I desperately wanted to love this place - waterfront location, nautical decor, seafood. However, it was the latter that let me down. The cold seafood sampler platter had excellent selections and some pieces were really good, but others seemed dry and less than fresh. The entrees were all delicious and the poached monkfish itself was superb - but we were all non-plussed by bathing this beautiful rich fish in a spicy curry sauce. It has plenty of competition so hopefully it will up its game in the future. read more

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Right out of the gate, let me say that the food itself was mostly excellent. The seafood was fresh and the smoked platter was well worth the time and, frankly, the price point was great. The desserts were not their forte, so feel free to skip it. The Cullen Skink as an appetizer is a must-try! So why the low score? Well, unfortunately, the waitstaff was absolutely abhorrent. We, along with other tables around us were ignored. It was so bad that, in order to get any service, refresh a drink, get a napkin, a dessert menu or whatever, I often had to stand up and wave my arms to get the attention of the staff. The absolutely lowest point came when I flagged down our server to get a dessert menu. We ordered from it immediately (because we didn't want to wait forever until someone passed our way again). She took our order, wiped our table off and went to the kitchen area. 30 seconds later, she returned with her purse on her shoulder and left for the evening. Did our dessert order go in? Nope. After about 10 minutes, we flagged someone else down and asked about our dessert. They were not aware of any dessert order and put one in for us. 5 minutes later, it was served. Ridiculous. A gentleman at the table beside us had to go find someone so he could get his bill to pay it. Once he led the waitress back to his table and paid her, we grabbed her attention just so we could get our bill and get out of there. It's a hard lesson for us to learn that, no matter how good the food is at a restaurant, terrible service can make for a n overall horrible experience. If you want to try this place, maybe get something to carryout and let the waitstaff learn how to provide proper service before eating there and ruining what should have been a pleasant meal. read more

We had a fantastic dinner here. The boys especially loved sharing the seafood boil. Amazing meal. Highly recommend. Service and ambience great as well. read more

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First impression, the bathroom is spotless!! Food and service is top shelf!! Very nice staff! I had the King scallops which blew me away!! So much flavor and presentation was excellent and expertly done!! When in Leith, get in here!! read more

The Ship on the Shore - King Scallops - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great service , a little on the expensive side (as noted on Yelp) but the food was fresh and top quality , our meal took a few minutes more than I am used to but I totally understood why when we were served . I would eat here again and again . The seafood is fresh and exceptional as is the service . read more

We came in for a drink and an appetizer, sat at the bar , the bartender was very good ,very personable . My husband had oysters, which were very good and fresh , I had the seafood chowder, half portion .. it was the best seafood chowder I've ever eaten, and I've had seafood chowder all over the United States,.I would go back there just for the seafood chowder read more

I dined here for the first time in 2016, and my only request when we came back to Edinburgh in 2017 is that we dine here again. So now I have had both lunch and dinner, and service was great during both times, though it did take a bit longer to get seated at dinner which was fine, as we had some pre-dinner cocktails at the bar. There is a lot of fresh seafood dishes to choose from, but the stars of the shows are the delicious seafood towers that are meant for sharing. I have had both the hot and cold and I love them both. The best meal would be if you had enough people to share both platters. The cold platter has the smoked fish that is delicious and the hot platter is serviced with a smokey garlic butter that is amazing. Also, the second time we came, we had a vegetarian with us and there were enough options for him. He has the Mac n' Cheese, which was served with a salad and chips, so a bit of a carb overload, but he finished it all. For dessert, the sticky toffee pudding is a must. It is so good. read more

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While walking the streets of Edinburg we stopped to enjoy the magic card tricks of a young man named Jordan. He was a friendly sort and was interested in talking about America. We chatted him up a bit and then asked for a recommendation for seafood. He told us he was from Letih and had the perfect recommendation. It's a bit out of the way and a tad on the pricey side but the food quality and variety is exceptional. The seafood pie was more mashed potatoes than seafood...or pie. Try the seafood chowder! The ambience & service much better than average. read more

The Ship on the Shore - Seafood pie & fish & chips - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Best meal we had in Edinburg! Friendly service and fresh seafood. The homemade bread is a must! read more

