Merchants Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

On reopening was looking forward to eating there. However, the service was just okay, the fish was a little dry, the beef was so overcooked and tough, it was difficult to cut and on mentioning was given more sauce! The wine bottle was brought to the table and had already been opened and when we asked why, he says I'll let the barman know?

one of the best restaurant experiences we've ever had- the food, the wine were great, the staff was lovely, welcoming and helpful, would recommend!

Spectacular food, excellent presentation

Visiting Edinburgh for the day and booked a 3 course lunch at Merchants to celebrate Mother's Day. Mum and Granny enjoyed themselves so job well done! Fizz on arrival and staff so accommodating to our needs. Will definitely be visiting again next time I am in Edinburgh. Food was delicious and well priced.

Great food, Great ambiance ...helpfull staff

Food was delicious. Red pepper risotto was a taste explosion, side order of tenderstem broccoli was so delicious and strawberry posset was sublime. Staff were lovely.

This place has enthusiastic reviews here, but our experience was very mixed. My trousers were caught by a mail in my chair. We sat in the dining area near the bar, the floor is not stable there so my chair rocked every time one of the staff walked by (which was frequently). We had an enormous wait for desert. My food was mostly very good, the smoked chicken salad was great, but the pea risotto with the hake was not. The poached strawberry dessert was good, but we had to rush it to get to our event.

Booked on reading other reviews and we were not disappointed, the service was excellent, the food delicious and a really relaxing intimate atmosphere. The mains were superb and the chocolate fudge cake is a must. Highly recommend xxxx

Great restaurant if you're visiting Edinburgh. Fantastic food and great ambiance inside. I think it's worth mentioning that this place is far better than some of the reviews from 2+ years ago suggest. Cocktails were also top class and very generous in size. Great host who always had a smile and made us feel very welcome.

Incredible food, charming staff and a chill atmosphere.

10/10 - The Best Restaurant in Scotland We came for a drink, stayed for a starter, were sold on the main & spoiled by the desert. Incredible food, incredible setting & nothing compares

Went to Edinburgh for 2 days and so lucky to have found this gem ! Food was amazing and the quality wasn't just in the food ! Front of house staff was so friendly and helpful the whole time. Great atmosphere and would highly recommend

We found this lovely place be chance, fantastic welcome, great hospitality, cheeky cocktail, great fun, clean tables and refurbished toilets 😊

We went to Merchant’s tonight by a complete accident - we couldn’t find anywhere that would serve two meat eaters and a vegetarian very well. Merchants were brilliant, from the service to the food to the cocktails. We were so impressed. They gave us the perfect night for ending our trip to Edinburgh.

We came here because it was part of a voucher deal from a gift experience we were given for our wedding.All I can say is wow wow wow.We were so so happy that we came here because the food and hospitality was outstanding and second to none. The restaurant has only just been done up recently under new ownership and boy did they do a fabulous job.Full of twinkly fairy lights and beautiful serene decor made for a very enjoyable and romantic dining experience.Lovely music and very friendly staff.So accomodating and gave us a complimentary drink too which we were very grateful for.The food well....deserves Michelin stars from the quality.You get alot considering its A La Carte ,and you can upgrade your voucher for £12.50pp and its totally worth it. I'd come again,we highly recommend it,very impressed,well done.Credits due where credits due.

A fabulous gem of a restaurant. Food was excellent, good range on offer and delicious, service was great, attentive but not overboard. Wonderful ambiance and a great way to start our Edinburgh treat. We will definitely return on our next visit. Highly recommend.

We only stumbled across this lovely restaurant by taking a wrong turn. But we decided to see if they had any availability. We were greeted by very nice and polite staff and we were seated right away. The food was outstanding and the presentation of the food was amazing. Great decor and a lovely atmosphere. Would recommend for couples, groups or families.

Incredible food and incredible service. Couldn’t fault one single thing about this place. Had the beef which was cooked perfectly, beverages were wonderful and the environment is second to none. Thoroughly recommend this to anyone heading to Edinburgh, or even going for a date night.

