Fish Shop in Aberdeenshire

One of the best meals we have had in the UK in last few years, outstanding quality of fish and a real vibe about the restaurant. We had the tasting menu which we would highly recommend but the mains dishes being served to tables beside us also looked amazing, we plan to return to try them! All the staff were first class and Eilidh our main server was exceptional, great personality and has a real enthusiasm for what she does. Jas who leads the team is so engaging and runs a fantastic operation, on chatting to her we realised she ran one of our favourite restaurants in Edinburgh for several years and great to see that she and Marcus have taken the fish shop to a level even beyond that. This restaurant is worth a significant journey to experience. We hope to make that trip soon.

We had a really lovely dinner at Fish Shop last night. The food was absolutely delicious - fresh, simple yet sophisticated, and the atmosphere was relaxed and warm. The restaurant is beautifully decorated with thought put into every aspect of the design. The staff were welcoming and knowledgeable. I was apprehensive about our visit given that we were a party of 15 ranging from 4 to 74, with 7 children 13 and under. However we were made very welcome, the children were included and treated with kindness and respect. Between us we sampled a wide range from the menu (we passed on the 5 course chef’s menu, incredible value at £50), the youngest children chose from the children’s menu which unlike most children’s menus still had some more interesting dishes and the rest of us chose a la carte. Highlights were crab crumpets, anchovy toast, oysters, lobster tagliatelle, roast cod - in fact it was all a highlight. Please keep doing what you are doing! Thank you for a wonderful evening, we will be back.

This was one of the favourite meals I have had in years. The standard of cooking is high, the flavouring and seasoning is wonderful. The service is personable without being overbearing, and the staff attentive and knowledgable

A fabulous restaurant for seafood lovers using lots of local ingredients. Everything we ate was wonderful; additionally, the mocktail ‘margerita’ was a delight. The superb, friendly, helpful staff made the evening.

We went for lunch and then dinner Exceptional food well presented Friendly helpful front of house Excellent wines Stunning Well priced

Outstanding seafood, a real treat having this place in our wee village! Relaxed setting with excellent service. We’ve been a few times now and we think it gets better every time. Same friendly faces serving, menu keeps expanding!

This is a gem of a restaurant. Fantastic food and friendly but not intrusive service. Good wine list. We had a fantastic evening and will definitely return

Had read positive reviews of this place and it did indeed live up to expectation and was well worth the journey over the Lecht from Nethy Bridge. Great to find a restaurant with high quality cooking in an area lacking in quality dining. Fish dishes were cooked to perfection. The dark chocolate ice cream was superb. Staff were very welcoming, informative and not at all intrusive. The decor is spot on for a fish restaurant. The stand out dishes for us were the patron bree and the lobster taglarini. We will certainly visit again when next in the area.

Exceptional! Gorgeous environment, spot-on local sourcing ethos, excellent service, delicious wines. And then the food - there are not enough superlatives to do justice to the quality of the meal! Very highly recommended indeed - a wonderful restaurant, impeccably run. We will be back.

One of the nicest meals we have ever had in a superb setting. We were really cared for well by attentive and engaging staff. Great job team! We will definitely be back!

Another fabulous lunch at the fish shop. The staff are so friendly and helpful without being too intrusive. The lunch menu is refreshed regularly. The fixed price is good value but you can also pick from the full menu. The fish is cooked to perfection never overdone. We also bought some fish from the shop beautifully filleted by a very nice young man. Highly recommend.

We enjoyed delicious food, beautifully presented. The service was friendly and efficient, and the ambiance was relaxing. It's great to find fine dining on Royal Deeside; this was our first visit but it won't be our last!

What a find. Staff could not have been more helpful. We were a large crowd (14) and everyone was catered for. Food excellent, with starters to share, skate was delicious, and the dark chocolate ice cream with sea salt....fabulous !! Would highly recommend. Don't underestimate this lovely restaurant.

