Royal Hotel in Orkney Islands

This review only relates to the bar in this establishment. We were actually looking for somewhere to have lunch, but unfortunately food was not available. There were few other customers but we did stay and have some drinks. There does not appear to be any recent reviews, but we felt that the lack of atmosphere in the bar during our visit and comparatively dark decor would not encourage us to return.

We went in the bar for drinks to see some friends we have made from other trips we have made to stromness this is a welcoming pub and hotel the staff ar friendly and helpful

As soon as we arrived with the ferry, we dropped into this cosy place for some refreshment; the atmosphere is really friendly, and the prices are very reasonable.

Big room which was very clean. Check in very officious as we were early and couldn't go to our room . Parking at the quayside and so had to carry cases quite a way up to hotel. Sister hotel had excellent food. Not sure we were welcomed here but Stromness is beautiful and we loved it but a warm welcome- NO

Welcome warm room in an old building in the centre of Stromness. Good location to explore the old streets and lanes of the town and visit the sites of Skara Brae, Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness. Good hearty traditional breakfast with several options. We had a problem in our room after a couple of days which was handled very well by Karin and Gareth, the owners of the hotel. We stayed 6 nights.

Having eaten here for decades visiting family we were disappointed that the only meals on offer were a set menu at £49 per head. Not many holidaymakers can do this every evening and despite little choice now with the Stromness Hotel closed, all other establishments were turning people away as they couldn’t cope and the Royal had a blackboard with ‘tables available’. We stayed for a week and struggled to get a table anywhere else until we got in the habit of prebooking a day in advance. We no doubt would have eaten in the Royal on a few of these nights had it been a decent price.

Warm welcome, attentive staff, excellent food in a very pleasant dining room and real value for money. A good choice of local seafood, meat and vegetarian options at a great price. Would highly recommend a visit to enjoy the experience.

Stayed in Room 1 - great shower, comfortable king size bed and clean. All one needs for a comfortable short stay

The Haven Restaurant delivered everything a foodie wants! Delicious flavours, using local produce, paired with imaginative presentation and first class service!

Excellent food, great service, lovely surroundings. The recently re furbished dining area in the lounge bar is very tastefully done making a comfortable and cosy dining experience.

Stayed for a night after arriving off the late ferry. We usually stay at the Ferry Inn but its closed for refurbishment so we stayed at their partner , The Royal. Excellent welcome , very nice modern room and shower , great breakfast . We will certainly be back.

Wife had scallops and I had fish & chips that were excellent. Scallops were cooked perfectly and the fish was lightly breaded, flaky and not greasy. Service was by a young lady who just turned 18 and was excellent!

What a good little bar for a game of pool and a bit of craic with friends. Didn’t eat here but we heard it’s good.

We had dinner here with our family while on holiday in Orkney. The meal whilst not bad was just mediocre and not well presented. My husband opted for haddock thinking because ov the area the fish would be excellent but was disappointed. The fries seemed as if they were standard frozen ones and not very good..In all not a good dining experience.

We came in for lunch today, our first time eating here since the current owners took over. Service was fast, polite staff, and the food was great, i had a generous bowl of tasty potato & leek soup followed by the chickpea and cauliflower curry which was also very good, it was great to see some vegan options! My husband really enjoyed his fried cheese starter and his burger. We well be back again soon.

Very unwelcome. Was recommended to us. Was sat and told to wait to be served. Waited, waited. Staff more interested in chatting to friends at the bar. We left trying to get eye contact with staff....nothing. lucky for us we found somewhere down the road more welcoming.

We arrived on spec and had an excellent lunch at a very reasonable price. There seemed to be a number of regulars in that day but the service we received was just the same. It was all very friendly and efficient.

Saturday evening dinner in the Hanson room at the Royal Hotel was very good. I had Ham Brough and she had Spare ribs. There is a limited menu choice but everything is a high standard and reasonable priced. Avoid the very busy and loud public had at the front of the building by entering through the hotel lobby to the stylish and quiet lounge at the rear.

A good ambience and pub style menu. The rang of main courses is limited but the quality is good with efficient friendly service

Stopped in here for lunch at the bar in the back. Looked like it had recently been renovated, very nicely decorated. The food was pretty good and reasonably priced. Service was good. Would definitely recommend.

there are only 4 places we found to eat out in Stromness. the food here is pleasant and caters for vegetarians and the bar has a good selection of local beers. Very pleasant staff.

