Murray Arms Gun Deck Restaurant in Orkney Islands

We called in for lunch on spec when the place we'd intended going wasn't yet open and were pleasantly surprised. Everything felt fresh and welcoming, the maps on the walls were fascinating, the service friendly. Huge amounts of excellent mussels for me, husband had the scallop salad. We were so impressed we went back a second time, when I had the scallop salad (excellent but actually a little too much for me!) and husband had sea food pasta which was also really good. Down sides? Being served by someone constantly chewing gum with an open mouth is somewhat off putting, and if you want feedback on the food, you come after it's been served and ask if it's OK or you need anything - you don't wait until the guests are paying and then ask "did you enjoy that?". Felt like my granny asking...

So good we went twice - and as our holiday accommodation was in Stromness, it was a long but lovely drive over the Churchill Barriers! This is a hidden gem - tucked away in a quiet street in a small village but the food will please and satisfy - especially if you enjoy fish and seafood. Felt we could not manage the seafood platter - it is HUGE! - but anything on the menu - NOTE the Special Board which changes from day to day! We so enjoyed our first lunchtime visit that we went back a second time for dinner!Dog friendly too which was a bonus for our little Weksh Terrier, Robbie, who spoiled by the staff! A definite on our list of eating places on our next visits in 2025!

Fantastic food with sizeable portions and very friendly staff. Very busy, even on a Monday night, so clearly they are doing something right!

We recently holidayed on Orkney for 2 weeks and visited many of the restaurants on the island which were all good but the Murray Arms was excellent from ringing up to book to being greeted by the lovely lady originally from Northumberland who took our booking, the menu and food was divine, and the other diner food being served was unbelievable the seafood platter was outstanding. If you are visiting the island please do yourself a favour and book to eat there you won't be disappointed. Plus if you have a dog with you they are more than welcome.

The freshest seafood cooked beautifully. We spoke to owner a couple of days ago and knew we had to eat here. We were not disappointed. You must book.

Look at my reviews and you’ll see I only write about excellent or very poor experiences. Tonight was the former. A fabulous meal with great service in a really nice setting. We had asked for the best seafood on Orkney and were recommended to go to the Murray Hotel and Restaurant. We weren’t disappointed. A brilliant meal was provided. Terrific chowder, packed full of seafood, oysters, a very nice seafood pasta dish, great hake and the highlight - a half lobster grilled - which, because the chef thought it was too small , became the whole lobster. And it was fantastic. Service was exceptional - kind, humorous and efficient. What a great place!

We turned up having emailed to reserve a table but never did get a reply. The lady was more than helpful though, initially saying it fully booked but managed to squeeze us in. Lovely menu, small, just how I like it, we opted for the seafood platter to share. The scallops were to die for, the squid delicious, big pot of mussels awesome, lobster, haddock goujons and all the other trimmings, salad, bread, chips, sweetcorn…. Absolutely delicious 😋

Lovely restaurant and a warm, friendly welcome from Suzanne. The food was delicious and the homemade bread & butter were fantastic.

St. Margaret!s Hope is a charming little seaside village at the end of side road. It has a few shops and a lovely sea view. We found this restaurant quite by accident but needed a bite to eat. We were pleasantly surprised to find such a varied menu. We had the homemade soup of the day and sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Both were delicious. Our server was charming and friendly.

We turned up for lunch without booking and enjoyed an excellent lunch. The Murray Arms specialises in seafood but there are other choices as well. We liked the nautical ambience.

One of the best seafood restaurants I have been to. Simply delicious, generous and unpretentious . Local fresh seafood. We had the seafood platter which included ½ a lobster, mussels, oysters, langoustines and scallops, served with 3 kinds of sauces, was good for two people. We also had a plate of langoustines with salad and a plate of freshly caught huge scallops with salad. We will certainly come back. The service was welcoming, professional and warm. Good wine list. The price was reasonable.

Warm welcome and very friendly Staff. Had fresh and delicious Seafood at a fair price for lunch. Highly recommended. Very Dog friendly.

Excellent Seafood restaurant. Seafood food offer was extensive. Hand dived Scallops absolutely superb. Seafood Tagliatelle was very tasty & ample. Drinks offer again was extensive. Service was very professional & prompt. Certainly an enjoyable experience.

