The Deeside Inn Restaurant in Aberdeenshire

Stayed at the hotel for 3 nights was given the smallest dirtiest room out. The room I booked had a bath chair and wooden floor. I got a room with the smallest shower you could hardly turn round in the shower room toilet and shower filthy.carpets and screens badly stained.this is suppose to be 5 star don't be fooled don't go there manager did nothing to rectify the problem

Pessimo. Dicono di avere disponibilità per la cena via email e quando arriviamo li dicono di non avere posto. Assolutamente inaffidabili

We haven’t eaten here since last year and were very pleasantly surprised by the improvement in the food! Staff still pretty overwhelmed but then a lovely waitress came on duty and she was wonderful- efficient, friendly, helpful and forward-thinking, and from that point on, we were very well looked after. Food was excellent - venison pie outstanding, as was the duck and the pork belly. Just always seems a bit chaotic, but very definitely worth a visit. Can’t wait to go back!

A five star premise and interior which included a welcoming roaring fire, very quickly became a poor dining experience. It is always a bad sign when you arrive at a restaurant to be ignored by, in this case, 3 members of staff. The most professional standard is to at least make eye contact and add a ‘be with you shortly’. We had booked ahead having looked on line and were tempted by the varied menu shown on the website which included haggis, a grill selection, and my favourite, omelette Arnold Bennett. The menu presented was a very slimmed down version to that shown on the website. We were told the newer menu had been in place since the start of the year and ‘other people have complained about that’ .. Sadly even with a much reduced menu, one dish was unavailable, a pie needed to be served minus the pastry (!), the broccoli was substituted for mange tout and the drink order was incorrectly prepared. The final straw was that the bill was presented with the 10% service charge included. This is mentioned on the website but given that we had expressed our concerns already it showed a lack of awareness of the customer experience. One of our group did ask to speak to the manager and a small deduction was given off the bill, which has saved this review from being rated with one star. I note too that at the time of posting this review that the website remains unchanged. There are other places to eat in Ballater - we’d recommend you try those.

What appears to be a wonderful venue was infact horrible. A beautiful decor front of house establishment, but the rooms were nothing special. Rotted bathroom window that the handyman had to close but a cap at the bottom had to be sealed with a towel to stop a draught. Then the handle to the shower control fell off, another job for the Handyman. We were looking forward to a nice meal in the restraunt only to find out the evening meal was to be served in the bar not what you would expect from this venue and the menu was a reduced menu. The Salmon was overcooked and dry and my partners chicken Supreme turned out to be a quater roast chicken sliced with gravey. That's not a supreme. Breakfast the following day the poached eggs were under cooked and raw, but at least it was served in the dining room. When we mentioned it all we got was oh sorry. The waitress and bar manager tried their best to cope with the 20 or so covers whilst the manager who could have stepped up to help the team was nowhere to be seen until the busy period had ended. The bedroom window was also rotting and covered in mold. For the price paid for here which is 5 star AA I would rate 3 star. I have stayed in better travel lodges. This venue does not fit in well with other Crear Hotels or the Johanssen groups high standards. We will not be recommending to family or friends. Seriously in need of new management.

We ate here with friends and had an enjoyable meal. The Venison pie was exceptional with very tender fat free meat and a lovely gravy. The restaurant had a nice atmosphere, but a loud table of visitors and slow service took the edge off slightly, but we would definitely go back again.

I am a very picky 5 star type of girl lol and this restaurant made me entire time in ballater. It was the entire Scottish experience I cannot even explain! These 3 men sat and drank beers while playing Scottish music. Which I never knew I loved! I listen to rap and country lol! It was incredible I don’t know if they were hired or playing for beer or just for fun! I’m still desiring to find out! I love the culture here it is so friendly our waiter was so kind and bar tented. You can tell it’s a casual small town vibe so don’t expect fast service anywhere in this city! Usually two ppl are running the whole restaurant because it’s not that busy! Which I got the hang of expecting that and it’s just fine! This Los Angeles girl adapted! And I truly felt like I was on the titanic listening to that Scottish music and wanted to get up and dance sooo bad!!!!! Which I’m sure they probably wouldn’t have minded lol my daughters 7 and 9 years old left with a real Scottish experience we will never forget! Seriously thank you! Food was amazing we loved everything! Kids loved the mag and cheese and burger and we got the venison pie, risotto, and chichien all amazing!

