The Ship Inn in Fife

We’re “occasional regulars” at The Ship and have popped in for a few lunches & dinners recently. The food is first rate, the staff are a great team, music nights have been a blast. And a wee drink on the terrace watching the sun go down is hard to beat! Nicely done

On arrival, we did have to wait several minutes for one of the staff to eventually acknowledge us (he was making coffee) but could have said hello and made us feel welcome. The food was lovely, a bit pricey for lunch (£60 for 2 starters, 1 main, 1 small wine and an espresso), but worth it. A bit annoying that a 10% discretionary service charge was added for just 2 of us.

Had delish meal excellent fresh tasty highly recommend 10/10 dog friendly .excellent service plus pickup drop off service

We were out for a walk along the Fife Coastal Path and stopped in to the Ship Inn for lunch. What a treat. I haven't seen many wood burning fireplaces since moving to the UK three years ago, so we relished in the opportunity to sit at a table by the roaring fire. As a geographer, I loved the maps on the ceiling and as book enthusiasts loved the wall paper in the back room. The staff were very friendly and professional, and the food was fantastic. Well portioned for the money. I had a massive plate of fish and chips and my husband had a burger which he said was very tasty. I would go out of my way to go here again, enjoyed it that much.

Superb lunch - perfectly cooked hake and the best lobster that we’ve had in years - great value wine list and fantastic service. The free filtered chilled water is a bonus- definitely will be back!!

Visited on a lovely day in September. Ate in thd beer garden and the food was lovely with a cracking view. Cullen Skink was really good with nice bread and butter. Also had a cheeky wee oyster on the side that came with shallot and red wine vinegar and lemon. Was really fresh and tasted great. My partner had pate and cherry compote that was really good too. The staff were friendly and helpful too.

Great location. Great atmosphere. Great service. Great food. Only dined here. Would thoroughly recommend. Also great sunsets.

The service from Kirsty was first class,so happy and friendly . It was an absolute pleasure . Will definitely be back especially if Kirsty will be working

Thank you Kirstie for your wonderful service we had a wonderful time. Great to get service like we did. Will definately be back next time we’re in the area

Great food and a fabulous setting looking out over the sea. Elie is a lovely place for locals and visitors alike. We’re not far away so it’s a no brainer!!

We stopped in for a drink in the afternoon and could not find two seats in the pub so I perched on a tiny stool while my wife sat in the one available chair next to me. I had hurt my leg the previous day and wanted to find a better chair, so after 10 minutes, when the group of 5 next to us left, I began grabbing one of the their chairs only to be told by a woman that we couldn't have the chair because they were taking it(along with a larger sofa and another chair). They had only just arrived and my wife and I were surprised by her confidence in saying it was her chair. We argued back and forth but were not disrespectful in any way. The conversation continued and eventually we ended up with another chair from a separate table. However, the glares continued and my wife commented that they were acting a little bitchy. The women told us to sit down and be quiet. At this point, she summoned the bartender who threw us out, saying we were swearing and unruly. While it was obvious that the other patrons were locals, we expected someone to arbitrate the situation, not throw us out halfway through our drink without hearing our side of the story. We are in our 60's and not an unreasonable people. The owners may want to consider how they approach conflict management because they completely dropped the ball on this one. How credible is it to believe that two older people sitting quietly in your bar are instigating a disruption? We left after realizing how unfriendly the atmosphere felt, shocked that visitors to this small town would be treated so poorly.

As it was a lovely day we decided to dine outside overlooking the water.The menu is slightly trimmed down for outdoor dining but it suited us perfectly. The Cullen skink had been recommended to us and it is truly amazing….probably the best either of us have ever tasted! 10/10 The fish and chips were also excellent. Staff all polite , friendly and efficient. Thoroughly enjoyed our visit and hope it’s the first of many!

My son and l popped into the Ship Inn for a drink . I had a large glass of wine and he had a pint of cider . I gave him £30 and got £9.50 back in change. Will not be back there .

Great atmosphere and the taxi service to and from was an added incentive to go. Friends had huge plates of haddock and chips which looked lovely. However. I decided to have the octopus and squid ink risotto at a whacking great price of £28.95, so was expecting something special for my money. It was very tasty but the portion of octopus was genuinely tiny which pieces being cut through to make it look more than it was. I mentioned it to two separate members of waiting staff and asked this to be fed back to kitchen. No one seemed bothered and the full £28.95 was charged. Moral of the story is don’t venture beyond the haddock and chips.

Exquisite dining experience with fabulous service Toby showed us to our table - very pleasant barman. We were looked after all evening by Rachel - fantastic and personable service from a very professional waitress 😍. I had the steak and Ian had the lobster thermidor - delicious, beautiful prepared and presented. Tasty Alborinho white with the lobster. Couple of brandys for pudding - plus tasty panacotta! Very much looking forward to our next visit. Exquisite - thank you for providing such a wonderful dining experience. And the view - don't get me started! Also met the loveliest folk also dining. Must visit them when in Edinburgh - Helen Rennie dressmaker, Morningside 😊. So good to be out in beautiful north east Scotland for our 29th wedding anniversary 💕

Relatives had tried the "carry out" fish and chips and recommended them. Best recommendation. Best fish and chips for a long time - probably best ever!

