Saxa Vord Resort in Shetland Islands

Unfortunately this place isn't opening up in 2021 and from talking to locals, it might not ever open again as the site is going to be redeveloped.

we had a lovely dinner here. Staff were warm and welcoming. The food was good and well priced. If eating out in the evening on Unst this is the place to go!

A mediocre experience. Soup was good, and the baked brie fine. The chicken dish was fair, but the veg disappointing - how can you burn broccoli? The potato 'cake' was for all the world like the day before's left over boiled potatoes roughly mashed and formed into a cyclindrical shape - no other discernible ingredients. The young waitress was pleasant and attentive. Surroundings were as to be expected of a former military mess.

Nice evening meal. Had to toss up whether to give it three or four stars but its such a fantastic location with, sadly, so few visitors that it deserves every encouragement to get you to go!

Eat here while staying in the Resort - same building, Well presented menu and friendly staff. We`eat 2 nights in a row and it was varied, interesting and tasty.

U.K. pub style with good tasty food, good portions and excellent staff team - would go again. The restaurant is settled in the Old Sergeants Mess and has a comfortable, homely feel with a well stocked bar adjacent. There are also games rooms: darts; TableTennis; snooker. The rooms are warm and ideal for keeping the Norwick Northerly at bay.

if you want to have dinner in this restaurant, then you should reserve it. The bar is beautiful and invites you to an aperitif before dinner. Afterwards one is brought to the beautifully set table. The menu offers something for every palate. We had a nice relaxing evening here.

We had an absolute disaster at Baltasound which I have reviewed separately and good old Saxa Vord came to the rescue. We were booked in to eat at the Baltasound but when we got there the chef was refusing to cook. So we and several others were literally marooned on Unst with no where to eat. The stand in manager at Balta sound was lovely and very embarrassed, enough to ring Saxa Vord who even though they were actually closed that evening only doing take away fish and chips the lovely manage agreed to take the two of us plus the managers of Balta sound and another couple for a meal. Thank goodness. We were so surprised how nice the restaurant is. It really is warm and comfortable and small and secluded. It was blowing a gale outside and the restaurant was candle lit and very pretty and very clean. Spotless in fact. Lovely furnishings. The manager could not have been more helpful and apologised for only having a few things on the menu as he wasnt even open. He had fish and chips and assorted fast foods as the kitchen was technically closed but was so kind and thoughtful when I explained my husband wasnt very well and could not eat chips or batter. Off he went and came back saying I can do him a home made beef madras. He then went on to tell us how it was cooked and the ingredients and it was very healthy and he would even do it with rice. It was a superb meal. Large helping, nicely cook, tender beef, plentiful and tasty ! Hubby thoroughly enjoyed it. What a star. Really so kind and helpful I cannot praise the manager enough. Here he was stuck with every one from Baltasound (six in all) when 4 workmen turned up, another 2 workmen and then a family of 6. He just laughed and said I might as well have opened. He was rushed of his feet and the waitress who was on (his fiancee I think) was lovely and cheerful and hardworking. Full of smiles. We had a lovely evening, it was also a very special surprise visit as the last time we were in Unst was the closing might of RAF BaBa Bar and we felt very emotional. We all chatted the night away and it was just the warmest cosiest lovely evening we cannot fault it in any way. Life savers Saxa Vord.

Ho cenato qui in due occasioni: una sera in cui c'era il menù alla carta e una sera a tema spagnolo. Le pietanze che ho ordinato dal menù alla carta erano molto buone, saporite e sostanziose. è stata una cenetta molto piacevole, lo staff gentile e disponibile. La cena a tema spagnolo è stata meno deliziosa, ma accettabile. Credo che queste cene siano organizzate come attrattiva per i residenti. Un consiglio: almeno per il ristorante dedicato ai turisti/ospiti dell'hotel, punterei sul menù alla carta.

