Finn & Bear in Edinburgh, City of

This used to be a fairly bog-standard pub frequented by summer stag parties looking for nose-bag food. One to be avoided. Now a very friendly gastro-pub with nice staff and great service. Super location and dog-friendly. Now attracting families for food rather than stags for drinks. Nice.

We had a reservation at Finn & Bear but cancelled it upfront due to changed plans. However, we ended up at the restaurant the same day ;) Enjoyed a great lunch in Leith.

Popped in for lunch with my daughter, first time and we were disappointed. There was two people in having food and another two having coffee, so not that busy. Our food took 30 mins, I had a cheeseburger and chips, and that’s exactly what I got. A small tin plate that could only hold a burger and chips. No salad or anything on the side. Chips were good but burger had absolutely NO taste, and this was £11.50 ! I won’t be back !

Might be good for food but not good for drinks. Went in on a Friday and everyone was trying to order at the bar, dodgy system where they make you sit down and wait for 20minute pints

Lovely place & sister spot to the Pantry in Stockbridge which has long been a favourite haunt of ours. Every time we’ve come here with our wee one, staff have been friendly & welcoming (& there is a toy corner upstairs which is fab). Brunch menu is limited but excellent & service is great without fail. Our one complaint is the lack of accessibility - there are (steep & narrow) steps into the restaurant & up into the main seating area. There appears to be no disabled toilet (unless we missed it? Happy to be corrected...) The baby change is in the women’s toilet (please put these in the men’s too!) & is a pull down affair that is very hard to spot (with no signage). Stalls are tiny & you can barely fit yourself in to change your baby - I had to stand outside the stall (pic attached). Ironic given there’s a sign by the play area saying that you can’t change your baby there. Hard to believe in 2019 that a restaurant could continue to be this inaccessible especially when it bills itself as ‘family friendly’. In every other respect it’s fab & the food is wonderful - but disappointing in terms of inclusion in other respects.

Booked a table for 5 through the open table app , no mention of no kids allowed after 8pm even on their website it says to bring kids. Arrived but refused our table due to having the kids with us. pretty poor show after seeing online that it’s supposed to be child friendly. Edinburgh is a city for all the family , a shame that the restaurant doesn’t see it that way.

Hemos estado en varias ocasiones en los últimos años. La renovación más reciente es encantadora, y la comida en general es bastante buena. La presentación es genial, es una pena que mis huevos Benedict tuvieran un huevo duro.El servicio puede ser un poco irregular, pero en general es un buen lugar para el brunch. También se admiten perros :)

Cuatro de nosotros fuimos a un brunch dominical. Hemos estado allí antes y también vamos regularmente a la despensa, que está más cerca de nosotros, pero decidimos volver a Finn & Bear después de unos 12-15 meses desde la última vez.Sorprendido al ver que la tostada francesa era muy grasosa, no estoy seguro si estaba cubierta de huevo como debería ser o al menos, no con la técnica correcta. Resultado: un desayuno muy pesado y grasiento que nos hizo beber un litro de agua cada uno. No estoy seguro de si esta elección en particular fue "defectuosa" o si algo ha cambiado, pero dada la actitud presuntuosa de algunas de sus camareras, me lo pensaría dos veces antes de regresar. La despensa es mucho mejor, no estoy seguro de lo que hacen de manera diferente en la cocina.

Great food with vegan and vegetarian options. Good sized portions so good value. Situated along the river so easy to find. We would definitely revisit. The staff were all very friendly and helpful as there's such a good choice they didn't mind that we dithered!

