The Upper Crust in Argyll & Bute

Really well cooked and reasonably priced food. Beautifully cooked garlic prawns and smooth mackerel pate as starters followed by ribeye and venison steaks cooked really well. Throw in a bottle of wine and the bill was £71 - happy with the quality of food and the price as well as the service and vibe of the place - we’ll be back.

Would have loved to give this venue a 5* rating because the service, food & wine were excellent, but it's lack of ambience, shabby interior and messy, untidy courtyard really let it down. We were met by the owner who said he could fit us in. In fact, we were the only diners there! The cutlery was mismatched, the restaurant so cold, and the decor shabby. Outside, the courtyard was a shambles, with broken garden furniture and leaves piled up everywhere and the walls needed white-washing. The service was excellent though, the food perfectly cooked and served, and the wine good. Not a bad price either; £59 for a 2-course meal for 2 people. The ovens were turned off after our meal and they closed after we left.

i havent been so excited in years about a restaurant this quirky gorgeous eatery is by far the best place we have had the pleasure of dining at fabulous home cooking beautiful ambience attentive friendly owner's dog friendly too which is very welcome top notch food at a great price will be a regular here when we go to helensburgh 100 out of 10

I recommend this restaurant if you're looking for uncomplicated, good home cooked style food, sensible portions (not to mention prices), proper service and interesting and relaxing surroundings. It's a lovely and fairly unique experience amongst today's eateries.

A thoroughly enjoyable relaxing family meal in interesting surroundings. The food is good quality and home cooked in style. The service is discreet, attentive and personal all in one. What a difference it makes when you go to a restaurant operated solely by the owners. People who care and aim to please. We will be back for more!

You are made to feel welcome, the service excellent, and the food is high quality. The upper crust is a wonderful place to eat at I highly recommend this place.

Very friendly and excellent risotto with scallops and shrimps

The food was great and there was a wonderful atmosphere. The waiter's recommendations were very well chosen. A real insider tip.

The best food I have had in a long time. Quality ingredients cooked to perfection. A fun staff that went out of thier way to make us feel welcome.

Another wonderful meal at Upper Crust this evening. Lovely and cozy meal on a wild weather evening. Great hidden gem in Helensburgh - highly recomended ❤️

Another wonderful meal at Upper Crust this evening. Lovely and cozy meal on a wild weather evening. Great hidden gem in Helensburgh - highly recomended ❤️

Excellent fresh homemade food, nice atmosphere and good service. This must be one of the best restaurants in Helensburgh. We will definitely be back.

We dined on a night the nation will never forget. Despite that this was one of the best dining experiences we have experienced for quite some while (and we have eaten in countless fine establishments) Quirky decor is a plus, off-beat service a delight and the food simple but superb. The venison was spot on and the rhubarb crumble, quite simply the best I’ve ever eaten. It’s in an unlikely location but we unhesitatingly recommend it. The couple who run it together were charming.

Visited for dinner. Food was delicious and staff were lovely. Would highly recommend a visit and we will definitely be back.

What a fabulous little quirky place. We felt we had been invited to their home. Food is so fresh and beautifully cooked. They were hit hard by COVID lockdown and I hope they get their numbers up again and can get a new following. Maybe a presence on social media sites? Only found it looking at Google ratings. They deserve it.

We ate here as a family when staying in the area as part of our Scottish holiday. This was a delightful experience, from the unique decor to the blues music, from the welcoming host to the food itself. If you’re looking for quality dining with a slant on the dining experience, this is highly recommended.

I really enjoyed my meal at this restaurant. Everything was top quality and tasted just perfect. Lots of Scottish delicacies to try. Good service and a great venue.

