Ettrick Bay tearoom in Argyll & Bute

I am giving you an excellent review based on previous visits but arrived Thursday 14th November at 11:15 and it was closed. Website says open at 10:00 and opening time on door says 10:30. Several people left disappointed during my 20min seat on bench. Off to Port Bannatyne for my brunch. Can you update your opening hours on door and social media platforms.

Not the best at all. Stopped here for an impromptu visit. The place was moderately busy, very noisy. We ordered the chicken club sandwich from the special board with fries, chicken tenders with fries, a coffee and a Diet Pepsi. Total cost came to £26.10. Not great value for what we had as it wasn’t the best quality. The vinegar came out of the bottle along with brown slime onto the fries. We asked for more vinegar and were given 2 sachets only. We wouldn’t return or recommend. Looks like it needs a deep clean.

I have been a few times but this was tge worse visit. They were pretty busy so it took about 15 minutes to seat us even though a table was available. We both ordered a soft drink and soup. Soft drink appeared quickly but no soup. Folk who had come in after us were served soup. It seemed they had lost our order. Gave us our soft drinks for free and asked if we wanted anything else but I wasnt waiting abiut for anothwr half an hour!

First class lovely cakes available and service first class. Always visit when we are in Rothesay. Highly recommend a visit will not disappoint.

Well sadly its all change at the Ettrick Bay tearoom = a highlight of mine when in Bute; the lessees have left and opened up another place in town but still have 9 months to go on their lease; menu now more limited; gone is the 364 days a year - closed Sundays and Mondays - now opens at 10 30am; I hope they get someone good to take it over but yes needs a bit of a refurb x I will miss it

The tearoom is situated near the beach at Ettrick Bay. Wonderful views of Arran and parts of the mainland. Menu is good as is the food. Pity it is not open on Sundays.

Firstly the cafe’s location is fantastic with stunning views. The cafe is dated and certainly basic however we found the staff very welcoming and efficient. The food was lovely - cakes were delicious. Service was very good. Prices are average.

Brilliant location, and the desserts were large and fantastic. The staff were very attentive. The premises would really benefit from a deep clean and some updating of decoration and furniture, inside and out. Fantastic views. Would still recommend a visit.

Tea was fine, food was fine, staff pleasant, but my goodness they need an extractor fan. I could still taste the grease - just from breathing it in - an hour and several miles later. My advice - enjoy your refreshments but sit outside.

Excellent value for money good service would recommend this place in beautiful area wonderful beach very clean and safe for children

Took our lab for a run on the beach..had a lovely bacon sarnie and drinks (tea and coffee) Good service and pleasant staff...Thank you xx

Amazing little find on the drive around the Isle of Bute and lovely dog friendly spot for lunch. Food and service were good.

Quite possibly the worst Cafe we have ever been to. You could see they were nearly closing and were not interested in our business. The server had to ask her boss if we could come in or not - the answer was “No and there is no room for your Wheelchair user in our party” - how to make the little fella feel welcome - NOT!!! The cafe had a god awful “greasy spoon” atmosphere and the smell was terrible. Whilst I was in conversation with the staff member I noticed how filthy the kitchen was - there were 2 bags of opened chips on the floor - yes the floor - where the “supposed” Chef was scooping them from the bag into the fryer. The work area she was working off was a complete disaster as well. At one point the cook tightened her hair band and continued touching food without washing her hands. This person should go on a hygiene course and learn the basics again. I have never seen anything like it in my life, this place could be a little gem with all those stunning views but it’s not - avoid at all costs. Very disappointing as it came recommended to us by someone in town - we were so looking forward to it, lesson learnt for us all. Avoid at all costs - there are much much better places in Bute/Rothesay where you can eat and feel welcome.

On the wild, West coast of Bute, possibly one of the best outlooks from any Tea Room in the world? Go in the Winter months and your face starts to tingle the moment you step out of the wind, and you are assailed by the warming smell of fresh food and coffee. I had Scotch Pie, chips and beans with a white coffee, the very same meal my Auntie used to cook for me 60 years ago, so it was fitting to have the same for her 90th Birthday celebration. I have been many times over the last 67 years, and it remains one of the most eagerly anticipated events on any trip to Bute. The Caesar Salad,Club sandwich and Scampi were equally well received, The staff are great, the service prompt and the prices very reasonable. oh ... and the cakes ....mmm

While staying in Rothesay the owner of our accommodation recommended this cafe. We decided we would go for breakfast as it was in a beautiful location, right on the sandy beach. We ordered 2 full Scottish breakfasts & 2 teas. We got out teas after we ordered so these were drank by the time we got the food so we ordered another 2 teas. Now we’re Scottish & love our grub so we expected a great full Scottish breakfast… we got 2 fried eggs, 2 bacon, poor quality Lorne sausage, 1 tattie (potato) scone & beans over the top. The toast came already buttered with no option of white or brown. With a full Scottish breakfast you would also expect.. black pudding, haggis, mushrooms & tomatoes so in our eyes it was not a full Scottish. Granted it was nice (not the lorne) but quite disappointed with the missing items.