We went for a meal tonight for a special occasion. I emailed in advance as a couple of the people dining are "picky eaters". They were great, and went above and beyond to accommodate them. Everything was fabulous. The service was great, the food was superb. We had a great time. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere. The snacks are small, as has been said in previous reviews, but are delicious. The oysters were lovely. Although for our budget this place was pricey, I think it was worth the treat. I'd come back to Ballater just to go back to the restaurant.

Fabulous. Allergy taken care of. Staff were amazing. Very very pleasant experience. Spot less and clean toilets. Excellent *****

Whilst I cannot fault the food nor the service, particularly the young Scottish gentleman server lovely manner and humour. However, we visited with an elderly relative and requested some cushioning on the chairs , unfortunately whilst there were no cushions available I perhaps wrongly moved a back cushion from the table beside,to make my relative more comfortable, I was somewhat rudely reprimanded by the resturant manager, I believe. Stating that the resturant was fully booked for lunch and the cushion would be needed. Funnily enough in our two hours there nobody appeared at the table. We would have happily returned the cushion (unfortunately the sheepskins provided were not sufficiently comfortable) had the next table arrived for lunch, there is a way and certainly a means of how the resturant manager should adapt to the needs of such an elderly customer and how she approaches her customers

Staying in Ballater with relatives, who took us here. Very pleasant staff and ambiance, and the standard of fish cookery was top notch. Prices are nudging Michelin 1-star territory (e.g. £32 for a monkfish main), so I'd expect it to be. Nevertheless, the food was excellent (my roast cod was expertly prepared) and good portion size (although a crab-crumpet starter felt more like a canape - it certainly wasn't crumpet sized, but what do you expect for £4?). No service added to the bill (haven't seen that for a while - must be Scotland!), which is very refreshing given that London appears to have moved to 15% on everything. So after a "tip" we got out for £70 each, which we thought was pretty good given the standard on show. We'd definitely be keen to visit again next time we travel North.

Could not fault this restaurant in anyway. Staff were excellent from the second we arrived till we left. Very friendly, helpful and professional with a great knowledge of the menu. The food was amazing, oysters and lobster linguine were out of this world. Great stories behind all ingredients including the scallops which were hand picked off the west coast. A five hour drive from my home but will certainly be returning soon. Thanks for a great experience.

Fabulous restaurant with amazing friendly service. The food was unforgettable and must not be missed. We had our daughter’s birthday here and it was wonderful! Thanks to Jas and her team.

The fish shop in Ballater is a culinary haven that seamlessly combines the expertise of a Michelin star chef, the bounty of local ingredients, and the warmth of Scottish hospitality under the exceptional leadership of Jas, the manager. From the moment you step inside, you're greeted with genuine warmth and charm, a testament to Jas's passion for ensuring an exceptional dining experience for every guest.

an absolute dream, excellent food, excellent wine, fantastic service from the most knowledgeable and friendly staff

Great ambience and service. Pricey but consistently good food. Highly recommend. The halibut on the bone is exceptional

Every single fish dish was OUTSTANDING. The staff were also all EXCELLENT. The Fish Shop is very a worthwhile detour even if you need to drive a bit. Go! Enjoy!

My wife and I enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the Fish Shop, Ballater. It was our first visit and we will certainly be going back. We chose the set menu and were very pleased with all aspects of the meal from the welcome to our table, the wonderful friendly service from all the staff through to the food and ambiance. On arrival we were shown to a table for two next to a rather raucous table of ladies enjoying their Christmas lunch (and why not!) which was evidently going to make our conversation difficult to be heard. Without a word from us our attentive waitress showed us to a quieter table where we could enjoy our lunch in relative peace. Throughout the meal the service was excellent and the staff always had time for a little chat about this and that which was lovely. The food was delicious. Next time we plan to catch the bus so we can enjoy a good bottle of wine with dishes from the a la carte menu. What a treat to look forward to!

This restaurant was on our must do while visiting the area. So glad we did - wow the food was amazing. We ordered a wide range from the snacks, starters and mains (unfortunately there was no room for dessert) Can certainly recommend the tempura oyster,...

