It has finally happened, my first 5 star rating. And every star is deserved. Service. The difference between a good, great, or perfect place is in the amount of skill and knowledge involved. The staff know their stuff. Knowing a bit of whisky, I am impressed because there is not much I haven't yet tried. I know what I like and what I don't. Seldom if ever is it that I ask for a recommendation and I get something wondrous. The Islay Old fashioned. I was mildly astonished with the immaculate fInish on this. Bartender explained every step to what he was making and was curious as to what malts I preferred. Few questions later, he had my mind read. The dry rob roy with Peat Monster. Thought I had the best of the night with the previous drink. This was in its own right, impeccable. Other drinks had were neat single malts. They house a desirable selection of whiskies, which arouse my envy. It was a busy Saturday night as usual but even with just standing at the bar, we were perfectly content chatting away with great drinks. A staff member even offered us a table twenty minutes later, saying seats opened up. We politely passed on the offer, but it was amiable nonetheless. Everyone in the bar were pleasant company, resulting in a medium background buzz in small group conversations. Excellent drinks, good venue & tone, impeccable service. I felt my libations more than satisfied. read more

I love The Devil's Advocate - it's tucked in the Advocate's close in Old Town, and unless you accidentally stumble upon it or know about it, it may remain a hidden gem.. I was there recently for a pre-dinner drink with my husband. The place is not very big - it has a few seats downstairs and a mezzanine area reserved for diners. But it has a cosy atmosphere, great for candle lit chats. If you want whisky, this is a great place for it as they have over 200 whiskies to choose from. However, we ordered a glass of pinot noir and a gin & tonic (table service). The drinks arrived and I requested a new glass as it looked dirty. They were very apologetic about it and actually deducted the wine from the bill, which was unnecessary but I accepted that. I would love to try out the food as well so maybe next time it will dinner and drinks! read more

Hard to even find the words... amazing experience and food like I've never had before! We had mussels to start with, super fresh. The real treat was our main, lamb neck with peas, carrots and potatoes. Full of flavor, perfectly cooked. MUST try when in Edinburgh!! read more

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The Devil's on my shoulder, and I've got his back! It gets great reviews because it is consistently great. Some people might think it is a bit hipster, but I don't agree with that. Yeah they have beards tattoos and wear braces, but wait and just look at the clientele, it's popular with everyone - even that American tourist with the NY giants jacket on. This place is cool, not effortlessly as a lot of thought has gone into it, but they certainly aren't trying too hard either. Listen if you like traditional, then this probably isn't your spot, and if you like uber modern, the same goes - try the royal mile or George Street respectively. Great drinks selection, from cracking wines to an on trend beer range. The best part of the drinks list are their cocktails, it's a well thought out list perfectly executed every time. I like a bit of the speakeasy vibe, old school cocktails focused more on the base spirit and minus the gimmicks. Great structure to the food menu also makes this a very hard bar to move on from. read more

Gotta say that I loved visiting this bar - what a great suggestion by Jenny L and exactly what I fancied after a hard day of toil on the internet! Basically looking like it was carved into the Edinburgh rock, the DA looks very much like a speakeasy in terms of a secret location and from here it was nicely off the beaten path on the Royal mile to avoid shedloads of tourists looking for a quick pint. We had a quick snack of haggis bonbons - really nice and definitely fulfilling my Haggis needs on this trip, plus a board with serrano ham and manchego cheese, plus fresh bread was the perfect combination for a late afternoon snack. My pals had cocktails from the extensive list which all sounded pretty exciting but I stuck to the beers as usual. I was very impressed with the Jokers IPA (super hoppy but drinkable at 5%) plus the locally brewed Alba, coming from an ancient Viking recipe - top notch and a very unique brew! The DA is on my hit list to recommend to anyone who goes to Edinburgh now - very impressed! read more

