BABA in Edinburgh, City of

Easily one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long time. Everything was perfect, I highly recommend the muhammara starter.

I chose to accept the chef's suggestion for 2 people and it was an excellent choice.

This. is a scammer. they did not pay us and they buy fake reviews for their business +923337067406

This was my favorite meal in Edinburgh. Food was delicious, restaurant was really cool, service was a little slow, especially considering the restaurant was only about half full. I would definitely eat here again!

Let me start by saying that this place was packed, even on a wednesday evening, so make sure to book ahead. The food was very good, with flavourful dishes with levantine inspiration. The service was really subpar, unfortunately. I arrived 15 min before my reservation time and I was asked to sit at the bar and I would be called to be seated. 20 min passed and no one came for me, and in the mean time, I could see people coming with reservations been sitted right away. After I rejoined the queue I was seated right away with not even a sorry from the host. After I ordered, I noticed that the dishes were coming at really random times. i got the starter and it took at least 10 extra minutes to get my cocktail, which is not ideal. Once I got the main dish, I ordered an extra pita which they kept forgetting and I had to remind them. Dessert also took ages, even when the restaurant was almost empty. In general, the service was a disaster and not at the same standard than the food. I noticed that the waiter was really attentive with the table next to me (a larger group), so I felt quite forgotten by him. I have been to Baba before and I was looking to come back once I arrived in Edinburgh. With this experience my excitement has damped quite a lot

Great food and good menu loved watching the chefs

UNBELIEVABLY GOOD. Feel free to explore the menu but I’d definitely get the marinated chicken thigh

Amazing food and great Service!

We really enjoyed a variety of tapas here tonight. I think the char grilled aubergine and capsicum is my favourite. All very tasty, and colourful. Highly recommend this Mediterranean tapas restaurant.

The reason i gave food two stars was because after i ate in the restaurant (about an hour passed after eating the food) i rushed to my hotel room because i had an urge to vomit… I think it might have been caused by the mussles but i am not sure because i had everything from “mezze” on the menu. The service was fine and the atmosphere was okay but if you want a quiet place to dine in this is definitely not the place i would recommend.

The first night we tried to walk-in, but there was no availability. The reviews were so good, so we made a reservation the following day, even though the only open table was 4:30pm. So glad we came because the food was delicious. The baba ghanoush was smooth, creamy, and smoky. The muhammara was equally delicious with a surprising hint of spiciness. The romaine lettuce seemed simple but was presented beautifully. We loved the beet hummus with the falafel and artichokes. We were a little surprised to find pork neck w pineapple on the menu, which felt more south american inspired than middle eastern, but that dish was a favorite. We polished off every plate and only regret we were too full for dessert.

Gorgeous food, every single dish we had was delicious! We also had amazing service - Zack H was lovely and really knowledgable, really made our experience special.

Fabulous restaurant wish I had you near my home.

I’m usually a fan of Levant food, but unfortunately nothing I had in Baba was to my liking. We ordered hummus and labneh, along with flatbreads. The hummus was very smooth, however it tasted a bit odd - a bit more like dark tahini, and the toppings were too much. I’ve had labneh from quite a few places and usually it’s thick and flavourful, whereas the labneh in Baba was quite thin and didn’t taste of much. The breads were okay but a little sweet and nothing special. The chicken thighs in spinach sauce were quite unpleasant. The outside of the chicken was really tough, and the sauce definitely wasn’t my favourite. The venison carpaccio was okay though was very salty in places - which didn’t seem to have anything to do with the olives. Easily the poorest dish was the falafel with artichokes. The artichokes tasted like they were from a jar, as did the chillis. The service was good and the staff were really friendly, unfortunately the food just didn’t live up to expectations.

Absolutely amazing food Tapas style sharer plates and great for sharing. The venue is gorgeous, really well designed and the layout and decor was stunning. Especially the colours and furniture. We requested to sit in one of the smaller rooms and it definitely feels much more intimate than in the main room. We were celebrating a birthday and one of our friends had preordered and paid for a bottle of champagne for us. The price of this still came on the bill, luckily I checked as I normally don’t and just pay. Didn’t really get much of an apology just the correct bill. The food is another level. I would prefer to come with more people next time so we can try everything on the menu. The pricing is very reasonable.

Little Middle Eastern hidden gem in Edinburgh!! I’d recommend the hummus, babaganoush and the artichokes&falafel dish. Super friendly staff as well. Overall a very nice experience eating at Baba

Had a great lunch here - would definitely recommend the Merguez sausage!

