Islay Frigate Hotel in Argyll & Bute

Ranger's fans singing the Billy Boy's with impunity then go on to sing Fook the Pope . Was there with my daughter 🤢 Upto our knees in fenian blood

Stopped there as a stop off from Waverly steamer and so so glad we did. Chap behind the bar couldn't be nicer. Speaking as an Irishman the Guiness was also amazing. Great prices, very clean, overlooks harbour, great juke box and lovely pool table - just wish we could have stayed longer ... we WILL be back!

Great location and staff were lovely. Stayed with our 2 kids in 2 seperate rooms, very clean and tidy. Maybe take some ear plugs if yiu want an early night...People leaving pub etc til quite late

Reasonable price with breakfast!! Room ok. We had ferry lined up from Tarbert at9 am. So we were at dining room door at 7.55 am nobody about and door locked. 8.10 someone appeared in kitchen as I could see them through the window but he couldn’t find keys to even open kitchen door. So no breakfast as we went next door in cafe for a bacon roll n tea ! So to the manger of this establishment we got no breakfast and paid full price. That’s why we marked you down.

Room had a nice view of the harbour but the walls were dirty and rooms are not cleaned or restocked each day! When asked if this is their norm, we were told they do not clean, replenish towels, take out garbage or resupply coffee and tea for stays of more than 1 night. Newish owners may still be getting their feet on the ground …

Stayed the night and got no sleep until after 2 am when the last of the party had left , function room was directly under our room with party goers spilling upstairs and using the toilets , the noise was as if the party was in our room , shocking , no mention of this happening on arrival , DO NOT BOOK IN HERE IF YOUR WANTING A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP.

This place was my favourite place to be on the Kintyre peninsula till now. It has been taken over by some really nice Indian guys but they have not got a clue what they are doing. They are hard to understand and they cannot understand what the Scottish people say. Beautiful place but i wont be going again, those poor guys are going down and the business is going down with them for sure, what processed them to buy the place when they know little or nothing about the type of business is a mystery.

We stayed here last Friday evening, unfortunately one of our party was taken ill and was actually taken off by ambulance to the nearby hospital… I have just phoned and left a message to let Marion know how William is doing as she asked for us to let her know… We can’t thank Marion and team enough for being so lovely and caring throughout the traumatic few hours… and the next morning… you were all simply amazing… You were so very kind indeed… we won’t forget it.. We would highly recommend this lovely friendly and clean and comfortable hotel… we will return again one day and hopefully not bring so much drama along with us.. Great breakfast!! The pictures below are of the incredible position the hotel is situated, these were taken from our bedroom window, simply Stunning!! A Lovely and friendly little harbour town.. Oh would recommend booking a table somewhere for dinner in advance… A HUGE THANK YOU! ❤️ Annie, Andy, Marjorie and William..

Lovely , friendly staff, couldn’t do enough for us Great breakfast Comfy bed , room small but enough for us

Visited for one night. V clean, good covid precautions. Comfortable bed, good breakfast next morning, friendly staff. Only negatives we're bar v noisy and WiFi did not reach bedroom at all

Most amazing stay at islay frigate hotel, staff were amazing and so friendly , the hotel and room was immaculate , staff made me feel so welcome , will definitely be back.

Stayed at this hotel for 2 nights. Friendly staff. But the accommodation is not the best dirty in places. Bathroom shower hose could do with a clean or replaced. Bed was not comfortable mattress has seen better days. Could not get wifi in the room. Accommodation is over priced very dated rooms.

Excellent food and services was amazing! Really looked after us and gave our dog lots of attention will definitely recommend to anyone we know visiting these parts 👌🏻

Staying in Tarbert, we found the restaurants get booked up very quickly. The same was true for this place so we took a chance, arrived a little later on and sat outside on the lovely terrace. Weather was quite warm fortunately. The menu is extensive and the choice of drinks too. The three of us ordered different starters and mains and really enjoyed everything. The staff were so friendly and nothing was too much trouble. Give this place a try and you wont be disappointed.

very friendly staff the woman behind ber was run of her feet she done a great job,locals were a good laugh, good time enjoyed our drinks

We popped in here for a bite to eat and a drink at the start of our tour of the Scottish Highlands. Looks like a pretty average pub from the outside but the food & service exceeded our expectations! We found it very warm & welcoming, great selection of drinks (we had some lovely local ale), lovely helpful staff and the food was top notch - really fresh & home cooked, presented very nicely too. Great little place!

