Had dinner at this trendy little restaurant just down from the Radisson Hotel at the recommendation of hotel staff. The menu is very eclectic and innovative. Prices are reasonable for the quality of food. Our meals were excellent with a nice gourmet edge. My gnocchi with squash, tomatoes and roasted walnuts served in a blue cheese cream sauce was lovely. My companions had the grilled chicken and prawn skewers with a beet salad stuffed pita that was great to look at and all reported it delicious! Plus the garlic fries are a "must try" too! I'd recommend this restaurant to visitors to Edinburgh! read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Dont know what is about, order the same dish as the English gentleman sit by the next table but get just half of the portion as his . it is ok to eat less and keep fit. But It is unfair to the NON ENGLISH speaker, that is why the restaurant is name? talked to the waiter but she is just laughing.they don't pay attention to your handsign and leave you waitting read more

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Nice, lively, hip, relaxed ambiance. Friendly service but *slightly* inattentive (but see further on here*). Monkfish tail main course was beautiful, but a little low on flavor for the monkfish itself, included sides of beet and potato were tasty, the fennel a little too hard. Extra side of fried greens was spectacular in flavor and presentation, but not quite needed, despite having asked. "Baked figs" for dessert contained half a fig in a large overly sweet cake, quite a disappointment. *However, when I told them they took it off the bill, which was quite impressive (I ate it all.) Negroni acceptable but not great. read more

Waiting for friends to arrive in Edinburgh, I decided to treat myself to a nice meal at The Outsider. I figured I'd end up at the bar, but no! They had an amazing table set up for 1, and I had an incredible view of the castle the entire meal. The ambiance was warm and modern. I thought the service was everything I needed it to be in attentiveness and staff were friendly. For food, I enjoyed the delicious and large portion special roasted red pepper and tomato soup topped with goat cheese, and by surprise came with some excellent bread. My entree was the venison dish, cooked to medium rare perfection with an excellent crust. The rocket salad on the side was standard. More than enough food - did not leave hungry. For drink, I started with a gin and tonic followed by a glass of house pinot noir. Both were standard and suitable. One thing I loved and don't see often in the USA were actual candles with real flames at each table. One thing that would elevate this place one step further would be cloth napkins. read more

I like this restaurant but, like pretty much all the food in Scotland, I wouldn't say it's anything too special. It has a fun vibe inside and the food is passable, drinks are expensive... kind of what you'd expect. read more

Food is super yummy, service was attentive. Came in at opening without a reservation, and requested a seat with a view of the castle. They promptly seated us near the window. A friend and I ordered three lunch dishes to share at around £6-7 each. Each dish was quite flavorful and cooked expertly. I don't remember what we ordered, but we enjoyed the duck and seafood dishes. Lovely interior as well. Will definitely come back in the future. read more

Had a solid first meal in Edinburgh here, but unfortunately the food was nothing special. My gnocchi was under seasoned, heavy, and chewy. My dining companion had a steak that he described as good, but not great. Tried some of the potato wedges and those were also lacking seasoning. Everything looked amazing, but did not stand up to a taste test. Still giving this place three stars for the wonderful drinks-- the special gin & tonic is delicious and well priced, and the wine I was recommended was tasty-- and the ambiance is really lovely for a date. read more

The Outsider - Dinner menu - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Not easy to find, but worth it. The food is great and the environment is cool. Not a quiet place though. We wanted to try The Outsider earlier this week, but had a heck of a time finding it. Today was easy and we were lucky to grab dinner, walking in at 7:30. They take reservations and you might to do that on the weekend evening. We had the venison, the lamb and the hake. All were very good. Nothing over- nor under-cooked. Spiced well, but mild. We finished with deserts, including rhubarb, chocolate & espresso pané, and baked pear. The pear was really flavorful. The Pané was a big portion but really not too rich and the molasses ice cream was not strong at all. The rhubarb was very mild compared to the rhubarb we have in the US, which tends to be really tart. With a bottle of wine, the meal, a single side salad, and 3 coffees, the total was £128. Really great consider the great food. read more

