Skerries Bistro in Kirkwall

Just happened by this place whilst out driving round Orkney. Stopped for lunch and was blown away by the quality of the food and level of service. Not to mention the full glass walls in the dining room giving wonderful views over the ocean. Perfect on a stormy day like today.

Booked on the recommendation of locals and was not disappointed. At the end of a narrow road but dont let that put you off. The service was great and even my request for a change in ingredients was met with a smile and not an issue. Tablet cheesecake was delicious

Ive reviewed over 50 restaurants and tourist attractions in Orkney this summer and this is the only business that gets less than 4*, and as a qualified Green Badge guide I was appauled to see the lack of humanity and customer service today. The website clearly states that tours for the Tomb of the Otters start at 11am, so as a cyclist turning up at 10:45 this is reasonable so as to not miss the tour departure. I know the guide Lisa so was intrigued to see what exactly is in the Tomb.However the owner came out and asked me to leave the car park as I had cycled past the rope barrier as I was 15mins before opening. All I wanted was to stretch my legs in the car park until the tours started, but he actually stopped what he was doing in the kitchen to come out and drive a potential customer away, because they turned up early!The walks around the cliffs here are good. Ive been to the bistro previously and the food was good and has decent wifi, but I certainly wont be going back or recommending this place to anyone again if the attitude of the owner is such. And looking at previous reviews it looks like his rudeness is a common occurrence.

This was a welcome stop for us on the last day of our Summer break before heading back to Castletown on the mainland. We enjoyed a very nice seafood lunch followed by excellent dessert. The views from here are fantastic, but so are most views in Orkney.

Lovely little bistro with fantastic views visible wherever you sit! We only stopped for drinks but the food on the menus sounded tasty.

Amazing place to have a nice lunch. We got a great tour to the tombs by Lisa who was absolutely wonderful! Very interesting unique place to visit.

Wonderful food and tour of The Tomb of The Otters from here

Very nice for light lunches, maybe dinner. A bit out of the way drive, but if you enjoy a drive through the Country side, then this is great, was very busy when we arrived linited tables, so book before arriving a day or so ahead of time.

Booked on the recommendation of locals and was not disappointed. At the end of a narrow road but dont let that put you off. The service was great and even my request for a change in ingredients was met with a smile and not an issue. Tablet cheesecake was delicious.

Small family owned bistro with an amazing location.Everything was fresh and delicious.The fish chowder was good enough to make me want to lick the bowl.The scallops were beautiful and perfect.The seafood platter was well done, a great variety, and enough to share for lunch!It’s not an easy drive to get here, but it’s definitely worth your time.

We didnt stop. We tried to eat there but there was not much on the menu for wee kids and very limited seating. The sea food looked interesting, but its very much a sea food venue.It didnt help we were yelled at on parking, as the cones designating a parking place and blocking the road, apparently meant dont park here...We visited this place 8 years back, complete with derelict buses. Its changed a lot. Previously it had a biblical Cheesecake weve been describing to people for years as the pinnacle of Cheesecake. We love Cheesecakes... it was a very Orkadian feeling wee place. Friendly, honest...This time, it felt a lot more "chrome winebar" and not the same... a shame. Wed hoped to let the kids try the Cheesecake.

Lovely food from a small lunch menu (mostly fishwhich can run out if you come later. I had a soup starter followed by the mackerel pate starter, and a pud. Fantastic views, esp if sunny. Neolithic Tomb tour 11am IF they are doing them. Very short staffed so ring first if this is a must. Not open in the evening.

Incredible food and service, and equally wonderful views. Some of the freshest seafood Ive ever had.

Delicious seafood in a stunning setting. Highly recommended.

Delicious food and great location. Agree with some of the other comments about a member of staff being slightly rude. We had just eaten lunch and desert and when leaving went to quickly take some photos, but were quizzed if we had been in the restaurant. When I answered yes, the reply was are you sure!? After paying for food, it was a little rude, however I understand they dont want people using the car park. But perhaps a little more courtesy towards paying customers.Ps the service in the restaurant was great!

Would possibly of been a 5 apart from the rudeness of the chef/owner, as we left !Food on the other hand was very nice fresh well presented and tasty, thats why we still give it 3 stars.

Heavenly food. Home smoked fish. Light, creamy desserts (cakes are mousse-like, no stodge). Well chosen wine list. Fabulous view. A cut above for this far flung location. A revelation

Disappointed with the cafe - no dogs allowed. The tour of the Tomb of the Otters was fantastic and the knowledge of the guide was incredible.

Fantastic setting and excellent food.

Chef with a witty sense of humour! Very good fish and desserts, "fantastico" food, amazing location. You do not need more than that for an unforgettable holiday lunch!Not to miss if you are in Orkney!

Best food on the island! Be sure to save room for dessert. The view just adds to your meal. Take advantage of the nearby tour of the Otter Tomb.

Absolutely wonderful food, all local, really fresh. The chowder, scallops and fish platter were the best everThe setting is beautiful with gorgeous views all around. Staff are really helpful and friendly. Theres also the tomb to visit. This is excellent

Fantastic place wonderful food all locally sourced, smoked on premises, homemade cakes and rolls. One of the best meals I’ve had for a very long time. Trip, talk about the discovery of the Tomb of Otters was fantastic. Booking a table is a must if you visit

We went to see the tomb of the otters and the tour guide called Lisa was an absolute delight, very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We had scallops and seafood platter in the restaurant which was served by friendly staff and was very high quality. Well worth the trip back from the other end of the island.