We had a lovely meal at the Murray Arms. It compares with the best in Orkney. The menu is definitely for those that love fish and seafood. A great selection of starters and mains …. Desserts to die for.

I did not stay at the hotel, and only used their restaurant. The staff were helpful and friendly. When I arrived, there were few guests, and I enjoyed prompt service. As time went on, the restaurant filled up, and an extra member of staff would have been helpful. The food was very good, and the servings are very adequate. The quality of the food, probably justifies the prices charged, but drinks are on the expensive side.

We were in a rush and desperate for a decent coffee - the staff were welcoming, friendly, efficient and we enjoyed a bonus great experience in St Margarets Hope - the next one was the welcome at the Post Office which was equally warm and helpful! When next in Orkney we will try to eat at The Murray Arms - the menu looked mouthwatering!!

Stayed 4 nights here and thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of it. The owner Gina has got it just right. The restaurant is comfortable and beautifully decorated but the best bit by far is the food. Delicious, well cooked, fresh seafood to die for. Being seafood lovers, we were in food heaven. We received a warm welcome from the manager, Suzanne who was friendly and attentive and our room was very comfortable and spotlessly clean. Jacqueline was a ray of sunshine at breakfast time. All of the staff were friendly and nothing was a bother for them. Would highly recommend staying and/or eating here. Dont leave the island without sampling the food.

It is worth going to South Ronaldsay to this beautiful restaurant where you can select fresh langoustines, lobster, mussels etc caught that day and at a reasonable price. HIghly recommended, flexible staff, good service. Orkney is surprisingly short of good places to eat fish but this is the one.

Called in for lunch on a recommendation. Was not disappointed. The crab sandwich was served with plenty of crab and tasted delicious. Service from the young waitress was top class also. Recommended.

Arrived for a late lunch and the landlady and new waitress were just lovely! Lobster and crab sandwiches were divine. Good beer and a wide range available. Dog friendly and my little rescue Jack Russell was spoiled rotten - thank you! All the best to you all and huge thanks.

What a great restaurant! The seafood platter is huge, reasonably priced and a fantastic selection - bring a hearty appetite! In fact, all the dishes seem amazing - lobster and other sea foods, but a fine menu for so much more. Be sure to eat here!

We arrived before opening time and the owner, seeing us waiting outside, offered to open early just for us. What a lovely start. In the event we went for a walk then returned for lunch. The food was delicious, in particular the clearly homemade burger was very tasty and cooked to perfection. Service was great and the meal was excellent value.

Unassuming venue but fantastic meal. Seafood caught freshly, direct to restaurant from their own boats and cooked superbly. Lobster and scallops outstanding!

Had a lovely seafood lunch here. Very fresh food. Only complaint, no one took track and trace detaiks

Just popped in for a quick Coffee and a Scone. Lovely friendly welcome. It has a great outside space and it felt to enjoy the sunshine the day we were there.

Very poor , half baked bread swallowed the not very good burgers, warm milkshakes, dog hair all over the seats, what more can I say ... paid dearly for the privilege too. Needless to say won’t be returning on my next visit ! I would suggest employing a decent chef .

Il locale è molto accogliente, i gestori gentilissimi, il cibo buono, durante il pomeriggio sono passata per un tè e ho conosciuto i cani dei proprietari, affettuosi con tutti. Ho ordinato il piatto di pesce misto, c’era un intero astice, 4 capesante grandi e la polpa scura di uno o due granchi, salsine per condire, insalata, pane buono (una pagnotta vera!) e un coleslaw molto buono; l’astice leggermente troppo corto per il mio gusto, la polpa di granchio superlativa, capesante fresche e buone, con un condimento affumicato che stava proprio bene! Ho assaggiato anche il gelato locale che è uno dei migliori che abbia mangiato fuori dall’Italia. Il prezzo più che onesto.

