RS was so good, after we ate dinner here we came back for breakfast the next day. It IS a popular place for both locals and tourists. Reservations are suggested - we saw many people get turned away because their are about 12 tables. It IS good for Groups (assuming you can get in). Gastropub is an accurate description. They are known for their gourmet burgers - I had the blue Italian, which was a delicious mess of melting blue cheese and prosciutto on the brisket burger. There have some Classics such as fish & chips. There is a decent selection of vegetarian dishes - even vegetarian haggis! We wanted a big breakfast - which is literally what it is called. Egg, sausage, bacon, toast, hash browns, mushrooms, tomato, baked beans, black pudding and even haggis!! We also enjoyed pancakes. Be aware their bacon is what we would call Canadian bacon in the US (think what is on an egg McMuffin) The drink menu is extensive and eclectic - lots of gin drinks plus the typical whiskeys. The vibe is casual, local, hipster, but it is good for kids (assuming they are well-behaved and occupied by an iPad ;) read more

Great beers and friendly service but the food is mediocre at best. We missed the breakfast by let's say 30 minutes, and the waitress was kind enough to offer that she would ask the chef if he minds cooking up a breakfast nevertheless. Although the place was almost empty, the chef didn't bother going the extra mile and that was quite a disappointment to be honest. My pal who was with me is a recognised chef in Edinburgh and he also thought it wouldn't have been too much to ask to cook a breakfast instead of a burger. Our burgers were okay at best. What ruined them for us mostly was the untoasted and stale bun. Toasting a bun really isn't a hassle and we thought this was yet another opportunity where the chef could've gone an extra mile for us. The burger was more than well done and the quality of the beef a 3 out of 10 at best. Time to cut the long story short: We're not coming to the Red Squirrel again. read more

Cozy spot with delicious breakfast. The staff was very kind and the service was extremely quick (we were the first folks in there, that might have been why). If you're in the city, it's a good stop in. read more

I've been to the Red Squirrel a few times now, and can say with confidence: the Squirrel is a solid joint. When you go to a place that's owned by the same people who created pubs such as the Southern and Holyrood 9A, you know you're in good hands. So let's break it down: Food: Four stars. You'll get a darn decent meal here, complete with several scrumptious veggie burger options for those of the persuasion. Toss in the option of sweet potato fries, and you've found my happy place. The price is on the mid-to-upper end of reasonable pub grub fair, but worth it because it's consistently yum. Drink: the Squirrel has a decent rotational tap on hand, and also offers a pretty decent selection of bottled fare, making this an excellent joint to meet up with friends for a pint. Atmosphere: I dig it! It's plenty spacious on weekdays, though I can't vouch for it on busy Edinburgh weekends. The interior is all wood furnishings and dimly lit, but clean as a whistle and nicely laid out. Service: no complaints here! I've never had a bad run-in at the Squirrel. Service with a smile, and the servers and bartenders are always helpful and friendly. This is a good shout if you're looking for a place without needless amounts of flash, or aren't feeling the old-man-pub vibe. Sure, it's missing a little bit of the personality that you may get from such places, but it's got plenty enough to stand on its own. (And it's close to my neck of the woods, so I'll certainly be back!) read more

Visited the Red Squirrel for a work lunch meeting last week. The staff were nice and friendly and the menu was really big with a weekday offering of two courses for £10. I had the haggis burger with fries which was delicious, although the bread wasn't great. Everyone else had burgers too and all seemed pretty happy. It seems a nice place so i will probably go back one evening for a drink and see what it's like then! read more

Owned by "FullerThomson", who also own the "Hollyrood 9a" & "The Southern" it's fairly similar in it's food menu and beer selection. Décor wise it's slightly more open and almost Bistro style, although there are some darker more intimate booths at the back. It is well located near the bottom of Lothian Road so handy if you are around the West End of Princes Street, although due to nearby offices and entertainment venues (Usher Hall, PictureHouse, Traverse Theatre) it can get busy and finding a free table can be difficult at times. The beer selection is good, with a large range of tap beers on offer, although I get the impression that the staff are not as passionate about beer as their sister bar staff. On my last visit their beer blackboard had not been updated and it took three attempts to get a beer that was actually available, considering it was 2 o'clock in the afternoon this seems a bit lax. Although having said that, I've never had a problem with the quality of beer served. The food is good, with a wide range of predominantly burgers on their menu and I've never heard anyone complain about the quality, to be honest I think the burgers at "The Southern" or "Hollyrood 9a" seem to be better although I couldn't really pinpoint the difference. Given the choice of the three bars, I'd have to place "The Red Squirrel" third but due to it's location I've probably visited here more often than the other two. And I'll no doubt return again for both their burgers and beers. read more