Outstandingly good. Great dining room and views, super food, very nice service, excellent value. Not possible to fault, frankly - which is quite something given how remote it is. Absolutely worth the journey though

A good location on the cliffs, licensed for alcohol if you fancy a wee dram. Food looked good. Outside covered pod for dining with a view of the sea.Best thing about the Bistro is you can book a guided talk and view of the Otters Tomb. I cant review publicly or take photographs as its currently awaiting research paper to be published. I can tell you that the guide was amazing, a local woman who was extremely knowledgeable. Visiting the tomb is an experience youll not have done before I can assure you!.

It was excellent! The customer service, the food was great and the prices were reasonable. The roll with the fish chowder was served fresh from the oven. The seafood platter was a good sampling of seafoods. We loved the rhubarb crumble(with creamand the Orkney fudge cheesecake made on site. A quiet, relaxing place to enjoy lunch by the coast.

Skerries is well off the beaten track but well worth the effort. We all had the hand dived scallops with asparagus for starters followed by the Orcadian seafood platter and their seafood chowder. There was a selection of deserts plus coffee. There was also a selection of soft drinks wines and beers. The four of us had a great time . Thoroughly recommend Skerries.

Worth the short-ish drive across the causeways. Great food and friendly service and we enjoyed listening to the story of how the Bistro came to be. Fantastic views of the coast from inside, despite the rain. (Recommend the Orkney Fudge Cheesecake).

Stopped off for coffee and cake. Both were amazing. Super helpful staff. Great hygiene and covid safe. Well worth the travel to here. Called back in a week later. Had the sea food plater which was amazing.

We had a great lunch at Skerries. I had the seafood platter and my husband had the fish chowder; desert was cherry crumble cake for both. All super tasty and fresh. The lady waitressing was exceptionally friendly and helpful. Loved it!

Perfect location with a great view of the sea. We were interested in light lunch. Both seafood platter and soup were very nice, rounded with Orkney Fudge Cheesecake. Friendly and efficient service too.

Very disappointing value for money, extremely basic food for a immensive price. Very heavy on the shop bought salad to create a seemingly full plate. We did complain politely but only recieved a 10% discount. Nothing special about the food here. For the price, we expected a top notch restaurant experience but received a bar meal.

Excellent food, excellent views and lovely owners and personnel. Would recommend! The lobster salad with fruit worked surprisingly well!

It certainly looks like a nice place however the owner is extremely rude. We pulled up in a car outside opening hours to take a couple of photos and he started lecturing us about private land and how we were taking up a space in an otherwise completely empty car park. Welcome to Orkney! He then tried to persuade us to eat there later that day... really? Food sounds nice, hope he doesnt have much to do with service in the restaurant.

Nice views but the coffee wasnt anything special. Had far better coffee throughout Orkney, including Robertsons in Saint Margarets Hope and Archive in Kirkwall.

Stunning location and could of stayed there for ages watching the scenery. We ordered 2 coffees and 2 slices of chocolate cake. I nearly fell off my seat when I got the bill. £6 for ONE small slice of cake that came with a 1/4 of a strawberry.....wow London prices. If I had known the prices of a slice of cake I certainly wouldnt of driven all that way. Never in my dreams would I pay that amount just for a slice of cake, it certainly wasnt worth £6.

We have been in Orkney for a few days now and this is the best food we have experienced. Exceptional food had by all six of us, service was so friendly. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys fine fish dishes and excellent dessert.

Simple, delicious seafood sourced locally and prepared on site.Be prepared to eat fish of all different kinds.The people who run the restaurant take tremendous care and pride in their offering. Every we ate was scrumptious.Make sure to leave room for dessert. It was plate licking good!Parking on site with stunning views of the water.

A totally unexpected gem on the far end of Orkney Island. Skerries have a small selection of wonderfully fresh starters and mains almost all of which are fish or shellfish with a delicious selection of desserts. They take pride in making or preparing as much of the the produce as they can on premises and anything that they cannot make they source locally. The staff are very friendly and a great source of information on the local area. Last, but not at all least the views from the restaurant are breathtaking. Make sure you book ahead as Skerries can get very busy despite its distance from population centres.

What a setting! Food was absolutely beautiful and we were fitted in at very short notice. Owner was lovely and got us on to the otter tomb tour even though we were a little late

We have rent the pod for the 2 of us including seafood tasting menu. It was absolutely marvellous. Nice arranged food on the plate, and the quality was absolutely perfect. One of the best experience we ever had. Cooked and served with love. We surely back again.

Scallops, seafood platter, seafood chowder and Orkneys fudge cheesecake.Great food, beautifully prepared, normal prices, friendly service. Top class view. What more to ask for?

Amazing find! Such beautiful, fresh seafood. The hand-dived scallops in particular were a standout. Well worth the trip from Kirkwall during our stay in Orkney. Lovely service as well.

Always great food and great service with a brilliant location , well worth a visit

Great food. Just the right size servings. Great taste.

One of the best restaurants Ive been to on the Orkney Islands. The food was presented immaculately and the portion sizes were brilliant. Their homemade granary roles were amazing and they cater well for vegetarians.

Great fresh food (esp seafoodand coffee, a friendly host and awesome views from the cliffs of South Ronaldsay. Incredible Neolithic site Tomb of the Otters a stones throw away and also well worth a visit.

Cant recommend the cakes highly enough here, loved the bottle of tap water and combined with great coffee and a fantastic view this is unbeatable.

We stopped in for a coffee. It wasnt an awesome experience. The espresso was pretty flat and didnt taste very good. While we were drinking our coffee and man tried to sell us on The Tomb of the Otter even though we said we werent interested. At the end, when we paid our bill, the waitress kept the change rather than returning it to the table. We even heard it hit her tip jar. We think she may be new because she was constantly dropping things.With all that said, we didnt eat the food, so I cant rate that, but the menu looked very nice. The location is nice and the view is amazing. The restaurant was nice and clean.Perhaps it was an off day, but it wasnt a pleasant experience.