We decided to finally give the upper crust a go for our date night out and it was most definitely worth the visit. The service was personal which made our overall experience so lovely and the food was fantastic. It’s a lovely quaint restaurant that delivers a great night out, we had a two course meal and sat for easily over 2 hours! (we will be back again)

Sehr authentisch! Tolle Atmosphäre. Super leckeres Essen!!! Sehr empfehlenswert! Es war ein ganz toller Abend! Vielen Dank für die schöne Zeit👍

We had been looking forward to coming to the Upper Crust for ages having seen pictures of this quirky wee restaurant. It is a beautiful setting and something truly unique! The owner was helpful and gave us a great rundown of the history of the building. Everything started off so well until we ordered wine! The owner informed that he just popped to the supermarket to pick up wine, meaning that we received a very standard (albeit nice) £6 wine which was marked up to £20. We understand that businesses need to profit off stock but we felt a little cheated at the mark up on this considering that it is a well known supermarket bottle. Despite this, the food was tasty. An interesting experience and glad we tried it but don't think we would return. SambucaPrawns

We booked fora Friday night and expected it to busy as a fairly big party was expected but the people had to cancel and we were one of only two couples dining however the night was a great success. The menu is not extensive but there is something for everyone and we were spoiled for choice. The goats cheese and red onion tart for starters was terrific. The pastry crisp and short, no soggy bottoms here and the accompanying salad was lovely. The venison lasagne was a great hit and my aged rib eye steak was tender, tasty and cooked perfectly to my choosing. Wine is available at great prices and the coffee to finish was excellent. How we wished we had room for dessert, perhaps next time we will. Great service too, friendly and informative. The decor is eclectic and we loved it.

Fabulous food, nothing overly fancy and everything cooked to perfection. Excellent host and a very relaxed atmosphere in lovely quirky surroundings. Will definitely be back the next time we’re in town

Had one of the best nights with my partner. The hospitality was great, we had a laugh, served very quickly and the food was amazing!! Portion sizes were perfect we had a 3 course meal normally that would never happen. A big shout out to the waiter and the chef's, it was a superb night! Overall myself and partner thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We will be back again for sure!

Hidden gem of a restaurant. Simple but excellent food, good service and a certain ambience. A unique experience with a great jazz soundtrack. These places need to stay open.

We live locally and have missed out on this eating experience , that’s what it is . The restaurant is truly unusual , a far cry from the clinical corporate chains . Quirky , warm and welcoming . Our host was charming and very amusing . We loved the unusual interior .. The food was absolute quality , local products sourced and the wines so reasonably priced. We have nothing but 5* praise for our dining experience and will be back as soon as we can .. Give yourself a treat . Try this unique restaurant.

If you're in Helensburgh, please please pleaseeeee don't miss this little gem. It's quirky, it's cosy, it's full of character. The food is DELICIOUS, really personal service (the menu is literally brought to you on a big whiteboard!). We had a great laugh with our host who recommended us wonderful meals and a nice bottle of wine. So many restaurants nowadays have no soul to them, this place is the opposite. The prices are also super reasonable for the quality you're getting. If you like authentic dining in a place that has some serious soul, don't miss The Upper Crust!

Fantastic food, surroundings, atmosphere and service. The Upper Crust is a hidden gem and if you are in Helensburgh you must eat here. Loved it so it gets 11/10 from me.

I hope you guys are still open. What a succulent dinner I had, in fact one of the best meals of 2020. Then the Armageddon hit :( stay safe

Excellent food, nice and cosy restaurant. Good welcome

Excellent food! Warm and friendly. Cosy. Perfect for a romantic dinner. Great music!

Surprised with the great food served, the owners are very friendly and hospitable. The restaurant is little but cosy, it used to be a old bakery shop where you can still see the old style oven in there. And, they serve very good homemade desserts! 😁

My friend and I went to have a quiet chat! That we had. Only three other people and us! Why? Not quite sure? What a fab place and food is phenomenal and I mean really great food. Just try it! Book! It’s amazing.

Super leckeres Essen. Preis Leistung stimmt hier auf jedenfall. Das Ambiente ist urig und sehr gemütlich. Der Service ist sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Hier kann man ohne Reservierung herkommen und Parkplätze findet man an der Promenade.

Very very, might I say, VERY nice restaurant in this quaint little town. We had a lavish dinner celebrating our completion of the West Highland Way. The service was pleasant and fun. The interior very cosy and warming. The food honest and delicious. When your hungry in Helensburgh (or 20 miles around it), it's a must go. Thanks for the wondeful evening.

A bit hidden from the street but an absolute gem. Nice atmosphere, very friendly service and great food. We loved it.