This is a great wee cafe with very friendly staff. We had a lovely coffee with great scones, ideal. We were only there for coffee but the meals looked great.

Always so friendly and accommodating. Food is freshly prepared, great full breakfast. Cakes to die for my wife tells me. Great coffee. Fantastic views. And dog friendly.

Stopped off here as most other places were closed for the season. I ordered chicken tenders with curly fries, the wife had a baked potato. Both were served quickly and the food did not let us down. Really hit the spot on a cold, rainy day. We also got two pieces of lemon meringue cheesecake for when we got back to the cottage. That was fantastic as well. Would definitely recommend.

After reading some reviews I've got to say It's a cafe not a restaurant Don't expect champagne for a beer budget My snacks at tea time to take to pod for 3 adults and 1 infant 2 chips, 1 curly fries, 1 onion rings & tub of curry sauce £17 Very good portions and very nicely seasoned Breakfast 4 four of us £34 Yes it had grease on it But does bacon ,tattie scones,sausages etc Not get cooked in fat ????

Have been going to bute for nearly 10 years now for a few days at a time and have regularly seen the cafe so decided to have breakfast there and was definitely disappointed. The food arrived and the 2 slices of toast one was uneatable as it was just black, all the eggs were overcooked. The rest was fine. £9.50 was overpriced I would say even tho it included a drink. Lovely views on a windy day, cafe was clean but drab inside. Won't have breakfast there again but will try in the summer months for Cake and a drink.

Awful..needs a good clean..smelled heavily of grease! Not allowed to have crockery outside so had to have disposable cup..not very eco friendly!

We visited the aisle of Bute while on holiday. Over heard Ettrick Bay as a lovely beach to visit. Ettrick Bay Tearooms are situated next to it. We were warmly welcomed by the lady who seated us and took our orders at the table. Best breakfast had in a long while, and selection of home made cakes and desserts is incredible. Very good value for money. Great food Great views Highly recommended place to eat.

Drove up to Ettrick Bay. Cafe very busy and took a while to get a table and place order. Coffee arrived piping hot but toasted sandwiches took so long to appear that coffees had gone lukewarm

The location is amazing but the tea room is the only place serving food and drinks for miles. We waited at least 40 minutes for our baked potatoes to arrive, I think they maybe went to pick them up first... I asked to take my food outside as the restaurant was hot and stuffy ( not sure if the windows were open) and they complained that swapping plates for takeaway boxes increased the wait. The food was bland. A bad experience overall. I think someone should set up food trucks in the car park and serve some healthy and tasty food and coffees. Bute is a beautiful island. The people are lovely, but the food and service are not up to scratch!

The cafe was busy but they managed to find a table for 8 people. The service was friendly and quick. We all enjoyed the food which was very plentiful and reasonably priced.

We visited today and like to sit outside here but every bin was full to overflowing on this beautiful day with the result that outside seats were buzzing with flies and wasps! Inside the food was ok but on visiting the toilet there was no toilet roll! The waitress had to close the outside loo to access one but once installed wouldn’t work! The craziest system, locked at the top and no way to access paper once the minute dispenser clogged!! Someone needs to get the bins and loos sorted out! Lovely bay to visit but avoid cafe unless for ice cream!

Always our go to place when we are on the island. Staff are always very friendly can't do enough to help. Always take the time to talk to our kids. Food is always first class. A true hidden Gem can't recommend this place enough.

Fantastic service all the way through. The lady serving was dealing with quite a difficult situation with another group at the same time as serving the rest of the restaurant, but did so expertly. My only point to improve was that I heard other tables saying they were disappointed there wasn't any cake. There was and it was absolutely delicious. The cake was in the cooler at the back. A larger sign on the cooler not working or a board showing the cake which was available might have helped, but I didn't really mind as it meant more for me! I had a really delicious and moist slice of Victoria Sponge and my wife had a lovely carrot cake. My daughter went 'full on chocolate' with a lovely slice of chocolate cake and a chocolate milkshake, which was excellent value for money, compared to other shakes on Bute. The view is amazing and it's just got a really bustling and friendly atmosphere you'd expect from a hard working tea room. Thanks (especially for the cake).

