When in Scotland... eat Haggis. This restaurant offered a superb rendition of this traditional Scottish dish in a contemporary, delicious way. A must try if it shows up on the seasonal menu. We had excellent waitstaff- Ellie and Christina teamed up to take care of us. Having never been there before we explored our options and took their suggestions. We we so happy with our choices of the Pork bellies and the lamb dish. Absolutely amazing that we booked a reservation for our return to Edinburgh. read more

One of the best restaurants in Edinburgh! Great food, drinks, and best of all excellent and friendly service. We go there each time we visit. Book a table well in advance as they fill up quickly. read more

Rude employees, it was super hot inside and had an awful ventilation. Overrated! Won't recommend. read more

This place was very good. We were able to get a table without a wait, but I got the impression you should typically make a reservation. A vast whisky selection, at reasonable prices, but their hot totty wasn't that great. The steak was small, but tender and juicy. It was a bit overcooked for my taste, but as a Texan I should have known to order it more rare than I wanted it. The pork chop was delicious! I'd say of the two dishes, the pork chop was better. read more

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Really great restaurant. Great food, service, and atmosphere. I would love to go back again.

American jersey girl here! I came here for lunch with 4 other friends. We were seated outside which was very nice. The food and drinks were very good. They do have vegan options. The drinks were strong and delicious. The servers were very nice. I would def come back here again read more

Amazing service and extremely high quality food and drink! I took myself out to dinner and felt completely comfortable and taken care of by the attentive and kind servers. I ordered a salmon crab cake starter, crispy polenta with mushrooms and cheese main, and cremè brûlée dessert. The portions were perfect as I left feeling completely satisfied not too full. I also enjoyed 2 glasses of Prosecco over the course of my meal and dessert. Nothing but good things to say about this amazing restaurant. read more

Hidden gem of a mixology pub; down the narrow Advocate's close, in an ancient stone building. The scotch, bourbon, and whiskey selection is outstanding, and it allowed me to savor the 21-year old Glennfiddich Gran Reserve. I love a good single-malt scotch, and always have Glenfiddich at home - but don't often get the chance to enjoy the 21 year old variant! The mixed drink menu is also great; I suggest the Black Dog, and the Rest on Your Laurels. Well done! The food here is supposed to be excellent as well, but we ended up leaving before our table was open. If you do stay to eat, there are good outdoor areas beside the close, as well as private booths snd an upstairs area. Enjoy! read more

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Great Place. Great food. Had the Chicken Breast was amazing. Great selection of beers and the Negroni was the best I had.

No matter what number of enneagram test results you fall under, I believe that you will like The Devil's Advocate. 1. Do you like beer? 2. Do you like nostalgically historic buildings down enchanting alleyways? 3. Do you like a lively fun atmosphere? 4. Are you a fan of pubs and good food? If you have answered "yes" to any of the questions above... this place is for you. The beer is fantastic and the ambiance is great. The whimsical spot makes for a great dinning experience. Love the design of this place and the layout. My boyfriend and I were prompted to make a reservation and I am glad that we did. We started with the Cullen Skink. It was rich, creamy, and delightfully warming. He enjoyed the braised beef brisket, mashed potato, maple glazed carrots and garlic chips. I had the rump fillet and it was cooked more on the rare side---still good. We don't have any complaints here. When you try this place make sure you raise a pint! I'll toast you from the bar. read more

Came here around 3pm for a late lunch, and the restaurant wasn't that full but it still took me 5 minutes to be seated. The servers were super friendly and informative, as they helped me select my whiskey - there were just so many options here! They had hundreds of different whiskeys to try! In the end, I got one of the more basic / beginner whiskies (sorry, I don't remember which one exactly) and boy was it a great whisky! Even though I don't have much experience, it beats what I've drank in Canada and the USA. It tasted good, but was still quite strong! I had the crispy black haggis as a starter! And boy was it better than I thought, the outside was deep fried so that's where the "crispy" came from. The inside actually tasted quite good, even though I was expecting something gross and nasty, but they seasoned and cooked it really well here, and it exceeded my expectations! For the main, I had the Tweed Valley burger, and boy, this was one of the best burgers I've ever had. It's super juicy, tasty, delicious and greasy, but the good beef kind of grease. Everything about the burger was good, the bacon and the bread, just everything. And the chips were so delicious. They were freshly made chips and so fluffy with great texture - salted and fried perfectly! This restaurant is so good, I'd definitely recommend. And when I'm back in Edinburgh, I'd love to try this place again! read more