Visited this restaurant completely by chance & so glad we did. Run by a couple- he serves, she cooks - friendly, chatty interesting guy & different, completely gorgeous food. Venison lasagne was to die for as was the peanut butter cheesecake & fresh fruit pavlova, all home made & freshly made. Do not be put off by the fact it’s down a slight alley & the interior is a little dark & as if you’re in someone’s house. It’s full of history, used to be a bakery many years ago, hence the name.

I've been here a number of times and every experience has been fantastic. There is a very relaxed, welcoming atmosphere accompanied by delicious food (from bread to dessert).

Such a cozy place! Family owned and great food. Don't be fooled by alley, this is a great little spot

Came here for my wife’s birthday, welcoming reception, brilliant service, food was absolutely fantastic, great house red, all at an exceptionally reasonable price, will definitely be returning for future meals out in Helensburgh. 10/10.

Very unique dining experience would recommend highly good quality food and even better deserts

Lovely restaurant, different from anywhere in town. Great service and friendly staff. Nice choices of wine and great music.

Another delicious meal and pleasant evening. Not so keen on the loud background music.

As others have said this place is quirky, on the night we went we were the only customers. From the minute we arrived we were given 5* service. Scallops and black pudding excellent as was the steak and fish. My husband, a diabetic, made a special request for biscuits and cheese and these were produced, despite not being on the menu. Thank you! We will definitely return.

On entering this restaurant, we noticed a strong smell of dampness which nearly made us about turn. However we decided to give it a try and are pleased we did (didn’t notice the smell so much after a while). Really quirky decor and 50’s music, which was different from usual - must see this to understand how strange (in a nice way) it is. Waiter very nice and helpful. I had prawns in a gin batter - batter was very light and just delicious. Followed this with a steak, which was perfectly cooked with “real” chips (bliss) - could’ve eaten more of them! Also served with very lightly battered onion rings - fab (again a few more would be welcome on plate they were so good). Finished off with meringue - home made and delicious. Great food for decent price and great service - we will be back!

Great food, quirky decor with hospitable staff

We have been before when visiting son. A friendly and genuine welcome from Roger who goes out of his way to accommodate your choices and excellent advisor all round for the food and wine. The other half is the chef who is produces absolutely Perfect food all round. We had a great night here and will most definitely be back again. We would recommend this as the best in Helensburgh. Well done to a great Team.

I could't agree more with other people's positive opinions on the place.When we got to the place we thought that it looked a bit bizarre. However, we met some people at the door who had gone before and encouraged us to go in. To our surprise the place was quirk but charming, the food really good and Roger, the owner, a very polite and nice person who chatted with us and made a great effort to make us feel at home. Don't miss it.

Headed out for a meal Saturday evening and if truth be told, we arrived at the Upper Crust because all other restaurants were full. How delighted we were that all the others were full. On entering, it felt like we had gone back in time what with rather olde worlds decor and 40's swing music in the background. The place is run by a charming couple (he, front of house and she, the chef) and the food was superb, from starters to dessert. We will most definitely be back again.

We visited The Upper Crust for the first time last week having booked a table for dinner with my cousin. The restaurant could easily be missed as it is up a narrow alleyway just of the Helensburgh sea front. The restaurant is a former bakery and is quaintly decorated with the former ovens being a focal point. As the holiday season is not yet in full swing we had the place to ourselves and benefitted from the attention of the chef as well the waitress who was attentive without being intrusive. The starters were varied but we all plumped for the Scallops with Charley Barleys Stornoway black pudding which is a favourite of ours and they didn’t disappoint. Main courses ranged from Rib-eye steak, to braised beef and pan fried trout. The steak was succulent and tender and a large 9oz but could have benefitted from some mushrooms. The helpings were generous and the food was delicious although the presentation wasn’t fine dining but it’s the taste that counts ! The background music became a bit monotonous after a while although the chef was happy to turn the music off. The sweets included sticky toffee pudding, chocolate tarte and pavlova and all were home made and delicious. There are a variety of reasonably priced wines to suit most tastes. We will certainly return and I have no doubt booking will be essential in high season.

I eat and drink here fairly often, usually by myself but on this occasion I had my friends too.

