Good food. Horrible service. Our waiter Miguel was very elusive. Never came around to refill our water glasses. Never came to ask if we wanted a second drink. Cost the restaurant extra revenue because we were both hoping to order two more single malts. Never asked if we wanted dessert. Just plonked down the check and said "10% service charge is already added". Heh, tip included for a table of 2. No wonder. Very disappointed. And the owners should be too because this arrogant waiter cost them 25 quid in extra revenue. read more

The hubby and I popped into Howie's around noon on new years day after unsuccessfully attempting to eat at Oink (again, for the six time). The space is awesome - the owner told me it was a stable in it's old life. It's nicely decorated and since we were there over the holidays, they had a tree and some other Christmassy decorations arranged throughout the restaurant. Upon entering, you will be greeted by one of the many smiling staff and with the smell of delicious coffee and food. Their two-course lunch offering was something we simply could not refuse. At £9.95, it was a steal. Included was either a starter and main or main and dessert. The husband and I opted for the starter/main option. They offer daily specials which are detailed on a big black chalkboard hung high in the dining room. You know, pie of the day, casserole of the day, fish of the day, drink of the day. You get the drift. The drink of the day - obviously since it was new years day - was a bloody mary. "Two of those, please" we said. The sad truth was that they were terribly disappointing - something you'd get in a chain pub. I ordered the carrot and coriander soup as my starter which came with a slice of bread. It was delicious. Absolutely delicious. I have no idea what my husband ordered because I was so enamored with my soup. For the mains, the husband ordered the beef casserole with root veg and mash and I ordered the steak pie with greens and mash. The long and short of our two orders were that they were basically teh same dish. The minor differences being that mine was served in a baking dish and his in a bowl, mine had carrots and his had parsnips, and mine had a pasty "lid." Everything else was the same - a good way to go about things from a kitchen perspective. We both really liked the beef in our dishes. It was cooked well and neither of us found fatburgs floating around in our dishes. I could have done without the pasty crust but that's a personal thing. I'm just not a pasty kind of girl. I thought the mashed potatoes paired well with my kale and steak pie but my husband commented, "Your mash is better than this mash." Thanks, I muttered. Overall, top notch for the food (one note though is that I think there are two microwaves in the kitchen which were being used A LOT which is kind of concerning). Service was really good but we did have one issue. I ordered a glass of wine which never arrived. When the manager stopped by our table (randomly to see how we were getting on), she asked if we needed anything and I mentioned my MIA wine and she said that she would take care of it and she did, like immediately and then told us that they had comped the wine due to the mishap. Now, this is what I expect at restaurants and, unfortunately, this level of service is just so hard to find outside of the US. Job well done, Howie's! read more

Howie's. Usually a place for either a cheesesteak or a pastrami on rye. But not here at this Howie's. Who would a thought that Howie is a Scottish name? McHowie's, maybe, or the Laird of Howie, but it is what it is. A short walk from the Scotsman Hotel on the scenic Grass Market, this was a great meal! We managed to avoid the black pudding (sausage made from pig blood - I'll pass) and had a fine meal, starting with skink. This is not the slinky skink with a long tail - it's a chowder made with smoked haddock. Way excellent. Also, a chicken breast stuffed with sundried tomatoes and red peppers couldn't have been better. A little noisy (the venue, not the chicken...), but not overbearingly so. If I ever get back to Edinburgh, which is doubtful, I'll definitely hit Howie's up for more skink. But give it a try...it beats the McDonalds (another Scottish restaurant) up the block. read more

When a restaurant is lucky enough to be in one of the most touristic parts of Edinburgh you can either expect the experience to be average- as they will never see the customers again, or amazing as they have to defend their much sought after location. Unfortunately, howies belongs to the first category and is simply average. The service was less than personal as we had 3 waiters to our table, our wine order got changed without them telling us and when I complained they said it was because they were out of the one I requested but just figured the merlot would do us fine. No apologies. Our starters were nice, well presented but our main courses were the same size as our starters, not what you expect at £20.00 a dish! To cap it off the service charge was added to our bill and we had no way of changing it. Too bad Howies is catering to tourists and hen parties, I am a local and I won't be back. read more

