The County Hotel - Bistro & Restaurant Banff in Aberdeenshire

By far and away the very best Beef Stew I have ever tasted. The decor might be a bit dated, but the food was excellent. The after-dinner coffee was drunk in the lounge, which was decorated in the style of a Scottish country house.

Delighted to find a warm welcome here. The food was wonderful, all of the staff were charming and the dining room spacious and airy. Would definitely recommend to anyone in the Banff area.

We phoned with a couple of days notice for a very large party - 18 guests (9 adults and 9 teenagers). We agreed a reduced menu in advance - Eric was very accommodating. When we arrived we had such a lovely welcome and the food was really excellent. We opted for pub-grub style main courses and some desserts - it was all delicious. Met Eric and all the team - they were so friendly. Will definitely come back for the French bistro menu. A really unexpected find.

Sayed here for two nights.  Superb excellent gourmet food.  Dined here both nights with fantastic seafood specials, nice French wine selection, a great host and the best breakfast we have ever had, due to quality of ingredients.  Highlight of our trip to Banff.

Great food at the Bistro. A choice of local bar food but also a choice of French cuisine. Well priced. The food was really tasty. Would go back again.

If you eat nowhere else in Banff, try here. We were already staying at another hotel when we saw reviews for here. We ate on a Monday night when it was out of season and very quiet. We were still made very welcome and the food and service were wonderful. The food was certainly haute cuisine. Would definitely recommend!

My wife and I had a very enjoyable stay at The County Hotel in Banff last week-end. There was amble parking space at the rear of the hotel. The hotel owner Eric Pantel was very friendly and welcoming. We had a choice of rooms on arrival so we took the double room at the back of the hotel which had a wonderful view of Banff and Macduff. The other room which was a twin room was at the front of the hotel and could have been noisy as it looked on to the High Street. The bath and shower were very good in our room. We also had tea making facilities and complimentary biscuits and water each day. We had breakfast both mornings in the hotel. Eric is a great chef (although we didn’t have dinner at the hotel) and my cheese omelette was fabulous. The Hotel is in a perfect location to walk around Banff and Macduff. The location is also suitable for driving along the coast. We visited Spey Bay and Cullen which I would recommend visiting if in this area. We will certainly stay at the County Hotel in Banff again if we have another week-end break on the Buchan coast.

The Bistro Restaurant at Courtyard by Marriott WTC Abu Dhabi is all day dining outlet in the hotel. The buffet counters and the view are simple and contemporary and suits the modern travelers. I had an excellent breakfast experience in this venue today Friendly 06th,Mar.2020. I had been served A La Carte. Chef Commis1 Mr. Thi ha & Chef Mr.Cruz presented gourmet dishes of my favorite Asian Breakfast, Fried Noodles, Nasi Goring, Soup, Dosa, Bhaji and more. All waiters and other staff at the restaurant are professional and trying their best to attend guests needs. My special thanks to Mr. Amit Singh Assistant Restaurant Manager

I stayed at the County Hotel on a business trip. Lovely clean room and bathroom. Very friendly staff who were happy to help and made me feel at home. I had a delicious bowl of pepper soup and veggie lasagne for my evening meal and a hearty breakfast. Great location in town centre. Would be more than happy to stay again.

We had a meal here last Friday evening. Made very welcome on arrival. Helpful staff. The food was very good with nice wine. Will call again when in Banff.

Eric the French chef has been producing wonderful dishes with matching wines for years. It's always a real treat to visit his dining room for the best food intae area.

Party of three for lunch. Two had haddock and chips - fish was fresh from the sea this morning. And I had an amazing broccoli and stilton quiche. The verdict from all of us was 'that was some of the tastiest food I've had in ages'. The proprietors were friendly - we had a real laugh in their homely restaurant.

Don’t really know what to say about this place. We stayed one night. Staff were really friendly and helpful. The place is very, very, dated (not in a historic way) and a little quirky. It was clean enough, but in desperate need of a spruce up and updating. Looked like nothing (table cloths, furniture, bedsheets etc) had been touched inside for decades. Didn’t eat here so can’t comment, breakfast was ok.

This is one of those situations in which I found this place through a local, rather than on tripadvisor. I went for quiche, and was not disappointed. It was very authentic. I also recommend the mushroom soup. After the dreadful mushroom soup I had in Lindisfarne a few weeks ago I was hesitant, but it was excellent. The wine selection is impressive, a good representation of European wines in general, not just French wines. The dining room is unique, a combination of kitsch and French decor. I didn't try any of the desserts, but maybe next time.