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No trip to edinburgh without visiting The Outsider. The Lunch menu is a total for both price and flavour. We tried the black garlic and maple tempeh and it's surprisingly filling! We paid £23 for two main course and two glasses of house wine! Can't wait for my next visit! read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Now that I've been to Edinburgh twice and tried several of their most renowned restaurants I can confidently say this is one of the best. I love how eclectic the venue is with the view of the castle the mezzanine 2nd floor and the big windows. I love their heavy metal water jugs and how simple the place is decorated. But most of all, I love how simply delicious their food is. It's exactly the right balance of creative and traditional, nice variety and ever changing menu. It's so good I wish we'd gone back one last time for lunch before we left. read more

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What started out as a great dinner gradually fell into shambles. Arrived on time and ordered prosecco for the table and then a bottle of wine and cheese plate. It came quickly and was pretty good. Then we ordered and we waited and waited and waited and then were surprised when the wine finished and the food wasn't there and then we counted the time. When the waitress starts ignoring you or when you see her in the back waiting, you know something is wrong. Food finally comes, gnocchi doesn't take an hour. We would've asked why it took so long but she ignored us when we kept trying to ask why dinner took so long. Part of the order is wrong. "Oh we can make it for you right away!" Right, but the first batch took an hour? We ask for the check and for boxes. "Oh we don't do carry out" (most places here don't, we were naive/hopeful) Fine. We haven't touched our food. Can we have the check? 10 minutes later, they give us check. We have to wait for them to come back to provide payment. Eventually We had our gnocchi wrapped in aluminum foil and we gave it to someone who looked hungry outside. No offer of sorry or asking why or anything. Basically nothing from the staff. I really liked everything else about Edinburgh. read more

Sometimes you hope that the good reviews that you hear from your friends are correct but on this occasion I was a bit disappointed. I have been here twice. The first time, it was during the Fringe Festival. I came in at 12noon when it opened, but the service was extremely hurried and the food came out extremely quick. It is the fringe after all. I was given the table only for a set amount of time and the food seemed prepared well in advanced. I was not impressed. I decided to forget about it and just thought it might well be due to the fringe and fair enough all restaurants in Edinburgh will want to have a high turnover to make full use of the month of tourist. Fast forward 1 year later, I decided to give it another try outside of the Fringe festival. Less hurried service obviously. However, the food still did not impress me at all. Yes, it has a good location and good window seats. But that is about it. The food did not provide enough punch to my tastebuds. I had the mussels and lamb for the main course. The mussels were ordinary and the lamb was a bit overcooked and was slightly tough. Perhaps it was not the best cut and it was not cooked pink. I will come back for special occasion with friends but unsure if I will suggest this myself. Not bad but not a place I would come myself. read more

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Absolutely lovely. The CHL (Chunky Healthy Lines) are where its at. The name (at first) threw me a bit. Chunky and Healthy? In a line? I do not understand. But with a bit of explanation I came to learn these were juicy, tender skewers of multiple varieties (I had the monkfish), accompanied by lovely sides (think sweet potato, pita with cabbage slaw, etc). Delightful, filling and...indeed, healthy! Sides: roasted kale (with a kick, whew!) and the walnut apple salad (really nice). The foggy mist created a "ghost castle" effect -- very beautiful view from the back of the restaurant's windows. The lighting and ambience are subtle, yet...perfect. Candlelit, clean rustic feel that is both contemporary and classic feeling at once. Comfortable. The din never too loud, but always cheerful. Tables turned all evening. The staff is gorgeous and competent. Dessert: a fresh plum tart with spicy ginger ice cream. Heavenly Not a missed step all evening, perhaps they could've upsold me another glass of Forge Mill rose (light and frivolous was the description -- indeed!) had they asked --- but this only allowed me to save room for an espresso martini, which propelled me through the rest of the evening, night and into the morning...as it turns out! Will surely return when in the area -- a real treat. read more

The Outsider - Monkfish CHL - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This was our first dinner in Edinburgh, and as I predicted to our waiter, I didn't have a better one over the course of the following week. And I was right. The Outsider both defied and exceeded expectations: a progressive, sleek restaurant which, on a Saturday night, welcomed families, dates, and the cool set alike. Same-day reservations while I was still jet lagged were a cinch. They took our coats and led us to a nice table for two. The meal started with some truly delicious crusty artisan bread. I could have eaten the bread for the next hour and a half and gone home happy. The waiter recommended a couple of outstanding appetizers (wish I could remember what they were, alas..methinks it was the goat cheese and chargrilled squid salad). Then I proceeded to devour my venison haunch, which was presented on a bed of malted barley, foraged mushrooms, wild leeks, and orange jus. The staff was extremely friendly and engaged after I expressed enthusiasm for the cuisine and told them this was my first proper Scottish meal. They gave me travel and eating pointers and seemed genuinely happy that we enjoyed the meal. Truly, one of the most memorable meals in recent memory. read more