Great atmosphere with friendly, attentive staff. Highly recommended

Vi var här juni-19. Trevligt ställe helt okey mat, trevlig personal.

Un super restaurant où nous avons passé une bonne soirée. La déco est super le personnel très aimable. Bonne cuisine et tarifs abordables!!

Could not fault the level of service. It was a quiet night, we were the only booking. Additional scallops dishes were offered and taken up to great satisfaction. The rest of the food was to a high quality, as it has been on previous visits. We weren't rushed and felt comfortable and well attended. We're returning at the end of March and can happily recommend we will return again after that. It was exactly what were looking for, others may differ in their opinion but that's what reviews are for.

Accueil chaleureux,personnel disponible, de bon conseil et souriant.produits frais et de qualité.très bon rapport qualité prix.Et un super scottish coffee en digestif.

Friendly staff and good food, nice portion size

Amazing food. Great staff and service. Excellent value. Lovely location.

reasonable price, delicious food, kind staffs.

รสชาติแปลก​ ไม่ค่อยคุ้นเคย​ บริการรวดเร็วมาก

Food good but location not very appealing

I had been recommended to this resteraunt, so glad I had.On arrival I was welcomed by a friendly member of staff and offered a drink while I waited for my friend. As we hadn't met for a while it was so good not to be rushed especially at this time of year.There was lots of dishes to suit every pallet. I had Parmalat ham and melon with a lovely side salad ,followed by fillet steak with sauty potatoes and fresh vegetables. My friend had chicken liver pate foLlowes by succulent tenderlamb shank. Staff were attentive throughout our meal without over doing it. We were not rushed while having coffee and a liqueur. Definitely go again. Highly recommended.

Great food. Plenty of choices with attentive staff.

Visited for a Saturday early evening meal. Restaurant was quiet, very clean with very good service. Food was good with large main meal portions. Sweet was excellent. Very good value for money and worth a visit.

This restaurant is in a small side street in Edinburgh's old town. The welcome was very good and the menu was excellent. When the food arrived it was well presented and tasted even better than it looked. Everything was freshly prepared and there was nothing, or very little, left on any of the plates going back to the kitchen. If I had any negative comments it would be that the drinks were more city-centre prices than I expected, otherwise it was an excellent evening and I can guarantee we will return.

Gorgeous food in lovely surroundings. Would highly recommend. Staff very attentive. We visited as a group of 4 friends and will definitely be back

Lovely and quiet restaurant serving well made food.

Petit restaurant sympathique. Très bonne cuisine, les produits sont frais

Approximately 30 people went to restaurant for dinner. Great meals,service and atmosphere. Would go again when in Edinburgh.

Retiral function for Bill Col yesterday 18th Oct. Excellent lunch menu and friendly service from the staff well done. I would recommend this restaurant.

sono venuta qui in gita scolastica. ci hanno servito un hamburger piccante quando a più di metà persone poteva non piacere. un cameriere è stato scortese con noi più volte. i bicchieri al nostro arrivo erano bagnati e sporchi. una mia amica non poteva mangiare le noci e le hanno servito una macedonia rancida. consiglio? chiudete il locale!

The food was TERRIBLE. They don't cook the food but they buy it already cooked;it was cold and really really terrible. The waitresses were rude and pissed off!!!!! I really hope no one goes there! If you want to eat well DON'T go there!!!! And if you do... God bless you.

A group of folk dined here at a fixed(7pm) early evening time and found the place busy. Food well cooked and in one dish ( haggis in pastry for writer ) unusual. Enjoyed until exiting and realising the possible problem for elderly in the steps at door , which could be a problem. Take care at exit.

