Porthead Tavern in North Ayrshire

The food was amazing honestly the best I've had for a while, all the staff were lovely too would deffo recommend

Unfortunately a great meal and service was ruined by a potentially dishonest bar staff, the bill came to £39.05, as the server was genuinely lovely and spot on, we decided to leave £50 cash down on the bill, 2 x £20 and 1 x £10, asking for £5 change at the bar, leaving a tip. The bar girl gave me £5 and we went through to the bar, she then came through after a few minutes with 1 x £20 and 2 x £10 notes saying you've not paid enough and I've gave you £5 for nothing, I went back through to the restaurant to explain and a male staff chipped in and said I seen you put down two tens and a twenty, which for his sake was unfortunate as I triple checked the money at the table, and he was blatantly lying, after several attempt to assert what happened they denied it, I asked if the cameras would pick it up above the tills but they don't have any, which is strange as having run bars myself we ALWAYS had cameras on tills. I threw another £10 down on the bar and told them to enjoy the dishonesty, went back through to the bar, another manager came through with £5 and said let's split the difference, which is ironic. He backs his staff bla bla, so did I until you find the dishonest ones, Allan the owner was standing in the kitchen with a stupid look on his face the whole time, so it's either a one off, mistake or perpetuating from the top down. Let's play this scenario, even if I did lift a note from the £50 by accident (which I didn't), no scenario would have left the bar girl with 2 x £10 and 1 x £20 as that was never left! After 15 plus years of enjoying this restaurant, what a disappointment, won't be missed though. Word of warning to others, check your cash and make sure they confirm it! Allan, keep a closer eye on your staff.

Food wasn't good at all undercooked and tasteless

6 adults and 2 kids out for a birthday dinner. Lovely food and staff very helpful and friendly. Food was delicious, will definitely go again.

Great food. I would recommend .

Last visit not so good. Tempura batter really thick. Chicken salad main the chicken was quite dry. Staff were friendly.

Had a lovely meal tonight. Staff were lovely and our meals were excellent.

Fabulous as always great food and atmosphere

Always a great meal experience at Hamiltons. Staff are so welcoming and always remember that I have gluten and dairy allergies. A lovely restaurant, great food and welcoming atmosphere.

Great service from friendly staff serving delicious well presented food

Nice pub and restaurant. Good food and reasonable prices. The bar can be a bit busy and noisy at times.

Food was lovely and service was exellent. Chef and waiter pulled out the stops to cater for my girlfriend and I who are both Vegan. Nice local dining experience .

Did not enjoy tonight at all. Cullen skink was absolutely disgusting and way overpriced for what it was. Chicken Tempura was dry and hardly any of it. Doesn't even come with a side salad. Cajun chicken was pink inside and pasta was just weird (pasta overpriced also, especially when chicken is extra). Very dark inside restaurant and difficult to see what you're eating. Drink prices are reasonable. Been a few times recently and we've not enjoyed our meals.

Great food, great price & always friendly staff.

Don't eat, but the bar is excellent 👌 Best pub in town. Really good beer well lager.

Just in with family for a few drinks. Seemed a nice little bar with a friendly atmosphere so will definitely be back.

Had a funeral tea in Hamiltons today. The service was excellent as was the food and tea. Two lovely young ladies catered for our every need. Would highly recommend Hamiltons for any special occasion or meal.

Loved the food and staff lovely

Visited here on a day out in Irvine food and service excellent both of us took the 2 course light option my chicken tempura and fries was delicious and so was my dads fish goujouns,great selection of cocktails.The place to visit to eat in Irvine will be back.

Good food. Value for money. Would recommend.

Visited a few weeks ago. We were seated in the upstairs area. The service was excellent, the young boy and girl working upstairs were so attentive and friendly. The food was lovely and worth its money. Will definitely be back!

Good food at sensible prices,served by friendly staff who take pride in their work. Would definitely recommend

Food and service was excellent. Will definitely be back.