Thoroughly enjoyed our evening and everyone thought their meal was delicious. The staff were so helpful with the preparations we required which all added to the success of the occasion and a delighted 70 year old.

Fantastic food in a cool and quirky place. Service was extremely friendly will defiantly visit again.

This is the best place to eat in Helensburgh, fabulous food, great service and friendly staff. Upper Crust is a must if you want a great meal at a very reasonable price.

WOW! Great meal, great service. Mary & Roger, were fantastic. Had arranged this for my daughters birthday and the friendliness of their approach was so comfortable. As we were eating early they accommodated all my requests, the service of the party of 24, was efficient. The food was amazing. It is a forgotten gem. I will be back.

Three of us ate dinner here on a Thursday evening. I have eaten here a couple of times before several years ago and had always enjoyed the experience and the food. For starters we had venison koftas, prawns in gin batter, scallops on black pudding....

Como entramos por la puerta de la 'Upper Crust", me sentí como si nos retroceder en el tiempo al 1970. La decoración es ecléctica y peculiar y no parecen fuera de lugar en la película Withnail y yo! Sin embargo, no dejes que esto te desanime. El marido y la mujer equipo que lleva este restaurante son fabulosas, atento y la comida es absolutamente craqueo.

My wife and I have eaten here many times and unfortunately due to life etc we had "forgotten" about this place. We reintroduced ourselves today to this fine place (28 May 17) and were not disappointed, yet again. The food, wine, ambience and the family...

Oh, what a gem this restaurant is! The chef and her husband - the waiter - are perfect hosts for a delicious and entertaining evening. Great food, fantastic service, ales and a good wine selection. We had lamp and the sirloin steak, both excellently prepared. The restaurant itself is quite small, but very comfy. Definitely one of the Helensburgh's highlights!

Tucked away up an alley off the seafront is a delightful restaurant that is easily missed but shouldn't be, so seek it out. The Upper Crust has good food, nice wine and decor and music that add a dash of theatricality to the meal. This...

La comida en este lugar es increíble. Tuve un pastel de pescado y mi marido tenía un especial de las chuletas de cordero. Me quedé totalmente agradecidos que mi pastel de pescado en un volado no era literalmente de microondas y caliente hasta el último...

Siempre un menú interesante y variado. Bueno, eficiente servicio y mejor música (casi) nunca. gran ambiente e interesante decoración y artefactos.

Small restaurant run by husband and wife team,fantastic food reasonable prices great atmosphere.If you like a place that's wee bit different from the norm you'll love this place.

Forgot how good this place was, delicious food in a quirky, cosy atmosphere, with great music. Not in pristine condition but it's shabby chic is part of its charm. Love it, I'll be back!

Le restaurant est charmant avec son ambiance rétro marché aux puces et son jazz/swing. Le filet de saumon était très bon. Le service irréprochable. Idéal pour un dîner en amoureux.

Restaurant très sympa de l'ambiance à la décoExcellents plats très bien préparés, frais et bien présentés Bravo à la chef et au serviceBeaucoup d'attention !!

Excellent food beautifully cooked and just enough choice to ensure there is something for everyone. Prices very reasonable but the atmosphere is what makes this restaurant memorable. Querky choice of decor, great relaxing selection of music and a place that is immediately relaxing. Staff are polite and friendly and great to chat with. A really lovely place to go.

I travelled secretly to Scotland and dined at The Upper Crust. I rode inside of a nuclear submarine (the USS Springfield, SSN 761) and docked at Faslane. The Upper Crust was a delight and I hope to return soon.I wrote to the owners, the husband, wife and son and was delighted to receive a letter back in America. They mentioned how happy they were to get the accolades and to know that my review of them was real and true - as they had no idea a Presidential Executive Chef was there, the night I ate!Bravo for them!Sincerely,Martin CJ Mongiello, MBAExecutive DirectorThe US Presidential Culinary Museum

Personal friendly service in subdued surroundings but welcoming.The lady chef proprietor prided herself justifiable in providing honest food well prepared and well presented

I've lived in Helensburgh for 23 years and never experienced The Upper Crust, until now. What a surprise, on many levels! The smell of damp is the first thing to hit you, followed by the realisation that you might be in someone's grans sitting room for dinner.Fear not, the experience is quite delightful and the food is delicious. It's quirky, relaxing and we actually rather liked the mismatched surroundings.