Fairly average food for what it pitches itself as. Very odd mix of people dressed up, causal couples and families with babies. Service was friendly but inept. Had the feeling that a lot of the staff were new. Probably won’t bother again.

We stopped off at The Balmoral Arms for a quick lunch today. We are a husband and Wife with a 7 year old and a 4 year old. Very friendly and fantastic service from the Waiter - Sean, I think his name was. He was great with the kids and explained the food options. Nothing seemed a bother at all. My Wofe and I had open sandwiches. I went for the Roast Beef and Horseradish and she had the Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese. Both sandwiches were exceptional and came with some lovely crisps and a side salad. The Kids had burgers (had to be plain for our fussy little ones) and they came exactly as requested. The Food was fantastic and along with the exceptional service, I can’t rate the Balmoral Arms for a lunch highly enough.

Ballater is a beautiful gem of a town tucked in the Cairngorms and well worth a visit. We stayed at the Balmoral Inn which is styled like a hunting / fishing lodge with beautiful decor and comfy furniture. The rooms are sumptuous and the bathrooms spacious. Parking is free on the street outside. Reception staff were welcoming and friendly and as soon as we arrived we wished we booked for 2 nights not just 1. The tea & coffee making facilities in the rooms included 2 Tunnocks tea cakes and 2 Tunnocks wafers very generous and authentically Scottish. We dined in the restaurant and the meal was delicious, however the young staff could benefit from a bit more training. One of us ordered a starter but the waitress didn’t note this so our mains arrived after 45mins but they offered to bring it as a salad alongside mains which wasn’t ideal. When we ordered a bottle of red wine the waiter brought it and just plonked it on the table leaving the screw cap on, and we requested the bill be split across the 2 rooms but this never happened. Fantastic live music played through dinner and breakfasts were delicious and staff at breakfast were excellent and very efficient and helpful (one of which was waitress from night before so excellent improvement). We played twilight golf at Ballater GC just a few minutes walk up the same road and the course was stunning with incredible views.

Ghillies Pub service defines poor. On Thursday June 8 we arrived before 5:00 pm. We had to obtain the meal menu on our own. The server was occupying a table until about 5:10 when the attentive bar tender sent her our way. At about 5:45 we were wondering where our order was. It appeared to us that our server had not sent our order to the kitchen. The bar keeper found the order and let us know that it would be about 10 minutes. The server asked us if she could be of service, oblivious to the fact that she took our order. At about 6:10 we asked for our drink tab and that the food order is cancelled. Amazingly, our tab had a charge for a different wine and an obligatory 10% service gratuity added on. There were at most three tables occupied while we were there so it was not a matter of the staff being inundated by a large group of patrons.

Waiting 45 mins at breakfast, not even water offered, heard staff telling others dishwasher not working. When order taken lots of basic options run out. Part of the order arrived eggs still undercooked couldn’t eat. Still no drinks coffee or water Not impressed Left without having eaten anything, told reception who just said “sure” Absolutely the worst experience definitely do not recommend

Lovely stay here Great location Very dog friendly Lovely large room , clean and modern Food on both evenings was very good ( there is a restaurant and bar(dog friendly) - could choose any thing from menu in either area) Staff friendly and helpful Nice lounge area Had a very good back massage in the spa room We managed to park directly outside but a free car park is very close by Only negatives : The kitchen fan starts very early which was quite loud in our room ( Glassalt) There is no lift which may cause a problem for anyone with mobility issues Certainly would return Lovely Inn

Very friendly staff. Good beer on draught and an excellent meal. Personal attention from the chef. The food was well presented, tasty and filling.

My husband Paul and I visited for new-year celebrations. We'll what can I say... a beautiful place amazing food and above all the service we received from every member of staff was absolutely incredible!! It was so refreshing to see the hotel MANAGERS Joanna and Chis out helping people with the ice and snow on our departure.. "we don't see that every day" that's what I call service! We had the most wonderful time and we have booked again twice already to visit !. We could not recommend the Balmoral Arms in Ballater enough! Thanks again,Danny Laverty & Paul Johnston. Oh and ps .. and our dogs were made so very welcome.

