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Recommended Reviews - Malt Shovel
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Wasn't exactly sure how it worked when I walked in. But you pick a table and order at the bar. Had the steak and ale pie, it was delicious. Service was a little slow 40-50 mins, but it is during The Fringe and dinner time. Maybe that's why. There's a manager running around, really keeping up on everything. The kids behind the bar are just hanging out. Not to much attention to customers but polite when you speak with them.
This pub/restaurant caters to an international crowd with typical pub fare. There were signs at the table in numerous languages instructing the patrons on the proper ordering procedure. The food is ordered at the bar (and paid for) and then brought to the table. The food was done well in the pub fashion (heavy sauces, a little on the saltier side), which quite often satisfies the craving when having a pint (or two). We tried some of the Scottish beers on tap after getting a thorough description of the local draughts from the bartender, which helped us to make the right choice and really enjoy our selection. If I were to find myself in Edinburgh again I probably wouldn't head back to the Malt Shovel, but I don't have any regrets about going there.
It's like stepping into a Harry Potter novel, except all the people are muggles. The food is fine, we sat outside on a cool but sunny day having typical pub food served up by friendly people. Order inside at the bar, and they'll find you. Recommended... grab a seat, if you can find one. It's close to the train station, the park, old town.
Recently, while visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe, I was in the market for some fish n' chips. With the help of my friend who now resides in Edinburgh, we selected a great spot to order up some of those fried fillets and chips. We wandered into The Malt Shovel, which surprisingly enough in this overly-packed city during the month of August city, had an open table. I ordered, big surprise, the fish n' chips. The moment I opened my mouth, I'm sure the server could tell I was an American who had just arrived and wanted the 'authentic' local dish. I wasn't going to eat haggis, so this was the next best thing. The dish was good - but not blow your mind out of this world I'll never eat anything like this totally amazing perfect dish. You can certainly obtain fish n' chips this good in the states. But it was good! Crispy while still being soft on the inside and a good quality fish. The 'chips' were definitely from frozen fries. Do any restaurants use fresh potatoes anymore?!? The dish also came with some green peas on the side - good, but also seemed to be from frozen.
We'd arrived in Edinburgh just before 7pm, checked in to our guest house, and set out to orient ourselves with the city. I'd bookmarked loads of places, but didn't have them printed, wasn't staying in one place long enough to get wifi, and wasn't playing for global data, so we were wandering blind. After going up and down the Royal Mile and realizing that we just needed to eat somewhere prior to the Festival Fireworks, we ended up at the Malt Shovel. The Yelper foodie in me was a bit disappointed when it appeared to be part of a larger group with a set menu that didn't seem all that special. But the staff was SO friendly. In the words of David K, Nice People Work Here. Even though it's a seat yourself place, one of the guys was helping us find space. The bartender was great for whisky recommendations and even consoled me that the strongest I could have was a Finteman's ginger beer (which was totally cool, because I'd just discovered what is now my favorite ginger beer). At first we sat at the bar, but then a nearby table opened up. For dinner, I had the Sunday roast, and Jimmy had the bangers and mash. The meat and gravy itself was delicious, though the vegetables and potatoes were nothing impressive. Bangers and mash were ok, nothing special. With the WiFi offered by the Cloud, I was able to sign up for their email club to get £5 off dinner for 2. Go for drinks and the friendly staff, but eat elsewhere.
For the name alone, I would come back here without a problem. Beer was good, bar was sort of neat, and location is great for the train station or downtown. Quite enjoyed the thistle stained glass and the rather nice looking bar. Service was great too. All in all, it was a pretty normal pub; but I felt rather good about it.
Curving around the corner of Cockburn St is the Malt Shovel. This is one of few pubs nearby with a local clientele and an attractive spot waiting for a train, given its handy location near Waverley Station. The Malt Shovel has an attractive green painted exterior. Inside it has a traditional atmosphere, although the pub itself is more modern. There are a number of levels in this pub, not floors, different rooms with slightly different decor. This pub offers food from lunch time to evening, with standard pub meals on offer. The pub is well known for its extensive selection of single malt whiskies. It also offers live music throughout the week, which might not always be as appealing as some of the other well known folksy bars in Edinburgh, but still makes for a more interesting evening.
As with a previous yelper, I was attracted to the Malt Shovel because of their beautiful hanging-baskets outside. Yeah, I realize that sounds a bit uncool for a 20 year old, but I was with my mum and she likes those sorts of things. The pub was what you would expect from an Edinburgh/British pub. Very pleasant, very nice atmosphere and lovely staff, but pretty average to be honest. Their wine was quite warm - Heinous crime in my opinion - and they didn't have any Pimms so I wasn't all that satisfied with the overall experience. But it was nice to sit outside and watch the world go by (not that much of the world passes Cockburn Street).
