First Coast in Edinburgh, City of

The food was delicious and well-seasoned! They also made the steak the way my partner and I liked. Service was great and friendly as well. I highly recommend the foods in the photos of this review. Also, this is another place in Scotland where the chips are perfectly crispy on the outside yet it is soft when you bite into it. How is this possible? I am a tourist here in Scotland and wish my hometown made chips like this.

Amazing scallops and monk tail fish

Unfortunately First Coast has really gone downhill : (. We are regulars and I have written 5 star reviews for FC in the past - the food (the veggie dishes in particular) was always amazing but not anymore. It's been bought over and it's obvious the previous chef has left (I wish I knew where he has gone!). We had a really disappointing meal today, 5 of us and none of us really enjoyed our food. The service, which used to also be excellent has also gone really downhill, the guy serving us was completely vacant. For the price, we won't be going back now which is really sad because I've been going since it opened over 20 years ago.

First visit this year, found the lunch menu a bit restricted. Food was perfectly cooked and presented, no issue there. Too many flavours in my coley dish for my preference, cream sauce with the mussels was heavy & over powering. Will come back soon for dinner as this restaurant has been a firm favourite for many years, and just hope is was down to main course selection. Starter haggis & calamari were great.

We found this place by chance and were happy we did. We had a delicious seafood-focused meal, with friendly service. If you are staying anywhere near the Haymarket area, I'd highly recommend.

Limited menu but what they have is good.

The service food and place were all great - would def recommend

My main course was the Bouillabaisse Soup ,it was inedible ,dried fish ,unopened Mussels ,I sent it back .I just ended up having a desert and a Cappuccino.The most embarrassing part was when we got down to settling the bill.We had an Itison Voucher for £50 ,but the total for the food came to £41.35,The Manager insisted that we pay the difference ! It was very embarrassing,an altercation in front of other Diners ! It was definitely a most unpleasant experience !

Delicious food and great service. Ideal location near to Haymarket

Went for dinner and I think we caught them on an off night. Food was good and had real potential to be better. I suspect they were short a chef in the kitchen as they explained it would be quite a wait for dinner when we arrived.

As someone eating alone this was a really bad experience. I had booked so it wasn’t as if they didn’t expect me. Service stared fine but when my main came the waiter just put it it down and walked off, I needed a napkin and had to ask for condiments, it takes 2 second to ask if I have everything I need. The bouillabaisse was not good I’m afraid, the fish was under seasoned and over cooked. After two minutes I was asked if everything was okay, this is when I sent my chips back as they were under cooked. Staff were defensive and argumentative I felt embarrassed and upset when I came to pay and asked to have the service charge taken off. Not to pull the card but I’ve managed hotels and a restaurants for 10 years( including a French bistro) just felt this whole experience was handled badly, especially when I’m on my own. Why did it take three separate members of staff to ask me why I hadn’t said anything?? I was in and out in 45 minutes. Luckily I understand that bouillabaisse can be difficult to get right and lot of places try to over complicate it. shame the staff take things so personally.

Great food, staff and atmosphere! Would dine here again!

No atmosphere. Food was disappointing- limited choice on lunch menu - only meat dish with heavy sub.

You always get good food and service in this restaurant. As a vegetarian, the only criticism I’d have is that it would be good to have a better choice than just one option for each course.

Amazing experience. Food was delightful and Tyler made the experience x10 better with his extensive knowledge on all the whiskies and food on the menu. Would recommend to anyone local to Edinburgh or just visiting for a amazing experience while in town.

This spot is a hidden gem, fantastic food and great service. Never fails to impress, some of the best food I’ve had in Edinburgh. Shout out to Tyler especially for his fantastic service (:

The service was impeccable. The food was delicious, the scallop appetizer was a very good portion of 4-5 scallops. The sticky toffee pudding was one of the best we've had. The servers were very attentive and accommodating.

Had a great meal last night beef carpaccio followed by a fantastic fillet steak, I’d really recommend here if you’re in Edinburgh and want somewhere that’s not just a formula chain. Thanks guys

Very nice meal in a good environment. Although the meal was delicious and the staff very helpful the service was not the best. The food took a long time to arrive and one of the starters was lukewarm, not hot! They did deduct that item from the bill.

We enjoyed our dinner at First Coast. We had the Monkfish tail and managed to save room for some mango mousse with shortbread. The service was friendly and attentive.

Prompt, attentive service from arrival to departure. Excellent food quality with portion size as one would expect. Convenient, short walk from our Haymarket-area hotel. We'd visit again when in Edinburgh and recommend.

