Skerries Bistro in Orkney Islands

Sadly this wonderful place is closing. The welcome was warm and friendly, the setting simply amazing - you look out to sea at the Pentland Skerries, Duncansby Head, the north coast of Scotland - on a clear clear day almost as far as Cape Wrath with the mountains of Scotland .......... but down to the excellent food which is not unduly expensive but served with charm and helpfulness. - we had Chowder (5*+) seafood platter (5*+++) lasange (non fish eater!) 5* and amazing desserts. Could not have been a better experience and ranks 1st equal with one other Orkney restaurant! Just sad that it will not be operating under the current management next summer! We wish them a happy retirement!

Nice spot for a cafe, great views and walk around the coast. Friendly staff and plenty of parking. The food looked great but we were only there for coffee and cake. Worth booking if you want a meal.

The food was amazing. Scallops were huge and cooked beautifully The veg soup was lovely Desert and coffee was lovely Service was great Price was fair

Gorgeous location, friendly staff, the limited menu was almost entirely based on a handful of seafood pieces served on a mixed salad which was fresh and tasty but possibly rather overpriced for what it was. Offering some simple steamed veg and/or potatoes as alternative side dishes would have made for a more satisfying meal. We do like to support local businesses when on holiday in a place, but would not rush back here especially at the prices being charged.

Was first in on Sunday 23rd June Lovely ladies served me and had an amazing cheesecake that needed a walk to settle my blood sugars . The ladies told me of a walk and to just go from the car park ,wasn’t 20 feet from my van when a man came out the back door and challenged me to wether I had eaten in the bistro as I couldn’t park the if I hadn’t been in {I Knew this as there are signs there telling you that } put a damper on my visit and I never went for my walk although I enjoyed the food I won’t be paying another visit I am not dishonest and I was made to feel as if I was.

Set in an amazing location this is a really good place to eat. Staff were really friendly and the food was top drawer. Not cheap, but not expensive either, just good value. Phone was ringing throughout our stay, so it is clearly popular. Planning to return to Orkney in 2025 and this will be on our list to re-visit.

Well worth the hike. Fantastic location at edge of cliffs. Superb seafood and really lovely friendly staff. Great walks from the restaurant too.

I really admire the spirit of Carol and Hamish who are keeping this remarkable restaurant going in the face of acute staff shortages. The service they provide is outstanding and the location is breathtaking. But, perhaps inevitably, too much of the food was pre-prepared food that needed no cooking such as smoked fish or cold lobster. One hot fish dish, even simple grilled or fried plain fresh fish, would have made all the difference. My advice is to check before you book - perhaps we were unlucky - and ask what’s on the menu. But a restaurant must offer more than the choice we faced. We had a a very pleasant time, but a rather limited meal.

What with the pandemic and running a B&B we have not managed out to Skerries since we tried the pod experience. It was worth the wait! Carole and Hamish have decided to just open 3 evenings a week and they ARE the staff. Understandably the menu is, therefore, small and only a limited number of tables available. BUT... as usual, the seafood offered is superb, beautifully presented and just the right amount. Forgot to photograph the starters of Fish Chowder and Smoked Mackerel Pate, did remember to take a pic of the excellent homemade rolls! Main corses were Half a Lobster, Lobster Salad and Seafood Salad, how fresh is the seafood?! For desert we settled on a wonderfully light and fluffy Pavlova with Strawberries and an Orkney Fudge Cheesecake. Service as expected, just perfect with Carole in charge. At the end of the night Hamish was allowed out of the kitchen and we enjoyed some of his particular brand of banter, always amusing, and some great stories! A thoroughly enjoyable evening, you forget what lovely views you get here across the sea watching various boats passing and looking out onto Pentland Skerries.. It was a pleasure to catch up with you Carole and Hamish and so pleased you decided to open for this season. The food was amazing. Thank you.