We were given a voucher for an afternoon tea for 3 and having read the online menu for the same, I was looking forward to trying it. We were seated in the room to the left of reception, a lovely looking room with a huge fireplace...... that wasn't lit. 4 degrees outside and only a few more higher inside and no fire. Also, no ambient music, nothing. It was like sitting in a doctor's waiting room. The young lad was pleasant enough and the tea arrived promptly enough. The online menu stated lovely sounding 'delicate finger sandwiches' , (salom and cucumber, coronation chicken, local cheddar and marmalade and a hummus and beetroot wrap) a homemade venison sausage roll, a selection of indulgent cakes and scones, all served with tea. What we got was plain ham and butter, tasteles, grated cheese, egg mayo, and plain, dry chicken, in shop bought bread cut into triangles. No where near enough to feed 3. Imagine the sandwiches you make for the kids packed lunch at the end of the week when there's nothing left in the cupboard. The Victoria sponge was solid and heavy and really not very nice. The scone was ok, but had to go find someone to bring us cream and instead of clotted cream, we were given the same stuff inside the Victoria sponge. Before we left, another person with a really loud voice having a really loud mobile conversion came in and that's all we could hear. We had to leave. If we had to pay, we wouldve been raging. Sorry, but I can not recommend this at all.

It took me over an hour to get through to reception - staffing issues? The woman who answered asked me several times if I had a dog. I explained no dog just 4 adults who wanted a meal in the restaurant! Disappointed that both types of wine we'd asked for were not available however the Shiraz was lovely. The main courses were delicious but the rice pudding was a big stodgy dry lump with a drizzle of red fruit sauce and a scoop of ice cream! Service was pretty good considering how few waiters there were and how busy it was. They worked hard. Glad I wasn't paying!

Good choice on the menu and food was excellent, albeit quite pricey compared to other restaurants in the village. The only downside to our evening was the service which was dreadfully slow.

We were a party of 6 cyclists travelling to Inverness over a 5 day period. The Balmoral Arms was twice the cost of almost everywhere we stayed and less than half as good. Its only saving grace was the staff who, without exception, were friendly and helpful. My twin room on the second floor was extremely cramped, had a wooden casement window which defective and no air conditioning. This was during a spell of extremely warm weather (10 August 2022}. The bar had no draft lager of any sort. After ordering white wine (sauvignon blanc) from the menu we were told 5 minutes later it had run out. A different bottle was ordered and brought to the table after a 10 minute wait. It was barely below room temperature. The wall mounted wine racks in the dining room were empty and the cooling fridges seemed to contain very little. There is also a 10% service charge automatically added to your restaurant bill although this can be challenged. It was however the one item that we happy to pay as the staff were good and clearly embarrassed by the hotel's failings which we can only put down to extremely poor management. £220 for a twin room B & B. Extremely poor value for money.

We visited both Edinburgh and Ballater on our holiday to Scotland and found a number of pubs did not want children inside, even before 7pm. Some wanted a full meal bought by the family if the children stayed. The Balmoral Arms was welcoming to us and our 8 year old son. The staff were friendly and relaxed.

Great welcome and help from Caitlin on the front desk- she couldn’t have done more for us. Many thanks for comfortablevrooms and a very good breakfast- Marie the restaurant manager was superb. Thank you Joanna, manager, for all your local advice.

We are just back from a one night stay at the Deeside inn and could not fault it. We booked it only a week ago as a last minute break away to go and visit the Balmoral Cairns (only a 15 minute drive away so we’ll worth a walk if you’re looking for something to do) and a couple of castles in the area. We had my dog Maci with us who was so welcome by all the staff, she got loads of treats and attention, she felt so at home! We ate in the restaurant for both breakfast and dinner - both equally delicious. The food was delicious, the service was quick and the staff were fantastic. We were able to eat in the lounge with the dog so she didn’t have to stay in the room on her own, which was lovely and relaxing sat by the roaring fire enjoying a couple of drinks. The room was lovely, spacious and spotless. The bathroom was immaculate, modern and had Arran products which was a nice touch! The bed was super comfortable, we had a great nights sleep. The room comes equipped with everything you need. I believe the Deeside inn is undergoing a refurb in spring time, we will definitely be around to see that! We cannot wait to return. Thank you for a 10/10 stay!

