Latest reviews from Kirkwall

“Small pub with a couple of tables for food. Packed during July evening. Good food menu though beers are pretty standard Orkney and Swannay offerings.“

Gerbeer 283 days ago

“Combo coffee shop and small restaurant that also serves beer. Probably best tap list in Kirkwall though that’s not saying much. It had a couple of Fierce beers on tap in addition to Orkney and Swannay…“

Gerbeer 283 days ago

“Bar at the hotel I was staying at in Kirwall. It's a hotel bar with some predictable Orkney and Swannay beers. Ok for what it is and worth spending some time if at the hotel...“

Gerbeer 284 days ago

“I visited Twenty One in May 2023. Please to add what I believe is the best (new) place for craft beer in the Orkney. It is located right on the main drag on Albert street. Outside very much looks like a cocktail bar with little sign of beer. Inside is moder, laid-back cocktail lounge vibes. This place is incredibly popular with locals for food so reccommend if you are just coming for beer to arrive outside peak hours. They have orkneys largest craft beer keg range (but no cask), which is numbers 12 in total, all of which can be sampled in 1/3rds. Loads of swannay stuff including a few not avaiable anywhere else on my visit. Attentive staff and chilled atmosphere. A must visit when in Kirkwall.“

Scopey 293 days ago

“Helgi's is located right on the waterfront next to a couple of others bars, restaurants & a wee distillery. Downstairs is a a rather snug, but I would say quite premium feeling in comparison to the competition (maybe it has had a refurb recently?). As you will surely find out finding new beers in Orkney is a challenge (especially if you are a Scotland-based rater), but this place has a nice range nonetheless. On my visit in May 2023 they had 3 Swannay Cask ales in good order including sneaky wee stout which is the only place I saw it on draught. They also had 2 swannay kegs and a small raneg of bottles. Nice service and atmosphere (mix of locals and routists). I would say a must-visit when in Orkney.“

Scopey 293 days ago

“Visited on 3rd Sep 2019. Nice enough bar with a decent selection considering where in the world it is. Three cask ales (two from Orkney) and about six keg lines (one from Orkney). Managed two new rates, so happy with that. Young lass behind the bar was fine. Only bar we got too while in Kirkwall, so know idea if it's the best one or not!“

BlackHaddock 1689 days ago

“Visited on 3rd Sep 2019. Posh Deli with matching prices, same selection as Bruce's Stores but 20 pence per bottle more expensive. Nice place, bright, clean and well laid out, but why pay more for the same bottles? Didn't buy any food, but it looked lovely.“

BlackHaddock 1689 days ago

“Visited on 3rd Sep 2019. Good selection of both Orkney breweries beers in bottles and cheaper than the Brig Larder (and the same choice). It's a basic convenience store with newspapers and food stuffs with a small alcohol selection.“

BlackHaddock 1689 days ago

“Visited with TO on tour to Vesterled with Baluba 17.05.18. 1990’s disco style bar. One cask ale. Seven beers and one cider on cask. 11 Orkney ales in bottles.“

Holmen2 2172 days ago

“I’ll go with Rune’s comments.“

bhensonb 2546 days ago

“A four-sided bar room at the entrance, then the restaurant and so a lounge bar to the rear. One cask ale (Swannay Scapa Special), five kegs and a range of locale ales from Orkney Brewery and Swannay) added by a few from other Scottish breweries. Together with Ellen and Roger, I had dinner in the restaurant; a well-made Orkney Steak and Ale Pie together with a bottle of Caledonia Best. Located towards the end of the Harbour Street and around the corner from the bus station. More for good eating than for beer drinking, perhaps (visited 16.04.2016).“

Rune 2920 days ago

“Facing the harbour scenery in Kirkwall as most of the other bars in town. A rather small and narrow barroom decorated with maritime artefacts and large old barrels above the counter. Five kegs, two hand-pulled cask ales and a decent bottled range. I found beers here that was not available at any other pubs in Kirkwall. Polite service. Fleetwood Mac drew my attention to the background music. A popular and busy place during the weekend (visited with Roger and Ellen, 16.04 and 17.04.2016).“

Rune 2920 days ago

“There is a nice little lounge bar at the hotel with a decent range of beers from BrewDog, Orkney and Swannay, among others. Two hand-pulled cask ales, five kegs and a satisfying range of bottles. Servers good food during the evenings, I had a well-made mushroom and walnut pasta dish. This was the only bar I visited in Kirkwall that was not located along the Habour Street, but in the inner part of town, not far from the cathedral. Earlier known as the Royal hotel. Friendly, polite and talkative barman. Should not be missed. Meet up and night supper with Barbara (visited 15.04.2016).“

Rune 2921 days ago

“Locally sourced food in one section and a drinking section on the right hand side from the entrance. Among the range of whisky, wine and cider there is a good selection of beers, not only from the the Orkney Islands (read: Orkney and Swannay) but also from other Scottish breweries like BrewDog and Cromarty, and a few from further afield. Knowledgeable and informative service. Located in Albert St, the main street in town (Visited 15.04.2016).“

