Vegetarian options: A few veggie option. The aubergine was incredible
Pascal Hénaut
Very good meal, friendly place.
Simon Wills
We can’t wait to return to this excellent fish focused restaurant where the food is cooked with love and passion. The menu was spot-on with just the right amount of options. We opted for the hake and the turbot for the main, both of which were absolutely outstanding. Praise must also go to the team. They were professional, relaxed and personable. Well done to you all.
Ian _
We really enjoyed our meal, the fish was cooked perfectly and the atmosphere was great. I would visit again.
Emily’s Moments
Oh. My. God. What a find. Probably the best tasting menu I have ever had and I have had a few. The crab crumpets are another level of wow. Atmosphere also spot on. Service impeccable and highly professional… the staff are incredibly attentive, discreet and knowledgeable. Thank you Chef Marcus and thank you to your team… an absolutely wonderful meal.
Emily (from an area of South East England that is very hungry for restaurants like this!)
Christine Hartridge
Great restaurant. Food is delicious. We had the set menu. Service is very attentive. The ambience is great. We loved it and intend to come back. Congratulations to all the staff.
Juulia Kraft
Do yourself a favour and pay a visit if you are in the area.
I visited earlier this year with my friends, and we had the best experience- the kind that makes you want to personally thank the entire restaurant team because you know you will revisit the memory. The service was professional and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was a lovely degree of relaxed.
The food was absolutely stunning. I still cannot stop thinking about it. Ingredients tasted fresh and the entire menu was put together well and with care. This may well be the best seafood restaurant in Scotland. Somerset wine I had was a lovely experience too, very fragrant. Everything was priced well.
I will certainly make time to return. Thank you!
Nicholas Craigen
We had a brilliant meal here! The service was excellent, very friendly and knowledgeable. The food was out of this world, we had the lobster tagliarini and the halibut fillet, both of which were outstanding, but the tiny crumpets with crab meal stole the show. A memorably good meal and worth travelling for.
Alexander Haid
A pearl among fish restaurants!
Ballater is a little gem in the Highlands with just around 1,500 residents. You might not expect a culinary sensation here - but the "Fish Shop Restaurant" quickly teaches you otherwise! To be honest, this restaurant would do well even in a metropolis like my hometown of Munich.
As soon as you enter, you are greeted by maritime charm: the furnishings and decoration immediately remind you that fish plays the main role here, alongside the guests, of course. But don't worry - it doesn't look exaggerated or cheesy, just authentic. You can immediately feel that someone with an eye for detail and a great deal of passion is at work here.
As a larger group, we wisely reserved in advance, and I would really recommend that to everyone - whether as a couple, alone or with friends. The restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike, and not without reason. Even at lunchtime there is a lot of activity here.
Our greeting: warm, as if we were old friends. And then came the highlight: our "premium table", a converted old boat on which a huge glass plate served as a table - right next to the open kitchen. Not only did it smell wonderfully of fresh fish, we were also able to watch oysters being prepared with as much ease as if it were child's play.
The daily recommendations were based on the current catch, and we decided on the menu in order to try as many delicacies as possible - with wine accompaniment, of course. What can I say? Every dish was a poem! I particularly liked the fresh oysters in three different variations as well as the Macduff lobster taglierini. They were so good that we decided to come back for lunch a few days later just to enjoy them in a larger portion.
We were lovingly accompanied throughout our entire meal by the staff, who not only explained to us what was on the plate, but also why the wine served with it went so well with it. It wasn't just a meal, it was an experience!
For anyone traveling through the Highlands, this restaurant is definitely on your to-do list! And as a little treat on top: you can take the fresh fish right next door to take home with you. A real lucky catch, I would say!