What an incredible surprise. We stopped for lunch at Howies purely because it was convenient during a wander in old town. But inside we discovered a truly fine restaurant with incredibly good food at unbelievably low prices, attentive staff, and a relaxed ambience on the side of elegant. Perhaps a good reason to move to Edinburgh. We will certainly be back! read more

Howies is a bit of an edinburgh institution, it's been around for years and offers quailty bistro food from fresh ingredients. having never actually been, when it was decided that this was where we would be having our work christmas lunch i was looking forward to finally trying it. we arrived at half two on a friday afternoon and were shown to a long table along the back wall. the restaurant space is a bit odd... on entering there is a tiny waiting area which also serves as the bar so not ideal when you're a massive party squashed in waiting to be seated. also the space lacks atmosphere and is sort of soulless with clean walls and a mix of blues for colouring. the restaurant is two rooms, one slightly larger than the next and these may have more atmosphere on a normal night instead of when its packed with office christmas parties. we had barely sat down when we were offered an aperetif and had our starters placed in front of us. i had the spicy parsnip soup, which was quite nice and a good sized portion. starters were shortly followed by mains of which i found my venison stew tasty but not overly impressive. the stew compromised of venison, carrots, and a serving of mashed potatoes. i thought it could have used a few more veg to round it out but found it to be nice just not that exciting. finally dessert arrived in speedy time and i was quite pleased with my cheese board. three different types of cheeses, quince, and a good number of oatcakes. i would have appreciated being told what the cheeses were though... so overall i thought Howie's was ok, it was nice enough that i would go back to try it on a non-christmas dinner basis but not so nice that i would go rushing back. the part that really bothered me was that the whole meal felt like we were on a conveyor belt in some factory instead of there to enjoy a nice meal. we were in and out in just over 2 hours which isn't really enough time to enjoy a three course meal. hopefully if i make a repeat visit i'll be able to update my review with a further star. read more

We'd never eaten haggis... but we tried it here. And we ate it. It reminded us a bit of american stuffing. The taste is nothing like you'd expect given how it is prepared and the list of raw ingredients. In addition, we had an excellent fish special that was well cooked, the mushroom tart starter was excellent, and the salad with fried polenta was delicious. The server was very friendly and helpful, but the fish main course for one (out of 5 people) showed up about 5 minutes after the rest of the food, which was a bit frustrating. A great place, can be a bit noisy when it gets filled up with people. But overall, it was a wonderful meal, and take a chance and try the haggis. read more

A friend recommended Howie's as a nice dinner location during our short stay in Edinburgh. We ordered the Haggis starter, the salmon and the casserole of the day. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was great. My only complaint is that our server wasn't very attentive/nice. It seemed like every person in this place was extremely friendly and nice ... except OUR server. Every time he came to the table, he seemed annoyed that he had to speak to us (he also forgot to bring the bread and then charged us for it twice on the bill). At one point, when I made eye contact with him and asked for the check, he literally rolled his eyes at me when he thought I wasn't looking. Other than our server, this place was perfect. read more

Well established, well tasty, well central and well wouldn't you believe it a bit of an Edinburgh institution. I don't eat at Howie's regularly, but knowing that it's there and ready to tick all the necessary boxes to offer you a memorable dining experience is comfort enough. It helps that Howie's is tucked in at the top of Victoria Street, one of the most attractive areas in the city and within striking distance of several appealing watering holes for a post-prandial pint. On my most recent visit I dined on partridge, Stornaway black pudding, salmon and other bits and pieces - I forget the details. [This may be seen as a contradiction to my earlier statement about the memorableness of the experience. Ahem.] The service was fine, the range of menu choices suitable for everyone in my group and the atmosphere one of contented chat from all diners in this welcoming establishment. read more