Jenni Thiomson was incredible. I really didn’t know what to choose and she talked me through the two meals i couldn’t choose between (the menu had some really good options) and described to me what haggis was. She was so friendly and even though was new to the company talked to us and other customers like she had been working their for years. Incredibly professional, really friendly and a great sense of humour to my undecidedness. Really helped me make a great choice of food. The food was amazing I had the balmoral chicken and my partner had the burger and we had a sticky toffee pudding and a brownie for afters. Jenni was on again in the morning when we went for breakfast and again explained the menu and allowed me to pick and choose across the different items, encouraging us to try the black pudding after having explained what it would taste like as we couldn’t be in Scotland and not try it. Turns out it’s really nice when done right even if the thought of the process and what it is is disgusting, if your a meat eater you should try it once at least in Scotland.Thank you so much Jenni for making our experience amazing.

We stayed at the Deeside Inn so booked a table for dinner following a long journey and didn’t want to go back out. So glad we did! This Is a lovely warm restaurant and the food is really good. Service was great too and reasonable prices.

This hotel has quite a grand dining room so we were expecting good things. The staff were also attentive and helpful. However, most of our party were disappointed by the food. My son had a steak pie which he enjoyed. However, the rest of us had the cassoulet - two with meat sausages, one vegetarian. Clearly the chef has never been to the south of France! Cassoulet is a casserole of beans, meat (duck, sausage) and tomato whose ingredients have a chance to meld together. What we got was baked beans in tomato sauce (albeit not from a tin, but inappropriately spicy) with three fried sausages balanced on top. Perhaps the hotel should change the name of the dish in the menu to "sausage and beans" to avoid claims of misrepresentation. Also, the menu contained only two vegetarian options of which one was unavailable. Not impressive.

The staff make this place- incredibly friendly and hospitable. There was nothing that was too big an ask. Dressed immaculate in a lovely Scottish themed uniform (although did look rather hot!). They would be one of the main reasons for us revisiting. Food was delicious. I had the fish and chips which was the perfect portion size. My 3 year old has the children’s fish and chips which again was the perfect amount for her. The children’s menu had a great selection which is sometimes not easy to find. Atmosphere is very relaxed with a Scottish theme. I noticed that the bar advertised live music, which post Covid I’m sure would be great fun to attend.

The lovely staff welcomed in 2 soggy walkers and warmed us up with coffee and whiskey by the fire. hope to get back to this friendly place to eat soon.

Had dinner here one night; it's not the cheapest place to eat but the food was to a good standard, well cooked with excellent service. We overheard another table complaining since they had been served a G&T in one glass - I guess it takes all sorts. If your in the area and fancy somewhere nicer to eat, or maybe a steak, then give it a visit

Expensive menu and not good value for money. Ribeye steak was nice but wife's Steak and ale pie was all crust

Personable staff doing great work, the food was very enjoyable, and a good alternative was available for vegetarian. Drinks were much appreciated, beer ion good condition. Comfortable lounge which we stayed on in after dining. All in pretty good - an alternative vegetarian option of matching standard would have been really good.

Menu is good scotish food cooked extremely well. Prices are reasonable. The steak pie and also the venison burger are worth every penny. Kids menu available, and it is pet friendly especially good for dog walkers. Booking needed but you do not have to be a guest of the hotel. This makes a nice treat if you are self catering nearby

We ate in the restaurant on Friday night. I believe there is a new chef of around two months. He should be extremely proud of his art form. I had the Balmoral chicken and I can honestly say it was the best I have ever tasted. I am afraid to eat it anywhere else for fear of disappointment! Everything was cooked to the highest standard and beautifully presented. Also the haggis fritters-lovely and moist. And the salmon. The breakfasts were wonderful too and included Eggs Florentine and Benedict. Well done for a lovely memorable meal. The front of house staff are lovely too. Thank you for a very pleasant time.

Good wholesome food from a varied menu, in cosy surroundings beside a warm fire. Friendly staff add to a satisfying experience.

Stayed here and used the restaurant both nights. Very friendly staff and fairly good choice of menu. Food was fresh and tasty.

