The Espy in Edinburgh, City of

Great thumbs up to the Espy and their staff and organisation. Organised the local cycling clubs Annual Christmas Night Out for a party of 40. They make organising the night out easy and the food, particularly for such a large group, was first class. Special thanks to Amanda Caygill and Sid Ghadi for their patience and understanding in arranging the night out.

La comida era genial y el servicio igualmente. Nos presentamos como un grupo de 8 y el personal era muy servicial para hacer un espacio para nosotros. Preciosa ubicación justo en la playa.

Great staff. Look out for the specials on the food menu

Great fish & chips dish really I enjoyed it my daughter had the vegetarian burger she loved it too ..we sat by the window enjoying the sea view !

Located directly on the promenade with a fantastic view of the sea. Good snacks with fair prices. Burger with pulled pork and fries & nachos with cheese and 3 sauces👌

The food is a complete disaster

Super nettes Personal, kinderfreundlich, leckeres Essen mit wechselnden Tagesangeboten, schöne Inneneinrichtung, herrlicher Blick aufs Wasser und den Strand. Wir waren in unserem Kurzurlaub gleich zwei Mal dort...

Sehr gemütliches Pub, direkt am Portobello Beach gelegen. Wir wurden sehr freundlich empfangen und haben uns wohl gefühlt. Das Abendessen, mit Blick auf den verregneten Strand, haben wir sehr genossen. Der Service war sehr aufmerksam, das Ambiente bot viel zum Entdecken. Und uns gefiel besonders gut, dass man hier viele Einheimische um sich herum hat. Absolute Empfehlung!

nothing is better then a good old guinness

Customer service was great and we were looked after. Lovely table at the window to enjoy the beautiful sea view. Would certainly recommend a visit. Varied menu , something for everyone and great mix of soft drinks, wines and other drinks. We will be visiting again soon.

Service was slow and they had to check the order twice. Once order arrived all was good. Great atmosphere. They had a quiz night on, I’d suggest giving the place a miss if not participating, was very loud, it did seem pretty good though. Tables outside great for nicer weather, have your drinks while watching the world go by. Food was tasty.

Esta es una cafetería encantadora, que admite perros en el baile de graduación, así que la vista del mar era genial. La comida es muy buena y los precios razonables. El servicio fue excelente.

Had fish cakes and Vegan burger and xhips for our food. Food top notch. Staff very attentive. Atmosphere banging. Beautiful night down Portobello. Finished off with a walk down the prom and back on to the beach.

Precioso pequeño lugar en el paseo marítimo en Portobello. Llegamos temprano, así que el lugar estaba vacío, así que nos sirvieron muy rápido. La comida estaba a un precio razonable y ambos disfrutamos de lo que teníamos. La hamburguesa de pollo frita, que era enorme y el rollo de cerdo tirado, ambos eran muy agradables. Comimos bastante rápido, así que fuimos y nos sentamos en una de las mesas de afuera y terminamos nuestro vino. En este momento el lugar se estaba llenando bien. El personal era encantador, sin duda volvería.

Un an après, nous voilà de retour à Portobello ! Nous allons donc déjeuner dans notre restaurant préféré . Surprise! Non seulement, le serveur nous identifie mais il se souvient même de notre dessert préféré ! La sympathie n'était pas une façade ! Et nous nous sommes régalés ! Bravo au personnel ! 😊👍

Food was delicious, simple, good pub food with big portions! As a vegetarian i was especially pleased with my halloumi burger. Came with my dog and our server was so sweet with him, making an effort to pet him and make conversation with us about dogs, she also offered us liver cake for him which at £1 was a great price and he really enjoyed it. The venue has a lovely view of the beach, plays good music at a perfect volume.

