The Ship Irvine Ayrshire in North Ayrshire

Friendly staff and good selection on menú with lunch options. Dog friendly, and generally everyone's pooches behave well

Stop off for coffee and cake. The owner really makes you feel welcomed, a bit quiet, but it was early afternoon, but a steady stream of people kept it going.

Expensive Fish and Chips. Chips were dry and appeared to be oven chips. Fish more batter and we both thought fish had a slimy texture. I left most of mine ordering more drinks as food did leave a strange taste.

Arrived at the time we had booked and were shown to the table. The young girl serving us did not know what low or zero alcohol beer was available, did not know if an item could be held in a hand and basically walked away from us. Waited more than 30 minutes for the starter as the chef thought he had sent it out. no apologies or anything. When it arrived a few minutes later it was bland and a tiny portion size. Main courses were delivered pretty quickly and were pretty good sizes and very tasty. Asked for the bill twice even though the place was empty.

First visit we had, staff were flustered and seemed to be struggling and service was slow, despite it not being overly busy that day. However the food was good so we thought we would return another day to try again. As ex hospitality i appreciate some days are just iff days and things go wrong, so i always go for a second trial. We planned the day with friends to return and traveled an hour for particular food items on the menu. We didn't reserve as last trip the place was so quiet, and there was no noticable recommendations to do so. On arrival (we arrived staggered due to being in separate cars) we all received huffy and "i have better places to be" kind of attitude from pretty much all staff. We ended up with an outside table due to having a dog with us to then at the time of ordering be told we can't order that food as we have to get a different menu. This wasnt communicated prior and main food items were excluded from the garden menu. The kids menu had the same food that on the adults menu was disallowed to eat outside, but the kids could order these dishes? Not sure why certain dishes are excluded from being allowed to be eaten in the garden by adults? And ill be honest I'm still none the wiser to this arbitrary rule despite trying to gain an understanding. We asked to eat inside so we could enjoy the food we traveld for, and despite not being that busy we were then told they were full ... needless to say after being spoken down to and it being made apparent our custom wasn't wanted we left to eat somewhere else. I highly recommend you walk for another 5 minutes and get the food at the puffers cafe instead. Tasted even better and had much better customer service and price point even when they were cued out the door.

Very tasty food. Not our first visit and not our last. Love that it is dog friendly.

We've been here before and the food was lovely. But yesterday, the staff were very unhelpful, unaccommodating and honestly, a bit rude. Bit of a fuss made about getting a table despite it being pretty quiet, moved outside as the dog with us was a bit agitated. Told we couldn't have anything from the indoor menu, despite half of it being on the kids menu (which we could have outdoors). When we tried to explain to staff, they were quite rude and we ended up leaving.

Had the Cullen skink soup , it tastes great but , couple hours later had chronic diarrhea

Too many barking dogs - 4 at one table.. Don't mind dogs but only of quiet as the takes away the enjoyment of the food.

As always, food, service and staff above and beyond. Been visiting for years and standards never drop below 100%.

We were greated by manager when we arrived, and shown to a table. Great food, busy but helpful smiling pleasant staff would highly recommend to everyone

Fantastic welcome into a gorgeous cozy atmosphere, topped only by outstanding service and the best roll and bacon to be found in Ayrshire. Will definitely be back with the dog in tow very soon!

Lovely lunch, gluten free options catered for with care and attention. Staff were cheerful and friendly. Would recommend and will definitely be making a return trip soon. Thank you

Had a late lunch/dinner was lovely. I ordered chicken and haggis pie which was great (maybe a bit tight on the chicken/haggis sauce with a massive puff pastry). I’d have even taken more of a side with it for the money it cost. However like I say we really enjoyed our lunch. Super dog friendly which I love, even have dog beds so they aren’t on the floor! Would recommend and come back, one of the better places to eat in the area for sure!

Really welcoming. Dog friendly. Good range of beers. Food is fresh and tasty. Great scones & muffins. When I was there a group were playing songs from The Eagles to The Proclaimers. Made for an entertaining afternoon. I always enjoy my visits here, as does my rescue dog Max.

Waited 40 mins or so after order was in and my son had to give them his fish back double battered and only a bit of fish

Nice PUB with good food and service. The Irvin harbour is a nice location too

I was in today with mum for get something to eat. And ordered the sandwiches. And the Sandwiches Really good for money. Plus the Service was excellent. So we will back again.

