Helgi's in Orkney Islands

They hve got good vegeterian options. I enjoyed the food. Local beers! Plus is place is open till late compared to the small town of Kirkwall. And location is so reachable just in front of the docks with a nearby parking place.

Expectations were high following recommendations from our usually reliable travel agency. On arrival, we stood around and eventually had to ask a not very friendly barman where to go - go upstairs he said - your table is in the lefthand corner! Upstairs was noisy (loud swearing students) and dark ( light globe off over our table). Then waited 20 minutes for an even less friendly/responsive waiter to approach us about food and drinks. Food was actually OK (good solid food and value for money); desserts came without spoons and we could not catch the attention of the waiter to get any. In short, the evening was spoiled by the very poor service, despite some attempts at apology from senior waitress.

Fish and chips in the Orkney islands. Just the perfect location and close to the hotel. Atmosphere was amazing. Pub with all the trimmings.

Called in for a drink on arriving on the island. Beer was good, bar was full, staff we quick and friendly.

Really lovely lunch. Brilliant soup and toastie. Great service

Great atmosphere in this cosy wee pub/restaurant. Really good service, decent food and excellent drinks. Scala and Highland Park whisky, Orkney Brewery and the excellent Swannay Brewery beers. Lovely local gins too.

Friendly staff and pleasant atmosphere but disappointing tiny portion of fish and chips. Have had good meals in the past

Lovely food, including a great veggie Christmas Dinner. Staff friendly as always. Great pub.

I thought £16 was a lot for a weeny burger and a little tin of fries. It was. But I was charged the wrong bill and spent £35.80 for said burger and two pints. They had to ask before they allowed my service dog in, as well. Did not feel welcome.

Fantastic dinner on our stay in Kirkwall we both had entrees French onion soup and steak tartar , mains were delicious,steak and fish and chips and desert was equally delicious cheesecakes,we were seated in the upstairs with lovely views over the harbour , highly recommend

Sehr freundliche Bedienungen, super leckeres Essen! Restaurant sehr klein und dadurch schnell ausgebucht Klare Empfehlung!

We visited Helgis twice. The first day was fine, I had some delicious vegan soup of the day and the vegan burger. The service was okay, even though they mistakenly brought us a pint of beer instead of a pot of tea. The second time we went there were two servers which ignored us for about five minutes even though the pub was almost completely empty. They then left from sight and after 10 minutes one server asked us what we wanted to drink. We mentioned that we wanted to eat something as well (this was at 9pm). They then said that the kitchen was only open until 9pm which in my opinion could have been mentioned to us earlier than 10 minutes after we entered so we could have just gone somewhere else.

Great fresh food, Thai bites must be tried👏😁

Went in one evening and was told the restaraunt was fully booked, even though there were clearly places to sit at the bar, and no inclination on wait times, when we could come back, or if we would like to book a reservation. We asked if we could book for the next day and made a reservation for the upstairs dining room. Upon arrival the following day we were given a table on the ground floor (not upstairs as originally reserved) and were met with terrible service. We had to repeat the drink choices four or five times as the gentleman serving us did not understand the menu, we eventually had to point it out on the menu card while he copied it to his notepad. I ordered a classic beef burger with bacon added on which was extremely overcooked, unseasoned, and without bacon. I could not finish the burger and left promptly.

Lamb shank was nothing but fat and gristle. The "tiramisu was just a parfait with raspberries. A big disappointment food wise. The beer was good. Service mediocre

Great food and good service but the staff are so busy to give great service. Great seafood choices and the steak was delicious

Lovely spot for lunch overlooking Kirkwall harbour. Great burgers, good service even though there were only 2 tables in use upstairs and downstairs was busy

Sitting opposite the harbour in Kirkwall, Helgi's is a great spot to head for lunch. The menu is good, the food is good and the prices are also good! Cheery and attentive service without being intrusive

Arrived a few minutes early for table and waited at bar. Totally ignored for over five minutes. So in the end said hello and got hello back. Waited. In the end greeted and we had to ask if we could get a drink. Drink poured and told our table was ready. We asked for our drink that sat there behind the bar. Not shown to table. Not told what was and wasn’t available. After 20 minutes we were asked if we would like anything. We said we’d like to order. When we ordered the waitress said she wasn’t sure if the fish dish was available and went to the kitchen to check. Came back and said it wasn’t. Gave up at this point. Paid for drinks and left. Had a lovely lovely meal elsewhere and excellent service. Such a shame as we were so looking forward to eating at Helgis. That said we’d spoken to others earlier who’d had a similar experience to us.

Cozy friendly clean well stocked variety

Freundlich, zuvorkommend, aber nicht aufdringlich. Klasse Aussicht auf den alten Hafen, lokales Bier, einfach perfekt.