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Quite possibly the most hipster place I visited while abroad. We arrived for a late lunch around 2:30 on a Saturday. There was no one to greet us and it seemed pretty chaotic. Bartenders trying to make drinks, food runners racing up and down the stairs, and no host stand in sight. We finally waved down a worker, told him our party size, and he said it would be a 20 minute wait... didn't take our names or anything so we just stood at the bar and ordered drinks. The drink menu is vast and there are a number of creative cocktails available. Our wait ended up being closer to 45 minutes, but whatever. The upstairs area is pretty small, so I wasn't surprised why we waited to so long to be seated. The service was pretty nonchalant-- no sense of urgency, greeting, or description of the menu. Luckily, we still had our drinks that we ordered from the bar and were able to place our food order right away. Our food took awhile to come out. However, the falafel/lentil appetizer was very unique and tasty. The fish and chips were okay, not the best I had while traveling. My husband's burger was very dry and definitely needed some sauce or cheese to moisten it up. It did have a "tomato salsa" on it that resembled neither tomato nor salsa, but more of a tomato paste. It was weird in a bad way. He was pretty disappointed with how terrible the burger was, considering so many other reviewers raved about the burgers here. Overall, we had an A-OK time. Would I come back? Maybe for a cocktail. Was it the best hipster place I experience while abroad? No. read more

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The restaurant is a little tricky to find and definitely not for anyone who cannot navigate a number of steps. The ambiance is excellent and one of the best spaces I have seen/ate at. The food was generally very good but the charcuterie was a little disappointing with just two (albeit very good) cheeses and three very similar dried/cured sausages along with excellent pickled vegetables and a relish; perhaps the addition of a ham and more varied sausages would work. The service did, at times, feel a little rushed but that evened out as the dinner progressed. Overall a good experience and an enjoyable evening. read more

First time go to Devil's advocate wtih my group of friends (total 11 people). Got outdoor siting for dinner. Food choices are quite limited. We ordered smoked salmon for starter and steak for main courses. The starter was excellent, however the steak was just average. My order ribeye steak was sold-out even though it was still early at 6pm. Finally I ordered medium rump-steak, yet I came out well done! I complaint and got replaced with medium well - still hard meat, not as I expected. The offset was the wine, I ordered merlot and satisfied read more

Cool bar in a nice location. Was there enjoying a pint and needed to walk outside to answer a call from my daughter. Dude at the door squared up on me and said no drinks outside (ok, but not the norm for this area). He was pretty aggressive about it without any context. Didn't press the subject, I just took my pint back inside, left it there and rolled out to take my call. It's ok to have rules, but how you manage them within the client experience is the differentiator. To be fair, the girl behind the bar was very kind and topped me off after I paid. Plus for that. read more

Fun place for beers right near Old Town Chambers. Nice pub atmosphere around the bar and friendly service. Would like to come back for dinner sometime Outdoor seating is also available, and was full on a very cold late afternoon. Fun! read more

Enjoyed a great meal with the family. Started with a charcuterie board and soup. One of us ordered steak and other shared the the smoked fish board. All the food was enjoyed and devoured. The cocktails are on point. Small location so definitely recommend a reservation. read more

I have a peanut allergy and after reading reviews decided to call before keeping our reservation. The person who answered was quite rude and said they do not serve peanuts but their vendors may cause cross contamination. I tried to offer a bit of advise because I really wanted to eat there. The solution is simple CHEF WASH YOU HANDS! After handling the desserts....Makes one wonder....do they wash their hands after using the bathroom? Won't bother eating there or recommending it. read more

Service was outstanding. Friendly staff and paced the meal perfectly. Salmon plate was awesome and the other food was delicious. It was all above average including the drinks/cocktails. read more

One of my favorites in Edinburgh! Gorgeous ambiance, and very Old Town architecture/feel. The restaurant is on the way down on the dark stairways from the high street. I had chicken breast and Corn, mint & courgette fritters. read more

Mediocre everything. Don't understand the hype. Expensive for the quality. Don't bother walking the steps .