My mother booked for us to stay at Saxavord for a single night while visiting Unst with my children. It’s heritage is military accommodation so bathroom facilities in the hostelry are mixed and down the hall from your room. There are also kitchen facilities available, but as we had booked breakfast and dinner we didn’t take any supplies of his nature. Turned out to be a mistake! There was no one around to check us in resulting in 10 minutes looking for staff. Dinner was average of £16 for a main course and disappointing when it arrived. We weren’t expecting fine dining, but having eaten out elsewhere in Shetland we thought the fish was small, and pasta was cobbled together from whatever was left in the fridge! (My opinion, and it wasn’t my dish!). The standard was below expectation for a meal of that price. When we enquired about booking a table for breakfast we were told that “as it was the end of the season it wasn’t viable for them to put on breakfast”... which we had already paid for!!! Now at £8.50 a head that was frustrating. They haven’t as yet been particularly forthcoming to refund that either. The bedrooms were comfortable enough, although the radiator in the Childrens room was stuck on full making it uncomfortably hot. It was reasonably clean, and the staff were friendly enough which pulls this review from 1 to 2 points. All in all it was an adventure. But not one I will be rushing to repeat at this “resort”. Hostel would be more apt.

We stayed in the hostel and ate here 3 days. Make sure you book before hand.....there is limited space. The staff are friendly, food appears quite promptly and we found it to be cooked well. We'd eat here again.

After a dreadful meal at the Baltasound Hotel last night we tried the other option in north Unst. The Saxa Vord site took us by surprise but it was interesting to look at and to experience. First hand. The bar and restaurant are comfortable, interesting rooms and clean and well furnished. Service was efficient but friendly. The menu was extensive and included good vegetarian options. The chef obviously knew how to cook well, using interesting ingredients and both our meals were delicious and attractively served. Well done Saxa Vord and thank you!

The food was good but a bit bizarre. Some in our group asked for a particular wine on the menu and then a second and were told they were out so we had to go with what do you have? I guess when you are the only game in town you can do as you please although our waitress was very nice and thoughtful

The food here was quite good with huge portions, probably ideal for a hungry walker or cyclist but not ideal for me. We stayed at the resort for 3 nights and the vegetarian option each night was pasta bake. I ended up having two starters on the last night. The portions were far too big and a lot of food was wasted. At least some of the deserts (rocky road and brownie) could be wrapped up and taken for lunch the next day. Breakfast was off a hot plate so ok but nothing special. No porridge or fruit salad. The staff were friendly and helpful. I would return to the resort but to self cater rather than eat here.

Would love to have been able to leave a review on the Sunday Carvery but can't as it was closed. Even though advertised as open from May and it being a bank holiday weekend. We weren't the only people on Unst looking for food that day. Having worked at Saxa was sad to see the derelict condition of many of the buildings.

I enjoyed excellent service, delicious fresh food and it was great value. There is a cosy restful atmosphere and friendly, very efficient staff.

We just rocked up about 7pm, and were welcomed by very friendly staff. Once they realised we were NOT the couple they were expecting who had booked they were a bit scolding - sorry. Adequate food - fish and chip night and chef kindly rustled me up veggie option. Good bar.

if you have the time to visit, then a very good experience awaits, a small menu but understandable and will have something to excite the taste buds. A foreign twist to local dish presentation. Smiley staff who are helpful and accommodating. a welcome experience after a day of activities and wonderful sights.

This used to be the old shots mess and I'm afraid that it shows it , no tablecloths on tables although the staff were bright and helpful

Brilliant staff, so funny, had a great time talking with them. Very accommodation. We had 2 vegetarians and a vegan and were fine. Comfy lounge bar and restaurant.

A fantastic restaurant, with a decent menu (except on Sundays, when they serve only a carvery dinner) with a lovely bar and extremely friendly staff make this restaurant a total surprise and a great bonus of coming to Unst and staying at the Saxa Vord Resort.

They are better at map location than availability. We were hungry and tired after the drive north from Lerwick. Even the post lady recommended the place. We found the complex, but the coffee shop was harder going. When we found it, the staff was absent.

Único sitio donde se puede comer con seguridad en la isla (el otro no es de fiar) . Cenamos dos noches : una era domingo y sólo hacían carvery (buffet inglés) con tres tipos de carne asada (buena) con acompañamientos (normales) . La segunda fue a la carta y nos sirvieron un muy buen cordero al horno . Personal muy amable (nos admitieron cuando ya era tarde) .

