La Mirage in Highland

Best food on the planet. If you like eating fish go here. Just be respectful this is an institution not as casual as it comes across.

Food was good. Large portions with a lot of little extras like cucumbers and carrots to help garnish. Atmosphere was good, a little cramped. Service was good and friendly.

As others have said on here, the fish and chips here are amazing. This restaurant was recommended to us by family that we were visiting. It was so good that we had dinner on the way to see them and lunch here on the way back - I had the cheeseburger at lunch which was also very good.

This was a mixed-bag for the overall business. First the dine-in restaurant: bad. We had lunch and it was strange on many levels. The decor was eclectic. The waiter seemed very disinterested in being there, constantly checking phone, and attitude was very off-putting. Not just to us, but to other tables as well. The food was overpriced and below average quality and quantity for the price. We were very disappointed after reading the good reviews. But the take-away next door for fish and chips was really good! We ordered food there on a different night only because it was convenient, and weren't expecting much after the lunch a few days prior. We were very pleasantly surprised. I would return to the fish and chips take-away, but not the restaurant.

Stop off from the NC500 having been recommended by a campsite, we were not disappointed. Lovely fresh fish & crispy chips in an impeccably clean restaurant with ‘quirky’ decor. Highly recommended.

Tornando dalle scogliere del Nord abbiamo cercato un locale per gustarci un lauto pasto; attirati dalle fuorvianti recensioni decidiamo di fermarci a mangiare un boccone. Interessante è il primo impatto appena si entra, tra una mutandina di pizzo e una statua di cera. Una volta seduti decidiamo di ordinare un starter di salmone affumicato, comprato probabilmente 10 min prima al despar di fronte, seguito da una frittura con una panatura buona e un pesce che penso fosse fresco di freezer esattamente come le patate associate. A completare il tutto un conto da 100 sterline. @ricksalzo

what a lovely quirky restaurant in the scottish highlands . Was recommended to my husband and it did not disappoint . Food was amazing we both went for fish and chips ... and had only room to share an amazing toffee meringue. The service was excellent ... the owner was personable and friendly . Definately worth a visit 10/10

We were group of 7 people all ordered food and drinks for lunch. Food was not great, cheese salad was the worst, it was just grated cheese in a plate with some greens on the side but the worst was the very rude staff. When we asked for a large glass of water we were given bottled water by the owner, on our question if there is tap water he rudely replied yes but did not bring glass. That is the only place in the Highlands one cannot order a glass of water despite paying nearly £200 bill.

We went with our friends who liv1e at Dunbeath. They go there quite a bit. The food is top rate we had fish and chips. For 3. And one salad for our main course, as a starter one prawn salad one soup and one camabire We would recommend this restaurant Arrived on Wednesday 14th August 2024.

The BEST fish and chips I’ve ever had!! My husband and I both had battered haddock and chips with mushy peas (mine was gluten free). It was absolutely delicious, the service was fantastic and they were very clued up on coeliac disease and cross contamination. They also slotted us in at the last minute! The owner and the waitress were very lovely too.

Really good place we eat in there is take away as well, we had haddock and chips it was superb, very nice glass of white wine and good service

REFUSED ENTRY OF DISABLED LADY AND ASSISTANCE DOG AND TOLD HER TO “GET OUT…..I DONT WANT YOU OR YOUR DOG IN HERE!!!! June 2024 REFUSED MY PARTNER WITH HER ASSISTANCE DOG WHILST MY WAS HAVING A DIABETIC HYPO AS WELL AS HER DISABILITIES This is against the law equality act 2010!! He told my her she could only go in if she was blind!! We advised his this was illegal and he refused to even view her paperwork and shouted at us to get out he didn’t want her or her dog in there and virtually pushed her out of the door. We called the police as it’s illegal who are passing it to control room and they will be attending there. Her assistance dog had her special vest and lead on and her lanyard and card, her dog aids her with hearing and alerts her to low sugar levels with her diabetes which she had just done which means she was having a hypo and needed food or drink, other customers walked out in disgust. Luckily for her another gentleman in another restaurant sat us down in there restaurant and quickly aided her with something to raise her sugar levels. ONLY GO HERE IF YOU WANT TO BE DISCRIMINATED, the law says not even places serving food can refuse entry!!