Our first visit to this beautiful restaurant and definitely not the last. The restaurant is beautifully furnished and has a nice casual feel. The food was exceptional. We had crab crumpets and scallops to start. The crumpets were amazing and could have eaten those all...

We had such a fantastic last night in Ballater and decided to make it a tradition to have our last dinner at the Fish Shop. The food was amazing. I would go back even though I am not a keen fish eater. They prepared something...

What a lovely restaurant and what great people looking after you. Eilidh was exceptional. The cod brandade stole the show, with everything else being beautifully cooked and presented. Worth the journey from the Fife Arms to experience this.

Lovely fresh fish, great service and a proper hidden gem. Couple of things ran out on the menu which I would’ve like to try but everything we ate was 10/10.

Perfect! Placed in no particular order - great decor, ambience, food (including gf options) and staff. We had a wonderful evening - thanks to all, particularly Eilidh - she's born to be in hospitatilty, the perfect balance of friendly, enthusiastic and professional.

It's been a long time since I was almost brought to tears because of the quality of a meal in the UK, simply the best for a long time!

Visited today as a result of Grace Dent's review and were not disappointed. Beautiful, carefully curated surroundings and facilities with helpful friendly staff. We had the 2 course lunch of brandade ravioli followed by tusk, a cod like fish accompanied by a lovely tartar, obviously...

A must visit if you are in town. Food was phenomenal and service no different. We had the lobster pasta and the whole plaice, with crab crumpets and mussels to start. Couldn’t fault it, what a brilliant restaurant. A great vibe inside. We would definitely...

Fabulous addition to Ballater. Proper fish restaurant! Outstanding food and service. Super happy, genuine team. Highly recommend and will definitely be going back. Like the refurb, really nice vibe.

An exceptional dining experience. The ambience, the service and the food were everything we expected. The XL scallops were just the best I have ever tasted. A beautiful piece of halibut followed and my companion's lobster tagliarini was also delicious. A place for a special...

Bring fish fanatics we were so looking forward to dining here and we were treated to a fabulous eating experience! From the beautifully designed interior to excellent knowledgeable service and fish and seafood delights on the menu! We were spoilt for choice, after much deliberation...

Booked Fish Shop as a lunch-stop on a journey to the North of Scotland. Set out from Perthshire to drive through stunning mountain scenery to Ballater. Parked right outside and waited behind a French family who didn’t seem to realize they weren’t in France (they...

We’ve been here a few times now and it is definitely our favourite place to eat locally. Amazing food in a classy but relaxed and friendly environment. Great menu choices, that are refreshed regularly so always something new to try. The staff are always very...

We were staying in the area and had heard about the Fish Shop and decided to visit! Our meal was outstanding and coupled with lovely friendly and efficient staff it made for a very enjoyable evening. Being fish lovers it was really up our street!...

Expensive and poor value for money. Limited menu. Very disappointed with the brown crab and the mussels.

Very expensive for what you get ,lobster at £58 and shellfish platter at £68 for 2 coupled with an indifferent service means we will not be returning.

Absolutely outstanding! Excellent food beautifully cooked and presented, the warmest of welcomes and a relaxed and friendly vibe. High quality food and service, we had a great night and are already looking forward to our next visit!

They say 'the world is your oyster ' well last night we found our oyster. This restaurant has it all. From the moment you enter to a warm welcome, to the service, ambience, and superb quality of food you relax and just soak up the...

We had the most delicious lunch, we stopped by and by chance they had room at the bar for us. Jaz and Marcus were gracious hosts and the food was amazing. The hand dived scallops were fresh and spot on, and the lemon sole and...

What a find! We just walked in asking if they had a booking for that night. Jasmine recognised our Aussie accent (she is an Aussie herself) and booked a table for us. We had oysters to start and then the seafood platter for two. From...

Thank you to Jaz, Marcus and the team for a fabulous lunch with delicious food and superb staff! A special birthday treat..Thank you!

Outstanding, not much more to say! Staff are welcoming, friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the menu.. Food is fantastic. Very fresh and cooked to perfection. Superb choice of wines Venue itself is lovely, nicely decorated. We'll definitely be back

The food was impeccable. The staff were incredibly helpful and knew so much about what they were serving. We had such a warm welcome.

