Ghillies Cellar Bar & Bistro in Highland

We visited this place to have a drink or 2. Kingussie does not have any pub really, Chillies is associated to a hotel in the area so the staff gives priority to hotel guests, not us visitors and nothing is wrong with this, priorities are in place I guess.

We found the food tasteless and expensive for the extremely small portions. The ti y tea cup bowl of soup did not taste home made. The cafe down the road gives you 5x more if fresh home made soup for the same price. The calamari was about 8 small tasteless and soggy pieces. We would recommend you fo not waste your time and money here.

Tasteless food!!! On overall, waste of money 😢The place needs new chef and menu. Staff is friendly, but this cannot compensate the rest.

Barman was amazing and knowledgeable and felt like I could have spent then evening, then our food arrived, major thumbs down. Steak pie was steak and gravy in a bowl with side of mash, no veg, no pastry and steak and gravy was so salty almost inedible if we were not so hungry. Decided to move on. Shame as our evening started out well.

Rang to book a table and was very rudely told that non-residents of the hotel cannot book a table and cannot eat here. Very surprised to hear this as there is nothing on their website that says this, even more surprising as we were here last June and ate here on 3 occasions ,without any issues. Also gave them a great write up,

Not impressed with the food. My husband got the haggis for starter, one haggis finger, very small portion for the price. He got the pork and veg for main course. Wasn't impressed by it. I got fish for main course which was ok but the veg tasted like it had been reheated. I got cheese and crackers , 3 tiny pieces of cheese, a small piece of celery and a few grapes. Won't be eating there again unless it improves greatly. I did say to the staff about it but nothing was done.

Went in for dinner at 7.50pm, the website said they stopped serving at 8.15, so perfect. Sat down, nothing. Went to the bar at 7.55 to ask about ordering. I was basically barked at saying the website is wrong, the kitchen shuts in 3 minutes, so hurry up. Upon further questioning, I discovered there are two menus but you have to order all meals off only one as there are two separate chefs and the two don't intertwine. Very brusque interaction. We decided to vote with our feet and walked straight out.

We enjoyed our visit here on a dark damp night at the end of October. Service was good and we were made to feel welcome. Food was OK - the vegetarian burger was fine and the fish and chips OK though the fish was the smallest of its kind I have met. Nevertheless it was well prepared and we enjoyed our meal.

OK food poor area, cobwebs and dead flies in windows, sums up this hotel. better t eat in there than the hotel dining room

Wish we had found this earlier, would have eaten here all week. Great food, good service from the young waitress and barman. An older barman was a bit grumpy. Bar was quiet just some couples on a coach holiday.

We had a quick lunch here on arrival in Kingussie. Good Covid systems in place and a decent menu. Reasonably priced, too.

We only had lunch in the Ghillies Cellar Bar & Bistro once during our 5 day stay. The gingerbread latte was delicious & so were the sandwiches. The bar attender, who was Polish, was a pleasant & helpful man.

Visited on the 1st Jan, soup and a drink. The Vegetable soup tasted bland and odd, very dull looking, ? Had been from day before and liquidised. Staff nice, but once I said about odd taste very little eye contact. How can a bowl of soup be so wrong

Drove out from home a few miles to the Duke of Gordon, for a light lunch. This was our first visit. Entered the Ghillies Rest, the only member of staff did not look up from his mobile phone. We had to interpret his concentration upon his mobile phone activity to find out if we could have a light lunch. The bar lacked atmosphere and the staff member did not want to be here. Spent the majority of his time on his mobile phone, leaving the bar at times unattended sitting in the restaurant. All, in all a very poor showing. Better establishments in the Strath. Food and drink ordered and brought to the table. No attempt was made to who had ordered what, sandwiches just placed on the table. Standard white bread and catering fillings. The

We visited each evening during our stay in the hotel. The bar has a cosy, friendly atmosphere, and the staff are both efficient and friendly.

Good variety of drinks and meals and snacks staff always helpful and friendly it’s a very pleasant place to meet up with friends

We visited Ghillies on 2 occasions while on holiday and had a very good meal on both occasions. Lovely homemade soup, meat and tatties,fish and vegetarian. Good selection reasonably priced. Good service. Would recommend

My brother and I, after a day’s adventuring with him around Kingussie and Insh Marshes, wanted to find somewhere to take our Dad as it was his birthday. We happened upon Ghillies Rest Bar in the heart of Kingussie and part of the Duke of Gordon Hotel. We had a nice dinner and some welcome Cairngorm Ales in quiet and comfortable surroundings. What made our visit extra special was that the staff overheard that it was Dad’s birthday and rustled up a birthday cake free of charge without being asked and presented it to him. It really made his day and so I would just like to thank the bar and restaurant staff for their kindness and generosity - great customer service!