Been here at least 10 times over the last two months . Food was well presented and alot of it .sometimes no room for pudding although I did try many of them . Service was great , with waiter and owner catering for my every needs. Owner even offered me a whiskey to finish . Will be back in August for the games Mark Herbert

Went into the restaurant with my partner and assistant dog. The owner told me "GET OUT NO DOGS ONLY ASSISTANT DOGS IF YOUR BLIND! " I was so taken a back by this having just walk into the place. I got out my paperwork and my assistant dog was also in her harness which was clearly marked. My dog helps me with my hearing and alerts me when my blood sugars are low. I went into this restaurant because i was about to go into a hypo. I ask the manager to look at my paperwork but he wouldn't and began to get aggressive and told me to get out. What hurt the most was that he wouldn't talk to me normally and have a conversation with me about the situation, he just seemed hell bent on chucking us all out. He was also very rude to my partner. Other customers in the restaurant were absolutely disgusted with the way we were being treated and left. It's against the law to refuse entry to anyone with a disability under the equality act 2010. So I had to call the police. I feel like I was victimised because I am diabetic and partially deaf. So if you suffer with any of these conditions you will not be welcome at this place. They should not be able to get away with treating people like this. I find the world difficult and challenging as it is without having to put u with a rude and aggressive person like this. SHAME ON YOU. AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COSTS

This is a wonderfully well run place. The waiter (?) was incredibly kind, and chatty, and I had a scone - but it should say SCONE - it was still warm, and served with butter and jam - and it was lovely!! We will be back!!

Excellent fish and chips as usual. Spotlessly clean. Friendly and efficient staff. Now with extended menu. In the heart of interesting Helmsdale.

There is not another restaurant in the U.K. that has the quality and freshness of products of this venue. It’s about time the Michelin organisation visited in order to rate it

Fish and chips with a cuppa. Excellent friendly service. Clean and tidy. Delicious food without fault. Best I’ve had for a while. Small fish is plenty big enough. Price about £20 which is about right even for takeaway. Highly recommend if your passing or fancy a trip out

Very overpriced fish and chip shop. Chips poorly cooked. Battered haddock ok, nothing special. Frozen garden peas, hard. Just a run of the mill fish supper at an extortionate price.

Coming from the UK’s premier fishing port, a friend recommended that we visit La Mirage at some point during our recent stay in the area. We were not disappointed with both of us having the Breaded Lemon Sole which was not only delicious but melted in the mouth and was a fresh as you can get. In addition to the food, the staff were exceptionally friendly, helpful and professional with the premises spotlessly clean. Highly recommended and if hungry then don’t pass through Helmsdale without visiting.

We visited and asked if we could bring our well-behaved dog in. To be told no, not very pleasantly. Visited another establishment not far away, which welcomed us. In this day and age, customers pay your wages and help keep business going. You unfortunately turned away trade. Lucky for us, our lunch was lovely elsewhere.

Such a fantastic restaurant! What lovely staff, and the food was just brilliant - the salmon steak was cooked to perfection and lemon sole was superb. A real highlight which we would have missed had the ferry to Orkney not been cancelled - thank you, La Mirage!

Got a cracking takeaway on way home. Tasty fish with light batter and good chips, just a few too many. Partner had scampi and there were loads. Finished with the biggest strawberry, cream meringue, which was awesome.

Best fish and chips ever We stopped driving from Wick to Glasgow. I've just turned 60 and had a lot of fish and chips and this was one of the best

Leave your pretensions at home! La Mirage is in a class of it's own. Say hi to Captain Mole, sit near corset lamp with legs and enjoy top notch fish and chips served by a lovely patron.