After driving up for Newcastle we were delighted to come here again after making the mistake of giving the place next door a shot! Far superior food and customer service was nice to be treated with respect and genuine hospitality. Give Miros some lessons guys. We had the best time here our kids loved it. Nachos were awesome as was the soup. Our go to place in portobello now. Explains why you are so busy and we could barely get a seat whilst next door was dead! Won’t make that mistake again

First time eating here and I was very impressed. Firstly I have a little support dog, and she was allowed in with us. Secondly, the service was great, attentive staff. Thirdly, the food was lovely, particularly the haddock, best I've had in a long time. Thank you 👍🏻

I got the burger with Brie and it was delicious. It is served with chips and a little salad. We ate outside overlooking the sea and beach, but there is also room inside. The service was at the table, therefore also convenient.

It’s a nice place this. On a corner at Porty beach with ample outdoor seating for one of the rare days Edinburgh gets sunshine. While on the outside it appears to be an old school traditional boozer inside it’s different. It’s got a rum shack vibe that instantly transports you on holiday, even if you’re from the capital city. It’s a busy place, well staffed. We had a couple of juices and shared a plate of pork nachos and naan bread and hummus. It’s highly recommended for a cracking view of the beach. Even if it’s not sunny.

Love the Espy. Completely different feel to all the other spots on the promenade which makes it unique. Food is tasty and plentiful with options for eveyone. Loads of cocktail/beer/drink options too. Special breakfast menu if you're out earlier.

Don’t answer their phone, which is infuriating because there is no online booking service - I’d give zero stars, if this was an option.

Lovely food , great atmosphere. Visited here with my daughter and we were delighted with our food . We got a seat despite the restaurant being very busy and staff were great .

First time visiting and had a good breakfast and nice coffee, good menu and well thought out decor, this place does porty proud , will be back for sure

Sat outside for the soup of the day- tomato and basil with a rich intense flavour, accompanied by perfect toasted sourdough and butter. Seriously recommended...

Such friendly staff, so good with kids, love the atmosphere here ☺️

Just a little heads up for anyone alternative-looking! My girlfriend and I went in for a coffee today and were stared at left, right, and centre (my girlfriend started staring back at them and they just held her gaze). So sad because we thought Porty was an accepting/progressive place :(( keep urselves safe, love some local gays xx

Had a nice lunch in here today in this dog friendly pub. Food was well presented, flavoursome and freshly cooked. Great friendly service. Great value for money. Recommended.

This is the perfect wee pub but good grub spot. Went with friends to get out of the bitter cold and went back with my mom for a wee family day out. The staff were all lovely. We just walked in and were seated immediately (just before 13:00) it was a good Scottish weather day, grey but drizzly and lots of folk were out on the prom but plenty space in the pub. Also it was St Patrick’s day and I initially thought maybe a bad call but it was great. Nice atmosphere and mostly friend groups or families. It is dog friendly and that’s nice especially if you go for a walk down on the prom or the beach and want to get out the cold or grab some food. We ordered drinks (coffee and fizzy juice) and we both had the chicken Parmy and shared an order of the Halloumi fries. All delicious. Honestly just nice pub like grub. Would defiantly go back. Staff all lovely and attentive, very polite.

I had heard about this place but it wasn't quite what I expected. Very busy, very pleasant staff. Food was good but the place could do with a bit of a spruce up. A bit tired.

Seriously need to improve their vegan options. The “vegan haven” breakfast should have been called “vegan hell”. Won’t be back unless they update the menu.

Met a friend for a drink and a burger. Waitress told me they were unable to cook the burger 'well done' and it would be pink inside! Opted for the veggie option instead. Food was average, slightly overpriced but decent selection. Would not return due to the overpowering smell of wet dog. The smell was incredibly off-putting and made the place feel unclean. There seems to be no restrictions on the number of dogs and they are also allowed on the chairs (some of which have soft cushions etc so no wonder it stinks). Not for me sorry.

Very enjoyable food and service

This is a place which has been going downhill for years. It needs to decide if it is a bar or a restaurant. Service was very obtrusive. We were here for a drink only but even that was unsatisfactory as they ran out of first one and then another type of ale, this early on a Saturday night! It was also poorly heated on what was a cold night. I will not be returning.

Enjoyed my experience. Would go back 😪. Thanks. Kenny.

