Clachnaharry Inn — Restaurant in Scotland

This is my second review after being requested to go into details in the reply from my review written last night. Absolutely no problem for me to do so, I already had this written out but decided to just go with a shortened version as my point was that the actions of one staff member can really change the whole feelings of a place. Since in your reply there were multiple blatant lies, I do feel you are right that it is necessary to give the full, accurate details of our visits!

If I'd written this review after my first visit, it would have been a glowing five stars; sadly the attitudes of the staff couldn't be more polar opposite, and we weren't so lucky on subsequent visits. It was lovely and quiet; the gentleman at the bar hadn't expected anyone on a Wednesday but he was very accommodating, and even apologised because it was a bit chilly in the restaurant. The food was exquisite, and our young daughter had a lovely time and was able to enjoy a game of darts with her dad; she is too young to play, but was able to push the dart into the board with her hands as her dad held her.

We went again a few weeks later, but this time it was on a Saturday. We understand we should have booked, but the woman at the bar was already glaring at us even as we approached her. She had what can best be described as 'long-suffering' attitude, with lots of sighing and eye-rolling, and said she'd try and get us a table, so we assumed it was busy. There was no-one there at all! Her attitude was extremely unwelcoming throughout, but the food was again wonderful, so we just decided we would come on a Wednesday next time.

We called ahead, on a Tuesday, and spoke a gentleman, who said the kitchen was closed on a Tuesday and come Wednesday, I asked should we book but he said there was no need to book so we just turned up... only to find the same woman, with the same attitude, moaning and sighing at us and making us feel wholly unwelcome, and actually more like an imposition than paying customers. Our daughter once again wanted to play the dart game with her dad and picked up a dart that was on the shelf beneath a dart board, but the woman snatched the dart from her - roughly enough to push her back - and snapped in her face that she was too young. I went to explain she only picked it up as she has played darts with her dad the last time she came here but she then snapped rudely at me. Our daughter was extremely distressed and confused, which could easily have been avoided if the woman had simply spoken to us in a kind way why she couldn’t this time and let us deal with it. While we were trying to explain to our daughter why she was no longer allowed to play her favourite game with her dad, the woman began ranting again, which only made matters worse and distressed our daughter further. After she had stormed off back to the bar we sat there wondering if we were really going to sit and have a meal with the actions coming from this member of staff, we decided no - it wouldn’t be enjoyable so we left.

I was ever so slightly hopeful that my last review could motivate the staff to reconsider their customer service and their approach to how they speak to people. I was in shock to read such lies as our daughter holding 8 darts in her hand!!! She is 5 years old and her hands aren’t even big enough to hold that many for one thing and has never thrown a dart in her life - only placed them in with her Dad’s help. I’m not sure if this staff member has fed you lies which you have believed since you were not there, which I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt to since you were very kind when we came the first time, or if you’ve come up with this absurd story together… either way since receiving such a defensive and completely untruthful reply we've given up with this restaurant now; we won't be recommending it to any of the many people who visit us and ask about a nice place to eat. This woman knows the truth as do I and my 5 family members that were with us that day and we can tell it is pointless trying to convince someone who doesn’t...

It was horrific. I don't know who is writing these reviews and I only hope what I experienced today was an aberration. I know this Pub and I love this Pub. In Inverness it is a rarity. A proper 'local' in a position 90% of the UK would kill for. To add insult to insult, 22 years ago I actually worked in this Pub. It is an Inverness institution and rightly so. Top notch location, friendly staff, dog friendly. Lots to like. However. Who employs someone who cannot cook chips? I took my friend for lunch. We ordered; Mac & Cheese Scotch Pie & Chips It's hardly haute cuisine. For a £19 Bill with two soft drinks, the 'Applewood Smoked Macaroni, chips & Salad' + a Scotch Pie, Chips & Beans should be nailed on top grade comfort food with a Scotch Pie sourced from a local Butcher. It wasn't It was a total disaster. My friend ate alone because I had to return...a catering pack Scotch Pie...microwaved from frozen and crisped up in an oven....for...possibly a millennia. My friends Mac & Cheese was bland beyond belief and had no hint of Applewood anything. If you pureed half a pound of Granny Smith's into it, it would still be tasteless. The chips!? I mean, who in the professional capacity of being employed to produce food for paying customers, cannot fry chips? I spat a mouthful of raw formerly frozen wholesale chips into a napkin. This was after receiving a 'Scotch Pie' that resembled a rubber ice hockey puck. It was returned. "It was overcooked" I was told by the server. "Really" I replied. Eyes rolling into the Moray Firth. If you want to charge £6.50 for Scotch Pie, Chips and Beans then at least source a decent pie (they are out there everywhere) and a person who has a basic concept of putting out edible food. The 'Side Salad' for the Mac & Cheese I watched my companion eat consisted of scraps of lettuce way past being presentable. For an £8.50 dish on a lunch menu this should have consisted of homemade chips and a salad of fresh salad leaves, tomato, onion, peppers etc. It is after all 2019 not 1989. I had to send back Scotch Pie, Chips and Beans because it was inedible. WHAT planet are they on? I love this Pub. However I will never eat there again. I took a friend out for a VERY basic lunch on a Wednesday in February and we ended up eating alone. Very, Very, VERY disappointed. I just hope this review will result in the Inn raising their game to...well, above what I could do by going to a discount supermarket and making it myself with a scrap of care and attention. Very, VERY Poor. Re: Response from Owner. Seriously Jimmy...that is just embarrassing. You have actually just confirmed the points that I made. Equally, thank you for confirming that whoever was in the kitchen covering your Chefs day off, was not able to work your new oven. Given that you took my order and I never saw you again, I can, given the quite ludicrous response assume it was you that was in a meltdown over 3 tables of 2 and a table of 4? I would be very interested to know what a 'Sale menu' is? 'Sale' tends to represent 'old stock', which yes, does fit what I was served. "Bar Bites" menu is how you sell it, £6.50 for a Scotch Pie, Chips and Beans. I am very sorry I am just supposed to accept whatever I am given. As for not complaining again. Your excellent server Sarah was as appalled as me by what I was initially given & continued to apologise when I later paid. My lunch partner did not want further fuss having already eaten alone and my having complained once already. How many times during a basic pub lunch does a customer have to complain? As stated, I have worked at this Inn in the past and still work in the industry. I know what I am talking about and will not tolerate being foisted either inferior product or service. Had my partner not objected, I would have only paid for the drinks as we both know I was perfectly entitled to do so. Rather than your sarcastic remarks, you could take on board that your standards fell way below what is required & strive to do better. Instead you simply confirm my initial feedback. So again....

Disappointed and left very upset… Booked a table at 3.15 on Sunday for 6 people for dinner at 7pm booked this over the phone, arrived at 6.45 and was was told by a waitress she rang us back and cancelled our table as she doubled booked us, I received no such phone call and they asked for my number to book the table she said she spoke to a older lady to cancel our table myself being 23 years old and the only person with my phone this wasn’t true! We then asked if it was possible to sit outside or in the bar to have food and she She brushed this off and said I don’t know what you expect me to do, I feel if you do double book and they turn up you do your upmost to solve the problem and try and sit us anywhere you can especially when we offer to sit outside! Then the man I am presuming was the owner started loudly saying if you cancelled the table it’s not our fault, he had no idea of the situation and was very rude and aggressive! We left very upset and had no where to eat that evening! I can only presume the waitress was told to cancel our table and forgot to lied about speaking to a older women, I also wonder how she knew it was a older woman over the phone? Awful experience, both owner and staff didn’t seem to try and solve the situation at all and didn’t apologise throughout this whole experience! I have attached the photo to show I called to book the table and as you can see I received no phone call to cancel my table! Looked at past reviews and seen the owner’s comment and think it says a lot when a owner can’t rise above negative comments and just apologise when things go wrong! Such a shame as pub...