Stopped here this afternoon for lunch which was excellent The food is delicious with very generous portion sizes The staff are so friendly and efficient The decor is fabulous and is a must see The owner is a true gentleman and made us feel very welcome Don’t pass through Helmsdale without paying them a visit

Dined at La Mirage twice in recent weeks. The food and service from the owner Hadar and the team there was first class as usual! We had the breaded fish tea which was huge & very tasty, loads of chips and then a pudding to finish. I’d Highly recommend a visit here, you won’t be disappointed. 👌🏻

We've jusr eaten the best fish and chips we've had for a long time So fresh and great crispy batter Would highly recommend.

We visited today just before PM or lunchtime fish and chips. In spite of their page on the internet saying they were open NOW, they were closed!! The sign on the door says open at 4p.m! We traveled especially for 16 miles for fish and chips so are very annoyed.

La Mirage has undergone new ownership with a fresh new look but still retaining many of its original quirky attributes that makes La Mirage the place to visit. It’s new owner was delightful and had the exact amount of interaction with us to make us feel at ease without being intrusive. The food did not disappoint …. Generous portions but the most light and delicious batter and chips to die for, all freshly cooked with the freshest of fish. We would certainly recommend to go out of your way and seek out this Northern Gem.

After doing an 80 mile round trip to la mirage for years for fish and chips todays trip was poor Dry tasteless non crispy chips 40% less food Generally poorly cooked food Try going back to the old cooking oil A shock to the system...

Had a beautiful meal at La Mirage, excellent food and service. Will definitely return when back in Sutherland- thanks for everything

The most fantastic Restaurant, The North of Scotlands Premier Restaurant, was greeted by Don and Barron. Food and attention to detail absolutely fantastic, great quality, beautifully cooked and presentation superb, thank you Don. Customer Service and Customer Focus on point, goes above and beyond.

We stayed in Brora but made 2 special trips to la Mirage on 2 different visits to the area ..it has a takeaway attached. A bit expensive but large portions beautifully presented. Food and service impeccable

The decor is rather 'unusual', and the seating area is quite small at the time we were there. However we were seated quickly by the host and soon discovered he had a good rapport with his diners and enjoyed joking with them. Despite the comments...

Great service , great food and a really nice atmosphere. If that is what you are looking for then you will get it in plenty here . Thank you for a nice

We had booked a dinner reservation for 6:30 pm, but arrived early. There was no problem being seated since we did have the reservation. My only complaint was that we were seated in the midst of activity, and it seemed that either the host or...

We were in Helmsdale as part of doing NC500. Only restaurant open, we were trapped, first impression, lighting Stark, tacky and cramped. In we went, this restaurant is just an extension of the chippy nxt door. We ordered, I chose garlic mushrooms, when they arrived...

Excellent food, large helpings in a quirky setting. Owner very friendly and attentive. Great atmosphere. Helmsdale lovely wee Highland village. Well worth a visit.

It had been 30 years or so I was last in this little restaurant but no fear, it was just as good as I remembered. A small intimate cosy little restaurant and the food is very good. I would recommend the haddock & chips, served...

A good quality meal with large portions. We ate the fish and chips and Salmon Excellent home made chips Meringue Toffee Pud - homemade and delicious. Great friendly service Well worth a visit to view the decor alone!

Visited on a Tuesday night and great to see this institution is still very busy! Waiter was very good at upselling! Prawn cocktail starter superb and then had the fabulous battered fish and chips with mushy peas. Partner had the lemon sole which he said...

When you visit just make sure you are running on Empty as the they good is great good size portions and very well cooked. You will be on FULL when you leave. Great service Great Friendly staff very efficient. I will be back again soon....

Best Fish & Chips ever, stopped for lunch takeaway as recommended it by a local and it didn’t disappoint. I’m not a lover of battered fish but ordered a Fish supper to share between two. It was a brilliant big portion and both the fish...

We had a great baked potato lunch here. The decor is quirky and fun, the food very good, and the service friendly and efficient.

Absolutely brilliant, staff were tremendous, nothing was a problem, great place Will most definitely go again whilst I am up here, I'd of given 6 stars if that were an option. Hat of to the chief.