Always visit the tearoom when on Bute. However yesterday we were told that we cannot take away an Americano but we could order inside?! It was a beautiful day, the hatch server could not explain why an Americano couldn’t be put in a take away cup. Really strange and disappointing.

This is the second time we've been in less than a year. The first time we didn't have a great experience but as its the only place near the beach we thought we'd give it another go. Wish we hadn't. It's a strange place more greasy spoon than tea room. The food is not worth the money and the food prep was soooo slow. The waitress was pleasant and it wasn't her fault we waited ages, that was down to the kitchen. The eating out opportunities on Bute are poor. I think the location and the lack of competition allows the tea room to remain in business.

Tea Room extremely poor both food quality and hygiene standard. Called for a snack with family members this week. 14th June. Weather was absolutely glorious.. A great pity the tea room didn't match the scenery and sunshine ☀.. Such a shame!! Sorry not recommended 🤔 take sandwiches if you visit Ettrick Bay!! McDavies family members returned to Bute hometown for family reunion. Gordon

wow, just wow! went in for some lunch on what seemed a busy day at the beach! we opted to take out and had 2 baked potatoes and was actually the yummiest lunch i’ve had a long time and treated ourselves to an ice cream...

Came too ettrick bay for lunch with my family and couldn’t of been better customer service😁 staff were very friendly and welcoming… although tearoom very busy staff were all still calm and polite.. i ordered a chicken club sandwich and i was very impressed with...

Visited recently on a hot day and the place was so busy. Could sit in or takeaway for food, we decided to sit outside and the food was lovely. Toastie, cheeseburger, hotdogs for the kids and chips and curly chips. We really enjoyed it. Bins...

What a day we had at Ettrick Bay, Amazing day at the beach followed by the best lunch I’ve had in a long time from the tearoom, ordered the chicken tenders with curly fries and they were delicious 😍 got greeted at the door and...

Cheap and nasty takeaway food, We waited in a long que to be served then waited another 20 mins for our food, people behind us got there food before us, the food was terrible, burgers didn't have anything in them, no lettuce, no tomato, no...

Went for lunch and sat outside with our dogs - chose off the menu only to be told there was a different menu for outside which consisted of a very limited selection - we could have a burger served in a paper bag but not...

Every bin overflowing, the next gust of wind will be sending it into the sea 🥲 The coffee was poor, the bacon and egg roll ok. All served on paper plates etc., adding to the rubbish. I tried to order inside but was turned away...

Such a prime position but it’s a bit of a disappointment. There is a really strong smell of old fired oil so we decided against sitting in and eating there. We got a couple of takeaway coffees and an ice cream. The ice cream was...

Went for our lunch. Ordered off the Special board. The attitude of the catering staff was unhelpful when I asked about WiFi... When the food eventually arrived it was cold and under cooked.. The serving staff were polite enough, but were badly let down by...

I’ve been visiting the tearoom regularly for the past 30 odd years, since I was really young, and we’ve been coming as a family for the past 16 years. The tearoom has changed management many times, yet the food and service has stayed top quality...

This place is not the same as years before. After a refurbishment a few years back the entire restaurant echos with the noise of metallic chairs. The ambiance has gone. They used to have some great home fries which they no longer do as their...

Terrible. Full of noisy dogs. Dog odour. Dirty floor. Left immediately. This cafe could be so much better.

Was there with tye Wife & my 3 year old niece In & had to wait a few minutes to be seated. People getting turned away in February can only imagine how bus it gets in high season lol Menu quite basic but food all...

So sad it used to be such a cracking wee place. Not sure if owners have changed but we haven't been for a few years. Our experience was very disappointing. Service poor. Food not good. Food was overcooked. If you cant cook eggs really you...

On the island visiting family we are from West Yorkshire and our family brought us here today for a meal. Absolutely beautiful fresh food, staff were very friendly and helpful even with how busy it was they still did a great job. The lemon meringue...

Sadly I have to report that my favourite tearoom has lost its charisma . The staff need to go on a course of how to interact with the public. A frosty- faced waitress pointed me to a table. Absolutely no idea of how to address...

We have been coming to this cafe for ten years but hadn't been for a while. I used to say to friends it was the 'best cafe in the world.' I couldn't say that now, sadly. There was certainly helpful service with a smile. My...

Had a wee visit to the Isle of Bute this week with my girlfriend, upon arriving we decided to head out to Ettrick Bay where I was aware of the tearoom. It is a busy little cafe, we had to wait about 45 mins which...

Called in after taking the dog for a walk along the bay and play in the water. Pleasant young lady pointed us to a seat.... that's pointed us, not showed us. Okay, I guess that's how it works here. Place was clean, tidy and about...