I was attracted to The Malt Shovel because it looked cosy and homely on a dreich day. I also thought I was the only one who was really turned on by the smallest details - namely pretty, 1920s style stained glass doors and the hanging baskets - but I'm glad to see other Yelpers are with me on how quaint it looks! This pub is pretty low key, but that's why I like it. Quiet and lacking pretention, it serves up some of the usual pub grub during the day. It has the usual selection of beers and ales on tap. The staff are friendly and the drinks prices aren't as expensive as other pubs of this ilk in the area. Overall, I think we're all on the same page here - this pub is a bit of alright!
15 days ago
Establishment: this pub was centrally located and was easily accessible with seating indoors or outdoors. Service: this became our favorite place and we patronized this bar all four days we were in town. The staff were fun and lively. We got to meet Alex, River, Alan and I think two more, whose name I have since forgotten. The food was delicious- the burger with onion rings are the best... although that garlic bread and the heirloom tomato with fresh mozzarella is a great option. The only caveat is they stop serving early. Many people made reservations for dining or arrived early. They have some tables near the bar that allow food service, but no food at the bar. Once you eat here you can make your way to a souvenir shop and find the postcard with this shop on the front. read more
We were heading to another place that was booked and the recommended we come here. Good solid Scottish fare with a nice selection of drinks and a casual atmosphere. We had the steak pie and the haggis with neeps and tatties. The steak had large chunks of meat, and a very flakey puff pastry. The sauce was a deep brown gravy. It was flavorful and rich. The haggis was a good haggis with lots of mash and chopped neeps. The sauce was a light pepper gravy that add a nice spice to the dish. The chips had a good clean fry on them. The whiskey selection was solid, not the largest but a good range of options. Prices were typical for the area with large portions. The staff were friendly and managed everything for how busy it was. Like many of the pubs, it is not a place for a quick meal. It is a place to relax and enjoy your meal and drinks and chat with friends. If you want something quick with dedicated service the pubs are not the best option. But if you want good food and a chill vibe. This pub and others like it are your best options! read more
9 months ago
We stopped in here for a quick bite. The wild boar and mash was absolutely amazing, full of flavor and one of my favorite dishes. My husband did the fish and chips and enjoyed it. For randomly stopping in we were pleasantly surprised, we loved it. Great service and great vibes! Would recommend to anyone stopping for a quick bite. read more
8 months ago
3 years ago
Wasn't exactly sure how it worked when I walked in. But you pick a table and order at the bar. Had the steak and ale pie, it was delicious. Service was a little slow 40-50 mins, but it is during The Fringe and dinner time. Maybe that's why. There's a manager running around, really keeping up on everything. The kids behind the bar are just hanging out. Not to much attention to customers but polite when you speak with them. read more
3 years ago
3 years ago
We had very nice fish and chips plus their salmon cake. Along with an Aperol spritzer and a Belhaven Black Stout. All was good plus nice atmosphere and friendly staff. read more
7 years ago
This pub/restaurant caters to an international crowd with typical pub fare. There were signs at the table in numerous languages instructing the patrons on the proper ordering procedure. The food is ordered at the bar (and paid for) and then brought to the table. The food was done well in the pub fashion (heavy sauces, a little on the saltier side), which quite often satisfies the craving when having a pint (or two). We tried some of the Scottish beers on tap after getting a thorough description of the local draughts from the bartender, which helped us to make the right choice and really enjoy our selection. If I were to find myself in Edinburgh again I probably wouldn't head back to the Malt Shovel, but I don't have any regrets about going there. read more
It's like stepping into a Harry Potter novel, except all the people are muggles. The food is fine, we sat outside on a cool but sunny day having typical pub food served up by friendly people. Order inside at the bar, and they'll find you. Recommended... grab a seat, if you can find one. It's close to the train station, the park, old town. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
16 years ago
Recently, while visiting Edinburgh for the Fringe, I was in the market for some fish n' chips. With the help of my friend who now resides in Edinburgh, we selected a great spot to order up some of those fried fillets and chips. We wandered into The Malt Shovel, which surprisingly enough in this overly-packed city during the month of August city, had an open table. I ordered, big surprise, the fish n' chips. The moment I opened my mouth, I'm sure the server could tell I was an American who had just arrived and wanted the 'authentic' local dish. I wasn't going to eat haggis, so this was the next best thing. The dish was good - but not blow your mind out of this world I'll never eat anything like this totally amazing perfect dish. You can certainly obtain fish n' chips this good in the states. But it was good! Crispy while still being soft on the inside and a good quality fish. The 'chips' were definitely from frozen fries. Do any restaurants use fresh potatoes anymore?!? The dish also came with some green peas on the side - good, but also seemed to be from frozen. read more
