A popular, lively Scottish restaurant with generous, well-liked food—especially mussels, pies and fish dishes—but reserve ahead and expect occasional service inconsistency and a music-led atmosphere.
Encore Une Fois earns its standing through praised seafood, pies and haggis that draw repeated acclaim from Inverness diners, with desserts also standing out. Friendly service and a warm rustic room with live music add appeal, but recurring reports of slow follow-up and variable preparation keep it from the very top tier.
Encore Une Fois is a warm, bustling Inverness city-centre restaurant where live music, whisky and friendly table service create a distinctly social evening. Guests often describe the room as cozy and welcoming, with the musical backdrop adding charm—although it can become too loud for conversation. Reservations are strongly advisable during dinner and busy tourist periods. The cooking is polished Scottish and British comfort food rather than experimental dining: mussels, fish and chips, haggis, steak pie and sticky toffee pudding are the dependable crowd-pleasers. Portions are generous and the current menu gives vegetarians and vegans meaningful choices, including risottos, vegetable kebabs and stuffed squash. Service is the less predictable part of the equation: many diners praise attentive staff, while a smaller but substantial group reports delays, abruptness or awkward seating experiences. Families are generally well served, with reviews praising children’s meals such as pasta and sausage with mash, while the menu also includes familiar macaroni cheese, burgers, chicken baskets and fish dishes. One review disputes how an infant party was handled, so clarify the restaurant’s dining policy if your group includes a baby. For picky eaters, this is a reassuringly accessible menu; for quiet family conversation, choose a non-music period if possible.
Area vibe: Compact provincial city centre with historic streets, tourist sites, and civic functions.
Safety: Generally safe with decent evening footfall though quieter late at night on side streets.
What's nearby: Near River Ness, Inverness Castle, Thomas Telford Old High Bridge, shops, bus station and rail links.
The safest crowd-pleasers range from Scottish mussels and steak pie to haggis bon bons, with sticky toffee pudding worth saving room for.
Plan for a lively dinner rather than a quiet one, and keep in mind that booking, service speed, and noise can vary.
Encore Une Fois combines a warm room and live musical energy with an atmosphere that may be too loud for an unhurried conversation.