The White House — Restaurant in Scotland

I was sadly disappointed in the White House. The atmosphere is great, we were greeted and seated quickly, and the staff seemed attentive. Unfortunately that was not the case. Despite having my dairy allergy in the reservation (confirmed by the host) there was a lot of confusion over my dietary restriction and a lot of back and forth required to order a meal that wouldn't kill me. Our drinks were ordered and then it took forever to take our food order. After confirming the dish I wanted and what was required to make it dairy free, the dish eventually came out with the dairy component anyway. I had to wait again for a server to come by until I could ask if it indeed had the dairy item and then wait for them to bring me the correct dinner without it. I also had to pay for a substitute item separately instead of having it offered free, which was a big disappointment. Finally had my meal - during which time my wife's meal was getting cold - and it was indeed good. I give credit to the chefs and bartender because the food and drinks were overall pretty great. But then we never saw our server for almost a full HOUR. We sat with our plates empty and napkins on top of them, obviously finished, while our server and several others went by multiple times, even making eye contact multiple times. I finally asked a different server to get our bill and she said she would. After ten more minutes I noticed that all the servers were hanging out at the bar talking - our server was enjoying a snack - and my wife stormed up to ask for our bill. They finally delivered it and we paid immediately and left. It seemed like the restaurant completely lacked management and our server did confirm that one of the other servers had gone home sick so they were short. But that makes their lackadaisical behavior even more confusing. We certainly won't be returning and will not recommend it. A big shame as they have some great things going for them, most importantly the food. Hopefully they can get better because restaurants in this situation typically end up closed permanently in a few weeks or months.

Note: I would give the food 4 stars but the confusion over the allergy and bringing out the wrong item which could have poisoned me was a...

We entered and all 3 staff were just petrified, the one closest to the entrance was staring into the abyss, until we finally got greeted by a waitress a bit further towards the bar. We got placed at the bar to order drinks while we waited for our table to be prepared - funnily enough it took the bar staff minutes to take our drinks orders, at which time we were promptly taken to our table. Despite taking minutes to prepare, the table was still sticky - oh well. We ordered the scallops as a starter to share and a main each. After an insignificant wait, we were served our scallops - together- with our mains. I had a pie with chicken, topped with mash, rectangular. My wife had a mushroom pie, round, mash on the side. The waitress said she "thinks that's the chicken" and handed me my wifes main. How can not tell these two totally differently looking pies apart? And why does the starter come as a side? Nobody knows. The pies were actually really nice, a highlight. The scallops were our real problem of the night - must've been 2 poor scallops, chopped into 8 pieces, battered and fried to oblivion. Those unrecognizable and forgettable scallops were 12 pounds, naturally we felt robbed. Last but not least I'd like to comment on the choice of beers on tap. No Scottish ale or lager, the closest you could get to a normal lager was Czech Pravha - which tasted like water.

Overall an okay dinner, but too expensive for what it was. Service staff felt very young and untrained,...

Oh, what a day we had at The White House for my auntie’s 88th! It was pure magic, right from the off. The team there couldn’t have been more welcoming, making us all feel right at home in the heart of Scotland.

Now, let’s gab about the food - it was out of this world! We started with gluten-free fish n chips, and let me tell you, it was as good as any chippy by the sea – crispy, golden, and just packed with flavor. The venison steak and beef short rib? Cooked just how you’d want them, tender and full of taste. The gluten-free burgers were a hit too, so juicy and well-seasoned. For pudding, we had these scoops of ice cream, smooth as you like, and an apple crunch cheesecake that was simply to die for.

But it was our server, Anastasia, who really made our day. She was a wee star – always there with a smile, quick with a recommendation, and knew her menu inside out. I barely noticed our water bottle was empty, and whoosh, there she was with a full one. That’s service for you!

The atmosphere in The White House was just as warm and inviting as you’d hope for. It felt like sitting in a cosy wee pub in the Highlands, with all the charm and friendliness you’d expect.

So, if you’re ever in the mood for a meal that’s as satisfying as a wee dram on a cold night, head to The White House. It’s not just eating; it’s a proper Scottish experience, full of...