Comida ótima, bom ambiente e serviço muito atencioso. Recomendo e gostaria de poder voltar. Chegamos lá por acaso mas valeu a pena.

Quite possibly the most bizarre place we've eaten. We've been in Helensurgh for over a decade and never eaten here, until last week. I wish we'd not bothered. We were the only people here, sat in the corner of the strangest room. Im all for ecletic taste but this was just plain scruffy. Random scatter cushions plonked on unmatched chairs, bare plaster wall and cheap nasty bamboo blinds.The food was ok, it was very over priced though. We ended up going to one of the other pubs for dessert. I think the only thing that pleased me through this evening was my husband and the wine.I mean, banana on battered fish.......why?!?

When you arrive at The Upper Crust, the omens are not promising. The street sign looks a bit jaded, then you pass down a passge and into a strange hallway that suggests you are arriving at a guesthouse run by a 90-year-old. Then when you get into the restaurant you notice a distinct smell of damp.But this is all quickly forgotten as you take in the ambience and decor. The restaurant is seemingly intentionally shabby, with roughly painted walls and ceilings, peeling paint and some unfinished plaster in places. It is decorated with a miscellany of unusual items on shelves or hanging from the walls, and lit by a collection of standard lamps and table lamps of various designs. There's nothing calculated about it; it simply looks as though these are things that have been collected by the owner over many years and added to the mix.Then you notice the music; at first Art Blakey, later on some interesting west African stuff, and towards the end of our meal Tom Waits' "The Heart of Saturday Night". When not attending to our needs, the host was busy unwrapping and examining CDs, so you could see that the music was an important part of the ambience for him. He was also most gracious, with helpful suggestions and prompt service. (Admittedly we were one of only two occupied tables!)Finally, the food was wonderful, with quirky combinations that just worked (to match the decor), such as my lemon sole with fried banana and mango dip.Other reviews have focussed on the damp smell. Well, it's a old building on the seafront, so it's not surprising, and I honestly stopped noticing it minutes after sitting down. It was a real shame that so few people were eating there when it offers such great food in such a unique environment.

This restaurant is well worth a visit. Slightly off the beaten track, the restaurant is rustic and quirky and the background music eclectic - all add to its overall charm! The food is wonderful - beautifully cooked and presented and reasonably priced. They do the best steaks in Helensburgh! This is one not to be missed.

Excellent food, superbly cooked and absolutely delicious, guinea fowl just perfect and lemon sole a veritable delight with chips that were so tasty as to being almost unreal. This really is a hidden gem, on a cold night it was lovely to be welcomed by a pleasant and attentive owner, décor eclectic but welcoming, we'll be going back very soon.

Tucked away little haven. Great food Perfectly prepaired meal with a very attentive and friendly owner. Only small draw back is that despiste the heating been on full it was still a little cool and a little too rustic. However still a hidden treasure.

We dined here after reading the reviews on this site. We're those diners at the same restaurant?? Decor and atmosphere is somewhat eclectic, Mexican music playing in a french/scottish restaurant. The waiter/owner was great however the food less so. The guinea fowl was overcooked and my red wine jus was in fact a gravy, my lamb was overcooked too. Starter was ok, scallops and black pudding. We won't be going back.

Great food, great service for a good price! Had scallops and black pudding for starters and rump of lamb as main dish. The perfectly prepared lamb came with a mint sauce and red jelly, a very nice surprise. The sticky toffee cake was absolutely fabulous. Got to the place because it was recommended on tripadvisor. This must be the best kept secret of Helensburgh!!

