other couple. We asked for the wine list, which was provided, and ordered wine. Our food and wine was served, the food was good, hot and well prepared, but we were never asked if everything was ok and no staff were around. We waited ages after we had finished our main course before anyone came near, the plates were removed and we were provided with the dessert menu. We then waited ages to order our dessert and even longer for it to arrive. Again, after we had finished this course no one came near so we went to the bar, paid for our food and left. Basically a good meal completely ruined by poor staff attitude, perhaps more training is necessary.

A well priced menu with plenty of local produce. Food is served in a bright well furnished dinning room or you can eat in the bar.I was very happy and my guest was delighted. What more could you ask?

After a day's photography, we stopped off here for a meal on the way back to our B&B. Tasty food, good service and real ale to round off the day. Thorough enjoyable!

We did not stay here but had dinner one evening. We enjoyed our food but service was slow - perhaps they need more staff? Or more training - simple things like tables not being set properly then waiting ages for a missing piece of cutlery. A shame as it could be very good.

Four of us dined at Cairnbaan, a most agreeable way to round off a delightful trip to Islay and Jura . Our meal consisted of local produce of first class quality - thankfully we spotted that blackboard listed the day's specials thus avoiding a disappointing choice!The young staff's charm and enthusiasm compensated very adequately for a slightly irregular timing of delivery of our courses. Altogether an agreeable evening in a charming location, to be recommended.

After a lovely walk in Argyll we arrived at Cairnbaan Hotel at 14.35hrs on a Saturday afternoon. It was a beautiful sunny, warm day in Scotland and there were lots of people out enjoying the fine weather. On arrival at Cairnbaan bar we ordered drinks for four people then asked for the menu to order lunch. We were told by the barmaid that we were too late for lunch. Not only is this disappointing but I think a very sad reflection on Scottish hospitality. The barmaid was not very pleasant or helpful. Apparently the food service stopped at 14.30hrs.I am sad to say that we will not be going back to Cairnbaan hotel again

Lovely, welcoming hotel on the banks of the Crinon Canal with a good menu. All 4 of us enjoyed lunch outside in the warm early-May sunshine. My fish was served on a 'bed' of mashed potato with a poached egg & lashings of delicious cheese sauce. On reflection, a little broccoli & a carrot or two would have ameliorated the richness of the main course - but it was very, very tasty and I'm not going to think about the calories consumed.!! PRB.

We have been holidaying in this area for over 20 years and have visited the Cairnbaan Hotel on numerous occasions. It's changed hands a few times over the years which has in turn had either a positive or negative impact on our visit. However, I have never had such a disappointing visit which has spurred me onto writing this review until now.The hotel is ideally situated alongside the very beautiful Crinan Canal, a perfect spot for walkers and cyclists to stop by for refreshment and a light lunch/snack. We sat outside with a number of other walkers enjoying the sunshine. We ordered a hand pulled beer and lager, alongside a diet coke for my son. My husband could not finish his beer because it tasted so bad - he commented that clearly they had no idea how to look after their beer. My lager was flat and tasteless, in line with the flat and tasteless diet coke my son had. We didn't stay for a second drink and continued with our walk back to our car. There are many more places to eat and drink in the locality but we will not be visiting here again. To add insult to injury the man serving behind the bar was relatively rude and unwelcoming - not what we are used to in such a beautiful location.

Dined here several times while on holiday nearby.Such a cosy place to dine, warm and comfortable. It was very cold outside so it felt like a real haven!Wonderful fish dishes, always felt very welcome.

Evening meal whilst staying in the area - good vegetarian choices and value for money. We eat in the bar and service was friendly and efficient. Would eat there again.

It was ten past two when we showed up. Only four other covers. The interior of the bar restaurant has big windows and couches to sit on. There's a slight nautical theme with them being so close to the canal. Service was prompt but a bit timid. Our waitress was pleasant and prompt. As was the bar manager who also waited on us. All three of us ordered fish and chips. Chips were fine and so was the garnish. The fish was absolutely delicious. This meal is up there with the very tastiest, freshest deep fried battered fish I've ever had. I'd come back here in a heartbeat. Our friendly reception and delicious food was worth the trip. Probably worth mentioning on here that even though we weren't staying he hotel looked lovely and the toilets adjacent to the bar were spotless. So clean. Full of towels and soap.