This bar is a favourite as it is right beside work, so perfect for post work drinks. At the bottom of Lothian Road it is ideally placed for a bit of food before the theatre or a visit to Usher Hall. You can reserve tables for drinks and/or food. It's big and spacious with a great atmosphere and a good selection of drinks and food, particularly the burgers and sharing platters. The staff are also really friendly too, very helpful. There is a small outside seating area at the front, which would be great to watch the world go by from on a nice day. My favourite meal there is the halloumi burger for sure - so tasty! Nom nom! Each burger comes with thin chips but you can upgrade them to sweet potato fries (the way forward!). They have a great selection of meat and vegetarian burgers too. read more

Just what Lothian Road needed; was there a while ago, it was very busy but staff where in control, which cannot always be said about similar places! We both had a Bacon and Cheese Burger and a Black Isle , which turned out to be a great combination and did not have to wait too long for the food! They have a great selection of draught beers, will be back to sample.. It's the kind a place you can go to before a night out but also on a Sunday day with your girlfriend's parents.. All in all definitely the new place for me on Lothian Road! read more

So I am going to paint the picture here...... lazy, sunny, fabulous sunday afternoon. I have a friend down visiting and we need some eats. I then had a lightbulb 'AH-HA!' moment where I suggested we go to Red Squirrel. Having seen the menu and knowing that is one of the sister bars of Fuller and Thomson we decide you probably can't go wrong! The interior here is much different to that in 9a, it is kinda like an American Diner with black and white tiles and all the windows along the front give a great amount of light to this place. We were promptly seated which was great, service was good and friendly! Although I have got to say maybe a little bit too much waiting around considering they weren't THAT busy!? I ended up going for a strawberry milkshake. Yum. And Macaroni and some Garlic Bread. It was nice, my main issue being..... not enough cheese!! It kinda didn't taste of too much. If I am going to order Macaroni I want it to literally have about 3 blocks of cheese in it, and this did not come close! My friend had one of the burgers as he has tried them before and was just as pleased with the one he had here. I like Red Squirrel. But I have to say the selection of beer on tap here is not as good as what you would get at Holyrood, but the menu does show a little bit more diversity. I guess it depends whats more important - beer, or food. And for me beer wins..... every time. read more

I've been to Red Squirrel twice in as many weeks because of the handy location (very close to Filmhouse, Usher Hall and Traverse), its great menu deals and nice atmosphere. Admittedly, I didn't have high hopes the first time I visited the establishment. It's located in a unit on Lothian Road that has had many owners over the last few years and I've never been very enamoured with any of Red Squirrel's predecessors. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the pub is well presented, has a good atmosphere and doesn't suffer from a cheap and nasty vibe. The menu is good quality pub grub, and there's a great deal on two courses for £10 and three courses for £13 - brilliant! The place is owned by the folk that take care of Holyrood 9A, so there were some great burgers on offer as well as other pub grub staples like mac and cheese, fish and chips and some more unusual items like a "plank" of food to share. On my first visit I ordered the veggie haggis burger and then a dessert of sticky toffee pudding. My second visit afforded tomato and basil soup, followed by the veggie haggis burger (again). The portion sizes are very hearty and the staff are pleasant and accommodating. The food is excellent value for money and very tasty. There are also some good deals on alcohol and a fab selection of beer. I spied WEST brewery steins of lager on my first visit. My only jibe is that burgers are served on wooden trays with grease-proof paper. The grease proof paper quickly gets soggy and rips apart - sometimes sticking to your food - so a minor inconvenience to an otherwise fab dinner. Not too sure why the paper is even there in the first place! Overall, a worthwhile place to visit in the centre of Edinburgh. Long may Red Squirrel continue. read more

Look if your that side of town there are certainly worse places to go grab a pint. Its comfy, clean and has a bit of personality about it. Prices are nay too bad, and there is a fair section of drinks. Top tip: It seems to be a great place to meet someone on a tinder date. read more

