56 North in Edinburgh, City of

Return visit to 56 North on a voucher deal and excellent once again. Great Gourmet burger chips and a side of onion rings all beautifully prepared and excellent service from the staff. Being early afternoon it wasn't full but a large group arrived just as we were leaving so a nice atmosphere overall. Would definitely recommend !!

Excellent time here. Good selection of whiskeys and the food is delicious. The peppercorn sauce here is amazing and worked beautifully with the haggis bon bons. Steak was beautifully cooked and the sorbet washed everything down nicely. Had a slither of the House of Tully Singleton after referral from the bar staff - excellent choice and it went down a treat. Comfortable seating and friendly staff.

Best haggis, neeps and tatties in town!

I know something about coctails. I had red flag when I saw Olmeca tequila in the menu. I thought to take a shot and I regret. Even olives taste like nothing. Coctails like alkohol with water. Cherry in Mad men coctail was like this one on childreen cake - just sugar. 23 pounds for this experience.

We were a walk-in with our young grandson during the Edinburgh Festival. Friendly service and delicious food. Clean loos. Very well run place.

I'm thrilled we booked a gin tasting at 56 North. Whether you're dropping in for a bite or just a drink, the atmosphere here is wonderfully relaxing. We opted for the South Loch Distillery tasting and learned all about the gin-making process. Our guide was not only knowledgeable but also incredibly engaging, showcasing excellent interpretive skills throughout the tour. The gin itself is fantastic, and the staff are both friendly and welcoming. After the tasting, the master distiller, James, took the time to chat with our group, answering questions and offering great recommendations for our stay in the city.

Great tasting with Georges, really funny and knowledgeable on the subject inside out. We loved it, we laughed a lot and had a really good time with the whole group. Clearly to do!

Came for some drinks and it was lovely! Super friendly and helpful staff, I loved their take on a gin Hugo. Very lovely spot

I never normally write reviews but felt compelled due to the poor quality of the food. We were greeted warmly by a friendly waitress who took our order and delivered our food promptly. We were there on a Sunday at 5.30pm so definitely dinner not lunch time. My friend and I ordered burgers and chips costing £18 each. For that price was expecting quality food on a dinner-sized plate. We got small oval plates that looked more like lunchtime sized with small pile of chips and our burgers. My friends beef burger was definitely not made hand-made on the premises and resembled the poor quality frozen quarter-pounders you get from freezer shops. My chicken burger was at least a chicken steak but the chorizo was the thinly sliced variety you find in tapas packs in supermarkets, almost no flavour. Very disappointing for the price and will not be back. Interestingly at no point were we asked if we had enjoyed our meal. Not once, it was like the staff had been told or learned that it was best not to ask......

Perfect place to discover your guaranteed love for gin. A funny and educating gin tasting well worth your money that will make you have 10 more in the bar after the event. Also I am obliged to write this: George George George George George George George George George George George George George George George George

Alright so 2 pointers! 1.) I went to the gin tasting & it feels like I know infinitely more about it now & I will start making as good gin as I got here at home, or at least try. Thank you George 2.) I promised I would do it; George George George George George George George George George George!!!

6 guests. All ate excellent lunch with drinks followed by coffee We came here with our friends because of the excellent drinks service the previous night Prawn and halloumi skewers, fish and chips, Caesar salad, Thai chicken. All fantastic

This place has absolutely amazing Good food and drinks. Can be recomended

Great mid week early dinner with my husband. A super friendly welcome as we entered and lovely attentive staff. We both had burgers. My husband had the beef, it was perfectly cooked. I had the chicken and it was deliciously juicy. Served with fries and really tasty onion rings. Would definitely recommend. We will be back 🍔

We had a gin tasting hour/tour - what a great little place and what a wonderful hour that was! I want to go home and tell all my friends about this place, and I also want to come back to check out the food together with the fantastic selection of gins! Thanks for the great time and the excellent gin! I will never look at coriander the same way again, I promise...