Had brunch today and it was great. Staff very friendly, helpful and attentive. Even my dog had a wee bowl of sausages. 😊

We had a fantastic lunch here and were treated like absolute royalty. This was my new pups first pub outing and we were treated with care and respect, it couldn’t have been more special. Will definitely be back. Steak pie n coffee fab too.

Staff lovely and attentive. Food was awful. I had the mushrooms which were lukewarm, awful. Chicken supreme with gravy was not nice at all. I certainly won't be back. I visited on Christmas eve. Used to be fantastic place for food

Really good food, thoroughly enjoyed it with pleasant surroundings and attentive staff. Although it was just about okay for us, the temperature was a little cool for our elderly parents. Will come back again.

We visited the Ship Inn Irvine about a year ago and as you can see from my previous review it was very disappointing, but I returned here on the 13th December 2024 where I'm pleased to say that changes have been made, PLEASE READ the entire review. The Ship Inn Irvine, what can I say? I would really like to say something good but there isn't anything good to say 😕 The service and atmosphere was mediocre at best and the food was not good, we ordered salmon gravadlax and cullen skink for starters they were OK then main course was big steak pie which I was informed brought in and heated up very dated dish the ship supreme which was far from supreme dry chicken 🐔 no garlic in the chicken and no sign of orange in the sauce and deserts which were not any better lemon posset which was watery and with no lemon flavour and chocolate fondant which was so hard on the outside but was runny in the centre but it was stone cold I think a microwave was involved here. I got it changed but it was no better. I was told that there was a high turnover of chefs and use of a microwave in a lot of the dishes. Very disappointed having spent £94.11 for two people. I would definitely not recommend this restaurant to anyone else and will not be returning there unless there are drastic improvements to the quality of food and service. This is supposed to be a gastro pub but a lot of the chain pubs provide better food and service. Not happy at all. I believe that this is probably the worst restaurant I have ever had the misfortune of visiting. Back at the Ship Inn Irvine and immediately I can see a change, the front of house staff very engaging and friendly a big change from the last time, we arrived a little early but got our table right away. We had our drinks and ordered our food, the starters arrived promptly and the standard of food had gone up way higher than our previous visit in every way service, presentation, flavour and texture. The main courses and deserts arrived which were also of very high standard in every way. The service from the front of house staff was professional, prompt, friendly and most of all we were made to feel welcome here. The kitchen performed faultlessly producing high quality tasty dishes, they now have a very good head chef with an excellent brigade behind them. Overall this was a very pleasant and enjoyable experience, like night and day from our last visit. We left here feeling very happy and satisfied 🙂 and we will definitely be coming back here again and I would really recommend every one else to visit the Ship Inn at Irvine. Definitely worth a very good 5 star review and now one of the best restaurants I have had the pleasure of visiting. 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Loved this place. Great food, friendly service and nice vibe. We will defo be back.

Really lovely place. Very warm and inviting atmosphere. Staff were absolutely brilliant. My cousin had fries, and I had the carrot cake. We both thoroughly enjoyed the food and our time there. I'll definitely be going back.

Great steak pie. Very generous helping. Chris could not have been more helpful. He had worked tirelessly to get his business back up to its previous best despite all the setbacks with covid etc. Will certainly be back

Staff made us very welcome, taking time to converse with my elderly father. Cosy fire, great food. Definitely be back.

We had a fantastic family meal at The Ship Inn in Irvine, and we couldn’t be more impressed. The food was absolutely delicious, with every dish prepared to perfection and beautifully presented. The service was outstanding, with the staff going above and beyond to make us feel welcome and ensuring we had everything we needed. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, creating the perfect setting for a family gathering. The cleanliness of the restaurant was also noteworthy, with every area spotless and well-maintained. We’ll definitely be returning for another wonderful experience!

Love going here for my dinner. Atmosphere 5 stars the service amazing and the food would give 10 stars always recommend.

Always very attentive to my gluten free request and menu has great choice

Great place, very friendly staff. We both opted for a big pie. The pastry was so buttery and delicious. We had steak pie and a vegetarian pie. For dessert, the largest slice of chocolate cake you have ever seen and a Tunnocks Ice Cream Sundae. Both absolutely delicious! Subsequently now been back for another visit. Menu has been revamped. Managed to get some more pictures and an absolutely delicious sticky toffee pudding.

