The Lock Inn in Highland

Brilliant place and excellent staff. We had great food and a good craic with the staff.

Super cosy and very welcoming! They were really tolerant of our little dog, the food came fast and was very tasty! Thank you!

This place being one of the only ones open in November, not much choice.... 2 decent burgers, 1 portion of cheddar fries and 2 beers for £51, it's really excessive! The waitress seems exasperated to be stuck in this place at such a late hour (5:30 p.m.!) and makes it obvious. In short, a just ok place to eat before returning to your B&B.

We'd seen some not so good reviews but our experience was really good the staff were friendly and food was really good. We had fish and chips and highland burger..no complaints..

Good restaurant. Good service. We took any place. The girls who worked there were very nice. We tried the soup of the day and the sweet potato curry. The food was prepared very quickly. I recommend it.

Good pub grub, lovely staff and the kind of environment that is hard to find these days. Great selection of drinks available too 😁

Very good fish and chips 🍟, lovely atmosphere. Good selection of drinks, good prices. Recommended.

The food was delicious. However the place was very cold and when I said it to a member of staff she agreed, the fire hadn’t been cleaned from the night before, ashes all over the hearth, such a shame, the place could be so cosy but the girls were just sitting about between serving, not really interested.

We were recommended by the hotel but it was not successful. The Caesar salad with cold chicken, romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese and plenty of sauce, too much for my taste. The venison pie could be improved and the vegetables and potatoes for filling

Was gonna eat here but prices have gone up quite a bit and looking at some the food being served, we choose not to eat. Had a couple of drinks, all good, service OK, but very transactional.

Classic pub in a perfect location for a drink, view of the locks, and a take a few minutes break to people-watch. Staff is friendly and worth a chat. Cheers!!!

Good beef burger. Quite popular.

I concur with other reviewers who find this place dreadful. The premises would never pass a sanitary inspection: the fabric on the seats --- if fabric it was -- was stained and filthy; the tables were strangers to a sponge. The tiny burger I had was the worst I've eaten since I left home in 1960 (mother was not a good cook). The patty was cooked to within an inch of its life. A morsel of pickle and a dab of cheese added some life. The chips weren't bad (chips are hard to ruin, but I'm sure they're trying). Service was perfunctory; "Here's your burger. Here's your sauces (in packets impossible to open).. All this at a ridiculously high price. A shame Fort Augustus can't offer good places to eat.

I have nothing to say about the dish I ate, it was good and well composed also in terms of flavours, the main problem is the service.

Food excellent. Staff very friendly. Could be a bit cleaner though. Loved it.

They have now taken to reserving tables downstairs in the pub, they have an upstairs restaurant, in my opinion this is where the reservations should be, not the pub it used to be

A real shame, it has potential but the service was abysmal and the food was somehow worse. I had low expectations being a rural pub but this one was arguably the worst I've experienced in Scotland.

A local pub with comforting food.

Beautiful little pub great atmosphere and good food, perfect location after a hard days paddling on the upper Moriston River, perfect end to the day with friends over decent and very filling food

Highly recommend the fish and chips. Beyond that I can’t say a whole lot but you won’t be disappointed in the fish or the chips. Chips were crispy outside and nice and soft on the inside

Came in one night for a drink, and we sat outside on the canal, and it was amazing. We then popped in for food and had the haggis starter, venison pie and burger and shared a sticky toffee pudding. Amazing food and really friendly service

Had a couple of drinks and looked at the food, which didnt look very appealing for the price. It did not help lady behind the bar was filing her nails.. we decided to go elsewhere

lovely pub, imagine how cosy it is with the fire on.

Food was fresh and tasty with prompt service, an excellent location next to the locks

No high chair available for grandchild so had to go to local cafe

Food was good and service very fast. Views over the locks were beautiful.

We visited on Saturday, October 5th, 2024. To say this was a disappointment is an understatement. The staff were more interested in their phones and gossiping about someone who had been fired than looking after customers. One of them, a gentleman, barely said 2 words at all. The venue is situated right by the locks of the canal, and this is the only reason they have custom. We both had haggis starters, which made us both sick within 2 hours of finishing them. I had a fish burger, which was awful and full of grease. My husband had the venison pie, which was inedible. I would avoid at all costs. This place could be amazing, but the staff clearly don't care, and the kitchen is obviously more interested in using microwaves than cooking food properly.

No service, orders at the bar, sticky tables, expensive basic food, not a good experience overall.

** Dog friendly Really nice food good gamey tasting venison burger good quality beer and whiskey on offer clean and quite place

The food was okay but nothing special, was served quickly and was way too expensive. Service was virtually non-existent. You have to be lucky to get a table, otherwise you'll end up joining strangers. The visit for dinner was okay - nothing more!

