Smoke and Soul at The Old Smiddy — Restaurant in Aberdeen City

Came here for Aberdeen restaurant week and it is safe to say I will never be back. First of all the service was pretty much non existent. Took 20 minutes for an order. The server then forgot our drinks so we had to go up for them ourselves and no check back during the meal to see if everything was alright as-well as our table not being cleared so no option for a dessert. We were sat at the very front beside the door so me and my boyfriend essentially froze the entire time as-well as us having to watch a chef aggressively shout at a delivery driver which did not impress either of us. As for the food which we waited 1 HOUR to receive, without an apology may I add was below average. Chips were cold. Pulled beef had no flavour and the wings shouldn’t even be called chicken wings with the poor amount of meat on them. My Korean fries had no sour cream and only one of my tacos had guacamole so explain that one. The macaroni was the only thing that carried the meal. Wanted to love this meal but I would’ve rather cooked a bag of frozen chips at home...

Was fortunate to be taken for Sunday lunch on recent birthday. What an awesome meal we all had. I opted for the roast beef, which was two gigantic cuts of prime aged sirloin, cooked to perfection. Roast tatties were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, yorkshire pudding, and skirlie and veg to accompany the beef. I liked getting the the gravy in a small jug. Others had the vegetarian lunch and gammon. 4 slices of gammon was loaded onto the plate. Sides included corn bread, and probably the best cauliflower cheese I've ever tasted. Puddings we had were, bread and butter pudding, creamy rice pudding with whisky, and strawberry shortcake. Hands down the rice pudding was the winner (I need to get the recipe). So rich and creamy and the whisky wasn't too strong and the balance just right. Service was exceptional for being so busy, and we didn't wait long for our food to get delivered. Cory still found time to chat to guests despite a busy kitchen. Deserve 10 stars but can only give 5 stars. #supportlocal...

The meat and sauces were good - the only issue with the food was the skirlie, which was like gravel. The service was ok - took around half an hour to serve us despite very few customers there, but the main issue was it felt much longer due to how uncomfortable it is. The tables are so thin that you can't even sit opposite each other, and the benches are so thin that they're constantly wobbling. They've basically tried to stuff as many tables and benches into a garage as possible to maximise revenue. All of this would be just about acceptable if it wasn't for the prices. They charge more for a Sunday roast than Vovem. The food is around the same quality but Vovem are paying for a premium spot in the city cente, whereas these guys are paying for a garage in the middle of nowhere -...