Four of us ventured into the Isley Frigate for food on Monday evening, for myself I had a starter of tempura prawns followed up with a classic chicken burger both courses were very good, others in the party had a wide variety from the main menu and the specials options. I can honestly say everyone in the party were delighted with everything we were served. There is a reasonable stock of wine to choose from and we had a very nice bottle recommend by the owner Marion. Service was very good and I would recommend that if you are in this part of the world you could a lot worse than giving the Isley Frigate a try

Went into for a quick drink before heading home, the atmosphere and staff were brilliant. The beer garden is a must in weather like today.

My husband and I stayed here for 1 night at the end of July with our 2 boys and had a lovely stay. Before we even arrived, Stacey was very helpful with all my messages requesting a certain table set up for my son who has autism. When we arrived, check in was very straight forward and we were made to feel very welcome. We stayed in the 5 sisters family room which although compact, was perfect for what we needed. It was also the only hotel in Tarbert which could accommodate a family room of 4. When we entered the bar for a quick drink before dinner, again we were made to feel very welcome. I was then taken through to the dining room to ensure the table was suitable for our son. Once we were seated, as we were the only guests eating so early, the TV was put on and we were asked what channel our son would like to help put him more at ease, nothing was a bother. Dinner itself was delicious and very good value for money; all clear plates sent back to the kitchen. I would recommend the smoked haddock starter: the fish was fresh and very tasty. The beds were comfortable and we all had a good night sleep. Breakfast, like dinner was delicious. Overall a very good experience of the Islay Frigate. All COVID requirements were adhered to, social distancing, hand washing and there was hand sanitiser available everywhere we looked. We felt very safe! Our only gripe is they were fully booked the following night and we couldn't stay for longer. Will definitely return!

I seemed to upset the barmaid from the start - nothing could be done to retrieve the situation - the customer is obviously not always right at the Islay Frigate. The bar food was actually very good but I had to cancel my room reservation because of the very aggressive and intimidating attitude of the young barmaid - she was the niece of the owner and obviously on a power trip! Never again!

What a little gem of a place! Great family run hotel gorgeous restaurant.Had a Valentine's meal Stacey and Cara were fab nothing was too much trouble. Food was amazing highly recommend Marions haggis pakora! Great bar they know how to throw a party Beth was a lovely girl working on the bar. Breakfast cooked to perfection every time. Such a warm welcome and we'll definitely be back thanks guys!

I'm Coeliac, absolutely no cross contamination, the food was amazing everything fresh and cooked to perfection

Great dog friendly place to stop off for food. Very friendly barman and the langoustines were delicious and beautifully presented. Would recommend!

I have always liked this place. Good atmosphere and animal friendly. Faultless service. Polite and helpful staff.

Visited the Islay Frigate while staying in Tarbert. A nice friendly bar right on the harbour. Friendly staff and locals and a good range of ales. Tarbert is a lovely little fishing village with some great walks and views. Enjoyed our stay..........

Great view from the upstairs restaurant. Good food. They've done a nice job on the decor. If I was in Scotland again, I would stop by.

Second time here and service and food were great. View from the restaurant over Tarbert harbour is fantastic. Highly recommend if your looking for a lovely meal in a friendly atmosphere.

Visited this restaurant/cafe for lunch on a wet September afternoon. I cannot reccomend this venue enough. As a coeliac, I love fish and chips and so rarely find good fish and chips. Here at The Islay Frigate Hotel, all their batter is gluten free. They say that their customers can't tell the difference and I have to say, it was excellent.We had a very wet dog with us and, despite being immaculately clean, they were so accomodating: brought out water, a dog treat and made loads of fuss over the dog. I don't remember the name of the team member, who made us feel so welcome, but she said that she had a dog called "Roxie".Thank you again to all at the Islay Frigate for a great lunch.

very friendly and warm attitude of all the staff members in the restaurant and hotel this is my repeat visit to Islay frigate my wife and the kids very friendly atmosphere we love the location. the room i was given very comfortable fresh and clean tarbert has a lovely relaxed feel to it and we enjoy it ..

Das Restaurant befindet sich im 1. Stock und bietet eine tolle Aussicht auf den malerischen Hafen. Endlich mal Gemüse, das nicht schmeckt wie nur aus der Dose. Die Muscheln waren vorzüglich mit einer speziellen Sauce und der anschliessende Fisch frisch und fein zubereitet. Eines der besten Restaurant, das wir besucht haben auf unseren verschiedenen Schottlandreisen.

Dined upstairs twice. Great view over harbour. Had Skink, mussels. Excellent fresh seafood. Service was friendly with young staff. Clean bathrooms.

Friend and I stopped for two nights B&B; in the hotel. Took a short break from 2 weeks camping! Very clean and really reasonably priced. Ate in the restaurant one of the nights. Best fish and chips I've ever had. Views across the harbour from the first floor restaurant are amazing at sunset. Friendly bar and beer garden to rear. Highly recommended.