We had Cider and Mac n Cheese! It was all good!

Place with a winning concept for service: you take a seat (even sharing tables with other people, which unfortunately doesn't exist in Italy), you choose from the menu and go to order and pay immediately at the cash register, you take the drinks directly to the table while the dishes will be served by the staff. Everything is very fast. We didn't book. Really good food with lots of choices of the day, great variety of beers. Arranged on two floors

Good food and very kind personal. One of the best pubs in Fort Augustus.

Direkt an den Stufen des Caledonian Canal gelegen ist dies eine gute Gelegenheit sich nach einer mehrstündigen Wanderung zu stärken. Urige Tische aus altem Holz und ausgezeichnete Gerichte. Das Venison ist sehr zu empfehlen (zart, viel Fleisch, gut gewürzt). Das Personal war sehr freundlich, auch viele Einheimische dort.

Food was tasteless, sad burger and venison pie. Upstairs has good views but full with cooking smoke.

Despite being very busy, the staff was friendly and quick to help. Highly recommended, also in terms of location.

Had the venison pie, sadly no prizes for the amount of venison, 4 bits, (can't work out how to add picture) and gravy was thin. Salt and pepper helped a bit. Chips ok, just. Veg, though small in amount was tasty. No decaf anything so had hot choc, only 3/4 full, nice touch with biscuit. Not cheap, not worth it. Imho. We did not have to wait long for food, and view of the canal was nice.

A lovely pub in Fort Augustus. The sweet potato curry was delicious. The burger was excellent as well. The service was friendly.

Good place to eat a casual meal. Had the haddock & chips and the venison pot pie. The single piece of haddock was generously sized, while the pot pie had very little venison in it. If you prefer tartare sauce with your fish, you might need to order an additional cup of sauce.

Visited the Lock on 19th September for evening meal and drinks. Vibrant atmosphere but bar staff came across as not bothered, unfriendly and a tad rude. It’s obviously a popular place due to its location and they don’t have to fight for trade and this maybe the reason for the attitude but it shouldn’t be an excuse. Choice of food was good I went for the Haddock and Chips which was nice. Good selection of beers.

Terrible experience . Besides the very grumpy and bored barman, the food was below average and the cleanliness was inexistant (sticky tables..). Can't understand why some rates this place well. It's the kind of pub that doesn't give a rats hole what they customers think given they are in very touristic place. I definitely do not recommend

A good address in Fort Augustus! The pub is very friendly as are its staff. The Fish and Chips (£20) was good and we had a lovely time even if we left smelling a bit like fried food.

The food is very normal for the prices, the place is good with the tables next to the canal.

Don’t go here. It’s a tourist rip off

Incredibly rude staff and patrons. Don’t bother walking in if it’s full. Other people will cut right in front of you for service and the bartender could seriously use an antidepressant.

Always nice to share a fish and fries in a scottish pub but the service was quite cold, the cooking was ok but nothing more, the pudding was excellent. The beers excellent too as usual. A good choice of whiskies

Very friendly atmosphere in this Scottish establishment right next to Loch Ness! Really very nice!

Everything is spectacular. The setting, the pub, the food, the atmosphere....

Lovely wee afternoon. Great atmosphere, very busy, but staff extremely attentive and welcoming. Food and service excellent. Would highly recommend. Heather, Jimmy and Theo

Don't spend time or money in this place, it's quite sad that they don't serve you, they barely cleaned our table and it was sticky, there was no menu on the table either and I had to go to another table to ask for theirs. As for the food... I've been in Scotland for 10 days and it's the worst burger I've ever eaten, my girl and I ordered the Beef Burger, an exorbitant price for the quality they offer, everything frozen, very greasy and hard potatoes... really, no. I think it costs a lot to provide a passable service, but the experience I have from this place is regrettable.

Everything in general, very poor, the food and the attention you receive makes you think twice, they don't serve you at the table, you have to go downstairs to order, the table was barely cleaned and it was sticky. The quality of the burger we ordered... better to save that money and give it to charity, because the greasy fries were awful and the burger looked like it had just been thawed. Better to buy food at a gas station and believe me you will be saving money and health.

We found the most rude waiter in Scotland! It must still be emphasized, it is so rare in this country. Armed with my best smile I asked the bartender if there was a table available for 5 people, he replied “no idea, you have to look for it yourself”. We decided to have a drink while waiting patiently for a table to become available. No compassion or kindness on his part. Too bad, we were hungry. And you had to be hungry to eat my dish (curry), it was cold and tasteless. We had to insist twice to have the naan breads included in the dish. Two stars for the kitchen because the fish and chips were good! I completely understand that the summer season was tough, I am a trader myself, but a hello, thank you, goodbye are the basis when you decide to work behind a bar. Sir, take a vacation or change jobs.

