Blonde Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

Lovely meal. Music too loud. Lacked atmosphere. Coffee absolutely awful.

Fantastic little restaurant; the food was absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. The service was also great; my girlfriend has a dairy allergy and they asked the chef to mark everything on the menu that she could have. He even added notes about how he could change certain dishes for her. Really exceptional service, which made her day. 🙂 The black pudding croquettes were epic as well!

The dark hair lady working was incredibly rude. She told us we had to order at a minimum two items per person and that we couldn’t wait inside due to a fire hazard. There was also no availability till 8pm but almost half the tables were empty and did not fill up. Giving this place one star because the mussels were tasty, although I was very hungry so I’m not sure if anything would’ve tasted bad in the state I was in. The trout was way too salty, salad dressing was overbearing and the mac and cheese was mediocre. We were very excited to come here but did not feel welcome by the dark hair lady. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone due to the poor service and unpleasant customer experience.

Party of 6 all had a great meal and lovely experience. Will go again.

I should of listened to the gentlemen's review regarding the dark haired waitress, someone needs to teach this lady how to smile and remind her she's in the customer service business. I had to pull her teeth in order to get her to smile, we showed up exactly at 6 PM and she shoved us in a dark corner, my chair must of been pulled out of St Margarets Church I felt like I was back in grammar school. I asked for another table and she looked at me like I was from Chicago , which I am. She said they were all reserved, the place was a barren desert, no-one was in the restaurant until we were wrapping up our meal, when we left there was 9 empty table, this woman is the portrait of rude. Poor experience for our first night in Scotland. I would never recommend this place. I will say the food was decent and she was somewhat flexible on the side dishes to switch it up.

Great spot for good reasonable priced and interesting lunch

My daughter and I had a wonderful meal at Blonde last night. The entire experience was excellent. The staff response to my email request for a reservation was prompt. My chicken liver parfait paired well with the salad and the toast was delicious. I had hoped for mussels but was pleasantly surprised that a mussel and fish chowder was on the menu. Wow! I wish I wasn’t a visitor and could be a regular.

Reservation is recommended. Especially on weekends. The food was perfect regardless of whether it was “main courses” or desserts. The service was very friendly. We are happy to have discovered this restaurant.

great value lunch menu, with an amazing warmed and spiced banana cake with ice cream to finish the meal. clean plates club!

Fantastic find that we just wandered by and came back for dinner. Top notch service and the roast chicken with couscous was beautifully flavourful. Also stunning was the venison bourguignon with mash and parsnip chips.

Second time I’ve been there and the food was absolutely delicious! Maybe don’t need such large portions though as no room for a pud!

Amazing place, delicious and cozy!

Brilliant 3 course meal at very reasonable price.

Very Nice Food and friendly Staff.

Awful place that has tried to pay me for a 5star review

They've got enjoyable main courses which are reasonably priced

Excellent food and service. Not to be missed

Interesting spot. Stopped in for soup on a miserable Edinburgh day and had a delicious coconut special of the day (with sweet potato, I think). Was told the servers don't do names, and they can't make cocktails beyond the few listed on the menu, but the soup was excellent and seemed a nice spot for dinner.

Great atmosphere, food and people! One of the best meals I have had in a while. I highly recommend the Venison. We also really appreciated how kid friendly the staff was.

Reserved a table for two a week before. The waitress first seated us at apparently the wrong table. We therefore had to move to another one in a corner which we could not sit at due to very limited space. We got offered an alternative table with a time window of an hour, which is too little time for a dinner. The waitress did not apologize for the inconvenience and did not offer any alternative times or dates. We would have liked to try the food, but did not manage to do so this time.

We decided to visit this restaurant based on the numerous positive reviews and made a reservation well in advance. Upon arrival, we were promptly seated, but our experience was marred by the behaviour of a dark-haired waitress, whose manner was exceedingly discourteous and petty. She conversed with us in a condescending and passively aggressive tone, rather than engaging in a respectful and equal dialogue. fish soup was acceptable, although the chicken liver was rather disappointing. The main courses, however, were quite enjoyable and reasonably priced. Unfortunately, the waitress's intrusive comments significantly detracted from our dining experience. Her overbearing presence made us feel unwelcome, and we considered leaving on several occasions. Ultimately, we decided to stay, determined not to let her attitude ruin our family lunch. Throughout the meal, she continued to be disruptive, handling the plates and cutlery with excessive noise, which startled us repeatedly. When I inquired about dishes without sugar, due to my mother's diabetes, she responded reluctantly and admonished me for not calling ahead to inform them, which seemed unnecessary and exaggerated. Her behaviour was both petty and overblown, casting a shadow over what could have been a pleasant meal. We sincerely hope she finds a way to understand the true essence of hospitality and the importance of helping others. If you wish to ensure a pleasant dining experience, I would recommend avoiding this establishment.