Wir waren ein bisschen zu früh beim Bistro das um 11:00 öffnen sollte, um genau zu sein 10:34. Da wir gerade einen Reiseführer für die Insel verfassen dachten wir es wäre eine gute Idee noch den nahegelegenen Küstenwanderweg zu erkunden und die Tombes bis zur Öffnung. Da der Parkplatz noch völlig gesperrt war, blieb meine Begleitung im Auto um dieses jederzeit wegzufahren, sollte es irgendwie jemanden blockieren und aus Respekt zu den Anwohnern dort. An der Küste befindet sich direkt eine Hinweistafel und ich lief dorthin um die dort abgebildete Karte zu studieren und evtl zu schauen wo man alternativ parken kann, da es hier ja einige nationale Monumente gibt, die der Öffentlichkeit zugänglich sind. Allerdings gibt es dort nichts zu parken, außer am Café. Und die Besitzer des Grundstückes nutzen dieses für das Café. Sprich, entweder man ist dort Gast, dann kann man parken und laufen, muss aber konsumieren und auch nur wenn das Café offen ist, ansonsten müsste man einen sehr langen Fußweg nehmen. Der unrühmliche Besitzer des Cafés ließ keine zwei Minuten auf sich warten um seinem Ruf gerecht zu werden. Wild brüllend, gestikulierend und schimpfend rannte er hinter mir her, anstatt einfach meine Begleitung zu bitten wegzufahren (sie saß immer noch im Auto) und gab keine Ruhe bis ich zurück am Auto war. Natürlich haben wir es uns verkniffen dort noch das Essen zu probieren und sind gefahren. Tja, leider schafft es dieses Café nicht in den Reiseführer. Die Gastfreundschaft der ganzen Insel ist bekannt und einfach wahnsinnig toll und dieser Eindruck sollte auch durch dieses Bistro hier nicht getrübt werden. Es entsteht der Eindruck dass die Sehenswürdigkeiten an diesem Ort dazu genutzt werden Menschen in das Café zu locken. Und ich bin mir sehr sicher dass der nette Besitzer nochmal sein gastfreundlichstes Gesicht zeigt und unter meine Review eine weitere, völlig uneinsichtige und unangebrachte Antwort zu schreiben, wie bei so vielen Menschen zuvor.

We visited the Bistro this month for the 2nd time and can highly recommend it. The chowder is to die for! The best I have ever had and I'd love the recipe . We didn't realize that booking is recommended but the lovely lady, Carol I believe, found us somewhere to sit and really looked after us. We will definitely be back the next time we holiday on Orkney

The restaurant is grand The ridiculous tour of the so called otter tomb is a nonsense Nice lady trying to run it but spoilt by a man who I can only call a bully

Don’t go here if you are a vegan you will get soup while your friends will get a wonderful menu to choose from. I understand they are seafood specialists. But not having vegetarian and vegan options makes no business sense. We travelled 600miles to get here. Had a coffee and left

We were seven people and we were unanimous in expressing out total satisfaction with our food, service and bill! A truly magnificent spot and the thing that marred out visit was that while it was out first visit, it could also be our last as the restaurant will close unless a buyer is found at the end of this season. Perched magnificently on a cliff top facing the Pentland Skerries, you see the waters in which your lunch was swimming a day or so ago! Such magnificent food and service - well done The Skerries - we enjoyed every minute of our happy stay! THANK YOU!!

Ate with family. All had starters and mains and really really enjoyed them. The menu is excellent. Hand dived Orkney Scallops, Lobster and local Crab. The choice, service, cooking and view in this restaurant is absolutely superb in my opinion. My Scallop main was first class, huge hand dived Scallops served perfecly.

I have had a blue badge for my disability for many years & have always been treated gracefully. On arrival here today I was questioned as to whether I needed to park in the disabled space close to the building. We had intended staying for lunch but having lost my appetite we had drinks and left to enjoy lunch elsewhere.

I ate here and was not at all happy with the portion sizes though the food was quite tasty. I wasn’t going to bother with a review because I felt they would take no notice given their grumpy demeanour. After eating we went for a walk on the nearby cliffs and as we returned I witnessed the man who owns the bistro shouting and swearing at a couple. They had parked their car, NOT in his car park and were taking a stroll. I presume the owner does not own the cliffs at this place of beauty. He swore at the couple, who were calm and friendly at first. He was so aggressive. Eventually the couple were really annoyed and I couldn’t blame them. So this man is happy to take the money of visitors but swears at others. Avoid this place. What a horrid man.

Food was good fish soup was excellent, small portion but good fish platter was decent, salmon Salad was a bit stingy. However the verbal abuse by the male owner was exceptional, actually quite funny and entertaining as past rude. For those of a certain vintage... very Basil Faulty...