Also a place I'd passed by, peeked in, and made a mental note to visit. It's upscale without being pushy. I mean the decor. It's warm, but elegant; sparse but comfortable. My friend and I both remarked on how nice it was. There are a lot of staff, which is luxurious. Someone took my coat, someone sat me, another brought water, maybe one of the earlier ones took our order, a different one delivered it. It was funny, because usually you'd strike up little conversations with your waiter, but here it was always someone new, and if you were boring/naughty you could just keep saying the same things. Anyway, the food was good. Not great, not WOW! It was tasty. I'd be fine if someone suggested this place again. A note on their Gluten Free options: some menu items have the little GF symbol, but it means they CAN be GF, like if something listed which sounds like it has gluten is taken out. For instance, one of the desserts was a pannacotta with a ginger biscuit and whatever. But to be GF there would be no biscuit. Not that there was also a GF ginger biscuit. So kinda disappointing in the level of accommodation. read more

The atmosphere was great and highly suggest for dating dinner or having lunch with friends. I think this restaurant is casual style but if you want to dress up it wont be strange either. We ordered the 2 courses special menu, all of them are exceed our expectation which are so great. The light salad is perfect as starter even if you have no appetite for a big lunch. My friend ordered the creamy fish soup which is so creamy and taste good, but if you are not that found of creamy food,i suggest that you can just go for some lighter choice. The main courses we ordered the chef of the day fish, the fish was perfectly cooked and fresh fish. The price is exceed our expectation again, which was so valuable. We are definitely will go back gain! read more

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This was one of the better meals we had in Edinburgh. While the portions are small, the tastes are good. My wife had the chicken. I had the salmon. The food came out alarmingly quickly, but was still very flavourful and hot. We were in and out in under an hour. The service was just fine. The only disappointment to our meal was the Banoffee pie. We ordered it based on previous reviews. I would give it a miss. read more

We tried haggis for the first time (have to try the local foods) and it was very good. We'll be interested to see if others are as nicely textured & seasoned as Howies. The service was very good & the atmosphere friendly. We visited with two other tables of guests. read more

What a great little resturant. I've done dinner and lunch there now and both were excellent. The wait staff is attentive, and their 2/3 course specials are a good deal. On the dinner side I had haggis/nips/tattis and a pork steak over mash. The starter was excellent, with a bacon shave over it. The pork steak was tender, juicy and perfectly seasoned. It went well with the green beans in bacon/butter sauce. On the lunch side I took an all daily special set for £7.95 - spicy tomato soup was fantastic and the beef and venison casserole was delicious. I'd highly recommend you give it a try... read more

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5 star local food at 3 star prices - go there now! Absolutely fantastic local food at a brilliant price. The best restaurant we visited during our festival weekend stay. Amazing service too! read more

An excellent meal with great service. Really good traditional but modern Scottish menu with focused on seafood with other options. Cullen Skink and Haggis FTW. Fish main plates were all delicious. read more

Great Scottish food in the heart of Edinburgh. The service was very friendly, and the food was great. It's a bit expensive, which is to be expected of a restaurant in that area of the city I suppose, but well worth it I'd say. I went here for Valentine's Day with the girlfriend, and it had a good ambiance: busy, but not too loud. Stay for dessert, it's worth it. read more

My husband and I were in Scotland for a week and our meat at Howie's was our overall favorite! My husband got to try haggis for the first time which he enjoyed. He also really enjoyed his lamb dinner. I was excited to try Scottish salmon, and Howie's pan fried salmon was AMAZING. I compared all of the salmon dishes for the rest of the trip to this one! I was also thrilled to find a smoked carrot and vegetable appetizer, which we split and enjoyed. It was nice to have some veggies on the menu since I noticed that most Scottish menus were very heavy in general. Definitely try Howie's for a modern spin on Scottish food, and get the salmon! read more

I ate here after losing a 'where will we have dinner' argument. Even so, after reading about Howies and hearing good things from friends I was looking forward to it. Both myself and The OH had the same starter, Scottish smoked salmon with salad and a thai dressing. The OH likes his meat and so his face dropped, quite noticeably, when the starters arrived and we were greeted by a mound of green with flecks of salmon scattered throughout. For my main I had a pork chop with winter vegetables. It was tasty, but dry. Dry pork gets on my nerves so between it and the starter I wasn't too happy with Howies so far. However, the desserts are amazing in Howies. The cream concoctions are so delicious. I'm not big on desserts but I tried some off every plate on the table! I can see why the banoffi is much loved. I found the waitress quite casual and friendly but The OH was annoyed by her slight forgetfulness and over familiarity. From my one experience here, Howies seems a mixed bag. I'll definitely go back as the menu is interesting and the price is right, but my rating is based on this visit. read more