Now, I love The Bon Vivant with it's fab food and wine list and I'm way too much of a regular at The Bon Vivants Companion too so I was waiting with bated breath to see how The Devil's Advocate would turn out! Well it is fab - love the bare walls, the excellent use of space, the cosy, under the mezzaine booths and the lovely ladies toilets. Full, amazing range of wine's and spirits as you'd expect and staff here also provide the same attention to detail touches on service that you come to expect as a regular to TBV. I was here for the wines and spirits tasting - boozy as you'd expect, but it was great to grab a booth and chill out with plenty of water being provided to help balance the tastings we'd already indulged in, and were to still indulge in. Food menu is smaller than TBV so the Devil's Advocate will clearly focus more on drinks, but on some nights out, that won't be a bad thing! So, I'll definitely be back - I just need to decide what I fancy drinking next! read more

edinburgh is a wonderful city which is absolutely chock full of excellent bars and restaurants, but part of me (a small part) always felt that something was missing. i didn't know what or why i even thought that, but on a cold wintry thursday evening i came across the 'something missing' in Devil's Advocate. being asked to suggest a good place to go for some dinner and drinks, i immediately suggested this new bar in old town. i'd had its praises sung to be by those that had been and i thought it was time i tried it out. now i won't lie, finding this place isn't exactly easy. i actually had a fall out with my taxi driver about the location of Advocate's Close. thankfully i convinced him to drop me off nearby enough that i was soon skipping down the steps to find the bar. there was a lot of steps....and i thought maybe i'd got the address wrong, but then just as i was giving up hope a beacon of light (and well mixed cocktails) appeared to my left and i entered through the glass doors. i was immediately in love with this place. The Devil's Advocate is all glass, brick, and cool industrial chic. the building has massive glass windows looking out onto the close which must bring in loads of sunlight during the day. in between all this glass is exposed brick and clean wooden tables with a mezzaine for with tables for the restaurant. on arrival i had a g&t at the bar before we headed upstairs for dinner. the menu is short and sweet, which i hopes means that they focus on what they're good at. not a load of veggie options if you are one of those, but a good choice of other options overall. i went with the salmon tartare for my starter and the pearl barley and beetroot risotto for my main. my dining partner had the haggis crouquettes (or bon bons i can't remember) for starter and a steak sandwich for the main. we split a bottle of sauvignon blanc as well. the wine was with us shortly and was quite nice! a wee bit pricey, but nothing i wouldn't expect of an edinburgh restaurant. starters arrived not too long after and my salmon tartare was just lovely! so so fresh and the slices of crostini with it were so crisp. i would have enjoyed a bit more of the sauce on the plate, but hardly need to complain as the salmon itself was so tasty. i was assured that the haggis was also quite good, but passed on the option to try it as i'm not a fan of the offal. after a top up of the wine, mains arrived and i was well pleased with my risotto. the pearl barely was super tasty and the beetroot was of the golden variety instead of the red that annoyingly stains everything. the steak sandwich appeared to be quite satisfactory and i can assure you that the chips were also good having been given one to taste. in leiu of dessert we went for some cocktails off their list. if i'd been clever i would have written the names of these down as by that point we'd finished off the wine.... however, my whisky cocktail was certainly top quality and sort of had a tea like flavour. like a long island iced tea except with whisky, so much classier. my dining companion had a gin based cocktail that was seriously strong but also seriously good. in addition to the good food and excellent cocktails, the staff at the Devil's Advocate are just lovely! quite to serve you and helpful with questions about the menus, checking on you during your meal but not being overly obtrusive so you can also enjoy your meal. they also seem happy to let people sit as we were there for almost 4 hours, and never once got asked for our table back. seriously, i think i'm a little in love with this place. it's just the sort of place the edinburgh was missing and just the sort of place i know i'll want to go back to over and over again! already planning my next visit.... read more

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

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We spent a few days in Edinburgh and this was top on my list to visit! The food is incredible and the service was awesome! I would say as far as value goes, the food is quality at an affordable rate. It was four adults plus cocktails and it totaled to $180 in USD which included a tip. I would recommend calling to book your table beforehand. Otherwise you will not be seated! read more