We went to the lounge bar for dinner. The food was good and the staff friendly. It's nothing special but served the purpose.

We popped in here for coffee a couple of times - the coffee is good, the staff are friendly. We preferred the atmosphere and armchairs of the hotel lounge to the bar itself.

Stopped for food and I am sorry to say it was really bad. The quality of the produce was cheap. The hamburger was like rubber and just utter cheap rubbish. You need to improve the overall experience. Very dissapointing. Hope this review makes you re evaluate what is being offered.

Literally eating now food is bloody awful food is frozen chips and the burger meat tastes off crap it's mc Donalds is better than this. Salad not cold and looks like its been laying there for a while.

È un pub accogliente e tranquillo, l’ambiente ė grazioso e il personale è gentile. Ordiniamo una birra bionda locale (buona), zuppa del giorno e salmone. I piatti sono buoni sia come quantità che come qualità. La presentazione non è particolarmente curata. Ottimo il rapporto qualità-prezzo. Sicuramente ci torneremo.

Nice meal here . Food was good but a little basic. A good choice of dishes. Service excellent and we would visit again.

Lovely looking hotel, we were staying in Kingussie for the evening and decided to go in for a meal. The food was decidedly average although not expensive, beer was OK and staff were friendly.

We came in on a Friday evening and they made a bit of a thing about not booking, but there were plenty of empty tables.

Although we only popped in for drinks the food being served looked very tempting. Service by the friendly waitress was very good, checking that all the customers were happy or in need of anything, she seemed to be a popular girl. Took our order at our table and then quickly brought over our drinks, same with our bill. Pleasant relaxing atmosphere with good music but not too loudly.

Stayed in the hotel and never ventured from the Ghillies bar to be fair. Cosy, the staff are fantastic nothing or no request is to much trouble. Love this place and it has excellent real ales too!

Outdoor seating overlooking town gardens. Range of food for lunch or larger meals. Centrally located and right on the East Highland Way walk.

We were staying at the hotel and on our last night decided to have our meal here. This was on the strength of the quality of the breakfasts.

We have been to this bar within the Duke of Gordon Hotel over a few years (many) It has appeared in the past in the basement and in its current location, the front corner of the Hotel. The only problem with this bar is that it does cater for its Hotel customers, (common sense and nothing with that) but if the bar is not busy it is shut about 9 - 9.30 pm then moved inside the Hotel for residents only, and if they are serving a cask beer, it is not replaced on the night (seems to be a trend not just here) When in action it is a really decent bar. A Historic Hotel.

We stopped at Ghillies for lunch and were the only patron's there. We ordered a mix of hot and cold sandwiches which were all pretty good. (I enjoyed the hot pork roll with stuffing and gravy). The service was very friendly but a little slow. We ate upstairs in the bistro but I peeked downstairs in the pub/bar and it looked really cozy-- a great place to go for drinks. The free car park is right behind Ghillies which makes it extra appealing if it's pouring rain.

Service rapide et discret. Carte variée. Tres bons scampis. Pavé de saumon tres bon. Portions correctes.

We only had pre dinner drinks here. Service Ok lager and wine prices average. Didn't eat here so cannot comment on food quality.

Me paré aquí la semana pasada, ya que había pasado el almuerzo y realmente necesitaba comida. Pedí sopa y sándwiches, que no pude terminar. El tamaño de la porción era buena - sándwiches están revestidas triples pero no es necesario.

We popped in for a drink on two occasions and found it to be clean and tidy very pleasant. The hotel attached is nice and well appointed.

We had an ok lunch - nothing special - service ok.Seating outside was a bit old and wobbly Venison casserole nice

As mentioned in my review for the Duke of Gordon hotel this is a lovely little bar that is nice and relaxing. Good for a quiet few drinks. Nice atmosphere. Not too big and not too small.

Great service, roadside service station style food. Starter of chicken pate was ok but presentation was poor with only two oatmeal crackers and no butter with a tiny garnish of flaccid lettuce. The salmon was overlooked and dry with a small nod to vegetables (three slices of carrot and a few resentfully produced greasy potatoes) . I had the mince and tattles. I am still trying to figure out how such an easy comfort food dish can be destroyed! The mince was over salted and at the same time tasteless. I can only think that the meat had somehow been scalded so any meat juices and flavour were removed by nuclear heat. We ate half of the food because, being a Sunday evening most other places appeared shut. Shame because see this historic hotel deserves better.

