Old Bridge Inn in Highland

It's a charismatic pub by the river, and has a nice vibe about it. We've been a few times over the years, and the food is pretty standard; burgers and a few other things. Veggie choice is not massive, although their sweet potato and chick pea burger was very good. They provide a good range of Scottish beer, from Cairngorm and Fyne Ales.

Great place to eat and have a drink.

Avoid this pub at all costs. It's dog unfriendly. We asked if we could eat outside, but they didn't even serve food outside. The staff are extremely rude. It's like nobody wanted to work there and they would rather turn people away.

Great vibe, amazing blue cheese burger! Bob Marley music and an incredible outdoor area next to the river. Thank you!!!

The music is far too loud in the bar area.

I experienced exceptionally poor service from the new owner. They completely disregarded our booking request. People typically make special requests for valid reasons, and we felt ignored when our request wasn't met, nor were we informed that it wouldn't be accommodated. To make matters worse, the owner insisted that we cancel the reservation because, in their view, we were being unreasonable. This was incredibly shocking! Extremely poor example of customer service. We will never return to this establishment, ever again (we frequented it for the past 20 years).

We were a group of eight, looking forward to a nice local dinner, in a super good mood. What we got instead was one of the rudest and most unpleasant restaurant experiences any of us have had. From the moment we arrived (just 10 minutes late, and I had called ahead to apologise), the staff made us feel completely unwelcome. A dark-haired woman with what seemed like a Spanish or Italian accent was particularly rude – not just unfriendly, but actively hostile throughout. Another colleague of hers nearly refused to give us a high chair for our two kids, and we had to insist. We were also told half of the menu wasn’t available with very little choice! We were spoken to sharply, with no patience or basic courtesy. Plates were never cleared. When we asked for advice on whisky at the end of the meal, we were brushed off with a cold “just go to the bar”. It almost felt like a joke at some point. As for the food – the burger was terrible, the meat was weirdly prepared and strong and tasted unpleasant. And yet, the prices were shockingly high for what we received overall. Such a disappointment. This was meant to be a relaxed, happy evening. Instead, we left upset and frustrated. I would strongly advise reading the negative reviews before booking – they’re accurate. I don’t think the amazing Scottish people would want visitors who’ve travelled from so far to be left with this kind of impression - awful And it’s not even high season . This place has no sense of hospitality. change the staff, or close the restaurant to families or groups of more than 5!

It's a really nice place with very helpful staff, we only stopped off for a coffee as we are paddling down the river but they couldn't do enough for us. I'll definitely be back and would recommend to anyone

Lovely bar, good food and excellent outside space

Thoroughly enjoyed our lunch. Excellent staff and nice place

Lovely pub vibe, warm indoors and heat lamps outside. Great selection of ales and ciders.

Lovely steaks, very welcoming staff. Great variety of malt whiskies. Lively but not loud atmosphere Highly recommend. Have titled this "hidden gem" as it's not clear from the main road how to get here, well worth it.

Simple but effective card. Copious and quality children's menu. Pets accepted in the pub area but not in the restaurant. Easy parking

I would give it zero stars if I could! They should rebrand as 'The Old Scam Inn'. We were a big group of people (17) on a busy Saturday where they were only two wait staff working with a scowl on their face. Understandable as they were massively understaffed, despite us having booked weeks in advance! We understand that for a large group that the service will have some issues but the rudeness was just not necessary. They never topped up our water despite repeatedly asking, I ordered a soup and never got a spoon that I just had to go get it myself. They took an order for an item they don't even serve on Saturdays which they only informed us of when everyone was getting their food. The food was mediocre and overpriced but couldn't even enjoy this due to the shambolic service. The icing on the cake was the bill was really poorly calculated and they just left the card machine at the table telling us to sort it out. I stupidly didn't add up the items on the spot but they massively overcharged us as the individual items and it did not add up to the total price. The prices on the menu weren't what we were actually charged for either (charged more than the listed price), which is bizarre. When we informed them of the discrepancy and they were being combative rather than helpful and we just paid the extra (on top on of paying totally undeserved service charge). The whole experience was just awful. It is safe to say that we won't be returning in the future.