We were recommended to eat here by our b&b hostess and how pleased we were that she did! Lovely owner looked after us throughout, great food and excellent choice of music! It may be in need of a little renovation in parts but please do not let that put you off and it is certainly with the visit. We shall be returning tomorrow night

The food is lovely and really beautifully cooked so can't fault the restaurant for that (and that is the main thing after all). However, the outside of the entrance is so very tired and the building suffers from damp which is a real pity. I hope the rent is cheap. We last ate here over 20 years ago and although the current owners have only been in situ for 8 years I remember the food being great but the décor being a bit odd. Nothing has changed in the past 20 years!I even remember the parrot being there 20 years ago (stuffed, not real). We decided to chance it as the reviews on here were quite good and I am so glad we did. The house wine was very decent, the Lomond Gold beer was a nice drop. My scallops starter was superb. The scallops were moist and plump and the blackpudding divine. My mushroom risotto was lovely and my husbands rump of lamb sublime. The cheeseboard had 3 lovely cheeses on it.The best bit was the £62 bill for 3 courses + drinks for two. A bargain. I recommend that you ignore the tired entrance, the damp and the odd décor and focus on the great food.

Excellent dinner. Quirky decor. Good service.

This a great little place with amazing food. The atmosphere is relaxed and friendly with attentive service. A perfect local restaurant where we will be going to again.

We visited The Upper Crust with a friend from Holland who has only been in Scotland since late last year. (a recommendation of a workmate of mine). It could so easily be overlooked as it's not obvious to find from Main Road, but i'm glad we did find it. Certainly the decor is unusual and has lots of little pieces of nostalgia and talking points.We loved the place .. the food was fantastic, we shared our starters as both looked equally good, the scallops with black pudding and the prawns in garlic. A nice touch also to have several choices of breads in little basket to choose from. We both opted for the lamb as main course with mashed potato and vegetables. The flavours were beautiful, cooked to perfection and washed down with a lovely house Chile red wine.The owners were friendly and helpful, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit here and will certainly return again. Can't recommend it highly enough if it's good food wine and friendly atmosphere you're looking for.... you really should try it out

If you like to eat very nice French food with a Scottisch twist, I would definitely recommend this restaurant. The owners are very friendly and the food they serve is of a good quality and not that expensive. When we visited Helensburgh we asked a women working at the tourist information if she could recommend us a restaurant with no pubfood and no Indian or Chinese food. She only mentioned La Barca (a tapas restaurant). Such a shame, because if we knew of the existence of this restaurant earlier, we would have had dinner twice at the Upper Crust.

This is an excellent restaurant in an unlikely location, and with an unpretentious decor.What makes it outstanding is the quality of the food on the plate backed up with a genuinely friendly welcome and service ... at a price which you might pay at any high street Italian chain or gastro-pub.I have been lucky enough to eat recently at L'Enclume (Simon Rogan), Northcote (Nigel Hawarth) and Hibiscus (Claude Bosi). Michelin stars, TV fame, etc etc - once in a lifetime visits for landmark birthdays or events. Of course the experience is exceptional and so is the food.And here down an alley in Helensburgh is a small restaurant where the food that is put in front of you is of a similar standard. Perfect flavour combinations, perfectly cooked and seasoned, beautifully presented, and lots of attention to detail. For example the blobs of mango sauce and balsamic reduction which complemented the scallops on black pudding, with lemony coriander hiding beneath the scallop roe - the whole dish just fitted together deliciously. Detail like the tasty crisp bread brought warm from the oven, fresh flowers even in mid-December, and spotless toilets.Would I like The Upper Crust to end up with a Michelin Star? Absolutely not. That would attract a clientele who just wouldn't understand the homely surroundings and the lack of pristine ironed white tablecloths or designer cutlery.But for people who want to experience Michelin quality cooking then this is certainly worth a visit. After nearly a year working in the Glasgow area, I have not been to a better restaurant, and that is why I have been back and will keep going back. It's 40 minutes on the train from the city, but worth every minute.

