The Bon Vivant in Edinburgh, City of

First time in The Bon Vivant for me and it was perfect. We went for lunch and the menu was enticing. Our son and daughter in law know the place well and pointed us to the small bites. It turned into a VERY long lunch as the small bites kept arriving and we hoovered them up accordingly,with a selection of beers and wines accompanying them. No way could anyone manage a main course after what we got through 😂 Thank you to our attentive waiter and waitress for a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon. Now I'm off to Google to find a fasting regime!

Customary Gin martinis is what we were after and they did not disappoint. Excellent and generous cheese and charcuterie sharing platter. And lovely service too. Did not feel rushed.

Popped in for drinks only before dinner, friendly efficient service, good choice of cocktails and drinks. faint whiff of fried foods coming from kitchen are a little off-putting so ventilation could be improved.

Visited on a trip to Edinburgh. Greeted with a warm welcome and the place was so buzzy and interior was lovely. Food was absolutely gorgeous. Especially the chicken supreme and chocolate mousse. Great wine choice too. Would absolutely recommend visiting.

Nicest roast I've had in a long time. Great service. Incredible food. Nice chilled out atmosphere. Strong recommendation.

Staff were warm and welcoming- very attentive and friendly. Lovely atmosphere and food was delicious. Would highly recommend

The restaurant is lovely and feels really cozy. The cocktails were great as well and none of them were overly sweet, just well balanced. The food was pretty good, haggis bon bon being a fave, but the cheese options were really bland, as were the crackers.

Great atmosphere, amazing cocktails and great service. Highly recommend a visit

A pleasant meal with friends. Small menu, but good quality- the separate ‘bites’ menu are really just starters, but it makes it less awkward to order if you want to order three different starters! We had the mains, but it is very relaxed and the staff excellent. They’re there when needed, but give you space to chat too. Suggest booking on a Thursday night.

Stopped here for lunch! The space has a wonderful atmosphere and the service was great. The truffle chips were a highlight for me and the salmon was cooked to perfection. Would come back here in a heartbeat :)

My first proper Sunday roast experience, and what a good one 🤩

Food was very good, but I recommend you stay away from the desserts, they’re not worth their calories 😅 Service was very good and the atmosphere great!

Nice food , good service, had the sirloin - perhaps was a bit of a small portion but was nice. Good wine selection too and menu was pretty good overall

-staff were attentive but not over imposing -drinks came quickly and cocktails are really lovely -food came quickly and was absolutely delicious Only comments would be that the vegetarian sweet potato and cavelo Nero dish had really tiny pieces of sweet potato in, leaving the girlfriend wanting a bit more food for the price of the veggie option! I’ve checked other photos on here and it does look like they usually are so not sure what happened. Between us we had the chicken, the salmon, the beef and the vegetarian option so covered all bases. The beef was by far the winner across the four of us!

Encantador restaurante / bar personal extremadamente amable que fue muy atento dejándonos probar un par de vinos antes de pedir una botella. Ambiente muy acogedor con velas en botellas de vino y servicio eficiente. Pollo muy sabroso y un buen panna cotta Estábamos muy tentados de reservar otra noche, pero nos gusta probar diferentes lugares.

Heerlijk gegeten hier, ambiance was goed en personeel scherp en uiteraard vriendelijk zoals het de Schotten betaamt. Ik nam de haggis bites en de kip als hoofd. Beide uitstekend uitgevoerd. Mijn vriendin koos de vegan optie met flespompoen, die haar zeer goed smaakte! Voor wie net wat meer elan wenst dan een pub

Tristemente un poco decepcionante. El menú de la noche estaba muy limitado a 3 entrantes y 4 / 5 platos principales. Elijo el jamón con salmón. El jamón era insípido y el salmón era agradable, pero no vale la pena £ 27. El lugar era para las personas que desean pagar precios premium por alimentos por encima de la media. El servicio estaba bien, el ambiente era bueno. Hay tantos lugares mejores que este en Edimburgo para comer... lo último... los cubiertos son la basura delgada cuando visitas a tus padres en Navidad. Vamos Bon vivant... no tomes el Michael...

The best place to have dinner and drinks. Bear, Nikola and Helvis. Are wonderful we loved the place. Please come and have anything. They nailed

Delicious creative whisky cocktails in a lovely romantic setting. Loved the candles. Friendly service.

I have recommended The Bon Vivant to friends, family, and colleagues for years and was so pleased to visit again. The food was luscious, the cocktails divine. The atmosphere was relaxed yet special and I think that is mainly because of the staff. They are warm, attentive, and professional, and make it a special experience because your every need is asked about and met. It's just a gorgeous place. Thank you!

