Thanks to something that went viral, the whole world knows about, and is seeking out, Makars Mash…read morein Edinburgh now. What does this mean for you? MAKE A RESERVATION. And make it sooooooooo, so, so much further in advance than you think you need to. Bookings open 90 days in advance; there's no bookings taken in August; and while they always "welcome walk-ins and do their best to accommodate folks on a first-come, first-serve basis", you should still expect an hour (or, let's be honest, more) wait no matter what time of day it is. Is it worth it though? Yes! I've sat inside and outside over the past decade, and have loved both experiences/atmospheres (the inside is very intimate, cozy, and bustling; the outside feels a little more relaxed, like you're sitting on a friend's patio). The staff (minus the host who - no matter who it is - is always super surly) is friendly and engaging. And the food? SO GOOD. You want that haggis, neeps, and tatties experience? Come here. There is literally something for everyone regardless of your dietary restrictions. The plant-based options are delish, and I can't recommend the Roasted Chestnut & Carrot Haggis with Whisky, Peppercorn, and Cream Sauce (make sure to ask for it vegan, I think it has something to do with the sauce). Also, just because it's a cute note from their menu: "For the haggis purists, the mixing of spices, tree nuts, seeds, lentils and pulses is something that has happened for centuries, meat was extremely rare in Scottish cooking." So there, stop saying veggie haggis isn't real haggis. LOADS of mash options: if you're vegan I'd go with the Wholegrain Mustard first, Olive Oil (if they have it) as a second option, or the Chilli Smoked Bean Medley as a third option (just because there's already a lot of other flavors going on). Now I just wish they had more vegan dessert options (sorbet is boring, give me a vegan sticky toffee pudding option please)!

The food was absolutely incredible. By far the best meal we had while in Edinburgh, and while there…read morewas a wait, it was worth it. The only minus is that people are packed in, so if you're lucky enough to be seated next to someone who has the typing noises on their phone set to 500 dB and is typing all throughout the meal, it's going to take some shine off the experience.

For a name that conjures images of expansive open spaces, Field is a surprisingly cosy space…read more Nestled on West Nicolson, right by the University and across from a rather bustling student sports bar, (https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-peartree-house-edinburgh), you could walk right past the restaurant without noticing it if you weren't careful. And that would be a shame, since it was very good! I came here for a family dinner, and we enjoyed the intimate space, friendly service, and carefully prepared dishes. To start we ordered drinks, and while they have a nice wine list, they didn't have as much in the way of beer or cocktail selection. Then, we had appetizers: White Onion and Beer Soup, Fried Octopus, and Smoked Chicken and Mousse Salad. All very good! Although not my dish, apparently the chicken salad was phenomenal :) For our main courses, I had roast rabbit loin, and my companions had vegetable tikki and a rack of lamb. My dish was quite tasty, and plated nicely, although nothing out of the ordinary. The Tikki (not sure what that is, actually), was crunchy, spicy, and tasted very nutritious. The rack of lamb could've been served a little warmer but was cooked to perfection and of very high quality. Dessert is actually where Field really shone-- we ordered some tea and I enjoyed the raspberry "cheesecake." It was spectacularly tasty, and quite inventive, not what you think of at all for a cheesecake, it was instead crispy layers of caramelized hazelnut crumb biscuit with what seemed like mascarpone cheese in between. Yum! Also tasty, the chocolate mousse, and lemon curd meringue tart. What a lovely dinner, not horribly expensive, and conveniently located in the old town while neatly avoiding becoming some garish tourist trap! An excellent choice for a finer meal in Edinburgh, and after dinner you can walk over to campus to see Teviot square and McEwan hall which look quite nice lit up at night!