We ate in this bistro only the once the food was awful the staff more interested in each other than in the customers would not recommend to anyone

We had lunch in the Ghillies bar a couple of times, excellent service and food, the staff were very friendly and helpful.

Tasty triple deck sandwiches with crisps freshly made. Prompt service even though quite busy with soup n sandwiches for tour group.

We happened to be in the area at lunch timea and stopped here for a bite. A few people were in the establishment. It looks like it has been around for awhile. Service was friendly but a bit on the slow side. We got burgers, fries, beer; usual things. Nice meal but nothing out of the ordinary. Restrooms are down flight of stairs and then down a hallway.

used this bar regularly for drinks before our evening meal, great atmosphere, pleasant surroundings, friendly staff. We had a great holiday.

Went for a drink of Stella beer after day out. Small cosy . TV on quite. You can have hot soup. Or snack. 10/10 for cleanliness. Service good and polite.

My husband and I went to the Ghillies cafe yesterday to have a late breakfast.The welcome was smiling and warm.We ordered Earl Grey tea and scones (one plain for me and one with fruits for my husband).The tea was just ok (not super good quality).And then when we got the scones they looked like overcooked muffins.They were stale, overcooked. The butter served with that was so soft (almost liquid) and smelt rancid. I preferred not to eat it.Bad experience.

Great service and a nice bar for the thirsty traveler. Outside seating lovely on a sunny day! Opposite a small park.

Popped in here for a drink on way back to our hotel and liked the attitude of staff and the bar menu we booked for later and it was no problem getting the time required.The food was execellent as was the service.Nice pleasant clean place.

Visited twice during our recent visit to Kingussie. Highly recommend the fish and chips, and the mussels. Thank you to Mike for looking after us on both occasions.

I was staying at the hotel and went in for lunch and a drink. The local beer was gorgeous and I had a light lunch, which was also lovely. The bar staff were very nice and helpful too.

I dined here and was pleased with the friendly service by the young staff food was good so no complaints here.I'd definitely recommend this comfortable restaurant.

Being next door to our guest house we popped in for a drink or two and found the staff to be very pleasant and friendly. Haven't tried their food but meals being served smelled very nice.

After two poor experiences in Kingussie, we decide to try this bar and were pleased to find a welcoming bar lady with a good selection of malt whiskies. Did not eat here, but pleasant place to have a drink

We struggled to find somewhere open in Kingussie for coffee on Sunday and were reluctant to try a big hotel but we had great coffee there charmingly served.

We stopped here on our way back to our accommodation. We sat down and a waiter came to take our order, we waited in a place that lacked atmosphere. After about 20 minutes our meal was brought to the table, my husband had to go and ask where our drinks were, the waiter brought them over 5 minutes later, laughing telling us that he had forgotten them. The portion size of the meals were small and the dessert sizes were no better. I was surprised when the bill was given to us. Wish I had checked some reviews before going in.

Very attentive staff and lovely meal of fish and chips with a bottle of wine. e were able to listen to the entertainment after our meal. We returned the next day at lunch time and had very nice soup.

We were the only ones in the entire restaurant and the waiter was nice enough - the burger was great and the chips were average but there just seems to be something lacking here. No atmosphere whatsoever.

Staying at the Duke of Gordon for a weekend break, we decided to opt out of the formal dinner on the Friday night, deciding on a supper in the bar instead. The fish and chips and steak pie that we ordered were excellent. Highly recommend!

Took my daughter here for a treat and we both ordered the Pork Belly which sounded delightful. The staff were friendly and the service was good. Sadly the quality of the Pork Belly let the meal down completely, we both had two large portions that had been over seasoned totally with crushed black pepper (I like black pepper but there is a limit) and the crackle had all been burnt black. The base of the Pork Belly had all the white gristle bones running through it which should have been cut out and it took a lot of effort to actually cut the meat. The veg and gravy were fine but the Pork was nearly inedible when it should have been soft and easy to cut through.

Not a bad place to grab a quick bite. Service was good and the food was fair for the price. Not fine dining or good for a night out but would go back for a late lunch or afternoon tea.

This place is next door to Arden House where we were staying so we just had to pay a visit, very friendly staff in a nice welcoming hostelry. They have a good menu and good choice of drinks. We understand this is a hotel used a lot by coach tours but when we were there it was nice and quiet. Definitely will return.