Oh my god. Best burger I've had in ages. For real. It's been a couple weeks but I'm still fondly reminiscing on the time I spent in the company of that beautiful hunk of beef. I had just arrived in Edinburgh and was hungry. After chatting with my Airbnb host, she agreed that she'd heard good things about The Devil's Advocate (I had already bookmarked it on Yelp). My accommodation was right down the street. It's in the middle of Advocate Close, so you either need to walk up or down a bunch of steps, dependent on which direction you're coming from. I walked down and asked about seating for one. The bartender suggested the bar, which suited me just fine. I was quickly given a porter (taste before full pour) and ordered the burger. Here's a testament to how good it was: I didn't realize it had peppers on it. I ate them anyway even though I despise peppers in most instances. Because they complemented the flavoring so well. The whole thing was just so good. I think my picture of it tells it all. One meh point: It was an expensive burger. But you're paying for top quality. I wholeheartedly recommend this place and am accepting burger donations. read more

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I usually don't write reviews but I had to for this restaurant. The food and drinks were fantastic. We did make a reservation for dinner and I would highly suggest doing that. We went on a Wednesday night and heard a few people get turned away because there were no tables. We showed up 45 minutes early and expected to wait but they got us in right away since our table was open. Highly recommend the haggis app and venison dinner - delicious! I wish I had another reservation during our trip. read more

The mussels and the smoked salmon board are absolutely bomb! The plating of smoked salmon board is an work of art. It has a mysterious and chill vibe. The servers are very friendly and helpful. They gave us a charger to charge our phone, which saves our lives. Absolutely recommended. read more

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The food, service, and whisky menu were all amazing. I enjoyed the pan fried chicken and fresh veggies. The single malt old fashion was a perfect match. read more

If in Edinburgh, STOP searching and make a reservation HERE!!! You will not be disappointed ... This place packed a punch! Service, Ambiance, Food and Cocktails - what more can you ask for?! Located down a few staircases, nestled in a perfect little location with downstairs, upstairs, and patio seating - this places was definitely one of my favorite stops on my trip! Our server was absolutely incredible! The food was great and the whisky selection and cocktails served were amazing! Haggis was cooked perfectly, Rare Beef starter was quite flavorful and both entrees were great: Pichana and Lamb Rump! The Pichana was seriously amazing - the best thing there in my opinion and the sauce provided with the lamp that was drizzled in the place was seriously delicious! A MUST if ever in the area! Have your server make her own coffee concoction for you - it will be great after dinner! read more

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Great ambiance and excellent food. They offer local beers which is a plus! The fish charcuterie was my favorite dish.

I had the lentil and wheat meal and it was delicioussss. the charcuterie board was also excellent and the restaurant itself had a very cool interior. great meal overall! read more

The Devil's Advocate - charcuterie board - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Amazing selection of scotch, food looked beautiful and was delicious. Recommend the pork belly, also the haggis. Staff was friendly and attentive. Would suggest reservations, place gets packed. read more

The Devil's Advocate - Haggis - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Great authentic food in perfect Old town location! Especially recommend to try black haggis for appetiser and venison for main dish. If you are interested in whisky tasting in addition to eating well - this is the place to be. Service is cordial and efficient. read more

Best truffle fries evahhh! Really cool ambiance there. Enjoyed eating our lunch inside. Chicken burger and beef burger needed seasoning.

