Catching up on an a review of an early morning breakfast in Edinburgh, back in August of this year. As just mentioned, this was an early morning stop before taking on a long day of seeing the sites and touring Edinburgh Castle(which was incredibly amazing!!). Cafe Rouge is a nice touch of Frances in the downtown area of Edinburgh. The ambience is bright and quite cheerful. I enjoyed a traditional breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, tomato, mushrooms and a side oh baked beans - perfect! The coffee is amazing fresh and served piping hot - the way it should be. The service was very good, didn't notice our server much, but she had everything covered - well done. Great way to start a busy day. Definitely a must do if you are in the area! read more

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We ended up going twice during Hogmanay, as a number of restaurants were surprisingly closed. The first time was good; we all ordered almost the identical items the second time and it was clearly a less talented chef. So three stars instead of four due to the inconsistency. read more

Cafe Rouge - Edinburgh - French Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This very traditionally French looking establishment has been a sturdy feature on the Edinburgh cafe/restaurant scene for a good while now. I've been here a number of times over my Edinburgh residing years, and it's always been pretty consistently good, and I really have nothing to complain about as far as the food goes. Cafe Rouge seems to have had the same faithful, tried and tested menu favourites for a while, and it delivers them well. I can personally recommend the classic Caesar salad, rib-eye steak baguette, and any of the steaks on the grill menu, as traditional French fare is what this place does best. Larger than the norm outside seating area for sunny day basking too, nice for a breakfast coffee plus pastry, and the inside is pretty spacious too, so you'll never be too pushed to get a table. I don't think Cafe Rouge is the trendiest, most exciting place you could attend in Edinburgh, but it's definitely reliably decent and very conveniently located. read more

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It speaks volumes for a place by how busy it is, and Cafe Rouge is always very busy. You have to book - there's no question about that. But it's a brilliant place. Their food is delicious, I especially love their steak sandwiches (they do a male and female version) and their smoked salmon salad. The only thing I would say is their coke is served in TINY glasses, I had to ask for 3 top-ups. The table comes with a jug of water though, so it's not a big problem. The service is brilliant too - when my cousin still hadn't arrived they took away his pre-ordered steak and chips and kept it on heat for him, providing fresh chips. It's the little touches eh! read more

Cafe Rouge - Edinburgh - Courtesy of Website - French Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I was here on a Saturday evening around 8 o'clock. Perhaps not the best time to review a cafe/brasserie, however, it wasn't busy so there really wasn't any excuse to my mind as to the poor quality of the food. I had the cod filet, which as it turns out, wasn't a filet at all. My partner-in-crime had the lamb which I think was sufficiently satisfying. He didn't comment on the quality, so I'm guessing that it wasn't exceptional. My dish however was absolutely horrendous. To start the fish was floating in a layer of olive oil, something that I just don't find appealing. If the oil comes halfway up the fish, I'm not a happy camper. Then, the filet was not a filet. It was a full fish, with massive amounts of bones. I didn't expect bones, and they were everywhere. In the first bite, and I take small bites, I had three bones big enough that I had to remove them. To give some credit where credit is due, since I didn't eat the fish, just the grilled-to-mush vegetables that it came with (also schlumping around in oil) we didn't have to pay for the fish. But the waitress made such a big deal out of it that it was incredibly awkward. All-in-all? Poor service, poor food, and screaming babies on a Saturday. Lovely, enjoy. read more

Cafe Rouge was not my first choice on a Saturday night - the restaurant where I wanted to eat was fully booked and it was time for plan B. Ok, let's give Cafe Rouge a chance, after all it's been a few years I've been there last time so I thought why not. My husband and I entered the restaurant and the waiter asked where we wanted to sit After being seated we studied the menu for a while and the waitress came to take our orders. We shared the starter of 'Bresse Bleu' which was a small pot of melting blue cheese served with baguette slices and apple slices. When the starter arrived, I commented that it looked a bit small. However it was actually filling enough and tasted absolutely delicious. On to the main course. I had a chicken caesar salad. It was quite good, chicken nicely charcoaled and tasty. Perhaps a little bit too much dressing, but that was just a personal preference. A starter, two main course salads and small glasses of wine came to £38. I think it was reasonable. read more