Times are hard for hospitality so don’t want to be too critical. The food was very mediocre (actually my Pita and hummus main was an insult to vegetarians as the only offer available and quite nasty) but the staff were nice. It’s a nice spot and the fish and chips looked ok but you could just go to elie deli and get a decent sandwich and drink in a tin, sit on the harbour and you’d have won at life.

Went for a beer in the front of the Ship. Lovely situation , but to get two half pints of Guinness in a single use bendy plastic cup to two Irish ladies from Dublin was just awful ! - sorry, very poor and you were not busy at the time. Not cheap drinks either. Could be better.

Fabulous food, service and location .We booked a table here for an evening meal for 5 adults . The restaurant was busy but tabkes were well spaced etc . Service was friendly and efficient but not rushed .waiting staff very attentive .We all thoroughly enjoyed our food which was fresh and beautifully presented . Of particular note was the mazzarella, parma ham amd peach stater , it was one of the best starters that I have ever had , absolutely delicious !The rest of the party had fish & chios, burgers, fish burger which were all very good . The tiramisu dessert is a must try , quite differently served fron the traditoinal but delicious. We had a great tabke uostairs right at the ioen window with a fantastic view .A fabulous meal all round , thank you .

We arrived for dinner in a Wednesday eve. Enquired during the day and told not possible to book, just to turn up. Arrived in eve and no tables available. Fair enough, was a lovely eve. However told that there was no waiting list for the next available table. Whoever grabs it first gets it!!! What?!? Rugby drum then ensues when someone shows a slight sign that they may be about to leave. Gave up and went elsewhere. Why no booking system? Why no waiting list for a table. Awful!

No staff new what they was doing … kitchen shut at 4pm when advertised alll day . I tried ordering what I wanted and wasn’t there off by out of stick, aparently supply demand …. By not in stock , but not told this when I. Seated … just a shambles from when it started , place needs reporting for undercooked food , such a joke and I feel sorry for the staff try in getting to make a place to be happy

Staying locally and had his restaurant recommended to us - food was delicious, service was excellent - couldn’t fault anything! Had the mozzarella, peach & prosciutto starter followed by the rump of lamb - absolutely delicious. Our friends had the beetroot, feta & chicory starter followed by the lemon sole with mussels. Just delicious- booking advisable

After a lovely stroll along the beach - stopped at The Ship Inn for coffee and scone!The scone was most definitely not homemade as suggested on menu!Scone was brick hard (over microwaved) I’m sure it could have been used as a cricket ball for the beach cricket.Pastry chef did not seem to bother that it was hard. No explanation or refund!! We were not the only people that had the same problem.

Had lunch here on a Monday afternoon with family. The outside seating area was full, with folk waiting for a table ... Good indicator as to how popular the place is. However, we were content to sit inside. It is very well laid out and beautifully decorated. We had the fish and chips. Absolutely lovely. The staff were all very nice and chatty and accommodating. Perhaps a bit pricey, but quality does come at a price. Also, enjoy a wander around the village and along the expansive beach during your visit here. You won't regret it. All in all, a great day out.

Excellent fish and chips in a lovely setting with friendly staff and great views over the harbour. A lovely place to wind down and watch the sunset at the end of a hot day on the coast.

Spent Saturday night enjoying the weather at the beach bar.The staff were fantastic the fish and chips amazing.a special shout-out to the 3 cooks who worked their socks off (is that a thing) ? .The friendliest patrons we have ever been amongst. Keep up the good work

Sat outside while the cricket was playing on the beach. Excellent service. Food was awesome. They even changed the kids choice for our daughter who has particular food requirements. Nothing was too much trouble. An excellent time. Will definitely be back and highly recommend!

Visited as a group of 6 a few weeks ago. Seat outside quickly and service was quick. Loved my food and my husband loved his fish burger. Just a lack of choice outside. Struggled to get on the app to look at drinks available. Staff lovely and food served in good time.

This was just the best, I never wanted to leave! Had the Admiral Nelson room at the top, beautiful sea view, literally could stay there forever. Will be back as soon as possible. Thanks to all at The Ship for looking after us.

We were very disappointed with The Ship Inn. The food came in a box similar to a chip shop but the quality was disappointing. Then half way through our meal we were asked to leave as they had a larger group booking coming in and they needed the table. My wife was unable to finish her meal due to this.The surroundings and aspect are so lovely but our dining experience was sadly rather average and no where matches the prices been asked.

Great outside bar and restaurant, really well run with a fantastic atmosphere and great fish and chips. Will definitely be recommending this place and returning during our holiday here.

Happened across the outside bar and restaurant which was really busy and had a great atmosphere after a beach cricket match.We had a short wait to get a table but I have to say that every staff member was brilliant - they are a young team but all very polite, efficient and attentive.The fish and chips were lovely and so was the beer!A great evening - do not miss the opportunity to go if you are anywhere close by.