Had a good bar meal at the deeside inn. Very tasty and well presented. Prices were ok too. Read previous reviews on tripadvisor commenting that service was a bit slow, so we expected this and it was a bit slow but it was fine. The music in the bar was good and the hotel as a whole has a nice warm atmosphere. Would happily visit again when returning to Ballater.

We visited as a large group of 8 and we ate in the bar rather than the restaurant. They were very busy and advised that food might take a while, but they were up front about it and delivered our meal when they said they would and it was worth the wait. Not fancy, but very tasty and good value too. Really enjoyed it.

I don’t know how they get that much delicious smoky flavor into the Balmoral chicken, even with the 20 minutes required to cook it, but it is delicious. The whiskey sauce with it is tasty too.

We went for an evening meal tonight (Friday). The place was virtually empty. We didn't have a starter just ordered mains. I ordered a venison burger and my partner ordered steak pie. There were 2 members of staff serving. In all there were 7 other diners apart from us. After half an hour we still had no food. The 2 members of staff were very busy during that time carrying plates and clearing tables which seems to be a priority. Other people were waiting for service too. Not once did the staff look over or address us during all the time we sat there. In the end my partner asked to see a manager. We complained about the wait and were told the food was on its way. Within 3 minutes the food did actually appear. The venison was dry and the meat pie was average. My partner finished before me but the waiter came over and took his plate saying he would come back for mine later. Which was considerate of him seeing as I was still eating. When I did eventually finish eating we timed the waiter in how long it took him to collect the plate In seconds from me putting the fork down he was there. I tell you, plate collecting and clearing tables is a top priority here. Delivery of food and any form of customer service is a no no.One table asked for the dessert menu but never got it so they left dessert less. This place is dire. Every where in Ballater was busy on Friday night except this place By 8 30 pm the restaurant was empty and of course the tables were cleared. If they were as good at delivering and serving food as they are at plate clearing this place would be terrific.

We struggled in Ballater to find somewhere that we could get my son’s wheelchair into and also allowed dogs. We were welcomed into the Desside Inn with a ramp quickly offered and dogs welcomed.Very nice food, some decent ale, service was cheerful from the Antipodean barman, and we had a nice relaxing lunch. Nice bar area as well. Fair prices.

Stop anyone to get you some water. But don't ask for more than that. The room is very nice, but food is not worth the price.

We stayed in a very smart Guest House, therefore no evening meal. Travelling with our dog we look for eating places where she can come. So it was pleasing to be able to take her, whilst having our evening meal. Decent selection of food at moderate prices. Nice friendly staff and atmosphere with a mix of locals and visitors, several languages were overheard, with everyone tucking into good honest to God, unpretentious food. I believe without a hairy companion there is a smart dining room, but we were perfectly happy with where we were. My only complaint would be that, Rose wine by the glass had only one choice, it was sweet Zinfandel or, sweet Zinfandel, ( not that I was advised of this when ordering. ) My husband made the mistake of asking only for a glass of rose, which, when it arrived was too sweet for my taste, however the barmaid seemed to be used to my question, which needed no reply, “ is this Zinfandel ? “ Her reaction was to say yes, sorry, I’ll put some soda and ice in in it for you, if that will help. Now kind as this was, would it not be easier and more accommodating for customers, as it would appear this is a frequent occurrence, to have a drier Rose wine on offer, ( management, not rocket science ! ) which the nice barmaid then told me, was only sold by the bottle. Saying all this, we had a very enjoyable and relaxing meal and we will certainly go back, but give a miss to the over sweet Rose, unless of course my review makes the management rethink the situation.

Apart from cafes, this seemed to be the only dog friendly restaurant in Ballater. Expect other dogs, but the bar area is big enough to have enough space among tables to avoid any problems.

Good place to go for a coffee or beer if you have your dogs. There often other dogs in the bar. Only tried food once in the bar. Not tried in restaurant. Did very much enjoy beakfast when we stayed over. There seems to be usually no one at reception when you go in. Presume they are usually understaffed at this hotel as it seems there often no one at reception. But luckly there a comfy sofa to sit in! The access to toilets is a bit tight even for me and I a fit person. I dont think the toilets would be easy to access for a wheel chair or similar. But perhaps there one in the hotel somewhere else? As these tourist places earn money for the Scottish budget and keen that these hotel owners are doing their bit for the tax payer!!!