I'm a little nervous at commenting in a slightly negative way here having read the owner's responses to other reviews - but this is how we found the bistro. Good start - we arrived without booking in advance and were offered a table quickly with a good view. However, as we went to sit down, the other server asked us what our car was as someone had parked in the wrong place. We assured her we had parked in the correct car park but she didn't seem convinced and asked us again what our car was. Having read the reviews, this is obviously an issue with the car park being used by walkers but it didn't help us feel very welcome. We choose to have two starters instead of a main meal as we liked the choice offered. The soup (in a tiny soup bowl) was tasty but the home made roll was small and I have never seen less butter in a dish offered for two people - it was literally a scrape. No mussel garnish to be seen. We then had a salad of prawns (not prawn salad as we called it!) and a mackerel pate. The prawns were watery and tasted as though they had just been defrosted. The mackerel pate was tasty but no roll or toast - just a curl of melba toast as garnish. When we left, I was asked if everything was alright and I replied that I felt the portions were on the small side. There was very little butter and no toast or bread with the pate. I was a little taken aback at her quite assertive response that we should have ordered a main course as these were only starters. I did say that bread was the cheapest part of the meal and this could have been more generous. This was not accepted and I left feeling quite embarrassed that I had said anything. After this reaction, I would not have written a review but I read some of the others and decided to put my comments in. Perhaps we choose the wrong place to have a light lunch, perhaps we underestimated how much we should pay for a small bowl of soup (£7) but I suggest you check out the website (not up to date with menu descriptions or prices) and the prices before you head out here.

We headed to see the tomb on the SE end of the island. We were also looking for coffee and found both at the same spot. The owner started the bistro out of the home behind and expanded to a lovely restaurant with great views. Great desserts and very friendly owner & staff. Beautiful 180 degree views!!!

6 of us for coffee and cake in the morning, wonderful, great staff served with a smile and great attention, what a view, not to be missed , just follow the signs its easy to find

We had booked our 2pm table and arrived early to have a walk before. This bistro is in a beautiful remote setting, with excellent cliff top walks. We were fortunate to have incredible weather which meant the huge glass windows made the bistro very warm but the staff had opened all the doors to let a breeze through. We had three courses, there were four of us, and everything was beautifully cooked and exquisitely presented. We were not rushed at all and enjoyed our time taking in the view. This would have been a five star review except from arrival it took 20 mins to take the order, a further 40 mins for the starters to arrive and then 45 mins until the mains arrived. Our waitress was lovely though.

This visit was booked in advance of our trip to Orkney. The staff we corresponded with were helpful and obliging. Lunch was delicious and staff made a huge effort to accommodate my husband who does not like sea food. This was most appreciated and allowed me to enjoy the delicious tastes on offer. Thank you. The location is wonderful, food delicious and staff welcoming! What more could a diner ask for!

Perhaps we visited on an off day - but our visit was nothing like our last 3 years ago. When I phoned to book we were ‘squeezed in’ as there was ‘nothing until 2.00’Expecting the full and buzzing place we happened across in 2018 we arrived in an almost empty place with none of the music of last time and just 2 women who seemed to wish we hadn’t turned up as they had stock taking to do?Undaunted, we ordered similar dishes that we remembered so fondly from 2018, that we had made a special trip from Dounby to eat again, (a chowder packed with different fish, a generous crab sandwich, a well-chilled glass of sauvignon.) My wine was cool at best, my lobster salad (£19 - fine for a good one...) was 6 pieces of lobster on a bag of supermarket mixed leaves with half a tomato and some fruit popped on, no dressing, his chowder (@ £12) left him speechless - a few flakes of fish and 3 cubes of potato, with 2 small salty rolls. Which I shared.The waitress could tell we weren’t happy. I mentioned dressing “You could have had some if you had asked” was the response. “Nobody came to see if we needed anything”, I replied.Shan’t go back, there are some brilliant places to eat on Orkney these days, with views just as good and service much, much better!

Lovely drive and great spot for a Seafood Bistro. Food tasted as good as expected but I have to say they are very enthusiastic with the salad greenery on the plate and less enthusiastic with the seafood portions!! We got much larger fish portion starters at other places. The deserts were delicious and cant be faulted. The staff were attentive and offered a good service but I felt the ambience was a bit like eating in a library.... Very little atmosphere. Some local background music, which we enjoyed at other places on the Islands, would perhaps enhance the experience but thats just our opinion. So a mixed review from us but it is generally a good & positive one.

I’d read about this place before I came to Orkney but actually hadn’t planned it until we went to see the tombs of the eagles. Unfortunately that was shut so decided to head here for a bite to eat. I’m so glad we did, my partner got fish chowder i got soup and we shared scallops. Oh my days the scallops were unbelievable probably the best I’ve ever had cooked to perfection. The surroundings and atmosphere in the place was amazing and the girls serving were very helpful and answered our questions. If your in Orkney go here!!

Such a lovely experience. The setting and food is just so good. The fish is so fresh and well cooked. Don't miss out!