Popped in for a few drinks after a lovely meal at the hotel we were staying at in Kingussie. Lovely atmosphere and great staff!

A good and cosy place. Did not avail ourselves of the food but the bar is clean, light and warm with a tv for anyone wanting to catch up on the latest soap.Prices are quite reasonable seeing it is part of a large hotel and the staff were friendly and helpful.You can spend a very nice hour or more here.

Pleasant room for a drink at the end of a strenuous day, or even a day chilling out. Snacks are served, but we did not avail of these.

Food advertised as home made but is of very poor and cheap standard. I ordered the homemade beef burger that is described as hand made in the premises. It came as 2 very thin patties that you could tell were the cheapest the caterers sold. The type you would expect from a burger van. Awful frozen chips undercooked. My partner ordered the chicken ceaser salad. Just iceberg lettuce and sauce from a bottle with grilled chicken. About £8 on average so not an expensive mistake but wouldn't go back

Great for a lunch time quick meal Mike the barman is very efficient and pleasant. Just a little disconcerting to have a huge TV with picture but no sound and then music playing as well!!

Have eaten here a few times in the last 5 years, particularly given that there's limited choice in Kingussie for evening meals these days. This last meal was awful. Food tasted like it was mass produced and out of a freezer (probably because it was), worst burger i have had in ages. half the amounts of chips you get from another bar in town. Nachos starter was just a bag of tortilla chips with the same sour tasting cheese that "blessed" the burger, no relish, jalapenos, nothing else. Thankfully the TV was off for a change, but why not play some quiet Scottish music in the background?

Great little place to have some lunch or dinner as is all the food from the local region and is all homemade stuff poppin on your way up the A9 and have a little break and something to eat

You'd think it hard to ruin a hot pork roll yet somehow they managed it. The meat was incredibly fatty and slathered in mayonnaise, not a bit of apple sauce in sight. Beer selection was good, but I was hoping for better food. My other half was content with his burger which he said 'tasted like a wimpy burger' (not sure if that's a good thing or not) I on the other hand had 3 bites of my roll and gave up. I do not like going hungry.

just average,service very slow, one member of staff,serving drinks,taking food orders,then the coaches arrive!!!!

Very busy but the staff were excellent, found us a table and then moved us to a better table. The food was lovely and there was a nice atmosphere, totally relaxing. This was our last night in Kingussie, otherwise would have returned for another meal.

We were staying overnight here at The Duke of Gordon Hotel and decided to have a lunchtime coffee and later, a bar supper.Lunchtime coffee was good. It gave us a chance to browse the menu and we decided to have a bar supper later. They serve food continuous from noon until evening so you can virtually eat when you want.We had the 500g Dukes burger (what a burger!) and scampi and chips followed by the Chocolate Fudge Cake. Washed down with "Trade Winds" and a bottle of "House Red"Good food. Would eat here again.

Called in just before 8pm when they stop serving and they kindly let us order and it was the best Cajun chicken I've ever had. Great service and excellent food, would recommend to anyone in the area

This was close to our accommodation, so was a quick walk up the road. The bar / restaurant was busy on the night, but the staff were excellent with their service.Had the venison stew along with potatoes / veg, very tasty and good portion with the local ale on tap to drink.Was a pleasant nice evening out.

I have eaten here several times (am fairly local) and not been disappointed yet. Have had the pork belly, the duck, and the cheeseburger, and all have been superb. Friendly (if a little slow) service, will definitely return again.

Poor service, poor quality food, terrible coffee, long wait for food, no atmosphere, terrible music in the background!

Good range of bar snacks and lunches. Very friendly staff and despite being a large hotel still felt intimate. We were sitting in an area at the front of the building which overlooks a park and enjoyed watching the world go by. Happy to recommend.

Lovely place good atmosphere, staff very helpful, food served quickly and piping hot, would revisit.

We have been here with locals (doing the occasional ceileidh) quite a few times in June 2015. Marina is a very dear and helpful hostess, with a pleasant accent.The restaurant serves its guests through two menu's: coaches/hotelguests or non residents, but hotelguests can choose from the non residents menu as well.We dined here before attending Patsy Reid's concert and ate very well, at the right pace to make it in time without too much of a rush.Thank you, Marina and other staff.

We were staying in Kingussie and wanted an evening meal. The staff are very friendly and the range of drinks excellent.The food however was awful - I cannot see how you can get pub food wrong but Ghillies and the Duke of Gordon managed to do so. My sister had the chicken breast which was so dry it could not be cut with a knife. I had a burger which had virtually been cremated. My partner had the fish and chips which was inedible. If you are just going for a drink then it is perfectly fine but do not expect a decent meal.