Food and service was great although the kids portions were extremely small.

Amazing place, super doggy friendly with wee beds next to tables and the best Cullen Skink I’ve had in ages. With a visit for sure.

Overpriced for very small portions , food was bland , room temp drinks, 1st visit and last

Fantastic it had been a while since I had been in.

Good value for money, had live music on too. Really enjoyed it

I would like to thank who I presume was the manager today..my daughter broke down outside his restaurant and I went to ask for jump leads..he gave me them from his restaurant manager. Well it gets better the owner came out and gave me a coffee on the house ...I feel so guilty as I was in grow having brunch with my daughter. So getting the jump leads from a total stranger . The place was so beautiful why have I not been here before !! So yes I will be frequenting this place. I again would like

Had a lovely walk at Irvine Beach then lunch in The Ship Inn, it was super dog friendly with little beds at all the tables for them in their designated area. Food was superb and service was excellent, even brought water for the dog without having to ask and offered dog snacks too. Will definitely return here 🐶

Stopped off at The Ship before making our way to the ferry at Androssan. Couldn’t fault a thing, great service, fantastic food and we felt really welcomed. Loved the decor and tunes too! We’ll be back and recommending to friends and family.

We went there a bit late but overall it was still very enjoyable. The Irn bru ice cream sandwich cake is a must try! I love it so much!

Fantastic food in a stunning setting. Will be back every time we're in Irvine.

Terrific place. Very dog friendly and welcoming.

We only had tea, coffee and scones, so we can't give an in-depth review. However, what we had was very good. The staff were friendly. It's a very comfortable pub with a relaxed atmosphere. They are dog friendly, which is a big plus for us. We will certainly go back next time we visit Irvine.

Incredible sea atmosphere and excellent service. Very tasty sandwiches. I will definitely be back

We recently moved to Irvine and this is our new favourite place. We regularly meet up with our grown up kids and their dogs for dinner. Food is always fantastic and the service is second to none. Our server last night 21/9/24 (tall guy with hair in a ponytail) was particularly fab and very funny. Hubby never usually orders fish when we go out to eat as we are a family of butchers but he’s had the fish and chips our last 3 visits. It’s fantastic that we can bring the dogs with us after a walk at the beach park and you never feel like they are an inconvenience. Steak pie is lovely and the “Wee Wan” is such a good size. Everyone is so pleasant and this is a fab location. Can’t wait for our next visit, thanks once again for being so welcoming

Tonight we had a birthday celebration and camnot fault anything. Went above and beyond for my stepmum and guests. Food was beautiful. Attention perfect. So welcoming and made her night perfect. As for us. Thankyou.

Great service from Lexie and Christopher. Best Sullen Skink out of Aberdeenshire !

Went here the other day for some lunch, it was really busy and they were short staffed but the guys working were excellent and their service was great, we ordered Cajun chicken ciabatta, the food was really good and they made sausages for our dog to keep him quiet! Great day and would highly recommend

Lovely visit with the dogs. Service fantastic and attentive. Food exceptionally. Will be back!

great breakfast brunch, recommend the BIG WAN, the wee wan is super tasty too.

Excellent pub with really good space and decor. Friendly, efficient service, too. Only had one drink and one small snack.

Our meal was outstanding, the staff were knowledgeable with their menu, and even recommended the Salmon for my good lady. The Salmon was delicious, I decided on the steak pie which was equally delicious. Relaxed atmosphere and I can only say it's a must visit for a quality meal, and the history of the Ship Inn is something else.