Really enjoyed the tasting tour. Many thanks to our host who shared the history of the distillery and his passion about making gin with us. It also does not hurt that the gin they make is pretty good ;) highly recommend.

The bar is stocked with more than 300 types of top gin. We had a gin tasting here, which was absolutely successful. They would also be happy to produce themselves 💪🏻😇 again

Excellent Gin spot with really delicious cocktails. They brew their own gin on site and it's VERY tasty! Definitely worth a visit

Everyone in our groups very first gin experience. We learned so much about gin and the distilling process. We also had dinner here. Very good and fast service. The food was good and of course the drinks were top notch!

Really great gin and cheese experience! Very knowledgeable host and some great local gins, with a focus on grassroots Scottish gin making

I had friends visiting from Türkiye, and they wanted to visit Scotland. What could be better than visiting a whisky distillery with gin tasting along with a traditional haggis on the side as well. It was absolutely delicious and my friends were very pleased with their visit. I travelled from Essex to Edinburgh and this was the best visit ever. I travel to Scotland on regular basis but this was the best experience so far. The money spent was well worth it and I will book again in the near future. The only down side was the parking, other than that perfect.

Had a great gin tasting for very reasonable price, very nice people.

Marcus was a great gin tasting host! Very fun and informative!

Marcus was a fantastic host, very knowledgeable and friendly! Overall a great experience and would return!

We have visited this restaurant many times, mainly because you get really tempting vouchers. This one was for their brunch. What a great meal it was for a cold day outside. We never get a bad meal hear served by very attentive staff

Great sessions on gin production combined with tasting!

We did a gin tasting which was really very informative and interesting, Marcus was very friendly

We did a tasting with a presentation of the distillery. The staff was great and the explanations were very detailed.

Had a fantastic brunch here with my friend, the food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and attentive. A smashing meal out.

Delicious food and lovely staff. We had burgers and I’d highly recommended the tower burger! The on site gin distillery makes tasty gins too.

+300 gins and onsite distillery. The staff really lovely and lots of recommendations. We had dinner and the food was great. I'd recommend the small plates section for sharing. Looking forwards to coming back

Wednesday afternoon , great staff and service however overpriced cocktails £11.95 , not fresh , made with premade mixer , I had a passion fruit martini , have tasted better from a supermarket can .

Went here for Gin Distillery tour with my wife. Given Gin & Tonic before tour began which was great. Been on a similar tour some years ago at a bigger distillery but I enjoyed this one more as the venue was on a smaller scale and felt more intimate. The host was extremely passionate about his product and so knowledgeable. Had a great experience especially as we were given further drink at the end of the tour. Definitely recommend it.

Fantastic Gin Tasting & Tour experience led by Marcus!! Very informative and interesting and Marcus delivered it so well, thanks!! Love Gin even more 😋 😍

Had a Gin tasting class. Marcus was our host. So informative & learnt so much. Thanks Marcus for all the information given. Will now be more choosy in my gin & mixtures. I'd highly recommend this experience.

Very good afternoon spent on the gin tasting experience. Marcus was a fab host

Have very fond memories of this place, even back to when it was the Human Be-in 20 years ago. It’s also a lovely place to sit outside at their tables in the Summer outside on the pavement. However the service was so poor last night that I just walked out. This is a real shame as I remember the service being excellent before. I stood at the bar for what seemed like about 5 minutes whilst a barman shook cocktail containers around and completely ignored me. A female bartender was serving nearby. She could obviously see I was there but I thought it was ok as she was serving other customers. About a minute before she finished serving and was free, a lady came up and stood at the bar too. Instead of serving me when she was free, the bar tender said “who’s next” and of course the lady behind just arrived whilst I’d already been standing there for five minutes jumped in quick as lightning and claimed she was next. The bartender could clear see I was next but chose to ignore it when I protested. Really poor, why not just serve people in the order they arrived at the bar instead of opening it up by saying “who’s next” when it was obvious to her who was next. I walked out. It’s

