Waterfront Bar & Grill in Shetland Islands

Great service, fast and friendly and a good range of choices on the menu.

Had a very lovely dinner here. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Food was delicious.

Fabulous food, warm and friendly welcome especially by the lady on duty this evening.

Alin the waiter so very rude not welcoming atall, had just sat down and he asked what we wanted to drink we said we have not decided or looked at the drinks menu yet he then went on to say we have to hurry up as he has a table of ten( clearly more important than us, he welcomed us in to the restaurant with a grunt, the food was nice enough, we did tell the manager on duty who tried to stick up for him saying he was meaning that he probably didn’t want us to have a long wait if this was the case he could have explained it better and a table of ten is not really that busy

Very nice food 😋 and lovely atmosphere 👌

This is in the Shetland Hotel, and we had dinner and breakfast whilst staying for three nights as part of a tour party. The Bar & Grill is on the Waterfront, but it is worth noting that it is an industrial waterfront with very limited views of the water! The bar area is pleasant but quite small and the Grill area quite large laid out in very structured format. The menu for dinner is wide ranging and dietary requirements can be catered for. However, we also found that checking requests had been met when served avoided any difficulties. Breakfast also had a good choice with a mix of buffet and served food. The service was friendly, but could on occasion be a little erratic, perhaps due to catering for a group with mixed requirements. Overall, we believe an "average" rating is a fair assessment based on our wide travel experiences

Food was tops! Best fish and chips followed by incredible sticky toffee pudding!

Brilliant service and food was fantastic very on point. We had a young waiter and he went above and beyond which was nice. He ensured his customers were happy throughout the meal. Overall fantastic experience. Food was amazing could not fault any bit of it 😁

The windows urgently need a clean so the views can be admired, and covering the sticky bar-room tables with cloths would make a massive difference to the overall ambiance. The food and service, however, were both excellent and it is a shame that easily fixed aesthetic issues detract from this.

A quiet place to have food, with what would’ve been a good view if they had cleaned the windows. The food, while looks good on a menu, it’s actually a very poor delivery. Given the price of the food, compared with the minuscule amount you get is horrific. 8.50£ for 4 mussles that aren’t even done in a sauce, just a bit of rosemary and sea salt on top, on a small plate, which I can only see as a poor attempt of a ‘presentation’. The deep fried scampi is basically a glorified mcdonald’s kids meal priced at 13.50£. The staff seem extremely disinterested in just about anything, but, having worked in hospitality, I can’t blame them given the environment they work in. No beforehand warning or anything that portions are small. Would definitely not recommend.

Booked a table on line and when we turned up it felt like we really were not welcome. We were shown to a table and the man who came to take our order could not have been more unimpressed by at having to serve us. He asked what drinks we would like but did not give us a menu and when we asked for one he audibly sighed! We were going to leave as we felt very uncomfortable but my husband spoke to the man and he sort of apologised saying he was having a bad day!! After that the service was a bit better but my husbands sausage and mash was terrible! All in all really not a good experience

We were staying in Shetland for Up Helly Aa and booked into the Waterfront for dinner one evening. As it was the start of Feb, it was very quiet with only a few tables of people. The food was served fairly quickly and was delicious. We had the battered haddock and steak - the haddock was very fresh (as you’d expect from the Shetlands) and the steak cooked perfectly to request. We indulged in dessert which were also fantastic. Staff were attentive and friendly. Couldn’t fault anything :)

Food was delicious. So freshly done, starters were so big that would have filled me instead of a main.

Goed eten voor goede prijs. Zit in het hotel, deze heeft een andere naam waardoor moeilijker te vinden.

Stopped off here on work travels for the night so I can't comment on the price as this was covered but from the outside it didn't look that appealing. Once we got inside it was like something out of the movie "The shining". We got our meal and it was great, cooked well and presented well. Staff were happy to help and it was a quick service. The beds were fine and it had everything you needed in a hotel. Very clean! In the morning the selection of breakfast was also great, cooked well and couldn't fault it.

I'd rather have takeaway somewhere else. Other restaurants were either full or booked so we decided to have dinner here. Foods were overpriced compared to the so-so quality. The side food i.e. roasted potato and cauliflower were the best on the plate.