My second visit to this little gem confirmed my first impression of this place - it is ab fab! After only having drinks the first time, this time we also had dinner which was lovely; hearty haggis bon bons, a luxurious truffle mac n' cheese, followed by a warming cullen skink pie and goat cheese, leek and pumpkin tart. Washed down with an excellent Chilean Pinot Noir. Perfect for a chilled Friday night meal! The staff were outstanding; friendly and attentive. As an avid fan of The Bon Vivant, their new venture DA is an absolute must to visit in Edinburgh. read more

Walking up or down the Advocate's alley you will find the bar/pub style place tagged away from the busy main road called the Royal Mile. The front of the building has massive windows and these additions to the exterior gives this place identity and certainly light. Inside its warm and the walls thick. Wi-Fi connection a no no, at least for some. The interior presents a modern romantic combination. I recently attended Yelps 3rd birthday party, which was held on the upper floor. Downstairs is the bar and some tables. I heard the food is excellent. It seems you can hire the upper floor for functions. We were received very nicely and all of us were handed a glass of excellent prosecco. I think the brand was called WOLF. Really loved the prosecco. It's really hard to find a good one. I can recommend this place for singles and couples alike, less for a family outing so. read more

Best chips ever. Amazing drinks! Try the Black Dog (smoked strawberries) or the Man Overboard (tastes like Christmas) for starters! They are a bit on the pricey side, but oh, so delicious! The staff is extremely friendly as well! :) read more

The Devil's Advocate - The chocolate torte has CARAMEL on the bottom. Served with ice cream. - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Our favorite restaurant in Edinburgh! We tried the house board, mussels and sirloin steak. All were EXCELLENT! The mixed drinks were top notch too. Service was attentive and super friendly. Highly recommend this place, it is wonderful! read more

Spirits and the like: Excellent bar staff. Excellent selection. Perfect craftsmanship. I was blown away and will absolutely be back to try the food menu. read more

Great atmosphere, tucked away in a secluded close, and good food. You really get the Edinburgh experience here. The fish and chips are excellent. read more

A real hidden gem - who knew it was possible to get so lost only a stone's throw from the Castle?! This bar is tucked away on Advocate's Close up some winding steps that made me start thinking my colleagues had given me the wrong address. It has atmosphere by the bucketload, that builds from when you're wandering up the historic old Close, to when you're standing at the beautiful high-ceilinged bar with its rough stone walls that makes you feel like it's been carved into the hillside. The clipboardful of drinks menus is a treat - several pages of whiskies that I must go back for, and cocktails that intrigue. Our bearded barman took real care over making these, and was a joy to watch and chat to. My first cocktail was gin-based and enjoyable but it was the second that blew me away - if you're a whisky fan (and don't mind a girly glass) get The Convent. I always try to pick something with a new ingredient for me, and this had creme d'violet, malic acid solution, peat and heather, which all sounded suitably exotic! Oh and Highland Park 12. It was deliciously strong, and felt extra special after they told me it was the last one of the night because they'd run out of the violet stuff. Win! Front of house staff are also on the ball - most of the tables were busy when we arrived but the lady who first welcomed us kept us in mind when one of these cleared, and explained we could sit until the reservation arrived. So we took a seat up on the mezzanine, at which point the guys promptly got food envy and ordered a couple of ham and cheese platters with bread and oil. Yum. You probably need to book ahead for food, but it's a new fave to pop in for post-work drinks. Make sure you're not in a rush though, as you'll need time to pull yourself together and choose a drink after admiring the candlelit bar itself... :) read more

The truffle fries are to die for, and the cocktails were really good. Super cool spot.