Great spot when it's warm out. Yes it's a chain, but in this prime position you'll struggle to find a table when that yellow thing in the sky rears its pretty little head! A quick spot of lunch and I must say, they've really stepped up the food quality from the last time I visited. I grabbed a steak baguette and chips which at around £10 is slightly pricey, but the quality was really good. Do check if there's a discount voucher around as they seem to always have a promotion or two flying about. I asked for medium rare and was pleasantly surprised to receive medium rare. Great! Soft and juice made for a really nice sandwich. The dijon mayo was spicy enough to tingle but not so much to blow your nose off, which is always a worry. All in all, a very pleasant lunch experience. I'd go again! read more

This gorgeous French restaurant/cafe/bar was highly recommended to me by a friend who lives and works in Edinburgh. She had been here for a small family celebration and said the staff were absolutely lovely and the food was a real authentic taste of French cuisine, for great value. I didn't need much more convincing, so my friend and I rocked up one Tuesday afternoon to sample their Prix Fixe menu, which runs from midday til 5pm and costs £8.50 for 2 courses (1 course and 3 course options are available) We were seated by a really nice waitress who asked us how our day had been and recommended some wine to us, which was lovely as you don't usually get chatty, relaxed staff in eateries in Edinburgh; they're always flustered and stressed. We browsed the menu and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn't over full with complex choices, which made it easier to pick from especially since I don't eat in French restaurants very often. I ordered a glass of Cafe Rouge house Rose which I was told was sweet and girly, just what I was after! I then went for a main meal of pork sausages with Thyme gravy and mash. My friend followed suite and when it came, I was very happy with my choice. The portions weren't massive but really nicely presented and honestly, I was in heaven. I don't usually go for meat other than chicken or fish, but these bangers were something else! The gravy really set it off and the mash was creamy and delicious! I could go on! I decided to try a desert, as I'm usually a starter and main person, so I went for a crème brulee with raspberries, which was just the right amount of sweet to finish a meal off. Delicious. The waitress who served us kept checking to see if we were ok, or needed anything, but in a totally non evasive way which was nice. We left with smiles on our faces and seriously satisfied tummies. I can't wait to come back here at night when the ambiance is in full swing and the French favour would definitely be in full flow. read more

Cafe Rouge - Edinburgh - French Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I come here all the time, and it's one of my favourite go-to restaurants in Edinburgh. The price is very reasonable, the food is delicious and it's easy to eat healthily and well from their menu, which provides nutritional information. I personally am a huge fan of the cheese souffle and the fishcakes :) read more

The menu is okay, but the service is mediocre. The cafe is a bit off the main roads, so quite quiet. There's a lot of seating inside and some direct outside at the road. read more

We walked in on a cold and rainy Sunday morning, after wanting to head a bit further afield for out weekend breakfast. A waitress barked at us from behind the counter 'table for two?' We said yes and she said 'over there on the couch'. That wasn't so bad as maybe the staff are just casual. We sat down and were immediately given menus and had a drinks order taken. Which sounds good, but we were given roughly 30 seconds to look over the menu before the waitress returned for our order. I made a quick decision (as I'd already made up my mind before I went in) when in a French type place for brunch, get the Croque Monsieur! They even had one with salmon so I was all over that! The drinks arrived and were thrown at us. The waitress spilled some tea. From the pot into my handbag and the OHs coffee looked like it was going to end up on top of him. It didn't , luckily as he took it while she was setting it down. The tea was ok but the coffee did not look appetizing and reports indicate it wasn't great. The food arrived and was again thrown. I had to take the (very hot) plate from the waitress to prevent it landing in my lap. I was disappointed. My sandwich was wet, the bread was from a white sliced pan and the salmon looked very cheap (in a 'clearly farmed in not great conditions because this pink is not natural...' way) Having had some excellent versions of this sandwich in Edinburgh (shout out to I Heart Cafe and Word of Mouth) I couldn't believe a French styled establishment could get it so wrong. The OH had ordered scrambled eggs and bacon with toast. He got one slice of white sliced pan bread, what looked like the equivalent of an egg and a half scrambled and two sorry looking bits of bacon. As soon as our plates were empty they were taken away and the bill was thrown on the table. We hadn't finished our tea/coffee and had been in the place only 20 or so minutes at this stage. We quickly finished up and paid. Now, all this would usually get two or three stars from me as often situations like the above result from overworked staff at busy times. However, that didn't seem to be the case here and I'm sorry to say the staff did not redeem the place one bit. Our waitress was wearing a black apron that was filthy. We never received a smile and while we were paying she audibly sighed as I was clearly taking too long. Additionally, though I was ready to mark Cafe Rouge up for the cute decor (the hand painted words and food are quite adorable on the walls) and Parisian feel, all this came crumbling down when I found a black hair lurking under my teacup and, on closer inspection, found that nothing on the table could be comfortably called 'clean'. I will not be by again. read more