Stayed two nights last week and ate in the restaurant both evenings. Comfortable room, excellent food. I would rarely give a 5* rating to anything, but here our enjoyment was much enhanced by the friendly and attentive approach of the proprietor, Eric. Excellent value, and I hope we find a reason to visit Banff again soon.

On a recent trip to Banff we enjoyed three dinners at the informal and quiet County Hotel Bistro, a gem that we had discovered two years before. The historic Georgian house is elegant, inviting and full of character. The service in the bistro was friendly, relaxed but prompt, and all our meals were excellent. On this, our second visit to the bistro, we were accompanied by three more family members. Everyone commented on the fine flavours and freshness of their dinners and they also enjoyed sampling the wine and beer selections. Among our favorite dinners were the Cullen skink soup and the quiches, both very fresh and tasty. Every meal included a fresh salad with homemade dressing. French Chef Eric, who is a very pleasant and hospitable man and a superb chef, routinely stops by each table after dinner to meet the diners and chat informally with them.After our daily explorations around the beautiful Banff coastline and countryside, we thoroughly appreciated the relaxed atmosphere of the bistro. Every dinner was top quality, reasonably priced and enjoyed with pleasant music in the background.

Just returned from another night of fine dinning at the County Hotel, Banff. The food, service and atmosphere was excellent and definitely a cut above other restaurants in this area. Thanks again Eric, Vida and Emma we had a lovely evening. The Duncan family.

Holiday Lunch stop, Very pleasant surprise. Friendly service from Eric the proprietor. Food freshly cooked to order. Beautiful view across the bay. Great value for money. A little Gem in a corner not overly blest with great eating establishments, Highly recommend.

Excellent value for money, starter and main course £12, 3 courses £15

Ate here the other evening along wth a golfing friend and although the place looks a bit run down, we both thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Had the local monkfish as a main course and the crime brûlée as a sweet. The monkfish was really tasty as was the accompanying salad. Crime brûlée was supposed to be off the menu but the chef said he would make it for me. Not the best I've had but quite tasty.

One of the outstanding restaurants in the NE of Scotland, run by a charming sophisticated couple who could not do enough for my wife and I. The food was fresh, beautifully cooked, and served. An extensive wine list, made for a wonderful eating experience, all in an olde world building which added to the charm of the two night stay.

We popped in for lunch. Lovely home-cooked food & nice view of the sea. Wine choice by the glass was a bit limited but, with hindsight, as 3 of us had wine, we could have asked whether there was a wine list. Would recommend if you are in the area.

This was our first time staying in Banff and we were overwhelmed by the hospitality of the proprietors we had 7 little dogs with us and we were given the freedom of the back garden which the dogs loved as they were able to run about, the food was fantastic as was the room and Eric and his beautiful wife went way beyond our expectations absolutely loved our stay and will definately stay there again. Sylvia and the Poms X

Nos alojamos 2 noches porque íbamos a asistir a una boda en Banff. El edificio en sí está un poco anticuado, pero este fue más que compensado por la amabilidad de su dueño Eric. No soy normalmente un desayuno preparado con la comida, pero me alegro de que elegí tener huevos revueltos. Lo mejor que he probado nunca! ! Deseo haber comido allí para la cena. Sin duda intentaremos volver y probar el menú de noche.

We spent 17 nights at the county whilst working in the area. The hotel is in lovely old building with a grand staircase. Rooms were clean and had a great view over the beach towards macduff. Breakfasts were excellent. Eric the host was most attentive...

Stayed for one night as I was passing through on the Coastal Highway. Eric, the proprietor, was friendly and warm. At breakfast, which was a wonderful full Scottish breakfast, he had time, or took the time to chat. Dinner was wonderful also, and the young lady who served the dinner had a sparkling personality and enthusiasm which is often missing. My room overlooked the bay and was huge. Highly recommend if you are in the area

Stopped for for 2 nights... £70 a night!!!!Woken up at half 4 both mornings because of noise outside, windows are that thin they may aswel not be there!!!Room was well outdated and grubby!! Wifi was rubbish!!The staff was friendly enough though so cannot fault that... that's proberbly because there on £70 a hour!!!!! I told my company never to book me in here again...

Had a lovely dinner in the bistro restaurant of the County Hotel on High Street, a convenient walk from our really great B&B, Castleview... a creamed fish soup (Colleen skinke), and a really good home-made meat pie with peas, along with a decent well-priced house Merlot. Had a lively chat with a 95-year-old local Scottish MP and his 82-year-old mistress visiting from Canada. Great fun, and a good meal in a cozy atmosphere.