Great fish and chips just up from the pub at half the price

Great food and fantastic beers!

The food was good but the mayonnaise was out of date.

My pumpkin and chickpea curry didnt have any chickpeas - go figure!! We had two different wines and they tasted watery.

Huge and I mean huge fish and chips!

Amazing place to stay with locals and/friends. Best place in town

Wonderful food and drink, friendly staff, the perfect pub.

We stopped in the Lock Inn for dessert and whiskey before bed. Fantastic atmosphere, good food.

awesome views, great vibe in the eve, affordable drinks. What more do you need?! We didn’t eat here

Very good atmosphere, good music, good food, good price. With terrace facing the canal. Very good!

It is a (almost) self-service restaurant, you order at the counter, you pay when you order, they only bring the food to your table. Good vegan options.

I must say the food is good, but the sore point is the service. They don't even count you when you enter, the management of the tables is completely left to the customers, so much so that you can find 1 person alone at a table for 4 having a drink, occupying the entire table while you who would like to have dinner remain standing. The system needs to be reviewed, but overall I also recommend it for the food, as long as you can get a seat

Local pub, food is simple but good, you have to order yourself at the bar. The service does their best, they are nice, but perhaps with too few people to handle it. So it takes a while for tables to be cleaned. Quality/price is good

Nice pub vibe in such a touristy area. We wanted to find a place for sit down meals and thought we’d popped in here. The Caesar salad was the best thing we had I’d say. The curry, while not overly seasoned was slightly watery and lacking in flavours. Burgers… well, perhaps if I were to visit next time, I’d just get drinks and sit out on the patio.

The food is excellent The music is very good The waitresses are nice We went there twice during our stay. We recommend The Lock Inn!

Apart from the midges fantastic also the veal stew is amazing

It's good, we went there in August and there was a lot of atmosphere. Bar to make a glass and also eat something there. The glass of my Whiskey was very good, but frankly small... a sigh. We didn't try the food but there was a good line. The service OK. It generally stinks a lot to eat, but it's all good enough to spend some time in and shelter from the rain.

This was a nice lunch stop in Loch Ness. Try the black pudding and tatties, or the soup of the day to get you ready for Nessie spotting.

Fish and chips was good, big portions. Service kind of does not exist , you have to go to bar to order and bring your drinks.

Lovely spot next to the canal. Great good and beer as well as a nice selection of whisky. Recommend booking ad very busy.

Greasy place with sticky tables. The staff barely handles customers coming in or out. The food is mediocre and very greasy. The bathroom... well... I don't even want to describe it so I don't remember it. C'mon, guys: a minimum of pride for this place or the tourists will snub you. I will return to Fort August but not there.

The food was great. The atmosphere was awesome and the customer service as far as waitresses. Go was amazing. Couldn’t ask for a better spot to try. And that’s some really cool people

Not really a review as our experience was very short, so the ratings for food is a basic three star. We noted the great reviews here and as it was raining and we needed a nice place to go for a good meal, risked a soaking to see what this place was like and have a meal. It looks like a very average pub from the outside and is a generic bar inside. It was packed and this was at around 5pm on a Tuesday, so good for them The bar staff were just chatting and ignored us until my wife shouted across the bar over the noise that we were looking for a table for two at which point, one of the them turned and curtly told us that there was a room upstairs but the kitchen was closed. Perhaps we just caught her at the wrong time but there is a risk that you could get here and the kitchen could be closed. Can’t speak for anything else except a little rudeness on the part of the bar staff. Certainly didn’t feel welcome Other places we tried at Fort Augustus were full but perfectly polite about it.

Good spot for a quick lunch with the family, good value for money, nice setting with a view of the lock. You order at the bar and pay at the same time which allows for quick service afterwards.

Very good, I recommend without hesitation 😉

I have a visit in their pub. Great food. However the fish & chips is just average.

Worst frozen fries ever, full of old oil. The beef burger arrived a little cold. The venison burger was awefull. The two stars are for the service which was nice.

Lucked out by getting a seat here with a bunch of folk. Had the black pudding and tatties - good! Beer was great too!

Filthy bar. The tables are sticky as are the chairs, and the smell is not very inviting. The waitresses are not very friendly, we had to wait quite a long time to be spoken to, and the barmaid wanted to put people in front of us, ignoring us. The food is more or less acceptable (we had the Burger) but so expensive for what it is... Above all, don't go in front of the kitchens because you will have a fainting spell (a big loss). We were afraid of getting sick. At the limit to have a drink… (the glasses are dishwasher safe at least, we can be reassured that way) In short, frankly, don’t go there.

