The Barns at Kingsbarns
1.63/5.00 from 8 user review(s) (add your opinion)
5 Main Street
Kingsbarns
by St Andrews
Fife
Scotland
KY16 8TA
Phone: 01334 460820
Map: Map showing The Barns at Kingsbarns
Web: Website not shown
Steakhouses & American Restaurants in St Andrews
8 user review(s)
by Scott (Germany) on 9 February 2010
I had a golf group staying there, It was well below PAR. The rooms were not ready,then they were dirty,looking very tired.
The manger(owner) SHE HAS NO IDEA OF ANYTHING!!
The food was a complete disaster, we had one meal there in 7 days.
The staff are mainly from east Europe and can only speak broken English.
My group & I were very Angry with the attitude of the Manger.
Never ever again!!!!!!!!!
by Geoff Welford (UK) on 4 June 2009
What a disappointment. Probably the worst food, certainly the worst service not just on the Fife Coast path, but anywhere in the UK. The pub boasts plaques from Conde Nast - usually a sign of good value well cooked and served food from imaginative menus - and stars from the Scottish Tourist Board. My visit to the STB's office in St Andrew's next day revealed that they had withdrawn the rating and the Barns no longer had the right to display it. I wonder if the same applies to the Conde Nast plaque?
The Barn's publicity material talks of an extensive wine list. The barman, asked for white wine, offered us 'some Portuguese' which carried the label Vin de Pays D'Oc and the logo of a well known high street store!
Taking our partly set table having ordered starters and main courses some 10 minutes earlier we had a further 15 minute wait before our main course arrived with barely credible excuses offered for the chef not having read the order! By way of compensation we were told that our mains and sweets (were we to order some) would be half price. My fish was overcooked and greasy. My friend's scampi dry, overcooked and greasy and we both agreed that the chips had been cooked in previously used oil. A side dish of root vegetables may have been turnip or perhaps parsnip. Swimming in greasy water these batons were so overcooked as to be mushy and tasteless.
Surely sweet couldn't be as awful and since we had missed out on starters 4 hungry walkers ordered the chef's speciality of the day - chocolate mousse. Forty minutes later when no sweet had made its way to our table we gave up and made our way to the bar to negotiate payment. Naturally the starters appeared on the bill and the half price did not any longer apply to the main course. Needless to say we paid only for drinks and half for the mains. The manageress - who had served us sporadically during the evening - left us laughing in disbelief at the abuse she aimed at us as we left. Later we learnt from another guest at our B&B that she, the waiter, the chef and the barman had enjoyed most of the evening in the bar - while we waited for non-existent starters and chef's special mousses for which life was just too short to wait any longer.
Avoid the Barns like the plague! Get the bus to Crail or start that fast early!
by John Brawley (Kingsbarns) on 16 March 2009
Just to let every one know I will be taking over the managment of the barns on 25 March 2009, I am a qualified chef and I am planning on making it a place with good quality localy sourced food and a welcoming atmosphere. attention to detail is my mission! We may be closed for a few days to get everything up to scratch, launch date to follow, plenty of specials.
by Catherine Box (Scotland) on 2 February 2009
Saw a great review in the restaurant guide and needed somewhere to stop on the way to St Andrews for lunch. It sounded lovely but I certainly wouldn't recommend it. I ordered prawn cocktail which was a handful of miniscule frozen prawns in a completely tasteless sauce (even with pepper it was barely edible). My husband's fish was overcooked and greasy. Sticky toffee pudding was dry and obviously straight out of a microwave as it was boiling hot in places. We couldn't even finish our coffees. A very disappointing lunch. Service was pleasant and the place looked lovely (although no toilet paper in the ladies!). Would never go again.
by Helen Williams (Sandbach, Cheshire) on 15 July 2008
We had noticed the pub on our way to Crail from St Andrews & thought it looked lovely from the outside - quality umberellas & tables outside etc added to the image. The food was such a let down. We had hoped for some wonderful Scottish home cooking - Arbroath smokies, maybe some good broth & stews. Good honest food. The menu was very uninteresting, very limited & too expensive. We were happy to pay, but you expect quality....we didn't get it.
The door to the kitchens squeaked loudly & at length every time the door was opened. Sadly this was every 5 minutes as the storeroom/larder appears to have been located at the other end of the restaurant to the kitchens! Why?! My husband did mention the door to the manager, who said that it had only been oiled 3 weeks earlier...my husband suggested it needs doing daily as it is SO irritating to customers. On the whole HUGELY disappointed...we left feeling like we had been ripped off & frustrated that the pub looks so great - all the ingredients are there for it to work - but the poor food means it is being let down badly.
by Laura Wishart (Kingsbarns, Fife) on 3 July 2008
Went in for a meal with my partner at 8pm on 2nd july 2008. This is our local pub, and have been in many times before. On arrival, we placed our order which did arrive quickly, but then we were left sitting with empty plates in front of us for at least 30 minutes. When the plates were finally clreared, the waiter failed to engage with us at all, no 'how was your meal, was everything alright' nothing!! We waited a further 15 minutes, waiting for the option of dessert, but that never happened either.
When we dared to complain, the manager failed to resolve the issue until the owner appeared - what is the manager there for?? They (the barman, waiter and the manager)all disappeared into the kitchen to have their discussion. When they returned the barman took the cost of the meal off the bill, so we were only paying for the drinks. When the barman returned my partner's card, he said " thank you very much, don't come back because we won't serve you food or drink again"
We left, but still not satisfied my partner went back, to query their refusal to allow us back - it's only our local after all!!! The barman barred us, but within seconds the manager retracted this, leading to arguments between the staff about the lack of support for each other. If they can't even work together, how can they possibly provide a 4* ( both fron the AA and the Scottish Tourist Board) service??? We will NOT be returning to our LOCAL!!!!! Avoid like the plague!!!!!
by Rita (Hungary) on 3 July 2008
I am very sad to read such opinions about the Barns. A few years ago I was working there for a few months and it was a friendly, good restaurant. The food was delicious, the place was tidy and the staff were nice. In the bar there was almost like a family with the locals in the evenings. We worked hard but we loved it. I really hope that some day the spirit of the old Barnes comes back.
by on 6 April 2008
Went for a drink and food about 6pm Sun 6th April 2008 with my partner. Been before about 3 years ago for a drink and thought it nice. However this time the middle aged barman saw us arrive in the small bar and despite no-one else requiring serving he failed miserably to attend to us or give any eye contact. After standing at the bar for about 3 to 4 mins he still ignored us. We decided this was not the place to spend our hard earned cash and walked. Won't be back and would advise those who like good service to do likewise. Dreadful little man who obviously doesn't own the business!
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Steakhouses & American Restaurants in St Andrews Scotland
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