Nur mal reingesprungen für nen schnelles Bier, aber schöne Lokation

We tried to eat here on Saturday evening but they had no free tables. A good sign to be busy. We booked Sunday's lunch online and enjoyed nicely prepared tasty food in the upstairs room. Friendly, efficient, helpful waitress served us in clean nicely decorated premises. We remember when this was a shipping office and a good friend worked here back in the 60s!!!!

Food wasn't the best but the service was very good

Stopped by for food on a Wednesday in September but was fully booked. Had a couple of drinks, and its a small bar but great vibe, staff shaking cocktails and busy. I had one of the 5 local beers on draught, Scapa, a nice hop light ale hand pulled for just over a fiver.

Excellent food and service, top notch! Would definitely return and recommend.

It's a busy place with a lively atmosphere. Unfortunately had to wait a quarter of an hour for our booked table to be vacated. A further hour before food arrived, by which time I was too tired to enjoy it fully.

C'était fantastique, une super surprise d'avoir une cuisine de cette qualité aux Orcades! Le burger était un des meilleurs que j'ai pu manger en Ecosse et mes grand parents venant de France, ont beaucoup aimé la souris d'agneau, hyper fondante. N'oubliez pas de réserver parce que c'est plein tous les soirs.

Seafood delizioso, abbiamo preso due piatti tipici di pesce e abbiamo scoperto dei sapori locali interessanti, accostamenti con salmone affumicato e salse agrodolci, il solito pane con burro salato e un insalata condita con della roba piccante. Ad accompagnare il tutto dei deliziosi biscotti tipo digestive ma salati.

We had an excellent supper here before getting the ferry to Shetland.The service was friendly and efficient and we particularly liked the St Magnus local beer.

good range of moderm cuisine. Service was prompt and polite and the food was delicious. Not expensive.

We booked here for our final night on Orkney having checked out the menu of here and a few other places. My monkfish (special) was tasty but a tiny portion, whereas my husband’s “Old Man of Hoy” burger was huge. Puddings were the stars of the night. Pleasant and efficient service ensured a good meal!

This was a much anticipated visit. The bar was busy and we experienced a pleasant welcome. We ordered a bottle of Chilean Sauvignon Blanc but got a French vin de Pays. Not the same quality. My wife asked me not to say anything not wanting our meal to get of to a bad start by complaining. The vegetarian fajita was very disappointing. The tortillas were cold and not been warmed, the vegetables consisted peppers and onions and were in a sauce that was very runny. The only other things on the plate was cold salsa and sour cream and a tiny amount of cheese. No Guacamole, refried beans or Jalapeno peppers. The garlic bread served with the pasta was deep fried was not pleasant to eat. The seafood platter was very disappointed too. Not a lot of variety of fish offered at all. The overall feeling was disappointing considering the rating the on tripadvisor. Our bill came to £160 for 3 and one of our party had two starters. This represented a real lack of value for money in my view. The preparation and presentation of the food had the hallmarks of a team who do not have the passion and love of cooking and suggested perhaps a shortage of staff too. I have been teaching cookery for over 20 years and so whilst I can sympathise business be short staffed, I the customer experience fell short of expectations by a long way.

I am absolutely gutted that the food was in my mind well below par…always a popular place to eat I made sure I booked well in advance so I could get a table as they turned several solo travellers away last time & tonight. Last year I had the most amazing seafood chowder but this didn’t make it into the new menu..so tonight I ordered Sweet Potato, Coconut, Lime & Chilli Soup which sounded lovely …in reality it was absolutely awful all I could taste was salt it was as if someone had just tipped a whole salt cellar into this soup I had several mouthfuls then returned it as inedible …and made do with a portion of loaded Mac & cheese chips …the staff were friendly & apologetic …the atomesphere very welcoming …just something went horribly wrong tonight with the soup. However I know the food is usually top notch so I would encourage people to try this place out but book in advance. I am deeply disappointed that this year was so poor compared to last year …but I accept everyone is allowed an off day …easy on the salt chef & pop some chilli in perhaps ..hopefully altho this is a poor rating people will read my previous review dated 31 Jul 22 & know this clearly was just a bad day & will give Helgi’s a go.

Pas d'ambiance dans ce bar. 3 serveuses mais service médiocre malgré beaucoup de tables libres ! Ceci dit on mange bien.

Splendid fish and chips with homemade tartare sauce almost as good as mine. Pleasant helpful staff; decent wine; nice upstairs dining room.

We were excited about coming here having read various reviews but were disappointed with the food which just tasted pre- frozen. The sea food platter which sounded exciting was nothing more than a bit of smoked salmon, a small amount of fresh crab and some pre frozen tasteless prawns.

