The Tayvallich Inn in Argyll & Bute

What a horrible experience me and my family had here today! We holiday quite frequently at Castle Sween caravan park and have visited Tayvallich in the past. This time we thought we would give the Inn a go for some lunch and I wish we never bothered. We arrived and I went in to double check that having the dogs was ok, I was 'greeted' by a very rude server, who asked if we had booked and rolled his eyes when we said we hadn't, as we didn't know we had to. We said we would sit outside as it was a nice day and would be better for the dogs. While getting the dogs tied up and kids sitting, the server stood impatiently and asked if we wanted any drinks, to which we asked for a few mins to get sorted, he sighed and walked away. When he returned one off our dogs gave a small bark. He then demanded that we put the dogs in the car and made us feel very uncomfortable. We decided to eat elsewhere as we had now lost all confidence of enjoying a nice lunch. Thankfully the Tayvallich Cafe down the road was open and we had a lovely lunch there, served by very polite and kind staff. I would recommend you give the Tayvallich Inn a miss as it was not welcoming at all and head along to the cafe.

Appalling meal tonight. Asked for sauvingon blanc wine. Was more like an early morning specimen & warm. Definitely not sauvignon blanc. Burger was undercooked. Sent it back. Came back exactly the same on original plate with cold chips, onion rings. When we complained we were originally charged for the burger which was not even eaten!! Service wasnt great either. Staff prefer to spend their time in the public bar & forget about the restaurant customers.

Brilliant place with a beautiful location, food was amazing and Pablo will keep you entertained, never rushed us to the point we were the last in. Highly recommended

This inn has a delightful spot overlooking the bay and a cosy pubby feel inside with outside seating for warmer weather. The food here is on a different level. Fantastic menu, very different to the usual suspects and particularly great seafood, although nothing disappointed. Cleared plates all round. We'll be back.

Booked table for lunch .I had tempura prawns and my husband had the mussels ,both excellent. We both had cod with black pudding for main course. It was great or awesome as my husband said. Service great . Highly recommend it !

Ate here a couple of times when staying locally. Great local seafood dominates the menu and it's well cooked, and reasonably priced. Quite a wide ranging menu, and plenty for the non-fish lover to choose from too - curries particularly good. The inn is very popular, because of its food and its lovely location overlooking the stunning bay. Good local beers, nice service and generally a very pleasant experience. Only downside/recommendation is to check where you're eating - on our second visit, we booked that day, but discovered we'd been put outside on the covered terrace. That can be absolutely lovely, especially for a sunny lunchtime, but when it's evening, it's hosing it down, there's a bit of a breeze, and you end up wearing your anorak, it's not great. Galling to then find reserved tables inside that were free for another hour after we'd finished... Had we been inside we'd probably have stayed for another drink/pudding, but as it was, we headed home to the warm. Next time we tried to book (which shows you we really liked the food, just not outside on a wet night), only outside was available, so we ate elsewhere.

After a beautiful scenic drive, we went at 17:10pm first time to this restaurant, ending our long weekend. We were smartly dressed came in a high end BMW. The place was empty bar a couple at the bar with their dog, every table had a reserved sign on it. Well the angry owner was so rude when we asked for a table. Saying we should have booked, next time book before you come. You are lucky as we have a table. Yes you felt like something he trod on. He pointed to a reserved table for us to sit at. Two other couples came, no booked table, each had dogs, which the owner petted quite a lot. Without washing hands he gave them cutlery and drinks. Our waitress brought drinks and took our order. However my husband passed his ale to me as I had a soft drink and the ale was not to his taste. No sign of our waitress, he went up to the bar to order a drink. The owner appeared and told him again in an angry tone, sit down you should not come to the bar. As the barmaid had already served him his drink, my husband sat down with it. Waitress was very nice, as was the food. But this rude little man ruined what should have been a lovely last meal. The tables remained empty way after we finished our meal. So even if you are well presented, beware of this little man.

Excellent food and service at reasonable prices. We will certainly be back to enjoy more of the same.

High quality meal with friendly, efficient service on the edge of a very pretty bay. Our third visit over three years - very enjoyable each time. Hope to return.

Gorgeous little inn, great food and beer very reasonably priced with a menu for everyone. We had the venison and the lobster and they were both delicious! Very friendly staff, beautiful views over the bay to watch the gannets diving. Hope to be back again soon.