Unbelievable. We wait for 1 hours for a missing burger. With no apology. This is ridiculously rude and unacceptable.

How to ruin a family evening at the pub! Not even 2 minutes had gone by after eating than we were asked to vacate the table. Even if we'd wanted another drink it was to be standing up at the bar where there was actually no room. We witnessed this throughout the evening with all the other customers. Having spent a fair amount of money, this showed no respect for their customers and was, frankly, downright rude. I suppose they feel they can do this because it is a tourist trap.

Had the best fish & chips in town & coffee staff were lovely & quick service even though they were very busy at the time Lovely spot next to the canal

We sat outside right on the Calledonian Canal. The food was good, but unfortunately the game ragout was cold.

What a pleasant surprise!! We came here for dinner and honestly didn't expect much, but the chicken tikka masala and chick pea curry that we ordered were so delicious! I have no doubt that everything else is great too :) Highly recommend if you're close to Fort Augustus!

Friendly bar with an outdoor terrace. However, the waitresses are not very cheerful, but I understand that in the region there is a shortage of staff. The setting is beautiful and the atmosphere is summery. We just had beers there.

It’s a great restaurant right by the canal. The outdoor seating is lovely on a bright day! This was our happy place and a pitstop while heading to Loch Lomond.

had some fries here. Service was friendly but fries smelt and tasted like fish. think they fry it in the same oil they fry the fish. As a vegan it was inedible so stuck to my coke.

Great seating area outside overlooking the canal. The fish and chips were fantastic. Some of the best batter I've ever had. Service was very quick too, especially for a busy day

Great food, great beer, great music but the two waitresses at the counter make you never want to eat there. You do.

Got told to sit upstairs without mentioning that we had to order at the bar. Waited 20 mins and when we went to ask we got told they had closed the kitchen 10 mins before. Absolute trash service

Good morning. Very disappointed by the welcome from the barmaids, we waited a good 5 minutes before being taken into account, maybe they were fed up with the tourists? In short, unfortunately not a very warm welcome. Now for the food, bland and tasteless fish and chips, I don't remember the fat in the breading and the frozen peas. A bit small portion for the fries. My partner took a mc and cheese, it was more like mc and oil because it was so sweaty and shiny. As a starter we each had smoked salmon on a blinis, a shame because my partner's dish had an extra insect in her salad. Just a sorry from them. It's a shame, probably nice for a drink but avoid if you want to eat. According to older comments it was better before. This may have a connection. Let's not talk about the price, for 30 pounds more we had a king's meal in a restaurant in Oban (starter, main course, dessert and drinks). In short, very disappointed and hurt my wallet for that.

Too bad we have to give one star because it's worth 0 Tourist trap ++++ We ended up with a very salty note, Dirty / sticky table, the reception we will say that a prison door is more friendly, the kitchen I thought I was going to have poisoning, the starter there was an insect wandering around on my plate and the dish was macaroni and cheese but the macaroni was sweating with fat it was disgusting, inedible, I couldn't finish We had asked for water, we are still waiting, we preferred to leave as quickly as possible rather than ask again TO FLEE

Barmaid had a face like thunder didn't look at me just pointed the card reader in my direction

Wir haben kurz überlegt, hier zu essen. Nachdem weder Kellner noch Barfrau Interesse daran hatten, uns einen Tisch zuzuweisen, haben wir eine Runde durch Lokal gemacht und sind wieder gegangen. Die Tische sind schmutzig, es ist laut und alle waren maximal unfreundlich. Am Vortagwaren wir bereits dort und vor der Tür im Biergarten gesessen. Für ein Bier mit Ausblick sehr schön. Essen würde ich dort nicht.

Very good venison stew (but little bread/side dishes/no potatoes or rice). Good fries. Ok beef burger in cheap bread. Thin venison burgers in cheap (loose) bread. (The mustard and mayonnaise in a bag didn't taste good. The ketchup in a bag was fine.) Local pub with lots of people. It would have been nice to sit outside if the weather was good (not raining)

Great location. Quick service and really nice food. Excellent value for money. We enjoyed the sunshine and took in the scenery. Probably the best spot in Fort Augustus for a lunchtime stop. Although we ate outside the interior was nice too.

Bad food and rude staff. Got dirty glasses. The burger was like rubber and so was the chicken Caesar salad. You shouldn't just live on the fact that you are in a tourist resort. You should deliver food for the price that the food cost as well.

A nice place next to the River but the food was very average for the price. The fish and chips have disappointed us quite a bit.