Comimos aquí la otra noche con el hijo de Gills. . . haber comido aquí antes de que supiéramos que sería una buena experiencia. El lugar estaba muy ocupado cuando llegamos, pero enseguida nos mostraron una mesa y nos sirvieron bebidas inmediatamente.El menú es bastante bueno con una variada selección de pescado y patatas fritas. . . pollo satay, huevos benedictinos con varios adornos, hamburguesas, etc. Todos elegimos algo diferente. . . pescado y patatas fritas, huevo benedicto y satay. . . Tuve el satay que estaba delicioso servido en una ensalada muy agradable junto con una porción de chips de halloumi. . . También tuve un poco de pescado y papas fritas y los huevos Benedict eran "deliciosos". . . ciertamente se veían bien. La comida fue cuidadosamente preparada, fresca, bien presentada y sabía bien.El menú de bebidas era bueno. . . Me quedé con Camden Pale Ale, pero había mucho para elegir. Bebidas incluidas la factura era de alrededor de 60. 00, que no es malo para una comida para tres. Gran lugar con un ambiente alegre. . . Definitivamente vale la pena una visita.

Quality food, well presented, generous portions.......and good service We were in Edinburgh for a few nights .....we visited Fin and Bear on the first night ......enjoyed it so much we made a conscious effort to visit on the last night.

Such a shame. It didn’t appear that busy? We ordered swiftly, good! We waited, admired the lovely looking food coming our, definite food envy! We only ordered drinks. Still waited....... Yes, 30 minutes later, our coffees arrived! Luke warm chai latte, not good! Returned it to be told, they were doing their best but short staffed, not good. No apology!

Visited for dinner midweek and was not disappointed. Not a huge menu, but there was plenty to choose from.

Had a great breakfast, friendly staff. Would highly recommend 👍Nice location bigger than expected from front!

Great selection of food, including vegetarian and vegan options. Lots of outdoor seating which is nice when the weather permits! Quick and friendly service.

Met a friend for brunch on a sunny Tuesday. Arrived at 11am and the place was very quiet, but it gradually filled up. The brunch menu is good, not extensive but covering all the basics. I went for the Big Bear Breakfast. It was everything it promised and I couldn’t finish it - loads of bacon and sausage with sides of beans, tomato and mushroom. There was also sourdough and an egg - so not for the faint-hearted! The service was professional and unobtrusive and three coffees and two courses came in at £27 with the tip. If you are in that neck of the woods, it’s well worth a visit.

This is a pub type restaurant & has a lot of outdoor seating. We had the fish & chips which my hubby loves. People were so friendly but that is with all the Scottish people.

Really enjoyed my first visit to Finn & Bear for lunch. The food was really nicely cooked and presented and what a joy to see lots of veggie and vegan options, as well as loads for the meat lovers.

Omg this place was so fab. We went in and we’re welcomed warmly. He bartender was so friendly and nice. We got food too and service was great. Great veggie options. I had the biggest nacho bowl of my life I couldn’t even finish it. It was so good.There was a decent amount of cheese as well which i love when I have nachos. Would deffo recommend. Good prices too for the location. The place itself was cosy with good vibes and mellow music.

First time going in after walking past many times. So glad we stopped the food was very good and had the right amount of serving. Very reasonably priced as well for the quality. Will definitely be back again and again!

We had lunch today and I chose eggs benedict with purple kale, tender stemmed broccoli and spinach. It was very tasty and was a really good sized portion. My husband chose the green bear burger which was served with the most delicious chips. It too was very tasty. Staff were very friendly and service was quick. There are other choices on the menu which also sound delicious so will definitely be back.

Living in Leith the past 10 months, Finn & Bear has been a home from home. Staff have always been friendly and welcoming when we have visited; with friends, dugs or family. Usually it’s just drinks or the occasional coffee in the afternoon. Situated at the Shore it’s perfect to explore Leith and can sit outside (with a hot water bottle if required!), or enjoy the cosiness inside. Tonight was our visit time visiting for dinner and could only say our dinner was 11/10. The Korean Spiced Aubergine was a favourite of mine, accompanied with a pint of William’s lager. Safe to say Finn & Bear is a firm favourite for staff, location and atmosphere, food and drinks!

Every time i have popped in it has been a delight.

We hadn't planned to eat here but the menu had some quite different dishes on from your usual pub fare. The ultimate mac n cheese was unbelievably cheesy and went down a treat, as did the skinky chowder, which was full of fish and served with very cheesy garlic bread. Service very prompt and friendly. Nice atmosphere - you didn't feel rushed to leave. Only problem was we first picked a table near the door and there was a bit of a draught, but what do you expect in March in Edinburgh!