Excellent food, very helpful staff, cracking wee place, glad we found it

Went in at 4pm, few others in, lovely meal, staff very attentive. Will be going again at that time.

Great welcome as we entered , git seated promt & had a starter each & main course the food was realy good & fairly priced

Excellent food and good value. Service very good and friendly staff

Was really disappointed in the Sunday roast. The beef was soo tough and chewy. Staff told me other customers also said the same.....why continue to serve it?! They didn't even offer to deduct it from my bill.

We found this pub yesterday whilst staying at nearby Riverside Lodge. We were made very welcome by Cheryl who booked us into the restaurant for our evening meal. So glad we booked it as it was very busy, the food was delicious. I had butternut squash soup served with crusty bread roll and butter, and steak pie which was very nice. Hubby had tempura chicken and sirloin he was very pleased with his food. Overall the staff were friendly and we would return 100%. Great experience.

Great food great staff worth a visit and food is excellent

1st time in this restaurant. Made to feel very welcome. Service was very good. Food was lovely. It wasn't too busy and we were very happy with all of the food. Prices reasonable. Would definitely return

Great food with great service from lovely staff especially Chris ! Would definitely recommend Hamiltons to anyone looking for good food and value for money

Can't falt the food spot on. Update Jan 24 my mum had a stroke in November the fish from here is all she will eat the staff go out there way when I call to oder a take away for her to take to redburn. I initially tried a couple of local chippys she said it was disgusting where as she'd have it from her every night . Big thanks to the staff and owners for this great service might sound silly but you are really helping her recovery

Popped in for a pre Christmas meal. Staff were very welcoming. Service was good staff friendly and food was also tasty. Good gluten free options.

Was a bit quiet but seemed a nice local pub, great pint of Heverlee, nice barmaid

Great food , staff very attentive. Nice quiet place to have a chilled , relaxing meal.

Just had dinner here and it was very good. The food was very well presented and made for good eating. The service was excellent from friendly helpful staff in very good time. Overall a good memorable experience, with the highlight for me being the haggis starter. Would definitely recommend coming here and I will be coming back. Really worth a five star 🌟 review.

Had a roast turkey dinner and it was absolutely fabulous.

Visited for lunch with other half at the weekend. Soup and chicken tempura were lovely. Hubby had his first turkey dinner of the season and was very impressed, good portion size and sticky toffee pudding. I had my usual cajun chicken which was lovely too and apple crumble. Crumble was a bit soft but still nice. Staff were very pleasant and checked we had everything we needed, food was ok etc. Well done guys, will be back for more turkey next week if Hubby has anything to do with it.

Always a friendly welcome for breakfast lunch dinner or just drinks ... true Scottish hospitality indeed

Great food, lovely staff, really good prices. Have recommended to friends who've also now been. Always a busy wee place.

Big servings very happy with the service

Excellent restaurant. Food is delicious, portions are generous and the prices are reasonable

Food was spot on!!! 👌 the ladies serving us were also brilliant. Helpful and lovely. I will go back when I next return to Scotland

Excellent food best soup I’ve ever tasted yum yum

Fabulous food and service. Reasonable price highly recommend . Ate in the bar once an twice in restaurant more than happy on each occasion.

1st time dining here. Very tasty food, staff are attentive and friendly. Would definitely recommend.

Visited three times, first in bar to see football, bar food excellent quality and value. Twice in restaurant, service and food excellent. Freshly cooked and piping hot top marks.

Lovely local pub, .made so welcome

Just back home after a meal here. Very friendly people and nice restaurant. The food was very good quality, tasty, great menu and choice. A 3 course meal for £22.50 is very reasonable. I torally recomend this restaurant and I'll be back soon. Marta

Went in for drinks, a friendly bar, good service, and drinks. The food looked good.

Went for lunch had a 3 course meal it was lovely. Good value for money and great food 😁

First visit to Hamiltons but had heard a lot of good reports and I wasn't disappointed. Staff were very pleasant, helpful and attentive, food was lovely and I loved the atmosphere. Will definitely be back. Thank you.

