My family and I celebrated Christmas Eve dining at the Bon Vivant. Pre-fixed special menu was amazing! Service top notch and nice ambiance (pub). You will have a nice time! read more

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Ambiance - 10 stars. The vibe is dark, candle lit and cozy. Great spot for a date night and intimate chat over drinks. Some tables have curtains for extra privacy. Most of the food wasn't that great. But the truffle fries were to die for. The whipped sweet potato, grilled octopus, tortellini were not good. I would go back just for drinks and fries. read more

Pleasant meal in a comfortable setting. The restaurant is relaxed, with good cocktails and beers. The appetizers are varied and tasty. The charcuterie platter was delicious. The service was attentive and helpful. read more

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Very very good! 10/10 we loved the Sunday roast. I thought it was delicious, the bread, gravy, veggies, beef, all of it. Ambiance of the place is great, service was great. read more

The Bon Vivant - Sunday Roast - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We watched a lot of TopJaw to determine restaurants to some of the top restaurants to eat in Edinburgh. Unfortunately this was subpar and nothing to write home about. Ambiance was a cool darkish vibe. Might be a bit loud for some. Service was pretty good and waiter was attentive and answered questions. Drinks were boozy and strong. Food however, was so so. We ordered the haggis bon bons which came in a bbq sauce. Also ordered the Cacio y Pepe risotto. It was creamy but missing something. The venison was tender but lacked flavor. Mash was alright as well. Simple. Overall would skip as didn't seem worth the hype. However, they have a massive whisky and wine list, so stopping in for a drink might be worth while. read more

Ambience, decor & atmosphere was awesome! I was hoping for a more unique cocktail menu, but it had the classics. My "bite" at the start was excellent! My main course, the mushroom risotto, was underwhelming and a bit disappointing. The hostess was wonderful, but my waitress was unhelpful. Not sure if I would return with so many other great options all over! read more

The Bon Vivant - Clover club - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Food was delicious, drinks were well made and service was very good. We tried the haggis bon bons and korean fried chicken for starters. Both were delicious, each served with their own punchy sauce. For mains we had the lamb rump and sirloin steak with a side of truffle parmesan chips (must have!). Very well cooked, each item on the plates was well prepared and paired with everything else. Lemon posset was the perfect end to the meal, light and refreshing. read more

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The Bon Vivant capped my trip to Edinburgh and was the best way to see me off. While every bar offers a variety of beer, an array of whisky, and some wine, few places offered any sort of extensive cocktail options. Initially I thought their offerings were limited to more classic cocktails but then realized their menu had a a few hidden pages within that then explained their extensive spirit selection. While I had several cocktails from the menu, the bartender also offered a couple that were not listed. Not only were the cocktails delicious, the staff was amazing, and bartenders in particular were quick and highly skilled. The space itself was dimly lit, but bright enough to see one another. We had no problem hearing one another and had we not eaten immediately before I would've happily have enjoyed some bites. For all your imbibing needs, The Bon Vivant has something for everyone. I'd happily return on my next visit to Edinburgh. read more

The Bon Vivant was extremely busy when we got there on a Saturday evening. Good thing we had made a reservation. We were seated immediately although our first table was quite small and around the corner from the loo. When we requested a table change, they were more than happy to oblige. Service was superb. Our glasses were never empty and our orders came out quickly. The staff was always coming around to check on us. They were very attentive indeed. We ordered the haggis bonbons and the pork belly rillettes as our appetizer. If we had to choose, we would go for the haggis bonbons. For our mains, I got the venison and the partner-in-dine chose the duck. The venison was tender and tasty. But the duck was way better. We also shared a lemon custard dessert. It was zzzzzzzzzesty! Our dinner wasn't cheap but the meal was worth the price paid. read more

The Bon Vivant - Venison - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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My wife said this meal ranked in the top five meals of her life. She had a hatch of venison. My steak, barley, and wild mushrooms was exquisite. The service was excellent even though we sat through a shift change. Nothing but accolades for this place. read more

