Terribly disappointing. We made reservations and we're excited upon walking in. Upon arrival, it was 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. read more

Monteiths - Salmon - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This was recommended by our amazing Air BnB host and he wasn't wrong. The setting is in a cellar and 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. read more

Monteiths - Lamb dish. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

A tiny dark restaurant with delightful service and amazing food. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious. He had monkfish and I had salmon over barley risotto - the risotto was incredible with herbs and mussels and the salmon excellent. The sourdough bread came with an herbed butter. The greens were herbed with dill and were kale, spinach and fresh local peas - sooo tasty. The fried onion rings were made fresh like seldom see anymore. And the lemon crème brûlée with fruits and crumble on top was a perfect ending. read more

Monteiths - The almost hidden entrance - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This is the best restaurant I went to while I was in Edinburgh. It's a magical walk down a beautiful close that makes you feel like you're in an enchanted forest. You walk downstairs to a beautifully quaint and romantic restaurant. The staff is really friendly and welcoming. I made a reservation, which I would highly recommend as they were very busy. Their cocktails are exquisite and perfectly curated. I had the mushroom Wellington that was excelling with perfect pastry. The run raisin pudding was a delicious dessert with homemade icecream on the top. You really cannot go wrong here. This would be a great place to go for a romantic night out or a celebration! read more

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Well - came a bit skeptical based on some negative reviews but left happy believers . Our waiter Roque did a fine job . The expeditor did as well. We apparently unlike some liked the darkish atmospherics . Started with both the whisky cured salmon and the smoked haddock apps - whew . The smoked haddock is the standout of these and I'd have three orders of it as an entree !! We shared the sea bass and cheese soufflé . Both terrific and hit the spot . The soufflé dish has some nice mushrooms and chicory salad too. The fish was a darn nice fish dish . We added some of the crushed almond- miso imbued broccoli . And some sourdough bread . The bread has a nice chew but could do with some salt perhaps and the miso was not too evident w the broccoli - but I did enjoy the crunchy almond bits . Had a decent old fashioned to begin and followed w an Ossian beer which I hadn't seen elsewhere but enjoyed here . This was a 3-4 minute walk from our rental apartment . Glad we came and wouldn't hesitate to walk right back had we been staying longer . read more

We noticed this tucked away restaurant in the middle of a walking tour of Edinburgh and we're so taken by the posted menu and the interesting entrance that we dropped off and presented ourselves as "walk-ins". The hostess was cordial without the least bit of condescension and found us a small two top right away. The place was bustling but the noise level was modest which is a huge plus in our book. We enjoyed the evening from start to finish. The chicken liver parfait was more of a normal presentation of pate (not sure why they describe it as a parfait :-) and delicious. interestingly the crackers were particularly tasty. We asked the waitress for a recommendation and she suggested the ox cheeks which turned out to be absolutely marvelous. Amazingly tender with a rich flavor complemented by bits of seared pancetta and a bit of greens. We had the mushroom side dish and it was tasty as well with an ample portion. We actually shared the entrée and side and it was plenty for two people. (They had no problem with us doing so.) For dessert we went with the orange date cake to try something different and it was similarly full of rich flavor, served warm (which is always a gold star with me) and once again plenty for a modest portion for two people. We didn't much care for our Chilean Merlot but wines are always hit and miss anyway and totally a matter of personal taste (and we drank every drop :-). I would heartily recommend this restaurant as an interesting setting in a busy city with different menu offerings than you usually encounter all prepared well. read more

Monteiths - Chicken liver parfait on the left, mushroom side in the middle and nice portion of pure tender ox cheek meat. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Service was amazing! Stumbled across this place and so thankful we did! The food is heavenly, and the ambiance is so warm, inviting and chic. Great for a date night, for sure. read more