Rune 2921 days ago

“Yeah, it’s the best beer bar in Kirkwall, at least among the eight places I visited. A small, cozy room, open fire place and in dark brown wood and stone décor. More seating upstairs, close to the kitchen. Three cask ales on offer, all of them from the Swannay Highland brewery. Some interesting craft beers among the ten kegs and the usual range of Orkney beers in bottles. The cask beers can be purchased on a sampler tray of three beers. Adele and Coldplay in the back. Recommended for food as well. Friendly service and enjoying atmosphere. Located in the middle of Harbour Street (Visited 15.04 and then again with Roger, Henning and Ellen 17.04.2016).“

Rune 2921 days ago

“As most of the bars in Kirkwall this one is also located close to the Harbour Street, near the St Magnus Cathedral and bus station as well. A fairly typical medium-sized Scottish pub in dark wooden interior with a bar room joined by a few alcoves. Six beers on tap, two cask ales and a decent range of classic beers from the local breweries; Swannay and Orkney. Friendly service. Loud music, but of the right kind; grunge and heavy rock (visited with Roger, Ellen and Maths 14.04.2016).“

Rune 2921 days ago

“A family run hotel by the habour with a lounge bar, restaurant. and a rather small public bar. One cask ale (Swannay Scapa), a few beers on tap and a classic range of bottles from the Orkney Brewery. My Roasted Chicken & Smoked Bacon was nice and so was the Scottish breakfast at the hotel. Friendly staff. Stayed here for four nights during a conference at the University (13-17. April 2016).“

Rune 2922 days ago

“Hotel bar with a nice and comfortable interior. 3 casks and 6 kegs, along with Helgis, the best selection in Kirkwall. Around 10 different bottles at my visit.“

gunnar 3553 days ago

“A bar more focused on coctails and malts, than beer. 1 cask from Highland, the Scapa Special, then some more in the fridge. Well worth a visit if you are close by.“

gunnar 3554 days ago

“Kirkwalls best pub, if measured by selection on tap. 3 casks from Highland, available as 3 x 1/3 pints for a reasonable price, besides the ordinary kegs from Tennents, Fosters and so on. Good bottle selection as well, with 6-8 beers avalable from Highland. Service minded staff with a good knowledge of the beers being served. Mixed clientel, and a popular place for the locals and tourists. Dining possible at first floor, but I did not try the food this time.“

gunnar 3554 days ago

“Dark interior, old fashioned public bar with access from the restaurant, also direct access from Ayre Road. 1 cask from Higland, the Scapa Special, more beers from Highland available in bottles. Service minded personell, but without the knowledge about the beers they serve, some didnt know that Higland was a local brewery.“

gunnar 3554 days ago

“We visited Helgi’s bar on July 3rd 2013 before taking the ferry back to Aberdeen. Very nice ambiente, traditional pub room on the basement and a dining room with good harbor view on the first floor. They have 3 beers from the Highland brewery on tap, we had some Duke IPA’s, were delicious. Food also excellent, had the Helgi’s burger. You should come here.“

Schlenkerla 3950 days ago

“We visited this pub on July 3rd 2013. Very nice interior, wooden small tables, nice bar. They serve 3 real ales, 2 from Orkney and 1 from Highland brewing. We had a Scapa which was good, slightly too cold. Overall the nicest Pub we have visited in Orkney so far.“

Schlenkerla 3951 days ago

“Nice and traditional pub with lots of wood panelling, low tables and rambling locals. Only 2 cask ales available (though the Corncrake Ale is incredibly sessionable), with a few local bottles to mix things up. Bar staff is friendly enough when it’s not scolding the hilarious local patrons for swearing too much.“

jfb 3988 days ago

“Viking mural themed bar, quite spacious (lots of tables to sit at upstairs), with 3 cask ales (the most you’ll find anywhere on Orkney), local bottles and whisky. The food is good but slightly pricey, beer on the other hand is cheaper than anywhere else. Good for wasting a few hours while waiting for the ferry.“

jfb 3988 days ago

“Nice little place right off the Kirkwell harbor near the ferries to the north islands. The beer selection was nice but not expansive. The atmosphere was very pleasant though and the staff very friendly and accommodating. The food here is worth the visit alone...but it’s nice you can compliment it with some nice beers.“

PRBeer 4069 days ago

“Great beer bar in the Albert Hotel....sports bar too. We found the beer selection to be very good and it included beers from both of the local Orkney breweries. The food was really nice...best we had in the islands. What made the place really special though was that although this is a hotel bar...it is separate from the main hotel areas with its own entrance and so it had a nice local clientele...they were friendly and talkative. We enjoyed their company and spent 2 nights eating and drinking here.“

PRBeer 4069 days ago