The Bon Vivant - Charcuterie board - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This is a bar Not a restaurant Loud music ..thump thump boom boom. Non-stop. I tired to bail but could not. In my decades of enjoying restaurants I have never had a bavette steak cut into pieces before it was served If you want a noisy bar that claims to serve food maybe Bon Vivant will be your dream come true in Edinburgh read more

A good place to eat with different opinions between all of us dining. Most of us thought the food had an impeccable presentation but lack seasoning, the salt shaker was used abundantly. The staff was very nice and courteous and an exceptional heat wave In Edinburgh we still enjoyed ourselves. read more

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We looked at yelp to find a nice place and it didn't disappoint. The small bites were nice. I had the pork belly. I had the lamb for my main, it was awesome, tasted great and the portion was spot on. Photo was uploaded. The atmosphere is cozy and service quick. Great help from the server with recommendations on restaurants and tourist places. read more

The Bon Vivant - Awesome lamb! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Fantastic Sunday roast at The Bon Vivant. A small upscale restaurant serving traditional fare. Reservations are necessary read more

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I wanted my friend who was visiting Scotland for the first time to try some Scottish food, but wanted her to also try a variety so I chose this place since they served up Scottish type tapas. Bon Vivant is a dark, sexy, loud, but intimate type restaurant/bar. The tables are small and the space is tight but the place has really great energy. It offers amazing small dishes and also main. The small plates varies and include haggis balls, arancini (Italian rice balls), pork belly, chorizo, and many more. One piece cost £2 and £6 for 3 pieces. The bigger portion can be around £8-£9. Their main courses cost around £15-20. I prefer ordering the small bite dishes cause you can try many different types and they are truly tasty. The haggis balls sits on a sweet Asian style pepper sauce and the combination works very well. The pork belly was my favourite. It's decadent, flavourful (from the fat) and satisfying. One bite of it was more than enough unless you want to over indulge. They have extensive drinks menu which includes beers, red/ white wine, and many different types of cocktails. Their cocktails are strong, tasty, and creative. The staff are quick and helpful. The place isn't the best place to take someone on a date unless your both comfortable shouting at each other cause it can get loud. This is a great place to go with friends while enjoying good food and drinks. read more

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Great food!!! Great service (thank you Alicia)!!! Elegant food w/o the black tie! Mushroom bites are to die for. Venison dish as well as the wild rice aubergine were phenomenal! read more

Late night cocktails and good chat! We had some fantastic cocktails here and a great catch up. The inside is a bit dark and can get a bit loud but who cares with martini's and bar bites this good!? I am definitely a fan and have sent many people along. They also do some great tasting events where you can choose the wines on the list - all the details are on the boards. read more

The Bon Vivant - Birthday cocktail - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Was recommended a trip down Thistle Street to find good food and after stopping in at The Bon Vivant Companion next door and getting fabulous service, we thought we'd try their bar. So glad we did. After only having plane food for the last 24 hours, anything would've sufficed but for our first meal to be such a home run was a delight. Our waiter recommended fabulous drinks based on our preferences and the food was delicious. We ordered a series of the Bites and each was a thoughtful creation of flavour and texture. The sweet corn Panna Cotta with subtle garlicky back notes and the chorizo and smoked cheese croquettes were stand outs for me. Interestingly, the only dish that wasn't great was the chips! I think the oil might not have been hot enough as they were a little soggy and oily. Although bordering on full, we chose to press on and shared a main. And how glad we were. The apple smoked duck with hazelnuts and cherry was a smokey punch in the face but delightfully so. Often when a dish is described as smoked you really have to search for it, but this was by far the smokiest dish I've eaten. The richness of the duck the perfect vehicle for the smoke, and the cherries brightening up the whole dish. Superb. read more

The Bon Vivant - Apple smoked duck. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We made this reservation 2 months in advance as the place we wanted to have dinner at on our last night in Edinburgh. We were really excited but the staff was very rude. We never really knew who our waiter was, they didn't have much personality or didn't seem excited or happy to be at work. Some of the food was a little bland but their sirloin, dessert and drinks were excellent. The ambiance is great, nice and cozy but maybe the staff needs better personalities. read more

