Nikki G.

Places don't open up in Edinburgh until noon. If you want lunch at 11:30 a.m., forget about it. You're going to have to wait the half hour, and sometimes more because the UK is on island time. We arrived at Ondine at 12:05 pm and was asked if we had reservations. I said, no, as we didn't know we'd be coming here. The maitre'd was a little exasperated that we were coming in unannounced without making a reservation. Despite this, we were seated. The prices are a little crazy for lunch. For dinner, I could see paying what they were asking, but I ordered the fish and chips and that was 18.95 in pounds. I saw a lot cheaper fish and chips options, but of course you are paying for the ambiance and mediocre service. The mushy peas were fantastic, with a little hint of mint in them, but I can't compare them to any other mushy peas because they were the only ones I tried. The chips were great too. The fish I knew I wasn't going to love because I'm not a big fan of battered fish, and had actually asked for breaded. The waiter asked me if I wanted it battered or breaded, and I got battered anyway. I peeled off the batter and ate the fish, which was good.

Jessica S.

VERY disappointing experience, from food to staff to pricing. Just overall one of the worst meals in two weeks of travel, and *of course* this was our anniversary dinner. We did our research, as always. A handful of restaurants kept popping to the top of our lists, but we didn't actually knuckle down and make a reservation until much later. I made it a point of adding that we were celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary in our request. I mean, *we* thought it was something worth celebrating, and though we weren't expecting balloons and confetti and champagne by the buckets, it would've been nice to have been acknowledged by someone other than the hostess (who was the only bright spot to the night, by the way.) We were seated at a table overlooking Victoria Street, and our hostess congratulated us on our anniversary, wishing us a good night as she departed. It all went downhill from there. Our waiter - who is also apparently the wine guy (he's the one who's pictured in a gigantic frame by the kitchen, leaning over a glass and mugging for the camera as wine is being poured in) never bothered introducing himself, asking if we had any questions, or offering to share the night's specials. He came over, stood by the table for a half minute without talking, and then finally muttered something along the lines of, "what'll you have?" My husband ordered a bottle of wine, and the waiter guy walked away without a word. We were going to place an order for appetizers but didn't get that chance. The waiter, meanwhile, was having a grand time laughing with others behind the bar and making it a point to fawn over another couple at a table not far from us. Again - not looking for the fawning-type attention, but come ON! At least crack a smile when we smile at you! Our second interaction with the guy was just as unpleasant. He brought the wine to the table, made a big production out of pouring a spot for my husband to sip and approve (all the while looking like he was so incredibly bored out of his mind), poured our wine and walked away - again, without asking if we were ready to order. Third encounter only came because my husband flagged him down. We told him we were ready to place our orders and didn't even acknowledge that. He just stood there, staring at a space just to the side of our faces, immobile as a statue. Thoroughly annoyed by then, I decided to play that game. So I sat there staring right back at him, wondering how long he'd continue to play a pillar of salt before acknowledging he had a paying guest in front of him. Almost 90 seconds. I kid you not. When he finally deigned to make eye contact, he bit out a curt, "You said you were ready to order. So..." and he made this hand gesture like, "spit it out, already!" I don't know why we didn't just pay for our wine and get the heck out. I really wish we had. I was shocked to run into someone so rude in the city, and even more pissed off to see that he didn't treat any other table this way. We did nothing to get this sort of treatment, and really shouldn't have stood for it. But, we didn't get up. We didn't let him know we were annoyed by his haughty attitude. We ordered our starters (asparagus and a soft poached egg for me; fish and shellfish soup for him), and lest we never see the waiter again, hastily ordered our meals, as well (Lemon Sole Meuniere for me; Brown Crab Risotto for him). At least I know my husband enjoyed his soup. It was hot and had good flavor, served with small bowls of cheese and bread crisps. My appetizer wasn't at all what I had hoped for - the egg was overcooked (soft poached is one of the trickier things to achieve when working with a heat lamp, I'm finding) and the asparagus was limp. I didn't even finish half of that plate. Our food was delivered to the table by the only other friendly person we encountered: an overworked but still friendly waitress. The best thing about my main was the chips - they were perfectly cooked so that they were crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Much as I wanted to, I didn't finish them. About halfway through the fish (it was a large serving, I'll give them that), my stomach started to cramp up. I'm definitely NOT saying that there was anything wrong with the fish - I was fine all night and for the rest of our stay in Edinburgh - but I did start to feel queasy at the table, and didn't want to push to eat more than necessary. So, that plate went to waste, as well. My husband and I had decided early on that we were going to forgo dessert at this place in order to find a sweet shop that was more welcoming and inviting. And yet, when we once again flagged the absent waiter down to ask him to clear our plates, my husband surprised me by ordering the tart to share. Again, I wasn't feeling so hot, so I took one bite, but my husband did enjoy it. Really surprised by our evening, given all the love this place gets on Yelp and TripAdivsor. It was just a waste of good money.