Needed somewhere to eat when my friend visited and we popped in here. Quaint, relaxing and the food was fantastic. Very wlcoming.

Great food and love the little twist Eric puts in you won't be disappointed. The dining room is very good, the bar meals are great value also

We visit every time we come to Banff. Great food and very friendly staff. The vegetarian lasagna is the best I have experienced. The children ate everything on their plates and the desserts were perfect especially the sticky toffee pudding. If you are visiting Banff and are looking for somewhere to eat then I do not think you should look further than the County Hotel.

If you enjoy really excellent food prepared with care do not miss this dining experience. We live in Aberdeen and would always come here and bring others confident in the knowledge that we will never be disappointed. Our latest visit was last weekend and Four of us enjoyed the usual excellent service and quality. We travel a lot and have never found anywhere to beat it. Also special thanks to Liam who served us with our evening meal with patience and care. This will always be top of our list as Eric who is the owner and chef and French creates his own magic in the kitchen.

We love to visit the County Hotel of a lunchtime to enjoy the amazing broccoli and Stilton quiche! It is a deep flavoursome quiche with perfect pastry. It comes with a leafy salad (which has a dressing that is just the right balance), coleslaw and melon. Everything is fresh and tasty. It is a wonderful taste sensation to get some quiche and melon together in a mouthful. This is what we love. It is always a special treat to go and have this. Additionally the owners and staff are always friendly and welcoming and it is lovely to sit and look out the window at the leafy town and the waters of the Deveron joining the sea.

We eat at the hotel fairly regularly and have never been disappointed. The food is always of a high standard and the staff always give a warm welcome. It provides bistro food at lunchtime with fine dining available in the evening. The Cullen skink is still the best I have tasted in the area. The chef has high standards and has a real passion for the food he produces.

We have dined here quite a few times and have never been disappointed, the food is always super tasty and the owners and staff are all lovely. If you're looking for something a bit more special I would highly recommend the restaurant, it's slightly more expensive than the bar/bistro but you get what you pay for. Fine dining at its best! In my opinion this is Banffs best restaurant. Oh and the soup is the best I've ever tasted!(especially the mushroom).

Great food, service and lambFeel like home Cozy place and environmentI would come back!!Great Chef ! Love it!!

My wife and I had fish and chips. Unfortunately it came as goujons which restricted the actual amount of fish, having been well coated in batter. No draught beer, rather pricey for what we got. The whole ground floor level appeared to be cluttered up with numerous items on window sills and fireplace - must be a nightmare to clean

This restaurant in the County Hotel in Banff was a wonderful discovery and I would highly recommend that you make a point of eating here if you are in the area. My starter of Tomato & Mozzarella salad was packed with flavour & would have sufficed as a main. I had fortunately ordered a small main course - pasta & olives - delicious!! It has a wonderful atmosphere, and you are given a Real Genuine welcome. The French/ Scottish family who own & run the hotel do a great job of looking after you, as well as offering top class food.

Wir waren für eine Nacht in diesem Hotel u sind sowas von begeistert!! Wir wurden herzlich empfangen, obwohl wir zuallererst doch überlegten, ein anderes Hotel zu suchen! Das Zimmer war ein Traum, wir fühlten uns wie Prinzessinnen! Gross und sehr sauber! Das französische Ambiente wundervoll! Wir haben mit Bekannten auch im dortigen Restaurant gegessen u waren erfreut u überrascht über die Qualität!! Man merkt, dieses Hotel wird mit Liebe und Leidenschaft geführt!! Einfach Top!! Sogar unsere Räder wurden sicher verwahrt!! Top Empfehlenswert!! Vielen Dank!!

