The Mustard Seed Restaurant

Had a nice lunch here on our last day in Inverness. It's a really nice restaurant in a great location right on the River Ness, so offers great views. Also, we were seated upstairs which gives better views of both the river and the overall restaurant and bar. For food, my wife and I both got the two course meal, so I had the Deconstructed Prawn Cocktail and Fillet of Seabass. The prawns were good and the seabass (and couscous that came with it) was really good. They do a really good job on food presentation here, so it looked great, too. My wife had the Breaded French Brie, which she loved, and Red Pesto Gnocchi, which she said was just ok. Servers were friendly and attentive. The one odd thing that happened was we were presented with the two course menu option, whereas all tables seated after us were presented with a large specials placard which had some dishes I might have ordered. I noticed the one other couple seated before us also looking at the list of specials, so they weren't offered it either. Might have been because we were seated so early - not really sure. Otherwise, was a really good meal in a great location.

The two of us went on Monday night end of September and had a reservation at 5.30pm which was the only time available when we booked 3 days before. The atmosphere is lovely with a fireplace on the ground level. We were seated on the second level with view to the river Ness. The service was excellent. We ordered shrimp cocktail and a Cesar salad followed by the steak medium rare with chips and the seabass. The best of it were the chips. Unfortunately the steak was chewy and could have more seasoning. The seabass was good but overcooked. We loved the place and the service but were not impressed with the food.

This restaurant was recommended by the tour guide and Google. I had high expectation but was left disappointed. I had the Xmas dinner menu. The smoked salmon starter tasted so much like supermarket smoked salmon, pretty bad quality. The main was halibut with potato and broccoli. The halibut was tasteless, the sauce was ok but the broccoli was way too overcooked. I expected more delicate taste for the dish given the good review and high price. The dessert was a total let down. The caramel and apple tart was cold and soft with low quality crust and filling. Sorry to say but the supermarket one may taste even better. Despite the wonderful service, I was very disappointed for my experience here. I had better fine dining meal in Inverness and really don’t understand the hype here.

2 stories with lost of seats but the restaurant was pretty busy. We were lucky to have table after a short wait. The mussel was tasty and good balance. Chicken was delicious. Very good food

What a great find. We tried to walk in on Saturday evening but they were fully booked so we came back today for lunch. What lovely staff; everyone we encountered was smiling. Great menu, food delicious. We especially appreciated our waiter who was attentive, deft, cheerful and who only came over once to check how we were doing. Another recent restaurant visit was slightly marred by the frequency of "Is everything alright" which put our teeth slightly on edge! Today on the other hand, I was sure that we would have been able to catch our waiter's attention had we needed to. We had the hummus and the terrine for starters, the steak and chicken for mains and would recommend them all. Oh and our table upstairs had wonderful river views. All in all, a very enjoyable experience! We shall be back.

Dinner at The Mustard Seed was magical! Over looking the river next to the fireplace, could not have been treated any better or received better food and wine! I was dining alone on holiday and was so pleased with every single person I encountered.

We heard a lot about this place and that it’s a must go once in Inverness! The customer service is hit and miss! If you like to be seated in a balcony, do not pick a sunny day to do that as the sun will be burning your skin in no time! The next to the window sits on the second level on clear sunny days would be the best. I ordered steak with fries and the fries were old tasting and too oily! It wasn’t a good look for such highly recommended restaurant!

My husband and I came to Scotland to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. This was one of the top rated restaurants in planning our itinerary. The service was splendid and the menu was fantastic. We will be returning in the future. Such a special place. Thank you for being a part of our first European experience and our anniversary!

The meal was impeccable with the steak being cooked perfectly medium. The early evening dinner is a fantastic value! Reservations recommended, since I saw many walk-ins being turned away. Worth the wait to make reservations!

First day in Inverness and we found this restaurant. We were able to get in as someone cancelled. We got the early dinner menu for under 20 pounds for 2 courses. We got the mackerel and salmon pate and Gorgonzola bruschetta. Bruschetta was a bit bready but the pate was very good. For the entree we got the steak and sea bass. Both were good and decent portions for the price. It was a bit quiet as we were early but it did get a bit noisy when larger groups arrived.