Debra Whelband
The sample menus and photos on the website are far from what is served at your dining experience! I stupidly didn’t photograph mine! to put on my review. In fact it seems what looked amazing has seriously diminished and not what is actually served on the ‘A La Carte’ . It’s absolutely disgraceful for the prices being charged. We have eaten in some of the best fish restaurants in the country and it’s fair to say my husband and myself were more than dissatisfied with the pigeon food served up to us. Although the ‘bits’ were of decent quality. I have never had to pay extra for vegetables to compensate for the lack of a main meal. When you serve soup at £12 for half a bowl and then have the audacity to provide no roll or bread accompaniment, but put it on the menu as an appetiser for £3.50 extra, it’s astonishing. My starter was supposedly haddock rarebit, again £12. It consisted of a piece of rock hard bread 2cm x 6cm x 8mm thick, tiny bit of cheese with a few threads of haddock hidden among the watercress garnish.I was asked how my starter was and this was removed from the bill. You’d think this might have geared them up to sort out the main course- no chance. We’re now wondering if we should have had 4 lots of the 3 course £24 lunch??? How can you serve 2 menus together at such a huge price point cost??? As our bill for - 1 decrepit starter, 2 x 4oz pieces of fish, cod £26 monkfish £32. with a few broad beans and fennel on the side, a ginger drink and lemonade, oh 1 portion of chips £93!!! Sorry this included the 2 x 2 pence bit sized crumpet crap starters @ £4 each. Then there is the £1donation on the bill without our permission - this is not legal I might add. It wasn't the £I was an issue it's the clever deceptive way it's done! We declined a dessert as we are not pigeons and certainly not fools when it comes to good food and being ripped off.
A lovely relaxed time with friends eating well prepared dishes from the menu. Not too loud and plenty of space
Charlotte Potter
I’ve eaten a lot of dinners. But this has been the best. The brilliant service, the great cocktails and wine are a great accompaniment to the fantastic food. Each dish was superb in its own way. Fresh, perfectly cooked, well balanced and unbelievably tasty. Go and enjoy.
Chuck Stephens
We had the pleasure of having dinner here recently and it was lovely on all fronts. From the moment we arrived we were treated as family. From drinks at the bar, to the service at our table, and the amazing dinner items we were blown away. I don’t remember the last time a restaurant nailed it on all fronts. Make this local gem a priority!
Daniel Crooks
We had a lovely dinner here last Saturday which lived up to all the good reviews I'd heard about it beforehand. Service was warm and welcoming, our waiter in particular was excellent throughout. Food was delicious, the crab crumpets were a highlight. The place is cosy and rustic yet stylish. Overall, fantastic experience
The best food in Ballater by far!
Vegetarian options: A few veggie option. The aubergine was incredible
Very good meal, friendly place.
We can’t wait to return to this excellent fish focused restaurant where the food is cooked with love and passion. The menu was spot-on with just the right amount of options. We opted for the hake and the turbot for the main, both of which were absolutely outstanding. Praise must also go to the team. They were professional, relaxed and personable. Well done to you all.
We really enjoyed our meal, the fish was cooked perfectly and the atmosphere was great. I would visit again.
Oh. My. God.
What a find.
Probably the best tasting menu I have ever had and I have had a few. The crab crumpets are another level of wow.
Atmosphere also spot on. Service impeccable and highly professional… the staff are incredibly attentive, discreet and knowledgeable.
Thank you Chef Marcus and thank you to your team… an absolutely wonderful meal.
Emily (from an area of South East England that is very hungry for restaurants like this!)
Great restaurant. Food is delicious. We had the set menu. Service is very attentive. The ambience is great. We loved it and intend to come back. Congratulations to all the staff.
Do yourself a favour and pay a visit if you are in the area.
I visited earlier this year with my friends, and we had the best experience- the kind that makes you want to personally thank the entire restaurant team because you know you will revisit the memory. The service was professional and knowledgeable, and the atmosphere was a lovely degree of relaxed.
The food was absolutely stunning. I still cannot stop thinking about it. Ingredients tasted fresh and the entire menu was put together well and with care. This may well be the best seafood restaurant in Scotland. Somerset wine I had was a lovely experience too, very fragrant. Everything was priced well.
I will certainly make time to return. Thank you!
We had a brilliant meal here! The service was excellent, very friendly and knowledgeable. The food was out of this world, we had the lobster tagliarini and the halibut fillet, both of which were outstanding, but the tiny crumpets with crab meal stole the show. A memorably good meal and worth travelling for.
A pearl among fish restaurants!
Ballater is a little gem in the Highlands with just around 1,500 residents. You might not expect a culinary sensation here - but the "Fish Shop Restaurant" quickly teaches you otherwise! To be honest, this restaurant would do well even in a metropolis like my hometown of Munich.
