August 2025 by H L D
Updated review 11/08/25
It has been over 5yrs since we last visited The Fairburn Hotel. We revisted the hotel restaurant to see if has kept that wonderful experience the first time we ate there. It was a raining evening, we waited a few minutes as the staff wasn't anywhere to be seen, luckily after a while wondering into the bar and restaurant we was spotted by a staff and seated promptly.
The hot drinks machine wasn't working which was a bit disappointing as we really wanted a hot drinks after being all wet from the rain. We browse the menu and was told the specials of the day. We chose the Grassington duck and the goats cheese burger. The burger was lovely the duck was a bit too pink my preference. Overall the staff was friendly and attentive, the price is still reasonable. Knock off a star because no hot drinks.
---original review 2019---
Excellent restaurant, food tasted great and staff friendly. Parking to the side of building, wheelchair friendly entrance and WC. No lift for accommodation if you wanted to stay. Reasonable priced food menu with day time special offers.
August 2025 by james thomas
Wife and I came for a meal today 09/08/25. The food was delicious and well portioned
August 2025 by Jamie Wood
Popped in for lunch with the kids on a rainy day. Lovely homemade food, family friendly, good value and welcoming. Strongly recommend and would go back again.
August 2025 by Edwin Gollie Makaranga Ngwira (Egoman)
Amazing place to be. The community in Mauchline is awesome ? ? ? ? ? ?... Historical place for Robert Burns? ?
August 2025 by Dennis Smalley
We were travelling home to Glasgow from Drumlanrig castle on the A76, through various South ayrshire towns. We chanced upon the Fairburn in Mauchline town centre. The hotel has a nicely furbished
restaurant with a secluded garden dining area. We were told the place was busy and there would be a 15 minute wait. We ordered drinks and waited 15 mins for those and menus to arrive. We ordered, then waited an endless 40 mins for food to arrive. This is of course,unacceptable and was a pity, as it spoiled an otherwise good experience. Food was excellent and the staff were apologetic, friendly and helpful. Luckily we were in no great rush but when asked about our dining experience, i honestly had to point out that service times needed vast improvement.
A further 20 min wait for Desserts, didnt help.With service improved this would be an excellent dining experience in nice surroundings.
July 2025 by Kirsten Paterson
We booked a table for 8 for dinner. Absolutely abysmal service. Asked for water for the table which arrived in 2 jugs, without any glasses to pour the water into, glasses were requested 4 times and took over an hour to arrive at the table. The menu advertised a gluten free option which was requested and then could not be provided as the chef said it could not be made as a gluten free option. The wine ordered was a Chilean Merlot and a South African Merlot which as provided, and as the waitress did not pour at the table we did not realise until after when we reviewed the bottle. The wine provided was not on their menu. Side dishes did not arrive and were still charged on the bill. Food was bland, uninspired and with the appalling service there is nothing to recommend dining at this establishment. We couldn?t even leave when we wanted to, as the one waitress on duty could not be found. Please save yourself the disappointment and spend your hard earned cash with a business who values their customers.
July 2025 by Hugh McGinn
Went here for a family dinner, excellent value, staff friendly and attentive
July 2025 by Steve Simpson
We just had a meal in the restaurant. Both were very nice.
The only let down was I ordered two items off the menu and both were unavailable, it was a Monday evening but not good for a hotel to run out of stock for the menu provided.
June 2025 by Michelle Bell
Can't comment on rooms, we recently went for food, the restraunt or bar wasn't busy, however the service was very poor. Ordered drinks, then watched two other tables who ordered after us, receive their drinks, had to ask to order, then told, she's just coming with drinks and will take order, dropped drinks and walked away, for original person who we asked to place order with, come back and ask, are you ready to order! Then after watching another table receive food after we ordered, receive food, had to ask to chase up food too, an hour from entering to when we actually got food took just over an hour, only 1/4 full in restraunt, wouldn't want to know the wait if busier!
June 2025 by Brian Wyllie
I had dinner there. Excellent.
May 2025 by Donna Wales
Away for the weekend at the nearby Lintmill Lodges and booked into the Fairburn for a meal. Biggest regret as it ruined our night away. In an empty restaurant we were left waiting 3-4 minutes to be greeted and seated, we ordered drinks a coke, gin and diet lemonade (see further down for more info on that)and a water. The water didn't arrive. On the way in we had saw a set menu on the wall, on asking for it the server was unsure if it was still running but checked and confirmed it wasn't - maybe remove the signage. I asked if there was diet lemonade available and the response was that she wasn't sure then she changed it to actually I think all our drinks are kinda low sugar anyway. I opted for a 7up zero to be sure.
Food arrived, starter was OK. Tattie scone nachos - literally deep fried tatties scones with a shake of parmesan and salsa and sour cream on the side.
Husband had a burger which he enjoyed. I ordered chicken tempura. Literally chicken tempura, garlic mayo and frozen chips. Tempura batter was thick and the plate was swimming in grease. No side salad or veg. As I started eating I came across several bits that weren't cooked right. The waitress came over with drinks and I had chunks of chicken on a napkin separately that I clearly couldn't eat and she didn't check if everything was ok which I found odd.
Eventually, once we were almost finished the other waitress came to check all was ok. I advised that the chicken was pink in several bits and I couldn't eat it. She apologised and went to the kitchen and came back offering for fresh tempura to be made. We were almost done by that point (except the raw bits of course) so there was no point making more.
Within a couple of hours I felt very unwell and have been up most of the night with sickness and diarrhoea.
Would not recommend The Fairburn for a meal at all.
May 2025 by Dawn Duncan
Lovely location. Beautiful sunny day. We had lunch in the garden. I noticed there were no window boxes with flowers ( which are usually there) . No umbrellas were up. They were lying on ground. Tables looked in need of a clean. Lunch was nice, but waitress recommended toffee ice-cream and when it came was vanilla with toffee sauce. She brought a glass and individual small bottle of Prosecco, but plonked it on table for us to pour.
April 2025 by William Frew
Great food service was a bit slow but it was busy
April 2025 by Martin Pond
Booked a table for our Anniversary dinner on 31st March 2025 and was trying out the venue for the first time, as we live not far away in Cumnock.
The Young lady serving us was very pleasant and helpful throughout. The choice of menu seemed varied and I chose a Linguini fish/molusc dish for main which couldn't be honoured as the only chef that night had allergies to it!? Was a bit surprised!
Although we were treated well and any food we had was cooked well, the area we were shown to, to eat, was more the Bar side of a Hotel, with TV on and not Restaurant vibe, which I was expecting as there is a proper restaurant area! I guess Monday night was not busy enough for it?
Overall it was enjoyable but could have been so much better and atmospheric had we been eating in the restaurant. ?
March 2025 by Craig
Food bad