We had high hopes for this restaurant but were a little disappointed. It took them almost 70 mins to bring us our meals. The green peppercorn sauce on the steak had great flavor. The ribeye isn't my favorite cut so I didn't enjoy the meal as much as I would've liked.

The lunch service and menu were fabulous! This is truly the best meal out I have had in a long time. And so worth the value. This is definitely a not to miss! I had the Brie starter and the sea bass main.

I tried to pop in here for dinner, thinking that as a solo diner I could sit at the bar, but upon arrival I found out that a reservation is a must and there is no bar seating. So, when I saw an open reservation for lunch the next day I grabbed it. My reservation was for 12pm, when the restaurant opened. Surprisingly when I arrived there were already a lot of tables filled. I was seated on the upper level at a 2 top near the windows. While other reviews have mentioned that service was slow, my service was fine. Perhaps because they had just opened but my waitress was attentive throughout the 2 course meal. She was a bit difficult to find when I was ready to pay but all in all not bad. For lunch, for £15.95, you can get 2 courses (Starter & Main). I chose the Pickled rollmop Herring starter and Pan seared fillet of Scrabster Hake main. The herring starter was super bright, acidic, and light. A great way to wake up my palette and appetite. The hake main was good as well. Perhaps a bit more bland then the herring but a nice piece of fish. The mashed potatoes that the main came with were a bit dry and starchy for my taste but that could just be me. Obviously I couldn't pass up an opportunity to grab a drink so I started with the local Kinrara gin £5.30 - delicious! Light, floral, and fruity. Then I went for a large pour of the white False wine from South Africa £9 - perfect with the fish. Crisp, citrus, clean. If you're looking for a nicer sit down experience in Inverness this is a good option. Be sure to get a reservation and book early.

Walking along the Ness river in Inverness city center came along this restaurant. Checked the menu and made reservation for lunch the next day. We came earlier than our reserved time and they were able to accommodate us. Very friendly staff and service were great. Good food and nice ambiance. Highly recommended.

We ate out one night in inverness and very glad we chose this spot. The staff was very helpful and had great suggestions. The mussels were some of the best I've ever had. Period. And they had a good amount of gluten free and vegetarian options for the people in our party. The ambiance was also very cute with a fireplace in the center. I would definitely visit again.

Just arrived as a North American traveller. Saw their profile online and booked a reso well in advance. Great location on the water, nice building and interior. Warmer than average weather, and they had their patio doors open to keep it nice and cool inside. Specials were excellent and we ordered a lemon sole (£27) as well as the tortellini (£22). Ordered the halloumi fries (£10) to share as an appetizer. Ordered a bottle of wine (which they didn't have, so went with a solid second choice at a decent price (£30) Shared a dark chocolate caramel tart (£9) with ice cream that was wonderful. Tasty all around and would recommend the food all day long. Cons: busy night, so slow service - 15 minutes after being sat, we finally had service, placed all food and Bev orders as well as water. Appetizer arrived before the water and wine. Not that it's necessary, but no one checked in other than to deliver the food. Wine, dessert, tea, water done, no sign of service, had to ask after 30 minutes of waiting to get the cheque, which unlike many of the places we have been here in UK had a tip option (but no ingrained service charge) Food 5 stars, service 2 stars. Would recommend, but ensure that you have both reservations and no plans afterwards.

Group dinner while on tour of Scotland. This was one of the most delicious and memorable meals we had. The restaurant is charming and the food imaginative. Everything I ordered was delicious. Everyone in our group was commenting on how great these meal was, so I'm pretty certain everyone left very happy. The service was a little disorganized but we were a large group.

One of the best meals we had while visiting Scotland. The food was delicious. The ambiance was chill and relaxed. We had a great table overlooking the Ness river. The server was professional and efficient Would highly recommend this place for your next visit to Inverness

Service adequate, facility tidy, food mediocre. Nothing bad happened, its just not delicious especially given the price point so I would not recommend.