Food is fantastic, as well as the atmosphere. I had been out seeing the city for ten hours and wanted a great meal as my reward. This restaurant does not disappoint! Since I had guest looked it up, spur of the moment, I was not prepared for the full restaurant. My meal and experience couldn't have happened without the assistance and kindness of Cameron at the front. He warmly greeted me, offered me the standing room he had available since they were booked full. While I was standing, he came up top me and offered me a table, he had found a way to fit me in. I couldn't have had the experience without him. If I wasn't visiting, I would frequent and recommend this location to everyone I talked to. Keep up the hospitality Cameron read more

Service wasn't good but I had a fantastic cocktail here before going to dinner elsewhere. I love sour things and the 1934 Zombie was absolutely perfect. They even tied it up with a little yellow ribbon, which was unnecessary but undeniably cute. Minus one star for the service but it really was a great drink. read more

The Bon Vivant - 1934 Zombie - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Ah, a friday night and like many a working professional i found myself headed to the bar for a few drinks and a catch up with a lovely friend! we decided on bon vivant and as i walked into the bar i was met with a scene of many suited men and some very attactive bartenders!! perfect start to a friday night.... now if you're in need of a cocktail, the drinks list at Bon Vivant has a large number of options. they also have a really good wine list from which i ordered a glass of riesling, an old favourite. My friend opted for the Matinee cocktail which was a gorgeous concotion of rum mixed with kaffir lime leaves and some other items i can't remember nor can i find a cocktail list on their website to tell me... i did have a taste of the cocktail and thought it was so good i ordered one as soon as i finished my wine! the restaurant portion of this bar is lovely with a sort of gothic chic design. the food menu is quite clever as all their starters come in two sizes, a start portion or a bite portion. the bites are each £1 and it's a great way to try a few of the tasty starters they have on offer. we ordered the crispy prawns, the breaded brie with pesto, the falafel with a chili and pumpkin sauce, and queenie scallops with garlic butter. all of these were delicious and just the right size to enjoy as a nibble while having drinks. the bites were also the perfect size to leave us with room to have a look at their dessert menu. we shared a portion of the chocolate mousse with caramel and a quince and pear crumble with a side of pear ice cream. both of these were absolutely delicious and were quickly polished off!! the perfect end to our time at bon vivant and our catch up. it was also good timing as the table was reserved, but i have to say that helpful staff never rushed us to leave which i thought was a nice touch. my last comment about bon vivant is that the drinks may be a bit more expensive than other bars, but everything else on their menu is incredibly good value! the bites at a £1 are so good and the desserts were only £4 for a size that was big enough to share. it's also worth noting that their desserts also come in a £1 bite size. and really, the cocktails are so good they're totally worth the price!! looking forward to another visit some time in the near future :) read more

The Bon Vivant - Amazing but very strong cocktails! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

A fabulous cocktail bar right next to a cool bottle shop. From the outside it looks plain and you can easily miss it. Look for the blue doors and walk into a low lit bar with lots of places to sit and or stand and sip a cocktail or few. The menu is extensive and there are a few bearded bar tenders mixing up a great variety of cocktails. There are cocktail specials on the boards and an extensive cocktail menu. They do serve food here however as we did not eat here cannot comment on the food. The crowd is generally a little bit older and probably over 25 rather than under. I would happily come back here for an evening with friends and spend a lot of money trying different cocktails. It's not cheap but well worth the money. The service is excellent and they even replaced one of the cocktails on a mere notion that it did not taste right. They did go our of their way to please and that is always a hallmark of a good bar. read more

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Nice Hendricks gin, nice atmosphere! The place is hidden away on Thistle street and I might walk by without realizing its there. But if you find the entrance, then you won't be disappointed. There is a bar area and a restaurant. Its quite dark in there, so the candles around the place offer some visibility of your surroundings. I really like the bar area. Its cozy and intimate. Good for dates! Not sure if I would have dinner there. Would like to see what I eat :-) The toilets are clean. Fortunately I found the women's toilet in the dark. read more

