Cafe Royal Circle Bar in Edinburgh, City of

My wife and I last dined here in September 2013 and it was so good we had to go back. It did not disappoint. the interior of the hotel is worth going in for a pint on its own. We started with baked camembert and then had the seafood pie. The meal was amazing. Big thankyou to the staff for making it another memorable night. This is a must do dining experience in Edinburgh.

Um ambiente fantástico reforçado pela grande qualidade da comida e variedade de bebidas . Atendimento muito bom . O fish and chips estava soberbo que acompanhámos com cerveja Paolozzi . A lista de whiskies é extensa! Recomendo a visita ❤️

Super! De sfeer, inrichting, drankjes, borrelhapjes, lunch. Helemaal geweldig. Ook leuk dat je bier kon proeven voordat je het bestelde. Leuke bediening, kortom top!!

We had mussels as an appetizer, which were excellent, I had the fish stew and enjoyed it. My husband had cod, chips, and sautéed vegetables. The restaurant is known fir seafood and for good reason—it was very good. Bartender ended up being our server. He was good but also busy with lots of other customers. Felt like they might need additional staff to manage the crowd. Loved the decor and ambiance.

Fabulous place and the food is very good. The service is slow and disjointed. This is partly due to untrained staff who bring your drinks separately rather than on a tray all at once. Careful with the cocktails - not well mixed. Staff were lovely and cheerful despite their lack of training and number. It is a great seafood place but, almost inevitably, pricey.

Paid for drinks and was told "I've taken a tip" thank you sir. Wrong on every count,I used to love this place . No more.Deceptive practice

There is something very cool about the vibe once you walk in. Maybe it is the decor but it screams old school charm. The fish and chips and the other dishes we tried were all pretty good and we enjoyed the chips with beef drippings too.

After our first lackluster dining experience in a Scottish bar, I was hesitant to try this place. I’m so glad we went! Unassuming from the outside, but absolutely gorgeous inside. We started with drinks (the rhubarb and ginger fizz was 😘🤌) and the huge and delicious baked camembert. For mains, we both ordered mussels and fries—honestly the best mussels I’ve had anywhere (including other parts of Scotland). We could have easily split the large portion between us, especially after all that cheese! Finally, we shared the Cranachan dessert. I wish I could remember our server’s name. She was lovely and attentive even while serving several other very large parties. ***Highly recommend you make a reservation, especially during peak tourist season.

The restaurant is beautiful and elegant. But I have to confess that my expectations were not met regarding the food or the service. The restaurant didn’t have scallops at the time, so we descoses to have mussels, Scottish egg and crab tempura. The food was good, specially the Scottish egg, but it wasn’t as marvelous as I expected for the price. Also, service was ok. Although the servers were super friendly and nice, they took forever to notice we were trying to get their attention to place the order or to get the check, for instance. I think you’re paying quite a lot to be in a beautiful place, not to have a unforgettable gastronomic experience.

Disappointing! Ordered 2 ribeye steaks which looked good but were very very salty so I sent mine back. My friend decided to keep his but never got the pepper sauce he ordered despite asking for it at least 3 times while his food went cold. Waited ages for a replacement steak and the pepper sauce (that never came) while our other friend finished his lamb (which did look good and apparently tasted good too) Still had to pay for the one meal we had and the wine and tried to add a service charge too which was eventually deducted Waitresses were apologetic to be fair but the manager was not!

Still a great place. But so sad they.have decided to do away with the white tablecloths in the Brasserie which gave the place a real Parisian atmosphere

My wife Gill took me to cafe royal for my birthday,22/04.what a beautiful place and the food matched it.and a big thankyou to our great waiter Joey Tribeane look alike,John.he was very polite and professional and helpful.will definitely be back,the seafood was amazing.Thankyou.

The cullen skink was just superb and I wish I hadn't shared it with my other half!!! Very luxurious and the haddock was lovely and smokey and lots of it. Mains great (I Had the veggie haggis which I enjoyed), finished off with cranachan. Great surroundings, lovely buzz of conversation and our two servers were excellent - I think they must earn their pay!

What an amazing experience! We just found our favorit place to visit, whenever we are in Edinburgh!! Soooo deleciuos food, and good sercive. A big thank you to Jean and John, for giving us the best service in town! :D So do yourself a favour and visit them!

Popped in here for a quick drink while visiting Edinburgh for the day. Lovely old traditional pub with a oval bar in the middle. Beautifully decorated with a great choice of seating options, including high stools at the bar. Nice beers, named after some local areas, The Arthur Seat 80 shillings was very nice indeed. Being so central, it had a great mix of people, with a buzzing atmosphere. Although we never ate here, there were plenty of people who were and the food looked lovely. Friendly and welcoming staff. Will definitely return 

Lovely ambience, staff and wine. But not food. How can you ruin a fish pie? Overcooked fish and burned potato. Chewy pork

What a stunning atmosphere met with some fantastic food. We had the leek and cheddar croquettes to start, which were divine. For mains, we had the chicken balmoral and fish and chips, both of which we thoroughly enjoyed. Our only improvement would be to have more toasted oats in the cranachan! Despite a great flavour, we felt like it wasn’t truly a cranachan without the toasted oats base! Would highly recommend coming here. Jennifer, our server, was amazing and very attentive.

Nice bar but typical Edinburgh City centre expensive prices. We ordered 2 courses, unfortunately the waitress/manageress wanted to give us starters and main courses together. When I asked her what had happened, the response imo was one of someone who does not care. Very disappointing customer service. The fish was good, the frozen chips were decent. I would not eat here again.

I struggle to quantify the gratitude I have towards Owen, he is attentive, polite and always has a smile on his face while providing first class service. He catered to our every need and could not have gone further to make us feel welcome. I cannot recommend this place enough and I can only hope that you receive the honour of being served by Owen. A true asset to any company, the best bartender I have ever had the pleasure of serving me.

I have never experienced service like what I received from a Mr Owen Meek. This young man was the most attentive server I have had in my 64 years of existence on Planet Earth, he was ready to help us at all of our needs and was very friendly and nice. He facilitated the great meal we had via his bar tending and waiter skills. I would recommend this establishment to all look food and beverage in Edinburgh!

Seafood platter was lovely (especially the (mussels) and Johnny provided excellent service :) The venison and steak were excellent as well!!

Booked the Cafe Royal for 5 for Mother’s Day at 12,expecting to arrive to “bubbles on us “as per their online Mother’s Day advert only to be told by the waitress it wasn’t applicable in their restaurant!!!After 30-40 mins we received our main courses,2 of which turned up without the substitute sides the waitress said was no problem.One side turned up but mine didn’t and after a wait I asked my main to go back to be reheated as it was getting cold,by the time I got mine back everyone was finished,so I cancelled my meal ,got the bill and left.Diastorous Mothers Day for 2 mums in a party of 5 ,caused by Cafe Royal and their false advertising.

This place was phenomenal. Tom took great care of us. Amazing pigeon and oysters. I will definitely be coming back! Try the croquettes

Le bâtiment et la décoration authentiques sont incroyables. Des plats typiques vraiment bien cuisinés et très belle présentation.

Fabulous food and atmosphere. Great staff especially Erin who really looked after us. We went three times in five days and were never disappointed.

Lovely food, good value, service great and our waiter Cameron looked after all our needs. The Cullen skink was excellent.

Cafe Royal is one of our favourite pubs in Edinburgh. Loads of choice on the gantry if you like whiskies and other spirits, along with lagers and beers. Soft drinks / teas nice too. Friendly staff, attentive. Special shout out to Michael and Jen. Beautiful...

One of my favourite places in the city for drinks. We visited for early lunch snack and drinks. The home made venison sausage roll was a large slice of a very large one. Excellent. Pints are getting pricey though .

The restaurant food in the Cafe Royal has never been special, but this was actually very poor. It seems overly cynical that beautiful locations, whether with a view or in a significant building such as this, so rarely feel the need to impress with food....

Really good food in a beautiful setting. Slow service. I’d have ordered pudding if they’d been slightly quicker but was worried I’d miss my train.

The quaint and charming aesthetic of Cafe Royal is further bolstered by their delicious traditional dishes, no doubt in my mind that their haggis is one of the mightiest in the land. Big shoutout to Tom for being tremendously courteous and attentive, I’m definitely going...

Arrived for early Valentine’s dinner at 445 After 45 minutes we got a drink ! Service abrupt and then asked to leave as our 2 hour slot was up and they needed the table Couldn’t care less apology and shrug of the shoulders £230 later...

Very busy and noisy due to 6 Nations Rugby weekend but expected as great meeting place. Staff excellent, service first class and food was good.

The oysters were amazing! Absolutely would recommend to anyone visiting the city. Michael & Cameron made the visit extra special with their attentiveness despite dining at a busy hour.

The best meal I’ve had! The seafood platter was spectacular and the haggis bombón were great! Michael, our server was amazing and recommended our scotch, meal and even dessert! He is a 10/10!

My fourth time here and as fantastic as ever. The food is always excellent and the period appointments create an atmosphere unlike anywhere else in town. Service was excellent, Robin was very accommodating and made sure we were well looked after. Would recommend to anyone.

We dined in the restaurant as all tables full in the bar. Lovely atmosphere, very relaxed. Menu was varied and offered a variety of dishes to suit all palettes. Service was very good A little pricey in my opinion but a lovely experience

The food was excellent and the service outstanding. The decor is lovely as well. All in all a really enjoyable experience. Highly recommended.

Always a pleasure to visit Cafe Royal when in Edinburgh Friendly attentive service set in luxurious decor, with fantastic oysters and seafood. Had a mix of hot and cold oysters, Cullen Skink and soft shell crab which were all amazing The Bloody Mary’s are fantastic….as...

Top quality Scottish food and ambience. Haggis was best ever, both in balls and main. Faultless service, relaxed but on point. Guests from NYC and Washington were really impressed.

Fantastic food. Amazing service. Good value considering the experience. Friendly and professional staff. The perfect balance between formal and informal. Cannot wait to return....hopefully soon.

Great atmosphere on what was a really busy Saturday night in January. We had booked a table in the restaurant but could have sat in the bar to eat without reserving. The bar was really noisy so we're glad we had a table in the quieter restaurant. Our server Jennifer from Canada, was brilliant at her job; attentive, fast and unobtrusive. All the food we had was delicious and well cooked. We would definitely go again if ever back in Edinburgh.

My partner & I ordered the large seafood platter - we both fell ill & threw-up the following day. 2 days later & we both still aren’t feeling right.

I dined here with a friend last night. The food was fantastic made all the better by CAMERON, our server. He was very chatty & smiley, informative & honest in his menu recommendations and most importantly to me - genuine & authentic. A real credit...

Another great visit for beers only, especially loved the 80 shilling. Fabulous bar, love decor and high stools next to the bar so comfortable. Service and staff were great, very friendly and helpful. Would deffo recommend x

Was here yesterday for lunch with friend’s must say it was the wort pub lunch I’ve had in a long long time I had fish and chips.the chip w ere Luke warm and the fish was older than me. If I hadn’t been with friends...

We were let down from the minute we arrived, the Hogmanay set menu we had booked for wasn't available on the night, then there was numerous items unavailable on the other menu, only 2 non acoloholic options for drinks, one of the steaks was very...

NO visit to Edinburgh whether it be hours or days is complete without a visit to this bar. Especially if you enjoy a wee dram. Beautiful decor, comfortable, great atmosphere. Efficient and polite bar staff. Great selection of drinks and the Ambience is actually Magical,...

On a cold Edinburgh day, we decided to give this place a try. A neighbour had often raved about and recommended it to us. It is absolutely magnificent, warm, welcoming and spotlessly clean. The staff were lovely and the food was outstanding. We immediately felt...

One of my favourite pubs in Edinburgh. Old Victorian pub with beautiful fixtures and fittings. The tiles are amazing.... But....£6.50 for a pint is a disgrace, especially in these dire financial times. Other pubs don't charge that but Cafe Royal does. I expect prices like...

Delicious food and excellent service. Lovely atmosphere in a historic setting. Highly recommended…..

Arrived way before our reservation on Boxing Day as fed up trawling round the shops. We were lucky enough to get a seat at a table and ordered a couple of large wines. For a very traditional looking pub there is a good selection on...

Fantastic Christmas lunch with the family, great service and delicious starters, mains and desserts. The fresh, plump oysters were particularly tasty 🙂

Had a great time, was served by Cain who was very knowledgeable and always happy to help. 10/10 great service, will definitely be back.

The food quality here is about on par with any mid-tier pub food but the prices suggest fine dining. I paid £32 for a venison dish which came with roughly 100g of meat on as you can see from the photo. It was painfully average....

A lovely meal with highlights of venison sausage roll starter and cote de boeuf which was simply enormous. All beautifully served by the lovely Erin. Will return!

Weeny here last weekend with my girlfriend while we were on a weekend trip in Edinburgh. We stumbled upon this spot and stopped in for some food and drinks. Her had an amazing from start to finish. The food and drinks were lovely. The service...

Great historic pub rest venue .. arrived at 12.00 and greeted by nice waitress who took our order .. Food arrived steak sandwich amazing and Cullen sink very good Well worth a visit but make sure you book

Amazing food and also the service was incredible. Cain was very kind and attentive. For sure we will come back.

Was here last weekend with my partner on a trip from Dublin. Weather had been terrible and there was tons of people out. Both me and my partner were a little flustered trying to pack in as much to the trip and had only intended...

There was a great atmosphere. The food was fabulous as was the service. Big shout out to Robin & Michael for looking after us so well.

Wandering around the streets of Edinburgh, as you do, and found the Cafe Royal…beautiful place and an Oyster bar so I had to try some… really good. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

A gorgeous cozy bar and restaurant with impeccable customer service and even better food! I could not rate this place higher than 5 stars but it’s a 10/10!

Lovely lunch and good hospitality very friendly staff and the food was very good We had the Macbeth toastie

Fantastic building with a long history but staff I dealt with were arrogant, complacent and unwelcoming. They seem to believe, no matter their behaviour, that the tourist dollar will just keeping walking through the door. Perhaps they are right, but as a local it is...

Ordered a burger and chips. What was presented was very bland, quite low in taste and characterless. For £18 I expected more... a lot more! Staff however, were very helpful and accommodating.

I can't put into words how welcoming this place is. The bartender Ana was absolutely amazing. She was so helpful with any selection of drinks we liked. Very knowledgeable with everything. Because of Ana, we will definitely be back. Made our night fantastic. Excellent staff....

Had had lovely meals here in the past so chose this as my daughter's 21st birthday treat. Grumpy man serving, didn't russle up a smile the whole time, couldn't have been less welcoming. Food was decidedly average but bill was not. Still a beautiful building,...

Lovely pub and restaurant visited many times fantastic old world feel and the history of the place is brilliant. Staff here are also a credit to the place. On a visit to edinburgh pop in any time of the day even if just for a...

Normally this is one of my favourite bars when I visit Edinburgh. I’m there at least once a month for work and head here before getting the train back south. 22 in our friend group visited Edinburgh yesterday to celebrate one of the group’s 50th...

Great atmosphere and excellent choice of beers. Spoilt somewhat by dirty glasses. Can only assume dishwasher not working.

We booked a table and upon our arrival no one came to greet us. Upon telling the barman we had booked a table he pointed and said “that’s your table over there” and then realised when he saw my face that he should have taken...

Was recommended by a friend so we went here for dinner. Returned a few days later for lunch. Food is good and atmosphere is fantastic. Very old bar with lots of character. Bar staff are very attentive and fun to sit and watch.

Food was excellent I have no complaints about that at all I would recommend it. However service was appalling there were three members of staff on waiting duty but there was more interest in talking to each other than looking after the customers. Twice I...

What a great atmosphere in the bar but was especially busy. If you can secure one of the circular chairs then it's great for the company. The bar food is especially nice 🙂 although a bit pricey but not for Edinburgh standards. Not tried the...

We only visited for drinks, so cannot comment on the food. A wonderfully classy old fashioned oyster and champagne bar. The Bloody Mary was delicious. I felt like I was experiencing life in the 1920’s onwards in this place. Quirky, cute, classy.

What a class place this is. Very popular for good reason so we booked lunch in advance. It’s like a step back to yesteryear. Stained glass windows and lots of dark woods. 3 of us here for lunch and we all said the food was...