I went to Howies for dinner and had cullen skink which is a Scottish fish dish. It tasted good but the dish was pretty small, so you don't get much bang for your buck. I can say that the prices aren't cheap but the food is tasty and the ambience is pretty good. read more

Howies - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great food, great service, lovely staff! Cozy and warm environment, would definitely recommend and would definitely go back next time I'm in town! read more

Lost count of the times I've been here over the last few years, with parties large or small. In my opinion the best of the Edinburgh Howies. My visit this week was no exception to the standard of service and quality of the menu that I've come to expect. The haggis starter was tasty and the main course of parsnip, pepper & something tart was delicious and filling. Finished off with the renowned banoffi pie and efficiently served throughout this was yet another enjoyable meal in a deservedly popular Edinburgh institution. read more

I like Howie's, it's always got a really strong and vibrant atmosphere and even if it's not really busy, the music and the staff make it seem like it is. I had a lovely and light duck salad to start, it was really tasty. My brothers both had haggis which they said was brilliant. Haggis tends to get a bad press, most people would see it on a menu and avoid like the plague, but this version would make me order it. For main I had the special of the day, which was GORGEOUS - venison with cabbage and potatoes in a red currant jus has never tasted so delicious. My brothers wern't too happy with their seabream (the healthy option, what did they expect) but said the banoffee pie was delicious. The interior is lovely too, the stone walls work well. The waitress was lovely too - she was interested in the food and very helpful! read more

Despite being a chain of restaurants, Howies of Victoria Street seems to keep some of its individuality - possibly from the finest of all four of the restaurants manu's. It's most certainly Scottish, but not as we know it Jim. Using local produce, Howies have managed to create a simply mouth watering modern and yet somehow traditional menu using Scottish classics such as Salmon and Haggis without becoming some kind of Scottish Medevil Theme Restaurant. The restaurant itself is cozy and clean, with a brilliant atmosphere that is both buzzing and vibrant, but also intimate and close all at the same tiem. I havent always been happy with the Howies Chain (sorry! set of four individual restaurants under the same name) but this is the nicest by a long way. read more

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A great, fresh take on Scottish cuisine! I had a haggis spring roll to start, which was just brilliant, followed by a pork chop entree with a black pudding and chickpea cassoulet. The wine and the service were very good, and it's an attractive but unpretentious place, with reasonable prices. Would definitely come here again! read more

Howies - The haggis spring roll. - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This place sells poor food at high prices. Don't eat here. My mom and I were in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh near the Royal Mile below the Castle. We were hungry and looking for a pleasant meal and evening. Howies looks like an upscale, comfortable restaurant with £20 entrees and a selection of appetizers, so we decided to have dinner there. Unfortunately the food is mediocre, the portions small, and the service both inattentive and grudging. I had one of the daily specials, which was a Caesar salad with chicken and bacon. When it arrived I was somewhat dismayed by the presentation: a plate with some lettuce on it. Turns out the chunks of chicken and tiny pieces of undercooked bacon were hidden underneath all the lettuce. It predictably didn't taste that great. My mom ordered the "Baked Fillet of Loch Duart Salmon with Herb Crust," for £15. It turned out to be a very small piece of salmon, with no crust. It was served with some pea sauce, which itself was quite bland and added nothing to the salmon. It was rather puzzling to see a dish that was so spectacularly unsatisfying. In addition to the poor food, the service was bad. After dinner my mom and I both ordered tea. Hers arrived with a tea bag in the pot, but I just got a pot of hot water and someone from the kitchen with a tea bag trying to run and catch up with the server before he delivered the hot water. It would have been rather funny if it wasn't unprofessional. Similarly, I noticed one of the cooks eating a sandwich in the kitchen, which I understand is generally considered poor form, or possibly a health hazard. I think the meal might not have been so disappointing if we had not been looking forward to a really good dinner, the type that you normally get at a well decorated, expensive restaurant. I strongly recommend that you eat somewhere else. read more