We booked a table for 4 in the bar area, where we were allowed to take our dog. The staff were friendly and helpful, the food excellent and the drinks reasonably priced. We are only in Tayvallich for a week but have booked a table for our last night. I would recommend this restaurant as an informal place to eat which has a great atmosphere. It was a wee bit loud so if you are looking for a quiet more formal experience perhaps you should look elsewhere.

It was okay BUT when we arrived some of us had to order after other diners on our table because the chef was "stressed." Which is understandable but we were still not impressed. Other than this unfortunate event the food was very enjoyable BUT when the bill came all of us were in SHOCK as of the outstanding price.

A great place for early (from 5pm) or later. Brilliant , friendly service, food was excellent. 5*s

Friendly, helpful, diligent. Great food. Make sure you book. No faults and (pre-warned) went to the bother of providing a list of dishes without onions and garlic. Really nice evening. Thank you.

We’ve dined at The Tayvallich Inn previously and never been disappointed. Visited for dinner on Saturday night and the food, the staff and the natural, lively atmosphere excelled again! The staff were very friendly and attentive. Esther, was a star and looked after us so well. Danny managed the busy evening effortlessly and made time for everyone, top marks. Pedro, also added his personal touch to the evening too. The food was exceptional. The hand dived scallops were sweet, plump and local, so good. The mussels also were excellent. No surprise but the main courses didn’t disappoint either. Venison superb, cod fillet beautifully cooked and flavoursome. We finished with espresso martinis which were 👌 The Tayvallich Inn is indeed a hidden gem in a stunning part of the world. Very well worth a trip to find out for yourself!

Decided to pop in for lunch with family visiting from abroad. After exploring the area for hours in a quite challenging weather we got of the main track and drove for miles on the single track road to reach Tayvallich Inn only to learn that...

This is an absolute gem of a restaurant with a great setting, fabulous food and the fantastic service from Pedro. We arrived with our dog having made a reservation and we’re happy to sit outside under cover even though it was raining but he came...

Absolutely brilliant ,we had a super meal with friends we met up with who recommended this place. The prawn cocktail was the best my husband had had and my oven baked cod was perfect. All in all a lovely evening spent with a couple we...

Superb location and excellent seafood we went twice during our week stay in the village. You have to book which is all done on line. We decided on the restaurant section both times as it was less cramped than the bar and a lot warmer...

Fabulous location, lovely food, great staff and we can take our dog to sit outside or in the bar. A selection of pub meals with seafood specials. Can’t fault it really!

Dropped by for a light lunch at this fab inn. Friendly staff, great ales and food! We sat outside and what a view. Make the effort on the single lane track, it's worth it!

Firstly, the location of this inn is amazing and it's so easy to book online. Very dog friendly. We ate 2 courses of seafood on both visits and it was delicious and reasonably priced. Very busy but not a long wait for food. Friendly and...

The Tayviallich Inn is such a special place and we went back on Dad’s day and were not disappointed. Service was professional and courteous, and the food incredible!! A perfect treat and truly grateful to David the chef and all staff for a special evening…...

I'm sitting outside on a lovely, warm, sunny day having lunch. The food was good, small battered fish an ideal portion size. Service, okay. On any visit, we have not had a bad meal here.

Lovely meal at lunchtime. Half portion of fish and chips came with homemade coleslaw and other trimmings. Even though busy, restaurant was quiet and manager/owner was very friendly and helpful. Other people in the restaurant around us seemed to enjoy their respective meals. We would...

We have been passing this place for 50 years, but it’s on a corner and we have never been in before. On advice we booked online and were glad that we did: several who arrived later were turned away. Service was friendly, the location on...

Perfect spot, lovely evening and amazing food. Pedro was very attentive and great with our daughter too. We booked the day before we arrived in Tayvallich and it just makes sense - to stagger tables and not overwhelm the kitchen (which is a win-win for...

Visited twice during our stay in tavy this weekend. Brought the pup along once as the bar is very dog friendly! Food was tasty, drinks were good. Highly recommend fish and chips. Our server Danny was very nice! Would recommend.