Ordered chicken cujons got 3 bits of chicken no batter no breadcrumbs just plain dry overcooked chicken sitting on overlly wet salad and what looked like out of date mustard dressing ... seems a bit expensive

Stopped off for a sandwich and a couple of portions of their delicious cheesecake... Prompt service as always from here

We had a breakfast roll each which was nice but my fried egg had black bits stuck to it as if the oil or surface hadn't been cleaned. There was a strong smell of old cooking which put me off and to be honest the...

Such a great location with fab potential but so disappointed. Burgers a key part of the menu but didn’t have any. Ordered fish fingers for the kids and 10 minutes later said they didn’t have any. The only other bit meat thing was scrambled egg...

I have always loved the cafe but on today's visit have to say it has gone down somewhat in my estimation. Food is OK and cheesecake is still sublime but service is not as attentive. May be just the staff on the day.

Found this place on a a cold windy day in July. The coffee and cafe were excellent and the staff lovely and friendly.

Some advice to those wanting a toasted sandwich and wishing to sit outside. Pretend that you are going to eat inside and then take your sandwich out with you. We made the mistake of admitting that we were intending to eat outside so were not...

We visited Ettrick Bay and found the tea shop in a lovely location next to the shore. We only just got a table but there were plenty of staff and we ordered tea and a tea cake which arrived promptly and was very welcome. This...

Slow service.... dirty and poor disorganised cafe. Toilet facilities are ancient. Could be so much better.

This could be a fantastic beach cafe but it looks tired and a bit like a transport cafe. It is in a perfect location overlooking Ettrick Bay. It’s really just needs a bit of TLC. There was a lot of rubbish outside and overflowing bins....

Ordered scones. Had to stand outside for nearly 15 minutes waiting for him. Watched the employee handle them without washing his hands after taking money from several other customers. The scones were tasteless, cheap shop bought ones. The outside seating area had lots of litter...

Very popular spot with locals, visitors and people coming to the beach. Had a tasty egg & bacon sandwich which I ate outside; when the rain started, I went back inside to wait out the weather. After the sun came out, I enjoyed walking the...

Walked over to this tearoom from Rothesay yesterday - highly recommend the walk too. We had coffee and cake - the Apple Pie and Victoria Sponge. Both home made and delicious. The view from the cafe window is spectacular - even in the rain. Fabulous...

Good breakfast and lunch menu with choices for vegetarians. Jacket potatoes, wraps, club sandwiches, fry ups, omelettes, cakes - that kind of thing. The cafe filled up quickly when we were in (around midday on a Sunday), but service is fast and friendly. Dogs welcome.

We went here for some lunch after a walk on the beach. It wasn’t a warm day so we sat inside. It is right on the beach so has nice views. I was only planning to have a sandwich but was tempted by the omelette....

We spent a few days on The Isle Of Bute and our favourite place to eat was Ettrick bay Tearooms, fantastic friendly staff, great food and a beautiful view. Value for money and a great choice... If you go to The Isle of Bute you...

Abs beautifully situated. Views are out of this world. Plenty of benches outside. Varied menu, specials available and very reasonably priced. Food was fresh, hot and tasty. A must go to place if you are in the area. Well done to all. A brilliant takeaway...

As regular visitors to Bute we were here at New Year and what a wonder the Ettrick Bay Tea Room is - open even on the 1st January in Scotland! Great service and a menu that you would expect to grace any good cafe with...

This is a really good stop right in the beach at Ettrick Bay. It definitely needs some money spent on the exterior which looks tired and very dated but if you ignore this and go in, the food and coffee is great! Add to that...

We were just touring Bute. There was this beach cafe, so we called in for a cuppa. It was a Tuesday. Opposite side of the island of Bute to the main town of Rothesay. On a cup de sac going to a cold, wet, empty...

Open for breakfasts, light lunches, and as the name suggests, a wide range of tempting cakes, nothing can be more enjoyable than coming in off the beach or from a long walk and admiring the view out to sea over a pleasant selection of food...

Extremely friendly staff across the board. Wonderful views across to the West and the beach simply cries out to spend some time around the area. Great mains (burgers/breakfast rolls and chips for us) and generous portions. The Lemon Meringue Cheesecake is indescribably delicious and would...

We discovered this cafe by accident and were so glad we did. The staff were friendly but also very Covid aware and did everything to make sure you and they were safe. The cakes are superb. I had the carrot cake which was the best...

Food was good but staff were rude and unpleasant. It is the only cafe on the beach so I suppose they don’t need to be big on pleasantries with the customers, however the rest of the people we met from bus drivers to other cafe...

