The Drift Inn in North Ayrshire

We were a bit disappointed with our visit here. Apart from one lovely waitress the staff weren’t very attentive. Two of the younger staff were messing about behind the bar rather than serving customers. The food wasn’t the quality you would expect for the price- We had a small steak and chips with no veg and an open seafood lasagne which was really bitter.

The Drift has delivered constantly and consistently for years. We always visit when we’re on the island with food and service always being of the highest standard. You can rely on some quality music while you eat, too!

Had a meal here this evening,, it was very busy, clearly popular. Fantastic food, great service and a superb location, highly recommend to all visitors to Lamlash, Arran

Walked in with no booking to this little gem in Lamlash. Beautiful decor with delicious food & very friendly staff . Very busy on a Tuesday evening in October. Amazing views from the outdoor terrace & window seats.

Would not go back. Chicken tempura starter was tough and chewy and not proper tempura batter and was clearly fried in the fish oil as it tasted of fish. The fish and chips was so greasy it was very off putting and almost impossible to eat. The staff weren’t very helpful either. After serving the food they didn’t come back to check everything was okay and when we complained about the fish they were clearly annoyed and not happy about this as we could see them shouting and pointing at our table from the Kitchen! They also made no attempt at resolving any of the issues and even though one person only had a few bites of their fish still tried to charge us full price for it. I definitely would not come back as the food was not worth the money and the staff were not very helpful, I’ve personally had much nicer meals elsewhere.

.Excellent, tasty, hot food - served quickly with very friendly staff. Could not fault it, thank you. . Lovely atmosphere…….

The food was amazing but the experience was completely ruined by inefficient and rude staff…. Due to this we would never return sadly which is a shame as the views and food are both amazing. The place is let down immensely by its rude staff which I can think is only down to they feel the patrons are just passing through. We would have been repeat customers as have friends on the island. An example of inefficient staffing was once food had been served with no condiments or cutlery, we were told we would have to wait for such whilst staff set up unoccupied tables. I feel we should have been attended to first as the food was served and now getting cold. We did email to lodge our displeasure with the service and received a very dismissive response which adds to the fact we would not visit there again.

Wonderful place. Staff are great. View is amazing. You can literally sit and watch the harbour for hours. Very dog friendly

Great spot amazing food and nice setting lovley and amazing service and the staff are very helpful.nice outside area.definitely go again

Really lovely place. We have been many times and never had a bad meal. Service is excellent, warm, friendly, efficient and prompt. Beautiful views both inside and out. Looking forward to going back when next on Arran!

A great venue to celebrate my birthday. Delicious food and a beautiful setting. As EV owners and visitors to the island it was really helpful to be able to use the charger while we were eating.

Excellent local seafood. We both had a large number of huge local langoustines cooked to perfection in wine and garlic. The best I’ve ever had. Lovely atmosphere. Really great service. Friendly staff. And the location is to die for. You can dine right on the seafront overlooking Holy Island. NB. Don’t book a table outside in the evening unless there is a breeze from June to September due to the Midges! I knew this before I booked.

We were recommended the Drift Inn by some friends of ours and we were not disappointed. The menu was innovative, the quality was excellent and the staff were charming. We'd definitely go back.

This fantastic bar / diner has thankfully survived since our last visit to Arran 8 years ago. Get atmosphere and delicious food. Lots of sea food options as well meat options. A great range of drinks to wash down the food.

Lovely views out to Holy Isle. We sat outside on the covered area. Thoroughly enjoyed the food. We ordered chicken burger and mussels, great size portions followed by the lemon and elderflower eton mess which was beautiful. Our favourite meal in lamlash. ( made the mistake of eating in a different lamlash place on our last evening and was no where near as good. I wish we had just gone back to the Drift Inn. We know for our next visit. ) we had a lovely young lady looking after us. Possibly called Hannah. Heard me stressing about the midgies and inviting us to come and sit inside which was totally appreciated as they were busy inside and we had only booked a table outside. Would highly recommended and will definitely return in our future visits to Arran. Thank you all for our lovely evening.

Fantastic food in a gorgeous setting. Really lovely helpful staff. We had fish and chips which were nice but batter a little soggy for my liking but partner had the Salmon sharing platter for himself and it was delicious.