Popped in for a quick drink while my better half was looking around the local shops. Friendly locals, good selection of drinks both local and more widely known.

I stayed here for three nights in June. The rooms were cheaper than many in Kirkwall and it is comfortable enough for a short stay (even if the bathroom is a little tight). Breakfast was very nice.

A warm welcome and an iterestingly themed restaurant. The food was good and the service excellent. Free wi-fi a bonus.

The bar only opens THU-SAT as I recall , but its worth checking anyway. When its open Allan is a great host - and spo is his dog.

All staff very helpful, most efficient and good food. Much superior to sister hotel, the Ferry Inn. Prices are also good. Restaurant was very busy, staff were calm and created ambience. Definitely recommend a visit. Well done everyone.

Only had a main course but, it was of such good quality, that I wished I’d also tried a starter. I had the ham hough which was ample in size and cooked perfectly. The only negative is that no hand-pulled beer is served.

Visited this restaurant twice during our stay on Orkney.

The food was fresh and local and quite tasty. I'll admit that it didn't rank at the top of my "foods on vacation" list, but the service was great.

In the afternoon it became freezing, so we waited for the ferry, in here, besides the open fire with some local whiskeys. The staff here were friendly

First time here so thought we'd try the hotel for a meal. Meal was in bar - dining room not open. First impression great - comfortable seating and looked like the place had been refurbished. Meal was good fish was excellent and my burger was very tasty. Just a bit surprised that the burger came with no salad as in most restaurants so just a plain burger and chips. For the cost thought it was a bit dear.

We had a good dinner here after a long day of bicycling. The food was good and filling. The bartender helped me find a perfect gin for my G&T.; I'd definitely recommend and come back myself

While on a week's diving with Ghost Fishing UK to clear lost fishing gear from the Scapa Flow wrecks we used their function room for planning meetings.

Spend alot of time here during our stay in Stromness. Great fish and chips here - light batter. The Pub was a great meeting place and enjoyed our chats withe locals.

Stopped at the royal for a flying visit during trip to Orkney isles Highly recommended good staff with really good quick food on our visit

The lounge bar is very basic and the bar is just awful- definitely avoid. The people were nice but the management needs to take a good look at the decor and cleanliness

We scanned the menus of several eateries in town before settling on the Royal. The menu is not extensive but was a grade up from the usual burger & chips offered by many. Meals can be had in the Dining room or at the Bar lounge. We had to ask Bar staff to show us a seat, there didn't appear to be specific restaurant staff. Before we were given a menu we were asked if we wanted to order drinks. (can't they wait until the menu has been looked at?) The meals prepared were generous in size so beware of ordering a three course dinner unless you are very hungry. The food was well presented, fresh and tasty. We returned the following evening to try other items on the menu. Staff were friendly but seemed more focused on the Bar traffic than the restaurant. Good food at a reasonable cost.

Walked in , got served straight away. Staff very nice and efficient. Good lovely and tasty. Nothing to complain about at all.

The restaurant was a good size and the food was very good,Orkney beef is deservedly of good quality and the menu reflected this.The whiskys on Orkney are good but expensive,but that is down to the new Scottish government legislation.which is a shame.Good service and prompt.TIP. Restaurants in Stromness are limited in number and can fill very quickly so it would be wise to reserve a table .

No real ale on draft but Scapa bottled is good f pricey. Service a little slow for I had twice to say for a waitress to come to our table.

We arrived on spec to see if we could get a table to find that the lounge was fully booked. Managed to get a table in the bar. Food was excellent, Moira and Emma ensured that we were well looked after and even kept a table in the lounge free until they had checked if we wanted to move.

Had dinner here one evening. Food was well prepared and served, Reasonable menu choices and reaasonable prices.

Arriviamo al Royal perché il Ferry Inn è completo. Consigliato da loro. Devo dire che per una famiglia con bambini è meno "agitato" del Ferry con un menu simile. Old fashion pub con buon fish and chips. Birre di conseguenza: in pratica un buon compromesso per bambini e adulti. Da considerare in tal senso.

