The Winking Owl in Highland

Came here with my boyfriend one night for dinner and it was 20 minutes before our drink orders were taken, we ordered a lager and Rosey wine and the lager was really flat with no head. We ordered two chicken ceaser salads which took around an hour before we got it and people who came in after us were getting served their food first? When we got our food we were presented with a large bowl off lettuce and sauce with cardboard like croutons. Not to mention the lady who served us had a can’t be bothered attitude and when we asked to see the drinks menu she said they’re in the printer yet other people were getting one when they came in. Was here a few years ago and I couldn’t have faulted it back then but the standards have really dropped now and sadly I won’t be back in a hurry.

Great service, great fish & chips

Amazing food, tasty, generous portions and piping hot. Friendly efficient service.

Lovely chill bar to sit and have drinks in at the end of the day. Comfy seats, good music and good drinks selection. Will definitely be back!

Awesome - dogs loved their meal to

This is not a craft ale place. It’s nice enough but Neck oil is not craft ale. It’s dog friendly so that’s good and the staff were friendly. Best of a poor choice in Aviemore. Didn’t eat there so can’t comment on food

Great food, we both had lovely meals. The atmosphere was good, it's just on the edge of Aviemore so really convenient if you're staying in the area.

The food was ok but in this price range we were expecting better.

Really lovely meal. Great views and character. Great service.

Steak was killer! And that's coming from a Carnivore. All I eat is meat!

Not a bad spot, as with everything in Aveimore, over priced for what you get. It serves its purpose but nothing amazing...

Great selection of drinks provided. Served by very polite & professional staff.

Good place to eat staff friendly

A really pleasant place to grab some chow, The staff is friendly and attentive (not overwhelming) The view from the dining area to the mountains is absolutely amazing

A lovely pub just off aviemore highstreet. Only qualm is the price of the pints. £6.70 for an IPA!!

Food was great, but VERY limited menu, especially for a non meat eater like myself. Friendly service.

Far too expensive in my opinion, very cold while eating, bar staff wasn't very pleasant not friendly at all.Food wasn't up to much cold chips.

Excellent place for a bite to eat, cater for vegans and vegetarians as well as dogs. Staff are friendly and helpful. I had the Vegan beetroot burger, which was really good and my partner had the macaroni with garlic and rosemary chips (chips are vegan) and they provided our little pugzu Betty her own meal which was Dog Roast free of charge, good selection of beer on tap, I had Beaverton IPA. Highly recommended this place if you're ever in Aviemore.

Food s horrible, service s okay, atmosphère looks very dated and would need a major upgrade.

Food was great, and the place was really clean and had a good vibe. The staff were outstanding though, can't fault anyone of them that was working on 2 March. All went above and beyond to provide a fantastic experience for the customers.

Had a great night for Burns Night at this fab located pub in the centre of Aviemore Very helpful and friendly staff allowed us to park our large Motorhome in their car park for the night and booked in for the nights entertainment Great food in a lovely setting, friendly and chatty staff which makes your night extra special. So if you want a my advice, drop in here for a traditional Scottish warm welcome Be seeing you again soon

Lovely greeting upon arrival we had our little dog with us.ordered haddock and chips which was lovely water and dog treats for our wedtie was given. The place is comfortable and clean and staff very friendly.

Updated Feb 2024: while still good for live music judging by the line-up and I can't comment on the food, on the beer front at least this venue has rather deteriorated in the last year. It used to showcase a good range of local ales from the Cairngorm Brewery which were immaculately kept, but now it appears to have defaulted to what appear to be a large corporate brewery standard offering (Deuchars IPA and Old Speckled Hen on our visit), which weren't particularly well kept either. It's a pity, it used to be excellent.

A bit grim. No longer associated with the Cairngorm brewery.

Friendly and patient as i waited for friend.looked clean and others meals looked good too.

Great food. Lovely staff. Great portions. There is a small downstairs place for food for less mobile . Good selection of beers. Can get very busy. I had the beetroot and quinoa burger with chunky chips , salad and slaw. Best vegetarian/vegan burger I've had yet!