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Walking into Monteiths through the lighted branch tunnel was just the start of something amazing. When so many other restaurants are closing their kitchens for the night and turning people away, the staff at Monteiths are just getting started. The bar area was so inviting our journey almost ended there, but we asked for a table and were seated next to some wonderful locals who shared recommendations and then some wine. The meal was paced nicely with haggis as a starter, along with some delicious drinks. Scottish Aviation was my favorite, but the highland strawberry fizz won my wife's heart. After that, we had the filled steak and triple cooked chips as well as the cauliflower bowl and a side of amazingly rich mushrooms. The portions were perfect, so we nearly skipped on dessert. Luckily, we came to our senses in time for chamomile tea and Lemon Bruleé which hit levels of great we didn't know existed! The staff, the ambiance, and the food are amazing, and the drinks are the final mic drop. If you're looking for a great dinner spot, this must be the place!! read more

Good cocktails and excellent haggis. Went in here for an evening drink and had a nice ambience. The bar area was small but the food dishes were good. If you're looking for a relaxed upscale vibe this is definitely worth checking out read more

Down a small alley (I know, they are called Closes here!) off the Royal Mile is a wonderful little eatery and wine bar called Monteiths. We came during Hogmanay, and couldn't have been more pleased. Dressed crab starter over potato gratin was absolutely perfect! I'm not much into beets, but even for me the Beetroot and Goats Cheese was yummy. Risotto starter was also terrific and had just enough cheese to satisfy! Banked cod was decent, although I have to admit not as memorable. We also tried the tenderstem broccoli and triple cooked chips to round out the meal. Inventive drink menu: my daughter got the skittle cocktail just because we've never seen that before. Sugary as expected but credit for the creativity. All considered, an outstanding experience. read more

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Found this place because of a recommendation from our wonderful tour guide, Visit Scotland Tours, John MacEachen. The location is wonderful and beautiful, convenient and slightly off the beaten path (off of the high street but down a twinkling lit walkway), the restaurant is very chic and hip! Loved the menu and we had it all. Cocktails, starters, sides, main course and dessert (we are foodies)! Service was impeccable too!! read more

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Monteiths was fantastic! Best meal we had in Edinburgh. Fresh bread with pesto butter was amazing. The monkfish wrapped in pancetta was incredible. So good we already have a reservation for next time we are in town. Service was spot on. read more

Loved this experience! Great atmosphere. Nice service and the food was very good. Highly recommend

I think I had a random bad experience and if I'm ever in Edinburgh again I'll definitely give it another try. It was my first visit to Edinburgh and loved it but was taken aback by the intensity of the tourism there. As a result it was challenging finding a fine restaurant until I found Monteiths. It's amazingly hidden right on the Royal Mile. The ambience was wonderful and so was the menu. Everyone else with me enjoyed their meals but I found my steak tartare oddly chewy and the pork belly overcooked which I usually prefer to very fatty but I actually had trouble cutting it. The waiter was a real character which I usually enjoy but I think it went downhill after my wife told him an inappropriate joke which she regretted. It all might be a result of making reservations for two at 7:30 and ending up changing it to 8:00 to add family we were visiting and then 8:30 when their son showed up and joined us. We were the last ones out and possibly the circumstances put them at a disadvantage. It's charming and a real find, I'm just being honest about my experience and as I said I would try it again. read more

Lacklustre and lazy staff with bad attitudes. Waited 20 mins to be seated, no menu, no attention, another group walked in with no reservation and were sat immediately. Then we were told "do you wanna come and sit too?". Could see the staff talking badly about customers in the restaurant and another group actually came to the bar to pay because they were waiting for so long. We finished our drinks at the bar and went somewhere else. In summary: Top notch prices, KFC service. read more

Truly delicious and quality food. My entire dinner was superb. It reminded me of a good steakhouse in NYC. I enjoyed that you really had to look for it as you walk through the alley. The decor and service was also fantastic. read more

