MacGregor's — Restaurant in Crown and City Centre

For our last night in Inverness, we wanted to go out with a culinary bang and were taken by the look and feel of MacGregor’s as viewed through their website. They offered an elevated pub dining experience, the decor rustic with a modern twist. The menu was sophisticated yet approachable, hearty meals with tantalizing flavour profiles. What really set them apart was their selection of beers with their honest and playful descriptions — a great aid for anyone seeking out strange brews in a new setting.

The reality, I’m afraid, was a bit of a hit and miss experience. Based on the glowing online reviews, my wife and I both decided to try the Fired Up Ribs. Of the choice of two preparations (Red Wine and Garlic or Cuban Orange) we went with the Red Wine and Garlic as it was promised there would be more of a ‘sauce’. When our dishes arrived, they were indeed impressive to behold but the flavour and doneness were anything but. We were told by one of the servers as he presented us with our steak knives that we wouldn’t need them as the meat will “fall off the bone”. Well, not only did I need the steak knife but could probably have used a hacksaw. Mine was bone dry and tough as shoe leather. (My wife’s was moist and juicy, however.) Flavour-wise, neither one of us could taste red wine or garlic. Fresh cut chips and onion rings were done well though the vegetables could have used a bit more imagination.

So here’s the conundrum: neither one of us like to complain and usually when asked, we say that everything was fine. But we were so disappointed with our meal that this time, we were politely honest. Our server, Moa, was a star about the whole thing. She was very apologetic and spoke to the chef about our concerns. It was suggested that the overcooking was an anomaly though a number of patrons at the table of six beside us were having the same challenges with their ribs. The chef offered a sauce which tasted pretty much like mum’s Sunday gravy (though it was said to be the aforementioned Red Wine and Garlic sauce). Regardless, it did little to improve the taste or experience and I couldn’t finish my meal. Again, Moa was a star. She apologized profusely and she and the chef decided to take the item off our bill (not our intention but a more than suitable solution).

The saving grace was a fantastic dessert (Vanilla, Bourbon and Caramelised Hazelnut Cheesecake) which was all kinds of goodness and a remarkable beer called Orinoco Stout. The best part of our experience was the service. We absolutely recognize that the main course mishap wasn’t the fault of our server, but Moa handled it with sincere contrition and did her very best (along with the chef) to remedy the situation. High marks also go to the other servers on the periphery who performed with equal grace and courtesy; great service goes a long way to customer satisfaction.

So how did things go so wrong? From a food standpoint, we learned that the kitchen is not run by the restaurant but operates as a separate franchise entity called FIRED UP situated in an adjacent building. I’m far from an expert in this field but past experience and common sense suggests that this disconnect between serving staff and kitchen staff may have resulted in the dining mishap. The servers certainly know their drinks very well — I’d like them to at least have a rudimentary idea of the food that they’re offering their customers — how it’s prepared and how it should taste. Or else how will they know if things go wrong.

We were told many times that MacGregor’s hasn’t been open very long yet they seemed to be throwing all kinds of things at the wall to see if they stick — along with dinner service there was a pianist/singer performing as well as a whiskey tasting session. All you need for success is to offer damned good food and sincere customer service; all the bells and whistles in the world won’t hide a bad meal. You’ve already got the great service, now if you could just tighten...

We visited Mcgregors tonight and we we’re severely let down. We had booked well in advance in the restaurant area. When we showed up, we were told that the restaurant was closed and that we would be in the bar area as they were a chef down in the kitchen. Not ideal as there was a singer in the bar who was quite loud but just after we ordered food he finished and the bar area had a good atmosphere.

We made it clear that my wife was gluten intolerant and she ordered the cheeseburger gluten free and the waitress ensured this would be made GF.

When the food arrived, the chips were all cold and we noticed my wife’s burger had a GF bun, but still had black pudding on the roll and also onion rings with batter on. This was concerning to us - we can usually sense when something isn’t GF. We questioned this with the waitress, who assured us that it was GF as she had checked with the kitchen. We feel at this point the waitress should have gone and checked again with the kitchen or manager to ensure these food items were GF.

We then asked for more chips for everyone, the waitress returned with a stall bowl of chips (enough for 1 person!). All four meals were to come with chips.

The patties of all the burgers were very dry and over cooked. The buns were also dry. Overall we were very disappointed by the quality of food after having high expectations.

We finished our meal and waited, and waited, and waited for the table to be cleared. Eventually I went up to the bar for the bill and asked to speak to a manager.

Jamie, the manager, came over to the table and to be fair, he was very concerned with what he heard and really took the complaint seriously. We noticed a big improvement here in the standard of service.

He went to speak to the kitchen and came back to confirm that neither the black pudding or onion rings on my wife’s plate were GF. He took all the food bill off. He apologised sincerely and was clearly angry that the kitchen staff had out my wife’s health in danger.

However, we made it clear this was very concerning - it is now very likely that my wife will be ill for days and in severe pain.

We agreed with Jamie we would not be paying for any of our meal. We also made clear that there kitchen and waiting staff need some training on allergies ASAP or if there regular staff are off they should close the kitchen just now.

We will...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Earlier this evening I had the pleasure of dining at McGregor’s Bar in Inverness, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by Jess, who was incredibly welcoming and set a friendly tone for our evening. She showed us to our table with genuine hospitality, which continued throughout our time there.

Our server, Lewis, was a young man brimming with enthusiasm. His knowledge of the menu was impressive, and he went above and beyond to ensure our experience was nothing short of fantastic. His dedication to excellent service truly made our evening special.

We dined in the back bar, which features a stunning stone wall that adds to the cozy and inviting atmosphere. A wonderful band played in another part of the bar, and the appreciative crowd there enhanced the convivial vibe of the entire place.

The food at McGregor’s Bar is superb, showcasing local produce with great skill and attention to detail. Each dish was beautifully presented and even better cooked, with flavors that were perfectly balanced. On a previous solo visit, I tried the bacon and cheese burger, which was delicious. This time, with my family, we sampled a variety of dishes:

Highlander Burger: A haggis-topped beef patty that surpassed even the excellent bacon cheese burger. Southern Fried Chicken Burger: My son loved it, and the taste I managed to sneak was fantastic. Pulled Chicken Ness Side Dish: My daughter enjoyed the flavourful chicken, a refreshing change in a world of often bland poultry. Haddock and Chips: My wife raved about it and wouldn't let me get close enough for a bite, indicating just how delicious it was.

We ended our meal with a large portion of sticky toffee pudding, a truly great finisher that left us wanting more.

McGregor’s Bar excels in every aspect: quality food, genuinely friendly and attentive service, great Cromarty lager, and a lively, welcoming atmosphere. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who enjoys great food and a wonderful dining experience.

Thanks to Iain Stanger for the recommendation, hopefully this review will pay that forward and lead to more people getting the great...