Michael Neave Kitchen and Whisky Bar

I stopped by with friends on 08/30/25, and the experience was a mixed bag. This is a member's only…read moreclub, but 2 of our group were members. First, you are unlikely to find a better selection of unique, one-of-a-kind whiskies in the area; we ordered a large number of drama between the 4 of us, and were not disappointed. second, the food was fine, but nothing that I'd order again (I got the haggis, and burgers were ordered by others at the table), & not particularly good value - next time I'd just eat first. Finally, the atmosphere and decore was nice and clean (not unlike most private clubs), but the staff came across as a touch snobbish, and not especially welcoming. I'd still give it another chance, if back in the area.

While in Edinburgh for work I was lucky enough to be taken to this place by a current member. The…read moreGnocchi was delicious and the rest of the menu sounded great. The main reason we went was obviously for the whisky, the staff were knowledgeable but weren't as attentive as the queen street location. It wasn't a massive problem, but we had to go to the bar to get service, while others seemed to get table service. As you can see by the photos the members area of this place has a great atmosphere, it isn't over crowded and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be a signing up as a member.

0.1 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile

The Bar

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Secret Arcade

4.4(29 reviews)

Secret Arcade is an awesome destination for either locals or tourists. Situated in Waverly…read moreStation, it's among the first places you'll see if you're arriving by rail. However you might make your way into town though, I highly recommend this place! The food here is exceptional, regardless of whether you're one of those veggie types, or one of us dyed-in-the-wool Carnivores :-) My friend went with the vegetarian haggis, which he said was right on the money. I went with the beef pie. To be precise, it's not really a pie, it's a rich stew with a small square of puffed pastry on top. Both the presentation and the taste of this dish were exceptional! I'll happily order it again next time. The service here is friendly and on point; Oh, and last (and certainly not least) there's a wonderful selection of whiskeys to try - highly recommended!

Wow - nearly 100 different types of vodka including straight, flavored, and direct from Poland…read more Dinner menu that includes appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. Got "haggis balls". Had great fish and chips. Up a flight of stairs and not really advertised.... Well worth it. Only about 7-8 tables and a few bar seats though.

0.1 mi•Royal Mile, Old Town

Friendly and experienced staff will advise on every vodka!

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Haggis & Whisky House below Secret Arcade

WHISKI Bar & Restaurant

4.0(203 reviews)

This was a fun surprise. Stopped in while on the Royal Mile. Very attentive staff and delicious BLT…read moresandwich even if it was a bit heavy on the mayo. The hubs and friends split a sticky toffee pudding and described it as spiritual!

This was our final meal on the Royal Mile before returning to our hotel. I also smelled that fishy…read moresmell when entering as posted by another reviewer. Our meals were fine. I had the fish and chips which was a nice portion. The biggest problem was the waitress acted like it was too much trouble to wait on us, plus had to fix the check twice. When I asked for a cappuccino she said just turned the machine off, it was only 7:30pm.

The bar

Fish and chips

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Front of restaurant

The Black Cat

4.2(46 reviews)

0.6 mi•New Town

This is the first pub we went to in Edinburgh, it was packed for a Monday night at 11pm but we were…read moreable to find seating in the back. There was a fiddle player and music was very fitting for a Scottish pub. They also had local artisans paint depictions of the black cat. The bartenders were nice and got our drinks out quickly. I opted for my very first Guinness. I never had Guinness before. And while I know Ireland is the home of the Guinness, Scotland is a close second and I imagine it tastes the same there as it does at this pub. Upon trying it: it tasted like night time, Smokey, dark, I think I caught cocoa in this? But it was enough to make me feel sleepy after one. It was delicious. Not at all like the Heineken I had in Amsterdam. It was the first of many. My friends and I had a lovely time enjoying the music and catching up on life. We tried going back on a Sunday but it was too packed to the point where we ended up going elsewhere but it's a very popular spot. For American tourists: try going on a weeknight. Get a Guinness :)

Custom whisky flight! The bartender asked me a few questions to put together my flight and asked my…read morecost range. I said £30 and it ended up being £28 which was nice. I think her selections matched well and I came away with my fave whiskey I tasted for the trip! She also took the time to tell me a bit about the whiskey (where it's made, tasting notes, etc) Also love the ambiance inside because who doesn't love cute black cat art!