The food was outstanding, from the duck confit which was cooked perfectly to the delicious risotto appetizer, trout served on tasty barley, scrumptious chocolate dessert… truly the best food we’ve had in Edinburgh. Andrew is a talented and innovative chef!

One of our favourite restaurants in Edinburgh. Food is reasonably priced but always excellent, every dish we had packed with flavour.

Excellent from start to finish, thank you!

Fantastic restaurant, delicious food, good price/quality ratio (especially the duck confit and grilled vegetables are delicious). Staff is very attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is wonderful. It is not in the center, but very easily accessible, for example by public transport. Highly recommended!

Cozy, beautifully decorated restaurant with very friendly service. The food was very tasty, partly a mix of European and oriental cuisine, very well seasoned and the individual flavors were nicely balanced. There is also a good selection of wines and a good price-performance ratio for the quality of the food on offer.

The food was lovely and the service was excellent for our group of eight. We had been in contact with the restaurant, in advance of our visit, and they couldn't have been more accommodating including helpful information relating to food allergies. Would highly recommend.

Very good restaurant with a lot of possibilities here 👌

Great food for an absolutely fair price and very friendly service in a relaxed Restaurant.

The food was simply delicious, very creative combinations. Everything came very quickly, we would have liked to have given ourselves a little more time.

Fab food at great prices ..the Staff are lovely .great place

Enjoyed a lovely birthday meal. Staff were attentive but not hovering over you. Food was delicious, hot and well presented. Would highly recommend. For center of town reasonably priced.

Kind and friendly staff, nice and quiet atmosphere. Had duck confit with tiramisu and herbal tea. All 5 stars. Recommended.

Very good refined cuisine Good welcome Go there willingly

The Venison casserole is to die for. Delicious and affordable. Great little place.

Delicious and interesting menu. Definitely recommend the Moroccan spiced chicken!

Had a wonderful dinner at this slightly out of the way restaurant, well worth making a visit.

I lived in Edinburgh several years and Blonde is my favourite restaurant there. Good food at very reasonable prices, the staff is friendly and it doesn't get too noisy even at peak time. The menu is not too long (places with long menus are usually the bad ones in my experience!) but has some lovely options. There's nice wines for pairings too. Strongly recommend.

Looks like a family restaurant outside. The duck is surpassed my expectations🤤

First time at the restaurant. Meal with friends. Food was superb, and the staff were knowledgeable and attentive. Will be back. Loved it.

We dropped in, on spec, after a very blustery walk up Arthur's Seat without knowing this restaurant. We were absolutely delighted by the food, the cheerful and quick service, and not too expensive either. Definitely recommended.

Perfect place for an excellent dinner in a private atmosphere. We were impressed. Very friendly service, good wine selection.

It doesn't look much from the outside but the food is exceptionally good.

Pork cheek and chicken breast is recommended.

From the outside it doesn't look like it, but the food is very good at a good price.

Great restaurant, the service is great, the food is excellent and it is not touristy.

We all had an amazing 3 course lunch today, absolutely delicious we thoroughly enjoyed every course .The service was first class too. I would definitely recommend Blonde Caroline Memet Linda and Elaine x

Risotto was delicious as was venison

Lovely little place, excellent food and reasonably priced. Decent selection of wine and service was friendly.

Delicious Lunch at Blonde and it was extra special to catch up with the lovely Imelda and her friendly/ efficient waiting staff. The meal was just as fantastic as always - we had the fig and blue cheese salad and homemade pate followed by their Persian style chicken which we loved! Wine choices super too and so reasonably priced! We are so lucky to have this wonderful spot on our doorstep / cannot recommend highly enough!

Surprising and very well prepared dishes and very pleasant service. From the starters to the dessert, a delicious meal with a very balanced price.11 ​​out of 10

Lovely meal to celebrate my birthday.

What a lovely restaurant. The food and service were excellent. Thank you.

Had the pleasure of having a Christmas lunch here and there was nothing that disappointed. The menu offered 6 starters, 6 mains and 6 dessert choices. All the different courses we tried were beyond good. Service was spot on, attentive but not intrusive. The restaurant was spotlessly clean and aesthetically pleasing. Amazing value for money. It was noted that many of the diners there that day were repeat customers and that says a lot.

Christmas lunch with friends. Lovely cosy little restaurant, three course meal, with a good selection of choices, & generous portions, incredible value at £23.50. Staff friendly & efficient, service excellent. Returning is a must.

Lovely, good food, and good value :)

Great food, awesome service. Staff lovely and helpful. Will be back.

My first meal at Blonde. The food was delicious, I chose the fishcake starter and creamy mushroom chicken linguine main. Waiting staff were very friendly and enthusiastic. Will definitely visit again.

Qualité/prix exceptionnel. Attentif aux allergies Vraiment à ne manquer sous aucun prétexte. Bravo à toute l'équipe de cuisine

Excellent festive meal with work colleagues. Food delish, service speedy and staff lovely. Will be back.

Excellent work Christmas lunch. We recently had our work lunch and have had great feedback from all staff. The menu was varied and all dishes looked delicious. The Duck was so tender and chocolate cake light and fluffy. Staff were friendly and accommodating. We will be back and would recommend Blonde.

Excellent food and friendly service. Cozy atmosphere. Although we visited on a busy Saturday evening, we were served promptly.

What can I say, I went there today with zero expectations for our office Christmas lunch, and I was left feeling quite satisfied! You wouldn’t expect such portions and quality for those prices, and the flavour combinations are absolutely spot on! Service was also great - all the staff were fast and kind. Will definitely return asap.

Fantastic service and food. Superb value.

Food is really good. Special mention for the duck. Thank you!

Third time I have had lunch here since August and it won’t be my last! Great food great price great friendly service in a great environment - can’t really ask for more. Fresh quality food - short menu which I always prefer as indicates fresh ingredients and fresh from scratch well cooked food. Sadly I had to cancel my last booking here due to extreme bad weather but will return very shortly! Delighted to recommend.

Delicious food cooked well. Table a bit small for our group and had to ask staff to remove some things we had finished with

What an amazing place. Fantastic food, nice relaxed atmosphere and staff were great. A real find not far away from Queens Hall. Definitely going again the next time we are in Edinburgh!

Such a lovely place , tastefull & gorgeous food ! Our service was excellent. If we ever go back to Edinburgh we will defenitly visit Blonde again :)

I adore blonde! I go here every time I visit Edinburgh. There food is really high quality and perfectly put together. There menu changes up too which is nice. Atmosphere is ambient staff are really pleasant 😊

Been going to Blonde for years and it's consistently good. Lunch menu great value.

Lovely food and excellent service. We visit Blonde every time we are in Edinburgh and are always very pleased to be there. They always have a delicious menu.

Honestly the best restaurant I've had sea bass from. The smoked salmon, soups, risotto, tangine, duck, and wine were all excellent. Sadly we had no more room for dessert. Compliments to the chef and staff for keeping the place a quality, cosy and friendly place for all to enjoy. Blonde delivers on food, service, and atmosphere and unlike many others they are extremely reasonably priced. Thank you v much!

Had a lovely meal at Blonde on our recent vacation from Canada. All 6 of us had great meals

Food and service was top notch. I had the black pudding starter and the steak. Both were amazing. 8 of us were in a room to the rear and it was loud though... Need some acoustic treatment/soft furnishings to take the place from an 8 to a 10. Will definitely be back!

Great food and very reasonable prices. The young ladies who served us were attentive and friendly. A super little restaurant

Beautiful lunch enjoyed here today. Excellent food, service & atmosphere. Best for couples, ladies who lunch & older child families..

Nicht geeignet für Familien mit Kindern! Wir (2 Erwachsene, 1 Kind) wurden um 18 Uhr abgewiesen, es sei kein Platz. Das Restaurant war bis auf 2-3 Tische leer, auch waren keine "reserviert"-Schilder auf den restlichen Tischen. Auf erneute Nachfrage und dass wir auch nicht lange bleiben würden, meinte die Dame "Nein, ab 18:30 Uhr ist alles reserviert". Wir sind also gegangen, sind später (nach gutem Essen woanders) aber nochmal am Restaurant vorbei gekommen und haben durch die Fenster gesehen, dass das Lokal noch immer recht leer war. Schade, dass man hier abgewiesen wird, weil man ein Kind dabei hat und dann noch nicht einmal die Wahrheit sagen mag.

This break was our 1st visit to Edinburgh and so needed to do a bit of research into where was good for eating out. Blonde had great reviews & this helped us make the decision to try this for our 1st night. Lovely restaurant with really great food and staff. I would definitely recommend if you want a charming setting that puts food & service at the top of the list!

We ate at Blonde Restaurant on our first night in Edinburgh. This is a lovely, quaint neighborhood restaurant. Service is excellent. The food is out of this world delicious! I had the sea bass and my husband had the mussels and the venison. Amazing presentation of food. Highly Recommend!

We had a lovely meal here while visiting in Edinburgh. Truly amazing food in a cozy environment. We had a wonderful time!

Wonderful lunch with my friends in this amazing restaurant. The food was superb and the staff were so helpful and amazing.

The food was very good and the service was excellent.

Sehr gutes Restaurant. Absolut empfehlenswert. Wir waren 2 mal dort und würden sofort wieder hingehen.

Came for dinner towards the end of fringe month when some other places can be a tad jaded but our evening at Blonde was really lovely. Absolutely fantastic service and excellent food in a lovely setting - will absolutely be back!

Sehr leckeres Essen, Haggis und graved Lachs als Vorspeise, Enten(Keule)konfit sehr gut zubereitet und ein super angenehmer Service, aufmerksam ohne aufdringlich zu sein. So wie es sein sollte

We were in town to see a few shows at the Pleasance and looking for a place for lunch. Booked here based on trip advisor reviews and was not disappointed. Delicious set lunch menu. I had the chicken liver parfait, trout fillet with crab Mac n cheese, followed by rhubarb crème brûlée. Hubby had smoked haddock chowder, veggie shepherds pie followed by poached pear. Washed down with a bottle of Sauvignon bland. Cost us £68 almost half of which was the wine. Worth every penny. Service was good. We were 10 mins early and didn’t encounter the frosty service a previous reviewer mentioned.

As ever ( possibly 5 plus previous visits )the cuisine continues to please with good service at table …simple but good Scottish menu and wine by glass selection However front of house is distinctly frosty …we were early for reservation but only 30 mins but made to feel most un welcome Also Wi-Fi so limited they have issue collecting payment

An amazing find less than 5 mins walk from where we are staying. The staff were lovely and very efficient and the meal was one of the best I have ever had. Thoroughly recommend.

Fabulous meal in lovely surroundings with first class service.

We ate here a couple of times while in Edinburgh for the Fringe. We chose the restaurant because we are not meat-eaters, and the online menu indicated reasonable fish and vegetarian options. We were not disappointed. The food was good and the staff were friendly.

Lovely food and excellent service. A great little restaurant with very reasonable prices.

Friendly staff, delicious food!

Traditionelles schottisches Lokal mit sehr guter Küche. Ein Traum und bezahlbar😀

Très bons plats, bon service également. Je recommande ! :)

The manager was very unfriendly.The rest of The service very nice

My favourite restaurant in Edinburgh (or anywhere else for that matter). Never fails to disappoint, five stars in all respects, the set courses are unbelievable value.

Great restaurant, a long time favourite. Plenty of choices and very reasonably priced. Good quality food and wine. Friendly staff. I would definitely recommend.

딱 적절한 유럽 료리 오리 콘피 먹었는데 맛있지만, 뭔가 엄청나다라는 느낌은 못 받음 (약간 덜 촉촉한 느낌) 셀러드랑 디저트가 맛있어요 I've never had duck confit before, so I don't know if the confit recipe method gives dry texture. i prefer juicy meat so... good salad and dessert btw

Came across this restaurant on trip advisor and so glad we found it. The food was excellent and the staff really friendly. They went out of their way to make you feel welcome. There was a table that came in whilst we were there with a couple of young children and the staff did their best to make the children feel included. Everything was reasonably priced which is rare these days for a restaurant of this quality.