Best lamb shank and Scotch broth in my life

イギリスのレストランはドリンクをカウンターに個々に買いに行くスタイルが多いが、ここはテーブルに運んでくれて、テーブルで払うスタイルでした。バブパイプ演奏者とツーショット写真が取れました。料理も美味しかった。

This was an easy stop before the tattoo. It was close by the event venue and our tour group had several options for appetizers, mains and desserts. I would recommend this restaurant for dinner.

My first visit to this restaurant. I was with a party and we had to wait outside until our table was ready. Service was reasonably prompt and our order for drinks taken. As to food, I had Chicken liver pate with oatcakes which was delicious and generous. For the main course I had a lamb shank. This came with vegetables, which was a pleasant change from other restaurants where vegetables are not offered. But why don't chef's understand about how to cook them? I think my brocolli had only been shown the hot water as I could hardly cut the piece on my plate. The lamb was delicious too. I had a glass of reasonably priced Sauvignon blanc. I think the restaurant coped very well with a large party and I felt reasonably cared for.

My daughter and I had an experience day voucher for a 3 course meal following a visit to the castle. We had been looking forward to it all day. Very disappointed . We were the only people in there that weren’t part of a coach party and were tucked away at the back. To be honest the food was ok but nothing stunning. Staff were polite and friendly but we just felt very rushed. We were in effect steered through our 3 courses in an hour. Explained this to the man when we paid for our drinks and he didn’t seem bothered in the slightest. Needless to say we won’t be back and we won’t be recommending it. I think they’re too used to dealing with large coach parties who have set menus and time restrictions. They seem to have lost the personal touch and care for the customer.

Fringe and Tattoo on so couldn't get parked. Telephoned the restaurant to apologise as we were going to be late. Staff fantastic and held our table until we got there. Meal was superb, extremely tasty. Staff very helpful. Would definitely recommend here

Terrible food, straight out of a 1970’s cookbook. Not one meal had fresh, handmade food, everything was from frozen. Vegetables were the pre-chopped, frozen mix you find in supermarkets, thrown on the side of the plate. The salad was the kind you find at the back of your fridge after two weeks. The Duck pâté was served with sweet chilli sauce?! Both desserts were defrosted industrial tray bakes. To top it off, bagpipes (an OUTDOOR war instrument) were screeching away to a big tourist group. Do not come unless you have a wicked sense of humour, it’s an absolute circus.

Stressad personal som ryckte i tallrikarna så fort du lade ned besticken efter sista tuggan. Såg inte så glada ut, litet leende hade inte skadat. Maten var ingen direkt smaksensation.

This gem deserves more than 5 stars, it's off the scale. The food is excellent, the staff are so warm and friendly. Exceptional value for money and top notch cuisine, best meal ever!

My wife and I attended on a 5pm booking, early evening.

Malísimo,peor aún... carne durísima y verduras mas

Food and the service was fantastic and the staff wondergul

Livello buono per una ristorazione di gruppo, buon antipasto, ottimo salmone, gustoso il dolce in una cornice caratteristica

Great food. Good restaurant for groups. Close to National Museum of Scotland. Located in the old town.

jolie salle toute rouge, serveurs plaisants, repas agréable sans être trop roborztif, bref une pause déjeuner plutôt agréable...

Firstly to find this is so easy, look for Greyfriars Bobby, go down the hill take the first right and it's on your right. Secondly staff were amazing, the food was fantastic. I got shouted my dinner as part of going to the Castle then the Merchants. The site gave me the wrong date, I never checked because I took it for granted that the site had booked. My fault for not checking, didn't matter because they were just so accomadating. Wouldn't of blamed them, but no they were still so very pleasant and really nice atmosphere. So go eat and enjoy. The Amigo beer is rather nice as well.

Loved the place, nice staff, food excellent, and the puds to die for

Great as always best lamb and duck in the town

Arrived early for our booking but they found us a table on a very busy night. Both food and service were excellent. I had the Angus steak and it was the best I've had in years.

On a very busy evening we were well looked after and the food was perfect- piping hot, cooked perfectly and delicious. A good choice of Scots themed meals for both carnivores and vegetarians- great😊

Great food and very nice staff. Mycket god mat och serviceminded personal!