An exceptional restaurant with a whole team of staff who are committed to you having a great occasion- all with a sense of humor! Scallops, mussels, halibut and Lobster - all outstanding- will definitely return

Stunning meal - we had the hand dived scallops followed by the Roast Halibut with fantastic sides of Hispi Cabbage and New Potatoes - one of the best tasting meals we have had in a long time + a lovely atmosphere - we will be...

This was our second visit to Fish Shop having been for dinner the first visit and now for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. Being a fisherman in the past and coming from the fishing port of Peterhead, I appreciate and value great seafood and the...

I spotted this, and especially the roast seafood platter, wandering around rainy Ballater and the menu just sang seafood and quality. We made a reservation yesterday morning for last night and I am so glad we did. We had scallops to start and then the...

We ate here with our children, whilst staying at the Fife Arms. What an exceptional meal! It never missed a beat. You cannot visit without trying the brown crab crumpet under the ‘snack’ part of the menu. But the lobster taglierini, halibut and all the...

We pitched up Saturday afternoon, no table booked. Had a wee seat for a drink and crossed our fingers But they pulled out the stops and managed to make room for us! And can I say what a lovely meal we had! Scallops was delicious...

A new dining venue for Ballater and will surely become a firm favourite with locals & visitors alike. We enjoyed lunch this time selecting dishes from both the lunch menu and the full menu. Friendly service and very well prepared and presented dishes.

Well what can I say aside enjoying the most delicious of lunches, the staff made our first visit here 12/10! It certainly won’t be our last that’s for sure! Booked last minute for lunch today and they couldn’t of accommodated us better and from the...

Wonderful addition to Ballater - delicious food (the seafood pasta and Pollock were amazing), great atmosphere and brilliant service. Look forward to returning on our next visit. Not a cheap option but we’ll worth it - order the crab crumpets!

Although a little on the expensive side, this is a restaurant truly worth going to. The staff are wonderful and knowledgeable and looked after us beautifully. More to the point, the food was excellent. Make sure you try the MacDuff crab crumpets which are very...

I think this was one of the best meals that I have had in a long time!Every single course was delightful.The ambience was chic and airy and the service was friendly and unobtrusive. Not the cheapest ,roughly 50£ a head,but worth every penny. I cannot...

Just had my first visit to this excellent restaurant and it definitely won’t be our last. The food was out of this world, the service top class and atmosphere warm and friendly. A great addition to the Ballater offering

Wow! Absolutely amazing food! Well worth the money you pay! Staff were super friendly and chatty! Thank you so much for a lovely evening!

The food and service was truly excellent however the tables are too close together especially on the back wall. I really did not want to listen or overhear other loud guests whilst dining and trying to enjoy such excellent food. John & Sue

A wonderful evening. Delightful staff, a beautifully designed restaurant. And the food, oh it was great. We shared small bites, the crumpet with crab was my favourite, and then had mains - both the cod and hake were delicious. A really lovely evening.

A very welcome and wonderful addition to the village if Ballater. Superb fish served in a "maritime" ambience. Extremely friendly and efficient staff and a warm welcome as you enter. Menue allows for sharing but that is not essential.

2 friends meeting for lunch, we chose from the 3 course lunch menu. At £24 for 3 courses, you couldn’t possibly go wrong! We anticipated the courses would be on the small size and ordered a couple of sides to go along with our main...

Nice atmosphere, Jazz and team are very cheerful and enthusiastic. The wine list is extensive if expensive. The food is delicious, fresh and well presented. This was my second visit. A nice addition to the offerings in Ballater.

Excellent food , very friendly and efficient staff . Warmly recommended. Very nice atmosphere in the restaurant. In Ballater, nice and small village along the Dee river .

This is a really nice restaurant with a busy modern vibe. Great service. Food delicious but expensive. I was disappointed that there weren’t more fish dishes around the £25-£30 mark - we both ended up having the lobster tagliolini which was delicious but the courses...