What a great night out with friends, the food was amazing and the staff fantastic, very attentive and friendly. Will definitely be back 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Came in for some lunch as we came in before and had a nice meal with some small issues but overlooked it due to all the reviews I thought maybe they were having a bad day on the last visit we came. We came in and ordered two colas (draft) it went from the wrong order been brought to being told sorry we have to fix the gas which wasn’t an issue as we happily waited then to be told no it’s not getting fixed now (no idea why) you’ll have to pick something else so two cans of cola later we finally got a drink (20 minutes or so) my wife is a bar manger and knows a thing or two regarding changing the syrups for cola and other drinks so I think our diet cola to begin with wasn’t a mistake they just didn’t want to change the syrup since we asked for normal cola. Our starters came they were nice then the mains came .. my was okay chicken seemed a bit fatty and processed for the price your paying. My wife’s macaroni however came in a Tiny dish it was a full portion as I asked a member of staff is this the FULL portion and not the “wee” one to be told yes it came with chips so it’s the full portion. When leaving we asked to see the recipe turns out it’s £4 for the small silver dish of chips on the plate to make your tiny macaroni a “FULL” portion & to top everything off it’s £2.50 per can of cola when we didn’t order that in the first place ? And had to get it because of your mistakes and waited a long time for you to sort it. Personally as someone who works with public in a similar environment I think the least they could’ve done was not charge full price for there mistakes! I don’t think it’s very fair on customers to be paying full price for your mistakes. I’m afraid I won’t be back there’s lots of nice restaurants now of days and customer service goes along way!

Been a few time and never had a bad meal, recommended restaurant for eating out in Irvine

Lovely wee place, clean and friendly, food good, service good. Would definitely go back here. Seemed the place to be for Sunday lunch

Great meal lovely staff what more wld any one want

Amazing! Not many reviews as most as it is a true local pub. Dining was booked out often (a good sign) so I ate in the pub which I preferred. In town for a week and was there 4 of the 7 nights. Fish and chips great as well as the fantastic Steak Pie and Peppercorn Chicken Breast. The hero of the 2 course meal I chose was the STICKY TOFFEE PUDDING! You have to try it. Best I’ve ever had. Great prices as well. Go try it for yourself.

Venue isn't much to look at from the outside, but the interior is very warm and cosy. Staff were fantastic and very friendly. Food was excellent and portions very generous!

Was good only thing was so busy was seated in the bar for our meal

I have been coming here for years and just recently its become my favourite restaurant to venture out to. Always greeted in a pleasant manner and shown to your seats - always informing you of what's available and what's not Everytime I come here, nothing is a bother. The servers are absolutely incredible and if you're not sure what drinks contains etc then they are happy to go over and above. The last time arriving here I have called ahead as my friend has a severe allergy to latex. I had spoken with Chris and he was very very thorough in making sure they met all the requirements for my friend coming. They then confirmed during dinner that they were all aware which made my friend very relaxed during our dinner. - The food is just WOW , I haven't had something this yummy anywhere else Lentil soup Creamy peppered chicken ( normally only comes with one breast of chicken but I asked for 2 cause I'm a greedy pig) And the chocolate fudge cake - nom! Absolutely love coming here, cannot recommend this place enough!

Lovely food great service 😋 👍 👌

Amazing service and amazing food as always. Chris couldn't do enough for us.

Excellent fresh cooked food with a nice atmosphere.

First time visiting, will definitely be back, staff were all very welcoming and friendly, amazing food 🤩 5 star service, thank you

Lovely place, nice atmosphere and good staff! Food was very nice and arrived quite quickly.

Stayed at a local hotel but ventured into Irvine for a few drinks and to watch the football, we came across this bar/restaurant . It has a separate bar and restaurant and we had a few drinks in the bar. Staff were welcoming as were other customers. Visited the next afternoon too, great prices and good atmosphere. Quite compact inside but we got a seat both times we visited. Drinks were reasonably priced.