Monteiths - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Who can resist a nice, juicy steak? Not me, that's for sure! Monteith's is one of those places I've passed by many a time, intrigued by the arches of branches and fairy lights that lead down to it from the Royal Mile, but I'd always assumed it was a little out of my price range. Which it is, for the most part. However, when an itison voucher appeared in November for rib eye steaks, chips, a 250ml glass of wine plus coffee and petit fours for two for the very reasonable price of £34 I snapped it up. As often happens I left it to the last couple of weeks of the voucher's validity to use it, but it meant that my boyfriend and I could enjoy a treat on an otherwise unremarkable Saturday. I booked a week in advance, so was a little disappointed to see we had the table right next to the stairs down into the restaurant and right next to a plant - the plant was so obtrusive it rendered one of the seats at our table unusable. But apart from where we were sitting (and it wasn't so bad, as at least we weren't right next to anybody else, and I had a great view of the bar), the interior is really lovely. It's all muted tartan in earthy colours and animal skulls, modern Scottish I guess you'd call it (have they been decorated entirely by Anta?). The staff are young and decidedly cool (check the bartender's massive beard). We were one of several tables using a voucher, so there was a slight wait for our food, but nothing outrageous for a busy restaurant. We were offered a choice of two wines, a Chardonnay or a Merlot, with us both plumping for the Merlot (of course, red wine and steak!). For what is presumably the house red, it was lovely! I was really surprised just how nice it was, and also very glad to see a voucher deal offering a 250ml serving (though it looks small in the glass as those things are huge!). And the food itself was really, really good. A nice sized rib-eye, which would normally have cost £22. There was fat in it, but not so much that I ended up cutting more off than I ate meat (as I've had in other restaurants). And I was delighted to see that it was indeed medium, not medium rare, not medium well, just medium. In fact my boyfriend opined that it was better than Kyloe's. Chips were few but they were those mega brick sized ones so their volume more than made up for their number. And whilst the béarnaise maybe could have done with a smidge more seasoning, it was still the perfect accompaniment. Coffee was good, although the petit fours were about half an inch long and there was only one each - a tiny square of something chocolatey. It was very nice, but miniscule (I know they're petit fours, but really these were teeny). I'm too poor to come to Monteith's regularly, but should they ever have a deal again I'll snap one up! read more

Monteiths - Tiny petit fours, next to my dainty size J ring for scale. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The food is absolutely delicious in this basement hideaway down a short ally. The food is great but the service is slow and gets slower as it gets busier Cocktails are superior read more

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My wife and I had a very enjoyable dinner here. It was recommended by our hotel, and Yelp gave it good reviews. It was a nice setting, very small. The one downside was that it was very noisy. The food ranged from very good to outstanding. We started with the haggis appetizer. Not having had haggis before, I'm not sure I can say that it was good or bad haggis, but we did like it. Kind of like a very peppery scrapple, it scrapple was made with oats and wasn't fried. It came topped with French-fried onions and a nice sauce, which really made the dish. For dinner my wife got the ribeye with Bernaise sauce and I got the lamb rump. My lamb was delicious, with a sauce that was very similar to that on the haggis. We also got the wild mushrooms as a side, well worth the addition. For dessert we had baked Brie on a brioche with quince jam. That was simply amazing. Flavorful Brie, with a light but very buttery brioche. It wasn't sweet at all, but somehow perfect as a dessert read more

I had absolutely no idea this bar and restaurant existed, such is its inconspicuous location on the Royal Mile, so when I met some friends for dinner here, I was quite delighted by the fairy light draped pathway which leads inside. I'm a sucker for fairy light enchantment, so this put me in a good mood for evaluating the rest of the experience. The interior is very polished art deco style, modern but warm, with purple booths and comfy armchairs. Definitely good for a sly date or two, as it just has that ambience to it. The menu offers fairly classic fare but with a modern spin to it. The scallops and ginger marmalade I had to start were very, very good, as was the loin of pork I had for a main. The bottle of prosecco we ordered had a lovely flavour to it and came with strawberries to taste, which is always a nice touch. Having a meal here could prove to be quite expensive, but you can check out the menu on the website beforehand, and anyway, Monteiths is a pretty different dining experience from most establishments in Edinburgh, so I wouldn't expect prices to be rock bottom. Coming here just for drinks is also a good call, as being slightly hidden away, you can escape the masses of revellers going to other bars in the area. The bar still gets busy at weekends though. The cocktail list has some unique concoctions on it, so if you do come in, make sure you sample one. read more