My husband and I attended a large family dinner here to celebrate a relatives birthday. I was blown away by the expert presentation and deliciousness of every course and meal that was served. I actually wasn't expecting it to be as good as it was in a small place like Unst, so I was very pleasantly surprised. It is also very good value for money and the decor of the Restaurant is very nice also. I can't wait to return to Unst to revisit this restaurant again.

Lovely staff, good beer (the brewery is the northernmost in the UK and just next door) and they were great...

If you find yourself looking for a restaurant in Unst there are not many options. Unfortunately, this place is probably as good as it gets, having better furnishings and surroundings, and a more professional feel than its principal opposition, the Baltasound Hotel.Food was generally passable, albeit unmemorable, but the supposedly hot desert was barely lukewarm. Service was polite and friendly but variable.NB. The restaurant should not be confused with the somewhat spartan cafe in the adjoining RAF museum.

The Saxa Vord restaurant is the old officers mess from the defunct RAF base. It looks largely unconverted. Food was old-fashioned British, like a time-warp from the 70's. We were there for the fish supper; most chippies would have done it better. Wine list hardly existed, and what they had was undrinkable. Friendly service did not make up for a dire meal.

Book ahead as can be busy, Food excellent with a good choice. we really enjoyed our meals here. Staff attentive, and very helpful and friendly.

I am not sure how this is rateable at all. 1st we arrived in the resort and found the staff room which seemed to offer decent dishes, but we were shown to the military exhibition and in one of the back rooms there was a place with a number of tables with no decoration whatsoever and it looked so depressing, we left immediately.

In this evening we stayed at this restaurant. We was the only guests, so it felt like we are vips. The food was very good. We enjoyed the dinner. The service was great. If we sometimes come back to the Shetland islands, we definitely will have lunch or dinner there again. Thank you for the awesome evening.

We went for a family meal at Saxa Vord one evening, which was nice. The place is well presented, and the service is good.The food on a whole was good - nothing to complain about but also nothing to write home about.It was very reasonably priced, but the menu is quite small so you don't have much to choose from. Thankfully, none of our party are fussy eaters so this wasn't an issue.I would return to eat here if I was in Unst, but it's not good enough to make the trip from the mainland just to go here.

There was a good choice of food on the menu and the service was excellent. Only one criticism was the lack of real coffee at the end of the meal.

Great stopping point for people that want to walk, or drive to walking points. Idealist scenery and the restaurant is probably the best I've had in Scotland. A real gem. Recommended. Be warned however, the WiFi does not span the property and the phone reception does not support data. Not for the tech addicts!

The man In the kitchen that approached me asking if he could help after myself entering the building some 10 minuets later was very rude and quite arrogant when I asked if there was a bathroom his response was very unwelcoming and I felt very angry by this . It's 2016 ppl no you have purchase to use the toilets in an establishment he was just very rude and really annoyed me Unst is a beautiful island full of very nice ppl avoid this poorly run and organised hole

The food was untasty and the service was rather poor. We were ignored by the waiter, had to wait very long for the bill, which had a mistake (not on my behalf obviously). My husband got a dish, he didn't order. We were also told not to wait for the bill at the table, because it will take to long and we should moove to a lobby. There is not much choice in the neighbourhood, but I'm not going to make this mistake again.

used to be a great place for a delicious dinnerthis year prices were high, the menu quite dull, guest bookings were taken with priority - this is good, the manager was very kind and service-orientated.ok for a meal but hardly a number one type of spot.

We each had the same three dishes. Surprising and delightful. Just a great meal. You can't do much with an old air force facility, but you can serve super meals.The starter was honeydew melon - a kind of "nothing" fruit - prepared with a dipping sauce based on Drambuie. That's enough for me, right there, but it was superb overall.The main was smoked salmon pasta. Of course it would be fabulous up there amongst the salmon, but surprisingly to us, it had a salmon steak on top. I don't like that much, but this was so superbly flavoured and prepared for a 'melt-in-the-mouth' experience, it was a really wonderful dining experience. The dessert was pavlova - which was a little better than any other pavlova we have ever had, in every aspect of its preparation. Really enjoyable.The bar was good, the attention while we were waiting for our table was top drawer, and table service was prompt, and very friendly. Not an inexpensive evening - but a great night and good value for money.

A pity there is no breakfast available as this is probably the most disappointing aspect of my one night stay here. Other wise excellent with great staff! Thank you!

We were refugees from Baltasound Hotel and were very happy with the food and the service here. It is hard to find and out of the way but worth seeking out as other options are limited.

We stopped here for an evening meal while staying in the area. The restaurant area used to be the sergeant's mess (?), and diners are received there. The location is not ideal, but the staff reallyu make the best of it - seating guests in the mess with menus, explaining to get a drink at the bar, taking orders, before showing you through to your table when meal is nearly ready.Service was polite, friendly an efficient, and food was very good. Starters were excellent (possibly even slightly large - I had baked camembert and my wife fishcake, both of which were pretty big). For main we both had pork belly, which was extremely good and freshly prepared, despite this being 'fish and chip special' night, and most people seemed to be going for that.Overall quite impressed, with staff making the most of the quirky nature of the facilities the MOD left there! Doing very well for being at the furthest flung end of the UK.

Visited here thrice to eat in June 2016 as a party of 1. Though staying in Baltasound, I had been advised locally to now avoid the Baltasound hotel (thus no review of that by me I'm afraid) so was basically left with the ex Sergeant's Mess at Saxa Vord. Furniture & carpets etc in the restaurant and bar area felt new or well looked after, which was good, but the place still had a bit of a feel of, er, a Sergeant's Mess about it in places. Not all over, just some parts. Maybe if I'd never been in one before, I wouldn't have noticed.Food was good, though if you don't like your veg "al dante" it'd be good to ask for it to be cooked a bit longer. Portion size plenty (for me) and service although slow at times, was acceptable. I was made to feel more welcome on some days compared to others, just depended who was the 'greeter'. Pretty well stocked bar, if having a drink is important to your experience. (Very!) local beers and gin of course..Maybe it was just me, but they could do with a few more signs outside. Not so much to guide me to the premises, as they are fine, but to guide me off the 'base'. I went round in circles a couple of times, and that was without gin!So all said and done acceptable, trying hard which I admire but still room for improvement in places.

The Saxa Vord is an old RAF base that's been (and being) converted to different new uses. What works for the nearby distillery and brewery feels a bit strange here. We were met by a service that doesn't seem to care much about us. Well, the food was good, but the overall experience let us leave without staying for desserts.

Indifferent service (when we arrived we were hanging around for about 10 minutes before anyone greeted us) and rather bland food. Disappointing that no fresh seafood on the menu. A shame, as Unst is a wonderful island and the other dining option (Baltasound hotel) was no better.

An ex RAF base gone to ruin but trying to be a holiday resort.Cafe hosts an interesting RAF display but lacks atmosphere and the food was definately poor ( Chicago mini pizza and baked potato!) Won't be going back!

The Raf left this site in 2006 and full marks to the present operators for providing accommodation and catering at this most northern location in the British Isles.We had a very acceptable lunch with excellent service goodness knows what they do in the winter as we were the sole customers in the height of summer

We did not stay at the resort but visited the RAF exhibition in the old dental/medical facility. The displays on the former life of the camp were very interesting and are a fitting memorial to those who served in these parts,It also houses a small café which we found most usable and friendly as well as a small chocolate making business.Worth a visit whilst in the area.

Sehr nette Bedienung. Mein Steak war zwar sehr gut zubereitet, das Fleisch aber eher zeh. Ein gemütlicher Raum, man kann bereits am Nachmittag einen Afternoon Tea haben.

Well done to anybody who tries to convert a former RAF station into a restaurant. Pleasant friendly service. I visited the restaurant and whilst my food ( chicken ) was ok but nothing special please be warned if you order risotto as two fellow diners did you will need a magnifying glass. The helpings were so tiny I couldn't believe the staff had the nerve to serve such small portions.

Saxa Vord has a great bar and wonderful bartender who offered suggestions on local Scotch whiskey to try. Fish for dinner, of course, was delicious.

Went back to saxa vord for the first time in 33 years and was lovely to see the place. The resort was amazing and so relaxing, Rosie who was working in the restaurant and the man that was helping, (sorry can't remember his name) were lovely, always smiling couldn't do enough for you. The food in the sergeants mess was so tasty, the food was was 100%, can't wait to go back up and it won't be long as will go back. And even better will be taking my kids up and showing them the place I call home. Thank you for an amazing time back

This was the furthest North we'd been. You'd be forgiven for expecting the food to be at best average. Not so! The first night it was "Fish night". I had haddock in a local beer batter with chips, homemade coleslaw and mushy peas. My husband had cod in a light curry batter - £7 each. Both were lovely and just what we needed after a blustery circular walk around Hermaness.After a quick Stand Up Paddle board at Norwich we ate at the resort again today. This time I had pork with black pudding mash, roast veg in a whisky cream. Yum :-) My husband had the chicken filled with a herb stuffing, potatoes and roast veg. We both had deserts tonight; my husband had the lemon posset that we shared last night. I had a homemade baileys and chocolate cheesecake. Really tasty. A bit pricier than the specials night at £12.50 for a main but well worth it. Would happily recommend to anyone and would come again :-)

I visited the Saxa Vord restaurant when visiting family on Unst the most northerly inhabited island of the Shetlands. We actually ate here twice, The first occasion was for Valentines day Lunch and the second meal was on a Friday evening. We pre-booked our table on both occasions as the party was for 6 one of whom has multiple food allergies. The Chef took time during the telephone call to ascertain what was suitable and to suggest a menu which was again discussed prior to taking the orders on the day. The first visit was on Valentines day and the. Restaurant was quite busy, however, this didn't affect the quality of the food and the service given. The menu was a special Valentines day menu with great dishes to choose from. For our young allergy sufferer there was no suitable sweet but the chef served him with melon as an alternative. Our experience was very good and we decided to eat there once more before we returned home. The second visit was on a Friday evening and we made a telephone booking. The restaurant was not busy with just a few tables in use, however, I think it is. Important to recognise that February is out of season for tourists. The menu is varied with excellent choices, meat, poultry and seafood dishes available. Once again following discussion with. The Chef suitable dishes were prepared specially for our young allergy sufferer. The Chef was very pleasant and was happy to discuss his menu and discuss his recipes. The young man who waited at table was new in post and seemed a little nervous but he was courteous and polite. The food on this occasion was exceptional, good quality, well prepared and tasted wonderful. There was a good range of drinks available from the bar. The cost for 5 people eating from the main menu was £139 great value in my opinion. The environment was clean, well maintained and rest room facilities were very good. There seemed to be ample car parking facilities too. Overall my family and I were very pleased with ourdining experience at the Saxa Vord restaurant and I would recommend to others.

Called in to the cafe for a late lunch. The food served was fine if a little basic, but it did not feel at all welcoming - almost as if our visit was an inconvenience.

deserted on arrival , at last a very tired and grubby looking "chef ?" appeared and informed us there was no lunches and meals begin at 6pm , we had travelled a long way and were fantin .not good Ive clicked on service ,overall rating and food being terrible ,but this is unjustified as I never got to find out

As only one of two places you can grab dinner on Unst, Saxa Vord doesn’t really need to pull out any stops but we were super pleased by the meal we were served. I had sausage and mash and my boyfriend had the fish and chips and everything was fresh, home-cooked and delicious. As a former RAF base, Saxa Vord is about as inviting as a lamprey eel from the outside (think lots and lots of grey harling and a 15 foot high barbed wire fence) but the inside is much cosier and the music was pretty rockin’. Would definitely recommend!

We were a little shocked at the appearance of the building as we drove up the hill- not yet knowing it had until recently been an RAF base. But once inside, the atmosphere was friendly and the food was second to none.

It might not look like a restaurant from the outside (as it used to be an RAF base), but it has been done up very tastefully inside, the staff were very friendly and helpful and the food was very good. Our favourites were the duo of blackpudding and haggis with tomato & garlic sauce starter (sounds unusual, but really worked well), the cajun chicken and the banofee pie.

