The Hawes Inn

We booked a table for 7 people, on arrival our table was not ready and we were seated around half an hour later at a table too small for our party, our drinks order (not food) was taken 40mins after the time we had booked the table for.  We had to approach service staff in order to have our food order taken.  We had our starters over an hour after we arrived, the children had eaten their main and dessert courses before the rest of us saw our mains.  When they arrived eventually, they were not hot indicating they had been sitting for some time but we were so hungry by then we ate quickly (plus did not want to let it get any colder).  The food was OK but nothing special, would have been better served hot (and more quickly!).  After we had our main course we were all fed up and did not want to stay any longer for dessert or coffee (who knows how long that would have taken!).

In summary, a very disappointing evening caused by very poor service.   I would not recommend the Hawes Inn and have no intention of returning.

love this place, been going for years, grew up in south queensferry and every birthday or special occassion we go here.

We had an absolutely terrible meal - service really slow, over an hour for a bowl of soup.

Wouldn't go back - too many nice places out there to eat.

This is a lovely wee pub with a good pint and a nice view. On a sunny day you can sit outside with beautiful views over the Forth to North Queensferry.

The food at the Hawes is good, it has favourites like fish and chips but also has soem slightly fanicier stuff.

The prices are reasonable and the staff are always friendly.
Just make sure you sit outside or get a window seat because it tends to be a bit dark inside.

In response to “leighemma’s” post, our family ate at the Hawes Inn just over a week ago, however our last visit proved to be quite an eye opener. Leighemma correctly stated that food and drink are reasonable and the views quite spectacular however, we were very disappointed with the food, service and staff attitudes. We placed our order at the bar and it took nearly ¾ hour for the order to arrive at our table. When it did appear, my husband was served vegetables which were verging on cold (as was my meal) and when we requested that these issues be addressed the waitresses, “Tutted” before returning them to the kitchen, therefore no points for service and staff attitudes.
When we arrived (around 16.00hrs) it wasn’t busy and our family (2 adults & 2 children) were the only customers occupying the table directly in front of the bar, beside a fireplace. However, the service was extremely slow and a smallish “robust” lady was scurrying around the area in a panic but actually making doing nothing appear quite an art!( She then proceeded to discussed a fellow staff member with another mature lady who was serving us.)
Furthermore, there appears to be a shortage of uniform for staff as one staff member arrived to start their shift, in damp clothes as his ONLY uniform was not dry - from the previous night. This is shocking.
There were many new faces; one may have been a manager who spoke to her staff in an abrupt manner – her interpersonal skills certainly require addressing prior to our family ever returning.
However, all was not bad as the bar staff were cheery, helpful and when they were also addressed in an abrupt manner, they kept smiling and did their best.
I don’t think that our family will be returning.

The Hawes in (featured in Robert Louis Stevensons -“Kidnapped”) is sited right under the forth rail bridge and has an open fire. The eating area is made up of lots of cosy little rooms with lots of nooks and crannies. Food here alright - more of a casual dining experience. You order at the bar and are then given a “wooden spoon” with your order number on. Can be very busy in the summer. We used to visit fairly regular but noticed that menu didn’t change that often. On the upside the staff are friendly and helpful - a great place to catch up with friends over a long lunch

The Hawes Inn has recently had a bit of a makeover recently with a more foodie friendly menu that is worth a try and has been running taster evenings to try to entice regulars away from the burger menu. That said, I do come back for the burgers, and the deserts are really good. However, the interior does seem to be fitted with lights that make it darker

This is a friendly and welcoming inn, although hesitant about their refit about 8 years ago which removed a lot of the beams which were scrawled upon supposedly by Robert Louis Stevenson, it hasn’t changed much and the back room remains where Stevenson drank, there are pictures and memorabilia relating to Stevenson and the Ferry (South Queensferry). This room can be segregated for small functions (around 20 seated).

The menu has recently changed and apart from the usual pub classics (scampi, steak, bangers and mash, prices start from 6.95) they now offer lunchtime specials where one course is 5.95 and two courses are 7.95. The choices include soup of the day, breaded mushrooms, steak sandwich and chips, other lighter bites, ice cream and apple pie. The specials board usually has at least one fish dish, locally caught. The staff are friendly and helpful and nothing is every any effort for them.

The drinks on offer are the usual bar drinks and a reasonable selection of soft drinks including mixed fruit juices (cranberry and orange is a popular favourite). Coffee is fresh not instant. The Christmas lunches and Sunday lunches are very popular (Christmas lunches 12.95 and Sunday lunch 7.95), with very ample portions. This Inn even boasts an open fire, the two tables adjacent are always busy on cold days.

Views out over the bay give you a good view of the Forth Rail Bridge. The car park (to the rear) has ample parking for around 40 cars, although if entering the car park from the Edinburgh road (not the main road adjacent to the shore), then please be careful of the potholes when driving down this single track road to the car park. This entrance road is just that, an entrance road it is not an exit. Exit is by the road adjacent to the shore (this can also be used an entrance to the car park although drive slowly as this is next to a busy car garage). In the summer, park away from the trees at the back of the car park, sap from the trees ends up on your car.

There is a small beer garden outside the Hawes both to the front and the rear although being right on the main road the garden at the front gives you an amazing backdrop to your lunch.

I love this place! It’s really the best place in Queensferry on a cold day, when you can snuggle up next to a real fire and enjoy the fantastic view. The food is excellent and reasonably priced and the drinks are cheap too. Very highly reccommended.

I agree with the previous poster in general. The food is fairly standard pub fare but is cheap enough. The service leaves a bit to be desired - you may have to prompt the staff occasionally, especially during peak periods. It is family friendly with regards to the menu and the fact there is seating in the garden area is a bonus but a bit more emphasis on things for children to do wouldn’t go amiss.
Also, if you are unlucky enough to get a seat next to the staff stations you can hear a bit of gossiping and griping which, although at times amusing, can strike you as unprofessional.

This is quite an old fashioned pub/restaurant. Food was ok, nothing spectacular but the prices for both food and drink were reasonable. Lovely views from the tables outside, right next to the two forth bridges.