Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Browns- Edinburgh

    3.6 (78 reviews)
    ModerateWine Bars, British
    Closed 9:00 am - 8:00 pm

    Browns- Edinburgh Photos

    BROWNS- EDINBURGH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Juke Box
    Music videos
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Browns- Edinburgh

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Brion C.

    Can't beat eating dinner at Brown's on Christmas Day. Christmas crackers and party hats! And some delicious food in a beautiful restaurant. Service was perfect and overall it was a great afternoon in chilly Edinburgh.

    Duck appetizer

    Don't do the 3 course prefix. We chose the steak and sea bass. The steak was thin but not seasoned at all and came with the most unappetizing yellow sauce. The sea bass was not sea bass at all, it was more like haddock with skin. I know sea bass is thick almost like a halibut with a more distinct buttery flavor. It's fish I buy regularly from Costco. The best thing was the duck appetizer but Everything else was just ok. Not worth the price I paid. My suggestion is skip the prefix and order entree. Nice restaurant and good service though!

    Inside
    Michelle L.

    Walked in for Sunday roast for two around 6pm. They were low but we were able to get the beef Sunday roast. The food and the cocktail were delicious. Inside is beautiful and has nice light. Staff were nice.

    Chocolate mousse, chocolate torte and profiteroles

    We traveled to Edinburgh for a holiday this new years and Browns was one of the highlights. We went our first night there and loved it so much we came back for our last meal before the flight home. Servers are attentive, the restaurant itself it beautiful and the food was delicious. We highly recommend any steak option as it was perfectly cooked and the salted caramel profiteroles are one of the best desserts/puddings i've even had!

    Riveting Raspberry!
    Sarah T.

    My friend suggested going into Browns for a couple of drinks and after she described the cocktails as 'AMAZING' I didn't need much more convincing... There were plenty of tables available (it's quite a large place) and we found some seats near the bar. The tables were all clean and tidy - the glass collectors do a good job here! It was pretty busy but perfect for sitting having a chat. Music wise I loved it - James Bay and Ed Sheeran over good cocktails. I'm tempted to move in.. The staff do a great job (particularly those working at the bar) and there were a steady flow of customers. They have a really extensive cocktail menu and each of the cocktails I had were well presented and tasted delicious! The staff made the time to chat to you as they were making your drinks and offered to bring them to your table if you were going to be waiting longer than a few minutes (if they had to go get fresh supplies etc). Glass collectors do a great job too and everywhere was clean and tidy. I've never visited the Browns in Glasgow but after this, I'm tempted! And if it's not as good...it's back to Edinburgh!

    Egg royale with smoked salmons
    Mick M.

    Last Sunday I promised my guest that he needs to try out the traditional full breakfast! Our first choice was fully booked by 10:20, plus there was a waiting queue, so after some wandering in Rose street where most places would open at 11:00 or 12:00 (not the most typical brunch places, true that), we ended up in Browns! I really liked the setting inside Browns - we got seated on the right side (up 3-4 stairs), quite open area. There was plenty of space further inside too with roof windows lightening the area, but we couldn't sit there, till the breakfast area was full. My guest got the full breakfast and he was delighted with it, although he skipped the black pudding, but for his own personal reasons, not that there was something wrong with it. My partner got the vegetarian breakfast - both breakfast options were accompanied by proper bread, slightly toasted to get the crispy crust. They both enjoyed it (I could tell from the empty dishes!) I got the eggs royale option: smoked salmon and hollandaise sauce on top of a bagel! Nom, nom! Their orange juice was not fresh, but that's acceptable from a bar. The coffees were good, but nothing special. Everything was cooked well, and we got our tummies full! It was a pleasant surprise also finding out the hidden deal: 2nd breakfast for free! I think I'll go back for some more in the future! ;-)

    tea for four
    Kathy L.

    I experienced my first afternoon teatime with three friends at Browns, and it was lovely. We ordered two teas-for-two, which allows you to choose your own pot of tea and comes with quite the assortment of snacks. There are three kinds of finger sandwiches, a warm scone with clotted cream and jam, a chocolate-covered cream puff, a meringue, and a piece of fruit cake. The inside is really pretty, with high ceilings and glass for sunlight to come in. It felt very classy, but was affordable. Altogether a great experience.