Busy place and you reservations. Gourmet dinner at very reasonable prices. Wine list is very reasonable as is the price per meal. Wonderful service. Be sure to ask to sit upstairs or by a window as the smaller room looks cramped. We had two dinners, excellent house salads a bottle of wine and dessert for just around 100 pounds. Recommended!

Every plate was fantastic. The salad very refresh me before the main. Venison and monkfish were cooked very perfect. The cheesecake is awesome. Service and environment is great.

Came here with a large group of golfers all of whom are wine snobs. Great wine list with great value, food was fantastic. I had the lamb rump special and it was delicious and cooked perfectly. Wonderful ambiance and the service was fast, responsive and unobtrusive. The perfect mix. Highly recommend

Great atmosphere and good food and portions. Uniques menu. Right on the water was a plus

The service was good but we felt rushed. we were drinking our cocktails and 3 different people came by to ask if we were ready to order yet (in less than 10 minutes). this place is not cheap and i understand table turnover but the whole meal seemed rushed. I enjoyed the food but the beef was over cooked and tough. Haggis was good. Overall, it was very good but i can't give it 5 stars

We loved this restaurant. It was beautiful inside. The staff was super sweet and super helpful with the drinks. The food was really good and a great price. It's right on the river so walking distance to everything. And it was easy to get into the same night.

Had a wonderful meal here with my family. Everyone enjoyed their dishes. I ordered the creamy porcini mushroom risotto and it was probably the best mushroom risotto I ever had and I've been to Italy and had some insane truffle risotto there. The truffle flavour is quite strong, but even my brother and dad who dislike truffle enjoyed it. The mushrooms had a great texture that contrasted the risotto and the portion was perfect. Would highly recommend this place. Our waitress, Sophia, was also really friendly and witty!

If there was a 3.5 option, I'd go for that, but the 3 feelings in me outweigh the 4s. Pros: central location, overlooking the river; menu sounds delicious; reasonable prices; presentation of the food was great; warm, spreadable butter; pleasant older lady worker in a bright green button-down Cons: took an hour to get our food; felt judged for not ordering alcohol; was not checked on during our meal; had to go up to the bar to ask for more water; both my duck and my husband's venison was too chewy, we each inconspicuously spat a few inedible pieces out Overall, it felt like a healthier option than fish and chips or deep fried haggis, but after a long day, two hours total (mostly waiting) for dinner was exhausting and frustrating.

Great service - amazing specials- gin was very tasty with many options. Wonderful view of the river! Best meal of our time in Scotland!

Beautiful location with view of the river,restaurant is charming, nice selection of drinks and wines. Lunch menu had limited vegetarian options though. Cauliflower steaks were very good, saffron pasta with vegetables was average. Our server disappeared after we got our food, we were offered dessert but after we declined the one vegan option, we waited for at least half an hour for the bill. We finally had to leave, found the server downstairs eating her meal, she left her meal to check us out at the front. Just not the great experience we were led to expect from many previous reviews

The service was great even with a large group of ten. Everyone enjoyed their food. The atmosphere was enjoyable and the lovely woman who welcomed and took our orders was delightful.

Food was excellent. I had to be pan fried pork loin with an order of deep fried Brie. My wife had Chicken, Mushroom, and leak pie. She loved it. Drinks and atmosphere were fabulous. I would go back again. Forgot to take pictures sorry

We had lunch there on an unusually beautiful Tuesday in September, right at noon. We had a reservation, but it was only about half full. Haggis was the best we had in Scotland - clearly haggis, but served in an elegant patty. Caesar salad swapped in smoked salmon for anchovies- a very nice local touch. Hake was a great cut of fish, perfectly cooked. Sea bass was also delicious and well prepared. Ambience was terrific - bright, lovely decor. Great place for business lunch, or lunch with friends. Fantastic alternative to the heavy pub options that otherwise seem to dominate every eating district.

Food was great. Very loud inside. Felt family run. Service was good other than the server standing over me to get everyone's individual drinks paid for (I didn't have a drink) and wasn't comfortable finishing dessert with someone standing over me.