Monteiths - Photo from monteithsbar.co.uk - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I've been waiting to review Monteiths. I love it so much I decided to go back one more time, to experience the whole thing again so it's fresh in my mind. I love Monteiths. It's often described in tourist guides as 'Edinburgh's best kept secret' and it's not wrong! It is sitting just off the Royal Mile and can easily be missed if you don't know where it is. The fairy-lit walkway doesn't seem like much, and the steps down to the restaurant may seem a bit odd at first, but once you're down there, you're never going to want to leave. The bar is tres chic! Very cool and all the furniture is quirky, different and kitsch. They have a very special Banksy on the wall (google him!) of Edinburgh and really cool other features - such as a plastic deer-head and a mini library! But let's get to the good stuff. The food...ok, I hear the point that the portions are small but the food is good. After all, it's quality not quantity! It's proper good, fancy food and tastes as expensive as it is...! My only criticism would be about the desserts - nothing mouth-watering but hey, a moment on the lips and all that. So maybe it's for the best! Monteiths is the sort of place I would take someone visiting Edinburgh for the first time. It's a really special place, in the summertime the beer garden is beautiful - I'm having my 21st here! It's a very special place! read more

Monteiths - Looking onto Monteiths from the Royal Mile - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The beautiful archway outside lures you downstairs into the dinner from hell that awaits you below. There really is a nice ambiance to the entire setting. The archway, the rustic interior, the cozy outdoor courtyard... and once the sun sets they even keep the lights real dim so that it is nice and romantic and the rest of us can't see a flipping thing. So I start by ordering the "Filet of Beef Carpaccio." The description of the appetizer I will quote directly from the menu: "roast onion mayo, pickled summer vegetables" Sounds great. The veg turns out to be fennel, radishes, and carrot shavings. No thanks. I push these off to the side to reveal a teaspoon of the mayo concoction - also a let down. It's strangely sweet and rather thin. Okay, so I'll just eat the beef. I would have, too, if the taste of the fennel hadn't seeped into beef, making it so that the fennel was all you could taste. But hey, sometimes dishes aren't for everybody. That's okay. Rather than being a gracious host with smiles and apologies, the waitress gives me a shocked look when I tell her that the appetizer is just not for me. She asks what is wrong with it, and I politely just say that I'm not a fan of fennel. Her face sours, and she mutters about how fennel was clearly marked on the menu as she stomps away. Color me infuriated at this point. It was NO WHERE on the menu, Miss Snarky, and neither was your attitude! I unfortunately have to stay and receive my main course - one of the specials of the night: lobster with a side of duck fat chips. Thank god for these chips with the unappetizing title - they were delicious, and without them, I would have starved. The lobster was yet another let down, spiced with a cloying sweetness that built the more you ate. Also, be prepared for the wait staff to overestimate your appetite if you are American. She advised us to order more sides, saying that one appetizer of mussels would not be enough for two, and one side of duck fat chips would not be enough for my husband to try some of mine. One serving of each of these was more than enough! None of us are large people. Just because we're American doesn't mean we're pigs. In summation, the waitress was rude, the food was sub-par, and the environment was nice but much too dark. I wouldn't go back. read more

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Brilliant food and service. Sweet staffs there. Seafood is fabulous. Nice experience. read more