We tried this restaurant as it was dog friendly, although it meant that we had to sit downstairs rather than the upstairs lounge we still had a view over the harbour.

We came here for dinner while we were passing through after being on a random family run in the car to mull of kintyre from oban. We came upstairs to the restaurant and it was a lovely relaxing atmosphere and the 2 ladies that were working were friendly and attentive. Food was good and was lovely just sitting looking over the harbour. X

Das Restaurant befindet sich im 1. Stock mit schönem Ausblick auf den Hafen von Tarbert. Eigentlich ist es ein Hotel mit öffentlichem Restaurant sowie Pub im Erdgeschoss. Wir hatten Muscheln in Weissweinsauce und in Gin und rote Beete marinierter Lachs zur Vorspeise, in Rotwein geschmorter Hirsch mit frischem Gemüse und Kartoffelstock sowie eine „chocolate torte“. Der Koch versteht echt sein Handwerk, das Essen war hervorragend und ja, endlich mal ein Koch in Schottland, der Gewürze und Kräuter verwendet (wer schon mal in Schottland Gemüse gegessen hat, der weiss, wovon ich spreche)! Die Muscheln und der Lachs waren ausgezeichnet - der Weissweinsud der Muscheln ein absoluter Knaller. Der Hirsch und das Gemüse waren ausgesprochen gut abgeschmeckt und harmonierten wunderbar miteinander, in der Sauce Wacholderbeeren, Rosmarin, Lorbeer sowie Nelken - eine Geschmacksexplosion! Ich hoffe, der Koch wird dem Restaurant lange erhalten bleiben. Das Servicepersonal ist sehr freundlich und gut gelaunt, alles in allem ein perfekter Abend.

This hotel has a hidden beer garden at the back of the public bar or up the stairs as you enter.

Stopped by for an evening meal. Had good fish and homemade chips in a nice setting in the upstairs lounge overlooking the harbour. Good place for a family meal.

The rooms, the bar, the restaurant,the food the alcohol and that view 😍😍 Recommended from top to bottom

Bon resto avec service attentif et bons plats de fruits de mer ou viande.

Had a lovely meal at a seafront window. Waitresses were great and the food was simply perfect. Couldn’t recommend it more.

Very good food, good friendly service, well priced, and the best view in Terbert. From the outside, it does not look too inviting, but it is well worth a visit. We will be back.

Had a lovely meal yet again in the relaxed restaurant overlooking the harbour. Superb food, excellent service and reasonably priced

Excellent meal again thank you and great to see Gluten free options the Sticky Toffee pudding was to die for.

Came to the village for the seafood festival and ended up in here for lunch. Nice busy place, staff were brilliant and food was decent and came out quickly, found the prices ok

My wife and I had lunch in the Islay Frigate Hotel on Saturday in the upstairs restaurant, great view across the harbour, even in the rain! Just as good as the last time we ate here last year. The waitress was busy but very efficient and very pleasant.

Quick meal before a long drive - good value, and quick friendly service. Everything was fresh and generously portioned. A good range of drinks at the bar, although some of the gins are a bit overpriced and can be found a lot cheaper elsewhere in the town.

Stopped for a drink at lunch time and every welcoming; the pool table is a bit dominating but hey they need to cater for the locals as well as tourists Very dog frinedly which I appreciated unlike some previous reviewers

My wife and I love staying in The Islay Frigate Hotel when we visit Tarbert, The staff are so helpful and outgoing will help you out with anything you need. The food that is served within the Hotel is beautiful and is also great value for money, credit to the Chef.

We ate twice in this hotel restaurant, upstairs overlooking the harbour. The food was excellent with a good choice and reasonably priced. The service was also very good.

Based on reviews I expected this to be good, and it was. Generous portion sizes, attentive staff, and a nice atmosphere. Of course the view from the restaurant adds to it all. I'd go again.

We had a great family meet up here today ,1/6/2019

We popped in here for a quick lunch and thoroughly enjoyed great food, really friendly waitress and a lovely view over the harbour. Cullen Skink was lovely and nothing was too much trouble including hints and tips on local events including festivals. Thoroughly recommend.

Watched the FA cup final here this weekend. Friendly place from bar-staff to glass collector. Lost my wallet (my fault, but not drunk!). Owner Marion went to incredible lengths to find it, ring me back in England, and get it back to me. What an amazing person, pub and village, well worth a visit!

Called in with a party of 9 for lunch on way to the isles. It was really really good. Fish & chips excellent. Service friendly and attentive. Nice beer. I get the impression that the owners are working hard to make this a success.