We dined in The Waterfront bar in which you wore a mask when not eating or drinking. The staff wore masks at all times and kept socially distant when taking orders and delivering meals. My daughter and friend and I had very good meals are ice

Always happy to dine out here. Very tasty food. Happy belly every time. Personally I would recommend. Waiters and waitresses happy to assist. 👌

Very nice dinner layed on for us when waiting to get the ferry

As someone who works in this industry, I fully understand that not always can a restaurant cannot always guarantee top service and quality of food depending on how busy they are etc. However, on this occasion, we were the only food customers in, and therefore there was no excuse.First of all; the waitress. She was very inattentive. Seemed annoyed when I questioned her about the specials. I also sat for half of the meal with an empty glass after failing to gain her attention twice.The meal itself was alright at best. My steak, however, was VERY fatty, more so than should be expected. My “side salad” was also a small bowl containing an overly amount of romaine lettuce with a bit of cucumber and a wedge of tomato on top.To sum up- I won’t be returning back to the Waterfront. The Bay Brasserie has a far better menu with far superior service.

Long wait only to get cold food

Been to this restaurant on many occasions and the last 3 times was a tester as I thought the service might improve, unfortunately it hasn't.After being seated we waited 15 minutes to get some service for drinks even though the restaurant was almost empty.40 minutes later I phoned the hotel and asked if the restaurant was busy, no was the answer, would I like to book a table. I replied I've been at a table for almost an hour and not seen a menu yet, can you ask someone to come to my table!The staff just seen to be in a dreamworld, not interested in the customers and just stand about chatting to each other. No sign of any management at all.There was a new menu the day we went and the staff had no idea, very poorly managed. The food was overpriced and mediocre at best.Unfortunately 3 strikes, their out. I'm never going back again.If you want a good meal and great service go to their sister hotel restaurant The Bay Brasserie at the Lerwick hotel.10 years a customer, lost forever

Great meal and service was great highly recommend Waterfront for a meal.

Turn away from restaurant because they were too busy, even though the restaurant was only half full. Will not be back again.

Friendly bartender, but it was quite cold inside.

Disappointed with the decor with a view over the docks, it needs a help to lift the spirits. The food was good almost very but unfortunately spoilt by the service which in view of few covers being served was surprising.

Food might have been good but on two occasions now we’ve had really atrocious service from senior waitresses - embarrassing their staff that were working with them. On the second occasion (a few years in between) we were finally sat at a table by the bartender after waiting for about five minutes in full view of a waitress and supervisor taking orders from one family group. They saw us but did not even smile or acknowledge us in any way so finally the bartender came and sat us down very apologetically with some menus. After we’d been served with a drink, the supervisor told the barman they couldn’t serve us because they were expecting a group of 20 people. This was in their large restaurant with no reserved signs and only us and the one other family. How do they manage when the hotel is full and residents want a meal. She didn’t even have the civility to tell us herself. We won’t be back.

Nice place, food could have been better!

Staying at the hotel, so tried the Waterfront twice. First time was a very good meal - mainly a venison casserole which was lovely. Second time I tried the burger and (see my hotel review) suffered unexpected consequences later that night

prima sera a Lervick alla scoperta delle Shetland, martedì, non abbiamo prenotato nulla, verso le 19,30 ci mettiamo alla ricerca di un posto dove mangiare, un ristorante, tutti pieni o chiusi! incredibile, qualcuno ci dice prima che c'è posto solo alle 20.30, ci pensiamo poi quando richiamiamo ce lo nega, pioviccica, disperati cerchiamo sul cellulare un ristorante non lontanissimo, siamo a piedi, arriviamo allo Shetland Hotel con il terrore che ci dicano riservato agli ospiti, invece ci fann0 sedere, atmosfera da albergo ma va bene lo stesso. Fish Pie per me Fish & Chips per mia figlia, molto buono, ottima birra e bicchiere di vino, prezzo onesto, servizio abbastanza rapido e gentile. Grazie Waterfront ci hai fatto concludere in bellezza una bellissima giornata passata girando Mainland South

Really nice meal had at the Waterfront, located in the Shetland Hotel. I decided on this restaurant after some decent reviews, but also seeing how well catered the menu was for gluten free diners. I was warmly welcomed on arrival, the waiter was happy to talk through the options giving me information on different fryers etc in the kitchen, and was perfect level of attentive. I opted for the monkfish & prawn scampi, which was fantastic, if a little on the small size of portion for the price. Overall I would return and try something else from the menu choices next time!

