Skua in Edinburgh, City of

Finally guys in Edinburgh that know what do with amazing raw material! Everything was great!

Wonderful. Unpretentious. Locally sourced food. Amazing flavors.

Outstanding food, excellent and friendly service. Every dish is a piece of art a journey of flavors, locally sourced, creative and innovative.

Food tasted incredible, but I was super hungry and they didn't serve much of it for how much it costs. Maybe I'm just a neanderthal, but if I'm going to a restaurant and spending £80, I don't want to come away hungry still. They were also out of like half the menu on the night that I went.

Nice and unique, great food and selection. Would recommend.

Incredible food, in this tucked away gem of a restaurant

Met a friend here for a Tuesday dinner. Very cool vibe, friendly relaxed staff and fabulous food and amazing wine selection. We arrived at 6.30 and next thing we knew it was 10PM. Hidden gem for casual fine dining.

The food was DIVINE and the staff were wonderful! One of the best meals I've ever had. We shared oysters, steak tartare, smoked eel, venison and the doughnut! Highly recommend

My partner and I had a fantastic meal here to celebrate our anniversary. The atmosphere is cool, casual, and relaxed but still feels special. The staff were welcoming, friendly, and knowledgeable, happy to answer questions and share details about the food and drinks without overdoing it. The menu offers a good variety of small plates and drinks, all carefully considered. The brill was the standout for me — rich, buttery and well balanced, with a subtle smoky char, cooked to perfection. It brought to mind summer barbecues and is definitely a dish I’ll think about often. Had I known how much I’d enjoy it, I would have ordered it twice! The panisse and cured trout are also worth mentioning. We also visited their knife shop, Messer, just across the street beforehand. The owner was incredibly knowledgeable and took the time to guide me through several options to help find a suitable knife to my needs. She was patient and offered thoughtful, no-pressure advice. Clearly very passionate owners — both spots are ideal for anyone serious about quality!

I was hopeful, based on the reviews of this restaurant, but the experience fell flat. While the presentation and plating of the food was well done, the overall taste left something to be desired. We ordered several dishes: bread w/cultured butter, cheddar panisse, beetroot & radicchio, market fish and the lamb. The cut of lamb we received was mostly fat, and the beetroot dish was missing acidity. That being said, the fish was cooked well and was enjoyed. Unlike other patrons, we didn’t receive much of a detailed rundown of the menu offerings nor were we offered wine pairing suggestions, which is what Ive come expect at a restaurant with this style of dining, at this price point. However, our server was very friendly and welcoming. Overall, it was a pleasant enough experience but not a place I’ll be returning.

Had a wonderful anniversary dinner at Skua last night. The food, service and atmosphere were all wonderful. We had 6 things from the menu and it left very satisfied. Portion sizes were exactly as you'd expect for this sort of food, Small-ish but glorious. Everything was shared and the suggested 5/6 plates between two was a good amount (we had a second beef tartare over pudding as it was so good). The cocktail menu was great, too. Also a fan of their knife shop, messer, over the road and excited to try their other places. Thanks so much for a lovely meal. I forgot to take pictures, which is testament to how good a time we had to be honest.

Una vez más reservé sin leer todas las críticas! ¡Odiaba este pequeño sótano, negro y frío, Michelin lo llama oscuro y de mal humor! ¿Cómo puede el negro a la luz de las velas no sentir frío, obtener la calefacción. no use el inodoro exterior debajo de la escalera delantera si puede evitarlo! Comimos 3 bocadillos fríos y pedimos los mejillones calientes luke desagradables, un buen tártaro de ternera, un corte de pez monje, y un postre de ruibarbo muy pequeño! Los platos que deberían haber estado calientes estaban casi fríos. Las bebidas fueron muy decepcionantes. El chef fundador se ha mudado hace tiempo a su otro lugar. Con el cargo por servicio pagamos 123 libras, gran error.

We ordered all but one item on the menu and I loved every bite. It tasted like an “acid tripping witch in a Glastonbury teepee” blessed it with supernatural flavor (in reference to the ludicrous display in a certain previous 1 star review) I can’t recommend this place enough. The owners are absolutely charming as well.