We booked for 2 pm on Friday 25th June and despite the fact that we were the only customers the ambience and atmosphere were good. The freshest of local seafood whilst enjoying the view over the Pentland Firth. Whats not to like. Oh and the Orkney Fudge Cheesecake was to die for.

Charming spot with lovely views. Very friendly and helpful staff and delicious food - especially the scallop starter. Thank you for a lovely evening.

The restaurant were accommodating with wife's dietary requirements. Lobster salad good and the scallops excellent.

Nice fresh scallops served promptly and nice staff. The setting is stunning and I can see why parking is only for customers . It could be worth signing this more clearly on the way from the main road to avoid ill feeling and the apparently aggressive signage at the place. Reasonable pricing for Orkney

We turned up without a booking and the staff kindly accommodated us on a table that was booked for later that afternoon. The location is stunning, the staff super friendly. It’s very COVID safe. We had the home dry smoked salmon and it was delicious. My flat white was the best I’ve had in a week we’ve been on Mainland. It’s a lovely drive down to the bistro.

If you plan to visit South Ronaldsay you must include the Skerries. A most unusual building perched on the cliffs overlooking the Pentland Firth. The food is Orcadian produce wherever possible and beautifully prepared and served.

We found a sign for Tomb of the Otters after finding the Tomb of the Eagles closed. Without any internet we thought let’s just drive and find out if it’s open or not and maybe eat at the restaurant...we were definitely hungry! We parked in the car park and couldn’t see the Tomb of the Otters, so walked back to the main gate to see if we had missed a sign for directions. Behind us someone shouted what are you doing? We turned, It was a man carrying lobster to the restaurant. I replied we’re trying to find the Tomb of the Otters. His reply was that’s it’s closed, the restaurant is private and we need to leave. We said ok and started walking back to the car to leave. He then started to follow us shouting that we shouldn’t be here, it’s private property and get out. (It was an honest mistake and we were already trying to leave) His behaviour sadly really marked our experience of Orkney.

We were staying at the Hope so it wasnt far for us to drive down the south of the island for this splendid lunch,=. But it would be well worth coming from futher afar. The building, lunch, service and above all the views are stunning here. A unique location with views over the sea and cliffs towards the Scottish mainland. Just down from the bistro there are amazing views and even more amazing ones a little further to the east past the neolithic site. So really this place has everything. We were welcome at the door and enjoyed a splendid seafood lunch. We were about the last sitting of the season so you will have to wait till they reopen hopefully in better times. Buit if you qre in Orkney dont miss this unique experience.

The best view in Orkney from a restaurant. The restaurant has opened with every thought to safety during this difficult time. The menu is reduced but we managed to eat very well all the same! Our first meal together since February and a very happy one at that.My husband ordered seafood chowder that he said was delicious with a v generous amount of crab in it. Homemade knot rolls. Main course seafood platter (the Skerries own smoked salmon which was excellent). I had a colourful lobster salad followed by a lemon tart made by the owner herself. Crisp buttery pastry and a rich beautifully flavoured lemon filling. A v generous portion of Orkney fudge cheesecake consumed by my silent (happy)companion. Water, coffee, glass of wine. Two very happy people rolled out. Booking essential. Closing soon for the winter. See you next Spring Skerries.

Four of us arrived here just after 3pm today on the off chance that we may be able to get a coffee. Due to the current situation with Covid-19 we were unsure if we’d be able to get a table or not due to limited capacity. Fortunately a table had just become available as we arrived and we were delighted. What stunning views We had over the Pentland Firth to Muckle Skerry and to Mainland Scotland. We had lovely coffees/tea and some delicious cakes. I personally had the Raspberry & Hazelnut Gateau which was sublime! The staff were so nice & friendly and made us feel very welcome. Great Ambience and atmosphere. We all loved it and would highly recommend a visit here if you get the chance!

Found theshop owner very rude who closed the restaurant seeing as arriving. When we approached he unlocked the door and said they are closed. When we said closing time is 4 as we saw on your website his reply was - we can do whatever we like here !! There was no point in further discussing anything with him .Would not recommend the hospitality of this restaurant.

Heading to the Tomb of Eagles which was closed we drove on a luckily found this gem of a restaurant looking out to sea. It was fully booked but so attractive that we booked for the following day. Family run with a short menu of local fish we loved the fish chowder (fish caught by owners) and then the fisherman's platter. Certainly worth a visit!

