Ulbster Arms Hotel in Highland

This was the annual Falconers Dinner, which has been held for the past 8 years. The dinner was for 20 on a preselected menu and the Catering staff presented a first class three course meal. The restaurant staff were super efficient and served and cleared the tables swiftly and were helpful to any requests. We have always received the warmest of welcomes and the staff have given their full support to ensure that the evening is a success. Overall, I believe this year's dinner was the best so far - no pressure for next year! my sincere thanks to all the team at the Ulbster

Great wee restaurant with the hotel. Staff were friendly, helpful and didn't rush us. Starters were excellent and all portions were generous. Fish pie seemed to have a bit too much potato and not enough fish although it was still tasty.

Sad to say and have shared with staff how disappointed we feel following our visit this afternoon. Disappointed having read reviews and listened to recommendations that the meal we were served was not as we'd expected/hoped. We're not entirely sure why it went so badly for us, and appreciate that food is a unique and subjective experience. But having ordered the 'roast beef (sirloin) to have then served on 3 plates what looked like uncooked back bacon was a bit of a surprise. I've never seen a fat to meat ratio like that previously. I'm a tad disappointed that I didn't bring my roast potatoes home with me to prep for an autumn conker competition. I really would like to be writing a recommendation, but it's made worse by the fact my parents were visiting and we'd shared with them all the great reviews we'd heard about the Ulbster Arms. Hopefully just a one off

We had a lovely stay while in the area for work. Its a lovely hotel and we got a great deal with it being off season. Food was lovely but the bar area was cold. They invite people to sit by the fire which wasn't even on! Avoid the cheese board its disappointing. £10 for some apple, crackers and chutney then 2 bits of cheddar, a bit if blue and some Brie all the size of your thumb!

Having scoured the web for somewhere to stay near John O'Groats there was little choice and so we chose the Ulster Arms. Dragging our suitcases across the gravel carpark on a dark, wet and windy evening and then entering the hotel via, what appeared to be the basement passing the toilets, was not the best start to our short stay. However, we should not have worried - we had a very nice large modern, warm bedroom for the night; enjoyed a very good evening dinner in the hotel's bustling restaurant and had a great breakfast. The staff were delightful and most attentive at all times.

Had a great meal on Saturday night. Everything was brilliant from the decorations in the room to the food and drink and especially the service. Huge thanks to Terri who made our night even better. Can’t wait to book for the next one!

A great night out at the "80s" tasting menu. Been to a couple of these events now and they are excellent. The food is faultless and the team is attentive and friendly. Its a great feel to the place and a real success. Well done 👏

We had booked to stay here after a late ferry from Orkney. We had a warm welcome from staff and had a super dinner in the dog friendly bar area. We both had the burger - excellent - followed by the apple pudding- fantastic. And the full Scottish breakfast was similarly excellent. Bedrooms are comfortable, but a little tired looking, but this hotel overall was great value and we enjoyed our one night stay and would return. Staff very friendly and helpful. Location good. .

Our B&B hostess had made a booking for us, which was definitely necessary as we ate on a Friday night and the place was full. I felt the menu was very limited, and there wasn't much to my taste. The waitress confused the order and my husband, who had ordered a hamburger with Cheddar cheese, had to re-order his meal as she brought some sort of roast beef dinner. So, we were out of sync as I wasn't going to wait and let my dinner get cold. My dinner was OK, but nothing to rave about. I did enjoy the roasted vegetables! Be sure to book, since there are not many restaurants to choose from in this area.

Great dinner, the team all had a smile on their faces throughout the dinner service. Young team members paid a lot of attention to detail when taking orders. Lovely filling food, generous portions.

Brilliant place to go for food. Very welcoming staff and lovely decor around the bar. Such a cosy atmosphere. highly recommend the ulbster.

Fantastic Guinness. A bit uncertain at first. Bar was quite quiet though. Nice setting and nobody swearing this time.

Food was very nice. Dining experience could be improved, by more engaging and attentive wait staff. 3 tables were served before us, even though we arrived before. them. Kept having to ask for things.

We booked a table for Dinner in the Ulbster Arms hotel for a Saturday evening. The bar restaurant was busy so we were glad we had booked ahead. We were given a table in the bar area and ordered our food. Most of the food on the menu was locally sourced which was good to see. The starters of panko breaded local cheese and haggis neeps and tatties we ordered were very good. We both ordered venison haunch for the main course which was fabulous. The food was beautifully cooked and presented and the service was efficient and friendly making this a much better choice then some of the alternatives in Thurso. Definitely worth the short drive from our Thurso hotel. Highy recommend the Ulbster Arms hotel food and would definitely visit again if in the area.

This was our first visit to the Ulbster Arms Hotel and what an enjoyable visit it was. The menu was wide ranging with a good sprinkling of locally sourced dishes. Service was quick and very friendly. The meals for our party of four were beautifully presented and most importantly very enjoyable. Prices were very reasonable bearing in mind the quality of the food. I opted for the monkfish which was delicious. A great meal with friends and I recommend the Ulbster Arms Hotel to anyone wanting a lovely dining experience

Had lunch here today and it was lovely. A lovely warm premises with fantastic festive food. Daube of beef was fantastic and there did not seem to be any complaints about the turkey either. Only quibble was the lukewarm puds - they would have been even nicer if they had been hot. Nice service and we were reluctant to leave. Thank you the Ulster.

Came for Sunday lunch. Had the roast of the day which was beef sirloin, with Yorkshire pudding etc. The meat was a bit chewy and could have been sliced more thinly. A bit disappointing actually. The decor is quite nice but the room was very dimly lit. The service was mediocre.

Great find on our way from The ferry. We got off the ferry and we’re looking for a nice lunch with kids on the way to Inverness and discovered this hotel/restaurant. Great building and a good choice of local dishes. The offer a kids menu and the kids enjoyed playing outside while waiting for the food. The sticky toffee pudding was one of the best we had.

Excellent food and great service. It’s a shame that the curtains were drawn in such beautiful weather, as it would have been nice to look into the gardens. Highly recommended!

Outstanding food and service This is the best restaurant that we have eaten in in literally years! Food was delicious and the service was first class We will definitely return

Enjoyable Christmas dinner. Vegetables we’re a little under cooked but everything else was really good. Great customer service from the bar maids and waitress.

Ate here twice whilst staying in the village for a week. Both times service was friendly and good. Portions are very generous. Ate most of the mains between the 4 of us across both visits and all were declared very good. The beef blade was...

Visited here recently for Dinner. I ordered a starter of Bruschetta which didn't quite hit the spot. Served on some kind of really horrible bread, bad start! However our main courses turned out to be at the other end of the scale. Blade of beef...

Had a lovely three course meal in the marquee, lovely atmosphere,has some very nice touches, very helpful and polite staff. Will definitely be back.

The Scrabster seafood linguine, local produce cooked to absolute perfection, beautiful tastes with plaice, mussels, linguine all cooked in a beautiful sauce which complimented the seafood, highly recommend this dish . The chilli & lime coated chicken with Patatas Bravas, wilted greens with a smoky...

Food and service excellent (our Waitress was Erin) Gluten free well catered for. Staff very attentive kept checking that each course was ok and if we required anything else.

Dined here in lockdown food was excellent service very good tables well spaced out a bit cold would go back for sure

Our evening meal was served in the newly rearranged (covid-spaced) library. Several tables in use but well placed to dispel concerns about the virus. On a wet and windy night, the log fire burning brightly was a welcome change from eating in the marquee last...

We booked a table for dinner whilst on holiday in the area. Waited a while in reception as staff appeared very busy, shown to our table, ordered drinks which took forever to arrive - Martini in a brandy glass? Not really a problem. Ordered food...

We go to the ulbster fairly frequently and always find the food of a really good stamdard even when they had to serve out in the marquee tent maybe the only fault then was the food was not piping hot but beats home cooking Sometimes...

Friendly staff, good service, excellent food. Got seated in the Library room with a log fire, which was nice and cosy. An enjoyable evening.

Could not fault the excellent meal we had on Friday 25th Sept. Starter Goats cheese tart to die for .Breast of duck served as asked for, rare. It was excellent. Sole cooked to perfection. Social distancing in place and all in all a very very...

Had a lovely meal, excellent food, quick efficient service. Thoroughly enjoyed it. They are providing a safe a comfortable dining experience in these uncertain times.

Had a very nice stay here and was traveling for work, I was worried about what was happening with the current situation but the ulbster arms have nailed it on the head with their layout of the place. I sat in the marquee which was beautifully decorated with fairy lights, and had the beef tempura to start and loin of lamb for main, which were both delicious and would highly recommend. Big thanks to the staff in the hotel & marquee for being so attentive, kind and friendly. I will be returning :-)

We visited here a couple weeks ago and booked a table in the marquee due to social distancing. It was dark and very drafty. Our starters arrived I ordered prawn cocktail when it arrived there was no bread as described the waitress walked away and I called her over to ask she went find out and came back to say there wasn’t any there was a look for awhile then she said you can have some bread this came as too tiny pieces of stale french bread there was a small amount of shredded iceberg and shrimps not prawns so tasteless no garnish it was poor. We then ordered venison curry this was like days old beef stew so tasteless I couldn’t eat it. We had 2 drinks this came to £52!!! Very poor

Tijdens ons verblijf in Halkirk hier 2 maal gegeten. Beide dagen was het uitstekend. Als het vlees was super mals. Vriendelijk staf ook.

We bestelden garnalen met citroen en zwarte peper en kip met bacon. Groente als bijgerechten. Als nagerecht een kaasplankje.Bij de hoofdgerechten werd het bijgerecht vergeten. De broodjes die als voorafje waren bedoeld kregen we pas toen het hoofdgerecht werd geserveerd. De bediening was wat rommelig, dit zou je niet verwachten bij een plek die toch een wat luxere uitstraling heeft.Het kaasplankje dat we als nagerecht hadden bestond uit drie redelijke stukken van dezelfde soort kaas en een ministukje blauwe kaas en een ministukje van een brie-achtige kaas. Qua lokale specialiteiten stelde het kaasplankje helaas teleur.Al met al wel lekker gegeten, maar toch verbaasden we ons regelmatig over de bediening en samenstelling van de gerechten. De plek heeft een mooi uitzicht over het dorp. Dat is wel een pluspunt.

Stayed here so we could do the Maxi Orkney trip. Meals were very good. Bed comfortable and bathroom very clean. Room wasn’t huge. But we were only there to shower and sleep. Staff brilliant too. Highly recommend Terri Deputy Manager. She was ace.

We arrived and despite there being no one in the dinning room except 1 couple we were ushered through to the bar at the back. They couldn’t have cared less. We asked if we could eat there and told they were full. Very rude and not at all welcoming. Don’t bother

We were a party of four on arrival we were quickly shown to a table. The waiting staff were friendly and efficient. We received our drinks & food quickly which were delicious. My husband had the fish & chips the plate was enormous great value for money. Will definitely return

This place is seriously underrated, we must come here more often! The dinner menu has a fantastic selection, it’s pretty hard to choose from!! The food itself was lovely, can’t wait to go back again and try something different from the menu!

Came here last night with family for Dinner. Order Cajun Chicken Burger for Main and Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. Our burgers were awful, cajun sauce which we get separately was so awful. And no way it was cajun spice sauce, this place food standards are going day by day.

The photos belie the actuality of the experience. The food is dreadful, the bar restaurant need a deep clean and redecoration, the staff need training. What has happened, Ulbster Arms in the past was one of the nicest places to eat in the County. I will not be going back there.

One of the best venues in Caithness for food. Delicious local produce, a menu with lots of variety, reasonable prices and a lovely atmosphere.

I've previously stayed at The Ulbster Arms for business and found the food fantastic. On this trip I was staying in Thurso, but decided to visit The Ulbster for an evening meal. It was so good that I visited it again the following evening. The menu caters for many tastes, but generally contains locally sourced dishes. There is also a separate daily specials menu. I can thoroughly recommend the haggis starter and the Cullen Skink. The featherblade of local beef is beautiful too. Pricing is reasonable. The dishes are well presented and the portion size is generous. The staff are all very welcoming and attentive. If you're in the area I highly recommend this restaurant.

We went here for the Sunday evening buffet. The atmosphere was great, the food was exceptional, and the value was pretty good. They had a good variety of food and it was delicious. I will definitely go back. Oh, by the way, they had a good variety of deserts that was unreal!!

Close to Sengas B&B.; Good food and good service. An interesting building and setting. Located in the centre of Halkirk

Anice building but a bit dark inside. The lunch was ok but no more. I might stay her ebut wouldnt go out of the way to eat here in future

We were fortunate to be able to dine at the Ulbster Arms twice, as we were staying at a B&B; around the corner. Fortunately our B&B; hostess made a booking on our behalf on the first evening, otherwise we would not have been able to get a table. This hotel is very popular for dinner amongst locals and visitors. After the first dinner, we immediately booked in for the following evening.

First off the bar man had little knowledge of his bar stock. When asked what gins he had he shrugged his shoulders and with a bit of prompting he actually showed us some. Funny thing was some were actually vodka not gin. Then after booking the £42 per head evening meal we were orginally told we would be eating in the bar area. I questioned this with one other staff member before going and asking the manager who said sorry and that we could use the dining room. We were served by a waitress who had only ever worked as a waitress the night before. We were placed beside the window where on the windseal was half a dozen dead flies. Having ordered our meal from the menu (choice of 2 starters & 2 main meals) we ordered wine. This came opened in a cooler and was plonked on our table with no comment from the waitress if indeed it was the right wine or if we wanted to taste it. The meals were also served with no communication from the staff as to how the meal was. All in all considering the meal was £102.95 we would have saved ourselves some money and just eaten in the bar. We learnt later (by a member of the public) that we could have chosen off of the bar menu and had it served in the restaurant as he had done.

We had this hotel recommended to us so went with some expectation. We were not disappointed. The place was fully booked but they managed to fit us in with minimal fuss. The waitress was lovely, helpful, friendly. The decor is lovely, very classy. And the menu was great. I had the 12 hour slow cooked steak with pastry! Wow! It was amazing. Melt in the mouth beef with pastry, mash, seasonal veg and a lovely gravy! Hubby had a breaded haddock. Our starters were lovely and I confess I had a pudding, the chocolate fondant. Everything was perfect, even the bill wasn't too frightening.

We were visiting friends in Halkirk and went for dinner just before Christmas. They booked a table for us at the Ulbster Arms Hotel.

Nice venue, nice beer, very nice fishcake starter with poached egg on top. My pork chop was slightly cold though.

We were invited along to a family golden wedding in September. The hotel accommodated us really well. The meal was amazing, everybody raved about it! especially the beef... melt in the mouth! & the banoffee cheesecake was really lovely, the presentation of the food & service was excellent.

Everyone in our party of four thoroughly enjoyed our evening meal here. We all had different mains and none of us left anything. The waitresses were very nice and very attentive. Plenty of choice at the bar too, including two real ales. No wonder they were very busy. We'll be back.

really good " gastro pub" and service for evening meal, lovely service from staff but food quality lacking at breakfast. Staffing morning delightful. Sunday morning 27/7 but issues in kitchen?

We visited on a busy evening. If it's the weekend then phone ahead. The restaurant was fully booked so we were seated in a lovely wood panelled bar. As it's an angling hotel the staff said it can be a bit unpredictable as to whether anglers eat in the bar or the restaurant

An impressive building and l stopped to view the menu , not hugely different from what's available in the area but was looking forward to a meal there.

Stayed on this hotel for one night on my way to an early ferry in Scrabster. The food is nice and fresh and the service is quick and effective. Good food, good service and good prices. You can't really beat it, can you?

We stopped here on our way to the B & B we had booked into not too far away. We had a very enjoyable meal. The service was very good.

Fuimos aquí como un lujo, y nos quedamos muy contentos con el menú y la comida que pedimos. Lo que nos encontramos no ser bueno el servicio. Como los camareros eran principalmente detrás del bar no podían mantener un ojo en lo que estaba sucediendo...

Great pub lunch - bar has a good atmosphere, staff very attentive, food delicious. Highly recommended!

We have been here a few times and the quality of food is consistently good. Good choice of food and served promptly. We had two course (starter and main), the venison was delicious and cooked perfectly, only critisms was the vegetables were a bit lackluster. A nice atmosphere and would recommend to anyone staying in the area.

Been here 3 times and the food and service is consistently high. I suppose it's usually wise to book, but on 2 occasions we just "turned up" and had no problem getting served.It's a very relaxing place on the main road in Halkirk.For folk travelling through try this place for well presented, well cooked food at reasonable prices.

Went here for lunch, its one of those places that's near to where you live but have never visited. Don't really know why we haven't visited before but I am sure we will be here again before long. Old fashioned quirky hotel with lots of different places to sit, eat & drink. The bar is well stocked, the red wine at the correct temperature, the Guiness cold & the food excellent. The young lady behind the bar was also the waitress & was very pleasant & attentive, all other staff we met were friendly & smiling, ( not like some places up here during the winter). In better weather there are places to sit outside, it is on the banks of the river Thurso & caters for fishermen in no small way. If the rooms are as good as the rest of it then it is definately a place to consider for a weekend break or longer.

A great place - I was late and they still sorted out a nice meal. Lots of smaller lounge areas with a very traditional feel to them. Good pint and happy staff.

Title pretty much says it all. Four of us went for dinner (per-booked) on a Saturday night and it wasn't particularly busy (only 3 tables in). Food choice was extensive and everything looked and tasted delicious. Unfortunately staff seemed more interested in chatting to one another than serving tables. Twice we had to go to the bar to order more drinks and after being left with the desert menus for 40 minutes even had to order that at the bar too. Had it been an establishment where we had to order at the bar this wouldn't have been an issue - however it was supposed to be table service. Cannot really fault the food though.

Was taken here by my son Shaun for a birthday meal the food was fantastic, i had the fish and chips and the homemade tartar sauce was the best id ever had he had a burger with pulled pork and it also was amazing .The staff were friendly and helpful really enjoyed it will definitely be going back .

stayed at the ulbster arms and ate 2 evening meals and 2 breakfasts, food is of a very good quality, piping hot and presented extremely well. Will stay and eat there on every trip north

Me and my family recently went for tea out. I ordered the spices cheese burger which was amazing! I would recommend here for an evening meal.

Took my girlfriend here for her birthday as she had been wanting to try it for a while. So I booked a table and asked if they could do the table nice for her. And when we got there they had made the table very nice and put effort and thought into it The food and service was amazing and couldn't fault it we had a lovely meal and great night. Would defiantly recommend to people to eat here We will be back for sure

We ate here all 4 nights we were in town. We had our B&B book us the first night, and after our meal we booked the next 3 nights. Food great for value, taste and presentation great. The service people were pleasant and very accomadating to our needs, likes and dislikes. Enjoyed there youthfulness and smiles. Will return if on area again.

We had a very nice dinner here. The wait staff is topnotch and very accommodating. The menu has a variety of selections including steak and fish. I had the salmon which was prepared perfectly. Very much worth the visit.