    As usually forgot to take a photo!  My food was delish!!!!
    Sass S.

    Browns. Edinburgh Tuesday. 7.15 ish pm I feel so fortunate to know how wonderful this place is. The ambiance and the service second to none. Tremendously aware and polished. Not only the entire restaurant but the service. Eye contact and gentle check ins to see all ok. I've had the crab & king prawn linguine --- beautifully cooked (nice al dente pasta). And had a side of broccoli with hollandaise and Stilton on the side. All with a large class of gorgeous Malbec. Truly divine.

    from website
    Gavin M.

    During my only visit to Brown's, one memory sticks out above all others. A 50 year old woman, in fishnets, taking a photo of all the empty martini glasses that she and her cackling coven had guzzled their way through on a Wednesday afternoon. This perhaps tainted what seems to be a good if not amazing venue, which can't seem to work out if it's a style bar, a wine bar, a traditional bar, or a restaurant. This jack of all trades ethos isn't necessarily a bad thing though, as amongst much of the skankhuts on George Street it does have a nice, if slightly processed feel that makes it seem formal yet casual at the same time, and a suitable venue for both a fancy cocktail and a cheese ploughmans. On that note, I've never eaten here, but did like the look of the menu. Chances are I'll go back one day.

    Amy G.

    This is another restaurant my lovely Grandmother has treated me to lunch at. The location on George Street is the first indication it will be a little expensive. But unlike a lot of the overly trendy bars and restaurants on George Street, Browns is actually worth it. The decor is charming, its very light and charming. The staff are attentive and well trained. The menu ranges from salads to steaks, but most dishes are very interesting and the descriptions make your mouth water. It took us both a long time to decide. I went for the Chargrilled Chicken Salad which was complimented nicely with pear and pine nuts. It was fresh and delicious. There is also a great cocktail menu, but we didn't try any. I would probably return here on a special occasion as it is quite expensive. However there is usually some great deals available from their website.

    Taken from website
    Emily T.

    If there's one thing I can say about Browns it is this - reliable. It was one of the few places on George Street that didn't take reservations (although it has just started to) so you can walk in whenever you like and get a table. I recently came here after a long drive, at 9.30pm thinking the kitchen would be closed (as it was a Tuesday night) but I was greeted with great enthusiasm and invited to look at the menu within minutes of arriving. I asked for the fish of the day - a fish pie, which was delicious. I was even given a poached egg following a conversation with the waiter - it's the small things! The fish pie came with tempura prawns as the chef decided he wanted to play around with the dish, which I loved. Their cocktails are really nice too, a bit pricey, but good. Their menu is really extensive and they do a brilliant brunch which I highly recommend. Again, there can only be one word for Browns - reliable.

    Qype User (akeel…)

    My friends and I had breakfast at Browns during a summer holiday in Edinburgh. It's a lovely looking restaurant with traditional looking furniture and a vibrant atmosphere. The food, although not cheap, was all excellent and we wished we had had time to breakfast there again, but we were leaving that day. Situated on George street, the restaurant is very central, thus easy to get to, if you're staying in the city. My only disappointment was with the staff. They appeared uninterested in their customers and appeared to forget what we had ordered a few times.

    Qype User (dun…)

    A nice experience. Starters were pretty good, everybody's mains were very well received (particularly the pheasant) but deserts were reported as ranging from excellent through to unexciting. The cookies & cream cheesecake wasn't enjoyed - hot choc brownies were universally appreciated. Waitress was excellent & coped cheerily with the chaos, of our ordering. We were a party of 15 but even allowing for that, food wasn't quick enough to arrive. Overall; good & enjoyable. Most had just two courses & not much alcohol was quaffed. Came to £37/head. We will return at some point.