Good food and alternatives for people with food intolerances were offered. A bit pricey, though, as portion size was small. Very clean and welcoming establishment.

PUB agradable amb unes cambreres molt amables i simpàtiques i amb cerveses locals de les Orkney

Well worth booking as they were turning away people on. Monday night. Quality food, excellently cooked and very friendly service.

Great meal, friendly staff, good atmosphere

Busy harbour front bar serving beers, cocktails and food. Menu looked good but just a drink for us

Il locale in cui ci siamo trovati peggio di tutti quelli provati in 10 giorni alle Orcadi. Prezzi assolutamente esagerati...

Reservering hadden ze niet binnen gekregen, terwijl het 2x bij Visa vermeld stond (reservering via creditcard zodat je moet betalen...

Ordered lamb shank as a main. Suppose to be served with carrots , kale and mash potatoes. No kale on plate, mash lumpy, lamb very tough. No flavour. Couldn't eat. Did inform waitress,. A very disappointing meal. Wouldn't eat here again. We were recommended to...

Nice view of the harbour. Waitress was helpful, we found the food to be BORING, burgers with a tiny salad.lamb shank more gravy and dry. No allergie information on the menu and had to send one disk back it had onion in pea mint risotto...

Nice place for very tasty pub food. We had the lamb shank and fajitas, both were great. They also have a very extensive cocktail menu. Service may be somewhat slow sometimes, but the staff are friendly. Nice view of the harbour. It gets very busy,...

Poor service, overpriced food, same beer as next door…

The service is good. The sweet potato soup was delicious. The risotto does have much flavor. The group of very loud young women makes me wish I'd gone somewhere else.

A very lively place. As someone with hearing aids I had to take them out. The staff were so busy chatting to customers at the bar they didn't notice us come in which is why its only a 4 star. The food was excellent. Once...

After being shown to our table 2 nights ago we were ignored by all staff. After 20 mins sitting waiting for service , and watching incomers sitting at the bar being served we ordered drinks at the bar. Eventually we realised that there was no...

busy and hard to get a table. Unpretentious eatery with well priced menu. #Pub food style but well done.

Nice restaurant and bar near the harbour/waterfront in kirkwall. Good range of food and drinks available, food all freshly prepared and served by pleasant staff. Recommend booking to avoid disappointment.

Krásná hospůdka blízko přístavu . Milá a vstřícná obsluha . Na výběr mají z 6 točených piv. Ochutnali jsme polévku z uzených batátů s pečivem . Porce byla dost velká a polévka výtečná . Dále jsme si dali fish And chips a opět vše na prosto super a hodně velká porce. Hospůdka určitě stojí za návštěvu . Ceny přiměřené porce velké. Doporučuji

Great local restaurant. Staff were friendly and the menu and prices were good.

Good food, flavoursome, helpful staff. Quick service. Seating not so comfortable church pew upstairs.

Zondag om 12.30 uur gingen ze open, wij hadden niet gereserveerd en stonden 10 minuten eerder voor de deur. Dat...

Myself and my friend visited Helgi's twice in the last week while on holiday on Orkney. Both visits were great, the beer and the food were very good and the staff were very friendly. A special thanks goes to Jenna for looking after us very...

Servir pour un plateau de fruit de mer une assiette avec une boîte de crabes décortiquées...c'est pas vraiment attendu.

Myself and my friend visited Helgi's twice in a week while on holiday on Orkney. Both visits were great, the beer and the food were very good and the staff were very friendly. A special thanks goes to Jenna for looking after us very well and for the recommendations she gave me for different local gins to try. I would not hesitate to return.

We dined here two nights in a row during our holiday. It was a very comfortable environment with a varied menu and really good, tasty food. The service on the first night was excellent especially as it was quite busy and the girls on staff were constantly on the go. There were different staff on the next night and service was much slower - we had to wait a considerable time to order food after sitting at the table and then again to order dessert at the end of the meal. Would definitely recommend booking as it is a very busy venue and several walk-ins were turned away on both nights we were there.

We’ve been to Helgi’s several times over last 15 years or so while holidaying in Orkney and have always looked forward to eating here and having couple drinks. Unfortunately things have gone very downhill.. Food average, choices limited compared to previous times. And considering that...

Great place sat on the harbour front serving good food and drinks, nearby parking, great hosts and a friendly atmosphere. Definitely need to book as its very popular.

Disappointing dinner. Helgi’s was recommended to me by two people so we had to try as we were in Kirkwall. Menu was pretty boring but ordered starters and main. The baked cheese was due to come with cranberries but ended up being a shop bought...

My visit was on a Saturday night and as it was crowded downstairs the service was slow/intermittent upstairs. Overall a good meal in a relaxed environment

Friendly service good food and great location

Best lunch on Orkney. Super cute place with a saga theme.