The Outsider is a place that you plan to go to, not simply walk by and stop in. And this is for good reason. The food is excellent. This was the second lunch here for my wife and me. Our first time we had just walked in, and had to wait a bit for a table. This time we took the wisdom to phone ahead for a reservation. As you'll read in many of the reviews, The Outsider is a modern restaurant with chic interior and great views of the castle and the Old Town. This contrast in decor and the historical surroundings gives you a feeling almost as if you have travelled from a medieval city into a cosmopolitan restaurant of the future. However, while many of the 'restaurants' within a stone's throw of the castle serve up steak pie, balmoral chicken and fish and chips (all of which I love at the appropriate time), The Outsider focuses more on a Renaissance of the taste buds rather than traditional Scottish fare. The wife and I have been highly attracted to the lunch menu prices. A meal and a drink for two would only just push you over the £20 mark. In fact, without drinks, you can eat for just under £15, even with a starter. And when you compare that to other restaurants considered to be more affordable at lunch time, then I think I'll pay a 1 or 2 quid more and have a much better meal. Each time we have been here the restaurant has 3 specials served 12-7pm added onto the regular lunch menu served 12-5pm. My philosophy is that if one of the specials appears rather appealing, then I'll have that and try a regular menu choice later. I did that again this time and the duck special with Parmesan mash potatoes, purple broccoli and black pudding, drizzled in a very tasty sort of creamy raspberry sauce. It was really good. If I was a better writer I would describe it in bigger words ;) While I would say that the food and decor were excellent, I was slightly less impressed with the service, and I do mean ever so slightly. The staff are very friendly, don't get me wrong. The two times I have been here we have had servers who spoke fluent english, but, however, they had problems explaining what things were on the menu. In fact our most recent server had to go ask what some of the items were on the regular menu. I feel like any staff at a restaurant should be able to describe and explain exactly what a dish is and what is in it. If you're planning an afternoon in Edinburgh, then you should definitely stop here for lunch, especially instead of any of the other well spoken of restaurants even on the same street. read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This is a definite treat restaurant for me. Bigger prices, smaller portions, but I find that when food is this good you don't need as much to fill you up - every mouthful counts double. It's stylish inside - chic yet welcoming, with a very cosy looking alcove for super-intimate celebrations. My friend and I came here on a special occasion and were delighted to be seated next to the window, looking directly across the rooftops of Edinburgh and onto the castle. The views only got more gorgeous as the sun went down. Last time I was here a while ago, I ordered the gnocchi, then told my waiter I might go with the risotto instead. He confided that he thought I'd be better off sticking with the gnocchi, in his opinion. (I love it when wait-staff are happy to advise on the food!) Well, this time I bravely sallied forth and had the risotto, for comparison. The gnocchi had been delicious, but the red pepper and walnut risotto was actually more to my taste! Perhaps it was a little more punchy and obvious in the flavour, but that's right up my street, and the texture was perfect. Our desserts had just arrived - plum tarte tatin with vanilla creme anglaise and ginger ice cream for my friend, vanilla and raspberry pannacotta with pistachio biscotti for me - when I blinked and everything got darker. Oh no! A power cut! Actually, it was sort of lovely to have a candlelit dinner and the restaurant looked stunning in the low light. However, we'd been there since six o'clock. The poor people who had only arrived for 7 or 7:30 were shortly to be informed that no more food could be served. The waiting staff immediately set about the task. Our waitress had been a cheery delight right from the off - we'd commented to each other on it right away - and now was exactly the same as she went around each of her tables in turn, explaining the situation apologetically and totting up bills with her iPhone. Almost everybody responded with equal warmth and moved on perfectly happily. I do hope nobody was unkind to the staff since it wasn't their fault at all. She came to us last, which we were perfectly fine with, since we'd been fortunate enough to actually have our full meal (at one point I heard her say to a table she'd just dealt with, "Now then, where shall I go next? Who looks angriest?"). To our amazement, despite what must have been a nightmare evening for her, she'd also remembered everything we'd had. She even knocked our teas off the bill as an apology for the circumstances - which was lovely, although not necessary. My friend summed it up as we left: "I don't think I've had such a fun night in ages!" So if you go to The Outsider, obviously you can't expect a power cut. But you can expect obscenely good food, a beautiful setting, and superhero service from start to finish regardless of the situation. read more