Cuisine ecossaise classique correctement executee. Service sympathique Choix de starters et classiques habituels Pas exceptionnel non plus

Very poor value, beef stroganoff was chewy and not much of it. Most disappointed , very little beef and it was quite chewy

Went here for evening dinner tonight, one week before Christmas, as expected it was a Christmas menu. Having heard poor reviews about Christmas food in other restaurants in Orkney was a bit apprehensive. I needn't have been. The staff were attentive and the tables set very nicely, we were lucky it wasn't busy. There is a good variety of food on the menu, all reasonably priced not cheap but I considered it excellent value. Had crab cakes with a lovely salad and dip to start, followed by Orkney steak and ale pie, accompanied by chips and seasonal vegetables, it was delicious, the pastry was crisp and golden. Pudding was Lemon Meringue Roulade with a red berry compote, looked very pretty on the plate and was light, sweet delicious, also had a glass of coke, for three course plus one drink it was £26.10. Would I go back again, yes I definitely would.

On a quick visit to the northern isles with my wife we found ourselves in stromness on a wet cold night looking for something to eat after exploring the sights ,the Royal hotel looks a wee bit drab from the outside but inside there is...

food and services was good, fish and chips and burger were good. price ok, we had dinner in the bar beyound cafe

Don't be deceived by the appearance of the front bar. The dining room located at the rear of the premises is a quaint and lovely space to have dinner. The meals are typical pub food but of a good standard and fresh. The front bar...

We enjoyed the lamb chops, monkfish especially. Chicken and seafood casserole were OK. More like bar dining than fine dining.

Best meal we managed to eat in Stromness. Back room is cosy and cheerful. Good service, nice hamburgers, full bars and a local venue for the Blues Festival in September.

We had dinner at the lounge bar. The waitress was friendly and efficient. The pub food was fine though not special. The cheesecake dessert was delicious!

On my last night in Stromness me and the other divers got together for great dinner. the table was set nice and the food was really good and the staff was friendly. I would go back any time.

Two years ago, we thought the food to be fair. It has improved. We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meals that 12 of us had. The barman was cheerful and helpful, as was the waitress. We felt a real warm welcome.

WiFi free. old pub setting. pleasant. have fruit machines so that was loud. nice spot however after a long walk and great to use the WIFI

Stopped in while in town for a bit of lunch. Food was tasty, service was good. Chips were hand cut and very tasty but The Royal loses one mark as some of the thicker chips were slightly undercooked and hard. Would visit again if in Stromness.

Stopped by for lunch. Service was friendly and prompt and the food was tasty with good portion size. Chips were good! We had a mixture of toasties and baguettes and cooked food such as macaroni and clean plates all round at the end.

The Royal Hotel came highly recommended by our hosts in Stromness and we ate there three times during our stay, each time in the bar rather than the restaurant proper. It's warm and comfortable and the staff are friendly and the service mostly quite quick. A bit slower one evening when they had a large party in, but we were in no rush. .There is a good choice of food on the menu and several specials. On our first evening there two of us had the haddock and chips which were generous portions but the chips went soggy too quickly for my liking - a good chip should stay crisp even when cooled in my book. I chose the steak and ale pie which was good but the ratio of meat to pastry was a bit heavy on the pastry side and it wasn't served with extra gravy and they couldn't bring me any when I asked. However it was served with new potatoes and a bowl of mixed fresh vegetables including red cabbage so they won their points back there. On another evening, the chicken curry proved to be very good and was served with a generous portion of mango chutney. My companions chose the scampi and chips and managed to clear their plates. Our third meal here was pretty much a repeat of the first with two haddock and chips again and something from the specials menue that caught my eye but hasn't stayed in my memory! Oh, and each time, we had to have the Orkney Fudge Cheesecake - wicked for the waistline but wonderful for the taste buds. The prices here are very reasonable - higher if you choose to eat in the restaurant - but we were more than happy with the bar menu and the slightly quirky ambience of the place. They also offer smaller portions on certain items - good for smaller appetites. Definitely recommended.

Had an evening meal here, the menu is not to small and not to big, plenty of choice not overwhelming. You can get bar meals or a la carte, there is also a specials board. We were shown to a table quickly and given the menu, lots of emphasis on using local produce where possible, my daughter had local scallops as a starter. The staff are very helpful, one person at a nearby table, didn't want the cream in the sauce their dish came with, no problem at all to accommodate. The portion sizes were generous and prices were reasonable. The service was quick and efficient and friendly. I had the pork in a sauce, delicious, very impressed with the mashed potato and vegetables served with it particularly the red cabbage, absolutely delicious. We had starters and mains but were to full for pudding, all the more reason to go back again!!

Des plats typiques (fish ans chips, burgers, beef pie) dans des portions généreuses dans une ambiance authentique. Bon choix de bières pression.

A lively pub especially with the England vs Scotland match on. Good pub restaurant and very pleasant efficient service, went twice so must be good!

Fairly typical pub food which was served by a very efficient and enthusiastic waitress. I had the roast pork which was accompanied with nice veg and potatoes. There is no cask beer, but some interesting bottles from local breweries. It can get very busy, so reservations might be in order.

We arrived in late off the ferry and were worried that we may not get in anywhere. We were made welcome at the Royal and the young waitress was very attentive and pleasant. Great food and plenty of it. Can recommend the Scampi.

We much preferred the meal here to that provided by the Ferry Inn.The steak & ale pie was accompanied by fresh vegetables rather than peas and the fish & chips were not as greasy as elsewhere.The superior meal is worth the few extra steps from the ferry parking lot.

Had supper there twice. We even sent customers from another restaurant that we went to, in hindsight by mistake, over to the Royal. GREAT fish and chips and delicious steak and ale pie!!

Enjoyed really lovely meal. Service very good and friendly. Food very reasonably priced and extensive menu. Would definitely recommend

Don't be put off by the well-worn lobby. This place has a charm all its own. It's old, yes, and quirky, but not in a negative way at all. The bed was very comfortable, the bathroom sparkling clean, the room smelled clean, the people were very nice. The young woman behind the desk even had lunches made up for us, since we wouldn't have time for the included breakfast, at no extra charge. MacNab's bar, on the first floor, smelled too smoky for us, so we walked two doors in the opposite direction and spent a delightful hour or two in Mr. C's.

A lovely place to stay in the heart of Stromness - Olly, Sandra and their staff make you feel very welcome. A good selection for breakfast freshly cooked to your requirements sets you up for the day - lunch and evening meals also available featuring local produce at it's best. There are 2 lively bars - sometimes featuring live music from local musicians during the tourist season - well worth a visit

Ate here before boarding the ferry. Menu Haxton a good choice with specials of the day.Price reasonable,. quality good, all good home cooking grub.I had fish cakes started followed by the steak and ale pie either boiled potatos and veg.with a pint of lager for £20.00

Delicious turkey, generous portion, fresh roast vegetables and chip. All served piping hot with friendly service. Could not have been better!

Very nice food, local dishes, good menu, lovely friendly staff, good location, close to town centre, Great place to stay.

... in Stromness. Wir haben in einem anderen Restaurant keinen Platz mehr bekommen und sind dann auf das Royal gestoßen. Es waren außer uns noch ein paar Einheimische zum Essen (unter anderem unsere Gastgeberin). Der Catch of the day hat sich als Volltreffer erwiesen, die Krabbe zr Vorspeise würde ich nicht nochmal bestellen - für meinen Geschmack in Sahne ertränkt.

We ate here on the second of our 2 night stay and all 3 courses were very good. Locally sourced produce cooked with skill and decent portions. What more do you require. Oh yes, the Guinness was lovely too.

Posizione centrale, comodo da raggiungere e parcheggio agevole. Hall che mostra tutti i suoi anni. Reception svogliata e sbrigativa.Camere vecchie con pulizia discutibile.Dotazione dei bagni insufficiente.Colazione misurata.

Good pub food -fish and chips was good. The service was quick and efficient which is a big plus. The interior is nothing special .

When dining out, a huge part of the experience is decent customer service. Unfortunately the staff on duty had not been shown how to serve well at all, in fact, it was just poor on all levels. Having worked in the service industry for over 20 years I know only too well how stressful and hard it can be but it was not busy so I find it hard to make excuses for the waiting times to get our order taken, get our table cleared, the not coming to the table to take drinks orders, the not checking if everything was ok or if we needed anything else. There were mixed feelings about the food but on the whole it was fine. I was one of the group that enjoyed everything I got.All in all, a middle of the road dining experience. We wouldn't go back again unless it was to offer some staff training.

Stopped by for some lunch while we were in town. Good menu and prices. Kids enjoyed the visit aswell. Overall good experience with our family.