We were in the area and needed a bite to eat before heading home, we were very lucky to get a table without a booking, thanks to a very helpful member of staff who took pity on us. It's a lovely pub, great atmosphere and the staff were very friendly and helpful. The food was delicious, we all 3 of us enjoyed our meals. I would definitely return again, but next time with a booking. The restaurant is located up a flight of stairs, so those with mobility issues may struggle. Outside there is a large seating area,but unsure if food is served there in the warmer months.

Lovely staff, great food (we had steak) and live music when we went - Johnny Cash tribute was fab.

Fantastic main meal and pudding. Great service from lovely friendly staff.

Friendly and helpful staff, and lovely food.

Nice pub grub, good band and atmosphere.

The place was good, nothing special, kimd of small place but good overall.

Been there in November and we had a lovely experience. Ordered cullen skink was delicious as well and fish and chips. Music was great and service was spot on. Will definitely recommend it.

I went on the 13th December, I was on my own and had the chicken burger (without the bread roll ), chips and saad, it was lovely, nothing was too much trouble. Beverley, who served me, was very friendly and made me feel comfortable. Will definitely go again.

We had a lunch reservation made way in advance for 2pm on 27/12. When we arrived at the restaurant at 1.40pm the host very rudely mentioned they gave away the table to a bigger group WITHOUT a reservation as they just walked in. It is totally unacceptable to be treated this way. This has never happened anywhere in the past. Least she could do is be apologetic but not at all. So disappointing.

Fantastic wee pub downstairs and restaurant upstairs. All dog friendly which is a big bonus when you're up for a walking holiday with your furry friend. Great range of food and drinks and all the staff were very helpful and friendly.

Lovely place to enjoy a lovely meal, staff very friendly

Great food and service. Dog friendly.

Meal was disappointing Salmon was dry and overcooked new potatoes were roast potatoes warmed up.Not a good experience.View was lovely.

Pleasant, attentive staff, good beer, good food and dog friendly!

Great wee bar with some generous portions, streak fish and chips and steak pie looked amazing. I was there mainly for drinks but loads of friendly people all for a chat and a laugh. Should out to John the bar man too 😁

First time at The Winking Owl, really friendly place, lovely staff. Could really do with some more vegan/vegetarian options.

Nice basic food, good value, good service and dog friendly. Pretty well perfect.

Really Lovely and comfortable, friendly staff a welcome place in the cold weather. A few Veggie/Vegan options and the chips are cooked separately.

Only popped in for a drink, nice place friendly atmosphere.

Food was amazing and freshly made too perfection

Loved it. Food great quality I had 2 courses starter a main plus a soft drink £25. Big tables for groups or small tables for singletons or couples. Staff friendly atmosphere 😁 oh bar area also pet friendly too

Waited over an hour for our food. Service non existent. £15 for a bowl of bland mac cheese.

Gave 5 star's for the atmosphere and service never ate, but by what I saw serviced looked amazing great lovely pub

I ate here on Saturday 11th November 2023, and was very disappointed with the lack of food options available. There was a choice of only 7 main dishes and both my first and second choices (steak pie & beef burger) were unavailable, and it was only 7:30 in the evening. I have been to the Winking Owl on a number of occasions in the past, but I don't think that I'll be back! In response to the comments from the owner of the Winking Owl, I stand by my one star for service. The waitress who served us did not inform us in advance of the dishes which were not available. She also made no mention of the special dishes?

Great food and very large portions. Great service and lovely views from dining area.

The food was not very good. Long serving time and the water we asked for on the table was never brought to us.

Nothing better than a great view while having a great pint of Neck Oil

Good food but the place was cold and draughty

The Sunday Roast was probably the best meal we had during our week in Aviemore. The place was busy so the staff were moving quickly. Like most places in Aviemore you need to book a table or you may be turned away.

Unfortunately shut on Monday and Tuesday during the winter months but looks like a cracking pub. Next door is also great if you get shut out.

very special place to drink and have fun

Great pub food. Decent selection of beers

Dog friendly, great food, reasonably priced and welcoming.