Visited on 1sr October 2016 and was disappointed. Had steaks which were badly cooked and very sinewy and puddings which were dry and disappointing. Here were lots of waitresses but despite this it was still difficult to get service. The owner who was serving behind the bar is only interested in you if you have a large yacht moored in the canal. The meal cost £70 and wasn't worth half that price.

I dined here twice when I was in the area working and it was good on both occasions.I had mussels on one occasion and soup with bread on the other. Both dishes were really good but not mind blowing. The fresh coffee and freshly baked cakes were excellent.

Having had good experiences over the years with food and service at the Cairnbaan Hotel when we transit the Crinan canal with our boat, we decided to stop overnight at the pontoons at the East end of Cairnbaan Locks and have a well deserved dinner. I as usual had phoned to book a table and had the usual gentleman manager/owner who was polite and welcomed the reservation.We arrived and met several of the other boat crews we knew who were also transiting the canal from the West coast of Scotland to the relatively sheltered Clyde waters, we enjoyed a drink with them but everyone else were eating on their boats so they left and we went to our table.Starters were not too bad, I had the "Crispy prawn cocktail" which turned out to be four deep fried prawns (intestinal tract not removed) with a small dish of supermarket Mari Rose sauce a few lettuce leaves and a strange covering of semi circle cucumber, the small prawns were ok but not filing or flavoursome.Our plates were lifted by the waitress who accidentally spilled some of my student daughters half eaten starter, having seen themselves drop the food the staff just ignore the not insignificant spillage for about ten minutes I got up and cleared as much of the spillage as possible off the restaurant floor, a staff member (obviously embarrassed) came out with a brush and pair of tongs and tried to clear up the rest saying that they were too busy to tidy up earlier!The main courses arrived. My wife's fish pie was ok. The fish and chips my daughter had was inedible, thick soggy batter and flavourless morsel of fish in the midst of the batter.My Surf and Turf arrived. Now I love garlic, I love Prawns and I love Steak, what could go wrong? Lots! The steak was sitting in a pond of fish flavoured oil with lots of garlic, there were 3 small over cooked prawns which had not been cleaned properly. On its arrival I used my "Sea Survival" skills and rescued the floundering steak from the pond of smelly oil on my plate, the waitress saw me put the uneaten steak on my side plate and asked if there was a problem, I answered that I hadn't tried it yet as the conflicting tastes need separated. She left. On trying the steak it was awful with a pervading stench of garlic fish, the prawns, when deveined, were tough and did not taste of prawn.As two of the mains were inedible I asked for the manager to be informed of our experience. The bill turned up with the waitress advising that they had taken the fish off the bill. On discussing our experience with the manager when paying her for the meal I asked why she deleted the fish but not the "surf and turf", I then was subjected to the rudest tirade that I have ever experienced. I was advised it was my problem that I didn't like it as she believed the "Surf and Turf" was an accurate representation of the description on the menu board! That that was the way they always served it and I was just being difficult! Even if this was true the manner I was spoken to was unbelievable -and in front of other guests and my family!I regret that my boating habits will no longer involve stopping here again!

My wife and I along with my mother visited the restaurant for an evening meal in their restaurant.The menu is extensive with something for everyone.The food was superbly cooked and presented with great service.The barman (bar manager?) Mark could not have made us more welcome.There are great views from both the bar and restaurant over the Crinan Canal Locks.I would highly recommend this restaurant. I have booked again for a further two nights this week!Many thanks to all at the Hotel!

At a first glance, this restaurant seems pretty generic - normal food, a bar, decent service and nothing special. But behind the doors that enclose the restaurant is something that sets it apart from other restaurants - it is an excellent place to dine, formal or informal.Once we reached the restaurant from the main hotel, we were immediately greeted by a staff member who had an exceptionally cheery look about him and was extremely efficient - since there was no seating available at the time he showed us some seats in the bar where we ordered our drinks and waited for a table to become available. The menus did not have a lot on them- but the specials board was packed with excellent choice. It is great to see this as it almost always means that the food is specially prepared to order, making it much higher quality- and it was. After about five minutes - and after ordering meals - we were shown a place in the main restaurant, a nice, atmospheric environment with very fancy cutlery and a very warm feeling about it. After about 3 minutes of waiting out meals arrived. I had a venison burger off of the specials board and boy, was it delicious. Generally venison can be difficult to cook, but the restaurant had it done to perfection- with some cameralised onion on top the meal was a treat. My brother had chicken goujons off the children's menu and that was equally as high quality. The staff were extremely friendly and did not hesitate to deliver sauces and the suchlike. After we finished our meals we went to the bar and paid - but beware, the meals were a little more expensive than some. A great place to visit for a lovely meal, for any occasion. Highly recommended.