The Ship on the Shore - Hot seafood platter for two! - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Just got into town and wanted a great local spot for good seafood and good ambiance. I went here based on other Yelp recommendations and the menu. The space isn't massive but plenty of room. I sat at the bar and it was a perfect ambiance for a Sunday evening. The staff was incredibly friendly and accommodating. Being my first time in Scotland, I tried the haggis appetizer which was super tasty! I also ordered the Shetland Salmon and it blew my mind. Everything about the dish was excellent. I left thoroughly full! With 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer, and an entree, I payed 45 pounds. Some might think that is pricey but it was well worth it! read more

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Do you like good food, preferably of the piscine variety? Furthermore, do you like ludicrously huge portions? Well, then hie thee to The Ship on the Shore! Husband and I randomly wandered in this afternoon, soon after our arrival into Edinburgh after having spent the last four days eating gorgeous, freshly-caught seafood on Skye and Mull. I was a little wary of harshing my HIghlands seafood high, so I ordered just a prawn cocktail to start and the macaroni and cheese for my main. The prawn cocktail was absolutely delicious and with super-fresh shrimp. Perhaps a little too heavy on the Marie Rose sauce for my taste, but still great. I'll admit, macaroni and cheese is a weird thing to order at a seafood restaurant, but it was absolutely delicious. Creamy roux, perfectly cooked pasta, and accompanied by a lightly dressed salad and french fries. Yum. My husband ordered the haddock and chips. Although the portion of fish was as large as his forearm, no quality was lost in the gargantuan size. Great batter, fish was firm and fresh. If I weren't face first into my giant helping of mac and cheese, I would have eaten most of his haddock! Service was also great and the atmosphere very relaxed. If I were in Edinburgh longer, I'd definitely visit again -- I'd love to try their brunch. read more

The Ship on the Shore - Macaroni and cheese - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Gotta say, everything from the clever decorations to the quality of the food makes this place special. My family and I came here recently, and they have agreed that the mussels here are pretty much the best they've ever had. We all had different white fish as our mains, and it was absolutely delicious too. Just gotta say it's an amazing restaurant. Not too fancy, and great food. My parents loved it so much, they're going to treat my boyfriend and I for a meal there for his birthay in the new year. sweet?!! read more

I guess this is the most gourmet square meter that I have been. There are two Michelin stars and at least 6 five stars restaurant half a mile from each other. Understandable why the Shore, Edinburgh has been consider the new area for good food. The Ship on the Shore is another great example of the outstanding quality of restaurant in the area. read more

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I seafood I eat food! I'm a little obsessed with seafood so for my birthday dinner it seemed appropriate to check out this restaurant that had come highly recommended. The location is lovely as its right by the water with easy bus links back into Edinburgh. Drinks list was exhaustive as was the menu of all things seafood. Oysters, scallops and langoustines were phenomenal!! Absolutely delicious. It was a bit on the pricey side and the staff were polite but I wouldn't say friendly but would definitely go back for the high quality grub! read more

The Ship on the Shore - Oysters - yum yum! - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Undervalued, I think. This is an Edinburgh institution. Civilised, decadent. It's all about the Fruits de Mer Royal (seafood platter). You must take someone or people you love as soon as possible. read more

The Ship on the Shore - Seafood Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Holy cow. I am becoming increasingly convinced that The Ship on the Shore is in my top three restaurants anywhere in the whole world. It's casual, down to earth and cozy with incredible, delicious, fresh fish and seafood. Does it actually get any better than this? I have now been a handful of times and every single time has been an absolute joy. I most recently went last weekend with my family and pregnant wife and once again we were not disappointed. I had a grand pot of steamed clams with chorizo for a starter and then utterly divine monkfish tail with beautifully cooked rice in a cheeky little masala sauce. It was a bit 'out there' but boy oh boy was it good. I also had a couple of great spoonfuls of the paella jammed with so much fish and shellfish that it was fit for four people that my dad and brother shared and I nicked a few 'Ship's chips' off my wife who had half a Berwick lobster. With excellent, chatty, friendly service and a great, not too corkagey wine list I feel totally at home at this place. There are places in Edinburgh with better food (but not by much!) and places with more polished atmospheres but in the food/coziness x friendliness ratio the ship wins hands down in my opinion. Blinking marvellous. read more

