Bootleggers Bar & Grill — Restaurant in Scotland

A Disappointing Experience

I don’t usually write negative reviews, but my recent meal was unfortunately memorable for all the wrong reasons.

The burgers were the main event, but all three were a bit of a letdown. The patties were extremely dry, overcooked to the point of being almost leathery, and completely lacking in flavor. There was no seasoning to speak of, and even the toppings—typically a saving grace—were bland and uninspired. It honestly felt like the kitchen had given up halfway through.

What pushed the experience from disappointing to downright concerning, though, was one of the drinks. Upon arriving at the table, it already looked suspicious. Floating in the liquid were small bits of what appeared to be food debris, and to top it off, a dead fly was clearly visible floating on top of the wine. This wasn’t just unappetizing—it was a serious hygiene issue.

Service was polite and not slow, and when we raised the concern about the drink, the server seemed more embarrassed than surprised, which didn’t inspire much confidence.

Overall, this meal was not only unenjoyable but raised questions about cleanliness and kitchen standards. I hope the management takes steps to address these issues, as there’s no excuse for such carelessness in food preparation and...

Food was alright, nothing to write home about but we still enjoyed it. Quite pricey for what it was. Servers were all lovely and atentitive.

It was quite busy (we were there around 1600 on a Saturday) but we had booked ahead so got a table. There were a few of the staff's children running around the tables, and staff's dog was around with no lead on. We also saw the dog coming out of the kitchen. Doesn't bother us but something still to keep in mind.

And although it was busy, therefore usually quite loud, there were a few times the chatter stopped and the whole place was silent as there was no music on. Just a couple bits like that which could improve the overall feel.

Only other negative I'd say is that we were sat near the bar, it was quite tight spacing so there was a few times we had people queuing right next to our table, or servers with food etc waiting there until others moved. Just felt a bit busy for our liking.

Those are just small things though and I do think I would go back, just maybe would do coffee/cake next time and go more for the setting than the...

I've been wanting to try the new Bootleggers Bar and Grill since it opened! As locals, we regularly visit Hopeman and were excited to take family here for some dinner and drinks.

The food did not disappoint! However, we'd just ordered desert and a second round of drinks, and were told by a member of staff to vacate our table within the next 5 minutes, as it was required for other customers, while still eating our deserts and drinking our drinks! He then informed us that we'd stayed over our allotted time and that we could sit outside to finish our drinks etc if we wanted to.

We reserved the table well in advance, as a local I know how busy it gets there! Whilst the food was great, this experience really tainted our evening. If we'd finished eating and was hogging the table, I'd understand but we were still mid meal!! Due to this experience, I'll think twice about returning in the future! It seems the restaurant is more concerned with the turn around of tables than theg are in their customers enjoying the dining experience. How...