Service and ambient very good, friendly good service and nothing to much trouble.relaxing lounge to chill out.

Service awful. Inhospitable. Be aware. apparently 8-20pm is too late to ask for food. Kitchen closes at 8-20. 8.30 makes sense...... 9pm makes sense..... but 8-20 simply smacks of not being bothered. Embarrassing.

Good value for money with generous portions. The pub has an old world feel to it and is very convenient to find here if staying in the hotel.

Family meal on a Sunday night. Slow service to take order, no information volunteered on specials, soup of the day or children’s options. Ordered food, eventually starters came. Had to ask twice to get cutlery as none on table, then got wrong cutlery (soup spoon for prawn cocktail starter).

The Fish & Chips are incredible. A restaurant within the hotel. Great food and service. Prices were reasonable, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. We didn't need a reservation for dinner around 6:00 on a Friday night, but it was getting busier as we left. Good selection of beer and spirits. We would come back next time we visit Northern Scotland.

Visited ballater with friends. Four of us in total. Popped into the deeside in because it was raining and the closest place to the car park in the middle of the village. Ordered 3 venison burgers and a burger with black pudding. The 3 venison burgers arrived after waiting a while. The 4th didn't arrive. Waiter said it didn't get sent through to the kitchen which I find hard to believe since the other 3 did. He said it was just being prepared there and then. 20 minutes passed still no fourth meal. Went up to the bar to ask about it, no one to be seen. By the time the meal was ready everyone else had finished, so I said to the waiter not to bother, was over it by that point. Certainly wont be back the others said there meals were nothing to get excited about, venison was dry and over cooked. The lady who took over the situation wasn't exactly to most apologetic about it all I got was, sorry it's a new system??. Yeh thanks. So no wouldn't reccomend. Went to the coop and had a sandwich there, probably should of did that in the first place. Thank you!!!

Visited here recently with friends. We ate in the bar area and our food was delicious. The young man in the bar served us our food and drinks and really added to our enjoyment of the evening as he was so patient as we all tried to decide what to order. He is a real asset to the restaurant. The ambience in the bar was great and we will certainly return when we are next in Ballater.

Mum and I went in around 5.30 one day to see if they had a table. The girl on reception told us it would probably not be till around 6.30 but changed the time then to 6.45. Service hadn't started yet (it began around 6, so not 'all day' as on their website). We decided to stay and wait. So far so good. 2 nice gins settled us down at a low table on the edge of a nicely decorated lounge bar.

A lovely establishment. Very dog friendly. Lovely food and such friendly staff. Menu slightly limited, but it was out of season. What we ate was great.

Wir sind eher zufällig hier gelandet auf der Suche nach einem Pub zum Dinner. Das Interieur hat es uns angetan, es verstrahlt den Charme eines altehrwürdigen und etwas in die Jahre gekommenen Hauses.

Went in for lunch at 2.30pm ( they stop serving at 3pm )

We had some trepidation visiting as the reviews on TripAdvisor were something of a mixed bad particularly pertaining to service.

An absolutely beautiful hotel, but so quiet, thought it was because out of season and last year severe snow in March. Booked my family of 8 in for lunch as the menu looked great on the website, was told they we're in between menu's so not much choice. The bar was cold the service OK, but wrong orders taken. Thought the poor girl behind the bar was cooking as well, got our sandwiches totally mixed, did change them, but we're not great, seemed thrown together. Receptionist was lovely, she took over and tried her best, she offered us free coffee, which we had in the large room. Very nice. Real shame as the place could be great. Considering the reviews here, I don't understand why it's not being dealt with. It's an affluent area with no real competition.

Doordat er verder in het dorp niets open was in dit restaurant gegeten. De kaart is niet heel erg uitgebreid maar de kwaliteit van het eten is redelijk goed. Er hangt in de bar en het restaurant een gezellige sfeer. Personeel mag wel iets vriendelijker.

Traditional pub with great character. Had really nice lunch. Food was served nicely presented and hot. Good choice on the menu.

This we the best meal (of several very good meals) we had in Ballater. We had the cheese burger. But don't let the bland name fool you, this was an amazing meal. Additionally the ambiance was quite authentic and the service was good and friendly.

