I stopped by with friends on 08/30/25, and the experience was a mixed bag. This is a member's only…read moreclub, but 2 of our group were members. First, you are unlikely to find a better selection of unique, one-of-a-kind whiskies in the area; we ordered a large number of drama between the 4 of us, and were not disappointed. second, the food was fine, but nothing that I'd order again (I got the haggis, and burgers were ordered by others at the table), & not particularly good value - next time I'd just eat first. Finally, the atmosphere and decore was nice and clean (not unlike most private clubs), but the staff came across as a touch snobbish, and not especially welcoming. I'd still give it another chance, if back in the area.

While in Edinburgh for work I was lucky enough to be taken to this place by a current member. The…read moreGnocchi was delicious and the rest of the menu sounded great. The main reason we went was obviously for the whisky, the staff were knowledgeable but weren't as attentive as the queen street location. It wasn't a massive problem, but we had to go to the bar to get service, while others seemed to get table service. As you can see by the photos the members area of this place has a great atmosphere, it isn't over crowded and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be a signing up as a member.

Wow - nearly 100 different types of vodka including straight, flavored, and direct from Poland…read more Dinner menu that includes appetizers, main dishes, and desserts. Got "haggis balls". Had great fish and chips. Up a flight of stairs and not really advertised.... Well worth it. Only about 7-8 tables and a few bar seats though.

We came late on a weeknight and it was mostly empty. Bar is located above the restaurant…read more There were many different types of flavored vodka here, mostly from Poland. I opted for the blackcurrant and elderflower flavored vodkas. The blackcurrant was very good and the different flavors are just very unique. Definitely worth trying it out! 5 shots for 14 pounds. Decent deal.

This was our final meal on the Royal Mile before returning to our hotel. I also smelled that fishy…read moresmell when entering as posted by another reviewer. Our meals were fine. I had the fish and chips which was a nice portion. The biggest problem was the waitress acted like it was too much trouble to wait on us, plus had to fix the check twice. When I asked for a cappuccino she said just turned the machine off, it was only 7:30pm.

The food was excellent and so was the whiskey. We had two different flights of whiskey both…read morecompletely different. He got their haggis to go along with it and it actually made the whiskey taste a ton better. Had in the back of the bar/restaurant. If I ever get back there then I will definitely go back.

Custom whisky flight! The bartender asked me a few questions to put together my flight and asked my…read morecost range. I said £30 and it ended up being £28 which was nice. I think her selections matched well and I came away with my fave whiskey I tasted for the trip! She also took the time to tell me a bit about the whiskey (where it's made, tasting notes, etc) Also love the ambiance inside because who doesn't love cute black cat art!

Excellent fish and chips! I love frequenting anything related to cat themes in the name so that…read moremade the stop extra fun for me. Excellent pub and ambience inside. I didn't know this until I left but I guess there are EXCELLENT whiskey choices here. Next time I will make sure to take advantage of this.

I stopped by for a final couple of drama on my last evening on Scotland (09/09/25). There were…read moregreat scotch offerings at all price points, the atmosphere felt upscale, but still comfortable, and the staff were all pleasant and very helpful. I'd definitely return.

On our first night in Edinburgh, some friends wanted to kick off the trip with a whisky tasting, so…read morewe booked a whisky-and-cheese pairing at SMWS. I don't drink alcohol, but their online mocktail menu looked great, and when my friends made the reservation, the staff confirmed they'd be happy to accommodate me and that I could order a drink at the bar. I was genuinely excited given the variety of mocktails listed. The space is gorgeous, and even without drinking, the whisky selection is fun to explore - the names alone are worth a chuckle. The staff were warm, and our whisky-tasting guide was both knowledgeable and entertaining. After we settled in, I headed to the bar to order a mocktail, and I probably should have stopped while things were still going smoothly. The bartender ended up calling over an off-duty staff member because they were "between menus." He was extremely friendly, asked thoughtful questions about what I liked, and said he'd come up with something based on what ingredients they had. The drink was delivered to me later in the tasting room, and it was... fine. Interesting, with a smoky note - perhaps an attempt to give me a peaty, Scottish experience - but not quite to my taste. When I paid, I'll admit the price surprised me, as my mocktail cost more than a friend's dram of whisky. My friend later mentioned that it also felt like a miss that I wasn't given a cheese tasting tray alongside everyone else, especially since our group nearly bought out the tasting. My place setting was empty until my drink arrived. I didn't think of it at the time or feel entitled to anything, but offering a "no-alcohol" tasting option - a mocktail or NA beverage plus the cheese pairing - would be an exceptionally thoughtful addition for guests who accompany drinkers. As the sober friend tagging along, the experience was perfectly okay and largely in line with what I expected - but with a couple of small tweaks, it could have felt much more inclusive.

Walking in to The Devil's Advocate in Advocate Close, just above Market St, the large bar greets…read moreyou. We chose the Scottish Road trip whiskey flight. As someone who truly loved little about Scotch, it was a wonderful way to taste and compare smoky vs peaty whiskeys. Fun. Our table was upstairs and we sat next to an open door which allows for fresh cool air. It was a warm day in Edinburgh. Our server was wonderful, patient and really helpful. Our choices were truly delicious. We started with the fish board, olives, and mushroom skewer. We loved them all. I enjoyed the cod main dish, while my wife finished the starters. The side of asparagus was also excellent. The mouse dessert was delicious but very rich, it's enough for 4 people. The cost of dinner was also totally reasonable. I recommend this place highly.