On arriving we were told that they had our booking down for the following night, we were offered complimentary drinks whilst we had to wait for a table. When I booked earlier in the week I asked that steak and ale pie and steak would be available as 5 of the 10 off us did not eat fish, I was assured that both would be available. We got to the table and ordered to then be told sorry no steak and ale pie! 3 steaks were ordered with peppercorn sauce, one of the steaks were eaten before this arrived and when my son tried his it was not a sauce it was warmed up cream with peppercorns in! We were not charged for some of the meals and the people who ordered fish were very happy with it but for me it spoilt the evening which was a birthday celebration and college graduation!

We ate here as a family, and all really enjoyed our meals, even my super fussy kids! I had the Scallops, which were the biggest I have ever seen. I often order scallops when eating out, and not everywhere gets them right, however these were cooked perfectly.

We had just arrived the Orkneys and being familiar with the problem of getting reservations for evening meals during the summer months were pleasantly surprised that we were easily accommodated by this restaurant. We ordered their special of 2 seafood platters with free bottle red wine wine and were totally amazed at the size of the platters (my wife needed help finishing hers).Staff were extraordinarily friendly, making the who experience outstanding at a reasonable price!

Dejlig frokost søde piger, ikke tjeneren men de var rigtig opmærksomme. Maden kom hurtigt og man kan sidde ude. Lille bitte by

Wir sind am frühen Mittag, eigentlich nur auf einen Kaffee, in's Murray Arms. Nachdem wir einen Blick in die Speisekarte geworfen haben fragten wir ob es die Lobster und Krabben Sandwiches auch zum mitnehmen gibt, da wir jetzt noch keinen Hunger hatten. Dies wurde bejaht. Ich erwähnte extra das wir kein Besteck haben und es so verpackt wird das wir es mit den Händen essen können. Die Sandwiches kamen in einen Pizza Karton mit Salat. Nicht optimal . Da dieser schlecht zu transportieren ist haben wir den Salat kurzerhand vor Ort gegessen und Sandwiches umgepackt. Salat war sehr lecker und alles andere auch.

The surf and turf meal here was great. Not quite sure how it fills each night (tourists?) but it seemed to when we were there and quite rightly too - great food and friendly staff

Excellent meal very fresh seafood friendly staff relaxed atmosphere good prices we had the summer platter and surf and turf

Definitely would NOT recommend.

Angetan von dem netten Ambiente, der viel versprechenden Speisekarte (alles regional, frisch, ökologisch usw.) haben wir uns dort für den nächsten Tag einen Tisch zum Abendessen reserviert. Wir bekamen: Erbsen und Möhrchen (aus der Dose?), ein Steak, das Gulasch war, Nudeln mit Paprika, alles lauwarm und vor allem binnen 5 Minuten serviert. Hmmmmh. Geschmeckt hat es nach aufgewärmten Essen aus der Mikrowelle, gekostet hat es wie ein Dinner beim 5-Sterne-Koch! Übrigens: Der Koch war am nächsten Abend, als wir wieder im Sands Hotel in Burray-Village gespeist haben, auf einmal ebenfalls dort zu Gast und nicht im eigen Lokal. Ein Schelm, wer da was vermutet.....!

Ate here three times. Had the scallops, 6 large fresh diver scallops nicely seared. Had the seafood platter (a bit pricey at 29 GBP) and it was delicious and worth the price. First time got a whole small lobster, two large crab claws, a pile of crab meat mixed with crab liver, 2 scallops and some smoked mackerel. The mackerel was mushy, everything else was great. The second time I ate this the lobster was bigger and they gave me 1/2. The lobster and crab open faced sandwiches were excellent.

Chegando a St. Margaret's no Ferry, passamos por este restaurante para almoçar e apesar de ser já cerca das 15:30 serviram-nos um almoço delicioso e com muita simpatia, vale a pena provar as vieiras e as cervejas locais!

Just up the road from The Anchorage where we stayed we found this little gem. Fresh fish a speciality, we enjoyed a great meal and a lively evening afterward with some of the staff and locals. Nice welcome and well worth a visit

We went to the Murray Arms for lunch during our Orkney trip. The welcome we got (with our two dogs) was wonderful. Really friendly and helpful staff. We both had Fish and Chips, the fish was local, fresh and delicious. Tilley and Coco our dogs, say thank you for the dog treats and fuss they got!