Definitely the best pub in Aviemore by a country mile with a great selection of beers and food, albeit the food is a wee bit pricey - in my opinion. Great location beside the river and my first stop on the way back from the hills, cycling, walking or mountain biking.

Great food, fantastic service. Very busy! Would recommend booking in advance particularly on weekends/holidays

Enjoyed a lovely night here, we couldn’t get in on the first night and had to book to secure the second night but it was worth it. Great food, service and selection of drinks.

Terrific wee pub, with lots of external seating areas. Great bar with a huge selection of spirits and beers. Food looked very good, plenty of tables, although i did not indulge. (Secret, stop for the campervan 🤫😉) Highly recommend.

We didn’t know that this pub existed until we went one a walk down by the stream. The pub was very cosy and had a nice warm feel to it! We had a drink there on our way back to our accommodation and felt really welcome. Staff were friendly, pub was clean and I can’t wait for my next visit to aviemore to call back in again!

A great, bustling wee place, with great food and friendly staff. Recommended.

Great food and atmosphere. I really like the option of having a small plate.

Cosy Cute Bar Restaurant, super friendly staff and great atmosphere, beer and food is delicious! Highly recommend

We came for an early ish dinner sitting at 5pm on Sunday which was also Mother’s Day. They were busy but service was still great and all staff very friendly. It was a lovely day and there appeared to be a great outdoor seating option across the road - perfect for summer evenings! All our dishes were delicious! Good kids menu too. Restaurant is very aesthetically pleasing but still welcoming for families. This was a fab end to our day out at the nearby Landmark Adventure park. I have more pics/vids on my insta @eastontravel709

Great pub atmosphere. Friendly servers and delicious food.

Such a warm cozy pub, dog friendly so pooch came in for lunch as well, I had the OBI Beef burger and it was one of the best burgers I've ever eaten! Everyone in there was so nice!

Just wanted deserts and drinks. They finish serving at 8.30. We got there at 7.50 and plenty of tables. Turned away. Frustrated because the whole of aviemore shuts down at 8.30. Ridiculous.

Absolutely stunning!!!! Excellent outside area with heaters, excellent bar staff, excellent waitresses… the food is out of this world! I had the Roast Pork Belly and my wife had Cray Fish and cheese board as a mains. Chef and the staff are outstanding! As Arnie said…”I’ll be back!”

Stopped in or Sunday lunch with family and our Labrador dog. Staff were great and made us very welcome, even a biscuit for the dog! We all had roast beef which was excellent. Can't fault it and all at a reasonable price. We will be back next time we are in the area!

This is a lovely little place to sit, relax and enjoy Sunday lunch. The staff are excellent, they looked after us very well. The food was delightful, we both had Sunday lunch which, for the price, was amazing. This was recommended by an aviemore native and I'm so glad we listened. I'd highly recommend to anyone and will definitely be back.

Great pub and restaurant, we got really well looked after with great food and 10/10 service.

Beautiful quaint restaurant meal was okay but service was a bit slow could have been as we were 45 minutes from last lunch orders varied menu good choice starters and main courses plenty room inside with many seats outside pet friendly

Lovely pub and outdoor seating area especially in the sunshine. We missed food which stopped at 2.15 and started again at 5pm so we had a couple drinks which were super affordable and sat outside as it was a lovely day. There are also heaters over the table and views of the river. Staff were super friendly too.

Always lovely to visit the Bridge Inn. Very dog friendly

My partner and I decided to try the Old Bridge Inn restaurant last night for dinner. He ordered the burger, which looked delicious and tasted good. I opted for the sweet potato soup, which arrived cold. The server quickly returned it to me heated, and it tasted OK. I also ordered the potato and kale cakes which arrived burnt. Very disappointing, as they sounded good on the menu. Overall not a good experience. Maybe just an off night, but will not be going back.

