The Balmoral Bar in Aberdeenshire

My three course meal could not have been better; split pea soup (diced vegetables in a thick liquid - a meal in itself) lamb balti curry (Birmingham, the home of Balti, should erect a statue of the chef) and finally creme brulee (both taste and temperature spot on). Portion size, service and ambiance perfect. All for £35.

Went in to enjoy a nice lunch, unfortunately after being told they would be back to take order in a few moments. After 15minutes I went to the bar to ask if they could take our order to be told by the waitress rudely they were very busy and would be over soon. Considering we had been waiting longer than most of the people there it was very disappointing and we decided not to spend our money there when there are lovely other places that are available

The Balmoral Bar in Ballater is a local pub known for its high-quality pub food, including homemade soups, sandwiches, burgers, and vegetarian options, with popular dishes like venison burgers and fish and chips ! The dishes which are always well presented and a generous sized portion, another nice touch is that Trevor the chef will also served some of the dishes to customers and also checks to see that people are enjoying their food. The bar also hosts some form of live music especially at weekends and they also broadcast live sports, events making it a vibrant spot for socializing. Although can be slightly noisy at times especially when there are extremely busy.

Been before and met Trevor the chef. Makes his own curries . Well met him yesterday and teen a bowl of chicken chattan it Was lovely . Wife had chilli nachos and he added extra chilli n spice to hers as she likes hot spicy. Thanks again Trevor n staff . Place was rammed pack with walkers and people having meals but all served with great bar girl and gents. Well worth a visit

Great dog friendly pub! The chef goes above and beyond for you! Makes amazing Currys and even spiced up my chilli! The Guinness is pretty good too. Well worth a visit.

Lovely food, very generous servings, attentive friendly staff, couldn't have had a better experience.

Please tell me where on earth you can get a better curry than this. Simple answer, you can’t. We will be back, probably this week!

Best fish and chips, I have had in a long time, my wife had the red Thai curry which was also very good, great service as well, thanks

We had a lovely break in Ballater and we visited the Balmoral Bar. We were made to feel Welcome by all staff. Great food served piping hot and didn’t have to wait long. Great atmosphere each time we visited. Defo worth a visit for sure

Have a lovely meal here. Very friendly staff and delicious food. Well recommended

A busy Thursday on a cold February evening provided a lovely village atmosphere. Our food was, quite simply, of excellent quality. A lone barmaid, perhaps called Evie, was run ragged serving a full house and bar. I don’t know how she did it but she still managed to offer excellent, friendly and helpful service whilst never appearing anything less than fully calm. This young lady deserves employee of the year ! However it was disconcerting to see the owners sitting back enjoying themselves with their daughters, whilst poor Evie was flat out on her own.

5 stars all round, best in Ballater

Visited here for food a couple of times, always go for the steak pie as it’s delicious. Accommodating to the whole family and dogs with a really nice atmosphere.

Really nice cosy place. Great food, friendly staff! Our order was taken directly by cheff 😉 And result? Absolutely tasty food. I can say he surely cares when he is preparing food! Thank you, guys. I'm definitely recommending this place if you are on route!

Such a lovely friendly barmaid and a very cosy welcoming bar. We love curries so we ordered 1 of each of the curries. They were so delicious ….. just like a proper curries should be. Trevor the chef certainly knows his spices. Thankyou so much Trevor, don’t forget to buy the Curry Guy one pot book for the Goat guy….. it’s the one marinated in rum x hope to see you soon

Popped in for a drink with our 2 dogs. Got a warm welcome from the staff. They were efficient and quick. After seeing food coming out we stayed for supper. Everything was fresh and tasty. The highlight for my husband was the curry a specialty of the chef. We will definitely be back and soon.

On a very busy night right before new years eve, there were only 2 staff, but they were doing a fantastic job. Friendly, dogs allowed. Scottish soup and hargis bon bons hit the spot on a cold day. Saw some huge fish and chips being served all around, looked really good, but we were in a rush. Surprisingly, the two times we visited and ate the same food, it tasted very different. Still good, but completely different.

We often visit the Balmoral and I want to say how great the staff are. Nothing is too much trouble, all staff are friendly and accommodating. Food is good, especially the curries, the chilli and the fish and chips. Great for families and dogs. Hard working owners are due lots of credit for the way they train their staff. Great local bar!

Nice pub with a good atmosphere. Friendly staff and customers.

New Year’s party with live music was great!

