please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
It's been some time since I've been on the Isle of Bute. At least six of the pubs in Rothesay are up for sale or closed up. In Port Bannatyne things are better as the new yacht marina is a great success. There are three pubs in the Port: The Port Inn for a suntrap beer garden and a pool table, the Anchor Tavern where a row of retired locals hold court and drink Tennants Lager, and then there's The Russian Tavern in which tourists and yachties relax, eat the very good Russian specialities and sample something a bit different. On my visit they had bottled beer from Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic, Erdinger Weissbeer on tap, both blonde and dunkel, Murphies Stout, and Real Ale from the Houston Brewery straight from the keg on the bar. The Eastern European lagers are served in frozen tankards which is neat. Great couple of evenings chatting to everyone watching the sun go down and then in candle-light. It's been 6 years since CAMRA awarded them Scottish Pub of the Year, but their standard is still very high.
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Directed to sail to Port Bannatyne by my reluctant "crew" Boris...or more exactly Boh-reees as he is from Kiev and very Ukrainian. Boris stomped ahead to this white-painted stone building on the seafront which, strangely is THE RUSSIAN TAVERN. Inside it's like a habour bar in Zeebrugge, or a country French cafe, but with flourishes of Russian murals, adverts in Cyrillic script, and those lacquered wooden dolls.
The Details: Five Russian beers, one Ukrainian - "Oblomov" a malty light lager. I had "Stary Melnik" from near Moscow, rated by CAMRA, and like a hoppy Indian Pale Ale.
Our meal was a footlong dish of local crayfish for myself, and a big dog's bowl of spicey stew, a borscht containing much more than beetroot and rated highly by Boris. The basket of bread was hot from the oven. 17 pounds for the two.
Real Ales are poured straight from the firkins and the choice was: "Arran Blonde" from the Isle of Arran, Houston Brewery's "Peters Well" and "Gold" from Williams Bros in Aloa. There was Erdinger Weissebeer on tap both blonde and dark.
An excellent evening chatting with all manner of folk, many from abroad, and through the windows fabulous views across the sea to the highlands. I shall have more confidence in Boris in future, and he insisted I put this review on "that computer site you follow like a sheep."
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Unique place. When my wife and I visited they only had one cask ale (Arran Blonde) but it was in good condition so no complaints - Bute is not exactly awash with good beer. Also the bottled Harvey's Imperial Russian Stout is wonderful (2003 vintage on my visit). The landlord and his wife are very friendly and interesting to talk to - you may not agree with all the landlord's opinions though! Menu looks expensive but quality is high, quantities are large and there are free extras (home-made bread, salad of wild leaves etc) so it's not unreasonable at all. Decor and furniture is somewhat Russian and rather basic - this suits me fine but might not be ideal if you want to take someone there to impress them (but if that's what you want you may not find it anywhere on Bute...)
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Kept sailing into Port Bannatyne during our summer trip to the Scottish waters simply to get some great beers served direct from the barrel in The Russian Tavern. We are 7 guys from the Netherlands and together we've got one big thirst! There were three different local Real Ales available, Erdinger Wheat Beers both blonde and dunkel on tap, and bottled beers from Russia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Cider and Perry too. Dutchmen enjoy seafood very much and this place was serving up the fish and shell-fish landed on the pier just outside. We had great platters of crayfish served with hot bread straight from the oven. The mussels were very tasty. The scallops the best.Find this little place on the internet and then in the real world on board our yacht really made the vacation for us guys. The folk in the Russian Tavern were great company and friendly, and we shall go back if we can! Only just had time to write this but our visits were in August 2008. Thankyou Russians, you made our Scottish visit great!
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The beer is excellent, served straight from barrels on the bar. The food is very good but also very expensive costing �24 for goulash and up to �11 for a starter. The host is a very sociable fellow.
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Anybody wanting Great beer, Fantastic local food and a Warm Welcome! This is the place for you. Having visited the island several times in the past few years, I have struggled to find many decent places to sample Good food. The Russian Tavern offers a Great choice in Local Produce and the Langoustines were superb!!!! Im looking forward to the next visit.
