Decent places to eat near Luss, Loch Lomondside

[anonymous-user]

Hi all, as we seem to have a few keen diners on here I thought I'd ask for a recommendation for somewhere decent to eat near Luss on a Sunday afternoon, as we're having a family get-together up that way, doesn't need to be right at Luss but within 15 minutes drive max would be nice.

Only place I've eaten in around there is Lodge on Loch Lomond, which I thought was overpriced and average in terms of food and service.

Would rather eat good expensive (relatively speaking) pub food than average expensive hotel fodder.

TIA.

[FamilyDub]

Steak Pie & chips @ Glendarroch Arms hotel in Luss.

Sorted.

[Sunnysidebb]

Kilted Skirlie in Balloch, Loch Lomond Shores


http://www.kiltedskirlie.co.uk/

[6C4GTS]

Inverbeg Inn

[whirligig]

The Boathouse at Cameron House would be my recommendation.

[c8bof]

The Cruin at Arden was tasty the few times I've been in (if you can see past the tartan...) www.thecruin.com

Didn't rate the Kilted Skirlie at all - looked dirty, menu uninspiring and over-priced and staff uninterested. Didn't stay to eat after seeing that, so can't comment on the food.

[rash_decision]

http://www.duckbay.co.uk/restaurant

Duck Bay Marina is does pretty good food and is reasonably priced. Nice views over the Loch too.

[bigwheel]

c8bof said:

The Cruin at Arden was tasty the few times I've been in (if you can see past the tartan...) www.thecruin.com

Didn't rate the Kilted Skirlie at all - looked dirty, menu uninspiring and over-priced and staff uninterested. Didn't stay to eat after seeing that, so can't comment on the food.

I live locally and can confirm the quoted views.

Boat House is a nice setting but the food is, erm, an average menu for a lot of ££'s. Better menu at the Cameron Grill in the main part of Cameron House.

http://www.cameronhouse.co.uk/cameron-house/eating...

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for all the replies so far, the Glendarroch and Inverbeg Inn are grabbing my attention so far as we're looking for somewhere with a more 'homely' traditional feel, Boathouse is maybe a bit formal for this occasion and I wouldn't give Cameron House my money after a dreadful experience when trying to book the place for my wedding a few years back!

[Sunnysidebb]

c8bof said:

The Cruin at Arden was tasty the few times I've been in (if you can see past the tartan...) www.thecruin.com

Didn't rate the Kilted Skirlie at all - looked dirty, menu uninspiring and over-priced and staff uninterested. Didn't stay to eat after seeing that, so can't comment on the food.

I have to ask what year did you visit the Kilted Skirlie as for the last couple of years its been under new ownership. It did have a terrible reputation before Tanny took over but now its bright and distinctively Scottish. We live here and run a B&B that has over 3000 guests throughput per year. If i have heard one guest complaint about them then that would be a first.
It has a fantastic view of the Loch and is so far away from being dirty I don't recognognise your description of the place.
Let the forum decide and click the link I posted , there is the full menu on there. Doesn't look uninspiring to me.

ps I have no vested interest at all and I don't work there or have shares there. just a B&B owner who has to know the good places to eat for guests.

Edited by Sunnysidebb on Friday 9th September 16:07

[c8bof]

I think it would have been 2009 so hopefully it has been 'done up' since then as it was really off-putting. I did have a shufty at the link and the colours looked familiar, so maybe it wasn't repainted? I'm not a great fan of the 'cover everything in tartan and thistles for the tourists' as I mentioned above so I'm maybe biased anyway!

Am also a local so would like to see Balloch show itself of in it's best light!

What's the new place at the top of the loch? It used to be called McGregor's Landing for a while before it closed down. I noticed there was something happening there when I passed the other day?

[Sunnysidebb]

c8bof said:

I think it would have been 2009 so hopefully it has been 'done up' since then as it was really off-putting. I did have a shufty at the link and the colours looked familiar, so maybe it wasn't repainted? I'm not a great fan of the 'cover everything in tartan and thistles for the tourists' as I mentioned above so I'm maybe biased anyway!

Am also a local so would like to see Balloch show itself of in it's best light!

What's the new place at the top of the loch? It used to be called McGregors Landing for a while before it closed down. I noticed there was something happening there when I passed the other day?

I have to agree with you about Balloch, I just wish it would get its self together. There is a menacing feeling on a Friday and Saturday with an increased Police presence. I think they got it all wrong with loch Lomond Shores but that's IMHO and way above my paygrade.lol.
I had to google McGregors Landing, I'd forgotten about it TBH. might have to take a trip up there and have a meal.