I wasn't sure about having dinner here after reading the reviews, but I'm really glad we went in the end. The decor is what it is: pretty much untouched in a long time, and the owners do not pretend otherwise. They are not a chain whose reputation depends on looking a certain way; their focus is very obviously the food. As for the smell of damp, I'm pleased to report that it is nowhere near the extremes reported in some of the reviews on here. We were the first in to the restaurant after the doors were opened up and yes, it smelled a bit fusty as the rooms warmed up. Once it was warm and there was food cooking, however, that fustiness disappeared completely. The music gave the place a nice vibe and as the restaurant filled up, it really was a lovely place to spend the evening.I'm not entirely sure the food lived up to the extremes in some of the reviews, either, but it was pretty close. To start we had scallops with black pudding and it was fantastic, a real treat. For the main course we chose the ribeye steak. Unlike some previous reviewers I have had better steak (Hawksmoor), and the dish lacked anything green (a pinch of rocket or something might have made me feel less guilty about stuffing my face!), but overall it was very good. The onion rings were especially tasty. For pudding we had the peanut butter cheesecake (based on the reviews on here) and were not disappointed - it was so rich and creamy that I couldn't finish mine. To wash it all down we had a delicious bottle of red for a very reasonable price (about £16).The place is quirky, but rather enjoyably so. The man who served us was friendly and self-deprecating. When we told him we'd heard good things about the cheesecake he joked: "Well, I suppose it's better than being compared to Basil Fawlty". Can't see the comparison myself! We will definitely head back there next time we're in Helensburgh.

amazing food well worth the price building is very old but we had a fantastic time here last year and will go again soon

I'm sad to say the very first thing that hits you when you walk in the door is not the aroma of home cooking but a very strong stench of damp. The restaurant has a rather strange interior with big old teddy bears on the Walls , it's certainly different ! The jazz music creates a nice buzz in the place . Again though , it's overshadowed by the damp that's blistering the paint half way up the Walls . We ordered the goats cheese tarts for starter and steak and chips for main . Both very nice . Not amazing , but as I said " nice " . My husband had peanut butter cheese cake for pudding and he described that as " exceptional " . The staff at upper crust are lovely and service excellent . I would probably visit again but it's just such a shame it's like eating in a damp dungeon .

What can I say.... wow!! The food was outstanding.we were expecting good things after we were recommend the upper crust from friends, but nothing this good, a truly memorable experience. There is no menu as such the owners basically tell you what the have then cook it to perfection for you!! I had rib eye steak. tender? it was like putting a hot knife through butter, the best steak I've ever had severed with hand cut chips, beautiful. For dessert I had homemade peanut butter cheesecake, again perfect. If you are in helensburgh you have to try this quirky little place you'll love it.

Passant tous les weekends devant 'The Upper Crust' et voyant le restaurant toujours bien accueillant, nous avons donc décidé d'y dîner ce soir.Nous avons eu la chance d'avoir une table, sans réservation, et avons pu déguster à d'excellents plats! Personnellement je ne mange pas beaucoup de la viande à la maison mais j'aime ça quand je vais au restaurant. De tailles correctes, délicieuses, où les plats sont travaillés avec des ingrédients de qualité et à des prix très compétitifs! Un conseil, essayez le 'Peanut Butter Cheesecake' servi avec de la crème fraîche ... tout simplement délicieux! Le service est également excellent, la musique et l'ambiance superbes. Je tiens à remercier Roger pour sa politesse et pour la conversation très sympa que nous avons eu juste avant que nous partions! Bref je RECOMMANDE !!!

This restaurant is up a small lane and through a door with retro signage. At first glance the place seems a little odd, with unusual décor and sporting a 'shabby chic' design but wow- prepare to be impressed with the food.The restaurant is owned and operated by a lovely family who have a great focus on good service and excellent quality food. Every course was enjoyed by our party and we most certainly will return. The black duping starter was delicious, as was the lamb for the main.Fancy somewhere a little different? Or somewhere that is a little out of the ordinary? Then try The Upper Crust. I would highly recommend it.

have been to the upper crust on many occasions and it never fails to impress. The food is always beautifully presented and of excellent quality. It is a family run affair and all staff are extremely friendly. We celebrated our wedding anniversary there last week and would highly recommend the lamb!!! Situated on the sea front up a small lane Find it... you wont be dissapointed

Brilliant restaurant. Unique atmosphere, very friendly and relaxed with great food. A bit out of the way but well worth a visit.

