Glenhouse Aberdeen — Restaurant in Aberdeen City

Really wanted to love it and have a great place to go in Aberdeen, but there’s definitely room for improvement here.

Pros: Staff were attentive, polite and eager to please Well priced champagne (considering it’s a restaurant and branded champagne). Good selection of drinks overall. The main bar area is impactful when you walk in- instantly good atmosphere in that area Food was fairly average. Not amazing, not terrible. If everything else was awesome, it probably would have been acceptable.

Cons: The website is wildly misleading and I’m fairly certain it is entirely AI generated images and descriptions - the venue is nothing like the images displayed, so be sure to visit before you book any parties! The website claims ‘architectural heritage meets contemporary elegance’ and ‘soaring ceilings and original architectural details create an atmosphere of refined hospitality’. The ceilings are not soaring, they are black nightclub style suspended plasterboard tiles. It’s obvious that there has not been the required attention to detail in the refurb- patches of unpainted wall, peeling wallpaper in the windowsills. The chairs and tables are not of the standard that you’d expect either- the website shows lovely wooden tables and sumptuous leather booths. The reality is shabby black tables (again, look like they’ve been repurposed from a club) and slightly stained fabric booths. None of this would bother me as much if we weren’t told on the website to expect elegance! Slightly less galling, but nonetheless important when trying to create an elegant experience, is the low quality house wine glasses and the unpolished silver cutlery. Such simple things, but make a huge difference to the impression given.

If you are seated upstairs, you’ll get a good atmosphere. However, downstairs is dreadful. The lighting is glaring, the decor is tacky, the furniture is cheap and in some instances broken, music is bizarre, the smell of fat from the kitchen is unappealing. There is no atmosphere to speak of downstairs, and it’s worth asking to move if you’re seated there, and be clear when booking that you’d like to be upstairs.

Hopefully helpful to potential visitors and management...

RESPONSE TO OWNER:

I understand your attempt to downplay the situation, but your facts are not correct, plus it was multiple minutes—not seconds—but ultimately, this isn’t about timing. It’s about the absence of basic hospitality.

We were left standing without any greeting or communication, the first staff member who saw us waiting, chose not to walk over to us, instead prioritized cleaning a table—even though the venue wasn’t busy and they looked over to us several times to see us still waiting. A simple gesture of acknowledgment or a polite welcome would have made a meaningful difference.

Unfortunately, the second staff member’s lack of proper communication—simply telling us he needed two minutes and walking off — only made the situation worse.

From our perspective this came across as extremely dismissive and unwelcoming. Please see this feedback as constructive and an opportunity to educate team members on how to make people feel more welcome as soon as possible.

Popped in with family for lunch, but the welcome was very poor despite it not being busy. One staff member looked at us twice then went off to clean a table, while another came over from the bar, said “give me 2 mins,” and walked off.

If that’s the welcome, we didn’t want to risk the rest of our afternoon being spoiled with bad service, so we left and went to another restaurant on Albyn Place instead.

Lost customers before we’ve even sat down and...

Glen House (GH), Aberdeen

We had a wonderful experience at Glen House (GH) in Aberdeen. From the moment we walked in, the service was incredibly friendly—a special thanks to Isabella, who was polite, attentive, and courteous throughout our visit.

The ambience is chic and modern, with stylish decor and large windows offering a lovely view of Union Street. It’s the kind of space that feels both vibrant and welcoming.

The food presentation was phenomenal, and the menu is exquisite. We especially loved the salt and pepper calamari and the chilli king prawns—both packed with flavour and beautifully plated. The Angus beef burger was also a standout.

One small point: the food did take a little time to arrive, likely just some teething issues as the restaurant finds its rhythm. That said, the overall experience more than made up for the wait.

There’s also a beautiful, well-stocked bar with an impressive selection of drinks and cocktails. We were pleased to see owner Parveen personally checking in with guests, making sure everything was perfect—a nice personal touch that made us feel valued.

GH also features a private dining room downstairs, making it a great option for private events or special occasions.

All in all, GH is a fantastic new addition to Aberdeen’s dining scene, and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality dining experience with great food, service,...