Rod U.

At Ondine, when you see food, eat it. One of Edinburgh's top seafood restaurants. Elegant setting, properly appointed, pressed linens, and well-dressed patrons ready to get their hands dirty diving in to piles of Scotland's best seafood. Straight to it, uber fresh cold water oysters are to die for. 4 to 6 different species, each with its well-defined salinity and incredible creamy texture like nothing available in the States. All show a very clean oceanic finish. It's liquor like sea water accented with just a squeeze of lemon. Do not pass on the roasted shellfish platter. New Haven lobster claws, barely warmed through oysters, roasted Dunbar crab (similar to Florida stone crab), Mull scallop in shell, piles of east coast cockles, sweet, succulent razor clams, plump, fatty creamy Shetland muscles, and tender Tarber Langostines all cooked in rich creamy Scottish butter, a splash of wine, and parsley. A mountain of seafood for 2 to 4 to share. Simply put, outstanding. Each item is cooked separately to proper doneness then assembled together for serving. The simple preparation brings out the best flavor of each shellfish. Still craving more? A plate of grilled scallops. Presented and still attached to their own shells. A broad bean purée adding a vegetal touch that heightens the sweetness. Sausages of pork and offal adds a subtle metallic flavor that accentuates further the clean oceanic characteristic of the scallop. The lemon sole, gently crusted with breadcrumbs lemon peel capers and parsley then fried. Crisp on the outside, moist on the inside. Sautéed brown trim adds a deep "shrimpy" flavor that greatly enhances the flavor of the fish. Finally a Scottish classic, haddock and chips. What to say. Perfectly cooked. The classic minted pea puree further enhancing the mild flavor of the fish. Very well chosen selection of European, old world wines at very reasonable prices. Average bottle price £40. Extremely friendly, proper, efficient and accommodating service. Reservations two months in advance required. In a word, wow!

Exceptional food. The Smoked Salmon crumpets with bacon jam were to die for, you would go there just to have those alone! Main course we had east coast lobster which was wonderful but the star of the shoe was the halibut with the most amazing cauliflower purée..... smooth, creamy & sweet. We pushed ourselves to have dessert, blackberry pavlova which was sensational. Service backed up the food with a great team. 100% will return

Alex W.

I'd booked Ondine based on on-line reviews and, as it was my girlfriend's birthday, I was hopeful that we'd have a similar experience. Thankfully, there was no need for any concern as the restaurant more than lived up to expectation. We opted for the lunchtime set menu (£19.95 - 2 courses, £23.95 - 3 courses), both choosing Seaside Gin Cured Salmon with pickled cucumber & wasabi mayo, followed by Monkfish Tempura & then we shared a portion of Brie with oatcakes & quince jelly. To accompany this feast we had a lovely white Rioja (the name of which escapes me as we've just consumed said bottle...) The food was fabulous. The flavours in the salmon were stunning and the subtle warmth coming through from the wasabi complemented it perfectly. The colours on the plate were also a wonder to behold. The next course, the monkfish tempura, was the real standout. I love monkfish and its meaty texture and it was ideal in this dish. Crisp and light tempura batter surrounded it and the fish was beautifully cooked. Those flavours added to the ones in the Vietnamese salad accompanying proved to be a stunning combination that had my mouth watering throughout. To finish, we shared a lovely Brie with oatcakes & quince jelly. Sometimes eating an oatcake is like trying to swallow a dry coaster but these were lovely. The Brie was also a fitting way to round things off. (I realise I haven't mentioned the lovely bread to start or the post meal chocolates...!) A wonderful meal that was enhanced by great service. I'll definitely be back.