Great burgers. I was skeptical getting burger anywhere I traveled in the UK coming from the land of burgers(LA/SoCal). I took a chance here. Score. It's legit and on par with the best gourmet burgers I could get at home. Great service too. read more

This was the first stop for food after a long flight from Boston. Had a few beers and a burger here, it was ok, nothing spectacular. We were seated in a booth towards the back and the place wasn't very crowded. I ordered the bacon burger and I wasn't expecting thick pieces of bacon almost like ham. But the burger was still good. OK place, no complaints. read more

No. I didn't want this to happen, but my last experience was bad. I had breakfast in the Red Squirrel. French toast with bacon and maple syrup - added 2 fried eggs. It was delivered promptly. I noticed the bacon being over done - crunchy and charcoal like. I did advise the waiter and he did not offer to replace them; 'sorry' was his response. An empty stomach makes for sweet appetite and I did eat most of it. A special mention needs to go to the 'french toast' - don't order this. It is rubbery and tasteless. I tried to liven things up with some sugar, but to no avail Afterwards I was offered 10% as an apology for the not so nice experience and as this was only one breakfast I am not coming down on this too hard. But it does affect my feeling of having breakfast here any time soon. read more

Yum yum! I am not a vegetarian but I tend to love vegetarian burgers, and the shroom one they have is amazing! Good portions, good prices for the quality. Quite a big place! We got seated close to the front door right against the counter for paying which was quite annoying as the waitresses kept standing there. Just unfortunate seating, looked better a bit further in with couches and boots etc. They have a lot of beers on tap and gladly let you sample as many as you like! I personally liked how many different sizes you could get your beer in, the 1/3 was just perfect for me just wanting a bit of a taste with my dinner. Nice staff, lovely food, will gladly come back! read more

Great burgers and beer but quite flawed. The good - burgers are superb. The not so good - the chips and attention to detail. Our fries/chips were thin, dry and relatively tasteless. Two of us went for dinner and were quickly seated and our orders taken. Both orders were wrong. My wife asked for no cheese and had cheese, I asked for a venison and black pudding patty and was served a jalpeno burger. Even though incorrect, we ate them and they were delicious. When we brought it to the waitresses attention she offered to take them off the bill, which was appreciated but they were so good we paid for them anyway. read more

I've been here a couple of times recently, once for a pre-Picture House gig drink, and once to meet a friend for a girly catch up! A perfect venue for both! The latest incarnation of this bar is my favourite of the past few years, and I hope to make it a regular feature on the list of places I like to go! Tastefully done up...it kind of reminds me a cosier version of an American diner but that might just be to do with the black and white chequerboard floor! The tables are well spaced out (mostly!), and will accommodate varying sized groups to cosy meet-ups! The menu isn't fancy, but is incredibly tasty, and they have a great £10 for two courses deal. They also do a litre carafe of wine for £8.50 (and it was a pretty drinkable wine too!). There's a massive array of beers on tap, which they change regularly for a bit of variety, and their cocktails were skillfully made (my chocolate martini was yummy!) The only 'spoiler' here is the fact that when a gig is on upstairs in the HMV Picture House, the vibrations of the music were extremely noticeable when you were sitting up the back of the bar! If you were out for a quiet drink it would be pretty annoying, you may need to think about moving to the front! Oh....and if you're eating, I'd book a table! Apparently there are a lot of other folk that like Red Squirrel too! read more

Ok, that is how I feel about the Red Squirrel. The other pubs (The Southern & Holyrood 9a) both took fairly run down bars and turned them into good gastropubs, somehow though the Red Squirrel can't escape the roots of Lothian Road. While the clientele in the other two bars changed (improved) Red Squirrel is more or less still populated by an odd mixture of suits and folk having a pre-clubbing meal/drink there is a vibe I can't really describe... The beer/cider/spirit selection is all present and correct and the food is good, though I didn't think it was as good as The Southern or Holyrood 9a, for the location though the Red Squirrel is a decent choice. If there is a gig on in the HMV Picture House then Red Squirrel will be very busy, otherwise it varies. So overall good, but a bit like the youngest sibling that hasn't matured yet. read more