Arrived from the UK, very impressed with the decor, staff and especially the quality of the food, would highly recommend. Michael

We have visited several times. Dog friendly, instantly came with water bowl. Nothing was too much bother. Will be back again

First time here for breakfast yesterday. Warm welcome from the staff and the owner. Emma was fantastic and in no time our delicious breakfast was on the table. Chris the owner is so lovely and made sure we were happy with everything. We will be back for sure

We called in today as we had our dog with us we found that it was appealing on entering staff were courteous and inviting once shown to our table the little extras for our dog ie water bowl, mat and clip for anchoring the dog lead was a great idea so no more eating with one hand .The food was also lovely the dog enjoyed her sausages , very enjoyable needless to say we will be back as Steak Pie looked amazing , on asking for our bill we were offered to take the gratuity off we actually wanted to leave a bigger tip but was told it’s fine as it’s already there , next time I will bring some cash too as feel it wasn’t enough fr service given . Love that it’s extremely dog friendly 5*****

Went to The ship this morning for an amazing 2 for 1 brunch deal. Ordered 2 of the "Big Wan" breakfasts, and what a meal it was. Absolutely worth it. All the food was sooo flavoursome and very mouth watering. Not only cooked to perfection but was by far one of the best quality selection of Ayrshire produce I have eaten. Service and staff were amazing, Rebecca was a great waitress and had excellent people skills and very attentive. Great banter with the owner (Alexa) 😉 We will be back real soon for some live music and more tickle yer taste bud meals. Cheers

The food was OK, typical Pub Food really. What let it down was the very poor service! Only two young girls were there taking orders etc. For a place this size they really should have had more staff. We had FAR too long to wait before they even came to get our order. They also add a service charge, so watch out for that when you are paying. The poor girls probably don't get any of it as the payment is by card only!

Just back from brunch at The Ship...I had Stornoway Eggs and partner had Eggs Benedict. All food of good quality and fresh...the Hollandaise sauce gets a 10 out of 10...service excellent and nice relaxed vibe....Will certainly be returning....

Chicken banana sweetcorn pie, the chicken is off a poor quality, taste was a little bland. Portion not good for cost, left hungry. Why should there be a service charge, if I receive great food and service then I leave a good tip. I hate being forced to pay a tip even if food/service is poor. Remove the FORCED service charge, until then I will not be back. PS Staff were good.

I stopped here today for a drink. Service was speedy - and although I didn't eat here the couple at the next table did. They were served quickly and their fish and chips looked very tempting - nice portion size, freshly cooked. If I come back I'll go for their fish and chips! There is a wee beer garden - but no flowers; it's just a small terrace with outside trestle tables, and there are also covered wooden pods for diners at the side. Inside the pub is fairly traditional - which I liked. I'd happily go back. My pint wasn't too bad price wise - £4.75 for Inch's cider. Not too bad compared with others. It was pleasant sitting outside in the sun. If it rains there are the covered pods, or seats inside.

Went with my sisters today, foods amazing and the service, I will visit again the next time I’m up in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A very old fashioned "feel". Nice food, lovely presentation and nicely dressed staff.

Hadn't planned to go to the Ship, but so glad we did. Staff were lovely. Food excellent. Separate vegan section on the menu, which was great as one of our party was vegan. Quality of food was really good. I had the chicken and banana pie, which was very unusual, but delightful. Enjoyed the experience. Price very reasonable. Will definitely be back.

Want to start off with saying the food quality was really good and our servers were really nice and friendly and spoke away to the wee one, making her laugh and feeling included, which I really appreciate when taking her out to restaurants (forgotten thier names). I had the small steak pie and even though the quality of food was good, once the pastry was off the steak pie there was about 3 bits of small steak inside and just alot of gravy. Very few vegetables on the plate. The other guest had the Mac and cheese and although said it was nice did feel it would have been very bland had it no been for the garlic bread. The soup was very watery as well We came to the ship last year and felt the food was of a much better quality as well as value for money. The bill was close too £100 on this visit and this felt a bit over priced for what we received. We have given the benefit of the doubt this time and will return in future but sadly would not rush back on a Sunday.

Had the vegan breakfast, was lovely. Nice relaxed atmosphere with great friendly service.

Great to see it back and as good as ever. Good menu, good food and I love the atmosphere here. Dog friendly and outside seating

Cozy pub. Very large and well cared for. Friendly service. Good food.

A unique pub with delicious food. Family friendly and in a great location. Will definitely visit again.

Good food but a bit overwhelmed service

Dog friendly and friendly staff. Food was amazing as well

Four of us went there last night to celebrate our joint wedding anniversaries. Really lovely evening. Excellent food, very attentive staff and service. Would not hesitate to go back.

A must visit when in Irvine - our go to place at least 2 a month !