[whirligig]

McGregors Landing is now this http://www.lochlomondoutdoorcentre.com/.

The Cruin is nice - lovely setting and the food's not bad. Really don't like the Kilted Skirlie at all either - why have curry etc on a supposedly Scottish menu. Haven't tried the Inverbeg since it's re-opened so can't comment on that. Duck Bay is OK - not exactly fine dining but good for the family.

[anonymous-user]

6C4GTS said:

Inverbeg Inn

Thread resurrection! After much rescheduling for over a year I managed to get up to Loch Lomond on Saturday for the seaplane tour over the West of Scotland - what a day for it, absolutely stunning scenery and I highly recommend the trip.

More importantly, chose the Inverbeg Inn for our lunch beforehand and was very impressed. The bar area looks to have been refurbished and is much nicer than external impressions might suggest, well stocked with a huge selection of whisky if that's your tipple. We sat ouside in the garden, food was excellent (I highly recommend the fish tea - huge portion with 2 large chunky fillets of fish and fresh hand cut chips), service also very good. The fact it's a bit further up from Balloch and Luss meant that even at lunchtime last Saturday it was quiet enough to get a seat with a view.

Also nipped up to the Boathouse at Cameron House after the flight for a coffee, lovely place inside, very friendly service, and again lovely views from the deck over the Loch.

Cheers for the recommendation

[triathlonstu]

I always thought the Inverbeg was a bit expensive but then again you did end up in the Boathouse so it must have felt like a bargain in the Inverbeg haha. Used to work in the Boathouse, really nice place.

[anonymous-user]

triathlonstu said:

I always thought the Inverbeg was a bit expensive

£9.95 for possibly the biggest fish tea I've ever had, and very good quality and well cooked/presented too - bargain for a decent sit down meal in a touristy/rural area IMO!

And yes, Boathouse coffees weren't the cheapest, but we were paying for the view weren't we!

[alfa pint]

yellowbentines said:

triathlonstu said:

I always thought the Inverbeg was a bit expensive

£9.95 for possibly the biggest fish tea I've ever had, and very good quality and well cooked/presented too - bargain for a decent sit down meal in a touristy/rural area IMO!

And yes, Boathouse coffees weren't the cheapest, but we were paying for the view weren't we!

A wise choice in having the fish tea. The rest of their menu is pretty dreadful tbh, although my mate's autistic son raves about the burgers. I really really never recommend anyone to go there apart from the fish tea. I'd rather go up to Arrochar and have some decent food at the Village Inn or head into Helensburgh or up to the Drovers, where the food is ok, but at least the atmosphere is great. The George Hotel in Inveraray does sublime food too.

[scotty_d]

alfa pint said:

decent food at the Village Inn or head into Helensburgh or up to the Drovers, where the food is ok, but at least the atmosphere is great. The George Hotel in Inveraray does sublime food too.

The Village Inn does great food and the George is first class as well not been for a couple of years right enough. Makes a change from the same rubbish at Lochgoil lol

[anonymous-user]

alfa pint said:

A wise choice in having the fish tea.

We all did, and everyone else in the beer garden looked to be doing the same, a wise choice by the sounds of it!

Will try some of the other suggestions next time I'm up there.

[cardigankid]

scotty_d said:

The Village Inn does great food and the George is first class as well not been for a couple of years right enough. Makes a change from the same rubbish at Lochgoil lol

The Drover's Inn, up Loch Lomond, past Ardlui, serves pretty good food in entertaining surroundings. I challenge you not to enjoy that.

Not sure why you have a down on Lochgoilhead, Drimsynie is what it is, the Lochgoilhead Hotel specialises in fry ups of a good standard for the locals plus the occasional scuffle on big nights like Hogmanay, but if you go to the Shore House Inn you will have a great meal in high quality surroundings with fantastic views down the Loch, all at a very reasonable cost.

Inverbeg Inn was comprehensively refurbished and extended a few years ago, which was good, because it was dirty and the interior smelt of stale piss. That was why so many people ate outside. It put me off so much that I haven't been back. My impression of many of the places along the banks of Loch Lomond, Cameron House, Cruin, Luss (most expensive tea and scones in the solar system) is that they are tourist traps of questionable quality and often high cost. Duck Bay is ok if you are a yottie. The big newish golf club has a spectacular clubhouse with a good restaurant but I am not sure if you have to be a member to go in. Helensburgh, well, ok, but why would you go there as it is so far off the beaten track? A bit further round you have the pubby places catering for the military from Faslane.

As for Balloch, Renton, Alexandria etc., just don't. A surgical nuclear strike would be the kindest thing.

Edited by cardigankid on Wednesday 30th May 09:16