Had the most wonderful dinner last night. Food was absolutely delicious and the staff were super friendly. Waiter was so funny he had us in stitches. We really enjoyed our visit. Five well deserved stars from us. Would advise booking as it is very popular.

We were on an adjacent table having a meal when the events described in this review occurred and I fully expected a review of this nature might be posted. We have nearly missed out on some very good hostelries, based on reviews of this nature,...

Great tasting freshly cooked food, that wee bit different. Great location and views. Fantastic friendky service by Danny and the team.

Enjoyed a lovely evening in the dog-friendly bar area. Food delicious, restaurant cosy, view wonderful and staff friendly and helpful. Nice options to choose from for those who don’t eat seafood (the beef brisket tacos were gorgeous). Will definitely visit again if we’re in the...

We had a road closure and so missed our booking. In phoning ahead, the head chef said he’d keep the inn open for us. We got there an hour late, about 9:30 and still had a full mea with no hint of being rushed. Mussels...

Great food, fast and friendly service, and a beautiful location. Highly recommended. W came out for a Sunday lunch with our kids and my wife's parents and we all loved it.

We had an excellent meal on Sunday evening , beautifully prepared and presented venison for me and a Coley fish dish for my partner, restricted desert menu due to reduced Winter opening hours. A nice atmosphere in the bar . Service friendly and efficient ....

Booked for a Thursday lunch.. . Gorgeous setting overlooking the loch. I had some amazing Mussels starter and my Wife had a really tasty Prawn cocktail. Both top class. Both picked the tasty Fish n chips for our main. Superb.

If you find yourself with 30 mins of The Tayvallich inn, it’s definitely worth a visit whether it be for a coffee or a bit of dinner. In the week I was in Tayvallich I ate there 3 times. The bar area is great, cosy...

Now Before I start I would say that I am Scottish and love Scotland and its people but my visit to the restaurant was awful we arrived 2:07 for a Bit of lunch to be told that the chef was finished and would not produce...

Super meal busy what says it all,good menu friendly staff and fast service, good food what we all enjoyed and decent price , a good night out!

Lovely setting. Great food staff friendly and very efficient well worth a visit with views over the Loch

Haven’t been to this part of the world for quite some time. Nice meal whilst sitting outside. Pedro was very attentive. Would definitely recommend & return.

Great location with a fabulous setting and view. Enjoyed a fabulous family meal. Staff were so nice and helpful and totally child friendly. Worth a visit.

A really enjoyable lunch today at this lovely Inn overlooking the Bay and the yachts in Tayvallich. A bit off the beaten track but well worth the effort An excellent menu with decent wines and a very enticing specials with the emphasis being on seafood....

Visited as a family of 8 for dinner on a busy Saturday night. Service was great, food was lovely. Lots of great choices on the menu. Food was fresh & reasonably priced. Lots of good choices of drinks.. especially gin. Would 100% return!

We had a large group and a couple of dietary restrictions. The staff were very friendly and helpful, and adapted a couple of the dishes so we could all eat together. Fantastic food and an amazing outlook over the sheltered bay. Worth a visit!

A very busy little Inn! Great food with specials- worth booking a table in advance as both the pub and restaurant were very busy.

We sat outside on a covered deck looking out over the bay it was one of the nicest settings we have eaten at. The food was very good, the seafood soup my wife had was very tasty and had plenty seafood in it. Our main...

Went yesterday with my family and it was really good food. The service is great and one of the servers were very funny :). All the food was warm and the desserts were very nice

We had just planned to enjoy a quick drink in the sunshine but that didn’t quite go to plan - who can resist sitting and taking in those breathtaking views! We hadn’t booked to eat but despite it being very busy with other diners, Iona...

Lovely pub restaurant! My husband and I sat outside with a wonderful view. The guy that took our order and served us was very friendly and happy to chat. We both had fish and chips - lovely and fresh served with salad and coleslaw -...

Always a pleasure. A diamond tucked away in a beautiful area where the langoustine are as fresh as it gets and last evening totally unlike me I ordered fish and chips a meal I normally reserve for a harbour and newspaper. Excellent meal with fresh...

Chose this as an alternative place to eat having eaten in the Crinan hotel fro 2 nights., Not disappointed as the service, and food choices were very good. Certainly worth the visit if you are in the area

Very disappointed, the waitress bought aur pudding to the table, it fell off the plate onto the table so she picked it up with her hand put back on plate.she saidill get u another one. The same pudding returned 3 times with bits missing, this...