The service was great. The food was very good. The ambiance was excellent and they have St Mungos on draught. Was a really good experience. Not the cheapest but good value for money. Highly recommended.

Fabulous late lunch in a lovely setting. Staff were friendly and helpful, and the menu has a wide selection of options from light bites to a full 3 course meal. Dog friendly, too. Daily specials on a board on the wall.

Casual restaurant with lovely views. Friendly young team. We had the best fish and chips I can remember eating in recent years. It’s busy and even though the weather was awful and it was an early on a Monday evening if we hadn’t booked I don’t think we would have got a table. Desserts were absolutely yummy and there was a decent selection of wines by the glass.

Really lovely restaurant with a great atmosphere. Food was fabulous, and fairly priced. Very friendly and welcoming. It’s quite small so booking is recommended. Would definitely go back.

Very mixed review! 3 of us had the harissa chicken with cous cous and Mediterranean roasted veg. Extremely disappointing and bland, no sign of citrus or coriander in the cous cous and the roasted vegetables were entirely missing. At £18.50 a very severe disappointment. I did ask for more vegetables and dressing, which did arrive but after my meal was cold. By contrast 2 of our party had the roast lamb, that looked absolutely amazing with all the trimmings and LOADS of vegetables. Find it hard to believe that the same kitchen put out those meals.

Really good. Staff lovely and the view is amazing. Food was good, we did all enjoy it but just not quite a 5 star review! Definitely be back though!

Best vegan macaroni I have ever had! Lots of great vegan options. Vegetable tempura starter was delicious too. Would highly recommend

Really lovely dinner, better than the others we had on our trip. Handcut chips were probably the best I've had. Both me and my partner wished we were hungrier to appreciate the meal more as it was already excellent. Will definitely return on future trips

Please go! Stayed in Arran . Ate here last night and it was so go booked again tonight. Can't fault the food and presentation the service was quick and friendly. Overall really good .oh and the music and ambience was spot on.

Hey drift inn! Phoned today to ask if you were showing the rugby Scotland vs wales at 5 the guy said hang on came back and said no we’re not showing that game I asked if they knew anywhere that had it on? The guy answered I dunno I’ve not been out today! 😂😂 jeeso what’s wrong with folk anyways went up to the fallen goat had great food drinks all day and the rugby on spent well over £100 so there loss I guess. Cmon folk get a grip

A little bit more expensive but it was more birthday so we were happy to pay. My macaroni cheese was some of the best I've had and my parter tried languistines for the first time (worth paying for fresh fish when by the coast!) which he loved. Would definitely come back!

Visited the Isle of Arran in January and most restaurants were closed due to being out of season. Visited the drift Inn with my dog and the staff were welcoming and very dog friendly bringing him plenty treats. Food was amazing too 🥰

Great food, friendly staff, lovely atmosphere. Lovely restaurant. We visited for Hogmanay with family and friends. The food was excellent. Beyond vegan burger was fabulous Thankyou. Reasonable priced too.

We had a delicious meal here. I had the fish and chips and enjoyed every bite. My husband and I shared a sticky toffee pudding dessert…yum! This would be an awesome spot in summer, to take advantage of the outside patio and sea views. Our server was pleasant and the general atmosphere was a friendly one.

I didn't like it. Didn't find the staff were particularly great and thought my Korean Chicken Burger was inedible. My son didn't enjoy his. Maybe the wrong meal to order in fairness. I didn't complain as they didn't ask how the food was and wasn't up for making any issue. My wife had macaroni cheese with lobster and prawns and said it was absolutely wonderful. She also thinks I am being harsh on the staff. My son said they were fine too. I enjoyed the atmosphere. It's one of those places that I wouldn't refuse to return to , nor would i make an effort to return. Don't be put off by my review. We all agreed with 3/5 stars

Easy to book, friendly staff, good selection of alcohol & really lovely food in a contemporary environment that really suits its location. Plus dog-friendly.

We went here the other evening for the first time. We were welcomed by a very friendly member of staff and we did not have to wait very long for our food to arrive. There was a good menu to choose from too, including the specials. The food and desserts we ordered were lovely and were good sized portions. We love the idea that the restaurant is pet friendly as the staff are also very welcoming to them, including getting a bowl of water for our dog, which was nice. We enjoyed our visit so much, we were already planning our next visit before we had left! Would definitely recommend to anyone staying in the area.