Called in for drinks. Great service with a wonderful atmosphere. Dark and mysterious but the drinks were delicious.

Very attractive restaurant with delicious food. I would definitely come back here.

We enjoyed our last dinner in Edinburgh here and it was a knockout. The romantic, cozy atmosphere was great for our party of 2. The server was very knowledgeable of the wines and helped us select the perfect bottle (even allowed us to try them first). The menu options were delicious and great to share. My husband got the sirloin which was incredible. So glad we finished our trip here!

Eveything was delicious and the service was great too, very polite and friendly. The atmosphere was nice but a little noisy.

Absolutely lovely. Had dinner to celebrate the birthday of my mother and everything was wonderful. The food and wine were outstanding and the service maybe even better. Water was filled free of charge continuously and on top of that they surprised us with a birthday dessert for my mother (I had written that months ago on the reservation form). If you're spending a weekend in Edinburgh make sure to go here.

Lovely cute, vibe in the restaurant, food is actually legit pretty good. I was a bit skeptical for pricing but I left feeling like everything was worth. They really don't skimp out on the quality of ingredients and food. Cocktails aren't too pricey either, they'll make any normal cocktail that's not on the menu as well which I rarely see. Waiters seem pretty sound. I personally don't think they do the best desserts in the area but I would genuinely go again for the food. Hmmm

A pleasant enough lunch with friends on Thursday. Although at over £60 for my four beers and what was essentially two small slices of chicken and chips, plus a further 10% for fairly average service, left me feeling underwhelmed. And my so-called 'handcut chips' were overcooked. None of us left saying 'that was great'. Tables were also small which made us feel a bit cramped. There's many other places in town that are better value. As I say, pleasant enough but we'll not be returning.

Lovely place, good food, maybe a bit over priced, £6 for chips on top of main course etc, but decent and great atmosphere

Food was a bit disappointing for the price. The salmon was nice but needed some veg and we were unable to order any, as the cabbage came with chorizo ( so no good for the vegetarians in the party) Ordered the chocolate mousse and it was pretty tasteless. Wine was lovely but unfortunately would not return for the food, as average for the price

Visited for the Festive Lunch and had a lovely time. The festive lunch menu is really great value and the dishes were all delicious. I had some food envy with my friends dishes too! I had the ham hock terrine, ox cheek risotto and tiramisu mille-feuille. The venue is cosy with mood-lit candles. The staff were all really attentive and friendly. A must visit ☺️

Nice place, lovely atmosphere and the food smell was amazing! Not impressed with the 'discretionary' service charge added without consent to the cost of drinks through...we noticed after 2 rounds of the same drinks that it was being added (only when looking for another cocktail did we see the prices didn't add up) Not sure if this is a regular thing in Scotland but it's not in England!! Bit cheeky when you're being served at the bar.

Regarded as one of the finest cocktail bars in Edinburgh and the UK, this spot truly lives up to its reputation. We sat at the bar and sampled a range of cocktails. As a self-proclaimed French Martini connoisseur (after trying many world wide! ), I can confidently say this was one of the best! The balance was spot on, with perfect proportions. The staff were delightful, offered us a range of selection to meet our drinking needs, which we loved. One standout was the Champagne French Spring Punch (pictured)—absolutely superb. The atmosphere is moody and inviting, making it perfect for a relaxed chat over exquisite drinks. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s worth every penny for the quality and experience. Highly recommended!

great place to eat. First, nice cosy relaxing atmosphere, plenty of privacy for me and my guests, staff flawless in their attentiveness and service. Had carrot soup then haddock and chips followed by fruit sorbet and coffee Monday afternoon, and we really enjoyed it. I would very much like to go there more often

Attentive floor staff, great bar staff made us a fantastic Rittenhouse old fashioned that was off menu. Loved the whole vibe about the place.

Terrific bar, great place for a beer or cocktail and/ or food

Lovely food, good service. Very cosy vibe!

We had the best experience. Great food, lovely atmosphere and super service. A lovely end to our 3 days in Edenborough.

Amazing. Food, service and drinks were all top notch. Perfect date night spot!

Sunday Roast - Amazing food and experience.

Had a fantastic time there last night celebrating a birthday. Buzzing atmosphere, fantastic food and amazing service. Would definitely go again and certainly will be recommending it to friends and family

Very nice, authentic and little touristic restaurant but nice local atmosphere.

Came for lunch just by chance but will definitely return! Service was lovely and good was really good..chefs to be congratulated..tasty duck and delicious venison. Also enjoyed the trout starter . Nice coffee too. All in all a lovely lunch.