A really important date and you let us down.....Sorry! We have been before and was tremendous, but on this occasion we were left wanting....no really, wanting the chip pie on the way home and looking for flavour! Also, I wish the ladies/gents that look after us were a bit more welcoming and friendly....never mind the manager (I think) who ranted at

Lovely bar area and although we often walk past as it’s quiet, tonight it was busy and cold outside so we popped in.

Nice pub lunch menu, and great service (which could be quicker, but if you're on holiday don't let it worry you). The doorstep sandwiches really are doorsteps and not for the faint hearted. The fish (in common with every other local eatery) was excellent.

We stayed at the Deeside Inn for two night on the weekend of the Braemar Gathering. It was a perfect location for a short journey to the Gathering.

Rocked up around 7.45pm on Friday night with a friend and got a seat in the bar. We both had the 'Haggis Scotch Egg' starter followed by the 'Balmoral Chicken' main. The food was served quite quickly and both courses were lovely. Dessert was offered but, as someone mentioned in an earlier review, there isn't a dessert menu and we had to listen as the waiter told us the options. Would prefer to peruse a menu but no big problem. The 'Sticky Toffee Pudding' I had was very tasty and my friend's 'Bread and Butter Pudding' looked very nice. Being a Friday night in the bar it did become quite noisy with people sitting in for drinks but overall a nice atmosphere and good food.

Came here after walking lochnagar,I booked a table but there was no need..

We lucked out and enjoyed a wonderful trio on fiddles and guitar while feasting on beautiful salmon dinner. The staff were friendly, efficient and the food was delicious!

After a day's hillwalking working up an appetite, The Deeside Inn was a great choice. The cheese starter was a meal in itself and enough for others to share. The fish and chips were excellent but sadly I couldn't do justice to all the chips.

We had a nice lunch at the Deeside Inn. We enjoyed the fish and chips which were good. We also enjoyed looking around a bit and talking with the friendly front desk staff. We will be back next time we’re in town.

This hotel/restaurant is situated in the main square of the village.

Visited with my family on a Sunday for lunchtime carvery. The service was very good and the food was hot,they gave me half portion of salmon for my granddaughter good size

We stayed overnight in picturesque Ballater after having visited Balmoral Castle a 15 minute drive away.

The food was great but service was a little bit slow. I believe that they were training staff so that may have contributed to it. The dining room was pleasant and the game pie was very tasty.

Very comfortable dining room, sitting room and bar. The food is great with a good variety, beautifully cooked and presented.

Went for my sister's birthday dinner. I had the venison steak, another had the seafood platter (lots of food!) and the other had chicken. All very well cooked. Very pleasant waitress and service. Sang happy birthday and gave her a candle in her dessert.

My first night in Ballater and The Deeside was recommended to me by several people, as a place to go with good food. Upon walking into the restaurant, of barely 8 people and being told by the staff they were not sure I could order food, as the new chef was having a melt down on his first day. This was not a good sign.

Its getting an average review due to the chef or cook. I had the chicken with bacon and mashed potatoes, which was excellent. The staff just lacks personality, as they are NOT local from Scotland. Ask how the food is and if I'd like another beer!!!!!

We had a very nice dinner here. The service was a bit slow, but they did apologise because we had ordered venison and that takes a bit longer to cook. The food was very nice when it arrived. The staff were very attentive and polite.

Very poor service. Although we booked a table for lunch, we had to wait in the middle of the restaurant for 5 mins until we eventually just found ourselves a table. We were never welcomed to the establishment, had to ask at the bar for a menu, had to ask for a high chair etc etc. There were only one other table of people in the bar at this time. The waiter barely looked at us while taking our order and didn't ask us how it was when clearing the plates. Got the coffee order wrong. The chef was good. Really nice food. Shame about the service or lack thereof.

The food was good. However, the service was less than impressive. They had to come back on three different times to tell me that they didn't have what I wanted.

We had a nice break at this comfortable albeit slightly dated hotel. The food was lovely, we had booked dinner, bed and breakfast and the generous allowance meant we had a lot of choice. The dinner menu was rather ‘publike’ and not sophisticated but items were cooked well and were tasty. Staff were in training so sometimes a little slow but we were not in a hurry. The rooms were dated and our double room had a rather small en-suite showerroom. However, we enjoyed our stay.