Lovely staff, good vibe, cosy. Cocktails are great, food is delicious only comment is that it's not clear how big the plates are or that they will come out when ready, not like starter, main. We ordered 3 small and 2 large and we ended up with a bit too much food for 2! But managed! Everthing was great, he monkfish and kale was standout and steak tartare too.

If you want to have a nice time and enjoy some unique food, then definitely try Skua. From the moment you enter the venue you’ll be greeted by some very friendly staff. The atmosphere is also lovely and cosy. I really loved the lamb dish (the only thing I would say is that I wish the meat was a bit more tender!). Thanks for a nice experience!

A more casual and cool place. Loved all the food and interesting cocktails. Quite lively in there when we went with friends.

One of the best meals I’ve ever had. Super creative using local seasonal foods. Cocktails were fantastic.

Such a great vibe. Food was ace and the staff were all genuinely lovely without being fussy. Smoked Eel and Barra Cockles both highlights. Really interesting cocktail menu that has all the right kind of attitude. Anywhere with a tribute to David Lynch is tops in my book. Definitely recommended.

Amazing food, great staff, lovely place

We had a lovely dinner here, the food is delicious, the staff are fun and friendly and the wine special from Georgia was phenomenal To top it off the decorations, dim lighting and background music all make for a lovely, cozy atmosphere

Amazing food and cocktails! This place is great even for special occasions. It offers small plates menu which is good for sharing. They recommend ordering around 5-6 dishes for two people. They have a small selection of house cocktails and some wines, too. Given the good quality of cocktails and a pretty small selection of wines I’d recommend going with the cocktails - they are not just basic twists on the classics but go beyond that. Luchadoras cocktail was amazing, one of the best ones I’ve tried in a while. The Damn Fine Cherrypie was very good too, although it had a bit less sophisticated taste. Red Hackle was probably the next on the stack ranked list - it was nice as well. The Quincy was a bit below my expectations - the balance in that one was a bit off even though I am a fan of Mezcal. The brioche for the start was great - it was soft and warm and buttery - just what you want. The beef short rib was just amazing and probably my favourite dish of the night. Super balanced, tender and juicy. The leek with hazelnut and anchovy was a nice discovery as well. It was super balanced too, nothing was shouting in that dish and overall was delicious. The venison was fine and cooked properly although I expected more. The beef tartare was a probably an unfortunate hiccup since it was clearly too salty but the staff were able to correct the hiccup and excluded it from the bill and it did not affect the overall experience. They only had one dessert - ginger/clementine mousse/sorbet and it was pretty average to me. Overall, it’s a great place and well deserves to be on the Michelin guide. I’d love to be back some day

Very cool menu w/ unique dishes & quality ingredients. Amazing cocktails. Laid back atmosphere. Great service. Will be coming back for sure.

Simply great. In a cozy place with a cozy atmosphere. Friendly waiter, original cuisine. We went there one evening and the restaurant, although full, was very quiet. The place is small but you come out without smelling the kitchen. The cocktails and the menu are original. I recommend with your eyes closed. An address that I will pass on to friends.

Hemos estado allí para tomar algo en Nochevieja y los cócteles eran excepcionales. El restaurante es Souterrain y ofrece un ambiente acogedor, justo al final del año. El personal era muy agradable y nos ofrecieron una bebida también para dar la bienvenida al año nuevo. Como no teníamos comida es difícil de calificar. Apuesto a que también es delicioso.