Really 3.5 stars. I thought the food here was pretty good. There is only seafood on the menu. Seriously - there is nothing but seafood on the menu. My mom was in heaven! The quality of the food is higher than Mussels and Steak (if you are familiar with that place). We took a short taxi ride over because we wanted to see the Leith area. It's a cool place - not too fancy - looks like locals go there. They had only one server working that night so the bartender had to help out. Needless to say the service was somewhat lacking. In all a good experience but I would likely try other places in Leith rather than return to the The Ship. read more

I took a friend in here recently who loves old man style pubs with great food. I have frequented the Ship on the Shore but never eaten in there owing to the fact that my other half has issues with all things out of the sea. It was a Tuesday and the place was packed but we were seated immediately (I think more down to luck than anything!). They didn't seem to have enough staff on to cope with the influx as we did wait quite some time to order, have plates cleared etc... Now to the whole point of my review...the food. WOW! I have to say I didn't have a single thing that wasn't exquisite. I highly recommend the hot & cold smoked salmon for starter as it was out of this world in terms of flavour. My friend loved the place equally as much. I think my other half can suck it up and sit with a bowl of chips the next time I'm in the mood for seafood as I have to go back there. read more

Had an awesome seafood meal here on a Saturday night. I love the cosy but elegant décor in here and spent a good amount of dinner coveting the wallpaper of old style maps for my own flat :) The service wasn't perfect - a little slow and they forgot the second round of drinks we'd ordered with our mains (though this turned out to be fortunate as we'd been a bit ambitious!). The tables are also packed quite closely so with our table being one in the centre of the room you do get a lot of waiters walking by. We could forgive this though as the food was great - my whole sea bream was far too big for me but yum, esp once my date showed me the best way of slicing the fish to avoid a mouthful of bones (*skills!*). He'd got one up on me anyway though by being more adventurous and going for the seafood platter - oysters, mussels, salmon, prawns, clams and other unknowns - which was also way better value for money. Nice setting for a special meal for seafood lovers - I'd go back, next time outside of festival time and having starved all afternoon so I made it to dessert! read more

I'm giving this place 5 stars, on the basis that I think this is the best place in Edinburgh to take someone who loves seafood. It didn't quite capture my heart in the way that it could or should have, and their Cullen skink didn't hit the mark, but their seafood platters are something very special, and must be sampled. A great mix of traditional pub atmosphere and dazzling seafood theatre, the Ship on the Shore is a richly rewarding experience. "I'm glad to have finally sampled the Ship on the Shore's seafood goodness. As a place to send seafood lovers, I think this would be top of my list of recommendations. The place didn't quite provide me with as satisfying an overall experience as it might have, but there's no denying that the quality of the produce on offer is quite exceptional." read more

Glutton for punishment! My friend was visiting from London and we walked along the shore and she chose this place. I told her the service was pretty but we were in a rush to have dinner anywhere and head of to a show. She said it looked OK, whatever. We both had the mackerel special. She chose the prawn starter and I had the haggis filo. Service still bad. The waiter came by to take our order and put down dirty dishes from another table on our table while he took our order. There was also a ash tray full of cigarette butts which I moved towards him to take away (we don't even smoke), he just put it on the floor by my feet. um, ok. Now, the food was OK but it gets worse. The next morning I wake up throwing up and completely sick. The entire day feeling ill up until today (Sunday). I have not had food poisoning like this in a long time. My friend is fine so it must have been the starter I had since we both had the same main. read more

Great restaurant. I would suggest reservations as weekends fully booked normally. Very good service, nice atmosphere, and we were pleased with the food. One of the more varied menus in Edinburgh. We had the Royal Paella, and it was a very good. We also tried several appetizers. I would certainly recommend. read more

Went here with a group of friends for a big reunion. Where to start, decor was nice and plenty of room. Was a little put off by the prices but was promised that the place was worth it. This being a specialist fish restaurant, I ordered a steak, which came out nicely done. The missus had a fish platter and did really enjoy it. Service was a bit slow but generally ok. Over all it was a reasonable meal, but I don't think it was work 20 quid a main course, you can get as good a mean for a lot less. Won't be rushing back, but as the missus is a big sea food fan I suspect I may get dragged back at some point. read more