The staff were nice. The menu had a large choice of standard dishes, with the addition of some Scots specialities (cullen skink, a burger garnished with a slice of haggis) and a range of smoothies. I was shocked by the number of dogs in the place - more dogs than children - and they were not just lying quietly under the tables. Dog walkers came in with four or five dogs on leads. And one of the waitresses "served" water bowls - and then human meals without washing her hands. Not the place for me, anyway.

Nice location for lunch. The Espy was able to accommodate our larger group even with the poor weather outside. Would recommend for all your libation requirements if you are in the Porty beach area.

Dog friendly right next to the beach ⛱️ what more could you ask for 1st class 😀

Lovely hot rum cocktails overlooking the beach. Really good soup and attentive staff. Menu has a really good mix of food and drink and lots of interesting photos to look at.

We only popped in for a hot drink as the beech was freezing cold. It was a lovely warm atmosphere and the staff are very friendly. The food we seen arriving at tables looked tasty. Sadly we were not hungry but the menu looked varied and if the hot drinks were anything to go by I am sure the food is great. Situated right in the beach you could not get any closer. Try get a window seat and watch the waves .

Very cozy pub. Friendly staff and very quick service aswell as nice food. Served by Urmil and Sid. Both of these individuals had brilliant service and were responsive to everybodys needs. Would highly recommend.

Very cute beach restaurant with great views and delicious fish and chips. The service is attentive and very friendly

I was actually shocked at the food! We ordered 2 dirty fries and they were literally brought to the table in a couple of minutes. This for me was an immediate big red flag. The presentation was awful and taste just as bad. £8:95, nearly £9 each for this!! I’ve posted the photos…just incase you may give them the benefit of the doubt!! Very disappointing as I’m pretty broke just now and this was a very rare treat!

Passt schön zum Portobello Strand. .zwischen Tikka und einheimisch Hier gibt es sehr leckeren Fish and Chips....und andere Leckerlis☺☺☺

Rank. Do not go. Took seconds for our orders of topped fries to be served. Drowned in alioli, very small portion and crap presentation. Expensive!

Visited a few times and staff are brilliant, food has a great selection and really high quality pub food, cocktails cannot complain for the price - a go to 10/10.

Attentive service, beer always lacks fizz its like the elephant in the room that no one talks about great place but lets be blunt the beer is flat.

Very welcoming and dog friendly. Great decor and background music was good. Food was lovely. Staff were great and Flossy our dalmatian loved the liver cake. Will visit again when in the area

Really delighted with my experience here. After a very disappointing experience with allergens at another place, they were brilliant for Gluten Free options. They looked after us so well, went the extra mile and explained everything beautifully. Really recommend if you want gluten free options (though I'm not sure about it for coeliacs) as they have so many things. My pulled pork was a little salty but otherwise really enjoyed the experience and will definitely be back!

Our favourite place to eat in Portobello. Lovely walk & Dog friendly . Warm welcome as always . The Cullen Skink was worth waiting for . Being made as we had our starter of bread&Olives. Very much enjoyed & will be back soon . Thank you lovely Staff . Well done Chef👍🙏

Beautiful restaurant on the promenade. Great food and friendly service. Kids enjoyed it too.

Beautiful place, good atmosphere and delicious food. They also had board games available if you wanted to play and they are pet friendly.

Something different! Staff were very tentative it was a very busy Saturday. Weather was not great but people were still willing to eat and drink outside. We had a nice window seat to enjoy the sea views. Bottled water given on arrival. I had fish and chips. There was a choice of portion size which was handy for me. I opted for medium thankfully as I spotted a large and it was a whale! Absolutely delicious cooked well. Was in a rice flour batter so gluten free. Partner and my daughter had burgers and they were impressed. I enjoyed a passion fruit daiquiri in the style of a slushy it was refreshing.

I've been here before and been happy. This time they recommended a really strange dish, fried chicken with cheese on sweet waffles with maple syrup... the chicken was good, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, but the combination with the waffles didn't fit, better without it. For the rest, the place is worth a visit or two.