It is definitely a good pub for couple pints and have a great atmosphere but the food isn’t as good as the reviews say. I had the burger and I found it dry and very soggy. Pork belly was average.

Had Sunday Roast beef dinner. Been cooked to perfection with roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding veg and gravy. Huge portion.

Another fabulous meal in the Old Bridge Inn. We always make sure we visit here whilst in Aviemore - food always top notch, great service and a super vibe in the bar / restaurant.

Had a great time here recently. We only popped in for a quick drink but ended up staying for a few. Lovely relaxing atmosphere with a great mix of people. Staff friendly and welcoming. Drinks are reasonable priced and a great selection of real ales and local gins. After this visit, I would definitely return and recommend.

Update - February 2025 Popped in here recently for a couple of drinks and it was really good. Busy with a great mix of people, locals, tourists, walkers and cyclists. Friendly staff. Sat at the high seats at the bar and had a great time. ****************************************** Nice outdoor seating area, down beside the river

We had a great meal and the service was quick!

Had a fantastic Sunday roast at the Old Bridge Inn in Aviemore! The food was absolutely delicious—tender chicken, crispy roast potatoes, and all the trimmings, topped off with rich, flavourful gravy. The portions were generous, and everything tasted homemade and full of flavour. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, with a cozy pub feel that made it the perfect spot for a Sunday lunch. The staff were friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. If you’re in Aviemore and looking for a proper roast dinner, I’d highly recommend stopping by the Old Bridge Inn. You won’t be disappointed!

great place . friendly and relaxing

Quality food and atmosphere - well worth booking a table or visiting the bar.

Most of the staff were excellent, although one of the male waiters had clearly suffered a recent bereavement or was having a depressive episode. It’s a nice place, comfortable bar area, nicely decorated restaurant area. The food could be really good, but there was too much heavy seasoning and everything was just too rich. The steak I had (most expensive thing on the menu) was a poor piece of meat with as much fat as edible meat. Think it depends on what you choose to eat.

Visited this restaurant for both our belated birthday meals. Food is excellent great service and has an attached pub which is really cosy, defo will return when back in Aviemore. A little hidden gem 5 🌟

That Sunday roast was the business!!!

What a great place for Sunday lunch. Some lovely Scottish dishes and really good service too. Recommended

A real gem in Aviemore! Busy pub with good food and very dog friendly too (separate restaurant area for non-dog-owners), we didn’t have our dog with us on this trip but preferred the cosy lounge with log burner, where dogs are welcome. Stone floors, comfy seats, friendly staff (who greeted us like locals on our 2nd, 3rd & 4th visit - nice!) Food is great - charcuterie board was good for sharing and the burger was outstanding, with optional blue cheese & caramelised onions, it was a taste sensation! Beer - local cask ales were excellent! Atmosphere is relaxed and friendly, just what you want after ‘a day in the hills’. We were lucky to get heavy snow and the area is picture perfect in Winter, this place is head and shoulders above anywhere else for atmospheric eating & drinking - best to book if you want a table for food

After reading reviews i thought it will be nice place to go for family dinner… but… staff was weird , not rude but not welcoming at all. When service charge is included I would expect staff to pay more attention to their customers, I had to look for waiters and put my hand up to get their attention… otherwise I wouldn’t leave any tips at all . Another thing I was shocked… is steak , if you can call it steak ??? Very thin peace of beef, never had thinner steak in my life and the price wasn’t cheap … so I wouldn’t recommend this place for it’s price …

Lovely meal with family and pup, food excellent and staff more than welcoming, well done all round.

Two of us had burgers, and another had the Aubergine & Harissa salad, with chips, and everyone loved their meal. Staff were very nice, and the place was clean and comfortable. Definitely happy with the food and service here!

Great food, service and vibe. Such a great feel to the place. I do love the OBI.