Vi bodde på hotellet två nätter och åt i restaurangen. Då vi åkte på gruppresa fick vi välja mellan 3 olika rätter varje dag. Maten var mycket god varje dag. Man fick beställa dricka i baren och ta med till bordet. Men det fanns också vatten på bordet som var gratis.

Really good dinner. Staff very friendly. Even although we came later they accommodated us no problem.

Awful food, Took far too long considering the place was empty. Tried to complain but was told the food was supposed to be like that!! Will never return. Oily pasta and rubbery eggs seem to be their speciality! The fish was cooked well, shame about the rest of the plate!

Disappointing food and service. Husband and I both ordered Sirloin steak, my husband also asked for a side order of onion rings, mushrooms and tomato.Order arrived with onion rings...we were too hungry to mention the missing tomato and mushrooms! Due to a party of 10 arriving before us, food took a while to arrive. Steaks were tough and chewy. The waiter didn't offer us steak knives or ask how our meal was.Whilst paying the bill, the waitress asked us how our meal was. My husband told her he was disappointed with the quality. Her response was "Oh really?!"Poor customer service, staff training imperative!!

My family & I had a fine dinner here. Although, I will mention, I had the fish pie, which was meant to have haddock, hake & prawns but I found mussels in it too. I hate them, and can't eat them. The husband ate them though but it should have been in the description. If I had been allergic to them, it could have been a very poor day. Best ask before you get it, just incase they don't update the menu with it on.

I absolutely love the Waterfront for food during the evening. The menu always changes slightly which is great too. There is a great selection of starters, mains and puddings to chose from. Staff are always helpful and service is very quick. It's not always necessary to book but I would recommend.

We stayed here for five nights and I regret not going to dinner here every night the food was great. The accommodation was good, the beds need an updating, otherwise nice and clean.

Really lovely food at very reasonable prices for the area. Fast, efficient service by staff. I ate alone as I was visiting on business, but didn't feel out of place.

Firstly this review is 100% genuine and just my opinion.

Only had dinner here, didn’t stay in the hotel. However the meal was delicious, steak cooked exactly to order. Place was clean and bright with nice atmosphere. Very friendly staff and all at a decent price.

Came here for a nice night out. Service was a bit slow and the music was a bit loud and not condusive to dining. The meal was ok.

Great selection, friendly and helpful staff. Quality of food is excellent

Was good a bit on the steep side as far as price but good meal and well presented and delicious

Good but could have more menu options. Food was great

We have been here a number of times over the years and there has never been a bad meal yet.

Lecker typisch Schottische Küche

Great meal and clean restaurant!

My family took me here for a Mothers Day meal, it was a popular choice for many as it was very busy. The staff coped very well, delivering

Had a staff Xmas meal here. Food was good, festive decor was a little lacking. A good all round experience.

Really good food, fair prices and attentive staff.

We were staying in the Shetland Hotel anyway, so before heading to see the Up Helly Aa parade, it made sense to have supper at the hotels restaurant. If I recall, I had Bon bons or croquettes, I think with haggis in them. Either way, it was just ok. Had a burger for main, and again, it was just ok. Staff had no clue what to do, and it was quiet at the time so they weren’t rushed or anything. Wouldn’t recommend unless staying in the hotel.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Amazing staff. Tiago was so kind and professional! I highly recommend it!

A massive improvement on the last time I went, way to go guys

We had lunch here during a short stay in Lerwick. The food was great with some unusual options (the peanut butter, chilli and chocolate cheesecake was fab but it is very spicy). The staff were very friendly.

The food was not great but good for the price. but the service was not to good and the food tok way to long to get done!

Considering the remoteness of the island this hotel restaurant proved to be outstanding. We saw residents being turned away so be sure to reserve your table especially at weekend.

