Dyce Farm - Dining & Carvery — Restaurant in Aberdeen City

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Dyce Farm near Aberdeen, and I must say, it was an experience I’ll never forget. If you're looking for a place that offers an exceptional dining experience, a welcoming atmosphere, and the kind of service that makes you feel like family, look no further. From the moment I walked in, I was greeted warmly by the staff, and the experience only got better from there. But let me tell you—while the food was fantastic, it was Sylvia, our server, who truly made the evening one to remember. More on that

Dyce Farm, located just a short drive from Aberdeen, provides a cozy yet spacious environment. It’s the perfect place for families, friends, or even solo diners who want to relax and enjoy good food in a homely setting. I was there with my family, including two young children, and the atmosphere was exactly what we needed. It’s not always easy finding a restaurant where the kids are entertained, and you can enjoy your meal in peace, but Dyce Farm strikes that perfect balance.

The open layout and inviting décor give the space a comforting, rustic feel. The farm-to-table theme is carried throughout, with plenty of light wooden furniture and warm lighting that makes you feel instantly at home. There’s even an outdoor seating area for when the weather cooperates, which I imagine would be ideal on a warm summer evening.

Now, let me get to the food, specifically the kid's hamburger and chips. I know what you’re thinking how could a simple kid's meal change someone's palate? What I wasn’t expecting was to have my taste buds completely redefined by something as humble as a hamburger and fries.

First, the burger patty was cooked to absolute perfection. Juicy and tender, it had that classic grilled flavor that brought back memories of summer barbecues but elevated in a way I didn’t expect. The seasoning was spot-on—savory with just a hint of smokiness—and paired beautifully with the soft, toasted bun. The simplicity of the dish allowed the quality of the ingredients to really shine through. It was clear that Dyce Farm sources their ingredients locally, and the difference in taste was remarkable.

And let’s talk about the chips! Crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside, these weren’t your average fries. They had a golden crunch that gave way to a pillowy softness, and when paired with the burger, it was a match made in heaven. I honestly couldn’t stop picking at my kids' plates and might have ended up eating more than they did! Never in my life did I expect a kid's hamburger and chips to be the highlight of my meal, but here we are. I’ve eaten at many fine establishments, but this simple dish has genuinely changed the way I view comfort food. Who knew that sometimes, it’s the simplest dishes that can leave the most lasting impressions?

Now, I have to take a moment to talk about Sylvia, our server for the evening. If there’s anyone who deserves a promotion, it’s her. From the moment we sat down, Sylvia treated us as if we were the most important guests in the restaurant. Her attention to detail, her genuine warmth, and her ability to anticipate our needs before we even voiced them made the experience truly special.

Sylvia went out of her way to ensure that our kids were entertained and happy. She brought them coloring books and crayons without us even asking, and when they grew a little restless after the meal, she took the time to chat with them and make them feel included. It’s not often you find a server who can handle both adults and children with such grace, but Sylvia did it effortlessly.

What truly set Sylvia apart, however, was her knowledge of the menu and her passion for the food being served. She made excellent recommendations, ensuring that everyone...

Booked a table here recently with my partner and stepdaughter, and honestly this place has gone completely downhill. We were greeted by the manager, only for a waitress to come over abruptly saying, “Where am I putting them?!” — not exactly the friendliest start.

We were seated directly under an air con vent blasting freezing air straight onto my partner’s head. When we tried to order on the app (which said we got a free beer), the waitress told us they didn’t have any and couldn’t offer anything in place of it.

We ordered two carveries and an ultimate chicken combo tenders & chips. The carvery was a total letdown — bland, watery veg, hardly any meat, and what little was served on my partner’s plate was almost all fat and completely inedible. Sitting under the air con didn’t help either, because the food went cold within minutes.

The chicken combo was wrong too. We ordered chicken tenders but got an overcooked, oily chicken fillet instead. When we politely told the waiter, he came storming back over waving the receipt at us with attitude, saying “This is what you ordered!” in a really rude tone. He acted like we were lying. We had to explain that the waitress at the bar had selected the wrong option on the till — not us. Only then did he go to check and confirm that, yes, the wrong item had been entered. Not once did anyone apologise properly for the mistake or how it was handled. Instead, he just said they’d make the correct meal and that we could keep the wrong one — which, by the way, was awful. Dry, rubbery chicken, drenched in oil, rock-hard garlic bread and about six chips. He then returned with a small bowl of thin chicken tenders, do not recommend!

I even asked for the air con to be turned off because it was that uncomfortable, and the waiter’s response was a sarcastic “Will try 🙄” — like we were just being a nuisance. At this point, we just wanted to finish up and leave.

We decided to get a takeaway cake before leaving, and the same waitress who made the mistake earlier literally avoided us — she saw us coming and started “cleaning” the other side of the bar to avoid serving us. The other staff member who ended up serving us, who originally seated us, had the worst attitude. I asked for carrot cake, she rolled her eyes and said, “Da think we hae that left,” then dragged her feet over to check the fridge before coming back with “Nah, da hae that,” and just stood staring at us. When I asked what other cakes they had, she mentioned one, I said I’d take it, and she slammed the box on the bar without a word before walking off. No smile, no thank you — just pure rudeness.

What makes this worse is that this wasn’t a one-off. First visit: seated at a dirty table with a used diabetic glucose monitor stuck to the menu — clearly not cleaned properly. Second visit: ordered the farmhouse mixed grill (£17!) and got a tiny steak, a gammon steak with plastic wrapping cooked onto it, and a piece of literal frozen chicken. Sent it back, tried to swap for a salad, and got wilted leaves and spoiled veg instead. Third (and final) visit: freezing cold table, rude staff, mistakes blamed on us, and zero customer service or basic respect.

The way the staff deal with issues here is shocking — instead of listening or apologising, they act defensive, rude, and make you feel like you’re the problem. We’ve given this place more than enough chances, but this last visit was the final straw. We won’t be...

Don't forget your masks, everybody. Or else. I have eaten here before in quieter times with no problems, but with the easing of restrictions in Scotland recently, it seemed like everybody wanted to be there. Not a complaint on its own but did cause my party an issue as it turned out. Three of us had ordered drinks and waited for our order which arrived swiftly considering how busy they were. However, my two friends finished their meals before me and the waiter came along to take their plates away while I was still eating and then requested that I try to finish as quick as I could as they had new customers waiting for tables. None of us had finished our drinks at that point either and there was no offer of a dessert. The waiter was almost standing over me waiting to take my plate away. We had only been there about twenty minutes in total. It was all a little uncomfortable and by the time out table was cleared, so were many other tables, so the queue had subsided by then and no rush required. Under normal circumstances, I would probably have decided to have a dessert but didn't feel welcome enough to do so on this occasion. Times are certainly a changing and I hope COVID doesn't start a flurry of restaurant rudeness as owners try to claw back lost income by pushing punters through the doors as quick as possible, which certainly seems to be the case here. If this hadn't been a business lunch and I was with family, I think I would have shown my annoyance somewhat more. I can't imagine all patrons were treated the same as us so there aren't really any excuses for this behaviour. Unfortunately, have to flag this down on...