The best Haddock and chips I have tasted outside of Yorkshire! We have had a lot of bad experiences when having fish and chips but this was absolutely lovely 5*

We had a lovely family meal here, with our 4 year old being made very welcome and catered for with a tasty omelette. The large portions are exactly that - large, so go for a small one if you're not to hungry. I had the...

We were celebrating our anniversary. Staff were a delight, Naim took great care of us and others made sure we were all set at appropriate intervals. The food… wow! Truly noteworthy quality and seasoned to perfection. Could not recommend highly enough. The price was more...

Three of us visited last night for fish and chips my sister in law is gluten free, and for a few years now even my wife and I order our fish and chips with the gluten free batter as it is so much better than...

Male owner was arrogant and extremely rude. We came in and needed table for 5. My brother had to leave to make a call to the police for non emergency related incident. So we were down to 4 adults but he was coming back for...

Fantastic food - you get what you pay for. Came with my husband for evening meal after a recommendation. I read the reviews and all said the food was great so we headed down. We pre booked a table but had finished our day early....

This place is an absolute must. The food is fresh & delicious. You are well looked after by The lovely owner and staff weather you are a local or just passing through. Highly recommend

Food was great. Restaurant was full and there was a fantastic atmosphere. Really enjoyed our evening. Will be back again.

What a fabulous restaurant! The minute you walk through the door you are greeted by members of staff like old friends even if it's your first time visiting. The decor inside is quirky and a great talking point, plenty to catch the eye whilst you...

This place has good fish and that’s about it the owner was very rude and the chicken was over cooked and half the menu can’t be bought after 5pm

Have been here several times over the last few years for lunch, dinner & takeaway. Had dinner here tonight. Great service & delicious fish & chips as always. Will be back next time we are in the area.

We had the Seafood Platter it was amazing!! If you are in or near Helmsdale you need to try La Mirage you won't be disappointed!!!

Der Service war sehr unfreundlich und eines der Fischgerichte - an einem Sonntag - offensichtlich nicht frisch: Die folgende Nacht...

Went here on holiday with a group from Great Rail Journeys. Food was of good quality and portion size was good. Pleasant inside and service excellent.

We took friends here as a thank you present for putting us up for a few nights - so it was their choice. And it was a good choice. Quirky decor and straightforward but delicious fish supper (the fish and chip shop is next door).You need to book in advance as it's not very large and all tables were in use the weekday evening we went. Can understand why - it's very good.

My partner and I are doing the NC 500, we called into Helmsdale on the off chance . I came across this Eatery by chance. An extremely varied menu was on offer, I chose smoked Haddock with 2 poached eggs, garden peas and a side of chips, my partner opted for a small fish tea, can only be described as EXCELLENT, I also had a Banana split, once again Excellent, not cheap, but well worth the money

We only used the take-away chippie as opposed to the sit-down restaurant so we can't comment on the latter. The fish supper was gigantic, and really tasty. One fish supper is enough for 2 people really. We went back a few days later (picked the wrong time as they were run off their feet and it wasn't quite so amazing but still excellent). The place is well known in the area and you can see why! We'll be going back there. The other restaurant in the village is equally great.

After arriving in Helmsdale we stayed next door at The bridge hotel who highly recommended La Mirage so we thought we would visit that evening. We managed to get in without booking but it was very popular . This didn’t effect the service though , the waitress was lovely so friendly. We ordered the fish and chips and it was so big the chips had to come separately, it was delicious. We had a lovely cold bottle of wine with it . I couldn’t resist their meringues were amazing. We came out full and happy , a very pleasant experience. We decided to book for the next evening too and had scampi this time which was just as good . We highly recommended this place the staff we met worked so hard and kept standards very high !!!!

I have eaten here for years and relish each visit. I thought it the pinical of seafood eating. Now under new management I feared the standard may drop "au contrare" it has in fact improved ( impossible but true). A haven for foodies in a Highland village.