Great upscale pub in an alley off a major street. The ambiance was great here. Low light levels and natural wood created a more intimate and warm setting. We had the roasted pepper soup, Black haggis fritters and mushrooms &spinach for starters. The soup was amazing, very rich and complex with flavor including the harissa. The mushrooms were very nice. The haggis was just ok. I think frying it took away from the actual flavor of the haggis. For entrees we had the fish and chips and the roasted cauliflower salad. The cauliflower was fantastic and maybe too large of a portion. The fish and chips were good. The batter was a bit too thick and there were large gaps between the fish and batter. Still pretty decent. The service was very attentive and good here. I would definitely return to try new items. read more

A very busy spot that is well worth the wait. We arrived for a late dinner and sat at the bar area waiting for a table. The drinks menu is pretty extensive with some great options. The service is on point and in a great location. We started with the red pepper soup and had the beef brisket which was delicious!! Full of flavour and just great. We ended off with a great chocolate and caramel dessert which was just great. Check them out for yourself. read more

The Devil's Advocate - Beef brisket - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Super cool spot in Edinburgh. Call in advance to get a reservation you'll need it. Not a large menu but well-placed well, thought out, good selection. Great drinks menu too. It's located off of a cute road with lots of fun shops. This place is really great. They also have outside tables if the weather is nice. Cute small bar if you can't get a table. Will definitely return here. As a matter of fact, we ran into some of our colleagues in the bar. read more

The Devil's Advocate - Exterior with the outside, upstairs terrace - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Wow! Granted I'm a foreigner from the states so not sure what to compare it to other than maybe some BBQ places in the states, but the scotch flight, the pork belly dish and the haggis might be one of my top 5 meals all time. The service was also amazing. Thank you! read more

The last three times I've been to Edinburgh, I have wanted to eat at The Devil's Advocate. We always ended up having drinks but not being able to get food since it was always so slammed. I really enjoyed the cocktails we had, specifically mine. It was strawberry flavored and tart. Unfortunately I forget the name. While stopping in for that drink, we grabbed reservations for our last night and I am so glad I did. The servers were all very kind and friendly. After sitting down, we perused the menu for a bottle of wine and our appetizers. I chose the soup of the day with thick sliced bread. It was a puree of tomatoes and roasted red peppers. The bread was fresh and the butter, as always, delicious. For my meal, I went with the chicken breast topped with pine nuts, tomato, olives and roasted potatoes. It was cooked perfectly, still juicy and very well seasoned. It was probably one of my favorite meals in Edinburgh because the flavors were so unique. My **fiancee** (that is brand new so I am using it haha) got a really good cut of cod, which even I enjoyed. My mother had the pork chop with kraut and pureed yams. Pork is difficult (for me) to cook but it was tender and delicious. My father got the rib eye with chimichuri sauce. They said it was one of their favorite meals as well since it tasted so homemade. I can't wait to come back to have it again. read more

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Hidden gem. Fish and chips are phenomenal. Scotch flight is a definite try. Careful going up the stairs after a few though.

Cute bar/restaurant deep in a close! As a solo traveler on a busy week I was lucky the host/server was able to make an accommodation and get me a seat. I am forever grateful to her! I won't lie I don't remember if I loved my beverage from the bar but overall I had a pretty good dinner! I went with the dry aged rib eye steak and selected the whiskey peppercorn sauce. The steak was good, cooked perfect to how I ordered (medium rare). I enjoyed the sauce for the steak and fries. I also ordered a side of Rocket & Parmesan salad which was exactly what I was craving with my steak! Nice and bright with a fresh lemon wedge. I should also mention my food came out pretty quick too. I noticed when leaving they seem to have a covered outdoor area where you can enjoy drinks and looks to have heaters. I would return! read more

Wish I lived in Edinburgh so that I could go all the time!! Drinks are great and the food is wonderful! Typically you shouldn't eat near major attractions but this place is definitely the exception! read more

I visited this restaurant with my sister in September. We were staying at a hotel very close by and happened upon the Yelp listing. We were lucky to get a reservation at the last minute (booked it the same afternoon for a late dinner); though, that meant sitting at a table in a small corridor on the way to/from the bathroom/WC. Had it not been for the last-minute nature of our booking, I would have been much more annoyed by the table placement. The food was delicious, and the cocktail selection was great. We had an appetizer of muscles, which were very well prepared. The waitress was very kind and attentive. The bar was quite the popular destination in its own right, aside from the restaurant itself. I even snapped a photo when the most adorable puppy came by for a visit (its owner seemed to know several of the staff and was there not to patronize the bar, but to "check-in" or say hi). I would definitely go back for another meal, should I find myself in Edinburgh again. read more

The Devil's Advocate - Bar area (before it got busier) - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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