We ate our evening meal here on our first evening in St Margaret's Hope since it was close to our lodging place. Very average meal. Very poor service. The waitress disappeared after delivering our meals. There was a second waitress who was glancing over at us but never came to the table until we called to her. All the other tables had finished eating and gone. We were left sitting there with our empty plates. When we asked where she went we were told "Oh she's over in the bar." Would not recommend.

We all enjoyed our meal, my surf and turf was excellent and the service friendly. Craig liked his fish and chips too. Thanks

I guess the cook had his day off..

We came in for a quick lunch. I had a lovely scotch broth and my husband had chicken gougons. Meal was served quickly and was great. Service was great too. We also appreciated that we could bring our dog with us. Thanks!

Very pleasant and popular with the locals little restaurant We had the local scallops which were well cooked and delicious. Also had the strangest beef burger I’ve ever had, it was pink and looked more like gammon. Tasted great though

Siamo stati alle Orcadi solo pochi giorni ma abbiamo avuto la fortuna di cenare al Murray Arms. Zuppa di aragosta buonissima, capesante e curry di lenticchie! Consigliatissimo!

We used the Murray Arms a couple of times in the last fortnight and were never disappointed, the Scallops especially were delicious. I also enjoyed the Mackerel pate. The service was friendly and we were very happy with our choices.

All meals are good but the seafood dishes are excellent especially the scallops, crab sandwich and the lobster soup. Good choice of wine and beer. Very good and knowledgeable service. Inexpensive and not to be missed.

There’s not a great deal of choice in this area. We tried this, despite concerns that it seems not a very sophisticated place, and found the food and service just OK, but were rather shocked by the bill. Considering scallops are native to Orkney we expected more than 6 quite modestly sized scallops and a pile of salad for £18. Ketchup is served in those annoying little packets, that are more typical of a roadside cafe than a restaurant.

Ate here a couple of times. The food is very good with the emphasis on seafood. We had lemon sole served on a bed of 5 beans. Delicious. Also tried the scallops and the crab hot pot which were also lovely. Would say the hot pot is more of a fish pie but maybe thats me being picky! The staff were all very friendly and welcoming. Would recommend.

Had evening meal with partner and her sister.

La prima sera eravamo in sei. Gli amici hanno mangiato due piatti misti della casa di pesce, fantastici. La seconda sera siamo venuti io e mia moglie, cenetta tranquilla con Due ottime zuppe, formaggi e verdure cotte, dovevamo stare leggeri. Tutto sommato due buone cene in un ambiente tranquillo accogliente. Il personale, diverso nelle due sere, molto gentile e premuroso.

I love the Murray arms, was once my local over 20 years ago. Its changed hands a few times since then but the owner now is one of our friends from school. We had a couple of drinks and some food which was fantastic quality and the whole family enjoyed it. I spent some time chatting with the owner and talking about all the changes since we left. It felt like home from home and its the same pool table with the same dent left by the one and only Mark Bain 20 odd years earlier. Make sure you call into this lively fun bar on a weekend evening too. The mix of locals and tourists make it a real fun night and the place to be.

When staying in St Margaret’s Hope, we were directed to the Murray Arms as a good place to get fresh sea food. We ate there two or three times and had excellent scallops, fish, langoustine, and crab claws although, I have to say that the crab hot pot was disappointing. The food was well presented and of ample proportion. Service was good and the staff friendly. We would certainly commend to others visiting the area.

Near our B&B;, we went there three times, for lunch, for a nightcap and for dinner. We arrived late in the afternoon and the kitchen was closed but they offered to make us some sandwiches. We were very happy with all three experiences.

Stopped in for lunch today.....Sunday......and the only food that was available was on the board inside the restaurant. No prices beside the items. We ordered and the food was terrible.

Have been a regular holiday customer for more than 40 years and have seen the many changes. Very nice bar and restaurant with excellent menu especially if you like fish and shellfish. Lots of local produce and good selection of Orkney beers and whiskies. Food prices are also very reasonable

Dinner last night, superb lobster thermidor, delicious and comprehensive seafood platter, tasty crab hotpot, followed by Orkney Fudge cheesecake. We thought we'd died and gone to heaven. Wonderful food, unfussy and efficient service, we'll be back!!