Monteiths - Pan roasted Salmon. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I've been watching Masterchef-esque programmes all afternoon and to be honest, the only thing that resembles Monteith's is tiny little portions. God, it costs a fortune for sweet F.A. I have the venison, which to be honest, it's an expensive meat and I did physically chose it from the menu but it was thimble of mash was cold and the meat itself was nice, but the size of a thumbnail. It was the equivalent of having one Dairylea Dunker at a picnic. I don't think we have the market for this level of pretentiousness in Edinburgh, especially with the standards of other places so close by. It's a great bar, don't get me wrong. The cocktails are amazing, real skill and craftsmanship but I'm not going to eat there for a hearty dinner anytime soon. read more

Monteiths - picture from official website - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Sparkly, cozy and romantic. The ideal place for a romantic date! I recently visited this place with a large group of people. I can't deny that it felt a bit cramped, but the cozy and warm flair of this place made it hard to notice. You walk down an alley of trees and lights, which feels already very romantic. Then you are welcomed by staff and candlelight. We ordered our Christmas menu in advance, such the service and flow of food was very well organised. I ordered Brianleith Cheddar for a starter, which was served as a type of spring roll, but a few of us commented on the fact that we felt it did not taste anything like cheddar. The turkey as a main tasted deliciously and was presented in a way I never came across before when it comes to Christmas turkey. The dessert was a warm and sweet sticky toffee pudding. The ice cream tasted a bit too watery for me, but overall I would definitely order it again. The prices are on the higher side, but if you take out your loved ones and colleagues alike, they wont be disappointed. Merry Christmas everyone! read more

Monteiths - Turkey - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I've been here for drinks a lot over the last three years or so and had differing opinions virtually everytime but the place's quirky interior and range of cocktails have always lured me back. Now that the music policy and volume seem to have reached a sensible point (no blaring hardcore hip-hop) and the rather manic head barman seems to have moved on I think it can go on to greater things. And as I've for some reason failed to review it up till now having finally sampled the food it seems time to redress that. Deciding that drinking on a palindrome earned double points (and having a hankering to take up the bar's bottle of vodka with limitless trimmings deal) half a dozen of us trooped along on 01/02/2010. As this was a Monday night we ended up being the only customers for the bulk of our time there. I doubt that had any bearing on the service but that was uniformly courteous and swift either way. The bottle of Finlandia in an ice bucket at the end of the table was a roaring success and no one had any complaints about their dishes, which included hare with pumpkin puree, black pudding with beetroot and poached quails eggs, haggis linguine and a very enjoyable cheesecake with strawberries dessert. £22 for three courses if having the table d'hote and the a la carte was slightly dearer obviously. We'll be back again on 20/10/2010 and I'm looking forward to it. Visited again sooner than expected (April 12th) and things seem to have changed as far as the bottle to the table goes. Smirnoff Black is now the vodka of choice and you certainly notice the slight change in strength. Mixers have unfortunately gone from individual bottles to jugs from the gun (and bizarrely Tonic's no longer available inclusively). You're still probably getting vfm but less so than two months ago. read more

Monteiths - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great little restaurant. Good food good service. I'd come back again. The menu had lots to offer. Each of the food items we had were perfect. Heirloom tomato and beet salad highly recommended. read more

Best modern Scottish food in town! Our waitress Sarah was so wonderful. She recommended nice food and her service made us feel really welcome. The mussels appetizer is very tasty. Beef steak chateaubriand was just cooked right. The French fries that came on the side were crispy outside and tender inside. Love to come back again. read more