HiWe would like to say how fantastic our stay was !We were a mixed group , two older parents two couples and one child The rooms were very comfortable and pretty. Overlooking the beach Our main praise comes for the staff who were absolutely greatThey were very very helpful and extremely well trained and there were plenty of them!! This was across the board from restaurant housekeeping and bar staff ! They make excellent Irish coffees !!! The food was superb and we ate there every night of our four day stay . The weather was very hot during our time there which helped make our mini break better A very busy place too !We would certainly return The Beach Bar too was very good although busy and again the staff were great Many thanks to all at The Ship Lynn Dunkerley and family

Lovely mushroom pasta at this local favourite. Didn’t enjoy the plastic gin cup for pre dinner drinks outdoors (felt like camping), however.

Sadly, our expectations of the restaurant were not met. We ordered fish & chips; the fish was battered as expected but was underdone by a few minutes, meaning that the batter was soggy and greasy.When I went to pay the bill at the counter, the staff member printed it off, handed it to me and said "There's a service charge which I hope is all right". There was indeed a 10% / £2.40 charge which was not referred to on the menu nor by staff at any time, so it wasn't all right. I asked why they had added it and he replied "It's what we normally do. I can take it off if you like". This then became embarrassing as I was faced with handing the piece of paper back to him and saying yes please, take it off in front of the other customers & staff who were present. So I felt pressured to pay it and did, which made me pretty angry.Adding a 10% service charge for serving two people with two cardboard boxes of (mediocre) fish & chips without referring to it anywhere prior to facing the cashier, is bang out of order. No doubt I'll be seen as a miserable sod because of this review, but so be it. If a restaurant feels the need to add a service charge, don't hide the fact so it then becomes a matter of choice for the customer either before they eat there at all, or afterwards. Better still, provide an exceptional service and the staff will get tipped! STAFF DO NOT GET THE BENEFIT OF THE SERVICE CHARGE here which is outrageous! So regrettably, we won't be back.

Four of us enjoyed a meal at The Ship Inn, Elie. A water jug was brought to the table prior to our ordering drinks, which we thought was a nice touch. We shared a bread board with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and some deep fried cauliflower with dips - absolutely delicious. I wasn't too hungry so ordered my meal from the starter menu, the belly pork and scallops skewer and a side rocket and shaved parmesan salad, all which was perfectly cooked and yummy. My partner chose the steak and frites, which he stated was the best steak he'd eaten for quite a while! The other two mains were a traditional fish and chips with 'fresh' mushy peas and sea bass with trimmings and a side dish of French green beans, again beautifully presented, cooked to perfection and very tasty. The waitresses were efficient and attentive, checking our food was ok and/or whether we required any extras; the menu was not too big and obviously included fresh local produce, the wine list also complimented items on the food menu. We would highly recommend The Ship Inn's restaurant.

We stayed at the Ship last Friday night. I had booked the Admiral Nelson room as a treat for my friends 50th birthday. Everything about our stay was fabulous. The view over Elie and Earlsferry is gorgeous from this room. The accommodation is traditional seaside style with a large en-suite and some nice touches in the room.A special mention to Derry for showing us to our room, asking about shuttle availability, helping with my bag and taking us up some ice.We were also dropped and picked up from St. Monans by the shuttle bus which was driven by Jim, a nicer driver you could not meet. We loved chatting to Jim about Elie, Fife and listening to his local knowledge. This time we did not dine at the restaurant and we would have booked if we had stayed another night. Breakfast and the lovely lady that served us in the breakfast room was a delight. This was my 4th stay at The Ship, I have stayed with family, with friends including our wee dog and I can say with certainty that it won’t be the last time. Thanks to all at Ship for a lovely stay once again

Absolutely gorgeous meal. Menu was great and staff were friendly and attentive. My daughter has a nut allergy and they paid close attention to this and kept us well advised with regards to choices. We had a really lovely time celebrating my hubby’s birthday. Will definitely return when back in the area.

Great food on a busy evening due to the lovely weather on the adjacent beach. Lovely waitress Connie was very accommodating to four hungry kids! Thanks for a lovely dinner.

Had a lovely lunch, location was excellent right on the beach. Beach bar looked great and overlooked the cricket game on the beach. Food was nice, my husband had the lamb and enjoyed it very much. Great service too from Lewis.

We had lunch here with our son and his family. We were very well looked after and the food was superb - there was a kiddies menu for the girls which they enjoyed. We sat in the window in the upstairs restaurant and it was lovely looking out across the beach & the bay.

Great beer garden overlooking the beach. The service was haphazard and the food disappointing. £13 for a fish and chips, but no sign of a wedge of lemon or tartare sauce. Customers had little regard for covid rules and mask wearing. Could be so much better.