The Outsider - Yummy crusty bread with basil oil and butter - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Excellent restaurant! Plates that were not overloaded and yet we felt full at the end. Really interesting and varied ingredients. The sides were a good size too. Nice atmosphere too. Waiting staff were great. read more

It's hard finding tasty and good value for money in Edinburgh when it comes to the food scene cause there's so many great restaurants in this city, but I have to admit this is one of them. In what ever city I live in, I always have at least one go to restaurant that I know won't fail me...in terms of flavour, cost, service, ambience, and most importantly filling me up. This trendy restaurant with one of the best views of Edinburgh castle fit that bill and have yet to disappoint me (hopefully it will never, fingers cross). I tried the majority of their main meat dishes in my past visit so I decided to explore their fish mains. I've always wanted to try their fish stew which was filled with hake, clams, mussels, shrimp, and salmon. On a cold windy night, this dish certainly was the perfect choice so I selected it as my main. I skipped the first course cause I wanted to save room for dessert. The dish came out on a wooden cutting board with salad and bread on the side. This bowl of fish stew was massive! The smell of the broth had remnants of the sea and the vision of the dish in a darkly lit room by the candlelight deserved an applause. The stew was piping hot and the flavours was a well blended symphony of the fish and shellfish. There was a healthy serving of fish (hake and salmon) as well as the clams. Two slight negatives about this dish though: #1. It only had 1 shrimp #2. While the flavour of the broth was amazing, I thought it needed a dash of salt to really round out the flavour of the dish. If it wasn't for those two things, I would say this was a home run kind of dish! Almost forgot to mention, but this dish was around £16! For the dessert, I ordered chocolate and espresso pave with molasses ice cream. This was pure orgasm in my mouth. The ganache made from the chocolate and espresso was a perfect match and the espresso elevated the flavour of the chocolate. The ice cream complimented the richness and slight bitterness of the chocolate and espresso pave while the crunchy bits and shavings of chocolate introduced texture. Absolutely perfect dessert if you're a chocoholic and definitely worth the £5.40! The servers were great and attentive. They knew the dishes since I asked what some were and they came by our table just at the right moments to make sure we were doing ok. These servers motivate me to give them tip, no need to ask me twice! The ambience in this place is awesome. I like the trendiness of the decor, the big windows, and candlelit tables. The one thing I like about this place is I can depend on it and I know it'll deliver, just like a good friend. The only thing I would want them to do is change their menu maybe at least every 6 months, because while what they are making is great... I'm sure they would be an even more of an amazing restaurant if they took risks and introduced new dishes on a regular basis. read more

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After moving to Edinburgh, I had heard so many great things about the Outsider that it stood out in my mind as an alluring, perfect restaurant with a great atmosphere, stunning views, friendly staff, and outstanding food. With building suspense, I visited the Outsider for the first time tonight with my boyfriend and my parents, and it fully lived up to my expectations! I had the grilled monkfish skewers with rolled bacon and grape tomatoes, with salad and a fantastic beetroot coleslaw (I'm not usually a slaw person but this was amazing). My mother's salmon was perfect and plentiful, grilled with sweet beetroot and piled high with a salad. My boyfriend liked his porkbelly with scallops, and my father liked his mackerel (although the mackerel was a bit of a small portion compared to the other dishes, we had more than enough food with plenty of salmon and monkfish). We had a candle-lit table by the window with fantastic views of the castle and a lovely dinner together here! Although a treat and a bit more expensive than I would spend on everyday meals, they were absolutely delicious and also had great lunch / early evening deals (£6.50) lasting until 7pm for those with tighter budgets. read more