Glad to get a table, but that was where it went wrong. Food was all "ok" (nothing special) apart from the baked camembert. It really isn't difficult to do baked camembert. Bake it for about 20 mins. Simples. And given we were having starters that should have been easy.

Thursday night is steak night, and it includes a free bottle of red wine. Beautiful fillet steak perfectly cooked followed by a cheese board

The food was very delicious and the atmosphere very cozy. The staff was also very friendly and helpful. We would come back again.

Wat ons als eerste opviel was de wat onoverzichtelijke enigszins beperkte kaart.

Even if the menu might seem very good and the decor is nice, our experience at the Deeside Inn (restaurant & hotel) was disapointing.

Just had a brilliant time with excellent food whilst listening to an amazing international fiddler. The service was great too, they squeezed us in and served us promptly with delicious food and wine. Do come.

I visited on a couple of evenings recently on my trip around Scotland. It seemed to be the onlyplace in the town which offered pretty good pub/restaurant food at reasonable prices and served by friendly staff in a rather pleasant environment. I will be visiting Ballater again this coming September and will certainly buy another meal here.

Nice beef roast meal with all the trimmings (green veg, potatoes, parsnips, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, etc.). All food was tasty except the overdone Yorkshire Pudding-almost burned on top. Exceptionally good prawn appetizer and Game Terrine appetizer. Traditional and comfortable dining room. Staff definitely in training mode with advance explanations about this left by the manager on the tables. Think it was a very reasonable price for the meal.

A welcoming hotel right in the centre of Ballater offers a cosy bar with live traditional music on certain nights.

Dirty stained menu, dirty ketchup bottles and very disinterested staff. Average food and zero atmosphere. I ordered shoulder of lamb but was served a very small chop as the shoulder had run out the day before. I sent it back and had an OK burger instead. No one asked how any of our food was, if we wanted our drinks refreshed. It was as if the staff were trying to minimize contact with customers. I got the strong impression that the staff were not trained and the management didn't care. Very disappointed, I won't be back.

We visited on 2 occasions (both late afternoon) and had a couple of drinks. The bar staff invited us to sit in the lounge, not the bar, and although it was very quiet (no background music) the atmosphere was relaxed, really warm and cosy, inviting.

Called in 6 50pm 21/3/18 few people with menus there was no food to be had due to only one chef they MIGHT be able to fit us in after 7.30pm. Terrible attitude.

Had lunch on a very quiet saturday afternoon the burger was massive and the staff were friendly and helpfull enjoyed the atmosphere and ambience of the pub looking forward to go back for the afternoon tea!

Stopped here for lunch. No problem seating 5. Soups were hot and excellent. Sandwiches tasty and service friendly and prompt. Atmosphere is welcoming. No wonder the Royals like it here.

Superb a real gem When we go out we want friendly attentove staff who make conversation and also food better...

Compared with the last meal here some time ago, there has been a great improvement at the Deeside Inn and we enjoyed our meal. The fare was hot and well-cooked and service was excellent. So sad that they are still using wooden boards for some dishes and the pie serving set up is horrible, involving three enamel pie dishes on a board (one each for your pie, one for your greens and one for your tatties - quite ridiculous and very difficult to each as a whole dish). I see someone else has posted a picture of it above and we noticed one poor woman really struggling with it. There's nowhere to put your pie crust to get at the filling and an awful lot of fiddly dipping is required to mix the different elements of the dish. Honest-to-goodness, chefs, what is wrong with a simple, proper PLATE? Managers should force the cooks sit and eat their way through these obstacle courses in polite company before foisting their presentation peculiarities on hungry diners. We liked the choice of extras with the burgers. Drinks are relatively expensive but the quality and quantity of the food made up for everything else. A definite improvement and we'll be back soon.

I reviewed The Deeside Inn Restaurant in May of this year and one of the things i remember was how...

We did not stay overnight at the Deeside Inn, just had dinner there. We were staying at a B &...

We had dinner in pub side and the restaurant side on separate occasions. Would have to say it was disappointing...

I ate here for Dinner and Breakfast twice as it was in the package I got with the hotel. The...