Cannot understand how there can be so many 5 star reviews of this pub / restaurant when there are various terrible 1 star reviews being posted. In reality having last night experienced this pubs pretense in serving 5 star quality food. For a table of 3 adults and 2 children the quality of food is was grossly sub standard. Much of the food was overcooked and dry, particularly the burgers. The total bill without desserts or alcoholic drinks was £119. We could have dined in a Burger King for no more than £40 and would have been presented with much better quality food. The attempt at serving Cullen skink soup was horrendous. Unfortunately due to the ability of the lowest rating being 1 star the reality should have been 0 stars. My advice to other diners is to avoid this establishment at all costs.

Stumbled across this place and what a find it was! Thoroughly enjoyed our burgers and the steak was cooked to perfection. Best food in Aviemore 👌

No food this time, but, always has been lovely. There with family this time, and, lots of wee dogs to give a treat to. Great place. Well done for allowing pooches.

The bar was described as dog friendly . This is not my experience . We have a small well behaved family dog who sits on a blanket . After we had been served drinks and had our food order taken the waiter insisted the dog be put under the table. I asked if she could sit on my knee under the table and he refused . The waiter was extremely rude and dismissive to me and then my daughter. I would avoid this place unless you like rude staff and it is not dog friendly or friendly full stop . we went on to have a lovely meal in a hotel on the Main Street of Aviemore

Wonderful food, welcoming staff. Surprised on reviews about rude staff. We arrived hour earlier than planned and they quickly accommodated us, no hassle. So friendly

Qwerky pub, nice decor and lights, lovely staff 👍🏻⭐️

Just in for a quiet Drink, very cozy, lovely relaxed ambience. Dog Friendly, recommend the Dark Ness, and I'm a Guinness drinker normally,

Lovely little place, friendly staff, lovely food!

Lovely restaurant in the pub, with cosy decor and a fantastic menu. There were a couple of vegan options available for each course, and they weren't the bog-standard vegan burger that most pubs offer. They were interesting, tasty and beautifully presented homemade food. Service was friendly and helpful.

Four of us went for a late Sat afternoon lunch. Not been there since the 80s. Everyone loved their meal. I had the Haggis which I can truly say was the best of many over the years I’ve ever had! Restaurant staff couldn’t do enough for us (great Bloody Mary’s!). Will defo be back!

Great vegan food and friendly service. Well worth a visit.

This restaurant had good ratings so we were looking forward to a nice dinner. My wife ordered the steak and I ordered chicken. Given that the steak cost 30 pounds sterling, a very nice cut of beef was expected. It was supposed to be surloin, but instead looked more like a skirt steak (a very cheap cut in the U.S. by comparison - thin with some gristle). Needless to say my wife was disappointed. My chicken by comparison was much better, but the steak tanked our rating to a 2 out of 5. In addition, the waitress had another large party so she wasn’t very attentive to us. All in all, an expensive meal for the quality.

Some of the best food I have ever eaten. COD was amazing. Pumpkin pie unreal. When I am back in Aviemore I am coming back here.

Visited on a Thursday night and it was quite busy with a lovely ambience. Service was decent. Food was mediocre and pricey for what it was. My wife’s cod fillet was tasty but overdone. I had the beef burger with “triple cooked chips”. Burger was poor - overcooked, dried out a full off gristle. Chips were okay but nothing to write home about. Maybe we just got the place on an off night. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt as I’m sure they can do better

A lovely old woridy pub located on the outskirts of Aviemore.the Old Bridge Inn is well worth a visit. The food is absolutely amazing, especially the Cullen skink. Although we didn't book a reservation, the staff were very accommodating and managed to find us a seat. However, I would recommend reserving a slot as we got lucky when a party failed to turn up. The food and drink are reasonably priced but of high quality. There is outdoor seating although parking places are limited.

Great food and beer. Amazing home made bread. The pub is outside town in an amazing location.