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Just stayed there and really enjoyed it - like almost nothing else (Queen's Head at Newton has same ambiance ?). Beer from freshly popped casks was fantastic, but go for the chat and the food (lunchtime seafood went great with the beer). Very friendly to my children, as well.
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We always have a great time at the Russian Tavern. It's one of the most relaxed and unpretentious places you could go. The food is very special - so if you're going in for cheap pub nosh you'll get a shock. The prices reflect the quality of food - in fact they are a very good deal for the quality of food. Don't go there for a stag night either, it's not that kind of place. It's a place to go to chat and relax and enjoy the finer things in life - without being pretentious about it.
The beer is excellent - gravity dispensed. We had Williams Bros Gold that night and it's one of the best tasting real ales on tap I've had in Scotland - and I've lived here for a few years. Before that I lived in Yorkshire - a real ale Mecca - and I've really struggled to find pubs that serve beer that is as good as what you get in the best pubs in Yorkshire. But this was the real deal. They also have some interesting Russian beers by the bottle, as well as other things (my wife keeps going on about that Cranberry Vodka).
I strongly recommend you try it out. It's a very welcoming place. And try the food.
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easily the most inhospitable establishment on the island
anonymous - 23 Jun 2007 12:06 |
Having read some of the postings on BITE, I approached this place with some trepidation but I needn�t have worried as I received a good-homoured invitation to enter by Dag. Unfortunately I arrived at a time when he was overdue a delivery and the beer was past its best but he gave me a sample of all three and I made a selection. The pub stocks a range of unusual foreign beers of which I tried two and very good they were. The interesting Russian food and the drinks aren�t particularly cheap but the accommodation was fully booked (say no more). I found Dag to be amiable and interesting and recommend a visit.
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I have visited this pub on many occasions and have always been made to feel very welcome.The food and beers are excellent and dag and olga have always been very welcoming.The bedrooms are fine for a few nights but who cares as the choice of beer is so good that you hardly need to worry about this aspect of your stay.breakfast is excellent.
well done
A welcome change from the norm
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Many years ago I stayed in this place with a bunch of traditional musicians when it was run by a lovely guy called Donald. Everything about the place was magic and I still dream about the amazing breakfasts. Perhaps the present owners have a thing or two to learn.
Popper - 21 Oct 2004 20:29 |
Excellant cafe/bar/ Inn with fine range of Real Ales on gravity.
Located in Port Bannatyne, 2 miles north of Rothesay.
They also have hoegaartten and, unusually for the UK, Warstiener (however you spell it at 6.2% alcohol I guess pronouncing it would be hard enough) and westons perry and old rosie. At end Spetember th ales where is fine condition, the Warstiener was good and company at the bar convivial.
Nice bar with sea view, plenty of seasoned wood, no smoke or pool table.
I would recommend the borsch - made from vegtables grown next door by the barman.
Look forward to visiting it again - soon.
Ussian P Blaghr - 4 Oct 2004 10:37 |
CAMRA SW SCOTLAND HAVE JUST VOTED THIS "PUB OF THE YEAR 2004"
AND NOMINATED IT FOR SCOTTISH PUB OF THE YEAR
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Les Routiers National UK Pub of The Year; Les Routiers Real Ale Pub of Scotland 2003; CAMRA Pub of The Year 2003 SW Scotland; Le Coq D'Or 4 star Restaurant Gourmand; 4 Guest Rooms;5 Yacht moorings. LOCAL REAL ALES, ALL FRESH RUSSIAN CUISINE, Russian beers,vodkas and wines.
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A recreation of a Tsarist Russian Tavern in a highland village inn,local real ales straight from the cask,authentic fresh Russian cuisine,live Russian music, 5 guest rooms. Stunning views,deers and seals,yachts and golf.
Olga Crawford - 2 Oct 2003 20:52 |