Frigate bar is compact with good range of drinks and friendly locals and staff. Is has few seats and pool table with access to beer garden. Serving a range of gins and beers, it does accept card payment and has good atmosphere, the only let down in this compact room was there were three large dogs present, two jumping and sitting on seats and one large bulldog who would jump on anyone when he had the chance. As some people have a fear of dogs, we found this most uncomfortable and left. I appreciate this is not managements fault but all customers should be catered for.

Excellent and friendly service and the mussels and hand made chips were excellent.the owner made out us very welcome and my wife and I would certainly return

Really friendly staff a great wee bar garden to the rear which was a great wee find on such a lovely day. Even though lunch had ended they were really good and made us a lovely snack and made us feel so welcome.

Popped in here for a few beers and had a bite to eat whilst there ... The food was lovely and well presented and the burger we had was lovely ... Certainly will call in again next time in Tarbert ...

Ate here for dinner in the Lounge area which is a small separate room across from the bar area as the restaurant upstairs is close until summer trading, the food was good and well presented at a reasonable price, if you get the chance try the upstairs restaurants when it is open as it has good views out over the harbour and loch.

Great staff, great friendly locals, great food. Best view from a restaurant in the area. Fairly priced food and drinks. We never got to see the rooms but was reliably informed they are of the very highest standard, all newly renovated. Marion and her staff are really doing a great job, long may it continue. Hope to be visiting again soon and if possible staying a couple of nights here.

My husband and I were staying in the area and decided to go to the anchorage bistro for dinner... when we arrived it had closed, andd we ended up at the Islay Frigate Hotel for dinner. The upstairs was closed for the winter, so we were sat in the nook.

Visited with my family last weekend and from the moment we arrived until we left we were treated wonderfully , Marion and all the staff couldn't have been nicer .

Visited this lovely warm welcoming family run business. The food was wonderfully cooked! Will definitely be back again.

After a nice long walk it was a great place to settle with amazing views over the loch and great service, comfortable environment and good hearty food.

Food is amazing .. good selection too .. rooms are beautiful really nice place to stay and all the staff are friendly too! 😁

Fabulous hotel rooms beautiful friendly staff beautiful food & a view to die for love this hotel go 3 times a year

Lovely hotel/restaurant and amazing food would definitely recommend and go back again. Very clean hotel and lovely staff 😬😬

Love visiting tarbert with family especially staying in the Frigate staff are amazing too , food is amazing kids love the food too always tasty always have a great night in the bar too :-) always a great atmosphere

homely and comfortable hotel seemingly miles from anywhere with a marvelous view of the loch. would be happy to return here

We had called in earlier to reserve a table only to be told it wasn’t necessary. However, when we arrived a couple of hours later there was only one small table available. However, our meal was very pleasant and the costs were reasonable. I had scallops which were excellent.

Well what can we say. Staying at portavadie we took advantage of the ferry across to Tarbert. After walking round for a couple of hours taking in the local scenery we decided it was time for some food and or drink; we came across this establishment and met a really hospitable hostess, Marion, we got to talking and really hit it off, we decided to eat after a drink to which we were really pleased on our choice of lamb shank and cullin skink, both were great. A few more customers (Brian, Ian and Alan) come in and the atmosphere got really talkative and friendly as if you were meeting lost long friends. We had a look at the rooms and restaurant and although not staying would be happy to do so, the rooms looked immaculate. The establishment got more busy as the day went on, and became a great local pub atmosphere. After delaying our departure for a number of ours we had to leave to catch the last ferry back to portavardie, which was a real sadness, would we go back? yes, undoubtedly, and plan on it! Thanks to all present on 1 October 2018, for making our day great!!!!

Perfect location with a standard room, we booked the family room .

We went here for a meal the staff was cheerful and the food spot on you wait but you have a lovely view over looking the bay when the food came it was hot and very tasty we have since return to this lovely place the staff just has cheerful ..... food wonderful

Had three excellent meals including soups, lamb, curries and fish. The upstairs restaurant has great views of the harbour and the staff were excellent.

This place exceeded expectations. There has been a recent refurbishment. The food was above average and the service good. It was so nice to sit upstairs and look over to Tarbert harbour while we ate. Reasonably priced, too. Well worth revisiting.

Nous avons séjourné dans cet hôtel un peu par hasard, en y trouvant une chambre pas très chère et sommes partis ravis. L’hotel et ses chambres sont sans prétention mais confortables et le personnel est adorable. Nous n’avons pas hésité à y retourner lors de notre second passage à Tarbert et cela s’est confirmé. Je recommande !

