When you think Scottish food, you don't think "gourmet."…read more In fact, if you're the average person you probably don't have have even a conceptual idea of what the food is like other than similar to English food. You wouldn't be wrong, but also not the greatest of reputations. Then a place like Makars stands up and says "We can be Scottish and delicious" and the result is a humble restaurant in old town dishing out quality comfort food. I wish I had come here hungover. It's one of those places where everything on the menu seems to be aimed at reviving a wounded tourist. For most people the people will consist of a meat of your choice on top of a mash potatoes of your choice. All of the options looked awesome. I was just coming from an 11 hour flight, so I didn't get too crazy. I pulled trigger on a pork over bacon mash and it did not miss. The meat was exceptionally fall off the bone tender and the mash potatoes were flavorful and complimented the meat perfectly. One bit of advice - the portions are big so either come hungry or consider splitting an entree. I'd feel confident recommending this place to anyone who thinks that the Scots can't cook. It'll prove them wrong.

Having tried unsuccessfully to make a reservation before arriving in Edinburgh, we instead used the…read morewalk-in line, where they take your phone number, give you a wait time and text when your table is ready. Very convenient. The decor is somewhat industrial, probably because of the AC ductwork. Much appreciated during a warm spell in July! Staff were all welcoming and friendly. Service was great! Food came out of the kitchen quickly. It's all about the mash, but the meats stole the show! The lamb shank was large, meaty and complimented by the cheddar potatoes. We thoroughly enjoyed the juicy pork shank with applewood smoked cheddar mash. In addition we sampled the savory beef shoulder with horseradish mash as well as the Lions Mane mushrooms topped with rocket (arugula.) Each was satisfying and full of delicious flavors. Definitely worth the wait!

Such a friendly and beautifully set restaurant. The food is picturesque and top notch. Everything…read morewe had, from the large portions of bread paired with roasted red pepper humus to the flaky and flavorful cod, was exceptional. The wait staff is helpful as well as friendly. They prepared a table for us even amidst a packed house. Know that this is not just a restaurant, it's a date night restaurant. We brought the kids, which was perfectly okay, but the setting and price is more date night worthy. This place is terrific! Enjoy!

Howie's was our first dinner stop on our first day in Scotland. I wanted a nice restaurant that had…read morea vegetarian version of haggis (so I could dive right in...), and we had made a reservation weeks in advance of our trip. All good! This Howie's location is on Victoria Street (one of the most photographed streets in the world and the visual influence for Harry Potter's Diagon Alley...it's a few minutes' walk from the center of the Royal Mile, so the location is fantastic. Our reservation was on the early side, and the host made a point of telling us a couple of times that they'd need the table back after a certain period of time. We don't really dwell for hours in restaurants, so that note is not something we really needed, and after seeing it in the reservation confirmation, as well as being told twice by the host, there was a little bit of a feeling that the entire purpose of us being at Howie's was to get out as soon as possible so they can have the table back. Besides that tone-setter, the service and food were fantastic. Our server took a lot of time going through the options with us...she gave me a good perspective on the vegetarian haggis I was getting to help me contextualize its flavor and texture with the real thing, and was very nice! The asparagus and pea risotto I had was also beautiful and had good flavor. As a vegetarian, I appreciated that the menu had everything labeled with dietary restrictions. (which seems to be more of a standard in the U.K. than in the U.S., but this was our first dinner stop in the country, so it's worth noting.) Howie's gave us a good introduction to Scottish cuisine. Its location couldn't have been better, and our server was aces. I hope we gave the table back in time to not cause a panic. ;)

Great ambience with historic brick features Bar service was…read moregreat - old fashioned highly recommended Charcuterie is a good choice

After seeing the high reviews on Yelp, I decided to make a reservation for this restaurant. We…read moretrekked up the steps of Advocate's Close to get there. When we arrived at noon (opening time), the restaurant wasn't too busy. There is an impressive bar downstairs with many whiskies. We were led upstairs to the dining area. There is outdoor dining too that would be nice if the weather was warmer. Cool vibe, but it is kind of dark inside the stone walls. The menu is Scottish-focused with seasonal ingredients. We didn't want to overeat, so we decided to share a starter and a main. We got the Scottish venison fritters, which were ok. We enjoyed the pappardelle pasta (roast pumpkin and pecorino sauce, wild mushrooms, spinach, bacon and poppy seed crumb, crispy sage). It was flavorful and didn't feel too heavy. Staff were friendly and it was an enjoyable lunch.