Superb food, great service and lovely atmosphere, we had brilliant time here and dog friendly too , perfect . Can’t recommend it highly enough, if you get the chance to try it, you won’t be disappointed! Lovely staff who do a top job and go out of their way to look after their customers. Can’t wait to eat there again ⭐️

My friends and I have just enjoyed a fantastic evening at the Drift Inn. The food was simply superb. Between us, we ordered a variety of dishes across three courses, we all loved our choices. The staff were brilliant, friendly and could not do enough to ensure we had a lovely evening. The background music was fab adding to the warm and friendly atmosphere. Were I local, I would eat here as often as I could. Being on holiday here, the Drift Inn gives me yet another reason why I would come back to the glorious Isle of Arran again and again.

After our day touring Arran and heading back to the ferry, we came across the Drift Inn and stopped for some food. We asked could we being the dog in, and was told of course. We sat outside under the porch and were greeted with...

I've been here a few times whilst on holiday. The staff are great and the food is excellent. The Stornoway black pudding starter was exceptional. Our lunch was somewhat spoiled by 3 annoying barking dogs at an adjacent table. I appreciate they have a dog...

Just had an excellent meal at the Drift Inn. The food was very good and the service top notch. I have never seen a staff working together so harmoniously and with such consumate ease. The restuarant was very busy but the staff made it all...

Beautiful restaurant with friendly staff. Food was exceptional good value for money. Staff were attentive, atmosphere and views amazing. Would recommend visiting this restaurant if spending time on Arran.

Beautiful lunchtime visit here. Great burgers, tasty fishcake and excellent fish and chips. Service very friendly and warm, lovely setting especially with outdoor dining.

Absolutely stunning food- fresh seafood surf and turf. lovely views of Holy Isle and Lamlash bay. Fantastic selection of local produce and drinks! Service was second to none. Highly recommend the Drift Inn if you are visiting Arran.

We ate at the Drift Inn twice in a week’s visit to Arran and on both occasions received great service and delicious food. Good choice on the menu and also some daily specials offering a good selection of dishes which are reasonably priced for the...

An extended family party of 9 with 4 dogs we range from 86 to 8 months and we know we are not the easiest group to cater for. Staff here were attentive, friendly and helpful, we were provided with a high chair and water for...

First of all I should say that the 4 of us had a lovely evening in the Drift albeit it did feel as if the time allocated per table could be a little longer. As a foursome we ordered 2 sharing platters, one called Land...

Was really looking forward to our meal. Three of us ordered steaks which were rather chewy and tough. With hindsight we should have sent them but don’t really like complaining. We ordered desserts. After 20 minutes were still waiting. By this time it was 7.10pm....

So gutted to write this and we were really looking forward to the experience and had booked months in advance for our holiday/wedding anniversary meal but it was a terrible evening. Location is amazing, especially as we were sitting outside looking out over the water,...

We had pre dinner drinks sitting outside overlooking the beautiful bay on a balmy scottish evening. The dinner.....where to start...we shared the duck and chicken terrine which was very tasty, then we had the most wonderful langustines. A huge plateful each served with the best...

Came upon The Drift Inn on a day trip to Arran. It was amazing. Stunning views from the covered terrace and the food was incredible. The four of us had mussels x 2, langoustines and fish & chips. Five star review all round. Delicious and...

Had just arrived on Arran and stopped here for a late lunch. We chose to sit outside in the sunshine; perfect. I had the mussels. Beautifully cooked and presented with warm bread. Excellent. My husband had the steak and was very impressed. We would definitely...

Nice atmosphere and position. Dined twice during our week stay in Arran. However disappointed both times. Langoustines over cooked and so second visit had the beef burger. Really dense and solid burger with not much taste Friend had burger and agreed.

Excellent dinner with very friendly service, the staff interacted really well with our children and the view was incredible. We will definitely be back on our next visit to Arran.

I like a limited menu. You know then that the food is cooked well, Ingredients chosen carefully and a feel that each dish compliments another. When a major item is not available, you should be told when being seated or immediately upon receiving the menu....

Me and my friend came for dinner and were blown away by how amazing our food was. I had mac n cheese and it was the best i’ve ever had. Staff were lovely and the view was amazing. Can’t wait to come back :)

Ate at the Drift Inn twice whilst on holiday in Arran. Both times the food and service were excellent. Nice buzz and great views to the Holy Isle.