We went out to dinner with the whole family, and returned here as we had such a good meal on our previous visit in March 2015. We were definitely not disappointed - everyone's meal was delicious, from the starters which were varied, to the mains which included macaroni and cheese, haddock and chips, and the 'Mey' beef which was so tender you didn't need a knife. Desserts were also excellent, and not so much as a crumb was left behind. Service was excellent throughout the entire meal. We finished our evening with tea and coffee and after dinner drinks in The Library, a lovely room. I have no hesitation in recommending this bar restaurant highly.

Went here midweek with friendsIt was busy but luckily we had booked a tableService was attentionSurroundings were really cosyFood was fantastic, I highly recommend the Ham as a main course with honey and mustard.Good sized portionsI would highly recommend and I will definitely be back

Visited here for our dinner on Sunday night.Decor very nice.Got seated at our table , my husband asked for a pint of lemonade & lime and I asked for a kopparberg cider. My husband got a half pint brought instead and the cider I got was not kopparberg .We then sat for about 5-10 mins waiting for our order to be taken. I ordered chicken and my husband had a burger. Cannot fault the foodStaff are young and did not really interact with the customers. Which is a shame as having staff that interacts makes a difference, hence why no atmosphere.

Had dinner in the bar on two nights. Good food in decent portions - would recommend. They also sell bottled real ale.

My family and in laws came here last night for a meal, 10 of us in total, exceptional food, value and service, staff more than accommodating and all were more than friendly, can't recommend this hotel high enough! Keep up the good work :)

If you are looking for good, authentic Scottish food and drink the Ulster Arms Hotel restaurant fits the bill. They have a very good selection of beers and whisky on hand. Although a limited menu, everything was very well prepared and presented. Again, this is authentic Scottish food so please don't expect gourmet continental cuisine. Make sure to spend some time in the pub trading fishing tales with the very knowledgeable fishing enthusiasts.

Love the food and the service is the best, the menu is special in beat 4 and excellent quality. What makes it stand out is the kindness and attention given by all the team that present the food. I highly recommend

A well organised eating and drinking place with bar and dining areas separate if desired. Need to book well beforehand in orderto get a table. Food and service very good with adequate choiceCan become lively by closing time but is a good night out.

We met another couple to enjoy a bar meal as a belated birthday treat. The bar has been refurbished since our last visit and indeed the hotel has changed ownership.Staff were welcoming and friendly, very helpful and polite with nothing too much trouble for them.As well as the regular menu we were in for a treat as Wednesdays are grill nights, delicious chicken, steaks and chops grilled to order to perfection. We all had steak which came with chips, tomato and mushrooms with side order of onion rings which were homemade and huge.Unfortunately nobody had room for pudding.....but the ones which passed to a nearby table smelled divine.

Called in at this fishing hotel last week and it is just as good as I remembered a previous visit many years ago.Lovely decor and quality furnishings.Excellent bar and food on offer. Plenty of room choices. Fishermen are able to use the lodges at the rear of the hotel too.The Ulster Arms is right by the bridge over the River Thurso.

Een mooienpub met no nonsence en betaalbaar pubfood. Allerlei gerechten die je zou verwachten zijn er en alles betaalbaar. Alleen de toetjes zijn verhoudingsgewijs erg duur. Bediening is vlot en to the point.Een pub om te onthouden.

I recently had a bar supper in the Ulbster Arms and couldn't fault the experience. Nice choice of dishes which were well presented and good , friendly service.

Another excellent meal beats any other hotel in the area it is lovely for lunch or dinner well worth a visit for food.

Reasonable menu with a good selection of specials. Nothing remarkable but good quality, particularly fish and excellent chips.Service attentive but not intrusive. Not fast but not painfully slow either. You will not be hurried and pushed on and out and will be allowed to take your time.Pleasant surroundings which will usually include a fair smattering of very enthusiastic fishermen both from he uK and further afield.