The Bon Vivant - Best gin tonic! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

All the dishes were tasty. The Cauliflower soup, pig belly, venison, gnocchi, and trout. A great atmosphere with reasonable prices. Tried time get into Fishes and and and they were all 30 to 60 min wait at 7pm. Silly us. This was a fine alternative, filled with many that were in the same boat. Of note: Portions were healthy, except the gnocchi, which came with 6 pieces. Normally expecting a bowl full, but the taste and veggie made for a filling experience. The Venison was 3 healthy pieces and was a great experience. The trout was something we thought looked like salmon. Again a solid portion all tasty The wait between courses was a bit longer than expected, but the place was packed. read more

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Walked passed on Friday and after looking at menu we decided to pop in Our meal was delicious my baked cod was cooked perfectly My wife had pork loin which was delicious Service was excellent with the waiter recommending beers to try Will definitely be back read more

I sang karaoke in here once when it was The World, or at least I think that was its name. I'm not sure if the karaoke nights still exist, but the place has certainly been revamped to quite a large extent, and is going for the classy wine bar feel, rather than traditional pub vibe. In deceivingly quite large premises on Thistle Street, Bon Vivant has the dark and mysterious, candlelit thing going on really well. I've been in here with a few friends for after work, midweek drinks, which went down pretty nicely, and the dimmed lighting and relaxed atmosphere makes you feel nice and warm and slouchy, so you get the impression that chilling with a drink for a few hours won't be a problem. Why does it seem that in some bars it would be a problem? Hmmm, in any case, there is a good selection of wines here, plus a more than average number of champagnes available by the glass, great if you're parched and feel like a glass of fizz would fill the void, but don't necessarily want to splash your whole night's funds on a bottle. read more

The Bon Vivant - Photo from bonvivantedinburgh.co.uk - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Once you step into this adorable restaurant, it will remind you a romantic Parisian restaurant that is quaint yet somehow modern. Although by appearance it is very romantic with dim lighting, candles and dark wood furnishings it is a great place to meet the girls for dinner or a drink or to have a quick meal. I like the concept of this menu, a great wine/champagne menu paired with appetizers, small plates of mains and desserts (though there are few items that you can get as a main course). This way you can try lots of different dishes without committing to just one dish. I'm a huge sucker for variety and this is a great way to accomplish sampling whilst dining alone. Another huge plus is that since there are small bites, the food comes out virtually instantly. Love it! I'm usually starving so the idea of ordering and it comes out right quick is very appealing. It's quicker than a fast food restaurant. The only drawback I think to the menu is that although very tasty, most of the items are very indulgent - either deep-fried or in pastry. I know the portions are small, but when you add them up, so do the calories and fat. However, it's not say that the food was not excellent because it was. To top off a wonderful meal, the wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. read more

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Tucked away down a tiny cobblestone street Came for the Scotch, but stayed to eat Ordered a Scotch, only had 1 drink But tasted so good, in it was called chocolate something... Had a huge ice cube, kind of looked cool Would have been even better, if read more

You know when you wake up on a Sunday and you're hungover and you can't look out the window because the light pierces through your head? Well, get over it and go for a full roast at Bon Viv's. It'll be better than any fry up you can make yourself and makes you feel warm and fuzzy like you've just been born. An unreasonable amount of perfectly cooked meat (other options for you too, veggies), the crispiest roast potatoes and veg like something from an M&S ad (the slow mo one, not the one with that guy talking about girls in knickers) To avoid all disappointment when it comes to pudding - for once, you can have everything as for the costly sum of £1 you can have a little portion. I highly recommend having a trio, because hopefully like you, I have no concern for the size of my arse as my priorities lie with my taste buds. Thank you, Bon Vivant. I love you. read more

