The Clunie Dining Room in Aberdeenshire

Everything was impeccable, one of the best meals we ever had, highly recommend it.

Contrary to some of the reviews here , the food was exceptionally good at our dinner here with a large starter of smoked trout followed by excellent venison and roasted celeriac . However the service left a lot to be desired although the only other people in the dining room were two pariez of 2 and one of 4 as well as a large party of 12 . We had an expensive bottle of red burgundy and while the sommelier decanted it , I ended up pouring it several times as the staff only seemed to give attention to the large table . We waited a long time for the waiter to take our orders , to bring us the admittedly very good bread and to take our order for desert . I understand that the restaurant has problems hiring suitable full- time staff but this was a depressing experience at dinner especially with a special wine . By contrast we had dinner at The Fish Shop in Ballater the next night where the service was superb , the fish dishes were delicious and the whole experience was very uplifting .

Amazing dining room staffed with great people who are very attentive. Food was of excellent quality and tasted delicious. Highly recommend anyone paying a visit to this highlands gem.

We came here on the recommendation of our hosts and had quite high expectations. The ambience is good, as is the welcome. The service was friendly but inattentive. No further drinks were asked for, water was not refilled, and the dishes were not cleared away. For a restaurant that defines itself as a gourmet restaurant, I expect at least an amuse-gueule, which unfortunately wasn't there. The starters were top-notch in terms of ingredients (salmon trout and beef tartare), but quite ordinary in terms of the coordination of ingredients. The main course (fish and soufflé) was disappointing both in terms of presentation and lack of finesse. The dessert (Pavlova and Rhubarb Sundae) were really just mediocre. Conclusion: there is still a lot of room for improvement for a restaurant in this price range.

Honnêtement pour un restaurant d’hôtel tout était très bon. J’ai testé deux entrées et deux plats différents et j’ai tout apprécié. Le homard était superbement présenté avec une salade succulente surplombée de parmesan. Les frites super bonnes aussi et originales. Les asperges étaient bonnes et l’entrée de crabe excellente. Le pain super bon Les serveur et le sommelier italiens étaient super sympathiques avec un super sens de l’hospitalité et une passion pour Braemar. Et puis le restaurant en lui même offre un cadre unique

We really enjoyed our honeymoon stay! The Inn is stunning and was perfect for our road trip through Scotland. The sauna right in the room was great for a day full of hiking. Dinner and Breakfast were incredible and the staff was incredibly friendly. The views!!! The Inn is kind of all on its own surrounded by nothing but beautiful scenery. The road is pretty close, but at night there are not many drivers on the road.

Brilliant atmosphere Saliva dripping food Excellent service Definitely recommend this

Amazing. Food was absolutely fantastic and the restaurant was such a lovely place to sit. We had a beautiful table overlooking the river. We would come back in a heartbeat.

Whilst staying in Aberdeen with my son, he took me out for Sunday lunch at The Clunie Dining Room as a pre Mothering Sunday treat. We were somewhat disappointed with our meal. He chose the roast beef which came as one very thick slice and was somewhat chewy. I chose the Belly pork which was very tender but did not appear to be freshly cooked. It looked as though it had been reheated. The vegetables were tasty but the roast potatoes were leathery suggesting they had been cooked earlier and dried out. For the prices charged I would have expected much better. We are happy to pay for something a cut above the rest, but this was certainly not. The wine list was eye wateringly expensive and my 125ml glass was a price I would have expected to pay for the whole bottle. On the plus side the service was impeccable and a very pleasant dining room. It was very quiet for a Sunday lunchtime whereas The Flying Stag next door was jam packed. Maybe they knew something that we didn’t. It certainly wasn’t value for money.