We ate here as a family on a Friday evening - we hadn't bought booked but there was plenty of space given that we were "out of season". The hotel sits on the Crinan Canal and is easy to find. We were offered seats in either the bar (which was quite busy with a good atmosphere) or the restaurant. Options for the four of us were limited in the bar area so we went for the restaurant. We sat in the bar to order drinks and food - the service throughout was very good. We then moved through to the restaurant - we were the only people in the restaurant which was a shame as the atmosphere was rather subdued. The printed menu was quite restricted - but there is a sizeable specials board which we all ordered from (bar our youngest - who ordered from the children's menu). The food was served nicely, in good time, and was very good - four empty plates!! I would certainly recommend this as a restaurant - but eat in the bar if you can find seats

We came here on the seafood tour of Scotland and were pretty disappointed by the lack of seafood. There were only 2 main course choices including fish and a similar number of starters. The food we did have was forgettable. The restaurant is too much like a pub and I don't understand why the brighter conservatory isn't given over to some dining tables as the dining area is dark and unpleasant.

Went here at short notice, and although we were too late to book a table in the restaurant the staff did look after us in the bar. Food was good and served hot which is always a bonus. All in all a good dining experience with a wide and varied menu.

Came here for a late lunch, hungry and wet after a long walk in the rain. Both opted for the venison burger. Was ok, not fine dining, but gave us time to dry out and use the free Internet.

Four of us visited on a trip through the canal, very hungry from the manual toil of canal locks.The surf and turf, gammon steak, chicken breast and smoked haddock were all excellent. The Mull cheese sauce on the haddock with mashed potato was worth the visit alone.The service was efficient on an obviously busy Saturday night.We will be back and not only because it's the only place along the canal.

Arranged a special birthday family meal at Cairnbaan . Booked a table on the morning of the 18th July. Arrived early and had a drink outside the Hotel. Member of staff informed us the were extremely busy and our Table was not ready.30 minutes later our order was taken!!. We then had to ask to be shown to our table in the dining room which was empty apart from one other couple. We were served our starters which were average. Our dirty dishes were lft with us on the table for 30 minutes.I had quiet word to the management regarding the length of time we were waiting for our main courses even other diners had sarcastically commented us that they hoped the meal was worth the wait.The main courses arrived staggered and luke warm. I had ordered steak medium and when it came was well done and like rubber, my daughter ordered the 'house special' fish pie and there was very little fish in it. My other daughter had chicken supreme which came with a baked potato which was raw and covered in a sticky packet BBQ sauce. We also had the pork belly which was not cheap and had a minuscule amount of meat on the plate.The music in the restaurant was some kind of dance music with swearing and unsavory remarks - even my daughters thought it was highly inappropriate for dining. The staff were rushed, inattentive and almost rude when asked for basic things like water glasses and a steak knife. In the end after speaking with manager and receiving a derisory amount taken off the bill we left disapointed. A meal which we were planning as a celebration turned out to be a absolute disaster. Will definitely not recommend or be back to Cairnbaan. If the management take the time to read their reviews my family and I would suggest a radical rethink on their business ethic. Given the location of this pub i could be a fantastic hub for locals and tourists. A real shame.

a wide range of choice with local seafood featuring, well presented. The breakfasts were excellent with smoked salmon or haddock as options to the traditional.

The Hotel/restaurant is the only business along a row of small cottages set along side the Carinbann canal locks. Midges can be a bit of a problem if you choose to eat outside during the summer. Talking an after-dinner walk along the canal and Locks is an absolute must; beautiful!

After a long drive me and my husband wanted a nice seafood meal and we stopped here because of the lovely location and inviting look of the place. I wish we'd continued our journey.We were immediately told that the restaurant was only for residents of the hotel so we ended up having our dinner on the most uncomfortable couches in the bar area imaginable. The choice of seafood on offer was disappointing so my husband opted for fish and chips and I chose the venison burger. The fish and chips was average at best and my burger had been duly incinerated to the point where half of it tasted nothing but burnt. Once our meal was over we just wanted to pay and leave. What really let the place down was the poor quality of service. The girls working had absolutely no interest in their customers and were happy to ignore most whilst having a chat at the bar. Bubble gum chewing teenagers spring to mind. The manager really ought to take a look at both the appearance and behaviour of the staff along with giving them a crash course in customer service.