We're just back from a 2 night stay at The County Hotel in Banff The hotel is ideally situated on the main street with it's own car parking facilities. There is a garden at the front and at the back of the hotel to enjoy the sunshine. The hotel has a Bistro, Restaurant and Bar. We ate in the restaurant both nights and as dedicated 'foodies' I can say that this is the best food we have had in a long time. We had Cullen Skink, Pate, Cod with vanilla and shrimp sauce, Pork filet mignon on pasta, Monkfish encrusted in Pepper and Chicken breast Risotto and cheese board and ice cream with butterscotch sauce. Eric (owner and Chef) also bought in scallops for a starter for us on the second night with his personalised Blueberry Vinaigrette salad which was amazing. Eric cooks Scottish produce in the style of French cuisine, is a brilliant host and went out of his way to make our stay with him even more enjoyable. Breakfast has the expected cereals, fruit, pastries etc but Eric cooks all breakfasts to order and fulfils any requests - fabulous omelettes and Chanterelle mushrooms as an example. Don't expect a clinical Premier Inn style when you go to the County Hotel - it is full of classic charm with wonderful photos of old Banff, books to read in the Lounge/Bistro and personal attention and excellent Service from all the Staff. We were fortunate enough to have probably the best room in the hotel - Bay View. It's a bit of a climb to the top floor but a huge room with satellite TV, sofa, desk and a bathroom with a big double shower and a huge bath. But the best thing was the fabulous view over the Bay and although it woke us up in the early morning the incredible sunrise on the horizon was spectacular. If you want excellent cuisine, friendly professional attention and enjoy staying in a beautiful, character building built in the late 1700s this is the place to go. We didn't ask which variety of potatoes he uses, which are brilliant, perhaps Eric can let us know?

We stayed in Gardenstown and looked for a Restaurant. Locally one was closed and the otther small one in the harbour was full so we went to Banff. The first time we went to the Bistro of the County Hotel. We had a very correct and good Dinner with a nice bottle of Bordeaux and we have been very pleased all fresh and good food. As we have been very pleased we returned and we choose the Restaurant. We had a great meal. We had an outstanding fine and light souffle as starter, wich was worth the trip. The seabass and desserts have been very good l and we had a Chateaux Lagrange 2008 with the meale which was perfect. A great meal and I can recomende everbody in Gardentown to make the the trip to Banff, its really worth.

Burnt on outside raw in the middle. Disappointed. Interior quirky. Will try again to see if food was one off

Wir haben Steak und Fisch gegessen, nachdem Lamm und einige andere Gerichte nicht verfügbar waren. Steak war in Ordnung, leider waren das gereichte Brot und die Röstzwiebeln eher Kohle. Preise noch ok!

Chose the Bistro for an evening meal having read TripAdvisor comments. The food and service were superb and the ambience relaxed and friendly. Having only intended to have main courses, we were so impressed by their quality that we let ourselves be tempted by the dessert menu. We were glad we did - the Chocolate Marbre and Sticky Toffee Pudding were wonderful!

Bonne qualité, poisson super frais, un excellent moment le patron marseillais nous a éclairé de ses conseils pour les visites de la région

Fantastic food , great wine very professional service... Been here many times and never been let down. The best Cullen skink going...

Stopped here for a bistro meal which was home cooked fresh produce supplied by Eric - This wonderful genial man gave us French style home made quiche home made scampi both of which were amazing and delicious - a fabulous blueberry dressing complemented the salad and took it to another level - Full marks

We have been to the restaurant many times and always find the service and the food beyond excellent. Eric is a lovey friendly chap who always comes out to meet his guests at the end of the meal...he even gave me his precious Cullen skink recipe last year. He also cooks aubergine as an accompaniment which is beyond description! Fantastic. THE best food in Banff.

wow..............we found ourselves outside this hotel looking for an evening meal; glancing at the menu placed in an old style advertising sign, we were a little nonplussed as the fayre sounded old style pub with no hint of expertise or flair. We were so wrong- first night we ate in more expensive restaurant( not really expensive but more so than the bistro) We were not disappointed; cullen skink par excellence plus a glorious sirloin steak. Suffice it to say we book to eat in the bistro on our second night & again we were not let down; the wines to accompany the meal were also excellent.On this occasion we met the chef............a Frenchman which may explain the cuisine & flair for good locally sourced products well presented. Just the best surprise in this slightly outlying town in the far north of Scotland! Thank you to our B&B owner who gave us the recommendation :)

Think I entered review in hotel section by mistake but wanted to emphasise how great the food is here. Don't be put off by the rather jumbled info on the boards outside. Two of the best meals we've had in Scotland.

We randomly booked in here to have dinner in a French restaurant. It was a very good night: the food was gorgeous it was the best french meal we had in Scotland!Good quality (food and service), it worth a visit.We will be back again soon!

Outstanding dishes...Mushroom soup....All fish dishes....Steak pie is supremeNever had a poor meal yet...Over 40 visitations per annum.Only fault is the surroundings are a bit tired in the Bistro which offers fantastic value formoney.The main restaurant offers a great menu but is slightly more expensive

My friend & I went here for supper around 6.30 one evening.The owner & his son were both very welcoming & pleasant.I had whole tail scampi, chips & salad.My friend had the mixed grill.Both meals were tasty & well presented.My only fault was that a can of diet coke was £1.50.Would return.