We were staying nearby so my lovely wife and I popped into the Murray Arms for dinner. The food was ok but nothing special. I had the trout with a bean & celery salad. It was fine but a bit on the small side. My wife had the crab hot pot which was crabmeat served hot in a pot with some pastry on top. Little in the way of sauce or seasoning but I guess it did what it said on the can! We then shared an uninspiring cheese board which offered five very similar local smoked cheeses. All in all it felt like the efforts of a keen amateur rather than a professional chef. Three stars.

We stayed here for 3 nights and were made to feel so welcome by Gina and her team. The room was very comfortable; the staff were very friendly as were the locals in the bar!

We received excellent hospitality at The Murray Arms Hotel on a recent visit to St Margaret's Hope and dined there twice in 4 days . Gina and her team could not have been more hospitable and the food was superb . We were very impressed and will definitely be back next time we are in Orkney .

A B&B; which would suit anyone travelling by ferry. The restaurant produced an excellent crab hotpot and the sea food is freshly procured. A lot of work has gone into this place. The bar has a wide range of beers, whiskies and gins. The rear car park can accommodate 2 vehicles, some parking at front on the street.,Reasonably priced.

Just had supper at the pub. The fish and chips are first rate and the crab hot pot was delicious. Leave room for dessert as well. The bartender was very chatty and knowledgeable of the area and local brewed beers. Great place.

Nice little place, with friendly staff, and friendly locals.

Just back from a great meal. Reasonably priced and very tasty. As ever, friendly service and a warm welcome. Would heartily recommend, whether you're visiting or a local that's not been for a while. It's good having somewhere like this on your doorstep.

Had. A truly wonderful evening with 20 members of the family to celebrate my husband's 70th birthday. Gina did us proud, nothing was too much trouble and everything was as requested. The food was well cooked and tasty especially the scallops and the roast venison. We had three small children with us and their needs were catered to with patience Keira is a good cook who was not fazed when asked to hold back the starters for 20 minutes. The surprise birthday cake made the night. Huge thanks to all the staff great end to a week of celebrations.

Dining on freshly caught scallops and fish pie in this homely hotel was the perfect end to a super day walking. The public bar area was lovely and cosy and the food and wine was really superb. As visitors to Orkney looking for some great walking the barmaid and some of the customers couldn't have been more helpful and friendly towards us. Thank you so much! We had a great week in St. Margaret's Hope and did some amazing walks - you have beautiful islands!

Great lunchtime meal here, scallops gorgeous. Hubby had a burger and said was really nice. The beer was good too. Dog friendly in the bar area and super friendly staff and locals. Really loved the place and even a treat for Lucas our dog. Give it a try you will love it.

7 of my friends and I went for a celebratory meal here, and I had scallops. These were as fresh as can be, and cooked to succulent perfection. Served with a lovely leafy dressed salad and crispy chips, following a successful starters of deep fried Orkney Grimbister cheese meant that there was sadly no room for dessert! The service was friendly and attentive. Very reasonable prices too. Highly recommend!

The hotel is part of a pub and has a relaxed atmosphere - small but clean and comfortable. One problem was thast the restaurant closed at 9pm which was bad timing for the ferry arrival - but, then, most of the town seemed closed around that time.

Had a fantastic meal here,the place was spotless and the staff were quality,the restaurant was full and all were enjoying their meals.The Murray Arms Hotel is a bit of a drive from Kirkwall but if you want quality food visit this place its excellent.

This is a lovely place to stay in St Margrets Hope. All the staff are very friendly and always willing to help.

We went to St. Margaret's Hope on the recommendation of someone we met while traveling. It is a small town and I think this may be the only pub. My husband and Nick started chatting while I went to look around the town. Turns out Nick is one of the owners. He ended up taking my husband snorkeling off the beautiful sandy (and chilly) beach! Afterwards, we had dinner at the pub - orkney scallops as an appetizer, steak pie for my husband, and chicken curry for me. All the food was excellent and the service was great. There is also a more formal restaurant up front, but we decided to eat in the pub - same food but more relaxed atmosphere. There were mostly locals in the pub, shooting darts. Everyone was friendly. Highly recommend this place!