Where do I start member of staff was extremely rude to us and said only 18s aloud in the bar area I had my little niece with me, my dad and my brother with me he then said it not nicely have you got a...

We visited The Cafe Royal for my sons birthday meal as we were staying in Edinburgh for a couple of nights. The restaurant had a great atmosphere, and the service was brilliant. The food was fabulous. I would definitely book again next time we are...

Very disappointing evening with the family at the restaurant The service was diabolical The waiter did say he was on a 12’hour shift and had already done 130 covers but that’s not our problem We saw several tables very unhappy at being ignored It’s a...

In short...The restaurant is no longer a good venue...the should focus on the pub side of the business Service is terrible... starters and mains are OK.. dessert are a waste of money

Great location, but service dreadful. Was completely ignored by staff who chatted, cleaned glasses but did not serve customers. After waiting for 15 minutes had to interrupt staff to request service, surprised didn’t have sparkling water and also surprised to get my glass of wine...

Upea jännittävä ja idyllinen ruokasali. Ammattimainen palvelu. Ruoka kallista mutta laadukasta. Otin merenelävät pöydän. Huikea valikoima viskejä. Hieno kokonais ravintolaelämys,...

I visited an old haunt of my youth in Edinburgh, when I worked in the theatre. The place is as beautifully Victoria, flamboyantly tiled and ornate as it ever was. However, service used to be swift and welcoming. I guess when your clientele is mainly...

We introduced the Cafe Royale to a close friend pre-covid and she loved the historic rich decor, the fine wine and excellent service we received. Sadly, our friend is no longer with us so we returned from Wales today to enjoy a bottle of fine...

Absolute must visit! Ambiance and interior design is a visual treat. Stopped in for drinks and bar food. Excellent!

I wrote a review before I truly understood what haggis is. I had to come back and edit after reading the response from the establishment. With that being said, this place is the real deal for haggis, tatties, and neeps! We also had potted duck...

I wrote a review before I truly understood what haggis is. I had to come back and edit after reading the response from the establishment. With that being said, this place is the real deal for haggis, tatties, and neeps! We also had potted duck...

Znakomita kolacja i deser - tradycyjna szkocka , świetna obsługa , szyba , miła , lokal o wystroju historycznym -...

My family and I visited for lunch on the 22nd September and were very excited as when attending before, my parents love the restaurant, service and food provided. Unfortunately they felt let down yesterday and the restaurant was not busy so this should not have...

Visiting Edinburgh for our wedding anniversary went for evening meal to Cafe Royal. Very attentive bar staff, lovely food and great atmosphere .

The interior and atmosphere of this place both in the bar and the restaurant is magnificent. The quality of the food and the waiting staff in the restaurant was also excellent. We had a fabulous evening.

I had one of the worst experiences of service. The food was adequate. The servers forgot one meal, very hard to get their attention, did not replenish water and general sour disposition. I had a very sore stomach after eating their food. Piles of dishes...

What a shame they no longer use the pristine white tablecloths in the dining area. Spoils the feeling that you were in Paris .

If you book a seat in the dining room (rather than take your chances in the bar) the service here is great as befits such a historic place. When it's very busy the bar area isn't relaxing or the service as prompt. Excellent food though...

Visited yesterday while out in Edinburgh for the afternoon. We both had the Surf and Turf special and it was tremendous. The steak was well seasoned and probably the best I’ve had in Edinburgh. The service was good and we will definitely be back.

My favourite old bar in Edinburgh.Unfortunately standards have really dropped.Waited a good ten minutes at bar to be served.Gents toilets were a disgrace.One urinal taped off and covered and needed wellies to use other 2 as floor was soaking wet.Both taps on wash hand basins...

Great spot just off the main road. Very decent food. Great prices on their Scotch whiskies (at least compared to U.S.). Was able to get a table with just a short wait even though it was in August during the Fringe Festival. Recommended!

Been coming here on and off for twenty years. I used to favour the restaurant section, but nowadays I just head straight to the bar for a fresh pint of ale and a plate of oysters. The oysters here are magnificent. They are gigantic, mouth-filling...

The fish and chips were delicious. The portion and batter outstanding. The setting iconic, vintage, perfecto. The wait staff aimed to please. Classic.