Sunday evening meal very helpful waiter good choice of food

We popped in for a drink as we were stopping in our campervan nearby. What a great bar and lovely atmosphere. Very friendly and a great selection of spirits and beers including cask. We did not eat however saw the food coming out which looked fab. Next time we are here we will be having food. Parking across the road on the car park which is free and also on street.

Nice local bar. Friendly bar staff and welcoming table service. Place was full, no doubt popular. Food was ok. Pizza seemed generic, burger patty was average. Appreciate that it is bar food, but have had better.

Amazing Food, Large Portions and Great Service. With such a large crowd on the first night your staff coped amazing well with getting everyone's meals out in a good time. It was great also that we were kept informed about the meals coming out, great communication Rachael. The food was delicious, I am only sad that my two grandchildren - normally big eaters - were not on form on the night and left quite a bit on their plates. This was in no way an indication that it was not fantastic food, but the very opposite as normally their sibling or parents would have polished it off but were very full after their own dinners! Thank you so much for making our family night a great success.

Fabulous bar Staff go above and beyond Great atmosphere

Absolutely amazing spot for a drink and food! Delicious homemade shortbread served with our coffee and amazing soup joined with our panini! Regret not asking for the soup recipe! Overall amazing experience with lovely staff and cosy family vibes!! Would definitely return for another visit soon!

Been to the balmoral last 2 nights with family after a weeks stay in Balleter and I must say the staff are friendly and the food has been amazing!! I would definitely recommend a visit and we will be returning in February on our next holiday. Complements to the chef for the outstanding food.👏

Great service and very good food

Lovely pub, great food, great atmosphere friendly and efficient staff. What more could you ask for 😊

Perfectl pub. Great food, great service, great beer!

Went to Balmoral after a day walking. Warm and friendly bar. The staff all work really hard. Making sure everyone is ok. Food is fab. Highly recommend the scampi and curry. Was so good went back following night for live band playing, Was great night too. If your around Ballater, this is the place to visit.

An absolutely outstanding place in Ballater. Me and my family were up for the week and no other place even compared to the Balmoral Bar. First off, the chef Kev personally came out and congratulated us when I proposed to my now fiancé. That's just the start of the experience I had there. Perhaps I'm just remembering it fondly due to the proposal, or perhaps it was, in fact, the best curry I have ever had, courtesy of the chef, Kev. Second, the service was excellent, Kamila was the friendliest person we've ever had the pleasantries of meeting, though we could tell the second we walked in the other girl was also geared up to serve us and had a beaming smile! The locals were the nicest people as well! A gentleman named Ryan (who seems to work there!) was on his time off, and helped me organise the placement of the ring in the wine glass - just like the films! Kamila and the other girl were happy to help get the bar quiet while the proposal happened as well, it may have embarrassed my fiancé a bit, but a yes is a yes! Now onto the food! I myself ordered the lamb curry, and my wife ordered a classic British fish and chips. When the fish came out, I thought perhaps we had ordered 2 given the size of it! My fiancé described it as the freshest fish she's had, and upon having some myself, I am inclined to agree! Again, a massive thank you to Kev the chef for providing an incredible service. My lamb curry was very spicy (as I expected, given the warnings from the staff!), but my, oh my! I have never felt more flavorful spice in my 38 years of life! The lamb was fiery but the fragrant flavour of the jasmine rice complemented it perfectly. I had heard prior to coming here that the curries were a fusion of taste, but this is an experience to feel first hand! What more can I say other than, Kev your reputation precedes you! After the meal and proposal, we stayed for a few drinks and had an incredible time, again, the locals were incredibly friendly. However, be warned travellers, a man called Sandy WILL approach, and he can speak for Britain lol! He was a lovely man, just a bit chatty! Other than a slightly chatty drunkard (lol!), the vibe in the bar was brilliant, not a single thing to say other than we had a brilliant time. We will for sure be back again, as soon as possible, as long as Kev the chef is still there! Don't stop making those curries Kev! 10/10, I would give an 11 if I could!

Our first visit and won't be our last. Great food at reasonable prices. Really busy with both locals and tourists on a late afternoon/early Sunday evening. Highly recommend.

We visited because of the great reviews on Tripadvisor and we’re not disappointed! Great food, great service, cosy pub - absolutely recommend!

All 6 had a superb dinner with excellent service. The Scampi and chips were delicious, the steak and ale pie was very tasty and I had the gammon from the specials board which was amazing - the staff were very accommodating for us and 2 dogs - thank you

Buzzing wee bar on a Thursday night. Staglff and food are great. The portions are very generous, I did not need the side of onion rings with the steak pie despite everything being delicious. Really good pub food.

Absolutely terrific. Friendly warm atmosphere and wonderful food (steak pie and onion rings were excellent).

Visited here last week. My wife had king prawn scampi and I had chicken curry - both were absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. Staff really friendly as well and a great atmosphere. Very impressed and would definitely recommend and visit again should we ever be in Ballater again!

Great little pub with lovely service and the food was good too

Decided to go here on a whim. Ballater is a cute little town with lots of people out and about. We were able to get seats at the Balmoral Bar right before the rush of people came in. Think everyone had the same idea after the games. A very lively place with lots of locals and tourists alike, lots of kilts were sported. Service was very good and the food was your average pub food and hit the spot perfectly for us. Looks like a fun place for drinks and hanging out in the evening.

Top pub with very good food, great value for money. Super nice staff. Top atmosphere. Always a recommendation.

Lovely atmosphere- food good - be careful if you ask for extra spice in your curry 🥵chef is a delight as are all the staff

Very nice, very English atmosphere 😄

Beautiful pub, the service was also very friendly!

Great bar food at a very reasonable price. £40 one course lunch for two including drinks.

Great place for a meal. Nice atmosphere, nice decor, and friendly attentive staff.

Staff were friendly and attentive and the food was delicious and came out quickly. Vibes were wholesome in the pub, with lots of dogs around and friendly locals.

Ultra friendly staff and other customers. The dog was really fussed over. Food and beer was great as well

August 2024. Visited again today with my son and my daughter. Great jacket potato with tuna, very substantial. Chicken burger was large and good and a nice bowl of chips too. They are so welcoming of dogs, my chocolate labrador always remembers that they give her treats here and a nice bowl of water!!! August 2023. Visited with our son and our dog. Burger was really nice and chips were great too. Service was quick and staff were happy and welcoming. Lovely waitress offered our dog a treat and a bowl of water. The chef even came out and asked if he could give her some chicken. Very sweet.

Typical Scottish pub with cricket and golf on TV.

Excellent service and really good food. The atmosphere at the pub is very cozy and friendly.

Really nice. Friendly staff. We didn't eat here but food looked great.

Great dog friendly place for tasty food and a drink. Lovely decor, relaxed atmosphere and friendly staff who brought water over and biscuits for our dogs. Will definitely be back.

Very good pub with good pub food. We found the food and drink very good and the staff was very friendly. The recommendations for which whiskey depending on your preferences were great and it tasted very tasty!

Heel toffe en gezellige zaak, vriendelijk personeel. Snel bediend, en erg lekker gegeten. Typische pub food, maar heel degelijk. Best wel reserveren, de zaak zat helemaal vol met eters.

Couldn't of been more accommodating. Squeezed our family of 4 in even tho the tables were reserved. Even served the kids food right away so we all finished at same time. The venison burger was amazing. All served with a smile. Reasonable price too.

Ambiance tres chaleureuse , delicieuse cuisine ( curry d’agneau et ribs ) genereuse et d’un prix tres abordable. Service sympa Dommage seulement qu’il n’y ait pas d’Irish coffees

A great place to stop for a drink in beautiful Ballater!

In m6 opinion by far the best pub in Ballater. Great, friendly staff. Excellent atmosphere. Very reasonably priced good food.

Good service nice girl good food I recommend the onion rings 💪🤙

We stopped here for lunch after visiting Balmoral Castle and were greeted with a lovely warm welcome. Attentive table service and delicious food. Highly recommended

Great boozer in a lovely wee town.

First class informative friendly staff. Food stated as all homemade, this being the reason if you have to wait. A bit of an exaggeration, pizza bought in, frozen cold veg with steak pie. Soup, sandwich plus the burger good. Warm and friendly atmosphere

We were able to get a table last minute- great place with loads of locals. Great food!

Very well run pub. Staff, friendly & efficient. Tables always cleaned after every customer. Staff happy to bring over drinks when they bring food. Meals really good. We had the curries several times, both chicken & lamb really tasty. Other meals looked very good. Always busy. A credit to the owners.