Loved the food, the ambience, the experience and the owners We really enjoyed our multigenerational family dinner out Recommend summer though

We arrived a bit early for lunch and to visit the tomb of the otters. Upon arriving we were met by a little old man who seemed quite angry about our arrival. The otter place doesn't open before 11 and we had arrived 10 minutes early...and over an hour before the restaurant opened We assumed that he was a neighbour of the restraunt and there was animosity between himself and the restraunt.We filled in our time with a visit to the very interesting and welcoming tomb of the eagles. We had a beautiful walk there and felt it was a shame the restraunt was loosing trade because of the angry man so we went back.Angry man approached again and told us we were in the wrong place.when we told him we wanted to eat at the restaurant he told us we were walking the wrong way.we were approaching the cafe entrance one leg in front of the other..a technique we have all used for 50 years and more with no problems.He told us our van was parked wrong it would get scratched if we left it there. We moved it forward and he promptly harassed another driver to park where we had originally parked.Persistant as we are we forged on and eventually entered the restaurant to be told that he was the owner.We couldnt crticise the food or the restraunt staff it wouldnt be fair because they were so nice and its impossible to imagine its a good working environment This guy has two options.1.learn some customer service skills.2. And by far the easiest option we feel for him..ramp up the angry fawlty towers act and use it as his usp

Modern picture window style building on the edge of a cliff giving amazing views. We had a bowl of chowder with homemade bread roll and a huge pot of tea, it was absolutely lovely. Washroom was clean and modern.There is an educational style room attached and a talk was ongoing about otters, we did not intrude as it had already started. We had a walk along the cliffs to look for the local otter population but were not successful on this occasion.Highly recommended.

We were viewing the block ships and the barriers to Scapa Flow, and kept on traveling south until we reached the southern tip of South Ronaldsay, also the southernmost point of the Orkney Islands. There we discovered Skerries Bistro.We had a nice tea and some of the most delicious toffee cake I believe we've ever had. When you need a break, this out of the way place is a must-do.

Visited the Skerries Bistro this September - the location and views were wonderful. The restaurant is very chic and modern - the food was excellent. We had a wee tour of the Tomb of the Otters - recently discovered in the Bistro Car Park. The whole experience was amazing. I strongly recommend a visit here.

We came here after a lovely walk along the coast to the Tomb of the Eagles. The view from the huge windows is really impressive and the food was excellent (seafood chowder and juicy scallops). The service was also impeccable. Highly recommended!

We visited the Skerries Bistro after a bracing visit to the nearby Tomb of the Eagles. The location of the Bistro, over looking the Pentland Firth, is great and definately briezy. The modern design of the building, maximising the use of glass, makes the most of the views whilst protecting the diner from the elements. Most importantly the service is good and the food top notch. The scallops were very fresh, prepared perfectly and tasted wonderful. The Orkney fudge cheesecake was a delight, light as a feather and to die for. An establishment most definately worth a visit. It also has its own prehistoric tomb (Tomb of the Otters) close by so all bases are ticked.

Enjoyed it there until I went out to my car where a staff member (had seen him coming out of the attached house) was outside shouting at a delivery driver that "All veterans are w*nkers" Food was good but I will not be returning or recommending anyone I know visit there as I am related to a Veteran. If someone where I worked shouted at a delivery person like this they would be fired. Let alone having such an antiquated, disgusting attitude about people who have served our country!

This excellent bistro is as far south as you can get in Orkney (about 35 minutes from Kirkwall). It is worth the drive. Open for lunch most days and dinner a couple times a week (check before coming and leave plenty of time to finish your meal before 4pm), Skerries offers a small menu of excellent dishes. The food is nearly all locally sourced (the scallops are incredible) and all made by the proprietors and their staff. The service couldn't be nicer and the view phenomenal. The lasagna, made by Hamish himself, should not be missed. In all, an excellent way to spend a long, happy afternoon full of good food. (And make sure to see the Tomb of the Otters while you're there.)

We only had light snack but good menu, great views, friendly staff, clean. car park is tight if very busy so I can understand the guy questioning people not coming into Bistro first, if people parked there to go to the beach it would be impossible to keep his business running as it is so off the beaten track there is no where else to park! which is part of the charm.

Found this on Trip advisor so thought we would try it. It is a very busy restuarant in a particular pleasant spot so we thought we would book a table, which we did. Decided to have a walk around the area first and left the car in the cafe car park before asking the proprietor how we could get down to the coast. He was rather rude and wanted our assurance that we were going to eat at the cafe. We assured we had reserved a table so he told us how to get to the path. Not a lot of other cafe's around the area and we had booked so we decided to stay. The food was very nice and presented well, but not cheap. The proprietor needs to improve his manner when dealing with potential clients. Would recommend the food, location, and service in the cafe by the other staff, but would think twice about returning with this disagreeable man around.