When traveling from Inverness down to Falkirk we passed through Aviemore and chose to stop for lunch. We initially popped into the Coffee Pot to grab a quick sandwich, but they had no children's menu, and I didn't think our kids would be happy with the choices there, so we headed over to the Winking Owl. We had to wait a few minutes for a table to be cleared, but as it was 2pm managed to get in without a reservation. The kids chose chicken goujons and Mac and cheese, and when I asked a question about the Mac and cheese was told it was cooked to order and the chef would make it as my son requested. Myself and my husband weren't very hungry so chose a starter and shared chips. These were both freshly cooked too. The halloumi fries were huge (5 for the starter), and came with salad. The cheesy garlic bread was 3 slices, and also had salad. I liked that they put water on the table and glasses as standard, and we enjoyed our quick stop off.

Très bon accueil, c'est un plaisir d'être ainsi reçus. Carte simple et assiette correcte. J'ai bien aimé le dessert sticky toffee pudding.

Couldn't get served we had to wait at a table, we only wanted a few drinks was told there's a queueing system got fed up of waiting so we walked out

Lovely Cullen Skink. Very friendly and helpful staff. Unfortunately, the bar area was closed due to staff shortage (a general theme in Aviemore) so went straight to our table for a drink 1st. Check for opening times as closes set days.

Popped in here for some dinner was lovely staff friendly and welcoming.

Excellent food and lovely atmosphere.

Fantastic meal and great price 👌

Had a good dinner here. Food was lovely can't fault it in the slightest...maybe more basic vegetarian food could be served for variety? Other than that it was a nice place for a bite to eat. Table wasn't cleaned properly but it was busier at the time...cleaned it myself. So will let that slip as the food was good.

Staying in Aviemore, I've found it difficult to find somewhere that takes bookings and, when they don't, doesn't involve a long wait. Luckily, I could book a table at The Winking Owl. The place did feel a bit like stepping into a bar / restaurant from the 1990s, but the service was friendly enough, and the fish & chips was great. Given it's association with the Cairngorm Brewery, I expected better and a wider choice of beers, but still a decent pint

Cutest pub with great service. Good gluten free options. They have quite a large space but it still felt cozy. Excellent food

A busy Saturday evening during a holiday period in Aviemore. All the bars were packed. We thought we would try the Winking Owl, a place I have visited for food and drinks dozens of times over the last 25 years or so. Went in and the place was almost empty so went to the bar and the reason became obvious. A pint pf the local Cairngorm beer and a glass of the house wine was a few pence short of 15 quid. I queried it with the barman who said it was Highland prices. No it is not, particularly in a place like the Bothy bar at the Winking Owl. For those who don't know it it its based on a highland bothy theme (obviously) therefore a bit spit and sawdust. High end it most definitely isn't.

Fabulous resturant, food amazing. Best steak pie ever. Staff very friendly. Prices very reasonable. Dog friendly too. Highly recommended.

Wait to be seated, wait for drinks, went to bar fed up of waiting. Wouldn't serve told queuing system, walked out!!!

Burgers were excellent, really enjoyed the food . 3 stars due to the service really, it was slow and no one came to check on us or to offer anymore drinks

The Winking Owl is a great place to grab an inexpensive hot meal after a day in the Cairngorms. I had the mac n cheese, my husband had the fish and chips, and everything was absolutely delicious! Our only complaint was that the service was a bit slow. Note: if you're interested in dining here, be sure to make a reservation beforehand! Dining options in Aviemore are slim, and the restaurants tend to get very busy, even on weeknights.

Food was good. Typical pub grub but nothing wrong with that. Dog friendly and very friendly waitress. Plenty of car parking space at front which is a bonus as Aviemore can be pretty busy

Lovely place for an evening meal, staff were great and food was delicious.

The staff are great, friendly and efficient. The menu is mostly standard pub fare but very tasty and a fair price. Good views of the Cairngorms.

Went in for dinner after being either turned away or quoted an unreasonably long wait at other restaurants in town. Upon arrival, we were quoted a 90 minute wait, but Liam, the incredibly charming bartender managed to get us a table in only 10 minutes. To say the food was sublime would be an immense understatement. The first bite of the steak and black gold pie had my eyes rolling back in my head from the sheer pleasure, and every bite that followed continued to impress. We ended up coming back for an afternoon drink the next day to say goodbye to Liam before continuing on our trip. We will definitely have to come back if we ever get the chance.