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Meh. My filet, which is not cheap, was over cooked. I could blame it on the cooks, sure, but I could also blame it on the staff polishing glasses or just generally enjoying each other's company at the expense of the customer experience. I had to give multiple hard stares to any server as they passed our table multiple times to get anything I wanted. Logic = drink running dry, offer another one does not apply here. I had no silverware at all on my table when my main course was delivered, but I'm sure my overcooked filet (forgotten sauce) needed additional time to rest. That said... my server touched his face, head, nose, etc, constantly and had zero situational awareness, so I was crossing my fingers the silver would be delivered by someone else. The expo/food runner noticed first and delivered silver. She was quite the multi-tasker and must be frustrated at the unequal work loads and inept co-workers. The above-mentioned server did not have a working pen when he approached my table, and forgot his wine tool when he delivered a bottle to the neighboring table. Sub-par was as good as he gets. We waited extra-long for someone to ask us if we were interested in the desert menu delivered to us. We were, but lost interest and just wanted out and had to flag a girl down to request the check. The chick we asked continued to work around us for longer than necessary to believe she intended to deliver a check, so we busied ourselves with our coats, hats and so on to make it more obvious WE were ready to get moving... if only we had a check. That plan also failed... YET WHEN WE ROSE FROM OUR BOOTH SHE STOPPED ME, to ask if I had paid (the first time anyone noticed us without having to initiate contact first), concerned I was a dine and dash. I remarked we were on our feet in search of our check, thanks. Ok food, generally poor service. If they fixed the service I would consider giving it another shot. read more

Quaint little restaurant along Royal Mile off one of the "Close". You reach the restaurant through a tunnel of willow branches strung with lights. The restaurant itself does not seem to have windows so a bit drab. They make interesting cocktails albeit in small portions. I ordered a dirty martini which wasn't dirty enough. The waitress offered to make a new one. The glass used to serve the martini was tiny. The food was excellent. I ordered a chicken Brest stuffed with langoustine meat with an excellent white gravy and a whole langoustine with the chicken. I never had a chicken and langoustine combination which was intriguing. The downside was the service. While friendly, the service was very slow. Go if you have time and no agenda otherwise it may be painful to sit there and wait for single tasking staff to go through service. read more

Monteiths - Tunnel of willow or just branches. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Best meal of our trip! Anniversary dinner was a success! Chateaubriand was amazing and perfect for two! Cocktails to start with risotto, then the steak with a sub of mashed potatoes instead of two duck fat fries (not too much horseradish flavor- almost didn't get mash because of that, so glad we ordered them!). Wine with the steak- just wish we had room for dessert. Absolutely recommend! read more

Monteiths - Chateaubriand- so delicious. Get it medium rare!!! It keeps cooking on very hot cast iron plate! Tender and melts in mouth. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Loved this restaurant!! Amazing cocktails! Excellent food! I tried the haggis bon bons- do yourself a favor and try them. Also the seared scallops- cooked perfectly. They melted in my mouth. Also ordered the steamed halibut. It was so moist and delicious. Other people at the table ordered the clam chowder, roast chicken, and lamb. All of it was amazing! read more

I absolutely loved this restaurant. Not quite sure why it's overall rating isn't 5 stars all the way! Ambience is very romantic. I loved the lit entry way and the cozy feel inside. Bartenders were super and we loved our table. I ordered the seafood chowder (to die for!) and the lobster. The service was the best. I highly recommend this place!! read more

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Our Air BnB Host told us about this new restaurant and it did not disappoint. It was packed and we waited about 45 mins but all worth the wait. The Staff was super friendly especially Jake the bartender. He recalled mend a great Scottish Whiskey for our first night in Edinburgh. Run to this new place for great food, drinks and service! read more