We're in town and ran into this place and decided to have dinner here. I had the onion soup and some chicken in wine sauce and mushrooms that came with mashed potatoes and green beans. The soup was too salty for my taste and wasn't all that. My dish was very tasteful. I loved the mashed potatoes :) their bread is also very good. Overall, the food definitely tasted like authentic French cuisine. read more

Cafe Rouge, especially come the weekend, is always bustling with diners. There's plenty of reasons to justify this observation: the classical French food is exceptional and the service is rapid. I've repeatedly opted for their onion soup alongside the Gruyére cheese and caramelised onion Fougasse (a light, soft French bread). Such simple French dishes are consistently produced to a gob smackingly tasty standard each and every time I've dined here. I admire restaurants that don't overlook the classics and avoid serving the more complicated dishes. Plus the prices are affordable and as a place to eat lunch it's superb. read more

Cafe Rouge - Edinburgh - French Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Considering this is part of a massive chain I was very pleasantly surprised when eating dinner here at the start of this week. The chicken liver terrine came with an ample amount of bread, the beef bourginon was very tasty and filling (as well as cooked so that the meat practically melted at the touch of the fork) and the tarte au citron was a fitting dessert seeing as I was too full to risk failing to finish the cheese board. The service from our waitress Ruth & the rest of the staff was attentive & never intrusive so all in a very enjoyable experience. read more

Cafe Rouge - Edinburgh - French Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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A gorgeous cafe on a busy street in New Town. A small patio outside to enjoy the weather, and cute cafe tables on the inside. We had no wait even over the Xmas/New years holiday at prime lunch hour. Excellent service, very tasty lunch fare, and reasonable prices. I would definitely return here, and would try dinner or an afternoon tea as well. read more

It was ok, nothing special. I had mussels and sadly the majority were closed or barely open, it would have been better if they'd been removed prior to serving. I think I ended up with about about a handful. Not a very exciting menu read more

We both ordered the fillet steak cooked to our usual tastes, and when they arrived they were both like leather! We're not the kind of people to complain, but when you order their best cut of beef there are certain expectations; the meat being tender is one. We sent them back and asked to see the manager. When he came over he basically said that he couldn't see a problem with them and we didn't know what we were talking about. We found him terribly rude and he definitely should not be customer facing! We ended up ordering the chicken because it was clear the chef had no idea how to cook a steak. We ended up being amongst the remaining few customers by the time we finally got to finish our meal. They even got our bill wrong, and of course no discount for all the hassle! The most disappointing night out we've had in years :-( read more

It's ok. Mediocre food at best. Slow and sloppy service at worst. They changed shifts and forgot us.

Agree with previous reviews. Service was sloppy and slow. Brought check and never returned. Food mediocre.