Really enjoyed our main meals here. Attractive place inside, lots of buzz and good music(Led Zeppelin got a look in, alright by me.) Venison Carpaccio was good, my Beef Burger was excellent, very beefy, decent chips though didn’t look like twice cooked as described. Things went wrong with dessert…the Passion Fruit Pavlova was right up my street but oh, what a travesty when it arrived! Bought in and particularly poor bought in meringue , bright white in colour, tasted of cardboard and had quite a chemical taste and look too.Not much sign of passion fruit either, just lots of decorative red berries.Pavlova is also quite soft inside but this wee round ball of an offering was brick hard.Nil points! Barely touched it after first bite. ‘Thick custard’ with Steamed Sponge was thin and had little taste.Disappointing.The sponge itself was excellent and great to see a traditional pudding on the menu. I just wish chefs would pay as much attention to the quality of desserts and their components, as they do with mains etc. Would we return? Yes but I might skip the desserts( a favourite part of a meal for me) not cheap at £9 each given overall quality.

Amazing find on our holiday, the food was incredible, with excellent service. Recommend the lounge area for drinks and the cosy dining room for food! Thank you

Ok food, good service. Felt pricy for the level of quality. Halloumi fries were outstanding though

Lovely place, busy but excellent service and excellent food, truly stuffed! :)

Delicious food and great service :)

Lovely little pub by the river. You can dine inside and there are seats next to the river to let the day breeze past. Recommend nipping in for a little lunch and wet the whistle.

Great meal and lovely atmosphere. Chilled but still high quality. Lovely decor and roaring log fire. Our dog was more than welcome. The staff were all brilliant and attentive - no complaints about the service. The food was delicious and definitely the best meal we had in Aviemore - not the cheapest (£65 for 2 pints, 2 mains + 1 dessert) but all great quality food and home made.

Lovely wee pub with stunning food, only downfall was we weren't offered the specials

Lovely atmosphere and well looked after by staff, table of 7 and all thought food was very very nice.

Food was amazing. Dog friendly too!

Was recommended this place my husband took me there for my birthday meal . Choice of food was terrible . I had a burger in the end wasn't that impressed with that niether expecially for the price of it . I wouldn't bother going back .

This is one of the best spots in the Highlands, and as such, I recommend booking early! My partner and I were lucky to snag a 20:30 Friday reservation and were accommodated 15 minutes early. The food has never disappointed me here, including my last visit. I ordered the venison carpaccio to start, followed by the special: braised beef cheek in a red wine au jus. Absolutely excellent, especially the latter. The meat was some of the most tender and flavourful I've ever had. My partner raved about the spicy garlic prawns starter and cod fillet with chorizo and a butter bean cassoulet main. I finished with a frangipane for dessert. Each bite seemed to instantly dissolve in my mouth. It was incredible. Can't wait for the next visit!

Great selection of beers and (mostly) friendly staff.,and good atmosphere. However, menu very limited and not cheap. My main course was a chicken dish, which was very tasty. I was not enjoying my rather bland prawn starter though, and the waitress offered to change it for me. I accepted, but was charged for 2 starters! I contested this with whom I think was the senior blond member of staff. Clearly she does not know how to speak to customers, and in a raised very offhand voice told me that I had to pay. Eventually, the next day, I resolved the matter with the Manager. A couple of nights later I returned (folk night) but the place was dead and no food was being served. The Old Bridge was the “go to” place for us for many years, but when I am paying a lot of money for drinks & food for a nice family evening, I really don’t want stress over a starter. What’s the old adage - “the customer is always right?” Or maybe not!

Nothing special on the menu and only pizza on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

My favourite drinking spot in Aviemore, love this place. The food is amazing too.

Cozy place off the main drag. We were able to get in quick without a reservation but I definitely advise to make one! They were busy as heck for dinner. I had the Greek salad and obi burger. Their menu seemed small compared to what i saw online. I definitely enjoyed the Greek salad no doubt about that. The obi burger was pretty good. The only thing was I didn't realize it didn't come with cheese so I would have added it. Overall would recommend and come again.