I had high hopes going here as there is a lot of hype about this place. Unfortunately we found it to be quite mediocre in the end. The upside was the food was, for the most part, good even if some dishes did not fully meet our expectations. The downsides were that the menu was quite limited (e.g. no salads, potatoes or chips) and quite expensive given the small size of portions. The service, whilst friendly and polite, was also slow and inattentive (e.g. we ended up waiting 15-20 minutes for our bill). Overall a bit disappointing.

Came to Baba for a special occasion. Very attentive waitress called Trina who explained everything in detail and was lovely throughout. Mussels and hummus was the highlight dishes for us. Would definitely come back again!

We booked a table for four in the early evening. First, we had to wait over ten minutes for someone to acknowledge us and then further time to be taken to our table. The food was lovely - we had many of the small plate dishes and almost all were delicious. A few small things were that our monkfish was undercooked and the steak was undercooked to our liking - the waiting staff should really make you aware of how it is going to come out. The big let down was the service. All the staff were friendly however not attentive at all. Our waitress began to take our food order, and when my partner and I had finished speaking, she then walked away without asking if we were done - our friends sat with us hadn’t ordered yet so we had to try and grab her attention again to finish. It was difficult to get staff members attention, at times they would come and check on us however this was mainly when we had finished and they wanted to take our plates. The service really pulled down our experience and were unlikely to return. Final thing is the lighting - bring a torch! We were sat in a booth at 1900 and could barely read our menus or see our food properly. I understand lighting to set a mood, however this was simply too dim. Overall we won’t be back but the food was very good.

excellent restaurant. All the stuff was very kind, especially Rafa. An extremely charming waiter who served us our meal very quickly and explained us the menu perfectly.

Amazing experience and wonderful meal, I recommended the Labneh and the Lamb! Thank you so much to Trina our waitress who was so kind and hospitable and made our meal extraordinary!

Loved the food and the service and the vibe. Food is fresh and flavourful. Our server Pierre was really helpful and gave the best recommendations. Will definitely visit again!

Amazing food. Very friendly staff

Very rude staff , not friendly at all . Fod wasn’t the best portion was too small Food plates looks like sample , very limited choices No salads Over rated place . Not going back for sure

Excellent Mediterranean food in a large setting on one of New Town's nicest streets. Lamb shoulder dish was a stand out amongst the dishes we ordered. Server (Sophie) was great, and the ambience was cozy.

Lovely place to eat in Edinburgh. Food was delicious.

Very slow service. Placed our order and were told 20 minutes later that the mussels were not available. The mains were served almost an hour after we placed our order, and unfortunately arrived verging on cold. Lamb shoulder was dry and quite bland, monkfish tasted good but would’ve been better if it arrived hot. Overall the food was mediocre. Staff was polite but quite dismissive/inattentive and didn’t realize our food was nearly an hour late until we asked about it. Very disappointed and most likely won’t come again.

We had a lovely time with great food and amazing service from McKinley! Thank you

The food was perfect and the service was on point

The server was rude and unprofessional. Severely misinformed about the drink selection and was acting arrogant and racist.

Great food and healthy options. Great seating and a chill vibe.

It’s a take on Middle Eastern food

Really great food here and service was fab too Would 100% come back if in Edinburgh

Let me start by saying that I absolutely loved the food. I thoroughly enjoyed everything we ate there. Super tasty. Sadly, that wasn't the whole experience. The food was arriving very, very slowly, there was about 20-30 minutes wait between courses which is wayyy too long. After we finished our lunch, we specifically asked how long the wait for desert was as we were in a rush, the waiter said it'd be 5 mins then we waited 15. Shocking wait time for a desert. The girl who served us was cool but the rest of the staff was dismissive and we felt like we were being a bother for even coming there. I felt we were being ignored and tables with more guests were served first. There seemed to be a couple of parties on the day we visited so I understand there were more orders, on the other hand, the restaurant wasn't even near being full. It would also be great to see some more vegetarian options.

An incredible all-round experience

Delicious food and impeccable service!

The atmosphere and the service is great, the dishes are good, and some are spicy and spices

One of the best food experiences of my life! Could eat their hummus and baba ganoush with a spoon. Can also recommend everything we ordered: marinated chicken thigh, slow-cooked lamb, cauliflower shawarma and blackened sweet potato — everything complimented eachother perfectly. For dessert we enjoyed the lovely whipped labneh cream with rhubarb. I want to go back here asap! ❤️

Food was cold, the staff argued because they wanted us to pay for the cold food. Very disappointed indeed. It used to be better.

Baba never disappoint me. Nice food good drinks every time I go.

Amazing space, and food was great too. Definitely can recommend this restaurant to visit.

WOW! Fantastic restaurant , the best we went to on our 6 day trip to Edinburgh! The service, decor, drinks was all amazing, and the food.... next level! Absolute gem located in the Kimpton hotel! 10/10 recommend it!

Lovely food in nice area of the city

The best restaurant in Edinburgh. So fresh, ao tasty, such a great selection of dishes every one better than the previous one. I am coming back tomorrow!

Food was exceptional! Have rarely been as blown away by a meal in Scotland as I was at Baba. These guys are serious restaurateurs who consistently deliver top drawer food throughout their venues at a relatively great price. Unfortunately the staff were rubbish and service was defs below par.

It was ok main courses are over loaded and drowned in sauces.far to much going on fish was terrible 5/10

This was one of the best meals I've had in a decade! We were taken care of very well by our server, Abby, who made some excellent meal recommendations. We went with a party of 6 and she suggested we order a variety of dishes to share -- which made the experience so much better. The chargrilled broccoli (with green lentils and hazelnuts) was the unexpected star of the show alongside the slow-roasted lamb shoulder. Honestly, though, everything was delicious. Oh the spicy Tom Colins and spicy margarita were both big hits, too! The menu is very reasonably priced based on the portion size and quality -- this place just couldn't get any better.

Ein sehr gelungenes Restaurant-Konzept. Hervorragende Gerichte, sehr gut gewürzt und harmonisch abgestimmt. Der Service war sehr freundlich und entgegenkommend, immer bemüht einen genussvoll durch den Abend zu führen. Das Ambiente des Restaurants Baba stimmt vollkommen mit dem Konzept überein.

Great tasting food, great service very attentive,

Great food in a trendy relaxed atmosphere. Inventive and delicious cocktails makes this a must on my list of restaurants in Edinburgh.

Sumptuous food - Mediterranean with a Scottish twist, cosy colourful ambience and inside decor, courteous and friendly reception with attentive helpful waitresses who are ready to share their recommendations- in our case it was Abe who hails from Manchester. What really stands out apart from the taste is the prompt service. Also in my opinion simplicity is at the heart of everything the restaurant strives to do - picks of the day highlighted on the table mat which make tour job of ordering food really easy. Highly recommended.

Wait for a long time. No one seated us.

The food wasn’t great to be honest. The hummus was bit bland, needed a little lemon juice. Labneh and muhammara were fine. The grilled peppers were awful and the cauliflower fritter also a bit bland an greasy. We were a little disappointed because we love middle eastern food. Friendly service however and the restaurant is quite charming but the low seats are awfully akward 😂.

We had an incredible time at Baba! Our server, McKinley, was awesome - he knew the menu really well, and gave us recommendations on what to order based on what we had picked (both for food and wine). We ordered the hummus, labneh, chicken thigh, lamb, and cabbage - everything was delicious (and the chicken was pleasantly spicy!). My favorite part of the meal may have been the Babatida cocktail, which was perfectly sweet and refreshing. I would absolutely go back again - we had a great time! Thank you, McKinley and team!

I had a delicious dinner at this restaurant in the Kimpton Hotel. Muhammara and Duke of Berkshire Pork Neck were both great, tasty dishes. The service was attentive and helpful.

Amazing food! falafel, hummus , baba ganoush, sweet potato are so delicious!!! As service and atmosphere. Love this place!

Service was so friendly, McKinley was absolutely lovely. Food was 10/10, definitely recommend the muhammar and the chicken thigh! Also very affordable

Amazing vegetarian dishes, tasty and fresh, friendly staff, great for group parties as the dishes are like tapas for sharing. The meat/grill is great too.

food was good and the servers were nice but just SO slow, it took over 40 minutes to get our food which shouldn’t take over 15 minutes to prepare.

This was one of the best meals we have had from start to finish! Even the cappuccino was brilliant - better than Venice! Every morsel was wonderful and the service fantastic! ♥️

Absolutely delicious. Baba ganoush was amazing. Also had monkfish, lamb shoulder, hispi cabbage, artichokes and sweet potato. Could not choose a favourite dish. Absolutely recommend.

Really delicious, beautiful restaurant, great atmosphere

I just ordered a falafel dish. I said I would try it, but unfortunately it was crusty as if it were stone. It took 25 minutes for the order to be ready. I expect it to be overrated. Their treatment was nice and respectful

One of my favourite Edinburgh restaurants. Amazing food. Can sometimes be a bit slow for service and noisy, but overall would highly recommend.

Second time back to this restaurant in a larger group and the food never disappoints. Such a great place and would highly recommend to anyone

Sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen and it was without a doubt the best solo dinner experience I've had

Delicious food and drinks, great ambience!

Very nice interior with multiple halls. Very polite and helpful service. The food was excellent and combined Mediterranean and middle eastern recipes with a modern twist in many occasions. We expected the portions to be smaller than they actually were so take that into consideration when ordering. Definitely recommended!!!

Delicious food, good service. Creative menu but portion sizes won't leave you hungry. Chill and colourful ambience. A+

Baba is a warren of spaces starting of with a bar leading to a relaxed ‘lunch’ dining area with booths & rugs on the wall. This leads through to an opulent dining area with high ceilings, velvet chairs and low lighting. Party of 4. We had a late evening midweek booking so we’re a little rushed in ordering. Opted for many mezzo plates & side dishes. All were presented beautifully, hot, & piled high with various textures and flavours that revealed themselves making you want to eat slowly. I couldn’t find a cocktail on the menu so the waitress took my “Gin no banana” request & got the mixologist to create one which was delicious and a much better balance than my options of a virgin cocktail with a shot of gin! Service was prompt, non intrusive. Toilets were a good bit away & downstairs. I didn’t notice a disabled ♿️ toilet & there was no ramp at the entrance however this is also a hotel & spa so I highly expect it is at the hotel entrance. The only annoyance was that we were placed next to a large group of around 12-14 diners which made our conversation very difficult. I appreciate keeping diners in one area for convenience (service & cleanup) however this did lesson our enjoyment somewhat when the our two groups were the only patrons in that area. We each ordered 3 dishes & a drink with 1 bigger dish & averaged £35 each with service charge included. Very veggie friendly & allergies were asked about by the staff. Dining here caused me to look up the hotel & spa. Monkfish, mussels, cauliflower fritters, beetroot humous, regular humous, baba ganoush, pitta, falafel were the stand outs for us.

Hostess refuse to place us in a table for 2 or even in the counter. Hours before the place closes and many empty tables around. Worst experience than club bouncers in Germany. Don't expect to be treated with respect in this place.

The place looked super nice and the service was great. The food was super disappointing regardless of the looks or the price. Definitely a confused menu that didn't stand for anything. Wouldn't go back but definitely appreciated the interior design of the place which was great!

So delicious!! I’d been disappointed to not get a reservation when planning our trip, but we were nearby and hungry around 3pm on our first day so decided to try and walk in. We got a table right away and were served by Abby, who was delightful. On her recommendation, we had the cauliflower fritters, baba ghanoush, mussels and marinated artichokes and all were phenomenal.

Our favourite Edinburgh restaurant!

Disappointed on arrival to find that they were unable to locate our reservation despite us confirming the table when reminder came though, maybe glitch in their system we were told and although extremely busy we were allocated a table in a dark corner at the very back of the restaurant- we explained that we had booked well in advance and were not too happy with the table they took our concerns on-board and relocated us to a table near the window once sat and happy the food the service was great

Second visit to Baba, but not as memorable as my first. The starters and snacks are good, particularly the hummus and cauliflower fritters. The mains and sides were abit disappointing, especially the chicken thigh, which came out super dry. Cocktails were just average.

Great food and service. Will be back.

The restaurant was huge and beautifully decorated, ambiance was welcoming and fun - great place for groups, dates, friends, or just dinner with anyone. We ordered a lot of dishes to share and my favorite was the grilled charred cabbage - it was soooo good. You can’t go wrong with anything as we loved everything we had tried. Service was fantastic and friendly. Highly recommend

WOW. I am blown away by the food, atmosphere, and service. It’s part of a hotel so has a modern dining area and bar and then these beautiful antique, large rooms updated with decor that is just so cool. Food was excellent, got the sweet potatoes, hummus, labneh, pita, beetroot w/falafel and loved all of it. Cocktail selection was good but I wish they didn’t all have some type of syrup in them. Would definitely come back.

Dinner was amazing! The menu was so interesting and unique. Great server but food took quite a while to come out, still worth the wait though!

I really enjoyed Baba, everything was delicious but a highlight was the grilled cabbage (with tahini and onions). Who knew cabbage could taste so amazing? I do, now.

Amazing lebanese place. From the bread, to the sauces and the meat. All was one full experience. Delivery, looks, and tastes hand-in-hand.

Service was slow. The portions are relatively small. Overall good food and quality, yet the menu selection was a bit limited.