Great value lunches for seniors and good value for younger folks too. Soup and sandwich was delicious as was fish and chips. Carpark was large and convenient. Atmos was fun, clean and good service.

good food and reasonably priced. good selection of beers etc disliked nothing.Bar manager very nice and chatty taking a real interest in you and happy to offer advice on what to do/where to go etc.

Welcoming, comfortable, nice food/drink well served,BUT THURSDAY NIGHTS JAMMING SESSION which v you're welcome to join in is absolutely BRILLIANT-would even be worth having to put up with warm beer to be there!!! (but that won't happen). Do just turn up and enjoy a whole evening of fantastic musicianship with a warm welcome and a cold beer, or whatever takes your fancy.

The meals were reasonably priced and they had some good real ales on offer. The pub was busy but we managed to find a table and the service was very good considering how busy they were.

We had a very good meal here. Nice views and the atmosphere is great. Was a great place to eat. Kind staff.

Loved the food, the wait staff, the music & the ambiance! Not happy with our tour guides, Samantha & Scot of MacKenzie Adventures, aka The Jamie and Claire Tour.

No welcome, cool room, mediocre beer, poor choice on the menu, even worse on the plate. The menu choices feel and sound like they are bought from a mass produced commercial supplier and are reheated in the kitchen. Unfortunately they couldn't even heat the food beyond warm. Bland tasteless uninspiring slopped on the plate kind of rushed catering big chains did in the 90s. For a major hotel in a big tourism area a big disappointment especially when other places are working hard to lift the offering. This place is best avoided and left to wallow in their own pity unless they lift their game and join the 21st century adventure focus on quality local ingredients well cooked and well trained polite staff they deserve to sink. It isn't difficult to do but they are failing.

We recently ate here on evening. The staff were friendly and very attentive.Our food arrived very quickly ans was extremely tasty. My Wife had duck which melted in the mouth and I had the burger which I would recommend.

Nice clean place. Nice outlook. Friendy staff.Good local cask ales. Good fruit scone, but not much fruit in it.

Decent pub food, does the job, nothing really stood out on the menu, the usual pub selections. Good service. Good choice of local whiskey.

On Thursday evenings there is a folk music session with the local musicians. A great evening and they are very keen to have an audience.

Enjoyed our pre-dinner drinks in a friendly, atmosphere. Met other guests who were enjoying their stay and sampled the various Malt Whiskies on offer and there was a special price for the Malt of the Week. We met a couple who were staying in a local B&B and they said the food in Ghillies was excellent. The menu prices seemed very reasonable compared with other such establishments. Sorry we missed the Thursday night "Jamming" Sessions.

A nicely decorated pub, with a large range of whiskeys.There was a reasonable choice on the menu, however, a severe lack of chicken dishes.The food was ok, but, nothing of note.The batman was friendly enough.

The food was excellent, unfortunately heating was turned up too high so had to cut our second visit short! Staff were polite and friendly.

Good menu, good food, good service.Big car park.Highly commended but not gourmet food. View from windows of main road and public gardens.

The staff were attentive. The food was very good and the portions were large. The price was in line with other places where we ate in the highlands. The atmosphere was good as we were sat in a window filled with sunshine overlooking the town park and memorial with beautiful flowers. There were also used books on the window ledge that were available to buy for a minimum price and gave the two of us a good conversation starter as we discussed out favourite authors and books. Great desserts!

Only stopped here a few times for a drink but found the surroundings very pleasing and seating comfortable, the staff are nice and its next door to Arden House where we stay when we visit Kingussie so pretty handy if the weather let's you down!

Was a cute little bar with friendly service. The food was average, but there wasnt alot of options in the area, so this may be one of your better choices. The prices were quite cheap as well.

had soup, chip butty etc, 3 of us. very nice, bit pricey. cosy little bar in Duke Of Gordon Hotel, easy to miss unless you know it exists.

my family and I ate here on the last night of our stay in the highlands. not a great choice on the menu if you are a fussy plain eater like me, I usually go for chicken but there was nothing I fancied from the main meal menu so I had a ciabatta with bacon and mozzarella. I wasn't really looking forward to it but it was really nice bacon was perfect for me. my husband had duck which he seemed to enjoy. kids had chicken nuggets which were made from real chicken breast. under 4's eat free with an adult dining which I thought was a boost. I would go back again