We had dinner here this week, the public bar is exactly that and does not encourage you to venture upstairs to the dining room which on a sunny evening offers splendid views over the harbour. Drinks were a bit iffy, Fyne Ales Jarl is not normally a cloudy beer. The food however was excellent, fish cakes and beef pie, the service prompt and polite and the decor is as different to downstairs as you could find. Actually a very pleasant surprise and worth venturing upstairs.

Fairly standard Pub menu, with Blackboard specials. Formal Dining room upstairs with view to the harbour or an al fresco picnic tables style dining area also upstairs at the rear of the hotel. We chose the al fresco to take advantage of the cooling breeze on a hot evening. Table service is provided in both areas. Food was freshly made, tasty and most enjoyable. Would definitely return.

We popped in for an early evening meal. Sat at a window seat in the lounge overlooking the harbour. The food was excellent - really nicely presented and tasty. The place was made even better by the friendly, attentive service of the waitress. Would definitely eat there again if we were in Tarbert.

Had dinner in the beautiful restaurant. Haddock pakora for starter. Delicious. Scallops for main. Absolutely superb. Great food and service with a smile. Waitress couldn’t have been more attentive. I have been before and will be back.

In for a beer and decided to have Haddock Pakora before ordering a main. After a fairly long wait, was asked if Haggis Pakora would do! Said no, haddock pakora as ordered, please.

Great service, reasonable prices and good pub style food 😃 Kids menu was appreciated by our 8 year old, still quite a big serving.

Friendly service and good quality food, with variety of choices on the menu. A window seat on a sunny night certainly adds to the enjoyment.

Big portions, delicious food, fish that tastes amazingly fresh. Very friendly and welcoming staff. Great selection of Scottish whiskies. Right on the harbour in Tarbert.

Booked my birthday dinner in the Frigate. Got a fabulous window seat in what is a beautiful restaurant. Service was great. The food was fantastic. I can honestly say it’s the best dinning experience I’ve had in a while. Well worth a visit.

Ate here with my Dad, who's in a wheelchair. The lounge downstairs is easy to access and the staff were really helpful. The food was tasty - big portions and great value. We will be back.

Loook for healthy option and went for salmon- very enjoyable. Service a bit slow but enjoyed view over the harbour. Reasonably priced for what was on offer.

Staff were excellent here and we went 3 times in the week with different staff each time. Excellent whisky selection, and some good beers too. Great weather when we were there so sat in the beer garden out the back. place accepts dogs too. Menu looked good but we never ate there as Monday and Tuesday they did not do bar food at lunchtime

Had drinks here on two occasions, the Friargate delivers what it says on the tin. It’s a pub, decent choice of Whisky and Gin but lacking atmosphere. It is clean & staff friendly. We did not try the restaurant.

Rainy midweek Tarbert beats a sunny day at work any time. Anita the nice waitress was pleasant and interested in our travels adding to the pleasure of mostly fresh seafood. Grilled Oysters with parmesan (very tasty) was followed by slightly disappointing langustine that tasted like it had been frozen, and then on to scallops which were very nicely cooked. Too full for desert, the wine was finished whilst swapping Hungarian stories with the waitresses.

Stopped in for a midweek dinner as we were in the area.

Really lovely welcoming staff, fantastic menu for both food and drink and the food was brilliant and good value for money! Well worth a visit

Family meal here. Beautiful fresh food. Nicely presented too. Friendly staff serving. It was very busy the night we ate and the service was very good. Didn't wait long for food which was great as we had kids with us.

Very good food and the service was excellent. Good value for money. Staff are very pleasant, but try and book at busy times.

We arrived mid afternoon and having looked at the menu decided that it offered a reasonably priced menu. We sat upstairs at a table in front of the big window. Our order was taken quickly by a very friendly and professional lady who ensured that...

In Tarbert on a rainy Friday night this restaurant was one of those recommended at the B&B;, we were looking for something between a fancy dinner and pub grub and this was ideal. The tables overlooking the harbour were all taken but the view is...

We used the bar in this hotel every night on our 3 night stay nearby. We found it to be very friendly and clean. We used the upstairs dining room once as it has fantastic views. The food was very nice but nothing out of...

Stopped off for lunch and both had great meal. Good choice of menu and very reasonably priced. The views over the harbour were stunning from the first floor restaurant. The service was first class and will definitely be back.

Went on a drive round the area as the weather was not great. This was a great find. We could take our dogs in with us. We all had the haddock and chips which was very good. The staff were very helpful.

Definitely worth trying the linguine on a trip to Tarbert. It was delicious. The staff were friendly and our wee dog was offered fresh water.