Excellent choice of dishes with very fresh ingredients, very well prepared ‘Scottish with Mediterranean touch’.

Was OK. Have been before and it wasn’t quite as good this visit. Starter fully priced for what it was.

The atmosphere is rather uncomfortable. When we visited, not all tables were occupied. Nevertheless, we were assigned an extremely inconvenient table on the highway by the staff. The staff is friendly but too uninterested. Enjoy your meal. We had scallops, olive stuffed sea bass and a rump steak. Reasonable prices. 10% service charge will be added.

It can be regarded as expensive and unpalatable seafood. It’s really not good.

I was following other people reviews and WOW !! food was really delicious and very fresh. Fried squid 🦑 was amazing. We were dine in with 2 kids.

Very tasty meal, though they had run out of the daily special main. Friendly and attentive staff. Busy, lively atmosphere. Would definitely return.

Best food in Edinburgh and service too

Food was excellent. Service also could not be faulted. Ambience was very nice; I enjoyed the background music which was played at an appropriate level. A very enjoyable experience overall, and I look forward to visiting again soon.

Piatti scozzesi come pure di cucina internazionale cucinati e presentati molto bene. Personale giovane ed amichevole. Prezzo in linea con i ristoranti di Edimburgo. Consigliato

We came for lunch with a party of 6 and had a great time ! The food was really delicious and very good value : we had 3 courses for around 25£pp (some items have a supplement), and from start to finish, the quality was there. Service was great, our waitress was the most accommodating, fun, nice and got all our little requests (e.g. change this for that, have this starter as a main, take a picture of us) throughout the meal. A pleasure to have discovered this place ! will come back to try the evening menu !

Food was good.A bit pricey. Service a bit slow for mains. Otherwise very friendly . Sea bass was excellent . Corn fed chicken slightly undercooked near bone .

I have been to First Coast many times before. As always, the food, service and staff were all excellent. I would thoroughly recommend First Coast to any of my friends. I very much look forward to going back again in the very near future. Thank you.

It was our first time at First Coast and it proved to be a very enjoyable experience with the food being the star of the show. The scallops, the chicken supreme and affogato were superb and presentation was very pleasing to the eye. The only minor issue was the condition of the paper menus which were a bit soiled with food stains. Overall though, this was a thoroughly enjoyable dining experience and the staff were very pleasant and attentive.

nice Service, good food. pricing moderate. Booking the desired time a bit difficult but did finally work

Food wasn’t great at all. We’ve been going to first coast for a good few years and the last two times hasn’t been great. The staff make you feel a bit rushed and can be quite unwelcoming. The 10 percent charge for service is pretty cheeky. It used to feel so much more welcoming and cosy it just doesn’t any more. I think we’ve given up on what used to be a little gem of a place.

Lovely food, great price and restaurant was airy and bright well well spaced tables. Friendly staff - never disappoints. Thank you.

This is a gem of a restaurant. Food is delicious and the staff are so helpful and friendly. The menu is not vast, but everything is beautifully cooked and presented.

I have been to First Coast many times. As always the food, service and staff were all excellent. Also, the set lunch menu is excellent value for money. I would thoroughly recommend First Coast to any of my friends. I look forward to going back for a meal again in the very near future.

First class food and excellent service. A delightful experience as always.

Second lunch-time visit to First Coast. Absolutely lovely from start to finish. Enjoyed everything including the Thistle Cross cider as an alternative to wine. Haggis starters were very tasty, main courses piping hot & plentiful. Its such a joy to eat lovely food in a clean, relaxing restaurant.

Has to be the worst eating. Expesrance I've had for a long time my starter off haggis meals and tatties was cold main course I asked for was. Stuffed sea bass my server said come with head oni asked him to remove head but he brought it with head on he took it back removed head but as I haven't had whole seabass before he dint tell me about the bones in fish. Nearly choked on a bone. Got the bill wasn't happy. About service charge. Due to server not explaing about bones in fish so I didn't. Pay service charge won't be back overrated.

I have been to First Coast quite a few times. As always, the food, service and staff were all excellent. The set lunch menu is excellent value for money and the food very tasty. I would thoroughly recommend First Coast to any of my friends. I look forward to dining there again in the very near future.

We only had one night in Edinburgh and with so many options to choose from, we were after a restaurant that did things supporting local fare. The restaurant was packed with diners of all ages and the menu met our primary criteria. Two of us had a starter and main and two of us had two appetisers and all four of us shared two desserts. All dishes were very well executed and truly delicious. Highly recommended. Pricing was good too.