Sunday evening meal completely ruined by a large group of excessively noisy people. Staff, who were mostly very young either chose to do nothing about it or did not have the confidence or personal skills to say anything. I won't return and looking at the faces of others who left as soon as they'd eaten, I doubt if they will either.

Lovely welcoming atmosphere, friendly staff, delicious food, will definitely be back and highly recommend x

Always great food there, our little treat when we want a good meal.

Lovely place, great service, staff very attentive and food was superb will definitely be back

Early Saturday night dinner for 2 was happy with food choice anything from 2 course 3 course or just simply main course. Wife had steak pie said it was OK but would not order again, now she normally would order steak or burger, but we decided to try comfort food. Steak pie came with Boiled potatoes and Veg would rate it 4 out of 5 I enjoyed my Cajun Chicken presentation maybe looked more like some curry sauce However it was lovely really enjoyed the dish and would recommend 5 out of 5 Was so happy decided to try and make my own and was happy with my attempt Only issue I had was my pint of Tennent larger was a slight tangy taste usually caused by end of beer keg Over all would recommend anyone to visit staff really welcoming and nice atmosphere I’m sure we will enjoy working our way through Hamilton menu over the next few Months

This is my second visit here the first time I couldn’t fault it hence why I came back a second time. We we’re out doing some Christmas shopping and decided to pop in again for some lunch. The restaurant itself is cosy and nice. However the wait in-between our starters and main course was a bit long I watched others get there’s before us and they ordered after us. We eventually got out mains mine was delicious (Cajun chicken) however my wife got the Mac & cheese and it came out Luke warm and this was definitely off putting especially after waiting a while for it after our starter and also made us think it wasn’t fresh and just put in a microwave. If it was me I’d of sent it back but my wife insisted it still tasted nice even though it wasn’t warm enough. Overall a cosy place and mostly nice food just make sure it’s heated well and make sure the right tables get served first and don’t wait alot longer than needed.

Went first time taking a chance they apologized kindly and said could only give us an hour table so we took it. They served drinks and came back and said they had. Managed to shuffle tables and now can stay as long as we like. Ordered our meal and with not too long to wait received our food warm fresh and delicious followed by the best sticky toffee pudding ever. Tried it again thinking probably just lucky as the staff. We’re fantastic friendly and on the ball as if they actually wanted to be there will definitely put on favourites list Highly recommended

Lovely staff, food lush and great portion size Definitely recommend. The young male staff were so friendly and polite. Will definitely visit again

Was in with my family on Friday night and by far the best place to eat. Food was to die for and exceptional service from all the staff. Especially the wee girl with red hair and glasses. She went above and beyond for us and nothing wasn’t any trouble. True credit for Hamiltons. Will definitely be back :)

Went in for a meal and a few drinks with friends. All staff were very friendly especially the redhead. Absolutely exceptional friendly service!!!

Food was amazing, Most all staff where nice asides from the red head she was extremely rude towards me and my friends and had a very sour attitude. Asides from that everything and everyone else was perfect. I’d certainly suggest you give them a try just be careful of the red head she may ruin your night.

Brought my family here for Father’s Day, sat upstairs and the service from the girl working upstairs was great, she went above and beyond for us I wish I could say the same about the management and sour faced girl with glasses. I politely asked...

went here on saturday night with my wife for dinner 2 courses 18.50 food was nice but would class as pub grub. i had steak pie my wife had lasagne food was good but not restaurant quality but good pub grub.

My friend and I went for lunch yesterday. My friend is vegetarian, and when I booked the table I checked to make sure they had a good choice of veggie meals. There was no choice. She ordered a pasta which was stodgy when it came....

Thanks to the local info in my guest house I went to Hamiltons for dinner, The reception was friendly and prompt & despite being very busy they sat me a table suitable for 4 for me as a single diner. Service was wonderful throughout and...