Lovely, old restaurant with outside seating in the sun. Sadly the food was very disappointing, especially as we were mere yards from the water. The oyster shots were unpleasant. The fresh seafood platter and smoked seafood platter were virtually the same. The portions were big, but the quality was low. I gave it two stars as it was an attractive restaurant, with great staff and good wine. read more

This is a wonderful place to eat, relax, and most impotently have a great time no matter what time. Breakfast is a great way to start your day (I am recommending The Champagne Breakfast). Lunch is always a great time to get away from your day or just make your day that much better. Dinner is outstanding and you will never have anything but the best staff and food here. read more

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A lovely laid back bar with a French vibe. Great wine selection, not so great beer selection. However, it's the food that is the star here - the oysters are amazing, and go great with a Guinness or glass of bubbly. I took my brother in law and his son for the seafood platter a few months ago and we devoured everything. The Bloody Mary Oyster shots are great too! One of my favourite laid back bars in Leith, though it's definitely geared more towards food than drinking. read more

After reading all the positive reviews we dropped in as a special treat on a Sunday afternoon. The restaurant is lovely and very classy ...unfortunately that was as good as it got. Most of the main courses sounded like starter's or snack's only at expensive main course prices. For example Lobster Crêpe or Lobster/Beef Club Sandwich or Chowder or Mussels. For started my Husband had the Cullen Skink which was boiling hot and he had to leave it for 10min before it was cool enough to taste and even then it turned out to be... tasteless. I had fish cakes which were ok but nothing special. For mains my husband ordered the Sea Food platter which was a mixture of shell fish, salmon, haddock and herring all served cold and very bland. I had the Lobster/ Beef Club Sandwich which was overpowered by Tomato and Lettuce. This again was ok but nothing special (I have had better club sandwiches in the local pub at a fraction of the cost). Bottom line is we spent £80 on a very average meal and a couple of drinks and in all honesty we would have been better spending half at the local. read more

Fantastic fish restaurant where they do a great steak too. lovely candles and a great atmosphere. I've been here many times, every time I leave very happy. everything from the fruits de mer to the chips are fantastic! Keep up the good work. C read more

actually I would say 5* for DISAPPOINTMENT!! Seafood platter had more smoked fish than seafood itself, and it look like it was frozen and it came out of the jar!! Manager with French accent called me Daniel, and after correcting my name [Tania], they all stupidly laugh in front of me like if i wasnt there!!! Rude! If im going there again??...NO WAY! Im very very unimpressed with the restaurant: staff & food! read more

Ended up here purely by chance around 6 weeks ago and had an amazing dinner! The owner was very friendly and interested, the wine he suggested was fantastic and the food surpassed all expectations! Excellent for some Leith-style fine fish dining and well worth the trip to the seaside. read more

This place is fantastic! I ended up here after a day of wandering around Edinburgh and I can't believe my luck. It's now my favourite seafood pub (sorry The Cow) even though it may be a long time before I'm back in Edinburgh. Its on the water, nice pub feel but with maps on the walls and oars on the ceiling. The menu is hand-written and has what seems like every possible kind of seafood done every kind of way, at all ranges of price. Dining alone, I got a nice big glass of the rose and a seafood salad, which was all sorts of fish and shellfish (minus shells) tossed with greens and a very light dressing. Such a perfect lunch! I would go back every day if I lived there! read more

Great service and extremely authentic seafood! The seafood chowder was amazing. My wife had the steak and loved it. The seafood platter we had was all cold and I guess Im used to everything being steamed in the U.S. If youre a seafood lover, youll love this place! read more