YELP 3RD BIRTHDAY PARTY!! woooooo!! Ive been to The Devil's Advocate before, and its fast becoming a firm favourite for a number of reasons. Firstly location; for me being a two minute walk to the the train station is a big positve for this train spotter. Secondly the staff and service is second to none! polite and attentive. Thirdly great ambience, including lighting, atmosphere and fun! Lastly food and drink is very good. So...I was chuffed to hear Yelp was having their 3rd birthday there! We were all given a little party bag of goodies, our glasses were filled with a drink of our choice and my goodness cake..lots of cake ! and what can i say about the cake?!?! Delicious! Light and fruity! Thank you for a fabulous evening full of yelp goodness ! Happy Birthday ! xx read more

Holy moly! This place was out of this world. We came here upon recommendation from a friend, and I will certainly recommend for anyone visiting Edinburgh. We got the smoked fish platter plus two mains, drinks, and it was off the chain! The service was outstanding and the food was nothing but exceptional. Thank you! read more

Five stars solely for the very kind Aussie bartender who helped me choose a single-malt whisky I really enjoyed based on my laughably unspecific preferences. She took the time to explain the flavors and origins of each thing she pulled for me. They have a HUGE selection here, and I was able to try something I'd never have ordered on my own. Thank you bartender! While the bar itself isn't touristy, it is mere steps away from the Royal Mile, so the clientele is an interesting mix of regulars and tourists. I can't comment on the food, but I was there early (5:30ish on a Wednesday) and there were already people waiting for tables. read more

I went here with friends for drinks and the atmosphere is lovely. It's really intimate feeling and cozy. It really plays off the history of old town with the stone walls and candles. The beers there are great. Not the type you have at every bar. The cocktails are great. It's a bit pricey so a good place to go for a classy catch up or a relaxed yet snazzy date. read more

Restaurant is located in a neat location in the old town of Edinburgh. The building has great character. The menu is very short but also has the feel of being very fresh. We had an out of town guest with us, so the Scottish influence on the menu was a great option for him to try lots of local flavours. Unfortunately we went on a night the owner was hosting a very large dinner adjacent to our table and things got very loud. Perhaps reasonably so, the staff were more focused on the other dinner than ours. It led us to feel both ignored then rushed at the same time. Overall the food was nice, but the atmosphere left us unimpressed. read more

The brilliant alley to get away from the noise of the city center!! Especially the small balcony makes you feel like you are on vacation somewhere different. However, the place inside is also amazing. Unfortunately, it is quite expensive.. Furthermore, we had the desserts, which were mousses (one lemon and the other caramelized chocolate) .. aaaand I am not a fan! I would like to have more options... The four stars go to the environment which was very beautiful and comfortable! read more

In a hidden alley, near the castle and shopping is this gem. Great selection of scotch snd top quality food with good service. Seated quickly and got our food is a very reasonable time. Hot, delicious and good value. read more

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

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A great vibe here - I love it. I'm annoying when it comes to cocktails but I do it on purpose ;) I love to ask for something that's not on the menu and like to be vague to see how good the guys are behind the bar...these guys are good and not at all prescriptive. Owned by the same chaps as Bon Vivant on Thistle Street. I didn't have the food here nor did we get the chance to sit at a table (you'll have to book) so we stood at the bar which is what my review is based on. The lighting is low and this place is excellent for a date night. Prices are Edinburgh average - not cheap but not ridiculously expensive either (cocktail ~£8). A place I will be taking newbies to the city to. When you turn off the Royal mile onto Advocate close just keep going and it's on your left hand side (there was a point when I thought we weren't on the right close!). read more

Ohhh the ambience seeps through the old brick and timber! I do love the feel of this place. Is it the lighting? I gathered here with a few others to celevrate the 3rd birthday of Yelp edinburgh. The company was lovely and the drinks were a flowing (lovely prosecco btw). I'm defo coming back to try the pulled pork on the menu and maybe evrything else!! it all sounds delish! read more

