The Oystercatcher

A lovely family-run fine dining restaurant! Exclusive experience, they only host few tables per night, so hostess is really attentive, endeavor to give you best services Food is fabulous, fresh and good quality ingredients , well-cooked and beautifully-dished. 3 courses with many nibbles will definitely make you satisfied, we couldn’t take breakfast or big lunch next day😂

We loved our visit , the food and service was excellent. We really enjoyed the whole lobster and scallops and they also did a brilliant kids menu. If you're in Portmahomack it's worth trying to book a table but book early as it books up at least a month ahead in the summer.

The Oyster Catcher is a throwback to a different era. It's a small house packed with antiques. Susan and her husband make you very welcome. We booked the en suite Carpenter Room. We found a fridge, lots of freebies, the offer of fresh milk, a nice-sized bed, and a good shower. Unfortunately, because of the thick wall, Fi reception was very poor. We stopped for dinner, and it was absolutely amazing. Fine dining plus lots and lots of nibbles served before and during courses. The bread is homemade, and you've got a big basket full. You need to pace yourself, as by the end of the first course, we were struggling, but we carried on and finished all the courses. The choice at breakfast is enormous; I have never known a hotel or B&B to have so many choices. The service at dinner and breakfast was superb, with Susan fussing over you and ensuring you had everything you wanted. This is a unique experience, and if you are in the area, it's a place you must stay for dinner or for a bed and breakfast, but come with a big appetite.

Eating here is always a treat that we look forward to annually on a golf buddies trip to Scotland. Food is always good and the menu choices are great. Susan and her husband are just fantastic to work with. If you’re in the Tain/Dornoch area, it’s well worth the trip to the restaurant!!!

Simply superb in every way. The other reviews reflect just how good this place is (apart from the one star given by some guy who failed to manage the complex booking system of using a telephone and so never actually ate there 🤣).

Delicious food with a great dining experience. Two courses were all I could manage due to all the snagging appetisers in between the courses. Fabulous time had by me and my wife.

The thing about the Oystercatcher is that it's more of an experience than a meal. Don't get me wrong, the food is superb - while the menu is limited, everything on it that we tried was cooked perfectly, bursting with flavour and character. It's what comes with the meal that really makes this place for me - a small dining room with just a few tables gives a very cozy and pleasant atmosphere; however some may find it too quiet or awkward. A beautiful sea view compliments the seafood theme of the decor and menu. From the moment you sit down, you are treated to tiny morsels of traditional delicacies - quail's eggs, apricot sorbet and cullen skink, among others, all make an appearance throughout, meaning that you're never bored between courses - which is good because the courses can take a while to arrive. All these little extras are free. The starter, main and dessert portions are a generous size; I cannot imagine anyone going home hungry after a three or even two course meal here. The drinks menu is literally 100 pages long; whisky and wine lovers will be in Heaven, but the soft drink options are few. I would say it also a very grown-up environment - while casual and relaxed, the food here is for people who enjoy eating, who can appreciate good flavour combinations and the time and skill required to cook them; as such I would probably not bring children here, unless they were quite grown up and very into seafood. Overall, a wonderful experience with good food and drink, fantastic service and delightful little extras thrown in.

If I could give this 6 stars I would. The best restaurant experience I've ever had. You need to book ahead but this is worth making a special trip for. The quality of the oysters and the seafood is only matched by the genuine warmth of Susan and Gordon running the place.