So disappointed that my local, wonderful, chic, girls Cocktail bar is now becoming a lads sports bar!!! I was there the other day with a girlfriend from out of town and half way through the meal the speakers started BLASTING out the TV sports show. It was so loud and we weren't even in eye sight of the TV, we couldn't hear our conversation and it totally ruined the atmosphere. We left and went up the road to another place. Just now got a email through saying come and watch the game with us!!! Seriously did a lads lad get put in charge of the place or what!! Know your audience!!! what happened to this place!! The food and service is great but the TV sports show just kills the vibe! DO BETTER

It was a cold and quiet weeknight when we ate here. So, atmosphere subdued. But staff were friendly and attentive. Food came out quickly. We shared some lovely suck spring rolls and then the burgers were all pretty good. Tried the gin but I must say it came with A LOT of ice - probably too much for me to properly enjoy the gin.

We did the gin tasting with James and it was the most lovely experience! I would highly recommend attending this even if you don’t enjoy gin. My boyfriend is not a fan of gin and absolutely loved south loch gin!

We booked the gin distillery experience. It was really fun and entertaining! James was super fun to talk with and have him explain the process. We had a couple of complimentary gin which was superb! I suggest the bar and the experience for any gin lovers and anyone who wants to learn more about gin in general! Keep it up guys!

The gin tour was so well done, you can tell they love what they do.

The atmosphere was buzzing and the place was vibrant, the drinks were also great and not overly expensive

The turkey dinner served as part of the Christmas meal resembled something you'd expect to be served at a primary school. The potatoes were hard and some of the food on the plate was only lukewarm. Quite disappointing really. Friendly staff though.

Booked a large number table for friends to come and go for my birthday. It was spacious and not busy. The food was really nice and plenty choice but a little on the pricey side. The gin menu was amazing and not too expensive. However the other drinks were very expensive. We had some kids there and this was no problem but there is no kids menu.

The gin bar resembled an alchemist’s lair, with rows upon rows of gleaming bottles, each containing a distinct botanical elixir. The menu read like a treasure map. 56 North Bar is indeed a renowned establishment known for its extensive selection of gins and expertly crafted cocktails. For anyone visiting Edinburgh with an appreciation for gin and a desire to explore a wide range of flavours, 56 North is indeed an absolute must-visit destination. Go try it for yourself and savour the unique gin offerings and the delightful atmosphere it offers. We chose off the food menu Truffle oil and parmesan-dusted skinny fries which are without a shadow of a doubt a culinary delight that combines the earthy richness of truffle with the savoury, nutty notes of Parmesan cheese. These fries take the humble potato to a whole new level of gourmet indulgence 🤗😍

The gin bar resembled an alchemist’s lair, with rows upon rows of gleaming bottles, each containing a distinct botanical elixir. The menu read like a treasure map. 56 North Bar is indeed a renowned establishment known for its extensive selection of gins and expertly crafted cocktails. For anyone visiting Edinburgh with an appreciation for gin and a desire to explore a wide range of flavours, 56 North is indeed an absolute must-visit destination. Go try it for yourself and savour the unique gin offerings and the delightful atmosphere it offers. We chose off the food menu Truffle oil and parmesan-dusted skinny fries which are without a shadow of a doubt a culinary delight that combines the earthy richness of truffle with the savoury, nutty notes of Parmesan cheese. These fries take the humble potato to a whole new level of gourmet indulgence 🤗😍

We went for a Gin tasting to 56 North and had a great, very individualized experience. Finn was extremely knowledgeable, had great energy. We learned a lot and had a great time. Plus the gin is very tasty.

As I’m not a huge gin drinker, the real highlight for me here was the food! I had a great fish and chips meal, and a great beer with it too. The place was busy and bustling and sometimes service took a little while but that was understandable considering it was August and they were hosting events! This, and the fact it’s pretty much an open air restaurant (in Edinburgh!? when it’s cold even in summer!😅) were the only downsides to a lovely meal.

