Lochside Craigard House - Argyll Bute

After reading many positive reviews and seeing an exciting looking specials menu, we booked a table on a Sunday evening. There was absolutely no need to book as it was only us and one other couple in the whole dining area. The tone of the...evening was set immediately by the lack of atmosphere on entry. Absolute silence, no music to offset the lack of diners. We ordered scallops and the salmon platter to start. The scallops came with the roe still attached, not something I’d expect for the price of the dish. The smoked salmon on the platter was lovely, but the mussels came without their shells something I’ve never experienced in any restaurant let alone one in a seafood town, and definitely made me question how fresh they were. Mains were not much better. I ordered monkfish from the specials menu, which consisted of two small pieces of monkfish plopped on top of a mountain of mashed potato, possibly of the instant variety. The fish was rubbery and my knife struggled to cut through it. My partner ordered the fish pie after much deliberation between several mouth watering sounding options on the menu. There was around inches of mashed potato topping a small amount of fish, which strangely tasted of ham lentil soup. This potato-topped dish game with roast potatoes on the side, and an accompanying plate of vegetables which included yet more potatoes. This time boiled, along with part cooked carrots. Being Scottish, we do love a good tattoo, but this was a bit much. The chips I ordered to accompany my fish were wonderful, a testament to the chef’s obvious potato dish abilities. I had been looking forward to a cheese platter for dessert, but after the first two courses we opted to bail out and visit the local Co-Op for an ice cream just to be safe. Overall, the food was edible, but absolutely not worth the price we paid. We could have eaten better at Wetherspoons for a fraction of the price. The dated decor would have been forgiven if the food had been any kind of satisfying. The Blu-Tack on the only toilet lid really just topped the night of beautifully. The waitress was absolutely faultless, service a little slow for how quiet it was, but not her fault at all. If you have money to burn, a love of potatoes and a lack of tastebuds, I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant.

The staff were very friendly. Upon checkin, if you intend to dine in house, (and we had a very nice dinner there) you should indicate what time you would like to be seated so they can manage their table arrangements. Also, since a full Scottish...breakfast is included, you should tell them what time you would like to eat for the same above seating reason. The menu was quite extensive given the hotel has less than rooms. The breakfast offered everything from cereal/fruits to bacon, eggs, black pudding, sausage, tomatoes, beans and of course white or wheat bread. The wait staff were very friendly, but a bit rushed with the full house we had the night we stayed. There is a bit of history attached to this hotel which you will want to read about during your stay.

The food here is of excellent quality. In particular we thoroughly enjoyed the wide selection of sea food. The staff are friendly and helpful and not intrusive.

A delicious meal that is affordable and offers a fantastic view of the surroundings. The local cuisine is outstanding.

I had a reservation and arrived a few minutes early to the restaurant. I was directed to a dining room with a slightly outdated decor, but with a great view over the bay. After a short wait, we received our menus and placed our order. However, things went downhill from there. The starters took a long time to arrive, but the prawn cocktail was generous and beautifully presented. Unfortunately, the main dishes took over an hour to come out, despite our inquiries to the only waitress working that night. She explained that she was also helping with cooking due to a shortage in staff. The food was good when it finally arrived, but the long wait was unacceptable. Other tables were experiencing similar delays and complaints. The waitress offered to discount our bill, but after waiting for the bill for several minutes, I left an amount I felt was appropriate and departed. The owner seemed to be hiding in a strange cabinet during the chaos. It's a shame, as the restaurant has potential to be a great spot with some improvements in staffing and service. I would recommend hiring more front of house staff and kitchen help, or considering a change in ownership. I give it two stars as the food and wine were of a good standard.