What an amazing experience. Great historic establishment…read more I got my first taste of Haggis and it was grand. You have to go here !

Well, we had dinner on one of our last nights in Edinburgh, and it did not disappoint! Get your…read morereservations! The upstairs dining room (bar side) is absolutely charming and welcoming, and the staff could not have been better, or friendlier. The food? Come ON! Really grand! We started with the chips and dip (fries with Sriracha Mayo) - they were crisp and the mayo was just spicy enough. My husband had a sizeable portion of fish and chips, which was perfectly cooked, and had a light batter. I had the most delicious burger, with bacon and cheddar; mash on the side. All the food was hot; well seasoned; and quickly served. The Doric has their own GF beer on draft, which is quite good, and a selection of regular beer for those of you who don't need GF. Great selection of scotch, as well. Make your reservation ahead of time, and don't miss the oldest pub in Edinburgh!

I went to this restaurant looking forward to a great experience and it was not there. There was…read moreanother name of a restaurant and I could not find it. I went around the entire building twice looking for it and then ended up going to another restaurant. I think it went out of business?

The menu has enough choice to give even the pickiest of eaters something to love, however it is…read morelimited enough to prevent the indecisive from spending time unable to choose a dish. We had such a fab time here, and the entire table loved their meal - the beef was our favourite dish. The only thing to be wary of is to make sure you request a table on the ground floor and not up the staircase, if you have mobility issues.

This restaurant is located in the lower level of the Scotch Whisky Experience building. It was the…read morevenue for the "Taste of Scotland" 3 course whisky pairing dinner we signed up for.   As far as the food, the 1st course was a trio medley of duck, trout, and vegetarian haggis.  I never really liked haggis, but this vegetarian version was pretty good I must say.  The 2nd course was a trio medley of venison, chicken, and hake filet.  The dessert course was a sticky toffee pudding.  Besides the two whiskies paired with dinner, we had a choice of a third non-whisky libation and I chose a nice Stewart's Holyrood Scottish pale ale.  The 1st whisky was a delectable Auchentochan Lowland 12 year old single malt to start our dinner.  The 2nd whisky was a delectable Edradour Highland 10 year old single malt which went with the pudding dessert.  The whisky connoisseurs here were informative and engaging, and the meal was tip-top fun and delicious, and particularly so if you're a whisky drinker.

We were part of a tour group that partook in the whiskey dinner experience…read more I recommend it. I am not a whiskey fan at all. But hearing a descent rundown on it handmade me less ignorant. Our meal was a 3 course small plate gourmet English supper. It was a cold patty. If duck/beef My only complaint. It was tasty. Sea trout. Excellent.

Delicious food in a very cozy upstairs space with great service. I had the venison, which was…read morecooked perfectly and served on a bed of greens and beets with a horseradish purée. I usually dislike beets but this combo really worked! My friend got the polenta, which was also very good and filling, and we shared the shoestring fries. All in all, a wonderful meal with friendly service. They have a weekday lunch special, which we would definitely return for.

The Perch offered us the ideal dinner. We were visiting Edinburgh, were hungry but it was late and…read morewe wanted some comfort food. And that is exactly what we got! Fish and chips were delicious, and perfectly prepared. My daughter had a burger and loved it. Service was excellent too!

For a name that conjures images of expansive open spaces, Field is a surprisingly cosy space…read more Nestled on West Nicolson, right by the University and across from a rather bustling student sports bar, (https://www.yelp.co.uk/biz/the-peartree-house-edinburgh), you could walk right past the restaurant without noticing it if you weren't careful. And that would be a shame, since it was very good! I came here for a family dinner, and we enjoyed the intimate space, friendly service, and carefully prepared dishes. To start we ordered drinks, and while they have a nice wine list, they didn't have as much in the way of beer or cocktail selection. Then, we had appetizers: White Onion and Beer Soup, Fried Octopus, and Smoked Chicken and Mousse Salad. All very good! Although not my dish, apparently the chicken salad was phenomenal :) For our main courses, I had roast rabbit loin, and my companions had vegetable tikki and a rack of lamb. My dish was quite tasty, and plated nicely, although nothing out of the ordinary. The Tikki (not sure what that is, actually), was crunchy, spicy, and tasted very nutritious. The rack of lamb could've been served a little warmer but was cooked to perfection and of very high quality. Dessert is actually where Field really shone-- we ordered some tea and I enjoyed the raspberry "cheesecake." It was spectacularly tasty, and quite inventive, not what you think of at all for a cheesecake, it was instead crispy layers of caramelized hazelnut crumb biscuit with what seemed like mascarpone cheese in between. Yum! Also tasty, the chocolate mousse, and lemon curd meringue tart. What a lovely dinner, not horribly expensive, and conveniently located in the old town while neatly avoiding becoming some garish tourist trap! An excellent choice for a finer meal in Edinburgh, and after dinner you can walk over to campus to see Teviot square and McEwan hall which look quite nice lit up at night!