We thoroughly enjoyed this restaurant. Make a reservation! I cannot emphasize this enough. We stopped by a little after 7:30 on a Sunday and were told the earliest they could seat us was 8:45. We took it, and we were glad we did. This was the best meal we've had in Scotland so far, in that everything was to our liking. Most other places, one of us was raving about the food while the other didn't like it. Here, both my wife and I were pleased. Yelpers talk about the creative cocktails, and they are right. I was particularly impressed by the separate menu of gins, which included a full page of Scottish gins. For starters, my wife got the warm goat cheese with onion chutney. My wife said to me, "Be sure to mention in your review how much I loved it!" I got the seafood sampler for one -- prawns, calamari, pickled mackerel, and cold-smoked salmon, along with some greens. It was just the right amount for a starter, and was also delicious, especially the salmon. For dinner, my wife got the pan-fried salmon with green curry sauce and I had the ribeye with green peppercorn sauce. Also all tasty. My one complaint was that the steak was WAY over-salted. They could have used a quarter of the salt to better effect. We didn't get dessert. The staff was very attentive and the service sharp.

Very fun and good restaurant to visit. Started with wonderful service, as our waitress was on top of everything but also quite pleasant. I had the mussels as a starter, large portion with a nice cream broth (and our efficient waitress brought extra bread without having to ask). Followed by the surf and turf, which was unique in that the turf was venison. The langoustines were great but the venison was over cooked, on the medium well to well side even though ordered medium rare. Not enough to cost them on the review as it still was tasty but not as ordered. Finished with an excellent m and large, cheese plate.

The restaurant is located in the heart of Inverness and was a former Church, therefore a very nice location. We had a nice place, quite enough for a nice dinner. The service was ok but not excellent, wines by the glass were good. Our meals, e.g. Duck Breast were excellent, I can recommend this restaurant.

Innovative food, excellent chef, lively spot. Highly recommend for dinner or lunch! Enjoy

Great food and a nice view of the river. Staff is friendly. The cheese tart was to die for!

Awesome food, top quality. Great service and ambiance, what else to ask for..? Aged steak was fantastic, and so were starters we had...

First, the restaurant space is beautiful; it's bright and open but cozy at the same time. The hostess and our waitress were both attentive and checked to make sure all our drinks and food were okay (they were all great). The passion fruit martini was refreshing and boozy, my beetroot and artichoke tart was beautiful and tasty, and the rump steak was juicy. Definitely worth booking a table.

This restaurant was great. You need to make a reservation because it is so popular. The menu is diverse and the food is very tasty. I had a wonderful soup and the gnocchi on special was wonderful. The wine was nice too. Service was good and the atmosphere was nice.

Gteat restaurant, really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Would definitely recommend.

Dinner tonite was fantastic. They were quite busy and were turning people away who didn't have reservations. So make reservations esp on a weekend. My bruschetta starter tasted fresh. I also enjoyed the sea trout which was simply panfried but not overdone at all. Everything was seasoned just right so I didn't have to add anything. Husband enjoyed his mackerel pate. His penne pasta meal was also delicious. He finished it off with a banoffee pie and ice cream. It's definitely worth a taste. Our server was fantastic, personable and quite charming. I really enjoyed my meal here and hope to return in the future.

I wanted to love this hip adorable little spot overlooking the Ness River but while the service was great the food fell short of the mark for us. The wines by the glass were great and we enjoyed a very nice Tempranillo and Sauvignon Blanc. We started with the delicious spicy carrot soup of the day. It was absolutely fantastic . The Pea and ham croquettes with goat cheese somehow did not work for us... too heavy on the fried coating & salt and rather tasteless. The House green salad was fab & fresh. Last came our main entrée, the grilled salmon served over cold potato salad which was very heavy on the mayonnaise. The salmon was topped with steamed broccoli and a lemony cream sauce. While the salmon was good, in my opinion it did not work at all in its presentation. Hot fish topped with hot broccoli & thick cream sauce over cold mayo potato salad... uh NO.

We had an excellent dinner tonight. I had venison and my boyfriend had seafood. It was perfectly cooked. My gluten free brownie was maybe the best I have ever had! I would highly recommend this restaurant!!!

Our food was really delicious. The service was prompt was prompt and efficient. My only complaint was that we felt a bit rushed. It's very crowded and a waitress whisked away a partially eaten salad without even asking if I was done!