Black cat artwork to the left of bar. Fun barrel seats as well

The venue

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

4.6(41 reviews)

0.5 mi•New Town

Caveat - I didn't eat here, nor am I a member - yet my all-too-brief experience at the Whisky…read moreSociety on Queen Street is a solid 5 stars! Despite having had my first dram right here in Edinburgh eleven years ago I am still rather a whisky novice (I know more about wine than I do whisky) so the Society was a perfect destination for both myself and my traveling companion, who is an enthusiastic whisky aficionado. The Society doesn't serve whiskies under a distillery label, but rather by tasting notes. Their bottles have creative, odd names, and although you're meant to order by the notes I couldn't help but go, "but I wonder what Swallowing a Cashmere Scarf tastes like!" A more fun, more descriptive version of ordering booze based on the label. All whiskies are single-cask, and when they're gone, they're gone. It's a really fun way to try a dram (or several) based on your own palate preferences / the bottle name that strikes your fancy. The folks there were friendly and the bartender, although a bit gruff at first, warmed up to us eventually. A woman at the bar, a regular, poured us a dram from a bottle from her own bag... before long, we were chatting and making friends, united by our love of whisky. And just like that, we seemed to have joined the society.

I stopped by for a final couple of drama on my last evening on Scotland (09/09/25). There were…read moregreat scotch offerings at all price points, the atmosphere felt upscale, but still comfortable, and the staff were all pleasant and very helpful. I'd definitely return.

0.1 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile

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The Devil's Advocate

4.3(640 reviews)

Great ambience with historic brick features Bar service was…read moregreat - old fashioned highly recommended Charcuterie is a good choice

After seeing the high reviews on Yelp, I decided to make a reservation for this restaurant. We…read moretrekked up the steps of Advocate's Close to get there. When we arrived at noon (opening time), the restaurant wasn't too busy. There is an impressive bar downstairs with many whiskies. We were led upstairs to the dining area. There is outdoor dining too that would be nice if the weather was warmer. Cool vibe, but it is kind of dark inside the stone walls. The menu is Scottish-focused with seasonal ingredients. We didn't want to overeat, so we decided to share a starter and a main. We got the Scottish venison fritters, which were ok. We enjoyed the pappardelle pasta (roast pumpkin and pecorino sauce, wild mushrooms, spinach, bacon and poppy seed crumb, crispy sage). It was flavorful and didn't feel too heavy. Staff were friendly and it was an enjoyable lunch.

Whiskey flight tastings

Fish Filet

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

Usquabae

4.7(41 reviews)

0.7 mi•New Town

Three of us came for a whiskey tasting and were fortunate enough to land with Daniel who took us…read morethrough a flight of whiskeys. The experience was educational and Daniel was charming and a great guide through our whiskey education. I am not a whiskey drinker and I don't think I will ever be. That said, I loved this tasting. I learned something new and different! Definitely give it a shot if you're curious. It was well worth it.

I'm going to swim against the current on this one, but Usquabae ([ooh-ska-bay], n. aqua vitae,…read morewater of life, whisky) just didn't do it for me. We came in around 3 or 4pm and asked if we could get a drink; the host asked us if we had made a reservation. We hadn't, and they made a bit of a fuss about "squeezing us in" (at this point there was only one other person in the entire place - a man drinking at the bar). As long as we "weren't there for food" they could accommodate us. For the record: we were here for an hour, and no one else came in during that time. The whisky options were impressive featuring something from all the regions of Scotland, and we also appreciated their cider and cocktail options. In the end we each had one drink, but genuinely felt a bit disinterested and disappointed by the place on the whole after the hype we had read/heard. We just didn't get what made it THE place to go to in Edinburgh according to so many. We found much more interesting, down to earth, genuine places elsewhere in the city. The cold reception didn't help, but -- really -- what are we missing about this place?

0.2 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile

Veggie option--risotto! Very well presented.

Veggie neeps and tatties--don't know what the sauce is, but it was delishhhh!

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Bunker decor!

WHISKI Rooms

4.2(94 reviews)

Came for a lunch, was able to get a table easily, service was friendly, and helpful with…read moresuggestions. Good and varied drinks menu. One meal was the Steak pie which was amazing, the other lunch was grilled chicken with peppercorn gravy which was equally delicious. While we did not have whisky here, their menu and flight menu was impressive.