Just had a wonderful meal at this small but lovely bistro. We had taken the chance to make a reservation yesterday for today and were warmly accepted. Have to admit, struggling to understand some of the very unfavourable comments made against this Bistro and in particular Hamish. We had done the Tomb of the Otters tour earlier in the day and found him to be a lovely chap with an exceptional sense of humour. In the Bistro we were warmly welcomed, even with my Chinese mother-in-law who cannot speak English. Food was outstanding, but it was the warmth of the service, combined with the spectacular views that will make the fond memories of this experience.

We stumbled across the bistro by chance on our first day and we had a lovely lunch here with a fantastic view. We both had seafood and it was really good. It’s worth going for the view alone. We also visited the Tomb of the Otters while we were there and it was amazing.

nice view , nice staff and delicious freshseafood. my wife had lobster, which was very nice but my scallops were incredible. meaty tasty and huge . a lovely lunch !

The staff here were super friendly and food was good. We were at the tomb of the eagles and this made for a great lunch after

The food is passable but seriously hindered by a drastically troubled owner, Hamish, with issues he needs to work through.

Two years after our first visit we were back to dine in Skerries Bistro. The sun was shining and I was reassured to see that there had been no detectable change in the menu. Why alter winning offerings? The seafood chowder was a reliable,exquisite starter and my wife assured me that the hand dived scallops were, as before, the best that she'd ever tasted. They were certainly huge and delicious. My choice of a seafood platter as my main course was as enticing and delicious as I recalled.

My husband and I are on a cycling holiday in Orkney. We stopped here for lunch. It was delicious. Food all cooked freshly on the premises. Nicest meal I have eaten out for a long time

One of the truly delightful experiences we had in Orkney !! A chilly, rainy night on South Ronaldsay – spectacular views southward across the ocean, excellent company by the owners, equally excellent food and wine, and a very nice wee dram of Highland Park at the end ! All in all a perfect evening – we highly recommend Skerries !

We popped in after visiting Eagles Tomb. We were not expecting much since it is in a rather remote location. Boy were we wrong. Amazing food. They use the freshest of ingredients and try to keep it local. They even make their own butter! It is also so very clean. Their cheesecake was the best I ever had, whipped style, like eating a cloud. We went to go back the day we were leaving Orkney but it was closed. I was so disappointed, I had been dreaming of the cheesecake. Well, next time. If you want a great meal, with an terrific view and friendly staff this is the place. Wow.

The scallops here are the best we ate in the Orkneys, really nicely seared. Beautiful views from the bottom of mainland Orkney. Decent wines. Friendly staff and owners.

We walked along the coast on a beautiful day to this place having booked lunch a couple of days before. An unexpected pleasure with breathtaking views and wonderful food presented by helpful and friendly staff. A must visit if you are in the area.

Geniale Aussicht, freundliches Personal, sehr schönes Ambiente, excellentes Essen, sehr geschmackvoll angerichtet zu angemessenen Preisen. Ein wirkliches Muss, wenn man auf Orkney weilt.

Must be the best fish chowder ever tasted, followed by a deceptively light Orkney cheesecake. Amazing views (when the mist clears), friendly and welcoming staff, jewel in an amazing landscape

Six of us arrived at lunchtime they were full, but put tables outside for us, owner and staff friendly food good lots of Gluten free choices.

Very pleasant and attentive staff Wonderful local seafood Delicious desserts. Dog friendly But it's the view that makes this such a memorable trip.

Beautiful restaurant with stunning views. The menu is very extensive, lots of seafood and other dishes. I had the chicken al a Merkister, it was the best chicken meal that I have eaten in some time, almost too much to eat. Great desserts too. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Reservations are a must!

Last week my friend and I found this bistro in what appeared to be the middle of nowhere, but what a find! We had a cappuccino each I with a Orkney fudge cheesecake and she with a slice of apple cake. It was heavenly. On entering the bistro the door was opened for us and we were welcomed by a handsome young man who we later found was from Portugal as was the waitress - they had previously worked together on a cruise ship, the attentive service they gave us was wonderful. We decided to go back for a lunch. This we did today and we were not disappointed. The same good service and the food was splendid. I had the hand dived king scallops and my friend s vegetarian had a beautifully seasoned quiche. This is definitely a place I will return to. Five stars isn’t enough.

First of all, a stunning location! Then there is the food - WOW! If you are a seafood lover this is the place to go. The freshest of seafood, just delicious. We were there at lunch time and had the local lobster- delicios and very good value. The staff are also very helpful and friendly. Would happy go back!