Had heard good reports about The Fife Arms, so my partner and I booked up The Clunie Dining Room for a special lunch. I have to say our starters were excellent. However, unfortunately the main let the whole dining experience down. Both my partner and I had the sole and as it was on the bone, we were asked if we would we like it filleted. We both agreed. The main eventually arrived, the plates were lukewarm, and whilst we waited on our accompanying sides, our food began to get cold. After eventually having to ask one of the waiting staff to find out what had happened to our accompaniments, some carrots eventually arrived, followed some minutes later by a dish of broccoli, which I would add was very underdone. Unfortunately, when we got round to actually eating, the food was more or less cold. Furthermore, despite the sole being 'filleted’, I must have removed 20+ bones - I finally gave up and left half the fish. I would have thought when my dinner plate was removed there would have been some comment as to how much food had been left, or the waitress would have asked how our meal was when we were presented with the bill, but no. I am afraid £34 for a main course at lunchtime, that was lukewarm and not up to par, is in my opinion, unacceptable, more so, when I'd actually driven a round trip of 108 miles just for the experience.

Went for afternoon tea with my wife and mother-in-law, we all thoroughly enjoyed the food, tea and service. The hotel itself has a great country ambience about it.

Good food, excellent service and a lovely atmosphere.

The food was good, service exceptional and we had a lovely evening

Good: Service level from the staff was very high The starters and dessert were both very good The wine list was comprehensive, though the mark-up was much higher that expected. Average: After-dinner coffee had no petit-fours option and was accompanied by very soft (almost soggy!) shortbread Poor: The main was incredibly dissappointing - very overcooked hake in overly vinegared broth. Value: Terrible. Very expensive and not a place we'll be revisiting.

We ate here in July 2023 after a selection in the Michelin app. After 9 days of fried food, something really good. And it's good, delicious cocktails before you sit down to enjoy delicious and well-prepared dishes. For dessert, have strawberries in yogurt. I couldn't get enough of it. A big 5 points as far as I'm concerned. And a very appropriate knife and fork from Michelin.

Overall the experience was great and exactly what we came for. The food was fantastic - we had the beef wellington. Unfortunately it was let down a bit by the service. Most of the staff were friendly and attentive however when I sent some wine back as it tasted off and had pieces of cork in it the Sommelier came out to challenge me which isn’t something I’ve ever had happen to me before. Overall it was great as a one-off experience.

My boyfriend and I loved our meal here. The vibe was warm, chic but also not stuffy. We had spent all day hiking around the area and really wanted to treat ourselves. The sommelier was so approachable and her recommendation was spot on for us and our Beef Wellington! We enjoyed the food, presentation, the staff and the dessert. Overall a lovely evening!

We had a fantastic meal at the Clunie Dining Room. We had a beautiful table for 6 overlooking the wood fires in the kitchen and the dining room setting is really excellent. We were really well looked after by the team throughout the evening from cocktails in the bar to service at dinner. The food was absolutely fantastic - so good we booked to come back to the Flying Stag as we were leaving the dinner! Thank you to everyone who looked after us so well throughout our two evenings at the restaurant and pub this week.

Wonderful atmosphere, tasteful decor, delicious food- I will be back again!

The cooking had no wow factor and didn't live up to the very grand hotel setting. There was also a lack of gratis elements - no amuse bouche or after-dinner sweets - that can be expected at this price point. We left feeling underwhelmed.

Having visited the hotel pre renovations and since again a couple of times the hotel is amazing. The whole fibre of the hotel and staff is second to none. Sunday lunch in The Clunie dining room is an experience not to be missed. The attention you receive from the staff has to be applauded. The food, we had the Roast Beef was exceptional...as was the rest of the meal....the ambience of the hotel is superb. From my table in the lounge afterwards for coffee i could have sat the rest of the day just people eatching. Alas i had to leave....BUT i shall return sooner rather than later...To all the staff my congratulations.

Sunday lunch was outstanding. Dinner very good. I can’t add much to all the other comments on the decor and art but will focus on the service which was exceptional. Service is often not great in Scotland. Here it is truly excellent - professional, friendly, and proactive (in the best way). Cost wise, a two course Sunday lunch with a G&T, a couple of mid range glasses of wine and tip will not leave much if any change from £100 per head. I considered it worth it.

My wife and I had a pretty ordinary meal in the Clunie restaurant recently. The menu choice was poor and the food was just ok. The wine list produced has the cheapest bottle on it at £34.00 where as the “sister” restaurant next door had much more competitively priced wines. When I asked for a bottle of Muscadet from the other restaurant the wine waiter made it clear he was not impressed. We had to ask for serviettes which were not provided for us. Overall quite disappointed and not cheap!