Had a delicious meal tonight in the restaurant, very well presented. Starters were delicious for everyone, risotto balls, garlic mushrooms and fried Brie, tasted scrumptious. Mains were highland chicken, steak, fish and pasta, all dishes were very tasty and plentiful. Desserts were trio choc puds, banoffee pie, ice cream all delish. Service was great, very well looked after, could not fault anything. Thank you so much for the excellent food and service. We will be back this week with the rest of the family. X

My wife and I visited the Saxa Vord Café during our recent visit to Shetland. The café and RAF museum are located in the former RAF base on Unst, which is now the Saxa Vord Holiday Resort. Don't let this title put you off should you be fortunate to visit this part of Unst, it's very low key. The coffee was excellent, but the chocolate cake was just amazing. Now I've eaten chocolate cake all over the world but I've never tasted anything like this. I even tried to get the recipe but the owner told me it was his Secret Recipe never to be revealed. Well it was as good a reason as any to to return which we did a few days later, the cake was just as good the second time. We didn't try any of the other food but there were sufficient diners there to suggest the the food was good. An excellent place to while away an hour or so, looking at the museum, which was free, enjoying a lovely cup of coffee and that fantastic cake. And to cap it all they make their own chocolates, which having sampled them were delicious. Highly recommended.

Had a great meal here again, service was great,friendly staff, clean cant complain. I've read one post on here about the oil workers, I was having a meal between these times and they don't eat in the restaurant, deff well worth a visit.

The season on Unst Shetland starts to wind down about now so as a widower you take advantage of every opportunity, especially if it means not cooking. Tonight was a real treat. I have eaten stake around the world and this was one of the very best. The vegitables and sauce compliment the meat and the Sticky Toffee pud was just delish. My only fault which afficts so many places in Scotland is the Tennants excuse for a lager.

We went there for a trip to Unst like what we always do in August or September. We rarely go to cafes in Unst because the food is putrid and is expensive, we went to this location for the second time in about three years. Once we parked outside of the hotel, we went inside and the man at the reception said that the chefs in the kitchen were having a day off because usually nobody comes in at lunchtime at all.We had to have lentil soup and egg and cress sandwiches instead of having lasagne or lamb chops. Very disappointing.

Very generous portions, tasty and well presented. Both food and drink were very well priced.The starters were especially good. If you have lunch in the restaurant bear in mind the portions are very generous

Booked for a weeks holiday in one of the cottages. Unfortunately, the cottages could do with some maintenance and would only probably deserve two star rating but our complaint was handled very well by Debbie - the owner who offered us another cottage which was a bit better. On a more optimistic note, We have given this a five star rating for the food and excellent service from the staff. The food was some of the best we have ever tasted in Shetland by far and remained consistently good throughout our stay. The staff were very helpful, courteous and looked after us well - nothing was a problem to them - thank you, we hope to be back one day.

Loving my stay at Saxa Vord and eat in the restaurant every night! The chefs are fantastic and the food is amazing! Saxa Vord is definitely the best place in Shetland to eat...and stay. The lamb shank is the best in the islands and the meringue dessert is absolutely fabulous! The waiting staff are very helpful and cheerful. Great place to eat!

The food in the restaurant was generally good quality and good value. Often difficult to book - do so the day before to play safe. Service was friendly, slow and they completely messed up the desert order - but then didn't charge us. We had to stay with them 3 days longer than intended because we couldn't get a ferry off the islands. There accommodated us in the their overflow house, which was helpful, but it was obvious that it is not normally used. Plumbing and parking problems. So mixed review with some very good bits but also evidence that we were staying in an ex-RAF station. Fun at times, odd at others.

Although I didn't stay at Saxe Vord, I ate at the restaurant. My lamb, while tender, lacked flavor. The mint and rosemary sauce had nary a hint of either of those ingredients. The Valhalla beer was tasty, though.Tip from one of the local people: Avoid this restaurant between the hours of 19:00 and 20:00, which is when the oil workers who live at Saxe Vord eat.

Super little place with great , good value food. Great museum from Saxa Vord radar days Foords chocs next to resort

Saxa Vord is the perfect place to stay, single comfortable and clean rooms await you after a day of exploration. Eat in the restaurant or cook for yourself in the well equipped kitchens. Plenty of showers and also a bath!