We arrived for lunch and were greeted by helpful, friendly staff. The outside area was busy but we left a phone number and were able to take a leisurely walk along the beach until we were phoned to say our table was ready (only 15min wait). Great system!We sat at a table with the most fantastic view of the beach- stunning! Our food and drink order was taken by efficient, confident staff and we were served quickly. The food was delicious. Highly recommend Ship Inn, Elie. We will definitely be back!!

I have come to Elie for many, many years. Since the very beginning our holidays always included visits to the Ship Inn. This year, I have visited the Terrace area several times - with friends, on my own, with children- and each time have been delighted. Simple, but beautifully cooked food, old favourites and more exciting options, delicious wines, but the same attention paid to a glass of water, never more than a few minutes to wait for a table, and what a beautiful place in which to wait. But overwhelmingly, on each visit it has been the staff who have amazed me: friendly, helpful, efficient….all that I might expect but perhaps not find in other places. But the Ship staff go far beyond that, they have been absolutely charming, delighted to please, willing to go the extra mile. Every single one of them! Truly one of life’s great pleasures to be able to visit this wonderful bar/ restaurant, and to feel so welcome. Never more necessary than now in these, hopefully, post CoViD times, ( but great care is paid to distancing too! ) Truly a wonderful experience, it makes the world feel a better place!

We turned up on a Sunday as the weather was good hoping to get a table outside. Very efficient staff took our name and called not much later to say our table was ready. It was busy as it was a nice day but staff managed really well. Delicious food, great fish and chips and steak and salad. My only tiny complaint would be the wooden cutlery but I appreciate that it’s not plastic so not a huge deal! Would highly recommend. Can’t wait to try the restaurant

Visited with friends for dinner. Good food with perfect service from Daniella. We note that dogs are welcome which is a positive as far as we are concerned as dog owners. Not inexpensive. Great location.

Lovely meal. Great service. Danielle in particular was very attentive and has a great knowledge of the mining Fife residents, Cowdenbeath in particular. Thanks for a lovely experience. The Ryan and Moofat families.

You need to book to guarantee a table in this restaurant. The place is absolutely buzzing. Inside and outside. You can have food and drinks overlooking the sea, eat in the bar area or restaurant. All areas are lovely. The place is well staffed and all staff are very courteous and helpful. The place is frequented by all ages and everyone can enjoy the food and ambience. The food, wine and drinks are all good value for money and all a great standard. You cannot go wrong with the fish and chips but the menu is varied and all good. No wonder this place is always busy. Would highly recommend.

Having had an awful experience in the restaurant on a previous visit, we gave the Ship Inn the benefit of the doubt. No doubt remains now. We tried to order coffees in the outside area and had to ask four times for someone to take our order. It wasn't busy and plenty of staff were on. We couldn't order chips for our son because it was between menus (11:50am)This was an exasperating experience. We had the service charge on the bill removed and it will be the last time we spend money in the Ship Inn. Its a popular place, mainly because of location and too few alternatives. I suspect things are taken for granted . We felt insignificant sitting waiting at the table. If you are offering a service and charge for that service, then please make an effort to get the basics right.

Family meal booked here for our last evening of vacation. Food absolutely amazing, staff courteous and friendly, once finished meal went outside to the table area where beautiful views of beach, harbour. Very pet friendly as we had 3 small dogs between us

We secured a booking for Sunday on Saturday night and we were impressed by the flexibility of the front of the house being able to get a table for us for Sunday as it was a very busy holiday time. On arrival and throughout we were disappointed in all elements of the Ship Inn. From the appearance and lack of energy of the staff all the way through to the food. The menu was limited and not inspiring and we were surprised to see so few fish offerings on the menu. When ordering, we played it safe and minimise the risk of further disappointment, especially as we had been treated to delightful high-quality, food and exciting, creative menus in St.Monans, St. Andrews and Pittenweem over the last few days prior to visiting the Ship Inn. The salad presented was good, so a thank you there and the burger, well, it was a burger. But if you cannot get a burger and a salad on the mark, then you should not be in the business. What was a real disappointment was the lack of energy and enthusiasm in the staff. Upstairs the three or four staff were happy to congregate behind the bar area and be very open and vocal in their comments and discussions about the diners and the diners conversations. Staff aprons were filthy and the table manner was robotic and tired. Again when compared with the enthusiasm and energy of the staff in the other establishments we had the pleasure of dining with. There seemed a real lack of direction, supervision and coaching of the staff. We did share the comments and provided the feedback to our server at the end of the booking. Sadly, I will not be returning to the Ship Inn, anytime soon.

Arrived in Elie to explore and had no preconcieved ideas of what was there. We stumbled on this amazing outdoor area that appeared to be serving food and drinks, overlooking the bay. We approached the hatch and was told to find a table, and that they would be with us shortly. We waited and waited and waited. After about half an hour, we noticed that people were going to the hatch and placing orders, so we did the same. We ordered 2 bacon rolls, 2 coffees and a sparkling water. We then waited and waited and waited and eventually somebody brought us our coffees. We waited and waited and waited quite a bit more (coffees long since finnished) and we got our bacon rolls (the bacon wasn't that great and had to ask for sauce). Had to then pin down a young lad passing to ask about the sparkling water. He came back with a pint glass, half full! In total we were there for almost 2 hours. When we were just about to leave, we became aware of a female in a black suit who had appeared on the scene and seemed to be in charge. Things looked like they were running much quicker and smoother under her guidance. If only she had been there at opening time. It was very expensive for what we got and the terrible service.Would I go back? Probably not.