Delicious! There was a nice selection of daily specials and the regular menu. The bread basket was also yummy. My favorite past of the meal was the sticky toffee pubbing, which was in a sweet, satisfying pool of caramel. read more

Howies - Sticky toffee pudding - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Truly excellent food and friendly service. And real cocktails -- not a thimble of liquid poured over a massive ice cube like you get in so many places in Edinburgh. The food was delicious, fresh, and well prepared. We'll definitely be back. read more

I really enjoyed the dining experience here. I had the 2 course dinner combo which was a great deal and the staff were all very friendly. I had haggis, neeps, and tatties for appetizer and the Scottish chicken breast for the main. I loved the haggis which was superb and the chicken was delicious as well, although it was a bit dry. I would definitely recommend Howies but it is a much better deal to come for lunch since they have the same menu but at a much cheaper price. read more

Howies - Scottish chicken breast - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We stumbled upon this casual restaurant for dinner on a recent visit to Edinburgh, and had such a lovely dinner, that we came back for lunch the next day for our last meal in the city, only to be sadly disappointed. Our dinner was a 4-star, and our lunch a 2-star, so I split the two with a 3-star rating. For dinner, we had perfectly cooked steak filets (mine medium-well, my friend's medium), tasty cocktails and wine. And THE DESSERT. Just come for the dessert: This restaurant serves the BEST Banoffee dessert that I have ever had. If I hadn't been so full, I would have ordered another on the spot. So we did the next best thing and returned for lunch, with a plan to start and end the lunch with Banoffee. This dessert was consistent and didn't disappoint. It was SO GOOD (as a starter and as a finish!). My friend ordered a lunch special with tomato soup (it was fresh, she added butter, but I like mine without), and a ravioli (which was bland and strange and in a watery broth that fell flat and severely disappointed). I ordered the filet special again, but instead was brought a different (and less tasty) cut of steak. When I pointed this out, the server politely offered to request me a new entree, but as we were already running late to catch our flight, I didn't have time to wait for them to cook a new one. I ate it, but it certainly lacked the flavor and texture of the steak that I had had the night before. We ended our meal with the Banoffee. Delicious. And for our trouble, they didn't charge us for this second dessert, which exhibits good overall sense and customer service. While I would be willing to give Howie's another chance at a good meal, hoping the inconsistency was a rare event, my friend was so put off that she likely would not visit again. Go for the dessert, and see what you think. Meanwhile, I am wondering if I would perhaps be able to lure my friend back for the Banoffee alone. It was really that delightful. read more

Howies - Banoffee is Delightful - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

A solid three-star location if you're searching for Scottish food. First course was Cullen skink which was warm, but distinctly fishy. Second course was risotto. Perfect texture and flavor. Dessert was a fruit trifle (maybe rhubarb?) which I didn't like - tasted like watery yogurt and stale granola. Complimentary bread was fresh and delicious. The waiters did a great job of handling a large group; they seemed a bit frazzled, but I suppose that's to be expected. Would've been four stars except for the noise. This place is LOUD. I wound up screaming just to be heard by someone right next to me. I think it's because of the acoustics in the room, but it really made our experience difficult to e read more

This is my favourite of all the Howies Restaurants. It's more intimate, friendly and comfortable, and the location couldn't be any more central. It's reasonably well priced - especially for lunch, and the Scottish themed food is always very well presented and of good quality. Howies, while licensed, also allow you to 'bring your own bottle' if you so wish. Perfect if you're looking for a nice meal out but are looking to cut costs. Or, if you're particularly fussy about your wine and like to know what you're buying. The Howies website occasionally has vouchers available to print off for meals at reduced prices (buy two courses, get a third free etc), so it's worth checking this out before booking. I've organised a Christmas meal for a larger group of people at Howies Victoria Street in previous years, however unfortunately I was rather disappointed. The booking time was mixed up (the restaurant wasn't ready for us when we arrived - their clock had stopped so they'd lost track of time), and as a result we had to wait for the best part of half an hour, then were rushed through our meal and hurried off the table when we weren't entirely finished, just to fit the next booking in. Whilst this wasn't a great experience - and I'd be reluctant to book Howies for a large Christmas party again, I won't let this tarnish my perception of the restaurant otherwise. Christmas is always a little hectic anyway. Oh the whole, great food, nice settingI recommend this restaurant. read more