I liked this place from the get go and actually wished we were looking for food rather than just a drink, it was a Sunday afternoon and there was a chilled, fun atmosphere and seemed like the perfect place to catch up with friends for lunch or drinks or to nurse a hangover! There were also a couple of dogs chilling out with their owners which always pleased me! We had a glass of Chenin blanc each - nice, chilled and reasonable price and sat and watched the world go by. Saw a few people get food and got to say the burgers looked awesome! Would definitely go back when in Edinburgh again for lunch or drinks. read more

I have been here a few times just for drinks and then came along for food the other day. It's a fairly welcoming bar with perhaps just a touch too much effort on the decor. Very nice seating arrangement and overall a good atmosphere. I know they haven't been open too long so I'll forgive the somewhat clumsy service that was none the less fairly effective. The menu was really good and similar to the Holyrood 9A, which I assume is the same chain. I had a burger and starter for £10 (a deal mon-thurs I think) which was great value. However I must admit that the mozzarella and tomato salad was probably overpriced if you paid for it outside this deal. The burgers were good value in general though and tasty. Great string fries too. They have a great selection of beers - although a few times the list was not very up to date so despite boasting 15 or so taps they didn't actually have any of the ones I actually wanted. Would have been good to have a board with the beers that had run out. I got a carafe (1L) of red wine for £8.50 which was surprisingly REALLY drinkable. A few other niggles. Lipstick on glass. My burger came 5 mins or so after my friends (it was a pretty quiet night). However overall a totally great night. I will be back and hope that the next time it'll be just as impressive. After a few more visits I will happily upgrade my star rating if it remains satisfactory! read more

Good burgers and pub food. Plenty of vegetarian options (we loved the Dal) and a nice selections of beers. read more

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This bar has changed hands more times than I can remember over the last 5 years, with pretty much every combination of traditional pub or trendy wine bar attempted and each one has failed to make a mark and lasted less than 12 months. I think that pattern may now finally be broken as the Red Squirrel proves itself to be exactly what Lothian Road was missing. As far as I know, this is owned by the same people as the Hollyrood 9A near The Pleasance, which is a great bar and an infinite improvement overs the Hollyrood Tavern that it replaced. The winning formula has been applied to the Red Squirrel, but this is certainly not a straight up copy. This place is a fusion of a "trendy bar", with its modern feel, great decor, upmarket drinks and very professional staff but is also somewhat a "traditional pub" in the way that it's warm, inviting, has lots of proper beer on tap and in no way feels pretentious. I have been a good few times now, and its works just as well for a quiet afternoon lunch, drink and chat or as part of a big night out with a large group. I was in once on a Saturday night when it was packed wall to wall after a gig at the nearby Picturehouse and still had no problem getting served at the bar, the staff were exceptional at managing a crowd. During the day its very relaxed but even at its busiest late on a Saturday night, full of people, I found it was no problem being able to enjoy a conversation. The music was good and not so loud that everyone needed to shout and was actually very pleasant despite the fact that I am easily irritated by bars that busy. The food is also great, taking the tried and tested burgers from Holyrood 9A but adding more to this mix such as breakfasts, soups, salad and their take on bar classics (i.e. fish n chips etc). I am a huge fan of a burger that has been done properly and these burgers are of the highest quality I have found in Edinburgh, with varied and interesting toppings. I have also tried their veggie burgers (based on portobello mushrooms, or halloumi) and they were also great although if I had one criticism it would be the mushrooms burgers are a little light on the mushrooms! Its definitely not a cheap bar, but with the quality high you do get what you pay for and would say it offers great value. Regardless of if you are looking for a quick lunch, a quiet afternoon pint, or to make a night of it, the Red Squirrel seems to work well under most conditions and is definitely worth a visit (or two!). read more

This place is amazing. Best granola ever. Scottish breakfast was insanely good. People are nice , place is clean , will probably come back here for dinner read more

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Great local atmosphere and excellent fish & chips and burgers. The cocktails were large (larger than expected) and very good. The service was a little slow but the waitress was very friendly and offered lots of good advice on where to find things in the area. read more

We popped in here one evening as I'd noticed that it had recently opened and it was around the corner from a place we'd booked in for dinner. As we sat down with our selection from the interesting and long beer menu (and Aspall cider on tap!) in the cosy booth seat, we felt a Friday evening happy glow of getting the weekend off to a great start at a lovely place. The staff were friendly and chatty and the prices very reasonable for a city centre location. This place lingered in our thoughts and although it's a bit far from where we live, we've made an effort to come here a couple of times since. Once for lunch (good halloumi burger) and another time for a few Saturday daytime beverages. They've got some great opening offers on their cocktails at time of writing, and you can also try out more of their vast range of beers by buying sample glasses third of a pint for a £1 I think great for the unsure. Definitely a firm favourite at the moment, highly recommended. read more