Luckily we grabbed one of the last tables for 4 on a busy and sunny bank holiday Monday. Food excellent and good choice of drinks. Plenty of staff and friendly service at the end of what is clearly been a very busy weekend. Definitely recommend.

The staff here are brilliant and the place has a lovely atmosphere. The food was really good apart from the chowder which was disappointing. We mentioned this and gave us free coffees to make up for it.

Visited at the height of the lunch time rush and the staff made every effort to accommodate a party of 6. The staff in general were very friendly but drink service was very slow and there were a few mistakes with our order.

Food here was good and service was very friendly and quick. Portion sizes are really good (my bagel was definitely a knife and fork job). Would come back to try the rest of the menu.

Good selection of fine drinks and food that's just that little bit different, all served by friendly staff in an atmosphere of warmth. Worth going out of your way for.

My friends and I visited Finn and Bear for a Saturday brunch and overall had a great experience. There are some nice unusual brunch options which are beautifully presented. The service was the stand out for us, everyone we spoke to were so friendly and welcoming. The food is tasty and not badly priced. Would recommend.

Came here for pre & post dinner drinks & the service & variety of gins & bourbon was excellent. Good friendly service &, although we didn’t eat, the food looked good too. Lots of outdoor seating too for when the weather picks up!

4 people, 3 courses, all food very good, portion sizes more than generous, service was excellent, and all food freshly prepared, their was no hurry to be moved, relly enjoyed the ambience

Just went in for a drink as they were closing. The friendly bar staff served us anyway and we loved the atmosphere in the bar. Would like to come back for a longer stay next time.

We came here for dinner and it definitely deserves the great reviews. Staff are super friendly/attentive/relaxed and made us feel welcome, the food was delicious and good value, and the environment is great. We will definitely come back again!

Had the cheese burger and chips and nachos and shared it, everything was so lovely! Great service, great food!!! And great music! Lovely atmosphere, will be back as soon as I'm back in Leith :-)

Nous nous sommes arrêtés prendre un thé un apres’midi pluvieux , dès notre entrée une vraie chaleur, tout d’abord le sourire des équipes, puis les petits fauteuils et enfin la cheminée , un pur moment de bonheur comme à la maison . Nous ne voulions plus repartir ...un moment Exquis

Well, the cheese burger here was superb, no joke it was great, moist and full of flavour, the fries only accentuated the experience.

Excellent food and service was superb! Highly recommended! Quality of food was brilliant and great choice of drinks!

Lovely place, great food and thanks to the incredible staff. They are always friendly, helpful and so efficient. Can't wait to come back!

Popped in for brunch & loved every dish! Highlights included perfectly poached eggs & a wonderfully complimentary sweet potato rosti & jalapeños.

Went for a late family lunch and it was excellent - every dish we ate was delicious - all of them seemed to have a nice twist. Like the ultimate mac and cheese served with huge charcoal grilled gambas prawns. Loved the food and the service was also excellent - the two Aussie front of house guys were so friendly, fun, efficient and knowledgeable. Definitely going back and will try their sister place - the Pantry

Nice food in nice surroundings with really friendly staff. Good choice of food for non meat eaters. Will be back.

We were choosing from a few different restaurants at The Shore and this place won because the menu had many options that weren't seafood. We ended up loving it so much that we broke our cardinal vacation rule and dined here twice during our stay in Edinburgh. The plating was creative and fun, the food tasted amazing and the service was great!

What a fabulous lunch with strong good coffee my husband gave his natchos 10/10. My halloumi burger was excellent with homemade fresh chips delish. Service is always good.