Visited here last night for the first time. I can't say enough good things about The Bon Vivant. The atmosphere was relaxed, welcoming and cosy. We found the bar tenders to be first class. They were friendly, chatty and knowledgable, recommending alternative whiskeys for us to try. We enjoyed sitting at the bar and watching them make cocktails. I highly recommend anyone to pop in for a drink. It's a perfect place for date night. read more

Ok so I feel like I may get shot down in flames for saying this but I find Bon Vivant so disappointing...the first time I entered this place it was fab. Not overly packed, good service and nice drinks but since returning several times over the past few years I've left each time feeling glum after the experience. I apologise to all the diehard fans of this place but each time it was packed to the rafters, the service at the bar was quick but typically cold and rude and the cocktails really off in taste....I will no doubt find myself tagging along in the near future with some of the diehard fans of this place and I hope my mind will be changed but for now I'd rather try somewhere else :-S *Don't worry diehards, if my mind does change I'll update my review ;) read more

I want to give Bon Vivant 3.5 stars but Yelp won't let me, and I can't quite bring myself to up my review to 4 stars. Yesterday was our very first Edinburgh Yelpers Massive. We had a whopping turnout of 3 Yelpers (myself included) with two Canadian non-Yelpers in attendance. The plan was to go enjoy the couches and cocktails in Underdogs but for some unexplained reason, it was closed. So, we headed to Bon Vivant, just around the corner. When we walked in from the bright day I was immediately hit with how DARK it is inside. That's all well and good when it's dark or dusky outside but seems a bit extreme in the middle of the afternoon. We were immediately greeted by a waiter who handed us a wine list told us that while we were welcome to sit at any of the tables generally reserved for diners, we might need to vacate if the table was needed. I thought that was completely fair and very nice of him to let us know the low-down ahead of time. A couple of us got the beers in and I was very pleased to find that the mugs were refrigerated which made the beer that much tastier. It didn't quite warrant paying £3.60 for said beer, but I guess that's what you have to pay in New Town these days. We had a great time chatting away about the kind of topics you don't normally bring up with people you've not met before, but then I can't really give the bar credit for that. I've heard very good things about the food and the fact that the portions are served in "normal" sizes as well as £1 and £2 tapas sizes sounds like a great idea. But even after all of that I just can't bring myself to give it 4 stars. I think the problem is that it's maybe just a little too posh for me, a little too stuffy. The staff aren't stuffy mind you, so it must be the decor I'm commenting on. It's not very comfortable, you don't feel like you could stay for hours and hours. At least, I don't. So I stand by my 3.5 stars but will definitely go back and try some of those tasty looking tapas at which point you will be hearing from me again. read more

Cosy, atmospheric & lovely! We ordered cocktails and they were lush! Service great, although we did go in the afternoon and it was relativley quiet.We didnt eat there but would definatley reccommed for drinks! read more

Woweee, Despite recommending people head here a bunch this was my first visit to Bon Vivant. I genuinely didn't even actually know where it is, but we were in that end of town looking for a table for 6 after some drinks with work and I suggested heading along. We were STARVING and THIRSTY. In we went and first impressions were that if you wanted a cosy drink, or to eat with friends then this was the place to be. It was a tad dark in that I couldn't see what was in the fridges, but I got over that rather quickly. The staff were really friendly and clearly really enjoy working there which is always good to see. We were seated after about 10 minutes which considering we just wandered up at 9pm on a Thursday isn't at all bad. Olives and bread ordered (tasty) and eaten, we ordered mains and more drinks. **ISSUE BREAK** My two main issues with this place 1) beer - get some bloody decent beer in. San miguel is alright but a decent craft beer wouldn't have gone amis. NOT INNIS AND GUNN - you're a restaurant not a sweetie shop. Something like Cesar Augutus from williams brothers or Schiehallion on keg would have been spot on. Light, fruity, refreshing. 2) Toothpicks - get some wooden ones. The plastic ones for the olives were annoying. **/ISSUE BREAK** Now we're done with that. Food - most of us ordered a magnificent roast lamb with mushrooms and ducks hearts. Oh my word it was awesome. I don't even want to describe it as no doubt the menu will have changed, it changes daily, so just trust me when I say put their food, in you, NOW. Staff were attentive and smiley, water glasses were refilled almost scarily quickly. All in all it was an awesome venue. recommended. read more