We have visited this pub a few times pre Covid and always found it very good. Unfortunately it is not the same place post COVID.The menu is much simplified and of the burger and fish and chips variety with not much else of interest. I ordered a burger and found it revolting. A fatty strip of bacon coated in cheese adorned the burger which was in itself OK, but the sauce or whatever it was dropped down on everything and was not pleasant. No salad, just burger and chips. The chips were horrible and I left them all. For the prices charged it just isn’t good enough. Companion had fish and chips. The fish wasn’t particularly fresh and the batter looked tired . Apparently it didn’t taste like the ultra fresh lovely fish and chips this pub used to serve.We were then ignored for about twenty minutes. The table was sticky and needed to be wiped. There were used glasses. Our plates weren’t cleared for some time and the. The glasses were left on the dirty table. We had to ask for coffee as no one approached us despite the waitress going back and forth repeatedly to serve another table. When the coffee came I asked for the table to be cleaned and the dirty glasses removed. The glasses were removed but the table left dirty. The long gaps between main and coffee and then another long wait for the bill were inexplicable as the pub was not busy and there were enough staff. No one asked if we had enjoyed the meal.We won’t be returning.

You won’t get better food than this locally. Very friendly staff. Great outdoor area with bbq grill. Derry was especially helpful. Thank you.

Wow, where do I begin? This place is a gem. The views from the outdoor seating are stunning and the fish burger was absolutely delicious. Staff are friendly too. If you are in the area - just go!

Disappointing experience - billed as dog friendly but had to ask twice for a bowl of water for our dog on a very hot day and not a biscuit for him in sight. Food decidedly average, again had to ask twice for ketchup, mains arrived while we were still on our starters and an automatic 10 percent service charge for a very under par service?? Won’t be rushing back

Just had drinks in this super busy Pub on the beach fabulous staff, incredible setting. Total holiday vibesx

Arrived for an overnight stay and was able to find a spot to park just outside (thanks to the help of the Ship staff!). Our room was directly overlooking the bay (the Captain Scott room 0 - incredible room. The bed was huge and super comfy, and the view simply sublime. Massive shower and bathroom too. Fantastic. We had dinner in the hotel and it was delicious - ditto the breakfast! The staff were so friendly and helpful. This place is worth every penny in the stunning village of Elie. I wish we had been there when they had played a beach cricket match - maybe next time! We will definitely be returning. Did not want to leave.

We sat to lunch inside, as the outside terrace that has a beautiful view over the sea was full. The service was extremely friendly and efficient, and the place seems to be very well run despite the influx of visitors on a sunny day. The food arrived quickly and was good, but nothing out of the ordinary, and we did expect something bit more special for the prices charged. I guess you pay for the location, which is indeed very pleasant.

We often visit Ship Inn but, due to Covid, hadn't been there for some time. Considerable improvements have taken place outdoors. They also now serve hand crafted coffees which is very welcome. Great visit.

We were sat outside and ate from the limited bbq menu. Basically burgers or fish and chips in containers. So no washing up, no using the leccy. No menu was available outside until you sat down. The prices are definitely inflated for the view and the tourists. If we hadn't ordered our £3 soft drinks in plastic cups and not yet paid, we were very close to walking out. The service was painfully slow to get the food out. Plenty server's, but the so called chefs struggled with the very limited menu. Then to see people get their orders before us when we put our order in first... To top it off, they put a service charge on the bill themselves. We like to, and should be the ones to decide whether we want to tip good service. Not the restaurant. Thankfully we did enjoy the fish in the end.

On a trip around the East Coast of Scotland our son introduced my wife and I to Elie and the Ship Inn. Found Elie to be a lovely picturesque seaside village and The Ship Inn an excellent eating place. Nice ambience, friendly staff and a beautiful setting. We all selected a different meal and unanimously agreed that he food was exceptionally good. Would thoroughly recommend a visit !

Beautiful setting but a tad overpriced. We had a table overlooking the beach on a warm summer evening. The service was good, as others have highlighted the service charge is included but we didn’t notice and added on an additional tip! We all had fish and chips. The fish was lovely however the chips were small bits of potato and there were only a few full sized chips. We have been to this place a few times and it’s a lovely venue but this visit was a bit disappointing.