    Steak & Guiness pie

    See all

    5 hours ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 7
    Love this 15
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Dan F.
    0
    91
    3

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Kathy L.
    147
    20
    108

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gavin M.
    108
    1090
    546

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ash T.
    205
    16
    6

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy G.
    28
    331
    318

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Emily T.
    24
    570
    287

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gio S.
    403
    19
    91

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K Y.
    0
    23
    26

    8 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fiona H.
    7
    412
    404

    16 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Verify this business for free

    Get access to customer & competitor insights.

    Verify this business

    The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

    The Devil's Advocate

    4.3(630 reviews)
    0.6 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    ££

    Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

    The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

    Photos
    The Devil's Advocate - Whiskey flight tastings

    Whiskey flight tastings

    The Devil's Advocate - Fish Filet

    Fish Filet

    The Devil's Advocate - Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    See all

    Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    Monteiths - The salmon, the he monkfish and the broccoli. We also had other sides that were brought later

    Monteiths

    4.0(87 reviews)
    0.8 miRoyal Mile, Old Town
    £££

    Terribly disappointing. We made reservations and we're excited upon walking in. Upon arrival, it…read morewas awkward. At least four people said they'll be right with us. We just stood there waiting, waiting, waiting, and waiting. We were seated at the bar and were assured we would get full service and menu. Given it was NYE, we didn't have many options even though we made a resy. It was a while before anyone took our order. The drink came and we were still waiting to place our dinner order. The person who took our drink order is consumed by other tables. Finally, someone comes and takes our dinner order. As we wait, they load the dishwasher and place dirty dishes near us. Not cool. Food comes and we are tempted to scoot to the right away from dirty plates, but they move another couple from their bar area table to the bar. Lost opportunity. Food wise, it was okay. My salmon was fine, nothing to rave about. The vegetable was on the undercooked side. The portion left hubs and I looking for more food that evening. Very disappointing experience given the price point.

    This was recommended by our amazing Air BnB host and he wasn't wrong. The setting is in a cellar…read moreand matches Edinburgh perfectly. The mushroom side dish was absolutely amazing and could be a meal alone. I had the lamb, which was cooked to perfection. The staff were friendly and engaging and never rushed but were attentive. Definitely worth checking out.

    Photos
    Monteiths
    Monteiths - Lemon Crème brûlée and tea

    Lemon Crème brûlée and tea

    Monteiths - Wine

    See all

    Wine

    Vino at the Arches

    Vino at the Arches

    4.5(2 reviews)
    0.8 miRoyal Mile, Old Town

    Vino at the Arches is like a dream - part wine bar, part bottle shop and amazing little snacks,…read moretoo. The weather was ok so people were sitting out the front drinking as well as inside the shop and this place just totally won me over straight away. I was just after a bottle of wine to take back to Glasgow so I just picked something from the fridge. Prices are quite high but it's not your standard supermarket wines so you'll get something a bit different. I also got a packet of locally made cheese sablé biscuits which were AMAZING and I scoffed the whole lot in one go (woops). I'll definitely be back here for a classy drinking spot next time I'm in Edinburgh. What a great addition to the Arches area.

    Woah, this place is AWESOME! I visited recently with a group of colleagues. We were quite a big…read moregroup, and the chap couldn't have been more helpful, swiftly re-arranging many tables so we could all sit together. And he was just brilliant really, explaining the drinks to us and such like. Vino is kinda like a combination between a wine bar and an off-license. So you can buy wine etc to drink, as you would normally. You can also buy products from the shelves, and pay 'corkage' to drink it in-house. They have an impressive range of craft beers for example. They also have a particularly good range of gin, and there were also a few dark rums which caught my eye. I'm not sure if you can buy the spirits and drink them there and then, I'd missed that part of the explanation, but you probably wouldn't want to do that anyway. They have great products that you don't often see elsewhere, for example the new Eden Mill 'mixology project'. We tried the 'basil smash hop gin' and the 'berry bramble love gin'. I also lingered over some Chocolate Tree chocolate bars, but decided against it as I wouldn't have been able to resist trying them and that would have spoiled me for my imminent dinner. We were sat inside the main shop area, and there is also outside area where you can have your drinks. Maybe not so much in winter, but nice during the 'summer'. It was a quick visit as we were heading off for dinner, but I would definitely like to return to Vino, for a more leisurely visit (you could while away many hours here) and to browse their wide range of spirits and craft beers. And obviously wines. Cool place, and the main man was just brilliant, very welcoming,