The soup was good but the rest was not...

Das Lokal ist ansprechend aber der Service wirkt drängend, dass man den Eindruck hat, man wolle rasch Feierabend machen. Essen war sehr mittelmässig, Rindsbraten sehr zäh !

Fantastic food fantastic service a little hard to find

Bien vale la pena buscar esta joya escondida de un restaurante. Visitamos a los comerciantes como parte de un cupón de experiencia "Buyagift" combinado con una visita al Castillo de Edimburgo. Los entrantes fueron una ensalada de pato con tocino y un rollito de primavera de haggis, seguido de un filete con salsa de brandy y pimienta y salmón al horno con salsa de jengibre y soja. Todo delicioso Me encantó el postre de ratón de chocolate que mi esposa pensó que era demasiado pesado, así que también la tuve. Un almuerzo muy agradable se completó con un café de filtro fino.

5 stars is not enough!!! Best meal, service and atmosphere I have ever experienced! The food was exceptional and the staff were so friendly and accommodating. I would strongly recommend anyone who is going to Edinburgh to definitely book a table we had a wonderful time!!!!

Increíble comida, servicio y ambiente! ! Reservamos esto como parte de un paquete de experiencia y tengo que decir que la comida era excepcional junto con un servicio súper servicial y amable. Fue tan bueno que definitivamente regresaría y recomendaría encarecidamente a cualquiera que esté viajando a Edimburgo para que reserven una mesa. ! !

Mi compañero y yo recibimos un cupón de regalo de un miembro de la familia para una visita al castillo y una comida incluida en el restaurante de los comerciantes.

Llegamos muy tarde para almorzar, y éramos un grupo numeroso; a pesar de todo, la atención fue impecable (incluso le pedimos más pan y mantequilla al camarero, mientras esperábamos la comida, y a pesar de las dudas de nuestro guía al respecto, accedieron a nuestra petición). La comida muy buena y el ambiente muy cálido. Nos sentimos bienvenidos.

Would give it 6 stars. One of the best meals/experiences I have ever had. Staff are so friendly. I'll defo go back again.

A restaurant frequented by coach loads of tourists, indifferent bar and restaurant staff, indifferent food.

We were given a voucher for here as a wedding present and we’re both still a bit unsure about the restaurant. You’d miss the restaurant if you blinked it’s so out of the way, the menu is extremely limited and there were hardly any people in there. The food wasn’t great, it all seemed frozen. The staff were good though very nice and welcoming. Could just do with updating their menu and the decor. If we didn’t have a voucher we probably would have given it a miss.

The restaurant itself is a bit hard to find but once inside the decor is nice. I ordered a start of prawns in curry sauce and it was simply weird. It arrived on a massive poppadum covered in curry sauce which meant that the poppadum was soggy and chewy. The prawns itself were ok but just weird overall. My mains of lamb shank was ok. I then ordered the chocolate log which to be honest just felt like i'd bought it from tesco and just cut myself a slice. Overall rather unremarkable

A wee gem of a restaurant! Fantastic food, excellent service and a really relaxing and lovely atmosphere. Highly recommended.

Ate here as a group of ten for Christmas do. Food was really good and there was still a decent range of options in spite of festive menu. Staff were incredibly lovely - nothing was too much trouble and they took the time to have a bit of banter. Will be back.

I loved this restaurant. The best item on their menu is their honeydew melon with strawberry coulis. I don't usually like anything from the melon family but this changed my mind.

Excellent Christmas lunch and great and cheerful service. Great portions, couldn't ask for more. Everything was well cooked. Will be back.

What an amazing place for our Xmas lunch, food was fantastic and service was amazing would highly recommend xx

レストランはロイヤルマイルの通りから横に入って博物館近くの橋のガード下にあり、店構えがこぢんまりとしたレストランでした。セット料理のランチはメインがスコテッシュサーモンでデザートはアップルパイでしたが、味はまずまずでした。

On the recommendation of a friend we booked Merchants for dinner one evening as stayed overnight in Edinburgh to enjoy the Christmas market there. We had checked the online menu are were enthused by the variety of unique choices. However when we arrived at the restaurant we discovered that they had turned over to a totally Xmas menu. Our disappointment was plain and the staff tried to reassure us that several of the Xmas dishes were in fact on the original menu. Still feeling let down we decided to stay (it was cold, dark and late - Edinburgh in winter!) We decided to start with two small bottles of prosecco to lift our spirits and ordered from the seasonal menu. To be fair the girl serving us was very solicitous and even went to find out if something we wanted (scallops) could still be had (they weren't) and kept up a cheery banter which helped us relax as we waited for our meal. The food was fabulous! The atmosphere was very good (despite a cheerfully loud office party) Did I mention the food was fabulous? Great plates, lovely sauces and good sized portions and only just over £23 each for three courses. Outstanding food, lovely service and a quirky location saw us leave with full bellies and feeling really satisfied and glad we decided to stay.

Located under the George IV bridge, the restaurant seemed uninviting from the outside. Inside, however, despite the bold red color of the walls, the restaurant seemed cozy.

Booked a table for two using a Red Letter Day voucher. When we arrived at early evening we were the first in the restaurant and normally I would think twice in such circumstances. Any worries were blown away by a wonderful three course meal with a great bottle of wine. Had the lamb shank and duck for mains which were both great. By the time we left no-one else had arrived which was a real shame for the three chefs and one waitress. So if you are in Edinburgh please search this one out - will make a great change from a usual chain restaurant which you find in every town and city

Group of 12 were well cared for here.....Excellent menu and fantastic wine.....Food was very good and the service just right. The atmosphere of the restaurant with its red walls and antique photos and accessories make this a really nice spot to go with a group, company or even a date. The wait staff is very attentive and helpful and we will definitely return when in Edinburgh. Restaurant is just off the Grassmarket and the entrance offers its own special ambiance to the Scottish style.

Estuve aquí con el bus de nuestro grupo de tour a principios de octubre. Pusimos en nuestros pedidos unos días antes con el Director del Tour y fue su elección de restaurante. Hasta el momento no apareció ningún cordero en nuestros menús y estábamos llegando al final de nuestro recorrido. (¿El cordero no es popular en el Reino Unido o es demasiado caro?) Así que, por supuesto, el cordero fue mi elección: sopa de lentejas Scotch Broth, pierna de cordero asada a fuego lento y cranachan tradicional. Todo muy bien esp. la salsa con la espiga. Vino blanco de la casa para acompañarlo.

Tuvimos entrante y plato principal del menú de Red Letter a las 6 pm un sábado. No estuvo ocupado hasta después de las 7, cuando llegó una fiesta de entrenadores.

Excellent food, great service, a great find and lovely meal to end our holiday.

Yo y mi esposo nos regalaron un cupón para este lugar como regalo de boda, así que no puedo comentar sobre el precio de la comida. Pero puedo decirle que había mucha variedad en el menú de 3 platos y que todos los pies estaban cocinados a la perfección.

Visité Edimburgo el 9 de octubre y reservé el restaurante para la cena. Un poco difícil de ubicar escondido bajo el puente George IV pero una delicia una vez descubierta. Aunque temprano nos dieron la bienvenida en un hospedaje es con un cordial saludo. Deliciosa comida cocinada a la perfección con un servicio amable y veloz a pesar del hecho de que estaban extremadamente ocupados y todas las mesas completamente reservadas. Tiene un ambiente peculiar encantador y está en una ubicación aún más extravagante escondida casi debajo del arco de un puente. Vale la pena la visita y está completamente satisfecho con el excelente servicio mientras disfruta de una deliciosa comida con caldo escocés, filete de ternera Angus y pudín de toffee pegajoso seguido de café. El chef incluso tuvo tiempo de venir y conversar con nosotros, tomándose unos minutos de su agenda extremadamente ocupada.

Wonderful meal with first class service and a very friendly atmosphere. Little difficult to locate tucked away under an archway under George IV Bridge but well worth the effort once located. Great meal with service delivered with a smile. Nice quirky atmosphere and not stuffy at all. Smart casual catering amicably for the tourist as well as locals. Absolutely first class restaurant.

Asistimos como parte de un grupo, así que teníamos un menú fijo con 3 opciones para cada uno de los tres cursos. Todas las opciones eran tentadoras. Se las arreglaron bien con los celíacos de nuestro grupo. La comida llegó rápidamente, se veía bien y sabía muy bien con porciones generosas.

Vi var här två kvällar i rad när vi var på bussresa och bodde två nätter i Edinburgh. Maten var ok första kvällen men det blev väldigt trist när vi beställt in en flaska vin att dela på två och vi inte fick sitta kvar och dricka upp. Dom mer eller mindre städade ut oss och då vara klockan bara 21.00. Ingen hade sagt till att dom stängde då.

Tried to book a table for the early evening menu and we're told there wasn't one available. Had a great meal at Gourmet Mash

Si vienes en grupo, mal! Sirven los platos de forma muy cutre. Las verduras de acompañamiento a la carne casi sin hacer. El pan malo, como la goma. La macedonia pobre y con fruta que no es fresca, como el melocotón en almíbar. No lo recomiendo.

What an absolute shame it is to say this place is not so good. My son bought me a gift from Buy a Gift - it included a visit to the castle and a three course meal here. The reviews were not so bad - so we gave it a go!

This place is amazing value and serves large portions of freshly cooked food. A little bit hidden away but well worth finding.

Great meal served by attentive friendly staff highly recommend

Fuimos con un vale buyagift después de una visita al castillo. Tuvimos un menú pero la opción de sobre 4 cosas para una cena de tres platos. El chef incluso hecho un rollo para nosotros cada pancake haggis para probar que era preciosa. Bife de costilla estaba para morirse. La comida era excelente. Andy y su hermano que es el chef nos dio la bienvenida y nos reíamos con ellos.

We visited here with our sons American soccer team and their families. Because we were a large group of 42 our menu was predetermined and we had a reservation prior to opening. We were squeezed into two long tables and it was very uncomfortable. We could have used 4 or 5 less people at each table as there was no elbow room at all. Our travel company chose a turkey dinner with tomato soup and apple cake as our meal. Variety of choice between a few similar prices items would have been nice however I don't believe the restraunt had any control over that. The staff seemed annoyed by us. The tomato soup was excellent. The turkey dinner was gross. The vegetables were cold, the turkey was tough, dry, and hard to cut and the potatoes were hard.

We hadn't visited Merchants for a few years but decided to go for lunch and see if it was still as good as we remembered. It wasn't a disappointment. Even though we were the only customers that lunchtime the experience was excellent. The tables are set beautifully and the friendly waitress took our coats before offering us a choice of tables. The very reasonably priced set lunchtime menu offered about 5 choices of starter and the same for main courses. Our starters were, tomato soup, haggis spring roll on a bed of beeps and smoked salmon and prawn tower. All of them were delicious and generous in size. Our mains were, duck breast, lamb shank and a rib-eye steak which incurred a small supplement to the fixed price menu. I was the only one tempted by the desert menu and chose an irresistible sticky toffee pudding. Everyone else had coffee. The lack of any other customers wasn't an issue and we were truly puzzled how such a great restaurant can be so quiet. It's hidden away in a side street but only 50 yards from the Grassmarket and 100 yards from Greyfriars Bobby.

Visited on the back of a buy a gift voucher included with Edinburgh castle visit... was a special menu . choice was good. food was really good. staff entertaining very hospitable . with a fussy daughter very much looked after. would go again.