Arrivés à Arran en début de soirée, nous avions réservé ce restaurant par précaution (l’offre de restaurants n’est pas énorme...

Brilliant lunch. Excellent and welcoming service. Had langoustines and mussels. Both delicious. Accompanying chips and bread really good. Great wine and beer. Would come back for more tomorrow if we weren’t catching the ferry in the morning 😞

The view from the external seating area of the restaurant (across Lamlash Bay to Holy Island) is so unique that even if everything else were substandard it would still be worth visiting! In fact, everything else is excellent, particularly the seafood (I recommend the langoustines...

Excellent service from very pleasant staff. I chose the Scottish mussels with chorizo and chilli and it was delicious. Sitting in the outside area overlooking Holy Isle was amazing

We visited the Drift Inn twice during our stay on Arran - we did not go for our 3rd, booked visit….. Our first visit could not have been better - great, friendly, relaxed (but not laid back) and well-timed service. Very good food served hot...

Had a lovely meal here and served by attentive staff at dinner. Following dinner inside, relocated to outside as lovely evening. Friend and I went to bar for drinks and were spoken to appallingly by Craig the manager. There was no reason for him talking...

We visited for dinner with our dog (who was made very welcome 👍) and cannot fault it at all. Food was piping hot and generous in portion size, but more importantly sooo tasty. Staff all super friendly and so welcoming, it was our first visit...

Amazing freshly prepared seafood with friendly attentive staff and great views over Lamlash bay and Holy Island. Always a busy place so suggest you book in advance.

This is a nice spot on the shore looking towards the Holy Isle. We had fab weather when here. We booked in advance and had great expectations for this venue. Unfortunately, we found the food to be slightly above what you would get in. Green...

A lovely dog friendly restaurant. The staff are very welcoming and helpful. The hake we chose was excellent, cooked to perfection

Best place we went to for a meal on wonderful Arran. Had a great lunch on patio overlooking Holy Isle. Table staff were great, really friendly and the food was excellent, tasty, good portions and value for money. Thank you!

After a whistle stop drive around the Isle of Arran, we decided, upon recommendation to stop off at the Drift Inn Lamlash for lunch! We were shown to our table by a lovely lady, who was obviously from Glasgow and we proceeded to place our...

Excellent customer service from Robbie. It was his second day there. He was so helpful and nothing was too much trouble.

Service was excellent, food fantastic and staff very friendly, with a smile. Lovely ambiance, outdoor tables available if required, bewt views to Holy Island. Just a great feel. Further, my partner fell whilst going through the door to the outside area, hurt herself, though the...

Gluten free fish and chips and macaroni cheese. Would recommend both meals. Fish and chips are fried separately and waiter was knowledgeable about cross contamination. Lovely view and beer garden to enjoy gluten free beer.

Amazing food, it was busy but they squeezed us in while on holiday in Lamlash. Really friendly staff and my husband rated the Langoustines really highly! Good veggie options too. My children also felt v welcome.

We booked a table for 9, then with the weather being better than expected we called and asked to move the booking to later the same night (07.05.2023). They were able to do it for us even though it was very busy when we got...

A fantastic experience all round. Would highly recommend. Food quality was excellent and the team were welcoming, friendly & knowledgeable. We hadn’t pre booked and the pub was busy, but the Manager made us feel very welcome and fitted us in. Thankyou, we will be...

Omg, where do I start? Our family have just had theee best weekend in Arran at our brother's wedding which was in The Drift Inn. From start to finish, it couldn't have gone better. The location on to the seafront and the view of the...

I suppose that if you sit in the attractive beer garden, the Drift Inn might feel like a pub, but the interior design lets it down and it neither looks like a modern bar nor feels like a cosy pub. The main business driver here...

What a lovely spot and the food was great too. I had fabulous langoustines at what seemed like a really reasonable price. The lady who served us was so enthusiastic about the food and about the fact we enjoyed it, it really made our visit...

We went here twice during our 3 night stay, gluten free items and gluten free available are clearly marked on the menu. Would recommend the gf macaroni cheese - best I've had! The chips are fried separately and the fish is battered using gluten free...