We were holidaying next door to the restaurant. We booked a table for our anniversary. We had a lovely meal the prawns and fish soup starters were lovely. The soup was probably the star. Our mains of smoked haddock and fish gratin were lovely. We...

Spur of the moment lunch outing and received a warm welcome from Pedro as soon as we arrived . The setting was spectacular and the food was excellent with the mussels and smoked taco chicken starters and then fish and chips and rib of beef...

We had booked for 4 in the restaurant, and were rudely shooed off to the bar by Pedro on our arrival. The service was extremely slow- waiting nearly an hour for each course. Overcooked prawns for starters. Three of the mains weren't good. Curry was...

The service is superb, the beers are lovely (Fyne Ales) and the food is great, have been many times and it is always good, the location is glorious and sitting outside on a sunny day by the water is just perfect

Had lunch here with family party if 11. Service and staff were absolutely fantastic. Quality and quantity of food was just excellent.

We visited after a walk on the Crinan canal -the food standard was excellent and service friendly and not stuffy —my wife for about the first time l can remember cleared her plate of the scallops —lovely views from the pub

As with many restaurants in the area the focus is on seafood and fish. There were limited options on the menu for veggie food but I was able to order 2 starters - arancini and mushroom taco instead of a main course. Wonderful food, venue...

Very impressed with this place. We were made very welcome as soon as we came in, even though they were busy, and the food was beautifully prepared. We had mussels, fish and chips and the chicken tacos, and all were excellent. The chefs obviously know...

We visited for a birthday meal, our first time in Tayvallich, and we’ll definitely be back! The food was amazing - the best tempura prawns I’ve ever had, beautifully fresh focaccia, and the mains (steak pie, prawn and salmon pasta and mussels) were delicious as...

We had a delicious lunch here today. Fabulous fish and chips and fresh sea bass. Service was great and the bar is dog friendly. Plus there is an amazing view of the bay. Would thoroughly recommend a visit.

Scrummy seafood while sat out in the sun watching the boats come & go. What more could you want. Nice place to wander off the calories too.

We dined here today with family for a birthday celebration and enjoyed great hospitality from the friendly staff. The food was lovely too and the setting with views across a picture perfect

We stayed at the Caravan site next door.We came up for the night specifically to dine here as we had done so on summer.We were not disappointed.I had tempura mushrooms and ailing and my husband had haggis,potato and turnip in a whisky sauce,which he said...

On holiday here and decided to give the Tayvallich Inn a visit. Had a lovely evening meal out. Booked easily online, good menu and very friendly and attentive staff. I had the smoked haddock fishcakes with crispy kale and caramelized onion puree as starter, fish...

Visited during week’s stay around Argyll & Bute and probably the best food we had, despite a couple of other places being excellent. Lovely location for both the village and the pub. Service excellent in every way, despite being one person on his own! Picked...

Beautiful beautiful food all round for 6 of us, haddock and mussels were fabulous best in the area. Pedro was the best host as always !

We all had 3 courses and each course was delicious, consistently great quality and excellent presentation, a small restaurant in a small place making a big impression.

Regrettably, distinctly average. Only one poor man serving, running around like crazy. Food was 'ok' but nothing compared to the other good reviews. Not really worth stopping here, such a shame.

We love it here! Not been for a few years as we have not holidayed in Kintyre of late, but The Tayvallich Inn is as good as ever. Super food and a warm welcome. What's not to like? Will not be so long till our...

After a lovely morning viewing Tayvallich open gardens and browsing Art Map studios we had an excellent fresh sea food lunch: mussels followed by stone bass. A beautiful location with great service despite Covid restrictions.

We booked ahead for a dog friendly table in the bar area. Having completed a long walk in the nearby nature reserve we were all ready for a hearty meal and the Tayvallich Inn didn't disappoint! Amazing seafood; we had the mussels and the baked...

Dined with my family on a weekday evening. Food was fresh and tasty, menu appealing for all ages, and staff helpful and friendly. I chose scallops for starter and crab/mussels for main. Good portion sizes. My daughter and fresh chose from the children’s menu which...

Full 3 course family celebration meal. Staff were friendly, professional and efficient. COVID is a bit of a pain but the staff made the very best of it. Food was spot on as always. Very many thanks.

Fabulous food. Perfectly cooked and imaginatively served king scallops and langoustines. Nice starters of Thai fish cakes and crab claws. Pub standards like fish and chips also available. Both an a la carte and a range of specials. Someone in the kitchen can go the...

Something to do with the outside tables not being for food. Dispute drinking there and having just spent £40 on food to accompany the drinks. But I friends with 3 kids under 5!

Top class meal, friendly staff, lovely surroundings & great value for money. Definitely will be returning soon.

A perfect location and very friendly staff. The main reason I've rated our visit 3 out of 5 is the lack of main course choice for vegetarian and gluten free options, just one main course in each category. The lack of choice stopped us returning...

Excellent service, friendly, efficient, fast! Lovely location on water front, good value freshly cooked food. My mussels were plentiful, large and succulent. Thoroughly recommended.

we had a meal here for my husbands 75 birthday. we were not disappointed. The staff were very welcoming and the food was first class.

Previous visits have always been enjoyable but not this time. We had the same experience as other reviews have mentioned, namely not being allowed to sit at an outside table of our choice, despite the fact that only one other outside table was used in...

An absolutely fantastic lunch from start to finish. Wonderful and welcoming staff and the most incredible food. The nice weather also meant we were able to enjoy lunch by the peaceful loch. Will definitely be back - thank you all!

Visited Tayvallich Inn this weekend with family and had a fantastic evening. The staff were friendly , attentive and very helpful with choices on the menu. The food was fantastic, beautifully presented and tasted first class. The restaurant specialises in seafood, which is sourced locally...

We booked tables (2) for a party of nine over 24 hours beforehand in the restaurant. First of all, the tables we were allocated were what I'd call the 'Ha Ha' tables; in other words, the ones nearest the serving area or next to the...

We stumbled across this by accident and only had to wait 15 minutes for a table on a busy warm day It was lunch so we settled for scallops and chips. Both were cooked so very well. So tasty and the chips were particularly good....

We arrived at Tayvallich yesterday at 12.30pm and turned up on spec to see if we could have lunch here. All of the outdoor tables were empty except one but we were turned away by a pretty unfriendly waiter as they were fully booked apparently...

Nice fresh food. Scallops were out of this world - fresh and cooked properly. The entire meal was a delight from service to good. For around the same money absolutely outstanding compared to the nearby Cairnbaan.

We have been going to Tayvallich since 2005 and we have never had a bad experience. Nice friendly staff, lovely food and to die for location. See you next time.👋

We had an excellent meal here. Great choice of food. The service was very good and the staff were friendly.

Staying just up the road so had a couple of meals here. Staff are lovely and service is good. The foodie just to our taste and we'd certainly recommend eating here.

We had dinner here one evening for four of us, we all really enjoyed the food with plenty of choice, great staff and in a lovely location looking out over the bay, would definitely recommend.

Make sure you check opening hours before you visit especially if you are only intend to have a drink. Tables for meals should be booked in advance via their website, making sure you take account of the weather when you select your location at the...

I had read good reviews and it looked great when you looked up the location. I am totally aware how hard things have been, but when you go to a fish restaurant you sort of hope there would be fresh fish on the menu. Maybe...

Been many times and we really enjoyed being back with this time with our toddler daughter. The staff were very friendly, attentive and accommodating. The kids menu options were lovely and our meals of mussels and king scallops were absolutely delicious. There was a good...

Absolutely spot on food, our group had four mains and they were excellent. As fresh a seafood as I’ve ever had

Invited by friends to join them on a cold, wet and windy day meant a long 90 minute drive as the ferry was on amber warning and liable to be cancelled at short notice. On arrival we were greeted by a friendly waiter and invited...

We were welcomed at the door, excellent service throughout our meal, the atmosphere was great, can’t praise the chefs enough food so well presented and tasty, Two of our party had the salmon one had the sea bass, followed by a fabulous dessert and coffee...

A fantastic place to treat yourself to amazing food whilst visiting the Argyll and Bute region. If you are a fan of eating fantastic fish dishes, this is the place to visit. The menu also offers non fish based meals for those who want something...