A lovely sea side bar with relaxed outdoor seating. Service was great, as was the drinks and the food. A massive thank you to Danielle too for brilliant customer service. We were happy to bring a smile and chuckle to your day. If you know, you know

Have been here a few times. Know it’s popular so booked well in advance. There were 10 of us so kids were on a high table beside us on the ground floor. The manager was very welcoming and the waiting staff attentive. We all enjoyed what we ordered and it was served pretty promptly. It was a lovely evening so we took ourselves outside and waited on the complementary taxi service (this is brilliant and Joe was just a lovely person. One of my friends had misplaced keys and he took him back to The Ship Inn, couldn’t do enough for us). Would always book a meal here when returning to Elie. Beautiful spot.

Lovely stay at The Ship. The room was beautiful with an amazing view of the bay. It’s such a shame our room didn’t have seats at the window to allow us to enjoy the beautiful sunsets in a comfortable manner. The food was lovely and despite the restaurant being busy, service was always efficient.

Wow!! We had a meal inside and the food was superb credit to the chefs. We weren’t rushed and the staff are absolutely perfect, not intrusive but very friendly and welcoming. We then went outside for drinks in the most perfect location ever. Also the complimentary shuttle bus here and home made it even more special. Thank you guys you’ve made more memories for us in beautiful Elie x

Came here for lunch and what a lovely surprise. Hubby had the venison burger whilst I had the breaded lemon sole. The burger apparently was just divine. My lemon sole was perfectly done with a sauce of peas, semphire and asparagus. Absolutely lovely. Decided to have dessert and that was the best decision ever. Hubby had chocolate fondant which was death by chocolate. My mango parfait was so refreshing for a hot day. Absolutely perfect lunch. Definitely one of the best.

We ordered from the outdoor menu to enjoy the sea view! Staff were so helpful, even raiding the delivery van to make sure we had ketchup!! Great meal with a view.

The food was good - loved the scallops and pork belly and maybe I was prejudiced against my venison burger as I didn’t really have what I wanted... So why 2 stars? It took ages (over 30 mins for starter and an hour for main course) and the gluten free option on fish and chips on the menu was grilled fish, no batter. Seriously, lack of effort for me given that for the sake of some gluten free flour (available everywhere), some water and an egg, grilled fish felt like a poor substitute. Bit like saying you can have a gluten free chicken sandwich and being given a plate with chicken on it. Lovely place, great location, friendly staff but wouldn’t eat here again as there are either too many covers or not enough staff and for the sake of some simple thought on GF, could be brilliant. Shame.

I’ve visited The Ship Inn many times over the years when up in Scotland but this was the first time spending the night here and we were not disappointed! The room was absolutely perfect with stunning views and spotlessly clean. We ate dinner here too and chose the Cullen Skink (which was lovely and such a good portion size), the scallops & pork belly and the lamb rump. Both dishes were absolutely amazing & the service that evening was excellent despite it being really busy! We enjoyed drinks in the outside bar whilst watching the sunset which was perfect. All the young staff working outside were great and so friendly (especially the young girl with dark hair working the evening of 28th June outside - sorry didn’t catch her name). Breakfast was equally as good. We can’t wait to return. Worth every penny. Thank you!

Have visited the Ship Inn on many occasions over the last few decades. Today was for just a coffee outside. Even taking into account staff shortages due to the current situation, it was pretty disorganised, with little to no appearance of any kind of structure or organisation of service. Prolonged delays in service with people walking out having waited and waited. Coffee was nice, once received, though rather a small paper cup size and pretty expensive! The worst moment was undoubtedly witnessing a member of staff carrying a used dog poo bag up from the beach and proceeding to deposit it in a bin within the outside bar and bbq where coffees and bacon rolls were being prepared and served from. I'm sure this would break any health and hygiene regulations but that a member of staff would even think that was a suitable place to deposit a dog poo bag absolutely beggars belief!I certainly won't be rushing back!!

5 Star Staff, Food and ServiceMy husband and I enjoyed a decadent meal at the Ship Inn on a sunny Saturday evening. We were seated at a lovely table upstairs overlooking the beach and the view was simply stunning.The staff were exceptional - friendly, attentive and most importantly happy!The food was incredible and we enjoyed every bite.Could not recommend The Ship and their Crew any higher. Thank you :)

We had an outside table with sea view and on a sunny day it was really lovely looking over the beach. However the experience was really let down by the service. Once seated we waited 20/25 minutes before we eventually got hold of a waiter to order. He advised us the kitchen was shut for orders to catch up and we could order in another 10/15 minutes. With a small child this wasn’t ideal after waiting so long already. There didn’t appear to be much management of service outside, as customers who came after us, were served before which was a bit frustrating. Tables beside us also commented on the lack of attentive service and need to keep catching waiters when they passed. We were also given the wrong drinks order twice, charged for additional items on our bill which also included a 10% service charge. I believe this might be stated on the menu but I didn’t see it very clearly and really didn’t warrant the level of service we were provided. I can’t fault the food it was lovely but service really let them down and sadly wouldn’t recommend for families if you have such a long time to wait.

We turned up late morning and were delighted to be able to book a table for lunch that day. Service was very good considering the COVID safety measures. The menu was a little limited but did not disappoint. We ordered the tagliatelle and Caesar salad. Both were excellent! Also a side of truffle fries. It’s not a cheap meal, but the quality was excellent and we were thoroughly delighted.