We'd arrived in Edinburgh just before 7pm, checked in to our guest house, and set out to orient ourselves with the city. I'd bookmarked loads of places, but didn't have them printed, wasn't staying in one place long enough to get wifi, and wasn't playing for global data, so we were wandering blind. After going up and down the Royal Mile and realizing that we just needed to eat somewhere prior to the Festival Fireworks, we ended up at the Malt Shovel. The Yelper foodie in me was a bit disappointed when it appeared to be part of a larger group with a set menu that didn't seem all that special. But the staff was SO friendly. In the words of David K, Nice People Work Here. Even though it's a seat yourself place, one of the guys was helping us find space. The bartender was great for whisky recommendations and even consoled me that the strongest I could have was a Finteman's ginger beer (which was totally cool, because I'd just discovered what is now my favorite ginger beer). At first we sat at the bar, but then a nearby table opened up. For dinner, I had the Sunday roast, and Jimmy had the bangers and mash. The meat and gravy itself was delicious, though the vegetables and potatoes were nothing impressive. Bangers and mash were ok, nothing special. With the WiFi offered by the Cloud, I was able to sign up for their email club to get £5 off dinner for 2. Go for drinks and the friendly staff, but eat elsewhere. read more
For the name alone, I would come back here without a problem. Beer was good, bar was sort of neat, and location is great for the train station or downtown. Quite enjoyed the thistle stained glass and the rather nice looking bar. Service was great too. All in all, it was a pretty normal pub; but I felt rather good about it. read more
16 years ago
Curving around the corner of Cockburn St is the Malt Shovel. This is one of few pubs nearby with a local clientele and an attractive spot waiting for a train, given its handy location near Waverley Station. The Malt Shovel has an attractive green painted exterior. Inside it has a traditional atmosphere, although the pub itself is more modern. There are a number of levels in this pub, not floors, different rooms with slightly different decor. This pub offers food from lunch time to evening, with standard pub meals on offer. The pub is well known for its extensive selection of single malt whiskies. It also offers live music throughout the week, which might not always be as appealing as some of the other well known folksy bars in Edinburgh, but still makes for a more interesting evening. read more
16 years ago
As with a previous yelper, I was attracted to the Malt Shovel because of their beautiful hanging-baskets outside. Yeah, I realize that sounds a bit uncool for a 20 year old, but I was with my mum and she likes those sorts of things. The pub was what you would expect from an Edinburgh/British pub. Very pleasant, very nice atmosphere and lovely staff, but pretty average to be honest. Their wine was quite warm - Heinous crime in my opinion - and they didn't have any Pimms so I wasn't all that satisfied with the overall experience. But it was nice to sit outside and watch the world go by (not that much of the world passes Cockburn Street). read more
I was attracted to The Malt Shovel because it looked cosy and homely on a dreich day. I also thought I was the only one who was really turned on by the smallest details - namely pretty, 1920s style stained glass doors and the hanging baskets - but I'm glad to see other Yelpers are with me on how quaint it looks! This pub is pretty low key, but that's why I like it. Quiet and lacking pretention, it serves up some of the usual pub grub during the day. It has the usual selection of beers and ales on tap. The staff are friendly and the drinks prices aren't as expensive as other pubs of this ilk in the area. Overall, I think we're all on the same page here - this pub is a bit of alright! read more
10 years ago
We were visiting Edinburgh for a few days and had set on eyes on another restaurant. It was unfortunately full so they recommended this place to us. At first I was kind of disappointed by the menu because it was pretty standard but in the end what we got in our plate was delicious. I also really like the atmosphere, cosy and relaxed and the staff is super friendly. It was a Saturday night and the place was pretty packed but they still let us sit a table for 4 (we were 2). They gave good advice and we're really efficient. read more
4 years ago
4 years ago
12 years ago
9 years ago
10 years ago
I ate here right before heading back to London. I found it to be a very nice pub. I picked it because of its proximity to Waverly. The service was good and the man helping me was very friendly. The food was nice, I ordered a steak and ale pie. I enjoyed it. The decor inside is classic pub style and they had a lot of televisions set up to various channels. It was a nice stop while I was in Edinburgh. read more
I can clearly recommend this pub for a unique atmosphere and great beverages. The food is not very sophisticated but moderate in price. The staff is very friendly and always cooperative. There is some hustle when there are more than 15 guests. read more
13 years ago
Stopped in looking for some good pub food. Was greeted by a disgruntled bar keep that was pretty short with us as we ordered. he didn't even as us what we wanted to drink before he bolted off. I ordered the fish and chips and my buddy ordered the steak. Fish wasn't bad but was a bit bland. No amount of sauce mixology seemed to help. Although I have to say it was very fresh and not greasy at all. The steak wasn't great. About average really. I give this place two stars for its atmosphere and bar. Worth a shot if you're in the area but I think I'll try a neighboring pub next time. read more
16 years ago
In all honesty, you could do a lot worse than the Malt Shovel. It's located in a great place - meaning that it gets lots of custom, and sitting outside just watching the world go by on Cockburn Street is a pleasure. The pub itself is a simple, traditional pub. Pleasant, charming and welcoming. The staff were friendly, the drinks were cheap(ish) and the food was alright. Overall, this pub was exactly that - ok. I would love to say I had a great time here, but truthfully, I really felt that while my time in the Malt Shovel was nice, it wasnt outstanding. But it wasnt bad either. read more
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More info about Malt Shovel
11-15 Cockburn Street
Edinburgh EH1 1BP
United Kingdom
Old Town, Royal Mile
Directions
0131 225 6843
Call Now
Visit Website
http://www.taylor-walker.co.uk/pub/malt-shovel-inn-midlothian/s1565/
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