We had some amazing meals in Edinburgh, but this was probably the best. Only about 8 tables so it's…read moresmall but we were able to show up without a reservation toward the end of the short opening hours on a Saturday. We started with the Harissa Spiced Lamb Neck. It was fantastic. There was just enough Harissa to create a good bit of spice. It also came with a watermelon and feta salad though which cut through the Harissa spice and made for a well balanced dish. My wife got seared scallops and Thai chicken wings. She said it was very good and it was definitely a good portion but I can't wait. I got the Onglet Steak with Haggis. Wow. The steak was plentiful and cooked perfectly. Super flavourful as there was a slight bit of whisky sauce And spinach in the plate to eat it with. I could've just had the steak and been fine. And that's coming from someone who doesn't eat tons of steak. But the Haggis was the highlight of the dish. Full of flavour. Smooth texture with tons of seasoning. Would get the Haggis alone and be happy. It was served in a caramelised onion spring roll. Added amazing nuance to the flavour. Just superb. Would love to return. Will be sure to make a reservation next time.

The food at this place was truly remarkable... Maybe one of the best meals I have ever had -…read moreespecially the scallops. The environment was also remarkable. I cannot recommend this place highly enough. Did I mention the scallops? The mocktails were also tremendously good. Best haggis we ever had!

Had an amazing dinner at The Scran & Scallie last night - our first evening in Edinburgh and it was…read morea terrific way to start our Scotland vacation! Service was friendly and efficient. Cute space in a neighborhood outside of the touristy area - easy bus ride from old town especially if you take it in the correct direction to start, oops! - Scallop and potato starter - 5/5 really delicious three scallops on a small bed of smashed potatoes with something deliciously crunchy on top, presented in scallop shells, pretty! - fish pie - 5/5, dining partner had this and the bite I had was delicious - shrimp, fish, don't know what other seafood inside but yum! - fish & chips - 5/5, I laughed when the plate arrived with an enormous piece of fish and then proceeded to eat the whole thing. Homemade tartar sauce the best I've ever had. Chips were like steak fries, so good! Crisp on outside, soft and steamy on the inside. I tried to finish them all but could not there were so many! - broccoli on the side - 4/5 solid offering to round out the meal - toffee sticky pudding with pecans and vanilla ice cream - 5*/5 this was outstanding! The best I've ever had and wish I hadn't polished off the entire fried fish so I had more room to have more of this! Highly recommend Scran & Scallie when you're in Edinburgh and want to get a terrific friendly meal outside of the tourist zone

LOVELY everyone was so friendly and helpful! I am part of a flight crew and we had just flown in. 2…read moremembers of the crew were checking in with family and staff came over and offered to place the order early for me to make sure they got their food. It was so nice and thank goodness they did! I had the steak pie and holy moly I could have cried of happiness. Albeit I was also starving at the time but it was amazing. The potatoes and mostly the gravy well the pie crust and steak was all just amazing. I also had the corresponding cask ale and it was perfect. Very cool homey pub vibe. Small but deceiving so. I feel that they use their space quiet well and it doesn't feel cramped

Charming location. Tables too close together. Fish and chips were good but the fish pie was not…read moregood. Mostly mashed potatoes. No crust or other vegetables. Mashed peas tasted canned

The partner-in-dine and I were staying close to Pibroch and decided to book a table for dinner on a…read moreSunday evening. We made our booking the night before and were pleased that we could be accommodated. We were seated promptly next to a window where we could pass the time waiting for our food by looking at the passers-by and cars. But we didn't have to wait long. The appetizers came out quickly. I got the Cullen Skink, a Scottish soup of smoked haddock, potatoes and leeks in a creamy broth. My partner-in-dine chose the Pibroch Haggis Parcels with Red Wine Plum Sauce. We were both happy with our appetizers. For our mains, I had the Haggis, Neeps and Tatties while my partner-in-dine went for the Roast Duck. We were again elated with our choices. Every dish was wonderfully presented and tantalizingly delish. Definitely recommendation-worthy!

I told myself I wasn't going to try the haggis, but what did I do? I tried the haggis. I'm glad I…read moredid. The wait staff there are extremely attentive, friendly, and willing to answer any questions. Our party started off with the haggis parcels in a red wine plum sauce as an appetizer. The haggis was encased in filo dough. It was delicious. I went with the salmon, because Scotland has the best salmon in the world, so I've been told. This salmon was exceptional. I enjoyed the crispiness on the top of the salmon and the potatoes and broccoli accompanied the dish perfectly. I didn't care for the tomato sauce, and just ate around that. If you want authentic Scottish food, and friendly service, try this place out. They are also wheelchair accessible, as they have a ramp to guide you in the door.

