The Balavoulin Restaurant in Highland

Food was lovely but service was awful. Had to ask for the bill at least 3 times before we got it. Totally ignored cos we were not with a big party. Also no steak pie. Totally disappointed. Won't be back.

A great place for dinner with good vegetarian options. We went on a Sunday evening and had the roast (husband had chicken and I had the vegan which was really nice!). Good portion sizes for children’s meals also. We’ve been to Aviemore several times and this is one of the best places to eat. Great service. Would definitely recommend.

Friendly staff fitted us in even though it was busy. The menu is pub grub, and the variety is limited but adequate, if on the pricey side. Our daughter and I went for kids' and adults' fish and chips. The batter was greasy/oily (both in texture and appearance) and the fish and batter needed a lot of seasoning as they were pretty tasteless. Chips were dry, as if they'd been kept warm for a while - certainly not freshly cooked. Not inedible by any means but very disappointing especially given that it cost nearly £18 for the adult main. Highlighted it to the server when the plates were cleared - wasn't looking for a refund or reduction but felt it should be noted. Be aware that 10% is added automatically to the bill as service charge. This is printed at the bottom of the menus.

Was there to watch a rugby game. Cool vibe

Lovely staff, great service, lively bar, good beer, very average food

It is what it is - a teenage burger and pizza joint. Nothing to delight discerning grown ups at all. Very disappointed as had high expectations from some of the reviews I had read. Perhaps others had lower expectations. Probably the worst pepperoni pizza I’ve ever had - stodgy and tasteless and obviously frozen and straight out of a box (probably from the bargain section of a cut price local supermarket). Complete waste of money. Save your hard earned cash and spend it in some of the other (very decent) eateries in Aviemore

Quick and friendly service and the special pasta and meatballs was excellent. It is also dog friendly. Update 12th Nov 2024. Friendly and fast service, dog made very welcome, but a pub with 3 real ale pumps and a BIG sign roadside advertising Real Ale, really should have at least one available, even in low season. The Heineken also tasted strange, but the barman didn't seem interested. Didn't stay for good due to lack of the advertised Real Ales

Great food, nice service and a beautiful setting. Definitely one of the best meals we've had in Aviemore. We went as a group of 7 and everyone enjoyed their food.

Great service and atmosphere. Prices good too.

We have stayed here many times and love it. This time we chose a king size room and it was great. Not a massive room but good size with a huge bed Spotlessly clean Restaurant is great as was the breakfast. Looking forward to our next visit We will keep going ba

Food was brilliant and staff friendly such a comfortable place

One of the best places to eat and drink in Aviemore! We come here every time we visit, food and service is always great and they are super dog friendly.

Had dinner here on 30/10/24. All in all a very disappointing and chaotic experience. Although the individual staff seemed very nice none of them seemed to know what was going on. On top of this the food was pretty poor given general standards available around Aviemore. Such a shame as the place could be great. I also felt really bad that the table of visitors from Virginia and Philly who experienced even worse service than we did. I will try again as I like to support local business and hope for better next time!

Lovely food. The pulled pork topped burger was delicious. Fast friendly service. Good value for money. We will be back. Thank you

Booked a table for an evening meal based on a recommendation and it was great. The food and drink choices suited us all, there's a great selection of burgers and pizzas. They also have dietary information available, and have gluten free and vegan options clearly labelled on the menu. The team working here are very friendly and welcoming. It's also dog friendly.

Stayed for 2 nights to celebrate my birthday. Good room and enjoyed the bar lots of dogs and a big log 🔥fire. Food was excellent too.

Service was slow for drinks even though there was plenty of staff.

Popped in for a drink when in Aviemore. Lovely pub, dog friendly, good atmosphere

Centre of town service fantastic, burger was amazing and with great chips busy with great atmosphere would definitely visit again

Cannot fault this place, as usual the food is lovely, and the service was first class. If you haven't been, you're missing out.

Still my favorite pub in Aviemore.

Good food, great service and dog friendly 👍🏻

Went in for lunch, 6 adults, 3 kids and a dog. Hadn’t booked but the staff were so welcoming and helpful, putting 2 tables together for us. They even brought treats for the dog! Food was amazing, most of us had the toasties with mugs of soup, we also ordered fish&chips and spicy fries, all of which were very tasty. Friendly staff, lovely vibe, log fire, clean toilets.

Dined as a couple with a 3 year old. Atmosphere in the bar high octane with big screens showing football, and some large tables. Service reasonably attentive, though some youngsters who were really just cleaning tables and not taking orders / in need of further training. Ordered the sharing nachos - big portion though key ingredients (e.g the nduja) was missing! So it was just chicken with usual nacho toppings and a drizzle of sriracha for c. £16.00. Given sizeable starter, we both ordered the Caesar salad for main. One of us got dressing on the side and thank god we did. The other was ABSOLUTELY SWIMMING in the dressing. Just looking at it was off putting, and this was after us discussing how dressed the salad was with waiter for the other one of us who asked for it on the side. Despite it being clear hardly any was eaten and stating to waiter that it was way too dressed, the £12.50 was still on bill. How forceful / direct do you need to be to get it removed? Desserts were OK - sticky toffee pudding and bread and butter pudding. Both had chocolate chunks in them and were a bit dry - should just stick with the original recipe like Cairngorm Hotel Restaurant along the road which offers same desserts, cheaper and tastier. Overall, an underwhelming experience and £80 weeks won’t get back.

Had the bestest ever nachos .for 2 people..more like 4..more 🧀 than I've ever had.. amazing..and friendly staff

Came here after poor experience at nearby Cairngorm Hotel. Met by staff member who couldn't have been nicer. Lunch menu not extensive but fine for a lite bite. Freshly made soup and toastie, houmous roast veg wrap hit spot. With drinks (pint cider and pint coke plus 2 coffees around £33) Food fresh and tasty, portions decent value for money. Didn’t love wooden plates but not end of the world. Relaxed and nice vibe, good coffee too.

Good little hotel in Aviemore. The rooms are small, but have everything you need and are clean. The breakfast was excellent! No buffet but you could choose from the typical Scottish breakfast dishes. The staff was also very friendly and explained everything essential during check-in. The dinner offered was also very tasty. The price is also absolutely right. There were sufficient parking spaces available.

Went in for a pint only to be told it was plastic glasses only..even inside. 2 guys next to me got served pints in glasses so I pointed this out to the bar man who told me ‘they were locals’. Whatever happened to first come first serve. Toilets were absolutely disgusting.

Great lunch. Very friendly staff.

We had a very warm welcome at the Balavoulin. Lunch was tasty with the fish and chips being especially good. Definitely worth a stop when visiting Aviemore.

Very nice pub and B&B. The food is good and the atmosphere relaxed. The staff was friendly and helpful.

Very helpful, pleasant staff, good, reasonably priced food, nice clean and comfortable place either good atmosphere. Very dog friendly.

Nice place with very good pizza. Lots of people so it might be good to book a table in advance.

An ideal pub meal. Busy but well staffed. The food was great as was the service. Good value and offers veggie food. The menu offered a good selection of Scottish comfort food. It was busy and quite noisy but it had a good atmosphere.

Very nice place Seems to be very popular! Good pizzas!!

Readily accessible within Aviemore, walking distance from rail station. Rooms clean with necessary facilities and TV with a healthy number of channels, kettle with a variety of tea, coffee, chocolate instant drinks, and Walkers biscuits. Restaurant appears.very popular and does a number of higher quality pub meals very well, alongside a selection of pizzas, starters, and desserts. Service is prompt and with the right mix of professionalism and friendly welcome. There is a healthy range of breakfasts available for residents. Overall it seems a location that confidently does what it aims to - not a posh hotel but good food and good accommodation.

Wowwww the place to enjoy a good whiskey excellent food well done thanks to the whole team

Very good food here and it was served very quickly. Bala Burger was very good. The beer is a little expensive. Good experience overall & dog friendly.

Had dinner on a Wednesday evening. Food was excellent as was the service. Good cask ale as well. Very welcoming for our dog too. Best of the three restaurants we visited in our short stay in Aviemore

Always popular and busy, outdoor tables for nice days/weather. Dog friendly and family friendly. Lovely location and area, on the Main Road by all the shops. Sport shown on TV . Had fish and chips, and the fish was big! Both of us, and a big fish each.

Vibrant, busy, full of character . Well managed so you don’t feel the staff are under pressure. Good and prices very good.

Popped in her for a local pint and spoke to a young lady named Zoe. The pint was lovely. Atmosphere was great and the information zoe gave about the cairngorm national was very helpful. Try this location in the centre of Aviemore.

Excellent food and quick and friendly service

3rd aug visit - Booked for 6.30pm & allocated 2hr slot, served promptly and food ok. Wine was not chilled and staff wouldn't change it... at 7.45 they told us they needed the table back at 8pm but didn't offer dessert menu which we asked for and just stayed on til we were finished. Table next to us complained of getting moved on after 1.5 hrs too... This place will continue to be busy enough thanks to its location but we won't rush back or recommend.

1st time here after many disappointing meals in the area.. Friendly good service, very good New York sandwich and amazing chilli fries, will defo be back..

Had a nice meal but not a lot of selection. Good service but 10% service charge added to bill automatically so look out for that .

We had an reservation and were early. Couldn't go to an empty table which was empty for the whole night. Dog friendly means that you are dining in between barking dogs. Food was mediocre to average at most.