My husband and I have been here a few times and the food has always been awesome especially the nachos, so much so I always order them when eating at Finn&Bear;! We came in tonight after me going on and on about how I wanted the nachos! Sadly, the menu has changed and we were pretty disappointed! The nachos have gone down hill and the menu change wasn't required! We loved how you could pick smaller meals and share them but now it's just not as good! My husband had the mac n cheese and it lacked one of the main ingredients....cheese! We don't want to give up on Finn&Bear; and happy to come in for a drink but now the menu has changed it might just be a visit for drinking not for the food!

We visited Finn and Bear during a visit to Leith to see some friends and they suggested we try here for some food after a very long day travelling.

Da turista ho scelto a Edimburgo di cenare in questo caratteristico Pub, l’idea era della carne e dell’ottima birra.

Return visit to this well located restaurant. Very limited Saturday lunch menu. I had been before and really enjoyed but this visit disappointed with not much choice and pretty average cooking.

I love this gastro pub. We have supported since it opened last year. It was a great addition to the foody vibe at The Shore. Excellent breakfasts and lunches. We had not been for some time and went for lunch. The staff have always been very friendly and on it but there were new staff and the service has lost its edge. They were quick and attentive but seemed bored and disinterested. Such a shame! They were also trying out their autumn menu. The old staples burger, fish and chops etc were still on the menu. We tried the new menu and it did not really work and was not the standard we were used to. Hope this is a blip and not a standard now. Would hate that to happen.

Great food, friendly staff a place to visit during any visit to Edinburgh . This place ticks all the right boxes for a relaxed drink and great service. The staff are easy going the locals are friendly it's a really nice place

Really nice atmosphere with a mixed crowd. Really friendly and helpful staff. Took time to work out possible allergens in the menu for one of the party. Service was relaxed and never felt rushed. Had the "ultimate Mac's cheese" which I would highly recommend. Will go again.

Had lunch here with a friend, extremely nice staff very friendly and relaxed atmosphere, only downside for me was the screaming children but then it is a family friendly bar and this would be mostly down to parents not teaching kids manners when they go out to eat. Food was lovely and fresh would definitely recommend here

We found Finn & Bear while trying to escape the windy weather. It was warm and cosy with candles lit and the fire burning. The gentleman immediately offered us a table by the fire and a bottle of tap water while we read over the menu.

We booked our table for 2 adults, 1 baby and another little one. We arrived to find it all set up with the night chair ready for us.

Beautiful food, great service and such a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I come here at least once every fortnight to both study and eat. The staff are super friendly and make every effort to make sure your experience is enjoyable, whether you are eating, drinking or just in on your own for a wee escape form every day life! Would highly recommed.

Lovely relaxed atmosphere, very friendly staff with smiling faces. I have been here quite a few times now, and whether it is for a rainy day coffee & meal amongst the cozy vibe inside by the fire or outside in the afternoon sun by the shore. Always a pleasant time out of the house and love the accomodating vegetarian options!

We had a dinner after a long day. It was a fortune that we found this place. Food was a bit different, but very good. Service was excellent, smiling faces.

A short stroll from were our son lives you will find this lovely place situated on the shore.

Il nostro viaggio in Scozia cominciò proprio qui... Dopo 11 giorni e dopo aver girato la Scozia in lungo e in largo, siamo tornate! Un ultimo “spuntino” prima del nostro volo!

Amazing food and really cool place. Worth travelling from south edinburgh to it for delicious, intelligent and fresh food. Looking forward to going back. Best brunch I’ve had in Edinburgh.

We just went for a drink, sat out in the sun, lovely place! Definitely recommend. Staff seem really mature and sensible. No issues. A touch pricey for a pint but that’s just life :)

Had a delicious lunch. They were busy and had to stagger orders of food while people had their coffees etc so a slight delay in ordering our meal. Nice experience and we will go back on our return to The Shore.

We had a couple's birthday dinner here and it was overall great! They had a selection non-alcoholic beer (!) for the more pregnant people among us and a cosy, not too high maintenance atmosphere and clientele. We really enjoyed the food, though. Well-known dishes mixed with local food, which looked a bit weird on the menu but ended up being completely delicious.