A great restaurant, very atmospheric, great food and great service. A real hidden gem.

A cozy restaurant where you can have a good drink. Many French items on the menu and especially French wines. Also nice whisky, by the way.

Brought a large group in for a "farewell dinner" following our tour of Scotland. From making the original reservation to the actual event, everything was wonderful. Food and service were great, and everyone enjoyed the fun atmosphere. Highly recommend

Great atmosphere with even better food! Incredible dining experience 🙌

I orfered round to froends and they reused me to give drink to myself, as they considered I oredered too much. So I was only one without getting a drink.

Super good food, cosy place, friendly staff! Tables are small and chairs too, I am 1.75m and it was ‘on the edge’. Furthermore, a restaurant worth a visit!

Lovely inside. Fast service. Quiche was excellent. The chicken was nice but the sauce was bland.

Food and service was good. Prices were comparable to other restaurants in Edinburgh. Enjoyed the Parmesan truffle fries as a starter. It was an easy walk from the hotel to the restaurant.

Glad i reserved s table for pre dinner drinks as very busy when we arrived. Great friendly and efficient staff team and good drinks

Really enjoyed lots of the starters with my family and friends. The venison with truffle mash and very green veggies was absolutely delicious.

Very nice place with great service and delicious food!

Ambiance and staff spot on, perfect setting for a drink.

Really good service and staff very attentive and kind. Really enjoyed the food.

Had an early dinner here with a colleague. Nice bottle of Malbec with venison for me and chicken for him. All was OK. Solid option in Edinburgh New Town.

Always a treat - one of my favourite spots in Edinburgh. Food is excellent with a well considered and reasonable wine list.

Highly recommended. Very good and well presented food with a good wine and cocktail list. Good service and a very pleasant atmosphere and decoration. Without a doubt a restaurant to visit in Edinburgh. Good value for money

Great experience, good value for money. Cozy atmosphere, friendly service and very good and generous dishes! Sunday evening is "roast Sunday" with only crusty dishes (including fish and vegetarian), delicious.

Shared a mid afternoon cheese & charcuterie board and parmesan fries here last Friday. Was plenty for 2 of us and food and service very good. Nice place.

A really lovely place for either bites/sharing boards or a full on locally sourced, wonderfully cooked meal. Dark and tucked away from the main hustle and bustle, the service is always friendly and they’re happy to recommend dishes etc. It can get hot in the restaurant but they have the fans going to try and alleviate that. Would definitely recommend!

Very friendly, atmospheric. Beer and wine was good and sharing board was perfect. Staff very accommodating and informative.

My husband and I came in for some drinks, and the atmosphere in this place is romantic, warm, and welcoming. I could have drank their all night, and I would have had we not had reservations elsewhere. It has so many great drinking options, and the bartenders really know their stuff. We also had some bar snacks, the haggis bon bons are a must. We will most definitely be back!

We had drinks, appetizers, and canapés and everything was delicious. One of the best meals we had in Edinburgh. The service was fantastic as well.

Fantastic restaurant! Thank you for making my friends Birthday a special one! Special shout out to Callum and Nicola. Thank you so much! Great service! X

Excellent Sunday lunch, my lamb was especially nice. A quiet oasis in the New Town.

Great food and a great atmosphere with perfect staff. Small menu but done incredibly well. The truffle mashed potatoes are amazing!

What a little gem of a bar! Amazing wines, champagne and cocktails coupled with a very cool atmosphere and excellent service! We stopped by for a couple of drinks before dinner on a Saturday and had a great time!

Warm atmosphere, excellent drinks and knowledgeable waitstaff make Bon Vivant a superb spot for an afternoon date. Wish I lived closer.

We stopped in here whilst waiting for a table at the restaurant over the road so only really sampled a quick drink but the service was pleasant and the venue itself is a very pleasant place to spend some time.

Lovely cocktails and the food was really delicious. Highly recommend the Haggis bonbons.

The food is excellent, our service from Eddie was outstanding, the drinks were delicious, and the vibe of the whole spot and area is very cool. Highly recommended. For vegetarians, there are a handful of starter options and a main option, as well.

Highly recommend!!! Delicious food and kind staff!

2nd time to Edinburgh we stumbled across this fantastic place on our first visit booked to come again. We were not disappointed. Food was fantastic, very tasty food decent portion. Nice environment attentive staff. Highly recommend

Everything we had was absolutely delicious. The service was great.