This is a nice pub that I had bad pub grub in. I always feel resentful when I am served food I believe that I can cook much better at home. I had the halloumi burger which was in a pale looking processed white bun and the halloumi I am guessing was from a bulk bargain pack of deep fried halluomi. It was collectively wet, tasteless, small and uninspiring and paying around £13 for that added to the bad taste... My friend had the plant based burger which again she could not really find much to compliment. I cook from fresh at home every day and for me this has the air of typical low quality pub grub and I would not be coming back to try this again. The pub as a pub was lively , the service was polite and friendly and we had a great chat with some other nearby. The let down was the food.

This is the first time of visiting this lovely place. Came across it when walking along the promenade at portobello beach. Nice friendly staff, clean and tidy place. There are seats outside beside the beach if you would prefer to sit outside. We sat inside. It's nice and spacious. We got a table just inside the door. I had the chips topped with chicken strips and cheese sauce which was lovely it comes with jalapeño but I asked for without, I had tea which comes with a teapot of hot water, the other 2 people in the company had the steak burgers and the both enjoyed them, it does come with side salad but you can ask for it without. You can also get a large cup of coffee. Would go back again.

A great place to stop for a drink, food , coffe & great views. 🏖

Fabulous breakfast and lovely staff. View of beach ! Perfect Saturday morning

Absolutely incredible burgers next time it will be gish as it look amazing 12/10 guys stunning

Nous sommes souvent allés manger dans cet établissement durant notre séjour. Tout d'abord un grand merci à l'équipe pour son accueil, son professionnalisme et surtout sa grande sympathie. Le personnel est vraiment au top ! La cuisine est très correcte ainsi que les prix. Les pâtisseries sont très bonnes. Le cadre est convivial et la vue sur la plage, magnifique.

Everybody take care for customers from menagera ending on chef from kitchen. I live this please.

Always a lovely experience at the Espy! Great food and service and they are very welcoming of our oversized puppy 😁

Solid food&service at the beach line. Simply good.

I met for a catch up & like last year, both the strawberry & raspberry daqueri are so delicious 😋 we were sitting outside with a beach view, which makes it all the more special. Only fries as a quick snack this time, but the menu looks awesome 👌 all the staff are friendly 😊 at the espy at porty! I highly recommend 😋

Always a great meal. Love the fun atmosphere and great food.

Nice place but only one vegan option and yes, you’ve guessed correctly, it’s a burger. 😵‍💫 Come of Jefe, I believe in you.

Lovely place with a great view, cheerful and helpful waiters and delicious food with generous portions. Great variety of choice between typical and non-typical dishes. Absolutely recommended

We've been twice now, once for lunch and once for dinner. This is a great place to bring kids with the most hilarious kids menu and the staff are awesome with little people. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is really energetic and the staff are welcoming and really friendly. Highly recommended 👌

Servers were great. Nachos for our starter was delicious. I ordered the Seafood Bun Hun. It is supposed to have king prawn and smoked salmon. From my experience, I thought this would be similar to a crab cake on a bun. It came out what...

Not bad, nice location, good service and atmosphere and adequate food.

Just had a drink. No complaints

Déjeuner en bord de mer, le repas était très bon (très bon smoothie 😁), restaurant a la déco éclectique et...

Good range of gluten free, little disappointed on last visit wasn't up to usual but taking that as a one off. Don't go looking for health food or vegetables but it you want loaded fries or a burger and gluten free non cross contaminated chips ! It comfort food for the win and right in the beach

Called in at lunchtime for fish and chips, with the family dog. He was made welcome and they even have doggy items on the menu - ours enjoyed the liver cakes. Sat in a booth, service was friendly. Gave it 4 stars as the fish...

Lentil soup was like spiced dishwater and at £5.20 a portion you would expect better. Fish and chips was a disappointment too, greasy batter and greasy chips albeit the fish seemed fresh. Second time I have been to this popular bar, food was not great...