Amazing amazing amazing cultik skink. They are supper nice and the food is spectacular. read more

Visiting Edinburgh from the USA. Looked on yelp for a review before we came. Generally I got the impression a reservation should be made but we got seats because It was just 2 of us and the table was apparently less to be desired....but we didn't mind. It was just smaller than average. Service was nice enough. We ordered the haggis which was AMAZING! I also got the beef casserole which was. Delicious. My husband got a hamburger, which was tastey. We got a dessert which was fine. Not very flavorful in comparison. I would recommend everything except that specific desert. It was a pie, with bananas bordering the crust. read more

First time to Howie's. Went based on Yelp reviews. Was not disappointed. I had the catch of the day special - Hake. It was cooked perfectly along with peas, zucchini and potatoes in a lemon béarnaise sauce. My husband had the Woo Hoo Scottish lobster special with fizz and loved it. Great service. Highly recommend. read more

Enjoyed a two course lunch at Howies' restaurant while visiting Edinburgh for a weekend. I was in search of haggis and wasn't disappointed. It was delicious. For starter I tried the salmon mousse, which was a light starter to enjoy before the haggis and tatties. Lovely restaurant and informative waitresses when I visited. The complimentary short bread biscuits at the end of the meal were buttery and creamy. Nice finish to our lunch. Will visit again! read more

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Located on the gorgeous Victoria Street, this is one of the best places in town to get Cullen Skink (a classic Scottish dish of creamy fish soup). The food is consistently good and their lunch specials are really affordable too. read more

A real gem on Victoria Street - and I've been to the one at Waterloo Place and can verify that is equally as good. The lunch menu here is perfect - two courses for just over a tenner. The service is professional and friendly. I opted for the chicken breast on a cabbage bed with mash potato, followed by banoffee pie. Everything was delicious. The range of food on offer is excellent considering this is a lunch menu. All ingredients are locally sourced and fresh. Definitely recommended. read more

We stopped here on two different occasions in one night. For dinner: mushroom soup (the single special menu item) was bland and tasteless. Haggis was mushy/watery. Heads up - they ask if you want bread and olive oil but don't tell you it's a charge of 1.6 pounds. We decided to come back later for dessert because we thought the banoffee pie looked good. We stood there in the foyer for a good five minutes as someone (the owner?) behind the bar was rustling about and two waitresses walked to and from the bar. Not a single person acknowledged us the entire time we were standing there. Felt like I was being purposefully ignored! Finally after ~5 minutes I asked if there was seating and I was told a flat 'no'. It was 9:15pm and the restaurant closes at 10pm. We could clearly see there were open tables. If she had only asked I would've mentioned we just wanted fast dessert. Overall really mediocre food and terrible, rude service. read more

I've been in Edinburgh visiting for a few days now and this is the best dinner my mom and I have had so far! Great selection on the menu. We got the house made bread, olive oil/balsamic, hummus, and olives to start. The hummus and bread was amazing. For my main I got the pan-fried gnocci (more than delicious) and my mom got some sort of chicken dish with cauliflower puree and roasted potatoes. She loved it. For dessert we had the howies famous banofee pie (amazing) and the scottish cheese sampler! Cheese sampler was okay, my mom and I like to try new things, but since we are just visiting and haven't had Scottish cheese before, we didn't like it very much. But if you like cheese, I recommend it. We got their early dinner deal (2 courses for 14.95, Sunday-Thursday, from 4:30-6:30?) which is more than a great deal! Highly recommend Howie's. read more