Excellent meal with fab service. The cajun chicken is my fave well worth travelling from Glasgow for it. Can't wait to return!

would recommend this place for meals, the steak pie is a treat. good service from all staff. good prices as well. you need to book up as always busy, i can see why. best place in Irvine to eat out.

Went for a family catch up as my daughter in law is over from Canada. Table booked Saturday afternoon at 3-15 . We were given a table for 6 upstairs right next to the toilets. Service was poor as the chap dropped some of the...

Lovely atmosphere with great food. Starters of Tempura Chicken, Prawn cocktail and Haggis Pakora were all delicious followed by Steak Pie or Peppercorn Chicken were the main choices from our group. Great service - delicious food

After a disappointing third visit I have to leave a negative review. My last two visits have had poor service with having to ask three times on one occasion for a drink and our dessert was forgotten about . On my recent visit the chicken...

Came in today after a few friends have recommended it to myself and my wife. We had been shopping and stopped by afterwards and we weren’t disappointed! The place itself is cosy and has a lovely atmosphere and I was pleasantly surprised to see kids...

we took a party of 15 to celebrate our anniversary on the 23rd of October 2021 , the food was excellent , the staff very friendly , our party were all served their food, had little or no waiting once order was given , they...

I’ve been eating here for years now. Now I have no idea what has happened to this place but twice now I’ve been in and not only was my mains cold and starters undercooked ( mushrooms) The service from one particular girl is awful. Young...

The staff were friendly and polite, very attentive throughout our visit. There was 2 younger male members of staff who were lovely and couldn’t have done enough for us. The food was served quickly and was tasty,everyone at our table was pleased. Our drinks were...

Starter ordered was a falafel with lime, coriander and mint dressing. Very nice and something we’ve had in various Lebanese restaurants. When it came they had served it with a burger relish rather than the refreshing dressing advertised. I hate burger relish and wouldn’t have...

Absolutely delish food! Went along with my mum & daughters as it was my mums birthday! We all enjoyed delicious food and had great service! We are looking forward to returning! Thank you Hamilton’s as my mum had a great time as she thoroughly enjoyed...

Had a delicious meal here - staff were lovely and there was a nice buzz about the place. They offer a 2/3 course menu which is great value, highly recommend 👍🏻

Great family dinner!Lovely food and great service- staff are amazing and really top off a good experience.If I had any complaints it would be that the menu is too good - so much to choose from so it is hard to make your mind up!

I was visiting family in Irvine and they booked the Porthead for lunch. To be fair I did not expect much as I thought it was more a pub and not really a restaurant. I was wrong on that one as it had a better choice than most restaurants I have been in. The menu choice was very good, prices good, quality of food excellent. I so enjoyed my lunch and would be a regular is it was a bit closer to me. Could not find fault in my lunch and the staff were lovely. They were attentive but not overly so. I would recommend if you are ever in Irvine.

Myself and my family were in Hamiltons last night, the service from the girls was amazing, especially the younger staff. The atmosphere was also great we only had a few issues. We could see our main courses in the kitchen ready which made us rush our starters, the screaming and swearing from the kitchen was very off putting. I wasn't going to write a review about it because the food was very good but as we will be back at some point in the future I thought some things could change. Still worth 4 stars.

Went in for lunch not busy at all 3 tables to be exact. Main coarse forgotten about manager had to come if her break and ask if we had our food which shouldn’t be case. Staff were oblivious setting tables instead of focusing on the customers which were in . Food was good. To top it off chef having an full blown argument with member of staff shouting very loud and swearing this is not acceptable with a open pass as a kitchen and I had young kids with me disgusting behaviour. You should be ashamed of your self

We were allowed To take our dog into the bar so ate dinner in there. The staff were very friendly and the food was excellent. Reasonable prices for two courses and the dog was given a bone and water. Highly recommend so don’t be put off by the appearance. Tv in the bar .