First visit to this establishment having booked the previous day. I read the last review & a sense of déjà vu occurred. Drinks arrived promptly enough. The food took a while to appear. Two had salmon which was fine. Two of us had the Sunday roast beef. Had to send mine back as it was cool. Cold plate. Eventually returned & was hot. The quality of the beef wasn’t the best. Think cuts & very well done. No one appeared to ask if everything was good. They seem to be very understaffed…? Once finished nobody appeared & after 20 minutes asked for the bill & left.

We had a wonderful evening meal it was really delicious. The customer service was amazing. Staff that received us were very friendly and kind and we had a lovely table looking over the Cairngorms! Fantastic place but you must book in advance.

Luckily we had booked a dog friendly table as the restaurant was full. Fast service but found the menu to be quite limited. Food was tasty

Went in for a drink with intentions of going for a meal later, service absolutely shocking so ended up leaving, wasn’t even that busy. Went to the Cairngorm bar which was busy and served in minutes, you need to get your act together.

Easily my favourite restaurant in Aviemore….. usually! Have been many times before, with no issues and was looking forward to going back. Really poor experience tonight. Food took quite a while to arrive, but still arrived before drinks (which weren’t all correct)! Half the dinner was lukewarm at best and no one came to ask if everything was ok, or asked if wanted any more drinks etc. Atmosphere seemed different than usual…. Not the usual buzz! Overall poor experience! Hopefully a one off, but has really put me going off going again.

Very average overpriced beige food. Some staff certainly shouldn't be in the job at all and epitomise lack lustre disinterest in the UK hospitality sector generally.

Nice beer garden and good bar with decent beer.

Made a Reservation through the Restaurant Website. Overall a Good Dinner Service. The Wait Staff were through and on their game, it was a fairly busy Evening . Had the Steak and Ale Pie and was Not Disappointed. I look forward to a future visit whilst in Aviemore.

Food was excellent. Beer and service spot on. We even had a small choking emergency with one of our more elderly of our party and the staff were fantastic. Paramedics came out to make sure all was well. Cant thank the staff enough. The lady in question was fine and fully recovered by the evening.

Very nice service and frendly staff have just had our tea there nice steak pie and chips and a chicken burger and our cocker spaniel had a lovey doggie bowl of beef and vegetables in a pie dish and cleaned the bowl as we did to our plates will be going back the next time we visit aviemore

Went to see the live bands for Thunder in the Glens in August, fantastic atmosphere, staff and reasonable price drinks.

After two trips and lots of eating in Aviemore, I think I’m confident to say that this is the best food and restaurant experience in town. It’s homey and quiet but lively too. It’s got well placed windows for awesome views of the hills. Good selection of food and drinks and nice staff. Very good gluten free options as well.

Great beer, great crisps, great vibe.

Went here for a few drinks with my partner. Magic atmosphere, music to playing but not too loud. Bar man was a legend, highly recommend

This was not the best experience, and to be fair some of it was beyond the control of the staff. Within minutes of arrival there was a medical emergency which required the calling of an ambulance for another patron. This seemed to throw everything out of kilter. First 30 minutes before our order was taken which is fair enough, then food arrived before our drinks, next we were missing cutlery from the table. When we did start eating the food was average mac and cheese that was all sauce, ceasar salad drowned in dressing etc. The staff did their best but just seemed overwhelmed. Made my feelings known on leaving and was dealt with respectfully. May be a great place on the right night we just didn't get that night.

Great local atmosphere and quite a selction of brews from Cairgorm brewery about a 15 min walk from the winking owl.

Such a great place. The bothy bar downstairs has live music on Fridays and Saturdays and has a real bothy vibe. The staff are incredibly friendly. Great selection of well kept and pulled local real ale. We didn't eat but the food looked good. We stopped in for a few drinks on a night they were incredibly busy and they should be praised for how they handed it. They were all rushed off their feet but still gave everyone a great experience, and discounts off food if late etc. Highly recommend.

Great dig friendly restaurant. Visited on a busy Sunday evening. The staff really friendly and the food great. We had a roast dinner and a free roast was provided fir our dog. Would definitely recommend.

Terrible service, waited 20 minutes and walked out, not busy, but waitress was too busy sitting chatting to her friend at another table rather than serving.

Was nice for a pub meal but a little pricey for what we got. Bar downstairs good

Nice little pub and during thunder in the glens some great entertainment. Never tried the food, maybe next time

Great atmosphere as always for Thunder in the Glen.