Vi ble overrasket over at det var så får steder og spise i Stromsnes. Ingen middagsservering før etter 18.00. Spisesal både i pub og egen spisesal. Grei meny, men ikke veldig spennende.

My friend and I spent an evening here listening to music and enjoying a BBQ. Everyone was friendly and the atmosphere was wonderful!

We enjoyed a lovely 3 course meal tonight, the food was great although we noticed that some people had quite a long wait, should have had more people serving especially seeing as it was busy.

stopped in about 1/2 hour before closing. Was told by waitperson to hurry and order and they were closing. Food ok.

on our visit to Orkney we enjoyed a nice lunch in this establishment, good fare on offer and reasonable prices, served up by very pleasant friendly staff.

Called by without booking and had a really good meal. But the bar has all characters of people, not just tourists, and generally family friendly. However, the public bar can attract, let's say, unsophisticated clientele!

During our stay in Stromness we found ourselves being drawn to the Royal Hotel on a daily basis for dinner seeing as it had the best food in town. The servings were huge and the quality and taste were excellent (I loved the burgers!) at very moderate prices.The staff was also friendly and the meals arrived quickly. Also the ambience in the restaurant is very pleasant with a distinct Scottish flair :)

I had the Orkney and Ale pie which was so tasty and the portion was huge along with the " chunky chips " lovely

The ambience is good (Hudsons bar) but there are so many negatives; the tables are squashed together so you sit in the lap of your neighbour, the curry was straight out of a bottle (and not the nice kind), the dessert was a supermarket pie base with a really boring unlemonlike lemon filling, and the kids meal consisted of 3 fish fingers. My wife liked the scallops though. Not cheap either.

If we have time to spare, the Royal is a nice place to pop into, it also has a very good menu. Their salads & Curries are very nice.

Good location and friendly staff. Rooms are being improved over time and the renovated rooms are nicely finished.

Really enjoyed my meal at the Royal. The menu wasn't extensive but perfectly adequate with something for everybody. I had scallops for starters followed by lasagne. Both were delicious. Friendly staff. Will definitely return if I'm ever in Orkney again.

Old world charm, prompt and friendly service, I had the steak and ale pie which was the best I've had in a fortnight of travelling around Scotland.

On a cold wet day we were delighted that not only were we made welcome at this hotel/pub/bar but so we're our two soggy doggies!From the outside The Royal gives a bit of a run-down first impression however looks can be deceptive, inside the pub is very well kept, clean and fairly stylish.Food wise, we were fortunate enough to be able to take advantage of a mutton special. Wow, this was an excellent choice with wonderfully dark, tender and gamey meat, well cooked vegetables and friendly staff. Great stuff!

We had to pop in between events for a quick toastie, and the Royal Hotel was ideal.. Great value for money and wonderful service.

Das Essen war OK, der Preis auch, aber eine selten unmotivierte Bedienung, in allen anderen Resturants vor Ort geht es besser!

We stumbled across this place and really glad we did, the food was lovely and the drinks really nice - a nice peaceful atmosphere and glad we found it!

We ate here a few weeks back and we have always had a great meal at the Royal Hotel. The roast pork and apple sauce was delicious and were the desserts. The restaurant was very hot inside and there was no cool fans running. There seems to be a skylight in the upper restaurant area but it leads out to an attic??Overall a great place to eat and I would agree with previous reviews the fish and chips are legendary!

My main reson for going here was to see football because it's the only place in Stromness that shows PL football. But since I was here I just as well ate here.

This is an interesting, old fashioned sort of place, with a menu to match. Service was more attentive to locals, particularly at the bar area. We ordered soup and sandwiches. Soup was excellent, sandwiches were ho hum. The Sunday roast seemed to be a popular dish at tables around us. A reasonable place for a meal, but nothing out of this world.

Rather run Down I'm sad to day and in need of a face lift. Was once a lovely hotel right in the middle of the main street Had a very nice meal in the bar but the Place lacked charm and the accoustics were terrible.

We went here for food as Hamnavoe was fully booked. Starter of crab was nice, but the seafood salad had some prawns one slice of smoked salmon and crab with what can be described as the store cupboard on a plate-peachs and pineapple included strange to say the least but the potatoes were good, but wouldn't recommend for a romantic meal out .

Good accommodation with large bathroom / bedroom. Nice seated area in our room with tea and coffee provided.Clean and well decorated.