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This is one of those rare occasions where a three-star evening was pulled into the four-star range by the sheer will of a good staff member. A few week's back, with a visiting Canadian cohort in tow, I met up with Caz H at Monteiths for a night of drink, food and chat. Honest to gosh, Monteiths hadn't even landed on my radar until Caz suggested it... for the most part, I avoid places on the Mile like the plague, but the reviews seemed complimentary and the cocktails looked good, so why the heck not? First off, the entrance alone is going to make this a repeat experience. It's one of those entrances that I love bringing visitors too - a turn down a little alley, a fairy light adorned tunnel and a short walk down a nondescript set of stairs, through an unmarked door to a cute and cozy little underground restaurant... very Edinburgh show-offy. Though not a cocktail gal myself, my visiting Canuck is a big fan, so I was happy to see an interesting and diverse cocktail menu. Interrupting gush session: three or four stars aside, if this review was purely based on the cocktail list, it would be an easy five stars. Whoever is behind that cocktail menu has officially hit bar ninja status, not only for mixing some wonderfully balanced cocktails but for offering libations less on the sweet side. The thyme negroni? This cocktail convert salutes you! So yes, the cocktails more or less went over exceptionally well... So onto the food: We started with the grilled squid and a bread plate. Honestly, next time I come here, I would stick to starters or the small plates menu that seemed to be kicking around the bar. Hands down, the squid was the best part of the meal. For my main, I ordered a rare steak and here's where we get into the three star category. First off, they mixed up Caz & I's order and she received the rare whereas I got her medium rare. Easy enough fix but I still feel a bit bad for doing a switcharoo as mine looked closer to medium. Not an extraordinary mistake but a bit of a pest as we had both dug into our food when we realized it. Second, the steak was...ok. It's not one i'll be writing home about and though I happily finished my plate, I would be hesitant to drop £25 on their ribeye option again. Overall, it was a dinner with a fairly hefty price tag that was a little wishy washy. So why would I return? Because aside from an iffy steak and a hefty price tag, the service here was top notch. Our server was attentive, cheerful and hilarious. We were plunked at our table for well over two hours and he was a doll throughout. Especially on the Mile, this isn't something you find often and it was refreshing not to have to lean awkwardly to get someone's attention while deep within tourist town. So Mr. Googly Eyes, I tip my hat to you. Service ninja status indeed. So my recommendation? Go for the cocktails and share small plates (or start the night here). I'll definitely be back to give the mussels a go. read more

Female Yelper, 35, seeks sophisticated and cosy Bar/Restaurant for drinks, food and maybe more. Desirable qualities include a fairytale entrance with twinkly lights, a warm and cosy interior with gorgeously quirky Scottish castle inspired decor, comfy high-backed leather armchairs, candlelit toilets and a perfectly stocked bar. Must have own smart and knowledgeable waiting staff, an impressive menu of local Scottish produce and delicious cocktails. Am available for breakfast, lunch, dinner and relaxed, luxurious drinks with good chat and mellow background music. Will look forward to meeting you soon x read more

I really liked this place and I'll explain myself in a minute but first to the good bits. Monteiths caught my eye a year or so ago, I came here for a few cocktails and though we ended up sitting outside I enjoyed it so I couldn't wait to come back for some food. *Cue violins* Unfortunately, I'm a poor student who can't afford fancy things! Roll on an Itison voucher that came up back in March. The OHs birthday was coming up and I had the chance to spread the cost of a fancyish meal over two paychecks. The voucher was for two steaks, two glasses of wine, coffee and handmade petit fours so I was well up for it. Last night we finally used the voucher. I started with cured duck, served with orange and some delicious figgy stuff. Not a huge portion but it felt just right, if a little bland. Across from me, the starter of haggis was carefully consumed, as it came in a pretend sheeps stomach that it had to be pushed out of. I had a taste and it was mild but very good. For mains, shocker we had the steak. Served with duck fat chips and some vine tomatoes, we both had the peppercorn sauce. I ordered rare and I got rare, which is so...wait for it...rare these days (AHAHAHAHAHA!) Ahem. After we had our coffees and I had a vanilla panna cotta which was delicious, though there was a lot of it. With panna cotta less can definitely be more. The service was excellent throughout the meal and our waiter seemed like a really nice guy. So why the three stars? Well, the music alone should bring it down a star but my issue was after the meal. When it came to the bill there was an extra £22 odd added on, specifically for a glass of wine and a bottle wine, neither of which were ordered. I said grand, and went up to the till to correct the mistake. When I said this to the lady at the bar she, in front of me, asked our waiter if we had ordered this bottle of wine and he said yes. She asked if he was sure and he said yes. She then said she was going out the back to 'count it', count what I don't know, possibly wine bottles. I'll be honest I was a bit mortified, I would expect this in your average run of the mill place but not in a place that has Remy Martin on the menu for 80 quid. Some discretion would have been nice, not a blatant distrust. To their credit they apologised, after confirming they had in fact not sold us the wine. Being absolutely scarlet at the whole thing I don't think I'll be back, not that I can afford it but if I am to spend my millions of pennies it'll be elsewhere. read more