Cozy welcoming drinking venue. Surprisingly delicious food to accompany a wide selection of wine and spirits. I would skip the main and for a selection of the smaller plates. You can’t go wrong in here.

Fantastic Sunday roast, great wine and lovely staff who went above and beyond to welcome us. We had the pork roast which was splendid, with the haggis bonbons and hake fishcake nibbles to start. The crème brûlée was delicious and unique! Such a lovely vibe and a good balance between special and homely. A comfortable restaurant that has the traditional cosiness with a classy twist. On Sundays their main menu is different from the rest of the week, with several versions of Sunday roast. Looking forward to visiting again sometime!

An absolute must dine experience. The food and cocktails here are phenomenal. We tried almost every single bar bite and each one was a finely crafted delight (and very reasonably priced). The charcuterie board was excellent and the portions generous. The cocktails are inventive and well crafted. The service is friendly, efficient, and professional. This place is worth making a special trip for. Do book a table in advance to guarantee a place.

We were visiting from Canada and ate here upon recommendation of a friend, it was great! Food was delicious with lots of vegetarian options. Would definitely eat here again if visiting Edinburgh in future.

What a treat! Service exceptional, delicious food and a warm cosy candlelit atmosphere. We had a great evening. I wish I’d taken our servers name so I could note it here, he was amazing! Thank you so much for a wonderful dinner experience.

We tried their bites and everything we ate was great. They also flavored each product with sauces. Be sure to try the haggis and shrimp, we ordered the latter. Cocktails were also very nice. Their employees are also very attentive.

Jamie and the team were fantastic!

had a lovely lunch with really nice wines .The server was wonderful - a lovely young lady

Enjoyed Sunday roast. Attentive staff, great atmosphere and delicious food.

Remarkable food and exceptional service. I was a woman on my own and felt special because of the staff. For me the music is rather too loud but I had a brilliant experience. Don't forget the excellent wine merchants next door. Extraordinarily well stocked.

So pleased to come back to Bon Vivant after an absence of 4 years. Food as wonderful as ever and fabulous service from our waiter. 4 new customers with me - all converts to the delights of BV!

We was very excited for our visit to bon vivant following some great reviews online. We had looked at their website and decided to book for their lunch menu. After arriving at the restaurant we discovered that they don't do the lunch menu anymore and haven't updated the website. I do hope they don't do this on purpose for people to just order off the evening menu which is a lot more expensive. Regardless, they need to update their website asap.

Quaint great pub. Great food, friendliness and good value for money

Lovely spot for a light bite and cocktail. Kind staff with good wine suggestions.

Food good. Wine good. Service good. Lovely night. Had a hiccup with booking and staff couldn’t have been more helpful to sort it out.

Fabulous Sunday roast as always!

The food was absolutely phenomenal as well as the service

We enjoyed our dinner here very much. The food was nicely prepared and presented. The wine list offered many good choices. The staff.was friendly and accommodating to our requests.

Lovely bar & restaurant, really love the Sunday roast. Love their clover club raspberry cocktail too. It used to come with raspberries but was told it was too difficult to keep fresh raspberries. Went for some drinks last week and was surprised that service was automatically added for a couple of drinks at the bar. Usually expect that to be optional.

Came for a birthday meal with friends . This place is an absolute gem and the staff are so warm and lovely . The service was first class and the food was perfect ❤️

After getting an appetizer and then being rushed by the waitperson to order, we waited over an hour with no sign of our entrees. Finally the manager came and apologized for the wait and said there had been an error in submitting our orders. She did try to make up for it by offering another round of drinks on the house, but we then waited another 20 minutes for our dinners. They also ended up giving us free dessert but by that point we were all very tired and not even hungry. Overall we felt the error should have been noticed earlier and given how long it took, our bill should have been comped. One member of our party ended up not eating at all because of the wait. The food was okay but we had better meals during our stay.

Wow Thank you for your warmth and welcome and quality of, everything After being treated terribly by the fishers restaurant across the road, we asked for a walk-in table and were treated so well from start to finish, with a great waiter and quality, fresh meals My duck was superb and my wife’s cod was perfectly cooked We will definitely be back to this highly atmospheric restaurant underpinned by wonderful, sincere service Thank you Bon Vivant for making our night magic ✨🙏

Had a lovey Sunday lunch. Good quality food. Staff amazing.

Lovely Sunday lunch and great selection of wine we would definitely return on our next visit

Had a very nice evening for a diner at The Bon Vivant. We were a party of 5 with different tastes and everyone was very happy by the fine cuisine in a friendly atmosphere. I highly recommend this place. I am French and live in London and this place was the highlight of our stay in Edinburgh