Pierhead Tavern — Restaurant in Scotland

I visited PHT two days in a row for a drink. 1st visit was fine. Sat down around 5:30pm, couple of beers, watched some YT on my phone, left around 8pm when it got really busy.

2nd night I was a little later, maybe 7pm, and sat at the one table left unoccupied or had a reserved sign. Started on my beer and was approached by a staff member who told me tables were reserved until 9pm for food service only and could I move to the bar. I hate sitting at a bar, people crushing past to get served etc. I nearly argued that how was I supposed to know when there’s no sign to say so, then thought it would be a waste of time. So I went to the roof terrace. It was too cold up there so I drunk 2/3rds of the beer and went back downstairs. Reluctantly sat at the bar for a 2nd beer.

As I looked around the bar I noticed several tables with people sitting drinking. No food at all to be seen. A table emptied, 3 guys came in and sat down. Beers only. Again. And this was well before 9pm.

I can only assume that, like a lot of places, they don’t like solo travellers. I did occupy a table for 2 but it had another table pushed against it. I’m guessing previous occupants were at least 4/5 in number. Why the staff member couldn’t have separated the tables again and left me alone, well, you’d need to ask her.

PHT occupies a nice spot in Lamlash and the views across the bay from the windows are really nice. But this level of customer service (or lack there of) isn’t good. The hospitality industry seldom recognises that some people just like to travel solo and keep themselves to...

The menu shown online is not the menu they are serving. When they bring the menu out they advise any items unavailable and any substituted items. We asked about the menu online and the fact it is completely different to the menu given, we advised that we had booked based on their website menu. Their reply was that they're an island and have to make changes based on foods available. There was no reply when I asked why hadn't the changes been also made online. For dessert we requested the cheese board and was met with more item changes, crackers would be replaced with bread... We refused this and asked for the bill to end the mess of an evening.

The service is extremely slow, you have to wave the staff down constantly for attention. Another patron even asked the staff "am I supposed to just go to the bar and order because every server just walks straight past me". The reply was "you can do what you like".

This is not a restaurant at all, this is a pub. For a swift drink at the bar or their roof would be fine. For food I would never return and wouldn't advise anyone to eat at this establishment.

Easily the worst experience we had during our Isle of Arran stay.

Two stars are based entirely on the roof area alone. Completely let down by their attempt at running...

We visited last year and really enjoyed it, went back several times during our stay on Lamlash in 2024. Food was great for us non meat eaters last year. This year things have changed. The venue still much the same, although a pool table has been added Food offering was less, we'd had the Green Thai curry which was delicious, not on the menu this year, so went for the vegetable curry. This is always a bit disappointing as for a vegetarian or vegan option a meat substitute should be offered, rather than the meat removed, leaving an incomplete dish. That aside we where hopeful anyway. We were served basically a plate of onions in a curry sauce with white rice and a Co-Op naan. The vegetable element was 98% onion, half a button mushroom and possibly half a slice of carrot. I was expecting some broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, peas etc, a few of these instead would have been fine. So many veggies to choose from, but instead, onions .... For £17 really not worth it. We were disappointed especially as we'd really enjoyed our...