Lovely out of the way place beside the old bridge to the ski resort. Always busy and need to book. Wholesome food and polite service

I’ll preface this by saying that I’ve been a visitor to the Aviemore area for years and I have often visited the Old Bridge Inn. I remember it being a place with a high standard of service and food. A few years ago I had a meal with my husband and expressed my unhappiness with the pork belly (thick, tough fat, no crisp at all). The waiter argued with me and told me that this was how pork belly is cooked. This has now happened a second time to me in the OBI, so I will not be passing its doors again. Today, I ordered a burger that cost £18, with extras like a slice of cheese costing £2. I expected the burger to be homemade, but instead it was a processed butcher’s burger. I maybe should have sent it back, but I was so starving and dealing with a 3 year old. I ended up leaving about a third of the burger. The chips were yum, and my husband enjoyed his fish. The waiter asked at the end of the meal if everything was okay, and I just took the opportunity to feedback that for £18 I would expect a burger to be homemade. She said that they were homemade and asked me to explain what I didn’t like about it. I explained that the texture, taste and juiciness were not like a homemade burger. She said she would speak to her supervisor and then came back and said that I should have raised the issue when a waiter asked in passing if everything was okay. True, I should have. I knew then that she was suggesting that I’d eaten a meal and didn’t want to pay for it, which is not a nice feeling. She said that costs reflected the average in the area. In so many words, the waiter said that my feedback was wrong. My husband even cut in to say, “This is just feedback.” We didn’t expect freebies, as I’d eaten it. I mentioned my previous experience of being told I was wrong in the OBI and she questioned me about it. The waiter just kept at me to the point where I just said, “This conversation is over. I was just giving feedback. We’re going to pay and leave, and we won’t be back.” If the OBI just wanted to cut costs and fleece tourists like everyone else around here, I’ll leave them to it. I gave feedback because I would like it to be the place it used to be, but they’re running a business in a hostile economic environment so standards have to be sacrificed.

Nice place, friendly staff, easy parking, dog friendly. Limited menu, a bit pricey, steak was tough even though cooked medium, chips was delicious as was the peppercorn sauce.

Struggled to find somewhere to eat, then found the Old Bridge Inn - very serendipitous! Friendly staff and great food: I had Venison followed by a nice Steak; my other half had Borscht and a curry. The food was delicious and it was a shame that neither of us had room for dessert! Now we know it's there we're sure to go back next year!

I keep coming back to this lovely eatery whenever I am in Aviemore. Great food, warm atmospehere, friendly service. I can't think of anything to complain about. Highly recommend a visit if you are near-by!

weekday lunch. great place; decent food; reasonable prices; plenty of choice on the menu

The food is absolutely exquisite. Best steak I’ve had in a while. Great drinks. The atmosphere is cozy and nice. A super busy place so I highly recommend reservations. Staff can be a little more attentive but overall, amazing experience. It was worth the wait!

A meal with friends on the last day of a wonderful holiday. Could not have asked for a better farewell. Welcome was friendly the service was superb and the food was wonderful Dog friendly as well. What more could you ask for. Highly recommended 👌

Had a great Sunday lunch. Staff wonderful.

We hadn’t booked but thought we’d give it a try. Asked if they had a table for 2? Got told “take a look around, what do you think?” There were plenty of free tables but got told they are all reserved. So we went went up the Indian and had a good meal there. Got spoken to properly too, which was nice.

Very nice tent with an outdoor terrace

An embarrassment to highland hospitality. Rude and unfriendly on entry. Any request, including paying was inconvenient. Bar man in particular had an attitude.

A wonderful place where we had lunch on the John O Groats-Edinburgh road. This was warm and beautiful. The Scots are surprisingly good at food.

I was excited about eating here and I ensured I put it in my itinerary. I loved the food and the look and feel of the Old Bridge Inn.

Sat outside all enclosed area with pull on heaters. Everything was 1st class.very friendly service

We went on a Wednesday and the pub kitchen was closed, but they put a foodtruck of pizzas on the terrace and the truth was wonderful and the pizzas were very good, small but excellent, very tasty.