Very friendly staff, nice & clean & tidy and delicious food

Eight of us had Sunday lunch in the Clunie, seven of us had beef and one had locally reared pork. The meat was superb! mouth wateringly tender and full of flavour (the beef is marinated in black treacle), the dripping roasted potatoes were caramelised crunchy heaven - the Yorkshire pudding light and fluffy and the roasted veg and green superb. The icing on the beef was the marrow gravy. Some of us followed up with the baked chocolate mousse (perfection on a plate), one had the panacotta - wobbly and light, and one had home made ice cream. Outstanding!

Went here for a casual dinner and the place is gorgeous! Food is very good, high quality and service was quick. A huge range of spirits in the bar and all of the staff were very friendly. Somewhere I would definitely recommend and will be returning to!

Exceptionnel à tous points de vueLe cadre Le menu L’ambiance Le service etc etc etc Un superbe menu imaginé pour l’occasion avec des recettes traditionnelles revisites Un magnifique pigeon, du gibier ou de la grouse. Servis avec des légumes grillés et fumés Petit bémol sur la carte des vins qui pourrait être plus fouillée, avec des vins plus abordables et de meilleure qualité Les chambres sont magnifiques et bien entendu le cadre est exceptionnel Incontournable si on passe dans le coin

Everything about this restaurant is the perfect addition to a stay in a dream hotel, the setting, the art on the walls, the staff, and the excellent food. Perhaps one or two more choices of local things wouldn't hurt, but everything we had was delicious.

A little bit disappointed. On the face of it a really upmarket hotel but the menu did not quite live up to expectations. The selection of buffet starters were excellent and delicious. The waiters and service was excellent but we both ordered the forerib which if I’m honest was really quite chewy. Also we noticed that other diners were receiving Yorkshire puddings and gravy but we never received either. I asked the waiter why we never received these but he said it was a supplement which was strange as there were no supplements on the menu. So in essence quite a confusing picture.Would not hurry back.

We are visiting Scotland from San Antonio, Texas and Atlanta, Georgia USA. We passed by the recently renovated Fife Arms earlier and decided we really wanted to experience the Clunie Dining Room. What an excellent decision!We began with cocktails in front of the fireplace, then moved to a table overlooking the river. The hostess was very friendly and accommodating. Our waiter, Scott, was superb. Two of us had the lamb, one the flat fish, and the fourth had red deer. Every dish was perfect. The wine selection was extensive and delicious as well. We finished with desserts and left completely satisfied.

nous avons diner at "the Clunie Dining Room" lors de notre roadtrip Ecossais. le cadre est magnifique, les serveurs cordiaux (le sommelier parlait Français), le menu est interessant et la nouriture de bonne qualité. Nous avons passé un bon moment. Ce restaurant est à classer dans les restaurants chers.nous le recommandons en precisant que la qualité est là et le prix aussi.

Wonderful to experience the hotel now fully restored and beautifully restored. The décor and furnishing are amazing. Enjoyed an excellent meal very well served. Small but interesting and varied menu. Emphasis on local food Staff very friendly.

Only 1 starter and mean to choose from, cabbage, mushroom and nuts for main, unfortunately not a fan of any of these, so really did not enjoy my main, wood fired cauliflower starter was quite tasty, and dessert was ok. No after dinner mints/tablet. On the plus side, room is lovely, staff are great

We had breakfast in the Clunie Dining Room on each day we were staying in the hotel and dined once. The decor is spectacular, think contemporary art splurged across walls in a large room with acres of windows and the odd stuffed stag. Service was generally good and certainly willing and friendly but orders some times went adrift especially at breakfast. Chefs are in action amid the coals and wood of the ovens and grill behind a counter at one end. A lot of the food comes from these with the result that a lot shows evidence of the fires. It was good but my venison was fully done and a bit dry even under too copious a fruity sauce. Scallop starter was fine. Desserts a bit hit and miss.So, some fine food and some that left one wondering when the wood firing would fall out of fashion.