Food absolutely amazing. Service good. We ate in the main restaurant after enjoying a few drinks in the beach bar, adjacent to restaurant on the beach. Stunning setting and the great sunny weather helped.

I had a lovely dinner of fish & chips on the Ship Inn's terrace last weekend. The food was very tasty and the Macabeo wine was delightful. Andi and his team were very hospitable and did everything they could to make sure our visit was memorable. Would highly recommend and I'll definitely be back! Thank you Ship Inn team.

Booked in for a meal, on Friday evening. When we arrived - we could hardly communicate over our table, because of a VERY loud and noisy, large table of guests. Thankfully, they left, but were immediately followed by another crowd, equally, as noisy. It completely ruined our evening.On top of this, two tables had dogs. One was tied up - the other table allowed their dog to continually escape and run off. This was to be added by a third dog, who “appeared” to be owned by staff. This dog disappeared under the adjoining table, and apparently had an accident. Little wonder, due to the volume, of shouting voices and laughter, in the restaurant. I own a dog myself, and I can assure you, I would never dream of taking it into a restaurant.An evening spent, having to shout at each other, to be able to hear, because of other more selfish customers, who drowned out everyone else, is not my idea of a good evening out.

Visited The Ship Inn with my husband for a drink on Wednesday 16th of June.I ordered 175ml glass of Kiwi Sauvignon blanc and at £8.50 I thought it was a bit pricey however enjoyed it all the same. The sun was shining and we were enjoying the relaxed atmosphere so I decided to have a second glass.My husband had a pint of Aspalls cider and a coffee.His coffee arrived minus sugar, not a great inconvenience but he shouldn’t have had to ask for it.When it came to settle our bill, I asked the young lady to add on a tip and was advised that there was a service charge. Like other reviewers I was a bit taken aback but what can you do so paid and left. When I checked the bill later I had not been served the wine I asked for AND it was £9.50 not the £8.50 that I had expected to pay.10% service charge should be optional for good service. Although the staff were polite I received the wrong more expensive wine and not asked if that would be ok and no sugar until we had to ask for it.Last point, who gets the 10%? I’m interested to know.

Food was ok service not the best, and most annoyed they did not have table napkins, I find that unacceptable for an expensive restaurant.

We went to Elie after being in St Andrews as we have fond memories of the ship inn and how good the food is.However on this occasion the food was very poor as was the service. My partner ordered pita bread with hummus. She got one small mini piece of pita bread with a smearing of hummus and some chips for £11. My fish batter was oily and not pleasant at all. The service was very poor, no napkins or salt / pepper offered. One meal had no cutlery. Very poor quality of food, portions are not what the cost reflects.

Although The Ship adhered to all the COVID Rules (it had adapted its table layout to comply) it still managed to create an enjoyable dining experience, both inside and out. The 'Cheap Eats' reference below is not a comment on the quality of the food but on the value for money. The portions were superb.The reference to seating below, was based on our experience, but since there is a large outdoor area, they might well accept 'walk-ins' at the least busy times).

Out for lunch at The Ship good meal and great coffee. Not so sure I like the automatic assumption that your going to leave a tip and add it to the bill without saying anything. I was about to add a tip when I realised. I believe that's the customers domain and not the vendors.Otherwise a good experience.

We were told by friends to go to the ship Inn whilst we were camping not far away. It didn't disappoint. We had the Cullen Skink followed by fish and ships with jersey Royals and the green beans. I've never had a cullen skink so good and the main was amazing right down to the mushy peas. Im definatly gonna cook my veg that way in the future. The chef is so talented. The staff are so friendly and clearly glad to be back from the lockdown. We didn't have to wait long for a table and our greyhound was very welcome too with a bowl of water at hand for us.

We arrived without a booking and it was full but the manager went out of his way to ensure that with a short wait that we could have a table. We were very glad about that. The food was delicious and the setting lovely too. Home made hummus followed by monkfish and chorizo on a bed of risotto. What really made the lunch great was our waitress. Not only was she efficient but really friendly and cheerful. If you are up this way- I would put it on the list to eat at.

I booked the ship inn for Friday 4/6/2021, a few weeks prior to my stay in Elie on the back of recommendations from friends. The atmosphere is rowdy and loud on entering but we were seated quickly and ordered a wine and a soft drink. When we ordered our starters they came and were delicious Cullen skink and scallops and pork belly. We then proceeded to wait 45 minutes for our main courses which were a burger and a caeser salad. We walked away from the table to say we simply couldn’t wait any longer and that the service had been awful only to be handed a full bill we were expected to pay. we had to negotiate not paying for our drinks. I’ve never complained or left a negative review on trip advisor but this experience was so disappointing and I cannot believe an assistant manager thinks acceptable customer service is not by voiding the bill in it’s entirety. The ship inns reputation is so renowned and they delivered such poor standards on this occasion. We had been so looking forward to a lovely evening so this poor experience ensures we will not return.