Very good service and food. Lack of choice for gluten free though.

First class service good food relaxed atmosphere.

Celebrating our son achieving his PhD - we had an excellent dinner, the boys enjoying a range of seafood and I had a delicious steak. Good wine list. Intimate atmosphere, impeccable service from our waiter, Joe. Defintely going back for another meal.

Food was great, just felt the service was a little rushed.

Staff were friendly, attentive and very accommodating when I needed to rebook a few times. Good was flavoursome and delish.

Personnels très prévenants Lotte et bœuf excellents : cuissons saignantes parfaites Bref : on recommande cette adresse

Another excellent meal in First Coast. I eat there frequently and it never disappoints, The food quality and presentation are excellent, and the staff friendly and attentive. The fixed price lunch menu is good value.

Was very much looking forward to dinner here, as our first meal in Edinburgh on a Saturday night, but was underwhelmed. Food was pretty solid—I had the roasted chicken supreme with pea puree and crispy kale; my husband had the stuffed sea bass—but not noteworthy enough to make up for the aloof service. So much promise, but wouldn’t in good conscience recommend when there are so many other options.

A very nice evening out. Service was good and food very good. Only slight disappointment was the very small portion of cheese for a hefty price. Won’t stop me returning.

We’ve dinned at this restaurant several times and once again it didn’t disappoint. Good food and good service. We’ll definitely be back again in the future.

They were turning away walkins but appeared to have tables free. The restaurant was about half empty. Service was quick throughout with little wait between dishes, which suited us. Delicious food. We had soup & burrata starters and monkfish & fettuccine with regu for mains. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert. All delicious with the fettuccine the star.

We had a lovely dinner in First Coast chosen from the a la carte menu. The staff were attentive and friendly. There was a good choice of dishes and all three courses were delicious. It is one of our regular dinner venues and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it as it always surpasses expectations.

Excellent food , good service and value . Would recommend.

Favourite & well used local restaurant but last night it was too noisy to be able to have a proper conversation. My steak was gristly & my pudding was disappointing. Last week I had booked on 2 evenings, both of which were cancelled at the last minute by the restaurant due to problems with gas. They apologised & said there would be a free glass of wine on my next visit to compensate but this never materialised last night. Hope last night's experience was a one off.

The monkfish here was so damn good. My wife had seafood too. Haggis appetizer was life changing .... If you think you don't like haggis you should give it a try here. Really if you've got a seafood craving in Edinburgh, this would be the place to go. It's near Haymarket Station so it can get crowded, but a reservation will set you up fine. It's not touristy. Just friendly and top shelf!

Supposedly problem with gas so no chicken/ sea bass Not sure how everything else was cooked ? Staff pretty disinterested yet plenty of staff working Food alright but nothing special and overall pricey for what you get

Lovely restaurant with good well prepared food

We were served quickly and wine, water, starters and mains arrived relatively promptly. The sea bass was delicious though quite a few bones. We were going to have desserts and coffee but after 20 minutes of trying to get served gave up. One of the staff apologised and said it was because of 2 large tables but they’d already left and the 4 men next to us, who arrived 1/2 and hour after us received good service. Bit disappointed

Terrible service seated in a corner out with the restaurant. Would not return

A lunch with friends. A real treat. Enthusiastic service from Joe, two excellent courses, the highlight of which was the Shetland mussels, absolutely delicious. Decent choice of wines, all in all a great experience. Thanks.

Food was excellent. Beef carpaccio and salt and pepper squid were very tasty, and the duck and whole sea bream were really exquisite. Desserts of sticky toffee pudding and chocolate were great. I asked for nothing with vinegar and the restaurant responded very well when due to a small error, one dish was served with pickled gherkins. I will definitely visit again. Updated on a repeat visit: beef carpaccio and scallops both excellent, bouillabaisse not traditional but tasty, chicken supreme delicious. Loved the potato latke even though it wasn't like latkes I have had before. Sticky toffee pudding was tasty but not special. Mango mousse was amazing.

The fact we have booked again for next week should tell you everything you need to know!

We had a Raghu pasta and Monkfish, both were undercooked. They also ran out of bread which made the entrees way less appealing. What kind of place rans out of bread anyway?

Super central restaurant with great food and service - will certainly return

Good food and equally good service.Great central location.