As soon as you enter, you are greeted by maritime charm: the furnishings and decoration immediately remind you that fish plays the main role here, alongside the guests, of course. But don't worry - it doesn't look exaggerated or cheesy, just authentic. You can immediately feel that someone with an eye for detail and a great deal of passion is at work here.
As a larger group, we wisely reserved in advance, and I would really recommend that to everyone - whether as a couple, alone or with friends. The restaurant is popular with locals and tourists alike, and not without reason. Even at lunchtime there is a lot of activity here.
Our greeting: warm, as if we were old friends. And then came the highlight: our "premium table", a converted old boat on which a huge glass plate served as a table - right next to the open kitchen. Not only did it smell wonderfully of fresh fish, we were also able to watch oysters being prepared with as much ease as if it were child's play.
The daily recommendations were based on the current catch, and we decided on the menu in order to try as many delicacies as possible - with wine accompaniment, of course. What can I say? Every dish was a poem! I particularly liked the fresh oysters in three different variations as well as the Macduff lobster taglierini. They were so good that we decided to come back for lunch a few days later just to enjoy them in a larger portion.
We were lovingly accompanied throughout our entire meal by the staff, who not only explained to us what was on the plate, but also why the wine served with it went so well with it. It wasn't just a meal, it was an experience!
For anyone traveling through the Highlands, this restaurant is definitely on your to-do list! And as a little treat on top: you can take the fresh fish right next door to take home with you. A real lucky catch, I would say!
The sample menus and photos on the website are far from what is served at your dining experience! I stupidly didn’t photograph mine! to put on my review. In fact it seems what looked amazing has seriously diminished and not what is actually served on the ‘A La Carte’ . It’s absolutely disgraceful for the prices being charged. We have eaten in some of the best fish restaurants in the country and it’s fair to say my husband and myself were more than dissatisfied with the pigeon food served up to us. Although the ‘bits’ were of decent quality. I have never had to pay extra for vegetables to compensate for the lack of a main meal. When you serve soup at £12 for half a bowl and then have the audacity to provide no roll or bread accompaniment, but put it on the menu as an appetiser for £3.50 extra, it’s astonishing. My starter was supposedly haddock rarebit, again £12. It consisted of a piece of rock hard bread 2cm x 6cm x 8mm thick, tiny bit of cheese with a few threads of haddock hidden among the watercress garnish.I was asked how my starter was and this was removed from the bill. You’d think this might have geared them up to sort out the main course- no chance. We’re now wondering if we should have had 4 lots of the 3 course £24 lunch??? How can you serve 2 menus together at such a huge price point cost??? As our bill for - 1 decrepit starter, 2 x 4oz pieces of fish, cod £26 monkfish £32. with a few broad beans and fennel on the side, a ginger drink and lemonade, oh 1 portion of chips £93!!! Sorry this included
the 2 x 2 pence bit sized crumpet crap starters @ £4 each. Then there is the £1donation on the bill without our permission - this is not legal I might add. It wasn't the £I was an issue it's the clever deceptive way it's done! We declined a dessert as we are not pigeons and certainly not fools when it comes to good food and being ripped off.
Restaurantji Recommends
A lovely relaxed time with friends eating well prepared dishes from the menu. Not too loud and plenty of space
I’ve eaten a lot of dinners. But this has been the best. The brilliant service, the great cocktails and wine are a great accompaniment to the fantastic food. Each dish was superb in its own way. Fresh, perfectly cooked, well balanced and unbelievably tasty. Go and enjoy.
We had the pleasure of having dinner here recently and it was lovely on all fronts. From the moment we arrived we were treated as family. From drinks at the bar, to the service at our table, and the amazing dinner items we were blown away. I don’t remember the last time a restaurant nailed it on all fronts. Make this local gem a priority!
We had a lovely dinner here last Saturday which lived up to all the good reviews I'd heard about it beforehand.
Service was warm and welcoming, our waiter in particular was excellent throughout.
Food was delicious, the crab crumpets were a highlight.
The place is cosy and rustic yet stylish. Overall, fantastic experience
Food amazing staff very friendly perfect
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