We arrived by bike on a Monday lunchtime. The place was pretty busy but the weather was good so we decided to sit outside and order from the kiosk window and the restaurant was full. When we tried to order we were told that they...

Warm welcome and comforting food to be found at Ettrick Bay Tea Room. Staff immediately directed us to seating and were there to take our order straight away despite being very busy on a windy, wet day. Plenty of choice but we decided on the...

Very difficult to write this. I've been coming to the island and to this team room for more years than I care to remember and I genuinely don't want to harm this business. But upon my most recent visit I feel compelled to provide some...

Little cafe on the beach, friendly staff, lovely view across to Arran, not many small bites to eat, more cakes or then main meals. Only this place on the beach, worth the little bus trip out

Dog friend. Big plus. Nice food and excellent cake, especially after a windy walk on the beach. Staff were very friendly. This is a good place to spend your pennies.

Fab eatery right on the beach. Amazing staff - friendly and efficient. Lots of sandwiches, hot meals, homemade soup and wonderful cakes. Dog friendly. Practically perfect in every way.

The menu has changed and they no longer do the home fries and the food dose not seem to be as good quality as before. The staff are not as attentive as they were under the last management we sat at out table for almost...

A well established cafe on the island still lots to offer. Warm and friendly service, good food freshly made. Cakes well worth the calories! Coffee fair. Down side gents toilet only had urinals working. Otherwise a warm welcome and tasty treat with great views of...

We were on the Isle of Bute for a family holiday, I hadn’t been in years and it was great to bring my family for a trip down memory lane. After walking the dog along the beach we popped into the cafe with our one...

This is an old fashioned diner type cafe. First impressions were of a dated interior but once seated the service and food won us over. There is a huge menu and although we just had coffee and cake the food being brought out of the...

Get the one minor criticism out the way first,….us and the customers after us while we were there followed the instructions at the entrance to wait to be seated. And yes we did wait , and wait and wait , despite the cafe being almost...

Lovely location. Food is great (cheesecake is to die for) but have to say that the outside area was grubby needs a really good tidy up.

Staying on Bute for a few days, we explored the island and found this beautiful spot. The tea room cafe is right at the beach. Great views out over the bay. Staff were friendly and polite. Menu was pretty decent. Prices were average. Food was...

We tried to visit the tearoom yesterday for lunch after a lovely morning on the beach…..we have been visiting this tearoom every year for the last 25 years and now we won’t be going back! The member of staff was quite rude when we asked...

Such a great spot for a lovely cafe, and although the staff were super friendly it was so grubby, the outside was covered in weeds and overflowing bins, and the toilets were disgusting - no soap or sanitiser. This could be such a brilliant place,...

We ate out at this tea room and very much enjoyed the huge homemade cakes! Excellent selection and great value for money.

Whilst the food was reasonable when it arrived, it's not quite the Quaint tea room that the tourist board would lead you to believe. It's more like a beach shack serving fried foods galore. Probably needed an update, as although I disagree with other comments...

I know this tearoom well, the food is fine, staff pleasant, but the outside seating area is a disgrace, bins overflowing, ground covered in cigarette butts, discarded face masks etc. The one outside toilet's bin is also overflowing with paper towels, there was no soap,...

Well maintained and pleasantly decorated establishment. Welcoming staff and great service. Be prepared to be very pleasantly surprised by the extent and quality of the menu which caters well for vegetarians. We were so impressed by the food we returned the next day. The beach...

We have been visiting Bute for many years and this tea room. Sadly feel over last few visits it has gone downhill. Food was reasonable . In these days of Covid disappointed to find the table we were shown to had not been cleaned ,...

It was a sunny afternoon so the atmosphere was busy with plenty of customers. Understandably service was a bit slow, so we had a bit of a queue and a wait for our food. Not a big deal on a gorgeous day. On the plus...

Unhelpful, rude and generally a very bad experience. Try to avoid if you can and bring a packed lunch.

Stopped to spend some money in a local business having cycled around Bute....1st thing on my mind was to refill my bike water bottle. Spoke to a member of staff on entering who was unsure. She asked another member of staff who stated they were...

Excellent service, friendly staff, good selection on menu. Lovely burger and curly fries. Nice strong cup of tea. Will be back.

Visited there on beautiful sunny day so sat outside with amazing views. Bought a latte, tea, empire biscuit and enormous portion of homemade strawberry cheesecake for £7.50 so good value we thought. Not able to comment on full menu or the interior of cafe but...

I should have reviewed some weeks ago as we were there several times at end of August. Covid distancing works really well with a one way system, screens between tables, hand gel and also masks are worn by staff so some prior reviews from people...