I don't really understand why the ratings are so high at this restaurant. We tried going here one…read moreevening and I messed up the reservation. I'm not used to seeing it in blocks and our end time was bolded but not the start time. We showed up at the end time. We were charged obviously because you have to give a card for a guarantee. I get that. I was fine with it since it was my fault. What I wasn't fine with was the rude (dare I say bitchy?) hostess who I spoke with upon arriving. She was awful to me and looked at me like I was garbage. Even after that, I decided to rebook and pay attention to the time. The restaurant had been recommended to us by a relative as the "best place they had eaten" while in Edinburgh and I wanted to try it. I booked for lunch and when we arrived the male host was lovely. We were sat early (because I always show up to a reservation early) and then we waited almost a half an hour for the one waitress there to come and help. It was fine. I can understand they are understaffed and busy. But then the food, it was also just fine. It was decent but not great. Like a lot of things in the UK, it's understated and seasoned. My husband had the pappardelle and my two children and I had the flat iron steak. His pasta had zero flavor. It was a cream based sauce. It needed more salt. As for the steak, it was fine. It was cooked well. Mine was medium rare and the kids both had medium. It was also not seasoned well. However the steak was served with a dipping sauce (a garlic sauce, a peppercorn or lemon mint). We tried all three since we had three steaks and those were all good and kept the steak from being bland. On the plate were chips (fries), which were not salted well but we had the dipping sauces. Also on the plate was plain arugula and a couple on the vine cherry tomatoes. Nothing spectacular. The waitress didn't come back once the entire time we were eating. Overall, it just wasn't worth it for the money we paid.

I'm going to swim against the current on this one, but Usquabae ([ooh-ska-bay], n. aqua vitae,…read morewater of life, whisky) just didn't do it for me. We came in around 3 or 4pm and asked if we could get a drink; the host asked us if we had made a reservation. We hadn't, and they made a bit of a fuss about "squeezing us in" (at this point there was only one other person in the entire place - a man drinking at the bar). As long as we "weren't there for food" they could accommodate us. For the record: we were here for an hour, and no one else came in during that time. The whisky options were impressive featuring something from all the regions of Scotland, and we also appreciated their cider and cocktail options. In the end we each had one drink, but genuinely felt a bit disinterested and disappointed by the place on the whole after the hype we had read/heard. We just didn't get what made it THE place to go to in Edinburgh according to so many. We found much more interesting, down to earth, genuine places elsewhere in the city. The cold reception didn't help, but -- really -- what are we missing about this place?

Love this place! Best service we have had in a restaurant anywhere with the most delightful server…read morewe have met. The food was very enjoyable especially an amazing mac n cheese and the haggis appetizer. This was our first night in Edinburgh so the relaxed atmosphere was perfect for two jet lagged travelers. Loved the sticky toffee pudding for dessert was a treat!

We ordered a whisky flight and it was great. I ordered the lobster Mac & cheese and the amount of…read morelobster was impressive! The Brie bacon sandwich was amazing! Best sandwich so far. Staff was so friendly. I feel like this is a great stop.

Whiski Rooms feels old school Scottish, with decor that gives subtle historical nods without…read morefeeling touristy, and a view of the Christmas market lights on Princes Street. I had the Cullen skink, a traditional Scottish fish soup. Think clam chowder's fishier, smokier haddock cousin. The haggis tower is also non-negotiable. It comes with neeps, tatties, and a yummmyyy whiskey sauce. Don't look up the ingredients... just try it for the culture. The cranachan was tasty too! Service was quick, smooth, and non-bothersome. Solid experience.

Heard about this on reddit. Got place to try out some scotch…read more Great selection of scotch here. Long list and I hadn't heard about most of them . Reasonable prices. 10-20 per dram generally Knowledgeable staff provided great recommendations. I ended up loving one so much picked up a bottle from a nearby store.

100% old school bar in the old part of Edinburgh. I have no idea how long the place has been open,…read morebut the building itself appears to have been there for a very long time. The selection of beers is quite good - lots of local stuff from which to pick. Also, some standard selections as well. They also had a nice selection of scotch if that is your thing. Service was quite good as well. I found it a great spot to relax while checking out the old part of the city. Couple of pints and off we went. N*joy!

Cozy ambiance, extremely friendly staff and great food. Highly recommend the haggis and the hot…read morechocolate. We ordered a portion of haggis to go because we thought we wouldn't have enough time for a sit down meal before our scheduled visit to the Castle but ended up staying after feeling super welcomed by the staff and realizing that eating there for 20 minutes or so wouldn't mess up our plans. It was well worth it!

Arcade didn't disappoint and I enthusiastically recommend dining here. It's charming and cosy…read moreinside. We didn't try the scotch but instead opted for a pineapple and raspberry cider. The reviews are accurate. We had the best haggis here. I tried the Princess Diana haggis which had a cream sauce made with Drambuie. Out of this world flavor. It was a very large portion and I'm glad we didn't order any appetizers other than bread service. My husband had the haggis stuffed chicken. The peppercorn sauce on it was delicious. Too full for dessert we left to do some walking to help our overstuffed bellies.