We had some amazing meals in Edinburgh, but this was probably the best. Only about 8 tables so it's…read moresmall but we were able to show up without a reservation toward the end of the short opening hours on a Saturday. We started with the Harissa Spiced Lamb Neck. It was fantastic. There was just enough Harissa to create a good bit of spice. It also came with a watermelon and feta salad though which cut through the Harissa spice and made for a well balanced dish. My wife got seared scallops and Thai chicken wings. She said it was very good and it was definitely a good portion but I can't wait. I got the Onglet Steak with Haggis. Wow. The steak was plentiful and cooked perfectly. Super flavourful as there was a slight bit of whisky sauce And spinach in the plate to eat it with. I could've just had the steak and been fine. And that's coming from someone who doesn't eat tons of steak. But the Haggis was the highlight of the dish. Full of flavour. Smooth texture with tons of seasoning. Would get the Haggis alone and be happy. It was served in a caramelised onion spring roll. Added amazing nuance to the flavour. Just superb. Would love to return. Will be sure to make a reservation next time.

I throughly enjoyed my lunch here at mums and the food was indeed quite comforting. Had no prior…read morereservations and was able to be seated right away, it's a diner style restaurant and the food is really good and inexpensive. I ordered the Shepard's pie with a side of chips (French fries). And it was incredible, I've never had Shepard's pie before but I thought it was delicious. The platter did come with a side of beans and carrots that I didn't really care for. They were lukewarm and a lacked taste. But my main entree and the fries were nice, hot, and delicious. It's such a cute and cozy diner especially when the weather is gray, cold, and foggy. Mums is a nice warm place to get a hot meal. Also, my waiter was so kind- great service!

I was so excited to try this place after seeing good reviews but our experience was terrible. There…read morewere gnats everywhere that we were killing at our dusty booth. When our food arrived we finally asked to move spots but the back of the restaurant was just as bad. I can't believe other families weren't complaining. We also found a hair in our appetizer and the mains were subpar. My husband complained about his fries and burger and the manager was combative. They comped us for one whiskey and we left as quickly as possible. The shepherds pie was very salty and the side of veggies was very clearly from frozen.

This place is PERFECT as a comfy meet-up spot. Hot drinks, tasty food, cozy desserts, and a cute…read moreand sweet atmosphere--it's all good. And we left with full bellies, even though we only spent about 15 each! So, the food. YUM. We had some trouble deciding which of the menu items looked tastiest (we'll totally be back to try more options!), but she landed on the steak & ale pie, and i had the black pudding, tomato, & chorizo pie. Both were delicious--so tasty and satisfying! The chips that came with them (sweet potato for her, skin on for me) were perfect, and the mac & cheese side we split was also totally indulgent. We had sticky toffee pudding and a brownie for dessert, and those were so good they vanished pretty quickly even though we were already stuffed! We also got lucky and got to taste some of their soup of the day AND some fudge--both were heavenly. I'll be going back just to have some more of that soup, for sure. We both were really pleasantly surprised at how good the serving sizes were; I know I went in pretty hungry, and I came out COMPLETELY satiated. To top it all off, the waitress was an absolute delight. She was so sweet and patient, and she really went out of her way to spoil us! It almost felt like being at a friend's place. I'm really surprised I couldn't find any reviews on this place! It's such a treasure; we're really, really glad we gave it a try. I'll definitely be back. :)

Fantastic wee place full of character and appeal. Great for a coffee and a chat and the staff are…read morealwats friendly and go out their way to make things for you, even if they aren't on the menu. I could sit all day reading the paper, eating cake and drinking coffee! :-)