Excellent food and service. Try their scallop starter and then also their roast chicken. The decor…read moreis relaxed sophistication. Good selection of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, too. I could eat here every day. 5/5 highly recommended.

Such tasty food, staff and food wonderful. A small local restaurant. Booking advised…read more We are often drop in and still haven't been disappointed for seating

What a great place for some good food- gin forward drinks were great and they have a lunch special…read morefor 20 pounds - seasonal soups and great food options We started with focaccia and olive oil I had the mushroom soup and the pea and asparagus risotto/ others had the salmon / fish soup Would definitely return Vegetarian friendly

Howie's was our first dinner stop on our first day in Scotland. I wanted a nice restaurant that had…read morea vegetarian version of haggis (so I could dive right in...), and we had made a reservation weeks in advance of our trip. All good! This Howie's location is on Victoria Street (one of the most photographed streets in the world and the visual influence for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley...it's a few minutes' walk from the center of the Royal Mile, so the location is fantastic. Our reservation was on the early side, and the host made a point of telling us a couple of times that they'd need the table back after a certain period of time. We don't really dwell for hours in restaurants, so that note is not something we really needed, and after seeing it in the reservation confirmation, as well as being told twice by the host, there was a little bit of a feeling that the entire purpose of us being at Howie's was to get out as soon as possible so they can have the table back. Besides that tone-setter, the service and food were fantastic. Our server took a lot of time going through the options with us...she gave me a good perspective on the vegetarian haggis I was getting to help me contextualize its flavor and texture with the real thing, and was very nice! The asparagus and pea risotto I had was also beautiful and had good flavor. As a vegetarian, I appreciated that the menu had everything labeled with dietary restrictions. (which seems to be more of a standard in the U.K. than in the U.S., but this was our first dinner stop in the country, so it's worth noting.) Howie's gave us a good introduction to Scottish cuisine. Its location couldn't have been better, and our server was aces. I hope we gave the table back in time to not cause a panic. ;)

Absolutely the best! Stac Polly was recommended by our Whisky guide as a place where you can get…read morefantastic upscale Scottish cuisine for a reasonable price and it most definitely exceeded out expectations! I had the haggis inside the phyllo dough with the cheese tray and my husband enjoyed the steak and kale. The desserts are wonderful as well! HIGHLY recommended!

(I've added a few pictures to this restaurant's page from their own website, I hope they don't…read moremind.) Like the earlier reviewer this restaurant came highly recommended by our hotel, which arguably has the best goddamn concierge in the UK. For fellow travelers, once the restaurant filled up there were noticeably few Americans in the place. Please don't get the impression that this is a tourist trap. In fact, its better if you don't tell anyone else about this place or it could get as difficult to get into as the Wedgwood. The food was certainly as good. First the atmosphere was well done, stone with tasteful tartan accents. Impeccably Scotttish as was the food. With the layout and the lighting it was romantic, this is not a kid-friendly restaurant. The service was amiable and attentive, if a bit difficult to understand at times. As I've noticed at most of the UK restaurants I visited this summer; the staff are from the EU countries in deepest economic crisis (Spain, Greece and Italy were all well represented). But this was a relatively minor hassle. And the food was worth it. The beer was excellent and local, you can't ask for more than that. I started with the haggis wontons in a wine reduction. They were an unusual combination of sweet, umami and spicy that was enjoyable. I followed with the salmon. You really can't go wrong with scottish salmon, it was tender and flavorful. My father had the venison dish, and I tried some. Dear god, I almost regretted my order. It was unlike any American venison I had ever had. It was sweet, tender and completely lacking any gaminess. It tasted like a combination of buffalo sweetness and kobe juiciness. Anyway, go there. Its a bit off the beaten path of the Royal Mile, but go there anyway. And for god's sake don't tell anyone about it. I want to be able to get in easily when I go back to Edinburgh.