Friendly staff and delicious food. It was busy but the staff were on the ball with table service. They went out their way to make things easy for us dining with an ASD child. Amazing service.

We had lunch and dinner here, and both times, the food and service were excellent. Can't fault it. Just be sure to book! Dog friendly too.

We would highly recommend. James made the visit most enjoyable with his friendliness and very accommodating. Breakfast was delicious also a thank you to suzy the housekeeper.

Couple of beers and chat with friends by

Terrible customer service, tried to eat here a couple of times and they have either flat out refused, or decreased the number of menu options, despite the kitchen being fully open to other customers. The bar manager has no manners, avoid this place, especially if you're not a local.

Dire customer service - or a complete lack of it, as well as good manners and politeness. The bar staff seemed in no way interested in paying customers, repeatedly declined to serve food to polite and respectful customers. It beggars belief. They repeatedly discriminated against myself and others who came to eat and drink there - limiting the menu options and putting conditions on what we could order - treating us differently to other paying customers. We have come here several times and received the same treatment each time - with no explanation. Would not recommend to anyone if I was starving and dehydrated. Would go out of my way to tell friends and family to avoid this place like the plague.

Half of tables were empty when we came at 7.30pm, they told us we need to wait till 8pm if we have no reservation. Not possible with 2 small hungry kids. Checking reservations online, the place is booked for days. So nothing for a spontaneuous visit, and I don't like booking a non special place well in advance when on holidays (come on this is a pub with a menu like any other pub....its not a gourmet restaurant!)

Busy bar and restaurant, dogs allowed, usual tasty pub grub, plenty of parking, best to book in ad advance

Visited while I was on a weekend getaway with my wife the place is very nice great food and as a bonus you can even take your dog in as well and he loved it too

Nice place to have a drink or eat. Friendly welcome and friendly place where everyone is welcomed with open arms, dogs and cats included.

Thank you and thank you again to The Balavoulin for saving the day. When most of Aviemore seem to be closed (Tuesday evening) this place was rockin with a great bar and very tasty food. Great portions and excellent service with cheery helpful staff. No more to add other that get a table booked next time you are in town.

We were in Aviemore this week on an annual holiday . We have been here regularly with my fave lunch last year being the amazing BLT . We had lunch earlier in the week and while the food was nice , the staff were not particularly pleasant /friendly. We returned a few days later for dinner . We arrived early (5pm) and asked the boy at the bar if we could have a table for 4 , we were advised they were booked but if we wanted to have a drink and wait that would be ok . We wandered over to try and find a seat and I then returned to ask for an approx time - 2 hungry kids - the lady behind the bar advised 8pm !!!! A 3 hour wait was a bit much ! I advised we would just go elsewhere and were given a shrug in reply . Very disappointed .

Went here for food and drinks. The fish and chips were amazing. So was the chicken and chorizo pie. Unfortunately, each beer was extremely flat and the service was the slowest we had our entire two weeks in Scotland.

Had a pint here. Frendly staff. Good location

Brilliant atmosphere, wonderful town, nice people and a good time, if you are in aviemore you must visit this place.

Watched England and ate food brilliant

Nice modern surroundings. Seating inside and out. Clean toilets. Polite staff. 2 pints of beer about £11 which felt expensive but perhaps in keeping with being a touristy area. Didn't visit for food

Lovely tradional pub in a good spot. Didn't eat but the service was great and the meals looked delicious. Ample parking. Seating inside and outside.

Great food, great service, great atmosphere!

I had arranged to meet my partner and friends for a pint and a bite to eat and I waited outside with our dog. A very hostile and aggressive wee guy came out of the bar and told me to take my dog away. When I asked who he was he said "None of your business". When I pointed out that if he wouldn't say who he was then I had no obligation to listen to him, he said "Obviously I work here!" When I said that I thought the place was supposed to be dog friendly he said "Yes, only for paying customers!" He then disappeared inside. I immediately texted my partner to arrange to meet elsewhere. We won't be back. Its a pity as we live nearby and often drop in for a drink or a meal. Never again. This person is clearly in the wrong job. He was hostile, resentful and lacking in the basic abilites that are essential to the hospitality industry.

Nice pub in central Aviemore. Food was lovely. Great quality of food for both kids and adult meals. Good plate of Nachos! Good value for food

Stopped for tea and some drinks. Great atmosphere and friendly service.

Nice location. Beautiful views.

Friendly bar with some decent food. Do note that food is only served until 8pm.

We visited yesterday lunch time (3 adults and 1 dog). I read it was recommended to book especially if taking your dog and wishing to sit inside. We walked in to a lovely environment and very friendly staff. We were told we could pick any of the tables as you enter on the right. Really comfortable seating and clean premises as well. We ordered and everything was so fresh. We all had wraps and each one was fully of flavour and delicious. The fries too were wonderful. The facilities were immaculate, clean and smelling wonderful too. We found the bill the be very reasonable and when in the area again it's great to have somewhere dog friendly and that serves delicious food. We will be back.