Great atmosphere and exceptional service. The add hoc festival specific gin garden is hidden away oasis where you can relax, chat and enjoy a well prepared gin from a variety of options. Must go during the Fringe festival

Over 300 gins, what more could a gin lover want? The spot also has a secret garden during the summer, a fine selection of cocktails, and booths to sit in as well as outdoor patio style seating. The food is where they lose marks, what used to be an elevated menu, is now standard pub grub with little imagination or care for quality. Go for the drinks and atmosphere, the food is best left out if the experience.

Fantastic bar to go to after a fringe show. Friendly staff, drinks and food very good.

Glass in ice. Underpoored drinks. Unwilling to seat 2 people at a 4 person table. I was terribly entertained watching an overly talkative manager chat up customers instead of making sure his staff was properly trained. He refused to have the 2 of us seated at any of the open tables as he was clearly hoping for a larger table to walk in to fill the spot. So we sit at the bar (normally completely fine by me, but we sat in too short bar stools) and watch as scared, confused bartenders and staff make drinks. Watched both our drinks be made with 3/4 shot of alcohol. Then horrifically watched a glass break over the ice box, and they didn't blink an eye as that being a problem. Food was pretty good and came out timely so no issue there. Then to top it off, watched the manager dismiss a 4 top table as he did not want to sit them at the multiple 6 top tables available. Overall, very odd and disappointing experience.

We were looking for a place to relax and have a beer during the fringe after exiting a hot venue. Their secret garden was ideal. It didn't have many people at all, relaxed music and good service. It would be good to have a better selection of beers but that wasn't what we were after anyways.

Two friends and I had a couple of gins and ordered nachos last weekend. Service wasn't the best. Our waitress needed prompting to take further drink orders and there was a new member of staff who made our drinks wrong a couple of times. He didn't seem to be getting any support from his colleagues. However, this was all easily forgettable compared to all people in our party getting the worst food poisoning we've ever had in our lives. From Nacho's??? We ate the chicken nachos and can only assume it had not been cooked properly. It has completely wiped me out this week, unable to do anything as my body has been so floored from this. Can't believe eating a meal that requires so little preparation had had this effect. Will never be returning.

Been here several times and a bit tardy of me not to leave a review :( Food and service always tasty and friendly :) We tend to use Itison vouchers for brunch and they are super value :)

You are in Edinburgh and you want to try some Scottish gins, where do you go? 56 North. They have a wide selection of Scottish gins and the staff knows their stuff. Obviously the management cares about making sure the staff understands the product- good job. The food is very good and competitively priced. Reservations are recommended.

De passage à Edinburgh, on a tenu à passer goûter quelques sélection de la South Loch Distillerie, très contents de notre choix, le bar est sympa et cosy, le personnel très gentil et le gin très bon, on l'a même préféré au Harris Gin qu'on a testé plus tard dans l'île de Skye

We came for the gin tasting. Was part of a small. The tasting lasted over an hour. Hosted by Finn who was excellent.

Have been several times before and food is always good . Seemed even better this time , everything so fresh and hot . Good service too . Always enjoy , thanks to all at 56 North .

I had a great time in the secret garden. All staffs were friendly and nice. What impressed me the most was that the staff at the bar served the drinks quickly, so I didn't wait long in the midst of many people.! I super enjoyed myself.

Amazing experience here! We had a large group doing the gin tour and tasting which was amazing and such good value for money! Stayed afterwards with a smaller group for some food which was also amazing! Definitely recommend visiting here!

Endroit incroyable où on peut déguster une quantité impressionnante de gins ! Que vous aimiez ou non le gin, vous devriez pouvoir trouver celui qui vous convient ! Dans tous les cas, il y a d’autres boissons notamment du whisky !! Je n’ai pas mangé là bas mais si vous voulez boire des gins, foncez !

Sehr coole Bar, nette Bedienung, Klasse Gin-Auswahl

What a brilliant experience all round. I had booked the gin tasting experience for my wife and I for her birthday and the tasting experience, run by a lovely Irish guy (I want to say Gary?) was fun, informative, and delicious. When I booked the tasting we were given a discount for our lunch booking (which was applied without having to ask or provide a code or anything). I had a steak sandwich which was cooked to sheer perfection. The range of gins was insanely good, over 400 if I recall. Every time we were told there were pairing suggestions but were asked if we had any preferences. All in all it was a terrific experience from start to finish with awesome food and drink and warm and welcoming staff. My only disappointment, and this is very much a 'me' problem, is that I forgot to buy a bottle of their South Loch Gin to take home!