Lovely meal, staff very attentive, enjoyed very much

No atmosphere something lacking inexperienced staff

This was an amazing meal- the place is relaxed and casual, the food is top notch. We shared a starter of mussels- honestly the best mussels either of us has ever had. My husband got the monkfish for his main- it tasted like lobster and the cauliflower either it was phenomenal. I had the coley in bouillabaisse- again with the mussels. The bread to sop up all the brothy goodness was quite good. Sturdy enough to do the job. The service was spot on. They kept an eye on us but were not intrusive. The noise was minimal which is a refreshing change from restaurants in the US. We were sadly too full for dessert but they looked to be delicious.

Very friendly staff, great food (smoked salmon, haggis, sea bass, steak, sticky toffee pudding, ice cream). Good selection of wines and beers.

the food was excellent. I went for Calamari starter and monkfish main. Beautiful

Recommended. We had a delicious meal. Starters, mussels and scallops taste delicious. The menu offers plenty of choice. Friendly and attentive service. Nice ending to our visit to Edinburgh

We had a lovely meal. The duck breast was perfectly cooked and tender and the scallops were wonderful as well. The service was attentive and prompt.

I have been to First Coast several times and was never disappoimted. It was a luxury to be there on a Monday when it was relatively quiet. The haggis starter was especially good, but other food also fine.

Delicious food and wine. Quite pricey for its location.

A favourite restaurant - consistently good food and great value! Lovely staff - and dog friendly too.

We were there with a large group and pre-ordered. Everything went well, friendly service and good, varied food.

The visit to First Coast was perfect for us! Impeccable, nice service that just made you feel comfortable. We were all impressed by the food and the delicious dessert in particular rounded off the visit.

Another excellent lunch at First Coast. We had the 2 course lunch for under £20. The staff were friendly and efficient, and the food was delicious and beautifully served. This is our 'go-to' place for quality and value and it doesn't disappoint.

Very nice food, service was great but feels like they were understaffed. Food was very well presented and very tasty. It is a nice local restaurant.

Great place for local produce, well prepared and presented.

Excellent menu good value and friendly helpful staff

Excellent food, the waiter did not press, so a very relaxing atmosphere.

Always a great experience, excellent food and atmosphere

First class service friendly staff who were attentive with out being overbearing. The menu choices were excellent covered most possibilities.

Good tasting food. Good service. Varied menu with good choices

A place worth recommending. From the moment you enter, it smells of fish and seafood and it's impossible not to order them. We ate a lunch set consisting of appetizers: octopus and haggis, and for the second course, pasta with meat, pepperoni and mussels. Everything was very tasty, you could feel the quality and freshness of the dishes. Very nice service. The portions of the main course were huge - I took half of the dinner to go. On the downside, a 10 percent tip was immediately added and there was no WiFi. Overall, I recommend it.

Food, service and staff all excellent as always. Have not been to First Coast in a while, but will definitely be coming back again in the very near future. I would thoroughly recommend First Coast to any of my friends. Thank you.

Great quality of fish & seafood, very friendly service, we would definitely return!

Have eaten here a few times. Atmosphere in restaurant is welcoming and cosy. Staff are pleasant and friendly. The food is of exceptional quality and reasonably priced. Highly recommended.

This is one of the restaurants in Edinburgh that we will make a point of returning to. Simple decor, lovely staff, and delicious food. Highly recommend both the hake and the monkfish. A very memorable meal!

Perfect for a dinner. All the seafood was great - moules mariniere was lovely, the monkfish was genuinely 10/10. Service from Tyler was also tip

One of the best meals I had in Scotland! Everything amazing, but the duck breast is something else 🫶🏻

The food was horrible! The risotto was undercooked, we sent it back, the just heated it up and it was still horrible. The pasta was also so bad. The staff were nice about it and removed the risotto from the final bill

It was just what I wanted - a welcoming and quiet atmosphere. good food and well served. It was a quiet and restful experience.

Very Disappointed, won’t go back Will never step foot back in the place again, the attitude of the front of house staff shocked us more than how poor the food was..After going to First Coast for over 12 years it pains me to say how disappointing and poor tonight’s visit was, the food was average and then to find a big thick hair in your desert to be pretty much ignored by the staff other than we’ve taken your desert of the bill.When we did mention that we had been coming here for years and had never had any issues and said we would most likely not be back the manageress reply not a problem that our choice,I thought that attitude of the manageress summed up the whole visit disappointing , very sad used to be our favourite place to eat.

Came here for our anniversary. I read about First Coast Lonely Planet and it did not disappoint! The seafood was fantastic, the staff were attentive, and the small surprise touched our hearts. Highly recommend!