I hear myself recite the series of words, "I need to head to Leith more often," approximately four times a week. Unfortunately, the effort I make to get to this character-stacked area of Edinburgh, a mere ten minutes away from the centre of town by bus, does not correspond to the amount of times I have vocalised said intention. This will change for 2012 though...it will! The Shore has a brillant array of hostelries and crustacean-themed restaurants to try, and I am willing to take on the job. Pre-New Year, I started my expedition early with a lovely meal at The Ship on The Shore, where I caught up with two old school friends. Note the catching up element of the event. I partially hate myself for saying this, because it makes me feel like I'm getting old and fond of complaining, but noise levels in a restaurant/bar are important, particularly when you don't see certain friends very often and you actually want to hear what they're up to, rather than just vaguely nodding at everything they say and lip reading 80% of the time because the background music is so loud. The Ship has a good level of noise and bustle, ideal for banter purposes, and just the right amount so that you're not hearing someone's fork crash to the ground from the other side of the room. So, we've got the atmosphere sorted. Chilled out and welcoming, but lively enough so that it's a highly visited destination of choice at the weekend. Then there's the all important food. We decided to share a bottle of very tasty and reasonably priced prosecco along with our meal, although the restaurant specialises in different champagnes, so I think I'll consider a bottle of the French stuff for my next visit. The menu was a tricky business, due to the fact I LOVE seafood and had difficulty choosing what to eat. I'm planning to go back with a big group of friends the next time, who will hopefully order a large variety of fish, which I can then steal from their plates. My friends both opted for the pot of steamed mussels with garlic, herbs, and lemon, and I went for the risotto main with Shetland salmon, North Sea brown shrimp, and smoked mussels. It was delightful - brilliant texture and not overpoweringly fishy, if you know what I'm saying. This place is entirely seafood orientated, so don't come along expecting veggie or other meat options, because it really does focus on its culinary dominance of the sea. Prices are mid to high end, but the food does this justice, and the setting is versatile, so whether you're looking for somewhere slightly more upscale for celebratory purposes, or a venue for gabbing with a bunch of friends or family in a more chilled out manner, The Ship on the Shore should fit the bill nicely. read more

It felt like I was in the bowels of a sea-faring ship. It has a historic pub feel, the food was beautifully presented and tasty (I had a salmon salad) and the service was excellent. read more

I've eaten here 3 times now and it's been absolutely stupendous every time! The quality is consistently excellent and the popularity of the restaurant is evident as it's always busy. However, the layout of the tables and separate bar area means that you don't feel as though you're crammed in. On my last visit, I had queen scallops to start with, which were perfectly cooked and served in their shells with chive butter. My boyfriend had sardine fillets which were also gorgeous. For main course, I had roast sea bass with crayfish tail and onion pakora, and fresh masala sauce served on the side which was amazing. Unfortunately due to the incredibly generous portions I had to leave a pakora, which haunts me to this day. My BF had a whole Arbroath smokie with potted shrimps and cajun spiced potatoes which smelled fantastic. He kept trying to get me to taste different bits of it but seeing as I was seeing stars just trying to cram my own main course down I had to decline and take his word for it that it was amazing. The only downside of this restaurant is that due to the afore-mentioned generous portions, we haven't managed to get to dessert yet. Just an excuse to go back again I suppose, yippee! read more

I'm surprised by the negative reviews here, as my experience was great food-wise. I went with a friend on a Friday night. The highlight for us was his cod with truffle risotto main. It was moreishly delicious. Our waiter had personality. No problems with the service. Would recommend! read more

The perfect place to go on a weekend in Edinburgh. Walk the water of leith from Stockbridge to Leith - book a table at The Ship and then get tucked in to some really great seafood! This restaurant is great, and always a treat. read more

Great seafood, lovely service and all-round a wonderful place to have drink or two and enjoy the easy rhythms and contentments of Leith.

Went yesterday with my wife in the mood for some seafood in particular oysters. So ordered 3 each with a glass of champagne then mussels and a whole seabass for me. The mussels came before the oysters & i was told they would be along shortly. Halfway through the mussels the oysters arrived. The German chap next to me had the same issue but ended up telling them to forget the oysters, should have done the same myself. Not a lot of seasoning in any of our food but cooked well enough. When the bill came it was someone elses. Lastly packed in too tigh next to other people. Not somewhere i would hurry back to. read more

Lovely old pub and now seafood resturant. Staff always seem to be running around but when you stop them to chat they take there time and are really nice. The sea food is great and although not the cheepest place to eat with food of this quality and portions a good size well worth it! read more