Niet alleen een uitzonderlijke locatie maar eten van topkwaliteit. We hadden sint Jacobs-schelpen ( lauw opgediend ) en een prachtige kreeftensla. De heel vriendelijke eigenares vertelde ons dat haar man ze dagelijks zelf viste of anders dagvers bij een bevriende visser kocht. Het was echt van het beste ( in die categorie ) dat we gegeten hebben!!!!

We dropped in for Sunday lunch with friends at this highly recommended and quite unique restaurant in what can only be described as a glorious setting.

Staff very friendly and attentive.. Cheesecake was delicious and we’ll definitely come back to have lunch

Wir waren hier zum Lunch mit einer Gruppe zu viert. Die Auswahl ist umfangreich und auf Fischgerichte mit lokaler Zubereitung spezialisiert. Nicht Fischgerichte waren Rindfleischlasagne und Gemüsequiche.

I did actually speak with the owner as I paid our bill (because our meal was so disappointing )and I understand some of the challenges they face, in terms of the price of crab etc. Nonetheless, this was a very disappointing lunch. (Very mediocre seafood chowder, followed by an under-whelming seafood platter). Expensive, for what it was and very ‘ordinary’. Would not return.

Went after reading the reviews on trip. To be honest they undersell how good this place is

Found the restaurant en route to the tomb of the otters - it is in a great location right at the bottom of South Ronaldsay and worth the drive - the lunch we had was all fresh local produce - prawn salad - seafood platter and the deserts were delicious

Four of us went here on holiday for lunch on our son’s birthday. Service and food were excellent. Limited vegetarian option but it is a fish restaurant, the main reason for going. Staff must have overheard that we were celebrating my sons birthday as they bought his desert with a candle in sang happy birthday. A lovely touch.

Combine a visit to The Tomb of the Eagles and lunch at Skerries and you will have a very good day. (Note, bistro not open Saturday's). Highly recommend Skerries. Friendly efficient staff, relaxed atmosphere, great view with food to match. They smoke their salmon in house, it is the best I have have ever tasted. My wife had the Orkney dived scallop salad. 3 epic scallops, perfectly cooked, roe and all. Marilyn insists I mention the Orkney fudge cheesecake.

Excellent fresh seafood, marvellous views, warm welcome and efficient service all rewarded the drive to the southern tip of the Orkneys.

Last Sunday we turned up to visit the tomb and hoped to be able to have lunch as well. We were made very welcome by the staff and given coffee whilst waiting for the tour of the tomb as the guide had had trouble getting to work from Kirkwell. The tomb visit was fascinating but the lunch was SUPERB! The scallops were the best I have ever had in this country; treated respectfully by the chef so their wonderful flavour could be fully enjoyed. My partner had the fresh lobster salad and thoroughly enjoyed the delicate way it was presented, again retaining the natural delicious flavours.

Modest cafe with views over to Scotland on a clear day. Soup portions are tiny and the lobster bisque was very disappointing.

After completing the Tomb of the Eagles we stopped for lunch at Skerries Bistro. We were greeted at the door by a lovely young lady and shown to our seats. The meal was delicious and one of the best we have had on our holiday. We would throughly recommend Skerries Bistro.

Stopped for lunch after a visit to Tomb of the Eagles. Ordered seafood chowder and lobster bisque with lobster meat. Seafood chowder was OK but nothing to wow about. Lobster bisque was served with chilled lobster meat which made the bisque cold. The bisque itself was a big disappointment. It was gloopy, like it had been thickened with cornflour or arrowroot and totally lacking in flavour. Only not a 1* review as they did not charge. Pretty disappointed considering the good reviews. Clearly chef having an off day. Also at £9.50 for about 4 spoonfuls it was very expensive.

We tried to call in last night, either to eat or to book for another night, and had an almost frightening response. We were ‘greeted’ by an angry man who insisted that there was a sign at the road junction saying the place was closed......there was no such sign. The angry man thought we should have reversed our car all the way down the narrow road rather than going through the gate and turning round....I made my apologies but he was clearly still very annoyed. Our mistake, I suppose, thinking that this was a restaurant rather than ..... what? It was a nasty experience, we won’t bother going there again. It should be very easy to put a CLOSED sign over the board at the end of the road, this would have saved a lot of grief.

We’ve eaten here several times. Always fabulous and the views breathtaking. Sadly there is a neighbour who often interrogates people as they leave especially around the time that it closes. He is nothing to do with the restaurant and it’s best to ignore him.