What a delicious meal and first class service. Compliments to the chef. The young waiting staff were polite and efficient. Will definitely return.

Still blows my mind we can find vegan options on a Scottish island. Ten years ago we risked starving to death every time we left the house. Some decent choices here including the Beyond Burger.

We had a really delicious dinner, with lovely fish and venison sausages. The cocktails were great and the setting was very cosy with a wood burning stove.

It was an early March evening so was very quiet. The staff were friendly and service good but then we were the only ones eating! Food was good and two had fish and chips and two of us had the langoustines. Surprisingly there was plenty...

Went on a Friday night with my husband, son and two salukis. Lovely staff - made extremely welcome and dogs offered water bowl. Fairly busy out of season - good atmosphere. Food was delicious and well cooked - fish (lovely crispy batter) and chips, burger...

We really enjoyed dinner here, you get what you pay for. Menu has a wide selection, nice looking bar and a wood stove inside. Korean pretzel burger was amazing but the popcorn and salted caramel creme brulé was my favourite.

We visit this place regularly because we live on Arran especially in Summer when you can sit in a rain proof open conservatory or outside on the Lawn

Visited on 17/12..Straight to the bar I went ! Barman was super friendly and kept me right with good humour even though I had removed the glass before he had poured the vodka into it ! The food was simply superb and the 4 of...

During our recent visit to Arran we found this amazing restaurant situated in Lamlash with incredible views of Holy Isle, we decided to have lunch and were not disappointed, the place was spotless clean with very friendly staff there is a great choice of menu,...

Fantastic food in an atmospheric setting. Great Holy Isle/water views and warm log burner welcome. Imaginative and tasty well presented food, attentive but discreet service. We had pork belly then creme brulee with flavourful Arran coffee. A gem of a restaurant at this time of...

I just had to come on to write a review......of the Avocado salad. You have to try this. It is amazing!!!

We've been coming to the drift for over 5 years now. Probably at least once or twice a year. When we first began to come here we were always really impressed with the menu. Lots of fish, delicious pots of muscles with garlic bread, and...

Excellent meal in a perfect setting. Atmosphere was great., food and drink outstanding and staff on top form. Loved it.

The Drift Inn has a great location with fabulous views over to the Holy Isle. We always come here when we are in Arran. There is an outside seating area which is really great for the long summer nights. The staff are great and there...

We've waited a year to return to the Drift Inn which has become our favourite haunt while holidaying in Arran. From the warm welcome when we arrived, to the service, food and ample selection of whiskies, we were well taken care of. We started with...

The menu read well but the delivery was mostly quite poor. The interior is rather nice with sea views and a cool seaside feel. The service was OK and seemingly delivered by a very young team who had little knowledge of the menu. The mains...

We didn't have a reservation but were early in the evening so were seated, outside, without a problem. Super sea view from the table which was supported by heaters if necessary. Staff were young and very pleasant. Order quickly taken and food was very tasty...

Friendly helpful efficient staff, great food and beers, foot was fairly pricey but really tasty and well presented 😊 It was a real treat to sit outside to eat at the end of September

Very friendly staff who changed our reservation time in request with no issues. The food was delicious and hot - exactly what was needed from a day of cycling. The restaurant also has a great view of the bay and well worth a visit. They...

Warm friendly atmosphere whenever you arrive at this beautiful spot. Whether it’s for drinks or a meal this is a place not to be missed. Overlooking the bay and the Holy Isle this was a beautiful setting for our evening meal. I had the langustines...

Amazing location matched by friendly helpful staff & several well kept ales. Loads of places to sit inside, outside & on the shore. Particularly recommend for sunny afternoons & evenings by the sea. One nite of caution: if you want to eat, book ahead. The...

We arrived anticipating a lovely evening meal after looking at the website for this place. We were disappointed in the food and the interior of the restaurant too. The restaurant looked like it could do with an overhaul. It was tired and in need of...

We couldn't have wished for a better evening meal. We had excellent service (an army of friendly young waiters who did themselves proud) and both the presentation and taste of our food was superb. It was great to see local ingredients included on the menu....

Visited last night of our fab Arran Holiday Reviews looked great, who writes them? Staff very nice, table outside was great, views make it. Food I would say High End Prices but low end excellence. Could have fitted all 3 courses on a Tea Plate....