We ate one dinner and three breakfasts, and it needs to get better.I disliked my 3 course dinner.Good bread and butter though. My cold Cod starter is ceviche style which is basiclaly a raw dish which I hated and should have been better described on the menu or by the staff. My Lamb was over cooked perhaps due to the kitchen birch wood stoves? My dessert of smashed meringue was just a dull mess.The glasses of wine we chose were not good value.Breakfast is OK without many star turns or looks.The full cooked breakfast is pleasant, see my photo. Partial serve yourself with the cold items. Porridge was rather fine, but one order for it was not put through until we we reminded staff and by that time we had a reasonable Kedgeree filling the small table.The baked items were not up to the highland quality I expected, nor were the jug juices.Black pudding rather fine.( Perhaps it comes from the butcher across the road who has excellent pies.)To be frank we preferred the small menu and prices in the public bar.Clearly early days in Clunie kitchen, which looks very smart with wood fires seen from the restaurant.Final advice, avoid the table under the full size stag, not a good view point!

Very disappointed with the fish and chips very small fish and tasteless chips were abysmal too also one of the worst menus I’ve come across for choice for a 4 star hotel they definitely need to improve their menu this was the second time we had lunched there the first time I had haggis neeps and tatties portion size was awful but thought I would give them the benefit of the doubt and try again certainly won’t be back

The food was really nice, one vegetarian option on the mains (this is in the Clunie room). When we sat down the waitress offered us water but didn't tell us it was bottled and £4, found that out with the bill. My wife looked enviously on at everyone's bread rolls as we didn't get one, until halfway through our main when we asked for one and realised it wasn't part of a starter and we had just missed out. Our coats were hung up for us but no offer to retrieve, luckily I saw where they were so got myself. I mean, none of that really matters normally but the restaurant is really expensive so it does start to matter then. Will just eat in the main pub next time.

We visited The Fife Arms three times this week on our family holiday to Braemar. Last night we ate in the Clunie which was from start to finish a brilliant night full of excellent food, excellent service and of course excellent art and interiors. As we walked past a real Lucian Freud, Pablo Picasso, some of Queen Victoria and Prince Charles own paintings and drawings, Ben then spots a real Brueghel across the dining room! At first I didn't believe him so joked I would pick up the bill if it was...Of course being a true gent he wouldn't allow it when we discovered it was indeed!

The food is excellent - the staff are attentive, helpful, polite, and there when you need them - the walls feature a very interesting and unique 'Cubist' interpretation of the River Dee - Oh ! and by the way, there's a lifesize deer in the room too !! Can't recommend it too highly.

Visited Braemar on a very magical winters day. Was looking forward very much to tasting the food.

It is wonderful to see the hotel up and running again, and the Flying Stag was very well supported when we arrived for lunch last Saturday. However, with that came problems in terms of efficiency and general service, which we very much hope will be ironed out over the coming weeks.

Visited braemar last week for the first time. Thought we would pop into the fife arms for an evening meal and the place just took my breath away. From the picasso on the wall the the dear standing over the restraunt watching everyone. Alot of work has been put into this place and it has paid off Our server was a tall Glaswegian guy who made us feel so welcome. We will be back!

We had the pleasure of visiting the Flying Stag at the Fife Arms Hotel for lunch recently. Although the menu was fairly limited, we dined on fish and chips which were truly delicious. The staff were very friendly and efficient. The restoration of the hotel has been carried out most tastefully and the atmosphere is very relaxed and opulent. We shall certainly be visiting again.

As owners of a luxury boutique hotel ourselves, we were looking forward to our short break at the Fife Arms for some peace and quiet, but we also had a professional interest.

Dead animals are not everyone's cup of tea ( full sized stuffed stag suspended albeit in the ' Stag's Bar , plus hundreds of gradated horns ). Still, this is the Highlands.Overall, an amazing place with excellent food and well priced small bites - try the superb Cullen Skink. Strangely, the place is simultaneously welcoming ( excellent young bar staff : attentive, enthusiastic, informative ) and unwelcoming ( the less than subtle tartened security staff shepherding visitors away from the amazing public spaces towards the door ).This is a shame when there is such a feast of art work to view and admire.