Half a pint of prawns sounds pretty hardcore right? Yes. But no. We ordered half a pint of prawns. And what we got was 5 whole king prawns served in an old fashioned half pint beer glass - half filled with pickled samphire. Why doesn’t the menu just say that?

Didn't even know this place existed until I passed it at lunchtime recently with one of my daughters. It was a roasting hot day and we were looking for a place to eat and so decided to give this a try... and we were very happy with the food and service. I had the "Bear burger" and my daughter had the "Halloumi Burger" both of which were freshly cooked, excellent burger buns that didn't soggy, lovely relish and first class fries (skin on and crispy!)... There was a good range of other choices and veggie options were good as well as some nice brunch type lunches. Just a short visit overall for us but it is the sort of place, as we saw on the day, where larger groups of friends could sit for a while and blether. There is plenty of space and the staff were very friendly. Would recommend... and go again!

Bon spot, nourriture très bonne (fromage et sandwichs poulet avocat), terrasse très agréable avec vue sur le bord de l'eau mais... service à revoir avec des serveuses très gentilles mais trop peu présentes (nous avons attendu longtemps avant que l'on prenne nos commandes), cuisinier qui fume sa cigarette en plein service et un peu trop d'attente globalement. Dommage ! Les produits sont de qualité et nous avons tout de même très bien mangé !

We went last night and the food was lovely and very reasonably priced. We shared the meat nachos, my partner had the meat and cheese plank which and I had the ox cheek and polenta dish, sides of soda bread and halloumi fries, then we finished by sharing a carrot cake. Every dish was delicious. Great atmosphere and good drink selection. Friendly staff. Can’t wait to go back!

Excellent service from friendly staff. Bus stop right outside to get back to the city. Food and drinks all excellent.

Friendly people who were very dog friendly...delicious food ,wide choice.can recommend smashed crab on sourdough and great coffee

There is no doubt that this bar is a great attraction on the Shore. The ambiance is great, outside seats, good food and great selection of drinks...... but...... the service is a shambles.

Been here loads of times. The staff are phenomenal, real personalities who seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs. Great banter. Will make us expresso martinis when they are not even on the cocktail menu. Been coming to this place for the past 6 years as it has changed hands and this is the best it has been!

Amazing burger!!! Amazing halloumi fries!!! Amazing Service!!!!! If you haven't been....why not?!?! Finn & Bear is a must!

We’ve been to finn and bear sever times during the sunny days in the past. The service is so and so/- probably depends on whether they had a good nights sleep the previous night/- the beers on offer are quite limited and the food they offer just okish. That’s unfortunate as the other nearby restaurants set the bar really high.

This is another one of those instagram finds, and to try it out we wanted to treat my niece...of we trotted to this place, it wasn't the warmest of days so didn't get a chance to sit outside, nonetheless we found a table in the back restaurant (and glad we arrived when we did as 3 other tables arrived, including a table of 8).

A nice area out the front to sit when it’s a lovely sunny day however I can’t say this would be somewhere I would return to! Had the burger which wasn’t the best and the beer is very over priced

I have been here twice now. The first time was for brunch shortly after it opened and the food did not disappoint. However, the service was very lacking - we were ignored as soon as we got our food. The staff were very lovely, just nowhere to be found. Having given them a few months to settle in I thought I would give them another go, for dinner this time, and the staff were again lovely, and far more attentive - we had a few drinks and then decided to order some food. The food is priced on the slightly higher side, but if its good quality I am happy to pay a bit more. I am sure the food would have been perfectly lovely, had it not been almost stone cold by the time it made its way to our table. Having waited quite so long for our food to start with, and having not had lunch, we ate anyway but when asked if our food was ok we did alert the waitress of the issue, and were given a 10% discount on our bill which we did appreciate. I think I will give it some time before I consider eating here again, but I'm genuinely so disappointed because I really want to like this place, and I think it has potential to be great!

Nice place to chill out and sit in the sun if the weather is warm enough. Halloumi Burger was outstanding and the Pasta and Meatballs was lovely, although a slightly disappointing portion. It's a shame you have to pay before your food arrives if you are sitting outside. Sort of spoils the atmosphere, But if they've had problems, I can understand the logic.