Watch out for the prices on the menu, they add VAT 20% at the till. Pretty expensive for what you get !

Disappointing dinner, average at best. Not quite the gastropub experience I was expecting. The menu is very limited and quite random, mixing British pub staples like fish & chips with Mexican fajitas and Indian curries. This feels more like a bar than a proper restaurant. Tip: if you want a good dinner in an amazing setting, try lynnfield. Thank me later.

Average at best. Menu is a surprising mix of British, Indian and Mexican. Why not include more seafood, being a few meters from the sea?? I ordered a lentil soup and ended up with a carrot soup. This is just a bad serving some ok...

Great service and a excellent pint

Absolutely lovely place to eat ! Friendly service - very attentive and efficient. Food was home made , fresh, hot and delish!! Sat upstairs overlooking harbour, an altogether brilliant experience - would highly recommend .

Tasty food. Nice location on the harbour front.

Been to Helgi’s several times in the past 4 years when we’ve ventured north to Orkney from Cornwall. This visit we found that the food was disappointing when it came. Burgers used to be a thing to inspire, now just a disappointment. Had the surf...

Great pub on the harbour front I didn't eat but the food looked really good The Scapa pale ale was a stunning pint I could have stayed all night

After 10 minutes in the restaurant, we were asked to leave as my daughter was und 18! This was supposed to be a restaurant! She was not consuming alcohol, and was accompanied by he parents. We’ve now found out from local’s that they have a...

We booked a table online as no one would answer the phone all in all we tired to called over 12 times, and the website is down. Our booking was for 6 adults plus a high chair. On my booking I gave my mobile and...

Can get loud but great wee bar/restaurant! Vegan Sticky Toffee Pudding was STELLAR.

Fantastic experience. The staff was helpful and knowledgeable. Strong reccomend!

Great beer...Scapa special... Muckle... Nice!

Good, home-cooked food, friendly service and great atmosphere. Try the Scapa ales, they don’t disappoint! The locals are chatty and we felt very welcome here. Highly recommend! 😀✌️❤️

Unfortunately, I have to give this establishment the thumbs down. On Sat 26th I visited to book a table for the Sunday evening. On the Sunday morning as requested by text, I confirmed the booking. On arrival the greeting was friendly, however our first 3...

A cracking place for a few scoops and food on a wet winter evening.

I'm sorry to have to write this and after reading other reviews the owner seems to have a cheeky response to most however I honestly can say that this restaurant was so unwelcoming...the bar staff were too busy chatting to each other than tend to...

It looks lovely but never told us that kids aren’t allowed my child was very disappointed about this. We were shown to the table before a waitress told us the truth. STRONGLY DO NOT RECOMMEND! Not the best service either.

Great little pub with lovely food and friendly staff. Enjoyed the seafood chowder when I was there and the Swannay Brewery beer was top notch!

Two very efficient ladies served us, very busy, food was fine, pleasant esrvice and nice recommendation for where to buy a decent Orkney whisky!

Excellent fish n chips with a nice view of the harbor!

Lovely atmosphere and location on the harbour. Food was good. Especially the chocolate and fudge brownie! Enjoyed the tales on the walls!

Staff were busy, but very helpful Food was good, reasonably priced, well worth dropping in.

Friendly staff and food always lovely here

Good food and environment. Staff very helpful. Love to go there and have a meal and catch up with friends. I believe this bar do not accomodate children .

Booked a table in advance by email which was fortunate as several groups without bookings were turned away whilst we were there. Food was fine but felt it was a small portion for the fajitas with only 3 small tortillas. Good selection of local Swanney...

A brilliant pub if you can get a seat as it is very popular for food. We didn't eat but the food looked good. We popped in several times in our week based in Kirkwall. Several real ales and I did sample the local gin...

Good food in an informal environment. We made reservations well in advance and were glad that we did so because they were turning potential customers away. Fish was fresh and delicious; I had a salmon dish that was very well-seasoned. Desserts were vey good.

I've just had a delicious meal at Helgi's. Traditional fish and chips which was excellent. There are three cask ales from the Swannay brewery and one keg beer. I tried all four beer which were excellent. Service was fast and efficient with friendly staff. I've booked to go back again.

The food was very good, as also the drinks. We were seated upstairs. Not the most cosiest part of the bar. Make sure to ask for a table downstairs when you make a reservation.

Stopped in for a late lunch, seated upstairs great view from the window. Food and cocktails were great and lovely staff.

Tremendous service. We asked for some good whiskey and thoroughly enjoyed our 18 yr old Scapa and 18 yr old Highland Park. A very lovely young lady helped us to make the right choice. Very friendly and would highly recommend.

Good food. Nice atmosphere. Staff excellent.