The Outsider - The monkfish was amazing - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Had been wanting to try The Outsider for awhile (saw they could do gluten free) and after soaking up some culture after day 2 at the museum, I had the chance. The blackboard specials looked promising and the prices did too with many dishes priced between £6.80 and £8.00 at lunchtime. I had hoped to get a table with a view over to the castle as I had my mum visiting but we had a table at the front which turned out to be fab! The window seats are uber comfortable with masses of pillows. I had the mussels in a cream sauce with parmesan, bacon and onion and for a nice change they came with chips instead of bread. My mum (it was girly Jubilee weekend) had the pork belly in a red wine gravy with sweet potatoes and she said it was fabulous (I didn't try as I'm Gluten Free and wasn't sure it was safe). Both were huge portions and we both loved our dishes. There were tons of mussels (only a couple closed) and the pail of chips seemed endless but fab with just the right amount of crispiness and some garlicky salt seasoning. The Outsider was very busy - staff were friendly and seemed to cope. I would definitely return for dinner as the food is fab and drinks are reasonable (£4 a glass if wine, £2.50 for coke) but this is a great place for a post museum lunch! read more

The Outsider - Lunchtime portion (huge) of mussels and chips at The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The good: Very nice setting and trendy decorated. Great location and away from touristy areas. The bad: The staff are not really friendly. To the point, when my wine arrived I picked up the unused glass to make room in front of me. The waiter responded to me - since I touched it they have sterilize it again. I mean really. Secondly, although to food options on the menu seem great, the food we had were very bland and not seasoned to compliment the meat. I will probably not return. read more

After hearing so much about The Outsider I just had to give it a try, so when a special occasion popped up it was first on my list. We went for an early dinner, but the place was hopping when we arrived! The staff took our coats which we later saw was a fantastic way to keep the place looking chic. We were brought upstairs to a table which overlooked the downstairs of the restaurant, though lacked a castle view. You can't have everything! Since we'd booked an early table the staff had asked we return it by a certain time so we decided to skip the starters for some bread. The artisanal bread was delicious though I wasn't fond of the butter, it tasted a bit on the rancid side. The accompanying parsley and oil dip was also enjoyable. We ordered a merlot with whole partridge for me, served with black pudding, pear and crushed potatoes, while opposite me steak and chips was the call of the day. The partridge was delicious, and everything on the plate went together wonderfully. I probably won't be ordering 'whole' anything in a restaurant anytime soon as my attempts to carve it up were bordering on ridiculous. Meanwhile the steak, which had been ordered 'medium' arrived quite pink inside which was a disappointment but we decided not worth a complaint. After we had demolished our dinners we settled on a dram of whisky and some rum truffles for afters. Unfortunately we are both quite picky about desserts and none of those available really appealed to us. The truffles were delicious and quite heavy. There were six or so on the dish and I think 2 or 3 would be sufficient for anyone. The staff are wonderful, very professional and conscientious. And all very good looking, just saying. The look of the place is halfway between rustic and modern. Candlelight provides a good bit of the lighting in some areas while spotlights take over in others. The chairs are chunky and wooden and the lack of coats everywhere definitely shows off the design. The wooden floors and large windows give a modern look. Huge windows downstairs, complete with mirrors upstairs afford many patrons with a wonderful view of the castle which is lit beautifully at night. A great meal and definitely one for the list you have friends and family visiting, or just for a nice night out! read more

The Outsider - Lovely lamb! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Informal yet classy, just like moi. Central location on George IV Bridge, reasonably priced food with a nicely balanced menu, stylish but comfortable interior . . . I really cannot find anything wrong with this place. I try to divide my luncheon life between Treacle and the Outsider, with the occasional sidestep to Dogs or even a shimmy towards somewhere else, but pretty much these three places have it covered, depending on the end of town in which you find yourself. If you're lucky they'll give you a table in the window with a view across the Old Town. Lovely spot to drink some wine and enjoy the food. I mostly go for lunch but when I've gone for dinner I always start with the large skewers which are good for sharing. Monkfish and bacon skewers are always popular. In fact the general mix of dishes makes it a great place to bring guests. It's always top of my list to recommend to visitors. And would you Adam and Eve it but they possibly do the best burger in town. I always say I'm not going to get the burger as the place is too stylish to order such a déclassé dish, but their chilli burger with gruyere cheese is fantastic. I do have one gripe in that they don't have an online menu, or indeed a website (a cardinal sin in my book), but I forgive them. While the menu changes, I know the standards just about by heart. Well, it's not that difficult to memorise "Chilli burger and a beer, please. And can I have the table in the window?" read more

The Outsider - Char-grilled pork chop with new potatoes, Savoy cabbage and peppers. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I'm not sure I know what "modern European cuisine" means, but if this is it, I am a fan. Close to the Grassmarket, but away from the tourists, this is a handsome restaurant with a great view of the castle from the back windows. My son and I split the skewers for an appetizer. Then he had a skirt steak and I had fish. Add a couple of Innkill & Gunn beers, excellent service, and a cozy atmosphere, and we had a great first night in Edinburgh. We liked it so well that we went to the Apartment Bistro, run by the same proprietor, a couple of nights later. read more