Mis reseñas son siempre gente honesta y solo pueden reflejar mi experiencia. Mezclado con un poco de humor de horca a veces tal vez ... pero honesto de todos modos. Estábamos sentados en una mesa al fondo de esta habitación oscura que tenía una luz de neón blanca brillante sobre ella. Me lleva de vuelta a cualquier escena de interrogatorio en las películas de espionaje de 1960. Afortunadamente todos los miembros del personal eran perfectamente agradables, así que las similitudes se detuvieron allí. Estábamos sentados y preguntamos ¿qué nos llevó a su establecimiento esa noche? Nunca me di cuenta de lo compleja que resultó ser una pregunta. Contesté, quizás un poco descarado, "hambre". Nunca sabré si la voz interna del miembro del personal se dijo a sí mismos, "bueno, has venido al lugar equivocado aquí, amigo". La comida, a veces, era muy interesante. Hay una habilidad indudable aquí. Sin embargo, el precio que paga por onza de alimento es inaceptable. Para 4 de nosotros, incluyendo a mi compañero que come como un gorrión, tuvimos que pedir todo en la parte de los platos principales del menú (una vez) para tratar de alcanzar la carga de kCal que necesita para llamar a lo que acaba de comer "una comida". Eso no funcionó. Discutimos que pedir todo en la parte de platos principales del menú (dos veces) podría haber logrado eso, pero esto habría empujado la parte de alimentos de la factura a alrededor de £ 350. 00 . La sensación creciente en nosotros de que nos estaban tomando por tazas completas era demasiado para considerar esto con seriedad. Por lo tanto, todavía hambrientos, decidimos reducir nuestras pérdidas e irnos. La factura incluía pagar demasiado por una botella de vino bastante promedio. Es pretencioso y exagerado - a mis ojos, pero de nuevo soy un campesino de Perthshire rural no acostumbrado a sus sofisticados caminos urbanos. No estoy seguro de cuánto presupuesto gastar por cabeza para la cena / vino cuando está fuera con amigos. Es tu decisión. Estamos felices de gastar más o menos lo que hicimos, pero esperamos no sentirnos engañados a cambio / y tener que volver a la casa de nuestro amigo y asaltar la nevera. Pero incluso si estás contento de ver la comida como un concepto artístico y no necesitas sentirte saciado, ¿podrías esperar fontanería interna? Si esta es una línea roja para ti, evita este lugar solo por ese criterio porque el cludgie está afuera. Me hizo sentir como en casa, para ser justo.

Difficult to explain just how good this place , generally dark and gothic interiors contribute to the overall experience which was just incredible. The staff are all super enthusiastic and the chef is a genius with some incredible flavours and fusions which wow the taste buds.

This restaurant was recommended by a friend of a friend and I think I also saw it on TimeOut so I said we gotta go. He didn’t have a reservation but were only two people and thankfully they were able to find a table for us. The place is below the street level and tiny. Candle lit and moody, very dramatic but the art on the wall lifts the spirits a bit. The menu consists of tapas like dishes to share and we were recommended to pick 5 things. We chose 3 starters and 2 mains. The chicken was super juicy and very well seasoned, it was very spicy but I like spicy so it was right up my alley. The shiitake mushroom was great too. The cheese filled choux pastry was delightful, there’s only one so we ordered two. The venison tartare was gamey in a good way and beautifully prepared. The mushrooms tons and chives added a great flavor but also texture, love itttt. There’s a selection of cocktails and also wine by the glass. The only downside was the lack of ventilation, the food smell is overwhelming and I still smell of food 😅 The service was amazing, all the staff is lovely honestly we were very well taken care of. I’d definitely recommend to anyone coming to Edinburgh!!

Servicio encantador. Muy buen rollo. los cócteles son increíbles y extrañamente el pan era excepcional. No sé cómo hicieron el pan tan bueno, pero lo hicieron. La cena fue preciosa y muy bien presentado! ¡Gracias!

Nuestros platos favoritos - el pan con el dip, ostras. No me importaban los mejillones, en realidad era bastante dulce. El plato de setas con el crujiente era agradable, pero el caldo de nuevo estaba apagado - poner. También tuvimos el pescado, que me pareció bastante salado. No volvería

This is hands down the best place I’ve eaten in Edinburgh. Cozy atmosphere, amazing service, and depth of the pallet was incredible. Everything was perfect, a must if you’re in Edinburgh.

It ain’t Noto, I’ll tell you that.

We visited in August and this place is instantly one of our favourites in the city. Great atmosphere and service. We particularly liked the cocktails and the creative vegetable cookery.

Hicimos reservas en este restaurante basado en la recomendación entusiasta de amigos que habían estado recientemente. Nos presentamos a la hora que habíamos reservado para encontrar el restaurante cerrado. Nos comunicamos con el restaurante para averiguar qué había pasado, ya que claramente teníamos una reserva a través de su sistema en línea (incluso les envié la confirmación). No está claro si cambiaron los días en que están abiertos o si el sistema de reservas no se estableció correctamente. Pero, el restaurante nunca se puso en contacto para corregir la situación cuando podríamos haber cambiado a un día diferente y tampoco respondió cuando preguntamos sobre lo que pasó. Quizás están fuera del negocio... o pronto lo estarán.