Arrived in Helmsdale just for a overnight stop, it's a very quiet place on the A9, nice little harbour and limited places to eat, but I think we found the best to eat at La Mirage is a bit quirky but theres a pleasant friendly welcome, enough on the menu to chose from and to be honest it was all cooked and presented well, good size portions and good service,

A little slow to open after their advertised 12 midday time, but worth the wait. The carry-out fish and chips were as good as I've had anywhere.

Anyone staying in Helmsdale must try the fish & chips, they were amazing, really large fish and i had the small portion. for dessert the homemade meringues just melted in your mouth.

Book in advance.We found the breaded haddock and chips top quality: the fish was excellent and perfectly cooked. Given the proximity to the fishing harbour, the fish was probably swimming less than 24 hours before. With fish this fresh, it would be criminal to cook it badly but here it is done simply and just right. Not surprisingly, it is very popular. In high season, it makes sense to book a table.Our waitress was friendly, efficient and on the ball: she spotted that I had put out some tablets and asked if I would like some water to help take them. The chief was in evidence, not just watching but clearing plates.A fellow diner had the large fish. Unless you are young and very hungry, you might find it too challenging.

Had an excellent fish tea here. Attentive service, great food and a good variety on the menu. Beware the desserts, they may defeat you!

Ordered chicken. Ended up with strawberries, boiled eggs, pineapple, glace cherries AND a deep fried banana. Apparently it’s a thing. Yes you read that correctly. Strangest dining experience ever. All that was missing was the partridge in a pear tree. Wacky venue, nice enough guy though.

After reading a number of reviews, we booked a table as part of a one night stay in the area. Reviews were very positive but, in truth, we were quite disappointed. The menu was limited and the the smell in the return to was similar to a fish and chip shop. I would not recommend this restaurant even with their commitment to large portions for everyone.

Just what the doctor ordered. Left London very early & got flight to Inverness. Drove to Helmsdale & by 5:45pm was very hungry. Food & service was perfect! Very friendly staff & customers.

Went here the other night for fish and chips. As my sister in law is gluten free. I decided to try the fish and chips with the gluten free batter. It was amazing the fish and chips were some of the best I have tasted in such a long time. The fish was beautiful and white and the batter was crispy and stayed like that till the end. We both enjoyed it so much I think we will return in a couple of days time for more. Would certainly return anytime I’m up in this area .

Welcoming staff. Great food particularly the fish. Hot and generous portions. Great service. Nice atmosphere. Would visit again if this way.

Lovely place. Very friendly. Absolutely delicious food. Highly recommend breaded lemon sole and haddock. It’s a must!

You will not believe the portion size here! The fish suppers are enormous!! The fish and chips taste exactly as you'd hope too. If you're in Helmsdale of an evening, you must stop here.

It was a good job we booked, as the La Mirage was nearly full as we arrived; and after our delicious filling meal we know why. The smoked haddock with salad and chips was our choice. Very friendly and attentive service throughout. The decor set off the great ambiance in the restaurant.

Went to the restaurant yesterday as party of 5 I can say it was the best Fish and Chips ever light crispy batter and the fish just melted in your mouth was the best with mushy peas and the chips were fluffy inside with a crisp outer of us had the same the service was perfect took realy good care of you will definitely be going back there

Visited with the family after a long drive along NC500. This is an old fashioned sit-in chippy. The fish was the best I’ve tasted in a long time. Fully recommended the large fish tea. Reasonable menu for kids too. The two ladies who run the place are absolutely lovely - really great with the kids.

Great traditional sit down chippy, meal comes with side of bread and mug of tea. Fish was really tasty, not too greasy, chips delish. Very nice lady serving us. Reasonably priced. Really recommend!

Fantastic meal. Scampi was superb. Super menu with lots of choice & the home made chips were excellent. The staff are lovely too.

My husband and I have just enjoyed one of the best (and the largest) fish supper ever from La Mirage. So glad we decided to eat from here on the last night of the holiday. Highly recommended. Just don't each much before you go.

This was recommended to use when we were in the area on holiday. Fish and chips were amazing! And the portions are immense! We got a small battered haddock supper (haddock and chips!), and we got two huge fish each, with chips and mushy peas. Lovely thin crispy batter, and fresh perfectly cooked fish. Waitress was really friendly too. Well worth popping in if passing. We had gone to John o groats and went in for dinner on the way back to Dornoch.

We've been visiting here for about 4 years now and it still never disappoints. We've really missed it during the various lockdowns although did manage a few take-aways, which were just as plentiful and delicious, but we were really looking forward to our first sit-in visit for a while, to celebrate a birthday.The portions are quite simply epic but luckily they'll happily box-up any leftovers if you're defeated on the day! I can confirm everything is just as nice re-heated at home the next day.The quality of the food is fantastic; the veggie-burger is one of the nicest I've had anywhere (and you get two!), my husband informs me he's never found a bone in his fish, and the gammon and steak pie also get a big thumbs up. Basically whatever you choose, it's going to be lovely. We've never yet had room for dessert but have taken away the famous strawberry meringues before and they are delicious.The staff are always friendly and it feels genuinely welcoming. Post-covid the tables are spaced out, there's hand sanitiser on the way in, and your details are taken for track and trace. We really hope this place doesn't change hands for a long time to come, as it's always one of our favourite treats and we honestly love eating here.

Was told this was a great chippy by a friend and was not disappointed. 100% in my top 3 chippys and the meringue for dessert was great

So many friends and neighbors had told us to go to this restaurant and we finally made it. But many more trips planned as the quality and portion size is amazing. Soo crisp and full of flavour that only really fresh fish can give you. No point in saying more, just go there for one of life's real treats.

Delicious food, very fresh prawns, salmon and haddock. Friendly staff and service prompt. Must visit if in the area.

This was our first visit for many a year. As we couldn’t meet in each other’s houses we decided to meet half way between Thurso and Evanton and thought we would try La mirage in Helmsdale.We ordered the mixed plate of scampi and battered haddock.The portion was very generous and the scampi was the best I have ever tasted.The haddock was also delicious,so overall it was an excellent lunch and moderately priced.Exceptional value for money.We will be back soon.

Nice food on offer including vegie options. Dessert here is a must! Thanks to the staff for making us welcome without a reservation

Really massive portions , wonderfully presented and delicious. Would recommend to anyone who passed through Helmsdale on their NC500 route 👏

Very accommodating staff as they'd mislaid our reservation. Great fish and chips, Huge portions. Fast service

Iconic restaurant. Fantastic fish tea, will be more organised next time and pre order their seafood platter with freshly caught local fish and shellfish

We’ve not been on holiday unless we’ve visited La Mirage on our annual trips north. Every visit we’ve made the food is fresh, service is friendly & excellent value for money as portion sizes are huge! If you want somewhere consistent with all of the above then you won’t be disappointed. Leave room for the meringues. Delicious!

I haven’t tasted fish and chips like this for years! The batter was amazing, so crispy. Everything freshly cooked. If your passing through, I would recommend stopping by! The portions are huge, we were greedy and had two fish suppers (you need to be hungry!!)

Me and my partner visited this restaurant as part of a trip to the Highlands based on the amazing reviews we read here. I can honestly say it's the strangest restaurant I've ever been to. The decor was odd, which I could have coped with, had the menu been more varied or tempting. The portions were huge, the food was fine and the service was friendly, but I really don't see the appeal, sorry!

Was having a lovely drive Stopped for lunch Ordered the large fish tea , which was two fish Friendly staff Food was good and very filling, so much so , we couldn’t manage any other food for the rest of the day We will definitely visit next time we’re up

I think I was here around 25 years ago and remembered it being great then. Just popped in for lunch and it was excellent. Chips and toastie were amazing. Staff friendly, but rushed off her feet - she was doing a great job, though!

What more could you want? I ordered the large fish tea and it was huge. 2 pieces of delicious fish, loads of chips, mushy peas, slice of bread and butter, washed down with an Irn Bru. Lovely staff too.

Excellent service. Sanitise on entry guided to table. Good choice went small potions but still huge. Young lady that served was excellent. Service quick and lovely even though busy. Took meringue as take out.