The Outsider was the one restaurant that stood out from my two days in Edinburgh - and not in a good way. The food was expensive, but it wasn't even that good. The one thing that I really liked about this restaurant was the extremely comfortable booth. I think I could fall asleep amongst those pillows. Also kudos for using actual stick candles. As for the food, the portions were big, but the combination of flavors were confusing and all over the place. For starters, we had the slow roasted pork belly, dauphinoise potatoes, buttered greens, and shallot gravy. It was better than my main course, which was a pan roasted cod fillet with salmon, chilli and coriander potato cake and a mussel salsa. The cake was very grainy and the cod was completely dried out and lacked acidity. It was one of the few times when I left food on the plate. One highlight from dinner was the olive oil that accompanied the bread. I haven't tried much modern European cuisine, but if The Outsider was a good example, I don't think I am a fan. read more

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The reasons I have fallen hook, line and sinker for The Outsider: It's a neighbourhood restaurant where locals and families go to eat. It's opposite one of my favourite bars and pre-club venues - Villager. It's decorated tastefully with rustic wooden tables, patterned cushions and hints of colour. It has a private booth that seats four to six. It has breathtaking views of the Castle. It has a fab wine-list including one of the most beautiful and berrylicious Shiraz I've ever drunk. It serves totally delicious food - my favourite dish being the grilled hallumi kebabs with pitta, coleslaw and salad. It has sugar-rushing deserts that match the flavour and intensity of the wine. It has friendly and efficient staff that don't mind if you stay one hour or three. It's named after Albert Camus's classic existential masterpiece.* *If it isn't named after Albert Camus's novel, it probably takes its name from Francis Ford Coppola's equally awesome 80s movie. read more

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A great gem of a restaurant in the city centre. Really excellent (and for lunch great priced) food. The Outsider is upscale casual meets modern European at it's best. Sure it's a bit overly crowded (there probably should be 20% fewer tables), but the service is spot on the food was among the best I had whilst up in Edinburgh. Great location too right on George IV bridge. As for what to order, the chunky healthy lines are massive, great if you are starving. I had the chili beef salad which was very well prepared and tasty. My friend's sea bass was elegantly presented. Even though they charge extra for bread, it's worth the 90p splurge as the bread is freshly baked and really delicious. The lunch specials were all reasonable with most mains in the 6 to 8 pound range. Next time I am definitely ordering one of their burgers. They look amazing! read more

This place was so good, we already want to go back. The restaurant itself has a great vibe and wonderful views. The lunch prices are so reasonable and the quality of food superb. I enjoyed the seared venison salad. The meat was seasoned and prepared perfectly rare. It was served on a bed of greens with roast potato, apples and beets. They left off the blood pudding as it contains gluten. The wine list is described in a way that makes you want to order a glass of each. Non-alcoholic fresh presses and cordials are also available. We didn't have room to indulge in dessert, but the selection sounded amazing. read more

The Outsider - The views. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Wining and Dining Castle view cannot be missed A date Anyone? read more

We got the mussels and several sides: artichoke salad, coleslaw, sautéed greens - all we can say is YUM!! The ambiance is superb and so is the service!! read more

The Outsider - Innis & Gunn and Tempranillo. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I really wanted to love this place - cool atmosphere, great location, fun wine descriptions. But between an unfriendly waitress, over salted dishes, sole dish with more bones than fish, and the second glass of wine that never arrived...I have to suggest you avoid. The elderflower cordial and the cured trout were delicious though. read more

The Outsider has a really cool, laid back atmosphere that verges on quirky ... in a good way. Great service - the waitress ran through the menu, water was brought automatically to the table and they were flexible when ordering vegan versions of menu offerings and swapping out elements of a main with a side. The food was delicious (I had the rabbit and tarragon pie from the lunch menu) and almost unbelievably well priced. A great place for lunch or dinner. read more