The food was both delicious and surprising. Come here for inventive cooking and excellent drinks.

Had a great meal here while visiting Edinburgh. Everything was delicious but the chicken and the tartare were a standout. Cocktails were also really good. Staff were super lovely and overall had a good time here.

We enjoyed our dinner at Skua during our trip to Edinburgh. The food is refined and the flavours are original. The portions are small but they are to be shared, I really like this type of restaurant. The service was perfect and the waitresses were very helpful and friendly. As for the price, it's a bit expensive, we paid £100 for 3 people, but that's still fair for this type of refined restaurant! I would recommend

Amazing find, I felt like I was at a friend's dinner party with amazing food. Will be back

This is pretty trendy and may put you on your back foot as you walk in, you pass the kitchen..... Stick with it the staff and atmosphere make it feel relaxed. It's small and intermit , we enjoyed the company of other guests. The food was modern take on traditional fine dining and was superb. Oysters were out of this world....everything was really.

5 stars aren't enough. Such a fantastic dining experience, food and drinks were excellent, the service even more so. We visited on our first night up from London, and Skua has set the bar for our remaining eating experiences extremely high

Our family were fortunate enough to dine at the sublime Skua on our recent visit to Edinburgh. Our first experience was nothing short of exceptional - so we booked a table for the next night! And then 5 days later we returned to be delighted once more by the relaxed atmosphere, unsurpassed service, fabulous cocktails and the most inspired food!!! Congratulations to all those at Skua for creating this incredible experience for us all.

Really delicious food, it was hard to pick a favourite as everything was so good. With an ever changing menu, it’s really geared towards repeat visits and both small and large plates offer quite a variety. Really interesting and tasty cocktails and amazing wine list. Honestly can’t fault it and the prices are a bargain given the quality. Definitely going back soon. Wouldn’t surprise me if they got a Michelin star in the next year.

The atmosphere is nice and the cocktails were very interesting and tasty nothing to add there. For the price range I was expecting the food to be slightly elevated and refined. We tried the fried chicken that we read great reviews of but it was only two pieces of chicken that left us confused. As others have mentioned maybe it should be more a light snack and cocktail bar.

We had an excellent meal at Skua. Staff are charming and knowledgeable. I had the coppa and the fried chicken - both delicious. The baked cream dessert was unusual and memorably lovely. We tried several of the cocktails - each one very drinkable and fascinating flavours. Can't wait to go back. Thank you Skua team for a lovely evening.

Such a great place! Amazing food and such a great chilled out vibe.

I was here for a meal, from start to finish I can’t fault the entire experience. Food was prepared to a high standard with excellent flavour combinations and balances throughout. The cocktails are a top drawer and the staff couldn’t have been more accommodating and helpful.

I really enjoyed the meal and the more chilled out atmosphere. I had an amazing blood orange cocktail followed by some snacks and one of the best lamb dishes I have ever had. Would highly recommend for a memorable evening!

We visited on a Friday night in July after receiving a recommendation to try. We are fans of smaller, more intimate restaurants so were very impressed with the interior, service, atmosphere and food. The dish sizes were kind of tapas size or slightly bigger, which we like, and each dish was tremendous. We got a couple of snacks, one starter, 2 mains and shared a pudding and that was a good amount for the two of us. My wife had a couple of cocktails which she loved and I had a cracking Viognier wine. We also loved the music that was being played as it isn't often we hear music we like at restaurants. All in all a great experience and we'll be back for sure in the near future.

We had a bone in the shallot dish that was taken away to compare with bones from our chicken dish, which turned out to “not quite match” - reducing my complaint to mere forensics. The shallot dish was taken off the bill, and when I requested removal of the service charge from the bill, which was met with “that is your choice as it is discretionary”, nowhere was an apology proffered.

Excellent staff, excellent cocktails, dreadful food, badly prepared, poor presentation, awful flavour profile. Was very keen, and if they redo their menu and approach to food I'd give it another go. Was expecting something like downbeat vibe but tip top food, but Lord. Fatty meat blandly prepared for my colleague (wrong knives handed out too), dire oysters (both dishes returned half eaten), good bread, good olives, solid kimchi, but the coddled egg and broccoli was like an attempt to sell something made by an acid tripping witch in a Glastonbury tipi as high end. Dreadful. Again staff were great, atmosphere solid, cocktails great, food dire. Works better as a bar. I've been planning to go to their sister shop, heron, but confess now to some trepidation.

Had a great evening last night in Skua, one of Edinburgh’s hidden gems! Delicious food served by really helpful, friendly staff. Relaxed intimate setting enhanced by great music and a selection of tasty cocktails and good wines. All our dishes were top notch but special mention for the lamb and the monkfish-yum! Would definitely recommend and we’ll be back without a doubt! Thx team@Skua.scot👍

The worst restaurant I’ve ever been to. Grossly overpriced and awful food. £23 for 2 chicken wings is shocking profiteering. All we could do was laugh when a few slices of under seasoned tomatoes arrived that we paid £14 for. Bread was stale (and overpriced), olives were from a jar (and overpriced). The only saving grace were the oysters, which were fresh and… reasonably priced. The ambience is nice, staff are friendly but the food was laughable and the price left us feeling completely robbed.

Small exquisite restaurant in a quiet neighborhood, away from all the tourists! Everything we tried was excellent! The fried chicken was amazing as well as other small plates we tried. Cocktails were so creative…the Kim’s Chi cocktail was perfectly mixed if you like something savory that’s not a dirty martini.

We joined them for dinner on a Tuesday night - yes they were open contrary to the Google page. The vibes were immaculate for music everything from classic rock to Childish Gambino. The beef fillet was top 5 if not the best fillet of my life. The Chicken 1.0 was incredible as well and all dishes were so well executed! Had too good of a time to take pictures but definitely visit!

Absolutely incredible all around! Favorite meal in the UK. Service was lovely and the vibe was so fun. Highly recommend the fried chicken, beet tartare, and steak. Table agreed it was the best steak we’d ever had!

Unique small plates and an awesome atmosphere

A beautiful dinner at Skua. Incredible service, ambience and of course food and drinks. Can’t wait to return. Amazing tunes playing too!

All 5 of us were blown away by this place. The food and drinks are top class, served by genuine, down to earth, approachable, friendly and relaxed staff in a stylish and trendy setting. The menu is small and thoughtful and the dedication, love and passion from the kitchen team is overwhelmingly apparent on the plate. The finest ingredients showcased with elite skills and originality. We let them know in advance about the pesky vegan in our group and the chef created some of the best food our vegan had ever eaten. The cocktails and wine list match the excellence of the kitchen with some mysterious mixtures and creative genius. Keep up the good work 💪❤️😎

Lots of little tasty plates to eat with great music adding to a lively welcoming atmosphere. Service is excellent and enthusiastic.not too expensive if you choose well. - so something for everyone

Price didn’t match experience. We read some good reviews and were enticed to try Skua. Not a big menu which wasn’t an issue. Ordered a couple of cocktails & wines which were lovely. The food was definitely our issue. Everything is grossly overpriced. We had the kimchi, coppa, tartare, chicken wings, trout & potatoes. For the price the portions were ridiculously small. We’ve tried many intimate restaurants such as Little Chartroom, Borough, Eleanore etc and left satisfied but can’t say the same for Skua. Plates of overpriced nibbles.

Price didn’t match experience. We read some good reviews and were enticed to try Skua. Not a big menu which wasn’t an issue. Ordered a couple of cocktails & wines which were lovely. The food was definitely our issue. Everything is grossly overpriced. We had the kimchi, coppa, tartare, chicken wings, trout & potatoes. For the price the portions were ridiculously small. We’ve tried many intimate restaurants such as Little Chartroom, Borough, Eleanore etc and left satisfied but can’t say the same for Skua. Plates of overpriced nibbles.

Such a disappointment. Visited in December and had a wonderful tasting menu with wine flight, returned to find overpriced and under-thought small plates, including a single sliced tomato topped with 3 gooseberries for £14 and some generic fried chicken with no accompaniments for £15. We shared 3 small plates and 1 large between the 2 of us and left still hungry, despite spending £168 for the food along with 2 underwhelming cocktails and the cheapest bottle of white wine. Service was very friendly and accommodating hence the 2 stars, but will definitely not be returning. A wonderful meal at Christmas which we recommended to many has turned into less than the sum of its parts, charged at exponentially more for the mere virtue of each component being served on a different plate.

There were four of us and our entres were not served at the same time. Everyone was finished eating, and I was still waiting to be served! And while it was very tasty, it was lukewarm. We all left hungry.

I couldn’t be happier with my experience at Skua. As a solo diner, occasionally I get the sense that I’m inconveniencing the restaurant and staff by taking up a table. The staff at Skua made me feel like a priority from the moment I walked through the door until I walked out. The service was phenomenal in every way, with the individualized pacing from course to course being a highlight. The staff slowed the pace of my service purely based on observation of my slower-than-typical eating speed. The food was impeccable. I ordered 3 courses plus dessert and a cocktail — each of which was completely wonderful. I’m not one to enjoy raw seafood, but the cured sea trout with taramasalata changed my attitude on the subject. I was blown away by the asparagus. And the fried chicken? Perfection. Thank you, Skua, for a memorable dining experience. If I’m ever back in Edinburgh, I will certainly be returning.

Pleasant, friendly staff. Some courses good but others not that exciting. Note the toilets are outside under the stairs and are tiny. Atmosphere is dark and moody. Fried chicken is the best course. Followed by the steak. Bread didn't taste that fresh but the accompanying butter was very good.

AMAZING! Our dinner at Skua was the highlighted meal of our trip! The flavors were amazing. We ordered almost everything on the menu as the menu is not lengthy and they are small plates. We found this restaurant by chance in an airplane magazine given to us by a friend. We decided to try it. We were not disappointed.

Everyone on the team was amazing, super helpful and friendly! The food was insanely good! We're so happy to have found this restaurant and can't wait to come back. I'd highly recommend it to anyone coming to Edinburgh! Cannot wait for a repeat visit.

Amazing place! Great vibe, delicious food and drink. Service was on point and they were very friendly. Highly recommend!

Run, don’t walk to this restaurant for an amazing date night, dinner with friends, or solo dining experience. Let’s start with the food - truly delightful seasonal food that is both beautifully presented (almost pretentious but in a good way), while not at all being fussy. The ingredients were simple, but masterfully well balanced. The atmosphere - it may not be for every fine diner, but we absolutely loved it. The food may be pretentious (again, in a good way), but the ambiance cuts into that with an awesome playlist and moody decor. The service - Frazier was an absolute delight! He was funny and charming and provided excellent wine recommendations. He made the experience truly lovely. The bar tender was also very welcoming when we came in! While I only enjoyed the wine, my husband got a cocktail that was also delicious and unique. If you live in Edinburgh, or, like us, are visiting, put this place high on your list of places to go!

Absolute standout on our 2 week trip of Ireland and Scotland. This would be my top recommendation if you do nothing else in Edinburgh. Our waiter Fraser and the rest of the staff were absolutely lovely. The wines were delicious, (c’est la vie Spanish white wine was phenomenal) every dish was incredible, perfectly cooked, seasoned. I’d trust went dish they made to be amazing. I think we may try to go again before we leave.

Cancelled my reservation 2 days prior, they charged me £40 without my permission. No response to messages, and no number to call to discuss.

Only in Edinburgh for a short time but we managed to get a reservation for an early sitting, amazing from start to finish, attentive servers, good interaction, great atmosphere and unbelievable food and cocktails.

Loved the food, loved the vibes, loved the cocktails very much!

Good atmosphere and background music. Staff excellent. But come on Skua you must be kidding with the food. £14 for asparagus which had 1 spear with a lot if stalk and the fried chicken would have been a disgrace in Kentucky! Over-priced by loads.

Food, drinks, and service were outstanding. I ordered almost the entire menu (didn’t try the pork loin or cabbage) and it’s hard to pick a favorite. The cured sea trout was certainly a highlight as was the asparagus (I didn’t know asparagus could taste so good!). The drinks were excellent, our server did a fantastic job of pairing drinks to our food order. They also suggested a spot down the street for a night cap (The Last Word) which was great as well.

This restaurant is 5*. Table of 5 us and we worked our way through almost the full food menu (with a couple of extra portions of the amazing chicken, cabbage and asparagus). The atmosphere is great, small, intimate but not too quiet that you can’t relax. Service was fantastic. Honestly some of the best food I’ve ever had.

Had a FABULOUS evening with family at SKUA last night. Everything was outstanding - the food, the staff, the atmosphere. 5 Star everything. 🌟

The staff were very attentive and excellent with recommendations. Everyone clearly took pride in what they did, the bartender has an insane skill with creating cocktails like nothing I'd had before. Above all that the ambiance was great and we will definitely be back.

5/5 service and great cozy atmosphere! Friendly staff. A disappointing dining experience however. Despite the menu being succinct, the cured trout was no longer available. Similarly, despite a short cocktail menu, the petit filou’s strawberry and banana flavour had run out. The donut was a dense and heavy brioche topped with Gubeen. Something could have been added inside maybe or it could be lighter. It was incredibly heavy. The cabbage was a disappointing surprise. Good zweigelt.

Fire cocktails … sour grapes👌🏼! Also the venison is a must try, perfectly cooked!

All good food but didn’t feel like it was worth the price tag for most dishes we tried. The leek was great tho.

A sharing style of delicious food that were deceptively filling. Some of the best bread I’ve had in my life. Forgot the food, the bartenders creative cocktails and homemade shots were worth a visit back any day. An amazing experience and one that I will be recommending to all my family and friends for a very long time.

We loved every minute of it. Each dish was perfect and the staff helped us craft a perfectly balanced meal experience! I felt like we underpaid for how class it was! Will return soon!

Just wow! Where do I start?! Michelin star quality small plates, in the cosiest of settings. Dark walls lit by candlelight accompanied by the coolest of soundtracks. Service and staff couldn’t be better. 10/10. The trout and Lamb is a must, and the desert was immense! Book! you won’t be disappointed. We should have taken more photos, but too busy enjoying ourselves.

Great imaginative Michelin class food and drink served by charming people at decent prices.

Brilliant, just brilliant .... food, service, atmosphere all memorable. Chapeaux to everyone involved.

Visited originally when it opened last year and have finally returned now that the fried chicken is back on the menu. Worth the wait and every penny. Very lovely staff and atmosphere

An unpretentious little hideout below the stairs servíng serious kitchen magic.. every plate shows real skill & creativity, topped off with the friendliest staff & a great playlist. Of all the restaurants we visited in Edinburgh this is the first one we’ll come back to.

Amazing find - basically had the whole menu with delicious wines! the oysters, mushrooms mmm, trout and chicken were amazing! gorgeous unusual wines from portugal and georgia topped everything off!! service was also amazing will be back and also recommend heartily!!

Gorgeous little venue. We both had the Tokyo Calling cocktail to start. This was followed by the cured trout, maitake mushroom roast, skua fried chicken and the mussels. It was brilliant.

Will charge you an unreasonable amount even if you if you are sick and cancel your reservation with ample amount of time to rebook a table.

What is there to say about Skua? Let me tell you. An unassuming place easily missed if you're looking at street level, or in my case, the wrong direction. But let that not deter you. Once found your invited into a dark, blacked out venue yet warm and inviting. The fixtures are of wood and give you a sense of the natural feel that the team seems to be aiming for. My Girlfriend and I opted for the tasting menu. And I'm so glad we did. The menu for December 30, 2023 was exquisite. Each dish tasted so natural, if the "farm to table" wasn't so cliché, this was it! To start, one of my favorites was the oysters and sourdough bread. The oysters alone, with the vinegar and olive oil was splendid. So much so, I tried to order another serving on its own. The sourdough was just like a warm blanket wrapped up in silky-smooth butter. Another favorite was the mullet fish dish. I didn't even know what mullet was, but how Skua prepared their fish dish made me not care what mullet was. The dish was standout for me, primarily a beef person. It just tasted so good. Another standout was the maitake mushroom dish. If you love the fungus, you'll love every last drop of this one! What really made the evening a great experience was the service of Katie and Sinead. These teammates made the dining experience so wonderful. They work hard to provide a really personal dining experience and tended to our questions and conversation without hesitation and took their time to do so, even though they were busy. Overall, Skua is worth every bit of consideration when looking for a really good dining experience in Edinburgh. If Michelin Guide is anything to you, the Michelin guide got it right! Bravo to the team at Skua for a great place to dine!