A very welcoming pub and definitely dog friendly! Book ahead to guarantee a table. Great range of beers and food 😎

Lovely friendly staff, nice atmosphere our fish was fresh and cooked to perfection worth a visit

Stayed for 2 nights. The staff were great and the food was really good. Suggest you book if you want to eat there as, even though it was a Tue/Wed, some ‘walk-ins’ couldn’t get a table. The room we had was clean, warm and the bed was comfy. It’s on the main road through town so very easy to find.

Lovely fresh cooked food, recommend the Bally burger. Quick and friendly service too.

Went here for dinner/drinks during our stay in Aviemore. My starter of prawns was lovely,my partners nachos were very poor as cheese was like plastic glue. My main of fish n chips was nice but very over priced at £17. My partner had pizza which was again nice but way over priced. Drinks were also pricey. Toilets werent the cleanest.

Great atmosphere and lovely beer!

If the kitchen closes at 8, maybe don't list "open till late"?

We were met by James on arrival and throughout our stay here. He is a credit to this place and really helpful and pleasant. The owner Struan too was really accommodating when it came to change our evening meal time and ensured we were really looked after. The food was nice and a good selection of drinks with a good atmosphere in the pub which welcomes dog owners. The rooms are clean, but there is low water pressure in the bathrooms, so your showers can be temperamental, but again, James explained all this on arrival. Location is fantastic with everything you'd need within walking distance! Thanks to the team, we'll be back again

Fantastic service 👏 👌 been back few times staff helpful and freindly

What a lovely retreat for great food, service and attentive staff. Spent a few days in Aviemore, with two dogs. Goodness the food is amazing. The Bothy Bar outside which is perfect for dogs, seating areas with covered areas, same menu, water on tap for the dogs. 100% from the Black Labrador & Golden Retriever and to the Aussie waiter x

Yeah, always a good place tae go.

Staff not at all friendly. We arrived early, happy to have a drink in the bar, we were shown to a table that wasn’t set, so I asked for the one near the open door & was told in no uncertain terms, this one!!! I ordered fish in batter which was dreadfully soggy, fish was fresh but very small for £16! Not a happy atmosphere, at all.

After a busy day out we decided to get something to eat out in Aviemore . The staff here welcomed us in as a walk in and we were served pretty quickly. There is a small menu, but I think enough choice to suit most tastes. We ended up all choosing burger which was okay and the chips were great Overall good experience.

Had dinner here, good food and fairly quick service. I had the Burger with added cheese and pulled pork, it was pretty good although the pulled pork was a little dry and could do with more sauce, but overall a nice place to go and have dinner. 😊

Lovely food. Nice friendly staff

We had a great time. The hotel is very clean, the room was comfortable and good value for money. The restaurant is very good, the servers are adorable! Thank you 😃

Tasty pub grub - big portions. Good location

For drinks great for food not so great. I ordered the chicken Katsu burger . I didn’t eat it , it wasn’t worth the calories . I ate a few chips . The chicken had no taste the Katsu sauce had no taste . The waitress collected my plate & didn’t even bother to ask why I hadn’t eaten it , but I told her anyway whether interested or not & said she’d mention it too the chef . Bill came , no apology for my food being inedible & no money off either , very amateur staff I think. I love Aviemore but its food scene really lets it down . No nice restaurants at all , shame …….

I've only been for drinks and food but man so good. Would def. recommend. Staff is amazing! Thanks guys

Came to the Balavoulin as a prep stop for one night, before myself and 2 friends disappeared into the Cairngorms for a few days, walking, Wild camping, In short the team went above and beyond, with their hospitality, friendliness and can do attitude, ( looking after rucksacks, dialling taxis) accommodation was good, and so was the lunch, evening meal, and breakfast… atmosphere in the evening was great too, and no matter how busy it got the team seemed organised enough to cope… thanks again, we will be back! 🇬🇧👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A big thanks to waiter Struan for the excellent service! Such a friendly guy. He was so kind to give us a lot of tips for our trip towards Edinburgh. 👍🙏

Great food, nice atmosphere and friendly staff

Great stay,staff friendly, special mention ..breakfast service was brilliant, thank you

Don't waste your money on this place, far better places to eat.

Loved it service was fast food good atmosphere good dog friendly most important

We went here for lunch.The food was all good apart from the cheese and ham toasties.There could have been more filling inside.The fish was beautiful and the pizza was also very good.Drinks were good.

Had an amazing night out with a group of friends. We only had drinks. It was a Monday and was surprisingly packed out but atmosphere was great. Staff were all exceptional..thank you so much.

Only went for a meal as we were staying elsewhere but the food and service were amazing. We will definitely be back.