Dit restaurant van het hotel heeft een uitgebreide kaart, het eten is niet zo super kwaliteit. Vriendelijke bediening. De ruimte is ook zeer lawaaierig.

Only just down from B&B; at 7 Church street from (Aald Horbour B&B;) about 40 yards away, meals and sevice where great at this bar, people you meet are from all over world that work there.

We went for a meal for a Birhday so there was around 15-20 people. Food was very good and all enjoyed it. However manager (lady) was very rude when I asked if we could split the bill. As in this day and age many folk don’t carry a lot of cash on them and would rather pay card. However she said this wouldn’t be possible and went in a huff into the kitchen. Very kind waitress at the bar apologised for this behaviour and sorted the bill for us with no problem at all. This isn’t the first time I have been here and experienced poor manners from management.

The menu is varied with a lot of interesting choices. Service was good, even though the restaurant was very busy. Our food was delicious and my 4 year old nephew even liked the sausage, chips and beans the chef prepared for him. Ideal for couples, families and business meals. It is well worth a visit as they use a lot of fresh, local produce.

We don't usually eat at the hotels we stay at as the food is not always as good or interesting as local eateries.

Una buona alternativa al fish and chips, in un vero ristorante. Il cibo è scozzese, è molto buono, sono rimasta soddisfatta sia dalla qualità che dalle porzioni. Prezzo in linea con altre strutture.

Vi bodde i Lerwick, og gikk til denne restauranten som var ca 20 min å gå fra hotellet. Dr hadde god mat og hyggelig betjening.

Great choice for young and old alike! Very reasonably priced, and a very helpful, polite & friendly young waiter called Matt made our visit one of the best we’ve had in Shetland so far! Clean plates all round!

Our taxi driver recommended this restaurant and I must say we were sceptical at first. The hotel is not attractive at all from the outside. However, the restaurant is lovely, if a little bit dated, with nice view over port. The menu was very comprehensive and the food delicious. Service could not have been better in particular our young Portuguese waiter. Would recommend the place most highly. I had the catch of the day - smoked haddock on chorizo paella with poached egg. Yum yum.

This is the restaurant in the Shetland Hotel - please see my review of the Hotel which describes this restaurant as a hidden gem.

Nice food and friendly staff. Worth a visit anytime.

We had a lovely meal here which far exceeded our expectations when we arrived. The decor was from the time the hotel was built. The food was local and tasty Ho

Was recommended. This is a great restaurant. Service was excellent. Staff friendly. Seating is great and spacious. Had starter surf and turf amazing. Had steak cooked perfect and pudding was different but lovely. Prices are high but quantity and quality is outstanding. Parking is available. Would recommend this place.

This place has changed name and is now called the sports bar. Awful cavern of a place attached to a not-great hotel. To be avoided.

Food is good and of decent portions. Surprised by the bar only having one lager 'Tennants', but not an issue. Service can be variable between ok and great.

I reviewed the Waterfront a few years ago after it went a massive overhaul and complimented them on the service and food. I have been many times in the interim and have never been disappointed, and was again last night with 7 colleagues. Before I began to write this I glanced at recent reviews, and was amazed at some of the negative comments. Our experience last night was excellent - and from the tables nearby everyone seemed very happy too. There was very good table service, and good rapport with the 'senior' waiter (we had 2) - the food was prompt and everyone enjoyed their food. I certainly will keep this as one of my very favourite eateries, not only in Lerwick, but in Shetland!

Went for lunch today with family, decide to go for the nachos, says on menu good for sharing or a large portion for 1, while ordering the waiter asked if I wanted a large portion, which I said yes, the nachos arrived and it was basically a pile of tortilla chips with some fake nacho cheese on top (no guacamole)....then we get the bill and we have been charged double so that's £13.90! When asked why, the waiter shrugged and said that's just what it cost.....probably won't rush back...

I am was very upset with kids food. Ordered today a cheesy pizza for our baby. Something they bring..it wasnt a pizza. It was a bread (like a baguette from tesco) with tomato sause and cheese on top..oily..terrible looking bread :-( i ask waiter about this and ask to say to chef about terrible 'pizza' i seen first time in my life. But when later i ask 'what chef said about that?'..waiter just said chef already go somewhere :-( such a lie...with a few clients in restaurant chef cannt go. And after all they tried to charge us for pizza TWICE!!! After i show thems bill they removed extra pizza we not ordered from our receipt. Awful :-(

Very good, brief, stop over at the Shetland. Evening meal very good quality, local sourced food. Breakfast top notch! Friendly and welcoming staff. Rooms comfortable.

Top notch rib eye steak👍well made to just as ordered.

Good place to watch sport when working away,nice comfy couches, beer on tap ☺☺

Food was amazing as always but the service was very poor, members of staff over heard swearing, the waitress putting her hands on the rim on the glasses which is usually the first thing they are taught! Something floating in one of our drinks, erratic service from around 4 waiting staff, it would be better to have 1 server, I think 1 was maybe a trainee. Extra things were also added to our bill which was resolved but glad we checked the receipt.

Food is tasty with generous portions, service is haphazard.

One of the worst places I've ever eaten. The service is beyond slow, which could be forgiven if the food was good but everything is overcooked with a huge dollop of coleslaw regardless of whether you ask for it, I will refuse to eat here in future.

Wir waren insgesamt 3x während unseres Urlaubs im Waterfront zum Dinner. Das Essen war jedesmal herrvorragend und preislich okay. Allerdings ist die Organisation und die Bezahlung etwas schwierig, so haben wir z.b. ein Abendessen auf der Hotelrechnung gefunden, obwohl wir mittels Kreditkarte bereits bezahlt hatten - auch die Anzahl der Speisen/Getränke auf der Rechnung sollte man immer gut kontrollieren.

Booked online for a family meal for 4,arrived and told we werent booked in and when i told the manager we booked online she said i was wrong and the site was down,despite me having an email and booking reference from them.Queue a huff and someones reserved table being cleared for us (sorry to whoever you are) where a waitress took our drinks order,food order and then disapeared for the rest of the night.empty starter plates snatched off the table,no asking if it was ok,empty glasses ignored,and we were made to feel very unwelcome.when our main arrived we werent offered sauces,seasonings or drinks for our empty glasses, and no one checked on us once. When we went to leave another manager barged past us,no thanks for coming, no goodbye. Fed up of up and down service from here previously,after the hideous review in the local paper from enviromental health you'd think some effort would be made to get people coming in again. This is our last visit, will never waste our money here again. The restaurant was barely a quarter full yet we were treated as invisable,so our custom wont be brought to your door again

Vi åt lamm respektive flundra. Till förrätt åt jag friterade musslor. De var fantastiskt goda. Byggnaden ser förskräckligt tråkig ut från utsidan, men det hindrar inte att restaurangen är bra.

After ten minutes waiting on an empty restaurant I was ready to leave, when a waiter came. Order the special...

I was surprised at how good it was.Quite a lot of choice and full bar.Free wifi.Had battered haddock and twice fried chips (in fact there are four chip options on the menu). Fish was excellent. Freshly battered and fried. Outstanding and mushy peas too.A really good meal and looking forward to dinner tomorrow.

never had a bad experience here and always go here for family occasions ,food always superb, regular changes to the...

5 of us dined here on Sunday 6th August. I found the service to be of a very high standard & the quality of the food was excellent - very fresh & decent sized portions. I'd recommend here to anybody.

Took my kids there as a treat and was their choice. Great selection of food but the menu could do with a bit of a tidy up as it is not that clear. Not the best atmosphere for a romantic meal but great for family meals.Tasty food and great service with staff always smiling and pleasant.

building and decor poor as many others have said, windows in terrible state. shown to our table and waited ages for our drinks order to be taken, shortly afterwards a second waitress came and asked to take our drinks order!!! They then came with 4 glasses (one of which was different) for the wine although we clearly stated the wine was for 2 people, wine came but no other drinks. Waitress had absolutely no idea how to open the wine or use cork screw i have never in my life seen the like of this before she eventually apologized and went to seek help. asked about the remaining drinks she went to check, one of the last 2 drinks arrived and still waiting for the last drink waitress asked if she could take our food order mentioned we were still waiting for a drink so she went and got that at last.now we waited over 30 minutes for the food BUT when it did arrive it was all very good well presented hot and very tasty. Now the crockery !!!! a range of chopping boards, slates, and metal set into wood oh and actual plates and bowels too which was nice.Overall...Its shame because if you can tolerate the slow service untrained staff and horrible building the food is pretty good