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No thanks - dont go there! We wanted to celebrate our last evening here, and were happy to get a table, with a same day reservation. The location is okay, lets call it modern - at least we didnt feel underdressed ;-) We arrived at 9 and ordered at 9:15 - the bread came fast, but the starter (pork cheeks with lentils) took 30 minutes... unfortunately it was really mediocre, not to say boring in taste... after that we had to wait whooping 30 minutes more... when serving the large group of people next to us (who ordered AFTER us), the waitress told us to check where our food was, but you could tell from the look she gave us, she couldn't care less... So the food arrived, with a decent delay between the two of us, my rib eye was of poor quality and burnt - with no salt. Nice one, if you have to ask for salt and wait another five minutes. And instead of grilled vegetables, I had baked potates.. what a mess. Matching this screwed up eevning the waitress had added 12% tip on the bill, even though the menu said it is only added for tables of 5 and larger... What a waist of time money and calories... read more

Located conveniently to the National Library, Museum, the University and many other attractions. Very good food and very attentive service at reasonable prices read more

The food was average. I ordered the 35 day flatiron steak...while the meat was tender and the insides were pink, the outside was quite charred and imparted a burnt taste with every bite. The hand cut fries on the side were fine, tasted like potato but I didn't like the salad that came with the main. The salad was a bit bitter and too much red onion overwhelmed it. Overall, very mediocre place. Nothing special about it, nothing particularly Scottish or British. And the most outrageous part was that despite mostly absent/mediocre service, they automatically add a 12% tip. I would recommend skipping this place unless nowhere else is available. read more

We stopped in here after reading up on the Yelp suggestions. The reviews we mixed and I'll admit our is as well. The chorizo and squid salad was good but we found it missing something. The squid didn't absorb the great taste of the chorizo. Too bad because the sausage is really tasty. My main was the lamb and feta balls. I really liked it but love the taste of lamb. Sandra was less of a fan. Her sea bass and scallops was good but lacked enough sauce to make it all the way through the meal. In the end, the tastes were really good but each meal was about 90% of perfect. read more

I loved everything about this place -- from the thoughtful serving dishes (including the water pitcher), to the interior design, to the view from the windows. All of this helped elevate the food, which would have stood on its own anyway. And, you do not get gouged on the price! TIP: free wifi if you ask for the password. read more

Loved the food and ambience! We lucked out with a view of the castle. Service was great and so friendly. Very cool vibe. I got the risotto with fish, and my husband got the mussels (the fries did seem like they had been picked up from McDonald's, but not a problem for my husband ha). read more

The Outsider - View of the castle from our table! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This restaurant has a casual yet sophisticated vibe to it. If you are lucky enough to get a seat near the windows you will have an amazing view of the Edinburgh castle. Hubby and I went for an early dinner and were able to take advantage of a special for Duck confit with squash puree as well as a prawn and salmon salad. We also ordered a side of garlic fries which were really yummy. I found the rest of the menu a bit limited and would have probably rather tried the lunch offerings but we missed the service time for that. Tip: if the pudding menu doesn't tickle your fancy head down the road to the Vittoria* Gelato/Ice cream window *Thanks to Jenny L. for the reminder on name of the place =) read more

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Before I actually came here, I was told it's one of those arty new restaurants, with minimalist decoration, and apparently the owner didn't approve of people hanging their coats on the back of the chairs and they were quickly taken to the cloak cupboards. So walking in I was expecting a "too-cool-for-you attitude" How wrong I was. The menu is interesting (for a change), and it gets a revamp seasonally. I had the pigeon dish (can't remember what it's actually called but chose it mostly because it had a warning about containing gunshot) and on a different occasion had a kebab dish- both delicious! They have platters to share as well. The cheese selection is decent and their homemade bread is too moreish. The interior is mostly dark. However, this doesn't make it a dark place, instead, the glorious view from the enormous windows of the lit-up Castle outside. The service is layed back and chilled but efficient and professional at the same time. On both occasions I had dinner there with my family our waitress (a different girl each time) was lovely and very friendly. And they didn't take our coats (they offered but it was not compulsory). Only thing I can hold against it is the noise level gets really bad because the ceilings are so high- at times it gets hard to talk at a normal volume.Also, it is a bit pricey but the portions are huge,the quality is great and they have a great lunch deal. It's cheaper (about 6-10 pounds for a main at lunch and about 9-15 pounds for a dinner if you skip out on drinks/starters/dessert so not too bad for a proper restaurant) . To sum up I absolutely love this slightly different restaurant and it's ideal for a special occasion or to just treat yourself and your friends/date. read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH