Drift Inn — Restaurant in Scotland

A Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Experience!

We visited the Drift Inn twice during our stay on Arran - we did not go for our 3rd, booked visit…..

Our first visit could not have been better - great, friendly, relaxed (but not laid back) and well-timed service. Very good food served hot (not being sat under a warming lamp cooling down like some places). A great atmosphere both amongst guests and the Drift Inn Team alike.

Great, we thought, and booked to go back…….

What a difference one member of the Team can make - the manager who obviously runs the Drift with gusto and great enthusiasm was not present on our second visit. His influence, or lack of it that evening became pretty evident quite quickly.

Firstly our reservation was queried by the stand in Maitre’d - despite the fact we had actually booked whilst on site.

Down hill from there……

We ordered aperitifs. They took an inordinate time in coming. So long in fact that no sooner had our drinks arrived, our starter was brought and randomly ‘plonked’ on our table by the Maitre’d.

Who does that? Who gives you no time to sip and drink your aperitif before rushing out with your food?

We asked why this was happening and were told it was our fault for not saying up front that we wanted to have aperitifs then food after! Really?

‘We always bring food quickly from the kitchen” said the Maitre’d.

Well not on our first visit you did not and, in our experience, no other half-decent restaurant would do that……and to flat out blame us! We were obviously having to play to their tune - not that of a paying client.

Then the pièce de résistance.

The so-called Confit Duck Leg Terrine that came as the starter looked suspicious……

Pale, insipid, cream coloured…..I have a good eye for what is in a dish when it appears……

“Is there chicken in that?”, I enquired

“I don't know”, came the reply from the Maitre’d. “I will have to check with the kitchen.” Why did they not know - this was a staple on the menu - not a daily special!

“Good idea”, said I. “I have an intolerance to chicken and if does contain that, you should state it on the menu and call duck and chicken!”

It turns out yes it did contain chicken.

Every other allergen, and food type was detailed in little codes on the menu - why not be honest about this?

Again we were bluntly told, again, that this was our fault for not asking up front! Seriously - are we expected to grill waiting staff about every single dish on a menu in case in contains something we are not happy to eat?

This was the last straw.

We talked with feet and left before any further risk of us being blamed for something else…..the sunny weather, climate change perhaps…or something else that ridiculous!

I would rather be reviewing and saying what a great location, fantastic view over the bay towards Holy Island, what super continuity etc - but sadly I cannot!

Would we have been treated the same if the ‘main man’ was present - I do not think we would. So - choose the day you...

Amazing hands down AMAZING!!! The new owners have turned around an island favourite and taken it to new levels the right way! The focus has been placed on pleasing the visitor instead of how many tables can we cram in.

Fresh!!!! Fresh food, quality, handmaid and a great variety for all! Nothing is frozen and made in a factory and passed off as being homemade or handmade.

It's was refreshing to visit somewhere with a unique menu it's not a copy of other establishments menus with slight differences! Time and thought has gone into their menu design from flavour combinations, presentation to sourcing quality fresh food. The menu has a great selection of meat and fish dishes as well as catering to vegetarian and vegan visitors without being try hard in following trends of pleasing one demographics food choice. An unfortunate mistake other establishments have made as of late. That being said we aren't vegan but couldn't resist the vegan starter and it was delicious definitely recommend the vegan Parmesan croquet starter! But if you're stuck on choice ask your server what they would recommend.

The team and owners are really friendly and welcoming they don't approach you to ask if the food is okay while your mid-bite (personal annoyance of mine) and yet still attentive to your needs we never had an empty drink as well.

The view of Holy Isle is the perfect backdrop while you enjoy your meal we also enjoyed the warmth of the focal point fireplace while enjoying our meal, it was a welcome treat on the cold rainy day we happen to have visited. There is also a large sheltered patio which I am very much looking forward to enjoying later in the summer.

All covid guidance was followed and it felt very safe with track and trace in place, plenty of hand sanitiser stations as well as a one-way system it worked so well that we forgot we were dining during a pandemic which was very refreshing. Everything was handled very calmly and you didn't feel like you were being schooled on dos and don't.

Calling to book a table is advised they were fully booked when we visited.

I highly recommend a visit if you're wanting fresh food at...

How disappointing... Would not recommend The portion were quite small and over priced Rude staff It's fair to say that we won't be back - I don't know if it was my foreign sounding name or the fact that we were clearly tourists, but we weren't welcomed there

We came to the Drift Inn with my partner for our anniversary dinner whilst on holiday on the Isle of Arran.

We were "greeted" by a very rude member of staff who rolled his eyes at me and made an arsey comment because I gave him my first name before my last name for the reservation (apparently "that's not what people do") ... I did have to repeat and spell out my name multiple times before he could find it

He then took us to our table... A tiny table right in the middle of the room, right behind the stools of the bar and in the way. When my partner politely asked if we could potentially get a different table for our anniversary, the staff member rolled his eyes at us again and said that it wouldn't be possible as all the other tables are also booked and that "this would have to do"

We had waitresses walking quite fast past our table and brushing our chairs the whole evening.. holding their drink trays above our heads...

Then the food - the waitress that brought our food basically dumped it on our table and asked as fast as she could if we needed any sauce before walking off. I had the Scottish mussels, although it tasted nice the dish was half empty. My partner had the fish and chips - a handful of chips and the fish batter was so thick that it had hardly any fish in it. The mushy peas were really just a tablespoon of peas.

We didn't stay for dessert as we wanted to leave as soon as possible... We got another "rolling eyes" greeting when asking for the bill.

We paid £17 for the fish and chips and £18 for the mussels - let's just say that we would have been better off going to the local fish...