This hotel restaurant is busy during the tourist season. Mostly because of the hotel guests, but also a pretty good reputation locally. Comparing this restaurant to other alternatives in Lerwick, I can understand the locals coming here. However, the total dining experience here, is in reality no more than average.The 2-3 waiters are not able to service all the tables properly, the kitchen is obviously struggling to keep up with the orders and the food quality is only ok.Comparing to most other options in Shetland, I am harsh scoring this restaurant as I am. However, it would also be unfair to the best competitors, to score it better…

We went for a meal on Friday night. Family of four adults and 2 children. We had to wait 25 mins until a very sour faced waitresses took our drinks order, which then took another 15mins to arrive. The Coca Cola was flat. The waiter a young boy had presumed we had ordered two waters (even though the glasses were different) to which we said one was a lemonade? He responded with 'yes, I had just thought it looked like water'. The food was utterly horrendous, my plate clearly showed i had barely touched it. The manager cleared our plates and never asked once how the meal was, it's a shame as i would have explained to him about my concerns had I of been asked. Not that I think for one minute anything would have been done about it. The customer service here was non existent. My mother in law complained on our way out and it wasn't handled at all, merely shrugged off regarding lack of staff. I have worked as a waitress myself, and it's not difficult to smile and be professional. Maybe not the individuals fault...being poorly trained might be a better explanation! Train staff better, teach them how to smile and sort the food and I might be back.

Went here four adults and two children for a family meal early evening. Waited forty minutes before a very surly waitress finally took our order. When food did eventually arrive fillet steaks were poor quality can buy better from local supermarket. At end of meal when we complained about quality of meal and awful service all we got was shrug of shoulders from disinterested waiting staff and excuse that lack of staff on. Won't be going back anytime soon and wouldn't recommend to anyone.

We are staying at the hotel and ate here our final night in Shetland. We also ate breakfast here three times. The staff is very pleasant and positive, inquiring several times if we were enjoying our meals. The dinner servings were large and the seafood selections we picked were cooked well. We really enjoyed the lamb meatball appetizer. Our desserts were also very good. Our breakfasts also were cooked to order and made well. Several locals chose this place to celebrate a birthday dinner, which says a lot for a hotel.

The restaurant is like a staff canteen inside a very depressing warehouse like building. Service was practically nonexistent as we waited 20 minutes for our drinks, staff member dropped one of the glasses, the (foreign) waitress, when she did finally arrive to take our order after half an hour although our booking was clearly made to include children, one of whom was a toddler who does not enjoy waiting, was abrupt, tight lipped, did not understand what we said half the time and was extremely surly. Wine was not poured for us, just dumped on the table and the food took simply ages to arrive. People who came in after us were able to order and have their meal well before us!! And this was before it was anywhere near full. When I complained as we left - and believe me, if I had been paying, I would not have paid - I was told they were short staffed. But is this my problem? It was Friday night, they had bookings..... This was one of the poorest experiences I have had in a long time!!!!

Friendly and good for watching sports

Comfortable dining area, wide choice of menu items and service was fantastic from the time we checked in. The staff really treat you well.

Excellent restaurant with great service and good well prepared food. It has a lovely ambience and if you can a table at the window you get a great view across to the Isle of Bressay

Out with a group of friends 4 to 70 year old. there was a good selection of food for all, fair range of Gluten free and a few veggie options too but few of both. Staff were polite and efficient but almost all staff (eastern european) had some problems with English. The food was well presented if edging more to fancy than filling. Good selection of wines and beverages. Agood place for a celebration.

This place is on the second floor of the Shetland Hotel, a building which is as depressing and drab inside as it is outside - see photo. The food, however, is not bad at all. It is almost that the surroundings, which are straight out of the Soviet era USSR, drag your impression down. The staff (apart from the Scottish American restaurant manager) were a bit robotic and the accompaniments to the dishes needed a little more thought.