I was on a daytrip to Balmoral, and we stopped in Ballater for lunch. This place was recommended by our guide Alex D. He also recommended the Cullen Skink, being a local delicacy. He was right about both. The food was plentiful and amazingly good. Happy to dine here again.

I'm so sorry that the staff were so short on the ground and were getting frustrated when we were paying our food account Remember, customers are what keeps your business operating.

We stopped in here on a recent stay in Ballater. The bar is nice with a mixture of locals and tourists. Staff were friendly and service was quick. There was a good selection of beverages and we even managed to get some scampi fries, bonus. We did not try any food but what was going out looked nice.

Venison burger absolutely delicious, highly recommend.

Friendly staff. Good wine and beer.

Could not get served at the bar, no free tables, no seating, very noisy & smelled of fried food. Fine if you are a local, but not welcoming for a tourist, sorry nil points...

Had a couple of pints in this wee gem , was up in Ballater staying before hiking the next morning. Definitely be back 🙏🫶

Only been in a couple of times for drinks. Good selection of drinks and a really nice atmosphere.

Lunchtime pint and a bite to eat. Guinness was spot on, we had the Steak Pie and the Macaroni Cheese with bacon - both excellent

One of my favourite jaunts up the Highland way. Great staff, great food, great banter.

Genuine Scottish bar with great service and delicious food ☺️☺️☺️

A really nice pub. The chef came to give treats to every dog. Staff was super friendly and welcoming. And the food was absolutely recommendable (venison burger, steak pie) and very, very good.

What a gem of a find food was first class really good value for money and the staff are fantastic

Had a bar lunch and service was really slow from bar staff and kitchen alike. We waited ages between courses which was very poor. Chips were luke warm and dissapointed as they were aldi's skinned skinny chips. A £60 bill 3 courses for 2. A bit pricey and expected better quality for the price paid.

Had a soft drink and a sandwich at lunchtime. Thought it was a bit pricey. Decor did not seem to inspiring but is probably OK for a few pints.

Fantastic food in this bar! Truly delicious. After a long hike we were quite hungry. The steak pie and the beef lasagna went down well. Really enjoying it! A dog friendly pub with some screens to watch sports. Staff is very friendly and even the chef came out of the kitchen to ask if everything was to your liking. The sticky toffee pudding is really, really delicious. Do order with cream instead of ice cream. 100% would come again.

Excellent staff, in a nice and pleasant atmosphere with a good choice of food and drink.

a real fun Pub, friendly service, delicious food and good beer. Right in the center of Ballater, perfectly for a stop and rest. I really enjoyed the lovely chat with of of the patrons, when I had a sip this year. Superrefreshing.

Great pub friendly staff and excellent food all day

Food was beyond lovely! The best restaurant in here! Highly recommend will not disappoint you! Freshly made food I’m in heaven! Taaa xxx

Great pub with great food and beer choices. Pity its not a little bigger as it was so popular but the waitress informed us as soon as a table came free and kept it for us.

Fantastic place to eat and drink . Food prepared by Trevor is excellent and the owner and staff are friendly and welcoming . Can’t wait to see them this weekend .

We stayed in Ballater for a week. Came here 4 times!! Loved the food, the service and the atmosphere!!

Terrific food and great service, only reason atmosphere didn't score so high was it wasn't busy, being a Tuesday lunchtime.

Large selection of drinks, excellent food and the corresponding pub feeling. Despite many visitors, the friendly staff found a table for us. If you like it quiet, this is the wrong place for you. In any case, we were very satisfied here.

Amazing staff, very friendly and helpful great food fantastic atmosphere 10/10 - 100% recommended

Just ideal! Highly recommend if you are looking for good food, friendly atmosphere and attentive, happy service. Happy to accommodate us with younger children and a dog. We'll be back 👍

We ate here as part of weekend away. Really good pub grub and super friendly and welcoming service.

A very 'welcoming' bar with delightful and efficient staff and the food was fantastic. Highly recommended.

In for a spot of lunch, food ok, staff friendly. Only full fat milk for coffee & coffee put back as not hot enough, even second attempt wasn’t that hot

Had no food but drinking there was great

Proper Scottish pub with delicious food

As it was Saturday it was quite busy but we got a table. The staff were very nice and a shout out to Ryan & Ellie. We really enjoyed our lunch and the tea was excellent, a nice big pot and lovely and hot on a cold day. We will definitely return.

Great food and friendly service

Had a lovely meal great portion sizes Made our dog feel very welcomed Would highly recommend