We came here for dinner in between Christmas and New Year with our friends who live in the town. We were sat promptly at a very cramped table with not much room to manoeuvre but luckily the table next to us left soon after we arrived and our awesome (Aussie? Kiwi?) waiter moved us across. Even then the table was small but a least we had some breathing room between us and other diners. We started with some bacon, calamari and prawn/crayfish to share which was all very nice and reasonably priced. I did find the menu a little uninspiring and there wasn't much I wanted so I went with my standard; steak. The steak was cooked well and came with chips and a nice bearnaise sauce. Not the best rib eye I have had, especially the build up they give it on the menu about where they source their meat from etc but it was still pretty good. Everyone else seemed to enjoy their meals (the girls had the lamb and my friend had the Ox Cheek - which looked the best of the bunch). We split soe sides which were a little on the small side so I'd recommend ordering 1 per person and sharing. read more

Been here several times before and I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt before reviewing.. they lost. It is such a nice - secluded - location. You go down the steps through an alleyway of crowned greens(ivy?) filled with twinkling fairy lights. First thing you see is their 'outdoor' smoking area and you may miss the actual entrance leading you to the basement of the building. There is the large and well stocked bar and 2 big high back easy chairs as a semi lounge area. Cosy. The furniture is deliberately mismatched - a bit too conscious about that, not the effortless mismatch I noted in other places. As we were a party of two we (like last time) were asked to take place in the pass through area - were everybody will be passing - waiters, guests coming and leaving.. which I declined this time and asked for a table which has less traffic. We were supplied - good - close to the fireplace. This was an 'Voucher Visit' for lunch. Meaning we had to order the starter, main and dessert in one order. We were supplied water laced with cucumber and grapefruit. This is not my favourite fruit but it does made the water taste different. The meal was served promptly and the staff was a little rushed but efficient and very friendly. I was (as with my former visits) not impressed with the food. There is essentially nothing wrong, but nothing really wowed me as I wanted it to be. There was not enough taste. There was not enough presentation, rather under presented. The portions are not enough. - We had the braised beef and white beetroot with trimmings and gravy. The beef was falling apart which I was pleased about, but no taste. The gravy was barely there and my wife had to ask for more. The trimmings were: 1 sprout, 1 baby potato, 1 turnip (undercooked) 1 baby carrot, 1 mini 'pig in blanket' and on the plate and the trimming bowl we had loads of curly kale (blanched) - who are you kidding? Dessert was rolypoly and coconut ice-cream and a my wife had a chocolate cake & mandarin cake. The actual dessert was a chewy rolled poly with jam and vanilla ice-cream covered in coconut flakes, chocolate cake with 2 mandarin parts and a cream cocktail thingy. all nicely presented, all without the mmmm I like this factor. It was all..nice, pleasing, non offensive. Will I go back, actually yes I will. I have such hopes for this place- every time they show us that there is potential, but so far I have been left hanging, wanting for that dish to wow me. NOTE: there is NO wifi or mobile phone signal when in the restaurant - is that a good or bad thing .. I am still unsure. But I understand the no distractions idea of that. read more

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The small lights and branches on the entryway caught my eye for this restaurant just off the Royal Mile. They offer a good 2-course lunch menu. Yes, the decor is a little quirky (mismatched chairs and all) and the service was a bit slow, but it was a great change from the touristy places along the streets. As for the meal, the Scottish shellfish chowder was divine. It was thick and packed with yummy shrimp, delightful on a chilly day. I decided I couldn't leave Scotland without trying haggis, so this was my day for the adventure. It was good, a bit more of a gourmet take on it, which is why I was willing to try it here :) read more