Great clean gastro pub, good food with friendly and efficient staff

Great service and quality food Drinks...awesome choice Service with real smiles And the bonus...you can take your dog👍

Place looks great and the staff is very friendly. Good cocktails too.

Great service by Freya - nice drinks and rest of the staff friendly too. not too expensive drinks as well for Edinburgh. recommend

Had to leave a review for this place! I’ve been anti white liquor for yearsssss but they made me flip the script. We did the self guided tasting and everything was so amazing! I was a firm believer that I would never like gin, but I surely left with a bottle to take back home to the states. The food was also amazing, we split a bunch of the starters and everything was absolutely delish. The staff was so accommodating and kind, would recommend to everyone!

What was the atmosphere like? Not sure. What were the drinks like? Not sure. What were the staff like? Lazy and intentionally unwilling to help or serve. Walked in (without reservation at mid to late afternoon on a Friday) for a seat and to try a cocktail or two. We were told that they wouldn't seat us and wouldn't serve us, despite it being virtually empty and with NO-ONE at the bar. Apparently, they were unable to seat or serve us as they had some large groups coming in in around 30-40 minutes. I don't know how long people normally nuture their their drinks for, but telling us we had a limited time would have been fine. We even asked to stand at the bar for A drink, but, apparently, they couldn't work out how. Worse service and attitude I've witnessed in a long time. If there were nothing else and this were the only place to get water in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, I'd rather set fire to myself. I hope you choke on your group bookings until you learn what service can and should be.

One of the tastiest breakie/brunch around edinburgh, and a great spot when the sun is out, lovely friendly staff and service is excellent, well worth a visit.

Went for the sampling, James was really nice and funny. Stayed to eat as well. Will come back for sure. Huge selection of Gin.

We did the gin tasting and then got some snacks after (haggis bon bons and halloumi fries). All excellent! Really interesting to try different gin flavors and how they pair with different tonics.

We did the gin tasting with cheese pairing and what an experience it was. Our guide was very knowledgeable and personable and the selection of gin was quite refreshing! Would definitely recommend if you want to hear a bit more about Scottish gins.

Had a fabulous gin tasting session with Hamish. Extremely informative and the gin was fantastic.

If u luv gin , lovley place to go for tasting. They make their own on premises. Lovley place, friendly staff and good banter!! Highly recommend!! I bought bottle!!

We went here for some pre-dinner drinks. We immediately received a friendly welcome and service was attentive throughout. It wasn’t busy when we arrived but gradually filled up with a mixture of groups, couple and families. There is an excellent, wide range of gins but also other cocktails, wines and beers. We didn’t have any food on this occasion but the menu looks good with lots of pub food classics.

Dog friendly! A winner in my books

We done the Gin and cheese experience at 56 North while in Edinburgh for a weekend. Not huge Gin drinkers, but loved this experience. Very informative and kept entertained for the 2 hours. Tried 8 different gins, with different mixers which I never would have tried, boring lemonade man. But will now be trying a few different mixers, and enjoying a lot more different gins after this. Highly recommended, great host and great venue.

Great gin! Had a great time with them lads! Solid 5/7 all around! Cheers!

We came with my partner to celebrate our anniversary and had a coupon for a pretty good deal. The service was great, everyone was lovely and welcoming, that’s why it’s 2* and not only one. Well, long story short, the food was not even worth the discounted price. I had a vegan burger that was supposed to be £16, like whaaat… the patty was clearly bought frozen and tasted horrendous, I can’t even describe it. Even my partner didn’t eat it and he always finishes my plate if I don’t! His chicken burger was ok but very stiff and also tasted frozen. Furthermore, I did not feel okay a couple hours after and it couldn’t be anything else. Had to go to bed at 9pm to oversleep it. If it wasn’t for the great service, it’d be 1*…

We had a fabulous gin tasting experience of South Loch Gin at 56 North. Very interesting presentation, fantastic staff and delicious gin

Nice and quiet place for lunch, that gets more animated for dinner Good is nice, the service is excellent and the price very reasonable. They have a party mode later at night.