Briony C.

Ondine was just what we were looking for dinner - seafood! I'd booked about a week before and could only get a quite early time (5.45) but that actually worked perfectly for us so that wasn't an issue. The restaurant is upstairs next to the G&V and is a bit smaller than I expected but really nice decor - classy but not too over the top, so you don't need to worry about dressing up to go here. They offered us the a la carte menu as well as a pre theatre which I didn't realise was available - it had nice offerings on it but we ended up opting for the a la carte just because there was so many more options. The waiter was really helpful when I asked for some advice as I was torn between four dishes - he told me which would work best together for starters & mains and I have to say, he was totally right! I had potted dressed brown crab which came with mini crumpets and was beautifully presented in a little jar. There was actually a tonne of crab as well, a very generous portion and just delicious. For main I had a fillet of sea bass with asparagus and beans. Again, heavenly - a perfect sized fillet with lovely skin and really tasty. A side of baby new potatoes was perfect and I was perfectly stuffed after this! We didn't have dessert and just headed elsewhere for some beers but this was such a lovely meal that I'm sure I'll be back soon. It is on the pricer side but it IS Edinburgh and this restaurant is right in the heart of it all, plus the food was amazing. So it's totally worth it.

Jonny Q.

Well this place was a bit special. A seafood joint with a real hint (actually a full on hoof) of class through their entire operation. Having only been able to get a 530pm reservation it made sense to dine at this time (I'm getting old...) so as the night was full ours head. First things first a warning - this place is expensive and things quick add up. Without looking too much into it when booking the starters are all £10 and up with mains more. Sides are a fiver each and even the cheapest wines by the glass are on the pricey side. So yeah make sure it's a special occasion kick of place but you'll be well rewarded for the cost. Highlights were the tempura squid to start, which were followed by the scallops and sausage (a strange combo to me anyway but something that I enjoyed) The only downside was that at 7ish they brought our bill over without us asking as if to rush us out (although we were still thinking they maybe got it wrong and meant it for another table...) - but by this time we were so stuffed that dessert was never going to be a goer anyway. Very impressive, a great find!

Cheryl C.

To give you an idea about how popular and in demand this restaurant is at the moment, I called up last week at the start of the week to try and get a Saturday night table, and was told that the restaurant was fully booked, and had been for five weeks in advance. So my first piece of advice would be to get in there quick if you want to book a table for dinner here, but I would also add that if you enjoy amazingly tasty fresh seafood, of super fantastic quality, then Ondine is well worth the wait. I was lucky enough to get a lunch time table here, which could be a good alternative call if all the dinner sittings are booked up. This is really awesome dining, and has some ornately maritime decor going on, which is classic, but also very stylish. The bar is also super hot, get your date thing going on in here, and then if by the book romance is your thing, order some oysters. I went for the crispy squid with garlic mayonnaise to start, followed by the fish curry, with basmati rice and raita. The menu is simple and unpretentious, but really modern, and undeniably tasty, plus the staff were lovely too. Highly and absolutely recommended.

Karol S.

I'm a stereotypical New York snob. I don't mean that I'm a snob who lives in New York, I mean I'm a snob *about* New York. I think New York does everything best. It's unusual for me to proclaim something as "best" outside of NY (that includes, say, gelato or pizza in Italy). We're just awesome, what can I say? But not only did I have the best scallops I've EVER had at Ondine, I also had the very best lobster. Ondine just took these familiar items to a new level. Also, the chorizo that came with the scallops was the best ever too. So that's three items, at one restaurant outside NY, that do things better than my beloved NY. Amazing! Ondine is exceptional, and worth a visit (and the money) if you're in Edinburgh. I want to go back!