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Inside front room (there's a back room as well)

    Pickles of Broughton Street

    4.9(20 reviews)
    0.8 miNew Town
    ££

    We were doing our regular research, hoping to find the perfect anniversary restaurant, when we…read morestumbled upon Pickles on a map. A quick Google search later, we decided to add this to our "must visit while in Edinburgh" list. This wasn't our anniversary restaurant, of course, but we knew we needed to dine here at least once. It was a long walk from our hotel, but it was a nice way to see parts of the city that we wouldn't normally have gotten to. The restaurant itself is nestled in the basement (or downstairs) of a cute building. It's small in there, but they're very good at maximizing the space they're given. We settled in at a teeny-tiny table off to the side and swiftly ordered a couple of pints. The menu is very straightforward: you're either getting a meat and cheese plate, just a cheese plate, or pates. We decided to share the Mixed Meat & Cheese platter. We figured that we'd snack and drink some Scottish beer, then head off into the night to find our "real" dinner. Thing is, though, that combo platter filled us the heck up. The waitress came out with the meat and cheese plate and a box of bread, oatcakes and crackers, and my husband and I had a "where is all this going?" moment. But our pro-waitress dropped the plate on the table and popped the bread box into a shelf on the wall next to us - a shelf that neither of us ever even noticed, to be honest. The meat and cheese selections were delicious and paired really well together. Kind of hidden away on that shelf (holding the bread and oatcakes) were a couple chutney jars. That chutney - lots of fruit pieces and complex flavors - brought a lot to the cheeses. We really did love the food, the surroundings, the beer and the staff. I wish we had something like this back home.

    Comforting environment, food and drink. It's like being in your own home, warm with friends. Staff…read moreare helpful and friendly. Enjoy yourselves.

    Photos
    Pickles of Broughton Street - Cheese platter

    Cheese platter

    Pickles of Broughton Street - The cheese board

    The cheese board

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

    See all

    Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

    The Outsider

    The Outsider

    4.1(275 reviews)
    0.6 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    ££

    Three of us stumbled upon The Outsider while out looking for a place for dinner. It was so good we…read morewent back with 2 more friends a few nights later. Nice pleasant room with good size tables and very helpful, friendly courteous wait persons. Very good steaks, and fish, and affogato for dessert. Go to read the creative food descriptions on the menu!

    My wife has been following The Outsider on the socials for a bit. So as we find ourselves in…read moreEdinburgh, this was a must. Tonight's dinner destination. We got here at 6 with no reservation. We were able to be seated upstairs. This place is busy (much busier when we were finished for sure). So if you can, I'd suggest reserving a spot. It's a bit loud in here. Not out of the ordinary for a busy place. We started with the pressed pork belly app. Perfect crisp. Could've used more of the celeriac puree bed. The confit shallots were so good and nicely sweet. Black pudding cubes (small. More of these!). Candied pears. Mmm. Great start. Wife got the char grilled venison on a butternut squash purée and spicy daikon planks (I didn't find the heat, she did tho!). It was excellent and perfectly prepared. Not gamey at all. I got the 35 day aged hangar steak. This is hands down one of the best steaks I have had out in a very long time. So well seasoned! Which was such a pleasant surprise as it left me wanting for nothing to add flavor. The hand cut fries were good but did need some salt. No dessert as, well, our server was scattered a bit all night. We asked for the dessert menu. She brought us dinner menus and we didn't see her for 10 minutes. So we opted to leave, a bit disappointed at the end. We would come back tho. Thats for sure.

    Photos
    The Outsider
    The Outsider - Char grilled Venison, black pepper polenta cake, butternut squash purée, daikon, fine beans, whiskey and passion fruit dressing.

    Char grilled Venison, black pepper polenta cake, butternut squash purée, daikon, fine beans, whiskey and passion fruit dressing.

    The Outsider

    See all

    Browns- Edinburgh - wine_bars - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...