I was drawn by the craft cocktail list and proximity to our hotel. Also, they're owned by the same group as Bon Vivant and El Cartel, which were recommended to us for their bars. Drinks: - Duck, you sucker: sun-dried tomato infused rye, fig port, lemon, celery bitters - light and not too sweet or acidic - Spice trade: like a whisky Bloody Mary with a good kick - Scotch by the dram prices were reasonable Food (lunch): - Tomato fennel soup: with sourdough. The bread was grilled but without oil or butter, so it tasted a bit like tobacco. The soup itself was a good texture and wasn't overly acidic. I like that it was not cream based - Burger: on brioche, with cheddar and bacon. The beef had a good char grilled flavor, and I like that it was a tomato jam rather than ketchup on it. Fries were thin and salted well - Gnocchi: crisped / fried for more texture. It came with lots of vegetables (whole green onion, zucchini, eggplant, micro greens). It was a great dish that's vegetarian friendly Cocktails are £7-10 each. Notably: the decor is cool with all the stone and brick - I guess it was an old pump house. For nicer weather, they have outdoor seating, too. read more

Great meal while staying on Royal Mile in Edinburgh. A short walk down Advocates close but definitely worth the walk. I particularly enjoyed the whiskey sampler. read more

This place is a hidden gem. The cocktails are delicious and their beer selection is very good too. The wine selection has a wine from pretty much every wine producing country in the world. Food is fuss-free and very tasty. The staff are very attentive and efficient. Would definitely recommend. read more

We wandered in here after touring the National Museum of Scotland - we were looking for a late lunch and this hit the spot! Thought it would be typical pub fare, but it certainly was not! Had a composed salad of heirloom tomatoes and courgette that looked like a piece of art. Even the fish & chips were elevated! Great beer & G&T's, too. Will return on our next visit. read more

The Devil's Advocate - Composed heirloom tomato & courgette salad - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Arrived around 6pm for a drink. No place to sit as empty tables were "reserved". Bar service was not particularly helpful when asked to recommend a single malt scotch for someone accustomed to blended scotch. Atmosphere not friendly or cozy but rather appears to be more of a restaurant. read more

I've been twice, intending dinner both times, but foolishly the first time failing to book in advance. Apple maps actually functioned here for once, and led us straight to the little alley that I'm not surprised people miss, though I was slightly alarmed navigating the steep steps in early december, which unfortunately, are unavoidable. The tucked away alley is apparently always quiet, but the devil's advocate is always packed, dimly lit, cosy, small, and i'd even push to say ambience over atmosphere (micky flanagan jokes, and all that) you can mostly drink standing, there are a few tables you can sit at for bevies, but they're mostly for eating. As a whisky drinker, she slurs, you've got a pretty damn good choice here, and not just scotch either. These guys now how to present a pretty bar but there are lists too so you don;t have to annoy every human tutting behind you who knows exactly what cocktail they want. The bar staff know their shizzle, they obviously know how to help tourists with no whisky experience under their belts at all. Again, be wary of the peaty ingredients if you aren't fan of smoke, expect florals and botanicals too, nice gin list as well, which if you ask me, is always worth noting. The platters are great sharers and assembled nicely, I was a big fan of the haggis bon bons, and my meat was cooked to perfection. I do plan to visit again at some point, mostly because I flipping love edinburgh. read more

located in the advocate close, great view. A long list of beer and wine choices. Really a great place to gather with friends. :D read more

The Devil's Advocate - This restaurant 's location is amazing! Very enjoy this duck leg,high recommended!!!! - Wine Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

A fun walk down to a very stylish space for upscale clientele. Very friendly, kind staff made us feel very welcome. Had the Cullen Skink, Smoked Fish Board, and the Grilled Ribeye with chips (fabulous chips). All very good. I took the recommended whiskey (excellent) and nursed it through out the meal (I'm a lightweight). We made our reservation on Thursday before noon for 5pm Friday evening. No waiting! read more