On the bay out from tomb of Eagles, excellent restaurant, excellent food and the addition of the newly discovered tomb of otters make the experience exceptional

..... But a wee bit out of the way. (I reckon that know the islands reasonably, but we had a job finding the bistro.)

I’ve just been to the Skerries with a group of six for lunch. It was superb.

Back this year twice, food and service was just as good as before,(see below). I had lobster salad twice. It is the prettiest salad I have been given with loads of lobster with salads and fruits. I recommend the apple cake. Had that twice too. This is a lovely setting looking over the Skerries. Well worth a visit. We went to the tomb on a previous visit and that is special too.

After driving out we were shouted at very angrily by what I assume was the owner who told us in no uncertain terms he was closing early so he could go out in his boat fishing,when we did eventually get a chance to eat the toasted sandwich was a joke 2 slices of bread 1 thin slice of ham 1 slice of tomato a lettuce leaf 1 slice of cucumber all for the grand price of £5 an absolute rip of avoid at all costs

This is the only establishment in Orkney where we have not been welcomed. We were, after driving for over an hour from Kirkwall, treated rudely, and with aggression by the owner. Simply for not understanding the parking restrictions that are in place around the building.

Yet another visit for my family and I to this wonderful bistro, serving exquisite food in a magnificent setting by lovely staff. Can't fault one iota of the whole experience. Food is of the highest calibre. We had several of the fish dishes...scallops, a variety of shell fish and the house own smoked salmon. Oh my! Wonderful. Then a cake for sister and brother-in-law's 45th wedding anniversary was presented by singing staff.

This restaurant is on a lovely secluded hilltop with wonderful views of the sky and the ocean. It is small. The food was very good and the service was excellent.

Excellent food and a superb view. We drove here from mainland (Orkney) and were not disappointed. Well worth the trip.

Very disappointed. Was looking forward to enjoy a Friday night meal in the Skerries. Great setting comfortable pleasently decorated restaurant with stunning views. Pleasent service from staff. Disappointing food. The reviews led me to look forward to a good quality meal. How wrong can you be. Salmon patties with vegetables. Sounded good, what could go wrong. Well the vegetables were cooked to death. Carrot batons are not supposed to bend around your fork in a very limp impression of a wet weekend in Orkney. Why do this to a vegetable. Worse than a school dinner. As was the peppers and green beans all served in a small puddle of water. The salmon patties were very good packed with well seasoned salmon and the late addition of some chilli sauce was a very nice touch. But at £40 for two with one beer very disappointing. Not worth the drive out.

Our first visit here after driving around South Ronaldsay for an afternoon. Popped in about 40 minutes before closing and had tea, coffee and two slices of Orkney fudge cheesecake - delicious! We appreciated the warm welcome and wonderful views. Would definitely consider another visit to sample the full menu. Lots of fresh seafood choices. Probably wise to try and book for a table in the evening as I imagine it’s very popular. It would be shame to drive all that way to be disappointed!

It has taken us a while to get to experience the dining pod, partly due to having a busy B&B; and partly due to having to cancel before due to bad weather. It was worth the wait. Greeted by Hamish when we arrived with his own particular brand of banter - I have missed our 'chats'!! He kept us amused throughout with the odd visit to the pod. Our servers, Ruben and Maria, were SO good and kept smiling and being very pleasant even though the weather wasn't always playing the game. As always Carole has everything running like clockwork. Food was delicious and exactly the right amount. Must mention that the crackers with the canapes were made on site - just a little extra touch that some would overlook but makes it that little bit more special. All presented beautifully. The Marlborough Sauvignon, The Whale Watcher, was - to me - extremely good and reasonably priced. All in all this is a special experience and we thoroughly enjoyed it. A lovely few hours spent with our friends.

A top class taster of all the best of the Skerries menu. Beautifully presented and perfectly cooked fish dishes. Great fun dining in the pod, something different. Would definitely recommend

Beautifully cooked food, really fresh and exactly what I was looking for.. And with the best possible view we could’ve gotten

We arranged a day trip to the Orkneys from Scrabster to Stromness (one and a half hour journey) on a decent enough ferry. We did not have anything particular in mind to do when we were there but we read about Skerries in a booklet about the islands so that became our focal point. And we were pleased we did because the drive from Stromness to the bistro is stunning and the food and service when we got there was very good.....

This was our first visit to the Skerries Bistro this season and it didn't disappoint. The 2 new Portuguese waiting staff, Maria & Ruben, were cheerfully attentive and helpful.