Realy enjoy my meal there, the staff was friendly and warm welcoming. Made for a realy nice meal out. Will definitely come back again when we are in the area.

I can not put into words how impressed I am with the ship inn, the staff are incredible, the owner is so lovely and so funny, they had an amazing area indoors for the dogs and were so amazing with my anxious puppy and to top it all the food was incredible I am literally so excited to come back

Stopped in for a drink and decided to stay for food because we were enjoying the atmosphere. Waited 40 mins for our food only to be asked if we had already had it as it wasn’t put through the kitchen. Really unfortunate, no apology offered either.

Had gf and df Fish and chips, my wife has allergies, sadly after returning home after the meal she was unwell Glutened. Though the food was very nice, think some cross contamination happened.!!!

I tried something different from starters and it was delicious and then asked if they could doctor my chicken and banna pie and as usual although a different chef

Spent a lovely Sunday evening her. Was quieter than usual as the Scotland V Hungary Euro Game was on. The food was delicious. We both ordered Fish & Chips. It arrived less than 10 mins after ordering. We got a side of Garlic Bread with cheese. Two pints of beer morertti . Total bill came to £53.70 The staff were lovely and very chatty. My only complaint was it was Card Only payment. I prefer to use Cash. I can’t help but think that they may miss out on a few sales due to people having cash only on them. I can see the point on card only as it saves handling cash but not very customer inclusive. Discriminating against cash users which is legal tender. I’m sure they wouldn’t discriminate against a disabled person from dining so why cash?

Came for a visit with family and our last day with my sister who is travelling back to Australia in the morning. Warm welcome when we arrived, staff very friendly and accommodated us. Would highly recommend the steak pie, the small is large helping great value for money. Will definitely be back and will recommend to others.

Spent a lovely afternoon in the ship with family, and it brought back many happy memories of previous visits of over 40 years of celebrations with family and friends .. of birthdays and anniversaries we have shared over the years.....the staff were very friendly and attentive .. remembering the big wan and the wee wan ....

Excellent food and service as always

Perfect as always, cool on a hot day, but with ample outdoor seating, food as usual was delicious and live music early on added to the ambience.

We visited the ship today with our two dogs we thoroughly enjoyed the lunch and found the staff very helpful, we would definitely return when visiting irvine again.

Staff & food were excellent,The Ship Irvine definitely worth a visit.

Excellent experience. Great service from Emma

Food was delicious, staff were friendly and pub is beautiful. Will be back!

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the Ship Inn Bar in Irvine and was thoroughly impressed by the exceptional service provided by Jamie. Jamie's attentiveness and friendly demeanor immediately made me feel welcome. Their extensive knowledge of the drink menu and ability to recommend perfect pairings for my meal was impressive. Jamie consistently checked in to ensure everything was to my satisfaction, creating a genuinely enjoyable experience, dedicated to providing top-notch service, and I look forward to returning soon. Highly recommend!

Great food and service definitely be back

it’s great…. they even have their own sea and jelly bean incense !! Emma, Jamie and Lexie run a great show here (pay rise????)

Visited here a few times, always with the dog and we are always made very welcome. Even able to accomodate a large group with little notice, amazing service and the food never disappoints.

Food was good can't complain. Beware ta service charge is applied to your bill without being told. I always leave a tip but object to being told what I'm tipping

Christopher the owner was a great host. The barman was very friendly and welcoming.

Had a drink, in the sun,in beer garden...

Went to The Ship Inn on Friday evening with family. Amazing food. Brilliant decor and friendly staff. Had reservations as taxi driver said he wasn’t keen on it! Completely disagree with him and sad that he isn’t advertising such a local tourist hot spot. 😎🥰

More The Dark & Dinghy Inn for me. A good place to get a table if you are under mortar fire or there is a hurricane in the harbour. The food and service isn't quite good enough to take away the feeling that maybe the world has ended and you must remain transfixed by the wall of clocks

Food was good service was good and price was good. Here is the but, the place was bloody freezing.

Been here a few times food is always great and staff are lovely definitely will be back 😋

very cool Location, much History to find here

Absolutely amazing place, restaurant quality food and a lovely owner and service to boot. We brought our dog and sat outside as it was sunny, there's is also dog friendly seating inside. The place is stunning outside and inside. Give it a try!