We (a party of 6) visited the Ship Inn for dinner at 5.30pm tonight 7th June 2021. On arrival we ordered drinks. The waitress accidentally dropped a glass of red wine down my brother in laws back. His shirt and jacket was covered in red wine. We accepted it was an accident but no senior member of staff came to the table to apologise or to see if there was anything they could do. My brother in law had to take his jacket downstairs to a member of staff to see if they could put something on the jacket to remove the red wine. On leaving my brother in law went to collect his jacket which was smelling of vinegar and we spoke to a manager and voiced our concerns about our treatment. As a good will gesture we would have thought that my brother in law s meal would have been offered free of charge as his clothes were ruined but no offer was made. We also noticed on leaving that his wife’s jacket was all covered in red wine splashes!!! To top it off we were charged for a replacement glass of red wine!!We were very disappointed with our treatment and also thought the food was overpriced compared to other restaurants we have been to. A very disappointing night which was supposed to be a celebration.

Lovely service and friendly atmosphere We both had fish & chips Large portion but plate was bit small for this meal My fish was greasy which I advised waitress

We visited the Ship Inn for dinner last night. The food was great and the atmosphere was spot on. It was exactly what we needed after a sunny day on the beach. We’d like to give a big shout out to Rachel Dukes who served us. She was incredibly attentive and pleasant despite busy dealing with all the tables. Thank you Rachel!

Disappointed visit. Having dined here previously I knew the food was to an extremely high standard and the location is 10/10. However when we returned this month I wS extremely disappointed with the service from the waiting staff. We were brought the wrong starter, had empty glasses throughout the meal, they paid very little attention to our needs and when they had a cancellation, another table who had arrived after us and got to move to another table closer to the heater (we were outside) while we weren't given a second thought. The service was slow and I noticed the wrong starter which came to use was taken straight to another table after sitting with us for 5 mins... surely that can't be covid friendly! Staff were very ubattentive and it wasn't even busy. They seemed inexperienced, shame it ruined our experience.

staff could not have done more. lovely staff lovely views, beautiful spot! would recommend for a relaxing pint.

Had Lunch indoors in the Ship Inn a couple of weeks ago and the food was excellent and great value.Staff were very helpful answered any questions we had regarding the menu.We came here as I had recently discovered my grandfather was born in 1888 in one of the houses in the Toft

This has to be one of the best restaurants anywhere in Scotland. The food is incredible, lots of local ingredients (Haddock Mornay and the Cullen Skink are not to be missed). Also the staff are very welcoming and really friendly, i would highly recommend this.

I came here with my family last year and we found that the food was incredible so we decided to come back today. The food was excellent, awesome view of the beach and bay, and the staff were all so friendly. Good table spacing and didn't have to wait too long for food.

Best fish and chips eaten out for 30years. Batter to die for. Well worth the visit if you are in the area. Absolutely scrumptious.

We were very warmly welcomed even though we only stopped for coffee. It was delicious, by the way! The menu looks interesting with something to please everyone. There were tables outdoors overlooking to beach & estuary. Inside had a good number of well spaced tables.

I stayed with my partner just after lockdown lifted at the end of April , and we stayed 3 nights here at no 4 the Sir Francis Drake.Our room was lovely clean well stocked , although not overlooking front . The staff are absolutely amazing and special mention to Rachel who was delightful and served our dinner and is soon to be working at their new hotel venture in Lower Largo called The Crusoe. I also loved Lizzi Ann who served us our delicious breakfast each morning and also was doing housekeeping for the hotel . My partner would recommend the smoked haddock spinach cheddar omelette Also a shout out to lovely new young waiter originally from East Kilbride who served us and recommended the delicious venison burger which we devoured on our second night . I don’t know his name though . Thank you The food is incredible at the Ship Inn and we have stayed before and would highly recommend Elie is so beautiful and staying overlooking the beach is such a tonic in a mad world.

Visited today for my daughters 8th birthday along with my son who is diabetic asked if they could tell us what carbs was in the kids meal or what ingredients were but told they didn't know no big deal we just used a ready reckoner my wife carries but thought they could have at least made a bit of an effort to check or find out.. Kids meals served but we waited an hour and a half and still no meals for the adults asked about ours to be told kitchen was busy possibly 10-20 mins wait we decided to just leave the mains no apologies just handed the bill and still decided to charge a service charge.. I paid it but I would have been embarrassed to ask somebody after the level of sevice.. Poor show

Went today on the first day of opening. Had booked a table but they sat us not under cover however Oliver was amazing! As soon as a table came up he moved us and his service was great all night! Thankyou

As a lonely contractor staying in one of the rooms the staff kept me entertained (and humiliated after finishing last in the pub quiz by some margin).The food was excellent and perfectly presented if not a touch pricey. I went with the Halloumi burger and to finish with the Chocolate fondant with almond prailine crunch and salted caramel ice cream. As you'd expect from an establishment that's listed in the Real Ale guide; The Inn also has a decent selection of great beers.