This place serves food beyond what the price point is. If you are looking for Michelin star food for an affordable price with a very Romantic setup, I recommend you come here. The food is delicious and well executed. I did not like the bergamot granita but that is a small sacrifice within the tasting menu. The fur old fashioned is a must! I do not like the bathroom. It is located outside of the restaurant and you will freeze while you use the loo. The sink is the lid of the toilet. This is a small nuisance as even the Waldorf Astoria’s loos are a let down.

Very, very tasty food. Cosy atmosphere and attentive, friendly service. The restaurant kitchen is tiny and what the talented chefs put out is really quite something. We had the four course menu with one extra portion of the cheese to share. Washed down with a bottle of Tokaj, some champagne and then desert wine (Tokaj again). Had a great time, highly recommend it and will be back.

Lovely intimate setting, friendly staff & yummy food.

Great 7-course taster menu (£85 pp) with paired wines (£65) Everything cooked to perfection. Great oysters to start (could have done with a bit less vinegar - a slight spray would be enough), fish course was our favourite, with scallop and mushroom a close second. Intimate interior, black painted walls, tiny kitchen at the front. Dining is staggered, with starting time per table about 15-30 mins apart.

What a lovely evening. There is some kind of magic going on here. The space is small, but still affords privacy; it is lively, yet also feels like an oasis. The staff take such good care of you without any fuss. And then, there’s the food…everything we had (scallops, beetroot, partridge, tuna, halibut) was perfectly prepared, with amazing sauces and garnishes. It’s the kind of meal you reminisce about. Also, great selection of wine and cocktails. At my request, they made me a fun non-alcoholic cocktail. Thank you, Skua!

Absolutely stunning dining experience with Skua as always. I have had the pleasure of going a few times now, they always have a fantastic and well thought out menu that changes regularly, so you can keep coming back and trying new things. Excellent attention to detail in every aspect of the restaurant, atmosphere is lovely. Wine list was also excellent and server made great recommendations for dish pairings. Really can’t recommend enough, some of the best food you’ll get in edinburgh. Very much looking forward to trying the tasting menu next time.

We’ve been to Skua twice now. Our first visit (not long after it opened) was simply excellent - we had some awesome cocktails and wines, while grazing our way through some delicious small plates (mostly in the sub-£10 price range). The vibe was spot on - unpretentious, with a mix of people having drinks and eating. We couldn’t wait to come back. Wind forward a few months to our second visit and things had changed quite a bit. Still a really nice vibe, but a lot more polished / formal feeling. We were a group of 5 and we had a few (still excellent!) cocktails; changes to the food offering left me a little disappointed though… we picked a mix of small and larger plates which we were advised were all shareable - they simply weren’t; we awkwardly each took a thimble of food from the small plates, and when the larger plates arrived we ended up deciding just to order extra so that we could each have our own plate - now in traditional dining territory, except all eating at different times. By this point we’d learned just to each order our own dessert (which was the highlight of the meal actually). The quality of the food was undoubtedly outstanding but personally I found it on the pricey side, particularly as the portions were pretty small (a larger plate costing c.£30 was not a main course sized dish) - we each ended up having the equivalent of a small plate, a larger plate and a dessert, but left feeling a little hungry. Our bill was just shy of £450 for the food and a couple of drinks each. I’d go back, but would be much happier if it were still Skua v0.1!

Spontaneous evening here did not disappoint. Food was amazing, particularly the scallops, and the staff were very friendly.

Gorgeous fresh food full of flavour. Lovely staff. Completely painted black inside takes you away from the outside world for a couple of hours. Delicious wine too.