Whiski Rooms feels old school Scottish, with decor that gives subtle historical nods without…read morefeeling touristy, and a view of the Christmas market lights on Princes Street. I had the Cullen skink, a traditional Scottish fish soup. Think clam chowder's fishier, smokier haddock cousin. The haggis tower is also non-negotiable. It comes with neeps, tatties, and a yummmyyy whiskey sauce. Don't look up the ingredients... just try it for the culture. The cranachan was tasty too! Service was quick, smooth, and non-bothersome. Solid experience.

0.2 mi•Grassmarket, Old Town

Cranachan

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Whisky Sour

The Bow Bar

4.2(92 reviews)

We had a brief stop in The Bow Bar on our last night in Edinburgh to night-cap the evening and the…read morecity, based on a recommendation from staff at the Whisky shop across the street. It's towards the bottom of the famous "Victoria Street" as it turns into Bow Street. They have a fantastic selection of whisky along with a knowledgeable staff who can guide you through a choice if, like us, you're not exactly sure what you want. I wonder how many times tourists wander into the bars of Scotland begging earnestly for whisky guidance. We certainly did it a number of times on this trip. We were well served here and enjoyed the Scapa dram which we were given. It's easily walked to from anywhere in Old Town, just a few steps up from Grassmarket or a couple of minutes from the top of Victoria Street. If whisky is your destination, The Bow Bar will serve you well.

Heard about this on reddit. Got place to try out some scotch…read more Great selection of scotch here. Long list and I hadn't heard about most of them . Reasonable prices. 10-20 per dram generally Knowledgeable staff provided great recommendations. I ended up loving one so much picked up a bottle from a nearby store.

0.1 mi•Old Town, Royal Mile

Interior

Bar

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Inside bar

Arcade - Haggis and Whisky House

4.3(72 reviews)

We dined here on our last night in Edinburgh. I guess our dinner booking was early compared to…read moreothers as we were the first to be in the dining room. But it gave us a chance to chat with the waitress about whiskies. Their whisky list is 3 times the length of the food menu! We had the pork and stilton sausage and the Princess Diana style haggis. We've had haggis at other places in Edinbugh. This one is classy looking and oh so rich. It is very tasty. It was so rich that it was hard for me to finish. Everyone was very friendly and wanted to make sure everything was fine, even as the dining rooms started to fill up. I'd highly recommend Arcarde.

Cozy ambiance, extremely friendly staff and great food. Highly recommend the haggis and the hot…read morechocolate. We ordered a portion of haggis to go because we thought we wouldn't have enough time for a sit down meal before our scheduled visit to the Castle but ended up staying after feeling super welcomed by the staff and realizing that eating there for 20 minutes or so wouldn't mess up our plans. It was well worth it!

Cosy atmosphere

Hot chocolate

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Princess Diana style haggis

Michael Neave Kitchen and Whisky Bar - british - Updated October 2026

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Amazing food and they were very accommodating on our plans changed in fit us in at a different timeread more

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We are here tonight on our first night in Edinburgh and loved it. I actually messed up a…read morereservation somewhere else (Not used to seeing two times on a reservation.) and we came upon Angels with Bagpipes. After the other restaurant (named for the Devil, oddly enough) was ridiculously rude, but the staff at Angels with Bagpipes was wonderful! The drinks were great, the food was incredible and probably the best meal we've had the entire time in the UK. We had a crab appetizer and bread. Then for the main course the kids both had the filet, I had the chicken dish and my husband had a carrot risotto. I almost never eat chicken out at a restaurant but this was so tender! Everything on the plate went together very well. My husband loved his risotto too and I agree it was delicious. I hope you can make a trip to this restaurant when visiting Edinburgh. Truly angels in the kitchen and with the staff.

Given that this place is in an extremely touristy part of town, surrounded by souvenir shops and…read morefamous landmarks, you kind of have to appreciate the effort they put into their food presentation and service. Most places survive on knowing they can serve terrible food and still bring in the tourist crowd. These guys are serving up some healthy and hearty cuisine with a nod to their Scottish roots, but with a more sophisticated take. Everything packs amazing flavour. I came in just a few minutes after they opened for lunch, so snagging a seat was easy; however it filled up in record time, so reservations are highly recommended. The menu offers everything from light seafood salads to hearty steak dishes, to a few veggies options that leave nothing to be desired. Yes, they serve haggis, too, and I have to say, it wasn't bad, even for my first-timer's palate. They fry it up and serve it in ball form, so the taste is mild and appealing. My BBQ Lentils and Vegetables dish was beautifully presented and so tasty, I didn't miss the meat. Cocktails, wine, and beer are also available, so pick your poison.

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