Ordered the Chicken Breast wrapped in Serrano Ham and stuffed with Black Pudding, comes with green beans and I believe a side of herb mashed potatoes. Overall, it was pretty good, but the Serrano Ham definitely was too tough to cut through with the utensils provided. The Black pudding was just enough to not overpower the perfectly cooked chicken. The overall environment of the restaurant is nice, with a wide selection of alcohol and spirits to enjoy. I'll likely come back during my stay here, and will try some other foods!

Best shepherds pie I've ever had. Friendly staff and accommodating. We didn't have reservations (6 people) for lunch but they worked us in. Highly recommend

This restaurant is one of the most recommended restaurants in Inverness, and for good reason--the food and cocktails were wonderful! Elevated Scottish cuisine with varied drink offerings. They offer menus for lunch, early dinner (prix fixe), and dinner. Be sure to book ahead.

Sensational food. Busy place, without a "booking" expect to wait. If you're in a car the parking around here is atrocious, be ready to keep making rounds to find a spot, not their fault. The only reason why they didn't get a 5 star was the service from one of the attendants was a little rushed and she seemed annoyed that I ordered another cappuccino as mine wasn't warm enough. No big deal, certainly not a reason to not enjoy their offerings here.

It is a very popular and busy restaurant in the local. I am very curious about venison so I ordered venison steak, medium rare, I Am surprised that it turns out to be over done. And the huggis here is very strong, probably should be like this, can't stand it. Overall, it is okay.

I loved this place. The food was astounding and the views sublime. The walls are mustard colored as in the name and the art is turn of the century kind of modernism that I found very appealing and striking on the walls. The views of the River Ness were wonderful. And the meal lived up to the views. The service was top notch too. All in all a wonderful experience!

I dined here at the recommendation of a couple of local ladies I met in the train from Edinburgh. I was not able to be seated the night I arrived due to the popularity of the restaurant, but easily made a reservation for a future night. The food did not disappoint and the service was impeccable. Locally sourced and a small menu means they can concentrate on getting g dishes right, and they did. Highly recommend and reservations may be required.

Had a wonderful dinner here while on a tour of Scotland. Sophia, our server, was outstanding as she was so funny and also an excellent host. The food was delicious. Try the mackerel pasta salad or the lentil soup. The chicken entree with green curry and rice was excellent. Stop here for a wonderful dinner

Great food, great service, great ambiance! Both had a Scottish steak with peppercorn sauce...melt in your mouth medium rare...excellent!

When the Mustard Seed first opened in Inverness, it was a lovely place to go. It's still nice but really off-putting to see the microwaves, cartons of branded custard etc in the semi open kitchen. At least hide the stuff! On the upside, the meat and fish are nice. But the mains all come with the same boring veg that they have for years, that you can see them zapping in the micro before serving. They do a good value lunch/pre-theatre menu and cater for allergies but I feel like they've got a bit lazy. I've given them three stars because it is a nice place and I still go there. My seabass last time was lovely. But I can't give them more for the above reasons.

Me and my Mum where up shopping in Inverness and decided to go here for lunch as we heard that the special lunch menu 2 courses for £8.95 is a really good bargain, and it was. We arrived just after 1pm and it was busy, luckily a big table was just leaving so we only had to wait 5 minutes for the staff to turn around the tables. The staff where lovely and helpful. The decor has a modern feel to it, with mustard and dark red walls, lots of pictures and things round the walls and a huge log burner in the middle of the room. There is also upstairs seating. If you get a seat near the window you get a lovely view of the river ness. Once seated we picked our food. I went for the black pudding starter and steak for my main (having to add a£3.95 extra charge for this) my mum went for the feta and pea fritata and sea bass (£1.95 extra for this) the food arrived quickly and was delicious. All the mains come with potatoes and veg on the side. I have been here a few times now and have never left disappointed. I would say this is one of the nicest places to eat in Inverness and with such good deals on lunch and pre theatre menus is too good to miss out. I would recommend booking in advance to avoid disappointment. They also have a disabled toilet with good access downstairs.