Meals took quite a while to arrive and when they did the falafel was very overcooked, couldn't get my fork through them. Sides were tasty though and they deducted cost of mains from bill once they agreed falafel was inedible

Again I was peckish and this wasn’t on my list of to try restaurants BUT IM GLAD THAT I DID 🥰 Service was meh but the food was great. I had the tempura style cauliflower and the mussels. First off, if you’re just looking for a smaller meal you DONT need both. But glad that I tried both as each was so tasty. The batter on the cauliflower, yes please. The crunch, flavor and consistency was a definite yes. But the mussels were everything. The only negative is what I assumed my breath smelled of after consuming, but it was worth it. Hands down one of the best flavor profiles on mussels that I’ve experienced. They were in a red sauce but not tomatoy. They were well balanced with a hint of spice and ohhhhh so flavorful. As a matter of fact I want more but I’m nervous, what if the second time isn’t as good as the first? If your a hotel guest, or not definitely give them a visit

Lovely space for lunch, great food too. I really enjoyed the whole experience. Something different, with Lebanese style cuisine and sunshine streaming in the windows

Again I was peckish and this wasn’t on my list of to try restaurants BUT IM GLAD THAT I DID 🥰 Service was meh but the food was great. I had the tempura style cauliflower and the mussels. First off, if you’re just looking for a smaller meal you DONT need both. But glad that I tried both as each was so tasty. The batter on the cauliflower, yes please. The crunch, flavor and consistency was a definite yes. But the mussels were everything. The only negative is what I assumed my breath smelled of after consuming, but it was worth it. Hands down one of the best flavor profiles on mussels that I’ve experienced. They were in a red sauce but not tomatoy. They were well balanced with a hint of spice and ohhhhh so flavorful. As a matter of fact I want more but I’m nervous, what if the second time isn’t as good as the first? If your a hotel guest, or not definitely give them a visit

Very popular. We would not have got a table if we had not booked in advance. The food was lovely but every individual dish was so rich and intensely flavoured that we really needed to have ordered less and included something plain like rice or flatbreads to accompany them. Service was friendly and efficient and the food arrived in good time. Wine list was good with several affordable choices.

Delicious mediterranean-inspired menu. Doesn’t pretend to be authentic but does a fantastic job at creating interesting flavour combinations and overall very tasty dishes. The hummus was a surprise - amongst the best i’ve ever had!

I absolutely love baba! My favourite in EDI ♥️ The food is so light and yummy, every time we’ve been we’ve gotten awesome servers, and the whole place is just warm and inviting!

As before the food and drink wonderful. As before the waiting staff (McKinkay) helpful and enthusiastic. However this time we arrived at 12.05 for a 12.15 table reservation and things were rather chaotic: front door locked, reservation not noted and we were left sitting in the bar whilst others who were booked later than us were taken. The Host did organise a table after some encouragement and we enjoyed a delicious lunch. It won’t stop us coming again but I’d suggest that if you’re scheduled to open at twelve you make sure the restaurant is fully up and running before guests arrive.

This was a top 5 meal for me, I wish I’d been with friends so I could have tried more! I’m not usually one to order lamb, but was feeling like trying something new, the dish was so flavorful and absolutely delicious. I devoured half of the baba ganoush before the lamb even dish came out. The pita was homemade & warm and the vibes were immaculate. Highly recommend.

WOW. Incredibly colorful, flavorful, and heart-warming food. The service was impeccable. Abby, our server, gave us excellent recommendations for the amount of share-plates to order, and made us feel very comfortable and at home. I must add that the jalapeño margarita was the best cocktail I’ve had in Edinburgh this trip. Thank you!

I really liked the atmosphere, decoration and music. Friendly staff, lively atmosphere. The food was very interesting, but super super spicy. Getting to be unpleasant, even for those who like pepper like me. I wouldn’t go again because of the excess pepper in all the dishes…

Brilliant food brilliant service can't wait to go again if you're in the area and have time make sure to check them out

Fantastic experience with my dad. Staff was knowledgable about the menu as Im a vegan and helped to point out which dishes could be made. Dishes ordered were on point, delicious and really well made. The piping hot pita breads are just a showstopper with any dip! We ordered the lamb, falafel and baba ghanoush.

Horrible service , called in restaurant at 9 pm regarding dinner, was told that last order at 9:30 pm . i was just next door sitting in alexander bell . when i reached it was only 9:10 . at bar bartender told us that we got 20 min left . when we reached downstairs host told us she can’t accommodate us however they were closing till 12 and i still had 20 min to place order. when i explained i just called you earlier she said i am liar .

The food was amazing, the only dish we didn’t enjoy was the lamb, surely its preferences ! But everything else was delicious and the staff was great!

This place blew me away. We were welcomed by a lovely waiter who talked us through the menu and gave us really good recommendations. The atmosphere is really well designed and appropriate to the type of cuisine. The food was tasty and had good portions.