We normally don't write reviews, but after years of going periodically to the 'Upper Crust' and always finding it so consistently excellent we felt we should say something. It's in many ways a quaint place, but what a lovely retreat to resort every so often to the peace of the 'Upper Crust' and without fail after years of experience to have excellent service and excellent food, all at reasonable prices. The wine list is also very good, with interesting and well chosen wines for a small establishment, and all at good prices. There are a few places in Helensburgh that we have liked to go to through the years, but we have to say that if there was only one, then it would really have to be this one. Professor Thomas MacKay of Ardoch

We stopped over at a local B&B as part of our holiday. The nearest town was Helensburgh and we drove in for a spot of something to eat. After wandering down the water front we discovered this little place tucked away down an alley. It is a little cooky but is also rather charming. We ended up having three courses. The food was simply lovely! It was beautifully presented and tasted wonderful. The courses were spread out nicely and we did not feel rushed at all. We had time to quietly enjoy our meal and the beautiful wine without being hassled. We would recommend this place to anyone coming to Helensburgh.

We were looking for a place to go for dinner and the music playing from the alley way to upper crust caught our attention.We have been many times since our first visit and would recomend it to anyone.Excellant variety of music,very pleasant owner,whos timeing between courses is perfect.Food is always to a very high standard and bursting with flavours.The bread on the table is always welcomed,nice touch.Good selection of wines and the garlic prawn starter is awsome.Chef even came out,said hello and thankyou.Warm,peaceful experience in a charming,friendly restaurant.By far the best in Helensbrough.

Rainy few days in Helensburgh on business. Usual lonely wandering around at 8pm trying to find a place to eat.Rejected the usual italians, chinese and indians as wanted something with a bit of local character.Heard some kind of folk/rock fusion music coming from down an alley and spotted the Upper Crust sandwich board at the alley head. This is a big positive for me - if I hear Whitney Houston or Phil Collins played ever again while i'm eating I will leave on the spot.Anyway, walked in, greeted by the very friendly owner, loved the quite ambience, the decor and ofcourse the hosts musical taste.Eatery is reminiscent of what you would expect from a small classic French restaurant.Amazed to be given a selection of complementary home made breads almost immediately - something which has died out completely from the modern restaurant scene. Plenty of butter.Great compact menu to choose from and was told the house specials. Shows the hosts have confidence in their dishes.Wine prices were fair. Nothing too outlandish, don't drink anymore, but cracked and did have wine with main course as I was enjoying it so much.The food was absolutely excellent - this isn't haut cuisine, it isnt 2 meals for the price of one - it just good honest ALL HOMEMADE food but presented, flavoured and cooked to high standard. I hate it when I eat out and know I could of done better myself - trust me - that wasn't a problem here!Times between courses perfect, customer service perfect, host was just very personable and also met the cook (very nice too!).Went back the second night, as I knew I wouldnt get anywhere any better, I don't mess around if i'm not happy either - I will complain - but here, everything was spot on. Best eating out experience i've had for ages!

We enjoyad a very very nice meal. The food was very good. The owners made us feel at home in their lovely restarant. A little small but very nice. Thank you. TD

This little gem of a place is far too hidden away down a slightly dubious looking alleyway. It deserves pride of place on a fashionable high street..... but wait, if it were then you would need to book weeks in advance to eat there, and it would lose all its shabby-chic charm. And it is truly charming along with the co-owner and no doubt his other half who cooked our wonderful meal, but sadly we did not meet to thank.The decor provides a fascinating talking point as you look round all corners of the room, making new discoveries of the weird and wonderful objects that have found their way into this unique venue. Lovers of sleek, modern lines need not apply!The menu is not huge but we still were spoilt for choice. I had the king scallops on stornaway black pudding as a starter and it was just heavenly, but still didn't stop me eyeing my husband's salmon and asparagus tartlet with its light pastry case with a little envy. Not a scrap was left on our plates from our tasty and elegantly presented main courses either. Along with the nice little touches of being brought a jug of iced water without asking, and the lovely basket of breads with a generous dish of butter, again unasked but much appreciated, made this by far the best meal we had on our trip to Scotland.

My Husband and I came back to Helensburgh to eat once more at Lombardi's in the town but sadly it had closed down. On our walk we stumbled accross this lovely little Bistro with an emphasis on fine food with a French style to it. The steaks were delicious and our crepes' amazing - We shall be back on our next trip and would recommend to everyone - and may add that it is at the West of the town through a small closeway. Well worth the find and excellent value for money.

Lovely little restaurant, quirky decoration, excellent food, great service, well worth a visit!