This was our favorite place in Edinburgh. Great quaint location down a close, charming/rustic inside, bartender was knowledgeable and the dining/food experience upstairs sealed the deal. Food was hearty and delicious. We both had the broccoli soup, fish and chips and salad. Everyone was pleasant that worked there. read more

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

Devil's Advocate "should" be a great little spot for dinner to to dine in with a date. It has great 'tucked away to be found only by the locals' ambience and great beer (I recommend the Dia des los murtes IPA), but the food isn't 5-star and staff are quite capable of making mistakes. The upstairs eating area, although nice, means that staff spend a lot of time not seeing that you need them - particularly given that we gave me the wrong beer originally and I spent several minutes waiting to get it replaced (which they did with no fuss). Probably the main thing that dragged my experience down though, was the hard sell I got from the guy giving me the bill, given both the less-than-fantastic service I'd received and the fact he'd not himself served me at any point before that exchange! Left with a 2-star taste in my mouth instead of a 3-star. I'd probably grab a beer here with a couple of friends, and might edit this back up to a 3-star based on that experience, but I don't see myself eating here again when there's at least four better restaurants up the top of Advocate's Close and straight down George IV Bridge a couple minutes, let alone every other direction. read more

Wow... This place was amazing. I first tried to get in without a reservation on Saturday night about 830... No chance. The bar was completely packed. It looked like fun, but I was solo and I didn't feel like fighting my way to the bar (plus the fact I was starving!)) I went back a couple days later for lunch with my team that was in town and we were all blown away. The attention to detail and the food is awesome. On a warmer day, you can sit outside... The whole experience is great. Highly recommend. Make a reservation!! read more

The Devil's Advocate was recommended to us as a great place to grab a drink after dinner. We stopped in for a few pints and the bartenders were very friendly. There isn't much seating, so we just hung out by the bar which worked out perfectly. They also serve food here however we did not indulge. The atmosphere was a bit chic, low lighting etc which was enjoyable. After a few pints we were on our way back home. I would like to come back and try some of the food as it seems like it would be quite enjoyable. read more

In hindsight I should have connected the name of this bar with the address on my event invite with the name plate on the close it resides in. They all contain the easy to remember work 'Advocate' after all. Despite this geography-by-numbers approach to getting around town it still took me a while to find the place, so please do allow extra time if you're me. Once inside it's really nice. Big doors, high tables, steep steps, distant ceilings: they've achieved a TARDIS-like effect with much going on inside a relatively small premises. Three stars gives them room for improvement, though in truth I suspect my general level of energy was a limiting factor to the good time I had here. It was still good though and clearly a place worth knowing about with its central location in no way compromised by the adjacent madding crowds. Please go. read more

I've been to devil's advocate twice now. The first time was part of an impromptu pub crawl, and I thought it was a pretty cool spot. Since then I've been keen to head back here and try out the food. I had the pea and leek arancini, and my date had the butternut squash salad. I though the salad was pretty tasty, even if I'm not the hugest fan of cold salads when I'm super hungry. The arancini was absolutely scrumptious! A lovely crispy outside, with soft gooey risotto in the middle. Heaven. And definitely what I needed for my second (!!) dinner after yoga with a certain former CM. My only down point for this place is the very limited desert menu. In fairness, DA is a Gastrobar thing and not an actual restaurant. The kitchen space is probably pretty limited for making a load of deserts. All in all I really like this bar. I definitely want to try out more of their food, and more of what's behind the bar. read more

I love this place. The staff are so friendly and they let us stand (or sit) at the bar all night on busy Friday evenings. The cocktails are super tasty and it has an overall really friendly atmosphere. I really have nothing negative to say - maybe the ladies toilets were a bit on the freezing side! haha The night we were in they had some bartenders visiting from Poland or Norway (sorry I am predictably fuzzy on the details of the night) who allowed us to sample (for free!) some of their cocktail creations. All in all, excellent tucked away venue, great friendly and knowledgeable service and a delightful atmosphere. Can't wait until I visit again! read more