A friend and I had hot chocolate & snacks here last Sunday afternoon, and received the worst customer service I've probably ever encountered! When the drinks came, we both commented that it tasted like coffee. I appreciate that hot chocolate made in the machine can sometimes have a slight coffee taste, but this was full-on coffee! After a bit of a wait, we eventually got new ones. Proper hot chocolate this time. The waitress came over to check that everything was alright; we said yes and thanked her. She then went on to say that she had tasted our previous drinks (?!) and that they were hot chocolate. We replied that they had tasted very much of coffee, that the new drinks tasted completely different/fine, and were obviously what we'd ordered. She then continued to claim that they had been hot chocolate. Then a few minutes later, she returned to say that she had tasted the old drinks AGAIN (I mean, who does that?!), and that they were definitely hot chocolate! It was one of those parallel universe moments, where you're not quite sure if you're hearing right. I actually couldn't believe that she was coming back to argue the toss again. My friend was quite sharp with her this time, and she went on her way, but not before calling out 'crazy' to one of her colleagues, about my friend (whose back was turned, but I caught it). The waitress had started out pleasant enough, and the change in her attitude was completely bizarre and unnecessary. It's not like we had asked for a freebie, as were were perfectly happy with the replacement drinks given. I have eaten here before, and the staff were absolutely delightful (my kids love it!), so I have no idea why it has taken such a downwards turn. Unfortunately I won't be back. read more

Not as nice as expected. Quick service though. A strong smell of fresh paint and no ice just warm drinks! The peppercorn sauce was actually disgusting and ordered at an extra cost of £2. The so called Bavette was not the Bavette one might order in France. In fact having spent eighteen years of my life in France eating out in real French restaurants I can but underline the difference. The fries were delicious though! On the other-hand my partners half a chicken was quite a success. So mixed feeling about thus place after this first visit. I think it deserves a second chance so maybe next time... read more

Beef bourginon reminded me of airplane food. Unfortunately, on a Saturday night when every good restaurant in these few blocks is booked solid, walking in here to a half empty dining room should be a clear sign. Nice enough staff, just truly tasteless food. My cooked vegetables came with absolutely nothing on them- not a hint of salt pepper oil butter ANYTHING. Definitely instant mashed potatoes as well. Beef broth was too salty and the meat was sparse and fatty. Unacceptable for your signature dish at a French restaurant. read more

I've ordered a 8oz SIRLOIN steak which cost £19 and all I got for this price was an overcooked and burnt dry steak with a few miserable lukewarm french fries. I meant to treat myself to enjoy a meal on my own, and I regret so much I went there. It hasn't always been like that in Cafe Rouge, so I was really disappointed. However, the service from the waitresses was excellent. read more

The BEST Mocha in the city. Fab food just as expected and a very friendly service. I would definitely recommend it. read more

What a terrible terrible experience, maybe my worst dinning experience of all time. Dull boring inside, rude staff who did not want to interact with the diners, food was just slammed on the table. And the food was vastly over priced, tasteless and tiny portions which left me very hungry. I had the beef bourguigon, bland and a dire small portion which left me starving, and for £15 I expected so much more. From what I seen around me the rest of the food on the menu looked poor to, to sum up just walk past this place and go elsewher. read more

I tried escargot for the first time here and it was marvelous! The duck confit is fantastic as well- seriously the best I've had in a while! Lovely atmosphere and service! read more

Cafe Rouge is great for big parties as it's so huge! The food is delicious and there's lots to choose from. It is a chain restaurant and as such it does lose a bit of atmosphere and character as when inside you could be in any Cafe Rouge in any city. That aside I really would recommend it for a big gathering, I've had a work 'Do' there and it was perfect as you can have mixture of people eating and some just drinking a coffee or a beer so it suits everyone. It's reasonably priced and the food is great. read more

At first the waitress serving us was extremely sharp when we asked her for menus! Not the sort of welcome you expect! My wife was extremely polite and firm at her when she asked if we were ready to order and this seemed to do the trick as when she returned she was very pleasant! The food was fine and nice for a quick refuel! Maybe recommend to friends if they were looking for somewhere to eat, wouldn't be top of the list to go! read more

Good menu and great service. Sit outside in the summer and enjoy Edinburgh with a glass of vino!

this may be part of a chain but don't let that put you off, its food is scrumdiddlyumptious, ALWAYS! as part of their birthday club, i am lucky enough to get a free bottle of bubbly on said occasion, but that hasn't swayed me in the slightest, until i've drunk it anyway ;) try their fougasse for starters, just make sure youorder one each cos you won't want to shareusually have the steak frites, but have tried the beouff bourginon and almost cried with happiness.. read more