A superb welcome from really nice staff who made it possible for us to watch the Euros football, whilst eating our meals (England were playing)! Well trying to!!!!

A little unpretentious pub and B and B close to ferry in st Margaret's hope

Four of us ate here two nights running - good food and good value. We recommend the specials. Pub and hotel under new local management. Local produce used including locally hand caught scallops - no dredging so much better environmentally !

Fantastic hotel, food is fantastic, good portions, good prices. A very welcoming hotel.

Myself and a few colleagues were moved to St Margarets Hope due to unforeseen circumstances with work and we're short on rooms. We were made welcome by the staff and accommodation aswell as the food was sublime, such an amazing place to eat and honestly the fish was beautiful. Would highly recommend visiting and I myself will be back in the future assuming there's enough tomato sauce in stock lol (wee joke I had with the proprietor) which made the experience that much more enjoyable :)

We did not stay in the hotel but while out sightseeing we stopped here for a meal.There were four of us and we all had something different. We all found the food terrific and well priced. If you happen to be near St Margaret's Hope I would certainly recommend a stop here.

I spontaneously took a bus from Kirkwall and ended up here. I didn't have any cash on me and before I could go to the card machine some locals insisted on buying me a drink. The landlord and his friends was having a barbecue outside and I joined them. He offered me freshly cooked scallops in their shells in butter in garlic which was one of the nicest things I had ever tasted and made all the more special by the fact that I'd been welcomed by strangers.

We were moved here for work and had two excellent meals and fantastic friendly service never been made so welcome anywhere if your in the area I recommend a meal here and the rooms are comfy and we'll kept

We ate here twice on our recent trip to Orkney. The food is great and very fresh. Service is brilliant. Scallops were caught a few hours before we ate them! Thoroughly recommended as a restaurant. We were staying elsewhere so can't comment on the rooms.

My wife and I recently spent a night at the Murray Arms Hotel...we found the kindness and the helpfulness of Gina, her family members and her staff outstanding. The room was very modern and clean. Gina herself, is direct and honest in a way we found refreshing and was informative on the region and willing to share interesting local tales.

Travelled to Orkney with my hubby and my Australian cousins. First thing my cousin said to the chap checking us in: "what's the cricket score mate" he went out of his way to look up the score on the tv. All the staff were very friendly. The rooms were comfortable. Very clean. Piping hot water. Breakfast was excellent. Bar meals were excellent. Great choice and prices. Bar has a pool table which my hubby and cousin particularly enjoyed. Car parking at the back of the building. Staff very chatty and informative - helpful in giving us ideas of where to go for the day. Close to the ferry port. A great place to stay

Well to say this pub has improved over the past couple of months is an understatement. Since the new owners took over there is such a difference!! You walk in to a very nice easy going atmosphere and always feel very welcome. Very friendly owners and always sit down and have a good yap too you. The menu is to die for! Can safely say I think I have tried almost everything and can't fault a single thing, and if there is anything that doesn't quite tickle your fancy they are more than happy to make something specially for you! The Cajun chicken is beautiful, so tender and juicy and you certainly will not leave hungry, with anything on the menu for that matter! And the hand diver scallops are beautiful. So happy to have somewhere where you can get food 7 days a week and it's never a problem, as soon as you mention your hungry the menu is there infront of you..no matter what the time is. Nothing is too much hassle for this place anymore and I would recommend it to anyone! Such a good and quick turn around and I wish them the best of luck and hope it goes well for them!

We ate in The Murray Arms Hotel this week. Fantastic food, a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, owners are very accomodating. The owner even put Cartoons on for the kids at another table. Cant ask for more really, everthing they say they are.

Had a really relaxing stay in this friendly family run Hotel. Room was really nice and the bar served great local fresh food. I had scallops hand dived that day from the owner's Dad's boat. Great breakfast too - everything was perfect and I'll stay again next time I'm in Orkney.

We stopped here for a meal before a meeting. Although the winter menu did not have anything specifically gluten free the girl behind the counter immediately offered to pan fry the fish instead of battering it, and served it with a lovely salad with twists of lemon and lime and a large serving of chips. It was delicious and I really enjoyed it.