Gin proeverij gedaan. Goed verhaal gebracht door een jongen van 25, die duidelijk verstand van zaken heeft. Uitleg gehad over hoe gin gemaakt wordt, en hoe te proeven en te drinken. Puur of met Tonic of ginger ale. Ze maken zelf 5 soorten gin met eigen specifieke smaken. Leuk om te doen, en lekkere Gin-tonics gedronken.

Do NOT book for large groups!!! I used to be a big fan of 56 North but I was extremely disappointed tonight as my booking for 15+ people was spread over 3 tables - without any prior notice! On a special night, my friends and I were not allowed to sit together. This was heart-breaking and I would not want anyone else to go through the same thing. The staff refused to find a solution that would let us sit together. I have been to 56 North countless times over the 9 years. I am well aware that for large groups, there is usually a long table in the centre. I understand policies can change but it is very sad and heart-breaking that this special night for me was ruined by poor communication from 56 North. Please put a disclaimer that you cannot accommodate groups larger than 10 people or something else that saves other customers from disappointment I went through tonight. It is false advertising to say that you can book A TABLE (singular) for 18 people and force them to sit separately. Hope this review saves others who want to sit with their friends at a table on a special night.

I thought we were off to a flying start- very welcoming and fabulous staff then with the starters....duck spring rolls and the haggis which were super tasty but went onto the quinoa salad....so so bad. Perhaps the rest of the menu was nice but this was just tasteless quinoa piled onto the plate with over done grilled chicken and no dressing at all. This place was great atmosphere but please replace this salad on this menu...it was tasteless.

Lovely assortment of gins and excellent cocktails

Booked in for a group of 14 to do the gin tasting experience. Some of our group ran late but they were kind enough to let us wait. Really enjoyed our visit, informative but of course tasting the gin was the best part!

Food was meadiocre ,overpriced for what i got ,service poor hard to define from staff and customers .

Great venue for drinks, especially on a sunny day. Lovely outdoor terrace and comfortable indoor space. Helpful and attentive staff. But avoid the dire fayre from the kitchen!

Stopped in for a light lunch, drink and a rest. Good service and lovely food.

We visited '56 North' after a show at the Fringe and I must say I was utterly appalled by the service. I had arrived for our reservation before the other members of our party and even though I was seated by the young man on the bar, nobody came over to take my order. Even after my wife and father in-law arrived, it still took another ten minutes before we were served. During this interminable wait, other customers were being served and attended to. My wife also informed me that the aforementioned young man on the bar also initially 'blocked' her from entering the premises and that he seemed dismissive when she informed him that she was there to meet her husband. Perhaps he should have deduced that I was the 'husband' in question! The young waitress who eventually took our order was very apologetic and I felt bad that I directed my complaints to her. I was very disappointed with our overall experience.

Great service and fantastic for gluten free

If you have the opportunity to do a gin tasting here, definitely go for it! The tasting room is quaint and hidden from the busy restaurant. We learned a lot about the different types of gins and the distilling process and had a great afternoon!

¡Muy buena experiencia! El proceso de elaboración muy bien explicado, divertido, ameno! La cata muy bien organizada! Buenas ginebras en el corazón de Edinburgh

Fantastic place. Hidden gem. Dad's old part of town

Great Gin, Staff and Tasting of their own distilled Gin. Big recommendation besides the regular tourist attractions. 👍🏼

Lovely food, very friendly staff, great drinks selection in a pleasant relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommended for a bite to eat or just a few drinks. Great outside seating area for the odd occasion where the weather is scorching like today too!

Very friendly staff and the burgers were great. We are inside, but there was plenty of outside seating too.