The County was recommended by a Banff local, and we walked off the street without reservation, on a very quiet evening. The polite young man (who seemed to be the only person in the building) showed us the restaurant and bistro, and both menus. The surrounding were a comfortable country house style, and the service was excellent. The food was plainly all home made, hot, tasty, well presented, and good value.Plainly there was at least a chef, as well as the waiter/receptionist/barman, but we saw and heard nobody else. I don't know what the service or atmosphere would be like if the County Hotel was busy, but we appreciated, and were comfortable in the quiet bistro.The restaurant menu is on a higher level, and looked excellent. We were looking for something simpler as we had a 11 month old baby with us, and two of our group were looking for 'simpler food'. My wife and I had the vegetable lasagne, which was right up there with the best made, most flavoursome, and healthy that I have had. One of us had the burger, and she was very happy with it, and one had the steak pie - with very tender tasty steak and light and perfectly cooked pastry. Baby had fish fingers and really enjoyed eating the peas individually with her fingers. She made no noise or mess, so in the absence of her ability to talk yet, we took to mean that she too enjoyed her meal.

We stopped here for lunch one day during our visit to Morayshire and enjoyed it so much that we returned for dinner the following evening. We were served both times by the proprietors' daughter who was welcoming and very friendly. Her father Eric's cooking is exceptional - three of us had his signature halibut dish which was sublime. This is a gem of a place, genuine French cuisine in a traditionally Scottish setting. The wine choice was not extensive but the quality was excellent and, whilst not cheap, we felt that the meal was worth every penny. We will certainly return on our next visit - I'm looking forward to it already!

Lovely to sit outside and watch Banff High Street under the trees. Good food, pleasant staff and very central location

We were looking for an evening meal and were directed to the County Hotel. The food was very good - Steak pie and Scampi - and at £25 with drinks for the 2 of us it did not break the bank. For a Friday night I was surprised how quiet it was.The waiter was quite chatty and attentive, however the decor in the dining room needs to be overhauled.

We stayed overnight in the hotel so we sampled both dinner and breakfast. The menu was very interesting with good choices of meat and fish dishes. Eric's cooking for dinner was superb and everybody was so efficient and friendly. Breakfast did not disappoint either.

Been a few times over the years always good with a good atmosphere and good food pleasant staff it's located in the centre Banff town near to all the shops

A quiet birthday trip out culminated in a delicious lunch here, starting with Cullen Skink as only a Frenchman could produce, followed by beautifully tender monkfish in a tempura batter and polished off with freshly made creme brule. We'll be back!

Went last Monday evening apres all the Christmas festivities. Greeted by Eric`s (owner and chef) daugter who took excellent car of us throughout the evening. The menu was varied and provided an interesting choice. My sirloin steak was cooked to perfection as was my wife`s salmon. Best mention of all goes to the variety of soups on offer - 5 in all. I took Cullen Skink which turned out to be the top soup of the year - plenty of smoked haddock in a thick surround of potatoes and cream. I would have been content to settle for the soup menu alone!! In all an excellent dining experience to be recommended - I shall return.

Got to say thanks to Eric the cook / manager for this lovely well hiding hotel set back on the main street in Banff, lay out in restaurant was nice and service was perfecto. Special thanks to a Lovely young waitress who served us pleasantly and efficiently.Well shall return, Soufflé was divine.....

The food we've had here is great and very tasty I couldn't fault the mushroom soup and steak pie I had 2 nights in row fantastic and good portions

I've eaten at the County on several occasions and always enjoy the food. There's a reasonable range of dishes and they're always beautifully presented, and taste very good. Eric and his staff are always very pleasant and make you feel welcome. I keep going back so it must be good.

My husband and I enjoyed a very nice and well presented bar supper meal. Staff very attentive and polite. Surroundings may feel dated to some, but we felt this added character to the place as we have enjoyed many trips to France and it felt very French. Plenty of choice of bar menu and table d`hote menus. Worth a visit.

Had spot of lunch here in the Bistro on 3 occasions , when visiting Banff. The quality of the food and service is excellent. The french owner/chef has definitely brought a real good taste of french cooking to North Aberdeenshire. He is a welcoming host, and his staff are friendly and efficient. We've not yet had opportunity of having dinner in the restaurant - the room is very elegant and I'm sure it will be great, when we do. The wine menu looks good and carefully selected.