Meh. If you like beards and waistcoats, are very into the current trend for drinking fancy gins, and would maybe stretch as far as to say you had hipster tendencies this is probably the bar for you. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing the matter with any of these things. I just felt that it was trying a bit too hard. We were only here for one drink so I will condense my usual essays into a few sentences. Good things involved an extensive drinks menu, attentive service, and I really liked that the servers brought iced water as soon as you sat down (I always feel cheap asking for tap water but often like to quench my thirst before I sip a tasty beverage). Prices were fine, more expensive than your regular old man pub but nothing really over the top. And the staff were super nice. Bad things included having a wine/cocktail/mixers type list that had every type of drink imaginable EXCEPT any of the draft or bottled beers, ciders or softs. Just because you serve fancy cocktails doesn't mean everyone wants fancy cocktails all the time! It was also pretty dark inside on what was otherwise a fairly bright day, but if you prefer to start drinking early and keep going late then that probably won't bother you. On this occasion we were waiting for a friend to arrive for dinner so when we stepped outside it took a while for eyes to readjust, and that was at 6pm so it was a tad dusky. But then again this is the bar owned by the same people that own El Cartel, the wee mexican restaurant across the road. For that alone I would give it another half-star because the linking of the two venues across the lane from each other is rather lovely - if you can't get a table in EC when you arrive they will tell you that they will come and fetch you from BV if you want to stop in for a drink. I wouldn't rush back but if I was in the vicinity I wouldn't avoid it either. Just so-so really. read more

The Bon Vivant is a unique place in Edinburgh. Tucked away in Thistle street, the place is a bar that also makes food. There is a little restaurant area at the back. They have a lovely range of aperitif martini cocktails at a reasonable price which you can sip in the comfy seats near the front. The food is lovely, fresh and Scottish fusion I would say, reasonably priced too. I only went to that place once but cannot wait to go back. With an intimate decor, it's a great place for a romantic night or just for a drink and food with a couple of friends. I have only been during the week but I believe the place must get quite busy at weekends. Highly recommended. read more

A great please to pop into for a spell on an unseasonably warm day in Scotland. Nice bites and good coctkails. Haggis and fish croquettes were delicious. read more

Okay, so I went here last night.. and I loved it!!! First, the staff are super friendly and always smiling. They definitely made me feel welcome. Our waiter took the time to explain the menu for us, and was very helpful by arranging our meal to be brought out in the desired order my friend and I wanted (we might have ordered pretty much everything) So I tried out all the bites except for two, and had some of them in the £3 starter size, all of them to share. They were really quick at keeping our table nice and orderly (we honestly had so many plates), but didn't seem intrusive. I liked the food a lot too. I'd have to say my favourite starter was the Mackerel. yum. So even with ordering 4 starters, 1 bite, and a side of garlic potatos, we might have still been a bit peckish. So if you're the type to want to try EVERYTHING because you're indecisive like me. I'd recommend to still order a main and a couple bites. After we had finished what we ordered, instead of going for dessert we went for the chorizo and bread to fill us up. All in all, the bites are really bites, but the food is great and i loved the atmosphere. I'd definitely consider going back again. The tapas style really is quite fun!! read more

I was really impressed with the quality of the lunch in the Bon Vivant. I've been a regular visitor, overall the previous months and years, but usually just for wine and/or cocktails. Their all day menu, showcasing a range of "bite" starters, ranges from £1 for a bite, to the mid-teens for main courses. The quality remains high, throughout. Overall, we said: "the Bon Vivant serves really impressive food, in lovely surroundings. The service couldn't be friendlier, but could be a trifle speedier. But for a relaxed lunch in a smart pub setting, there are few better places in our fair city. Bravo, chaps - I enjoyed my visit very much." read more