Great brunch for meat eaters and veggies alike. Friendly attentive staff and you can sit outside if the weather is good but careful the sun doesn’t come around to the front until fine 11am. I’d recommend giving this place a try if in Leith, it’s worth it.

Au détour de nos balades. Petit café au style déco branché. Musique sympa Jack Jonhson et Cie. Nachos délicieux & cappuccino ultra crémeux

Front bar has lovely atmosphere, back room less so. A bit cavernous and if I remember correctly Hugh chairs piled against back wall. A rather deorsssing space.

My wife and I came here for a rare child-free lunch as the place seems to have opened to quite the fanfare with awards aplenty in The List. Not quite sure why, seeing as there's no shortage of pretentious hipsterish hostelries in the Greater Leith area - many of which offer much better food and drink. We were not impressed with either at Finn and Bear.

This pub keeps changing hands, this time around the staff are better. I have eaten here twice since it's reopened and the first time was decent if a little overpriced. The second time I was with a vegan friend who chose the veggie breakfast and asked for eggs and cheese to be taken off and perhaps replaced with sweet potato fries or some other suggested alternative, we were a bit miffed to find out the replacement was some extra tomato and then charged the full price but once we brought it to the attention of our waiter the price of an egg was deducted. Id they are going to charge hipster prices then they have to be prepared for Vegans. This place is great though for a relaxing drink and snack.

This was my second visit to Finn and Bear. My first visit was a little disappointing so I was really looking forward to going again. I was greeted by the lovely Ola who remembered me from my last visit, she was warm and cheerful which was great (especially as iade a complaint during my first visit). Ola remembered I didn't enjoy the coffee the last time, she explained the blend was now different. I'm delighted I trusted her, it was delicious both as espresso and cappuccino. For brunch I ate Sunshine on Leith with the addition of chorizo and halloumi fries, the word delicious doesn't cover it and the photo doesn't do it justice! I also had a delicious cookies and cream donut courtesy of Baba Boudin it was fantastic! Although the food was amazing as was the the atmosphere Ola and her amazing approach trump everything else! If you haven't had a chance to go yet, please take a little trip down to the shore to sample excellent food and hospitality!

Came here with girlfriend and waitresses explained they were sorting out the menu as everyone was confused by the name ‘sharing’. Didn’t matter we ordered a mix of 2 mains, a starter and a side. Perfect sizes and only cost £50 including a lovely bottle of wine.

This was an excellent pub with great staff and reasonable food. Alas no more. Another victim of creeping gentrification of the area. Its as pricy as Toast across the road, and thats saying something.

I went for some afternoon drinks with my mum last weekend and I was impressed with the changes to the old Salvation Bar. Great wine, lovely decor, busy, attentive staff, tasty food. I’ll be back, it’s a great new addition to the already thriving area. This is the part of the capital to be, make no mistake!

A very welcome addition to the Shore - the menu is accessible but quite different to the usual pub fare that was served up by its predecessors on this site. Vegetarian and vegan friendly and very imaginative menu. Draught pint @£4 very reasonable.

Had a lovely breakfast at Finn and Bear today. I had the V-Fry vegetarian breakfast and my boyfriend had the Pimp My Fry. Honestly, the food was delicious! It’s all locally sourced as well which is always nice. Brilliant coffee and orange juice too. Very trendy inside with the friendliest staff. Feel like I may be a regular here!

I visited Finn & Bear with my partner and we had a really good brunch here. I had the eggs royale, and wasn't disappointed at all. I'd definitely recommend Finn & Bear to people in Leith, and it's a refreshing addition to the Shore.

This is an excellent newcomer to The Shore overlooking the Water of Leith and is a sister establishment to the Pantry at Stockbridge and Colinton. A really imaginative menu has taken us there four times already and is set to become a favourite eatery. Well priced wines and great service from an enthusiastic and charming team. Highly recommended.