A very laid back place to eat that is perfect for traveling Americans craving some comfort food that is almost just like home but different enough to make it special. The Mac and cheese rocks my world, but is DEFINITELY not a small dish! The waitstaff is very kind and friendly. Would definitely recommend this place to a friend. read more

Red Squirrel - The "macaroni cheese" - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Went here for breakfast twice and it was delicious! I got porridge both times because it was so good. My husband got a breakfast sandwich which was excellent. Great, friendly service as well. read more

***** place ***** cuisine **** staff *****location We stopped for a tea and local hamburger. They don't serve lunch until 12 o'clock but it was worth waiting. The place must be nice in the evening too!! read more

Yummy burgers. Nothing really gourmet on the menu, so I think calling this a gastropub is a bit generous, but the food they have is very good - definitely a step up from your average pub. Very friendly staff. read more

Best breakfast place on that side of town! Had the Chirizo sourdough toast and a latte... great vibe, great music! Would recommend anyone to go there! Will tell all those coming to Edinburgh to check it out! read more

On a recent visit to Edinburgh we stumbled accross the Red Squirrel and I'm so glad that we did as they do ammmmaaazzzzzzziiiinnnnngggg burgers. Usually I'm a tomato sauce on just about everything kinda gal but the burger tasted so good that it really didn't need anything else. House fries went down a treat too. Service was top notch and the atmosphere was petty chilled. All in all the Red Squirrel was a good find. read more

This is not really a gastropub ; really just a bar with food. Draft beer selection is not as extensive as I hoped and they were out of two of their five mainstays. Service was friendly but poor and inattentive. Food was mediocre. Better places in the area to eat. read more

First visit yesterday for a bite to eat and a drink. The food was awesome, I had the dirty bird, already dying to go back and try something else. Great place with a good atmosphere, prices were reasonable too! read more

While out walking and looking for somewhere nice to eat, Christina M. and me stumbled upon this restaurant/bar. I only had to give the menu a glance to realise this was the place for me. They had a great selection of craft beer both draft and bottled. There was wide choice of burgers on the menu and I ended up picking 'Death by chilli' which was a beef burger with jalapeños, habanero sauce, sour cream and tomato. The burger was amazing, the hot chilli's gave it a real kick but the sour cream cut right through it and balanced it well. My burger came with fries which had been coated in cumin and chilli power which complimented the burger well. It also came with large home-pickled gherkin which was skewered to the top of the burger. This was all washed down with a Brewdog 5am saint :) Christina went for 'blue murder' which was a beef burger with blue cheese, bacon and a flatcap mushroom. She described it as "creamy and delicious". Would highly recommend if your looking for a great beer and even greater burgers. read more

I've been across the pond for almost 2 weeks... first meal I've gotten a burger and it was AWESOME!!! Scottish 100% beef is amazing! They have skinny fries, which are my favorite. A great hoppy IPA, also reminds me of home. Fantasyic service!!! read more

Mmm...back again and have to say things are slipping a wee bit. What happened to Brew Dog and Blue Moon beers. I think Edinburgh has enough places to get a decent burger, but a decent selection of beers to go with them is a slightly rarer beast. Think I ended up with a a fairly standard wheat beer. It's not too late to re-think the booze order people. read more

Beer selection is certainly solid - check the rotating taps if you visit - bottles too. Atmosphere and music are enjoyable. Food is decent but not memorable or noteworthy. Wait service at the bar and at the tables is not friendly and not helpful. I would choose another pub next time. read more

Red Squirrel has an amazing ambiance, quick service and the food is amazing. I highly recommend the "artisan cheese board" as an appetizer. Can get loud on the weekends at night, but most of the time the noise level isn't that bad. read more

Had a fantastic falafel burger and a great breakfast...love the atmosphere and the wait staff were all extremely kind and really helpful.

Came here for dinner with two friends. We each had burgers and they were quite delicious! The fries were a little disappointing - overcooked and tasted a bit like fast food fries. Overall, the meal was nice though! Prices were good too. read more