THE absolute best restaurant/bar in Portobello! The staff is outstanding! The service is top-notch. The food is delicious and the serving sizes are very generous. I highly recommend!!

Where to begin, what a fantastic pub with commanding views and access to the beach, THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE. So calling all Aussies this pub is worth a visit especially on Australia Day. All up 10/10 great food, great service, cold beer and...

Been coming to espys for years and always satisfied with our food. However, we recently visited and got desserts after our meal and was shocked at how poor they were. I got a bannoffee pie and it was literally a biscuit with sliced banana as the filling with a sauce on top which cost nearly £7. Not worth the price at all and it wasn't even a pie. Another person I was sitting with got a fudge cake and the portion was also very small which cost the same. Literally half of what I would expect for the price. Very disappointed as it is one of my favourite places to visit.

We stopped here after a day at the beach. We were offered water for the table straight away which was very welcomed on a warm day! Our waitress was very friendly and efficient. Food was delicious, I had Chicken Parmy & my Mum had Fish...

Customer service was great, food was sent out fast and we spent very little time waiting. Unfortunately the food was flavorless and tasted as if no effort was made to taste a tad decent. We all had different dishes and NONE of the entrees had...

Amazing pub at Portobello Beach! Legendary!!

BEWARE. Horrible management. After long day at beach we decided pop in with the family for some food and drinks. Sadly not be snowflakes myself has intolerances and accidentally misheard the waitress and ordered wrong thing. This was noticed when food came, we explained staff...

Wonderful cafe on the beach. Perfect portions, good prices, great atmosphere, wonderful service. I recommend the salmon toast, tons of salmon and great flavor without over doing the smoke!

Sehr freundliche Bedienung, kuriose Einrichtung und Deko, gutes Essen. Hunde sind auch willkommen, also für uns volle Punktzahl!

Great restaurant, quirky and eccentric. A friendly ambience, excellent service and food.

Nice setting, service fine but just shy of 10 quid for a glass of wine. It's Portobello not Paris, London or Tokyo.

The food here used to be good , but our breakfasts today were terrible - the worst we've ever had ! Dirty fried bacon and rock hard eggs - cold and pretty inedible. Shame really ..... the food has really deteriorated. Didn't complain - no...

Always a joy. Many happy memories.

Visited here September last year for dinner - was great. Went late afternoon today and I’m guessing ownership has changed? Food was extremely disappointing - dirty fries…fries with a dollop of pulled pork and what I’m guessing was sour cream and cheese put in a...

Quirky wee bar. Sells decent food and has a good selection of beers.

Nice location next to sea front. Good food and drink. Dog friendly which is great. Nice staff. Would recommend a visit.

We had a great breafast Espy Benny & Seaside Egg sitting outside in the bank holiday sun. Highly recommended. Oh and Hot Ginger is awesome.

A great place at the promenade to have a bite and some beer. I think the cosiest pub around.

What a great place to eat! The staff are very welcoming and helpful and the food is delicious.

Came here around a week ago for some lunch and some drinks however immediately felt uneasy upon entry and like It was an issue to be there unwelcoming staff and must say the food has really gone down in quality in particular the nachos as...

We've been to the espy many time's over the last few year's, always great as we always have the dog with us and of course dog friendly, food ,drinks and staff brilliant

Was really busy when we arrived, so we sat at the bar and had a quick drink until a table was available. It only took about 5/ 10 minutes to get a table. Service was fast and the food was nice too. The servers are very attentive. Overall, I'd defo go back again in the future.

been here a lot of times, recommended if ur looking for a nice and quirky place to spend your night with your friends, good food, especially the espy burgers. friendly staff and great atmosphere

Very disappointing experience. This used to be an old favourite of mine. The position of the pub is excellent, right on the Promenade. It used to do good quality interesting pub food. But has gone downhill I'm afraid in my view. The menu is now...

Rude barman - aggressively told us we were standing at the ‘staff only’ bit of the bar and we won’t get served there. When we told him that we had already been served and we were waiting for our drinks he told his to f**k...