We absolutely loved everything about this hotel. Our room, with its hand-painted walls, exquisite furnishings and beautiful attention to detail was superb. My only tiny niggle was it would hve been nice to have somewhere to sit down to dry my hair and put make up on. Everywhere you look in this hote there is wonderful design, eye-catching art and a hint of the quirky and macabre. However the hote stays well true to its victorian roots.

What a wonderful hotel. We popped into the Fife Arms for a drink with friends and family after a walk, during my Hen doo in Braemar. The staff went over and above to make this special for me, my family and friends. We were all made to feel like princesses! The hotel itself is a masterpiece and is so worth visiting. Sitting in a room you look around and see something different at every glance.

The main place in Braemar for an evening meal and a drink. Full of art and great design. Very friendly staff members.

We very much enjoyed a family dinner in the recently opened Clunie Dining Room - with a warm welcome on arrival the tone was set for a relaxed evening in exquisite surroundings.

Being a frequent visitor to Braemar, we have seen an hotel, which a very long time ago was a great one, gently demise through lack of investment and love into a coach stopover and very average bar. Its purchase by Hauser and Wirth heralded expectation of the highest level - and with its recent opening so far delivers on everything. We had dinner in the Clunie restaurant; the service was friendly and efficient; the food was delicious accompanied by the sommelier's novel choices with each course; and the surprise was the price - well below what I had expected to pay when compared to lesser dining experiences in Edinburgh.

Enjoyed afternoon tea with family in the cosy lounge. For the price, could have done with more than just finger sandwiches and tiny cakes, though scones were large.

Review of the hotel and restaurants:

we came here for lunch wth friends. We had booked lunch in the main dining room, but it had been reserved by the owner, so we had to eat in the pub. Food was decent, but we were disappointed not to be abel to eat in hte main dining room!

Not sure where to start, Sunday lunch as it should be, The starter, black pudding was good, The pudding chocolate mousse was good. Now the roast beef, (I am a carnivore)

First visit here and wont be the last . Had heard so many mixed reports of the refurb, of such a lovely old hotel . We went for a lunch in the bar , it was packed but as we were not in a hurry we were quite happy to sit , have a lovely glass of wine and take in the ambiance of the whole place . Fascinating place with so many interesting pieces of art , some of which are just incredible . Lunch was from a limited menu which covered most appetites , really enjoyed it . Will certainly be back and hopefully be able to stay overnight to really get all that is on offer at this Gem in the Highlands .

My wife, myself and another friend visited here today (5th January) for a 'bar' lunch in the "Flying Stag" bar. The Fife Arms Hotel has just undergone a complete restoration (opened in 2018) and we visited with great anticipation of a quality experience.

My wife and I were fortunate to get tickets for the St Andrews / opening party which was absolutely fantastic.

This was probably the best Sunday Lunch we’ve ever had! Thank goodness we booked well in advance. We’ll be back soon!

Recently refurbished, toilets sparkling, but still has old charm. We popped in for Lunch, and treated like royalty. Relaxed atmosphere fantastic decor. Don’t miss it!

Unique place in Scotland where you can experience the best of the country. Incredible design gives a soul to the place where all details have been thought out from the traditional pub to the Elsa Schiaparelli super cool bar. Rooms are generous, each one with its own concept and theme. Execellent mattresses, top notch Technology (USB chargers, hidden TV screen you can connect to your Netflix etc.), triple A service... Food is excellent. The Fife Arms is the best gateway for a romantic weekend or a journey with friends in the Highlands. We will come back.

What a cosy wee place just such with history. Went here for some lunch on a family holiday and had a superb lunch in a relaxed atmosphere that the whole family enjoyed. Had a homemade cheese burger which was actually homemade!!! Was delicious, boys had chicken wings and nachos and wow the portions even though they were starters were well worth the money. Sad to hear that they are closing down as they have been taken over by someone else.......be interesting to see if they can keep up the friendly staff and great food :)

We went to this hotel after a nice wander through the village. It has a large bar and a coffee shop with a roaring fire. the meals we had were very tasty and well presented. This hotel is to close on 15th December for a massive over a million pound refurbishment and is to be closed for nearly 2 years. Apparently it is to be a 5* hotel when the work is completed