The Esslemont Bar & Restaurant in Aberdeen City

Excellent food. Staff very attentive and friendly. The location themed on old department store.

Really good restaurant, went here the other day and was impressed. Food great, service great. The ambience wasn't the best but think its because it was light outside, and the street outside is a dump... But don't let that put anyone off, one of the better restaurants in Abers, for sure.

We had a lovely meal here. Tried the Scottish Tapas dishes and all were very well presented and tasty. Plenty of choice from the menu of main courses if you don't fancy the tapas. The venue has really nice decor with ample room between tables.

I am not sure if something was going on in the kitchen the night we were there, but the service was unbelievably slow. We were with a group and the food came out by category. If you ordered chicken then the chicken was all served at the same time. And likewise with the meat and fish. Which was fine, except that there was about a 20 minute lag time between each food category. I chose the beef, which was overcooked and not very tasty. The chocolate dessert, however, was delicious. This restaurant has a great reputation, but the night we were there, it certainly did not live up to our expectations.

We have had the best experience here. We came for a birthday dinner and have had the best service ever. I think it was Simon that served us and he was so funny and attentive, we are so grateful. The food was amazing (Sunday roast and a steak cooked absolutely beautifully), the wine was absolutely stunning and the atmosphere was laid back but still perfectly professional. Sensational ice cream and Scottish tablet to end the meal was a perfect accompaniment. Both my partner and I were blown away by the ice cream! Seriously good!

went w a large group (ALMOST 90 PERSONS) seated at tables of ~ 8, all had preordered their meals didn't seem to help for most of us had forgetten what we ordered help literally almost ran getting the food to tables starters (soups & salads) came fine; enteres arrived but the hake ones were likewarm (at best) & the sauce put on it didn't help any, risotto was fine & came as ordered, the beef looked like dried out pot roast (again sauce didn't help) & most were not finished; desserts ok. wish we could give 1/2 stars wb = 3.5

The restaurant provided a delightful dining experience with a cozy atmosphere that made us feel right. We ordered the chicken burger, which was deliciously juicy and packed with flavor—definitely a highlight of the meal. We also tried their ice cream, which was creamy and indulgent, a perfect treat to finish off the meal. we sampled some Scottish beer, which complemented the food nicely with its rich and smooth taste. The staff were attentive and friendly, ensuring we had everything we needed without being overbearing. The overall experience was enjoyable, with great food, a welcoming environment, and a solid selection of drinks. It’s the kind of place you’d be happy to visit again, whether for a casual meal or just to relax with a good drink.

Eating out when having an allergy is very stressful. This is the first time in a while I've been able to relax during a meal. The gluten free menu had plenty of options but the fact Simon our waiter took my cutlery away and brought me fresh sanitised with out me mentioning anything reassured me that they understood allergies and I could enjoy the meal with out fear. Best experience I've had eating out with a gluten allergy

Don't let the location fool you, this place is LUSH!! Lovely interior, staff were very friendly and the tapas...wow! Super tasty and worth the visit!! Gets pretty busy so get booked in.

The food was good, I had the beef short rib. And the service was great.

Excellent service. Food was delicious, they have an excellent childrens menu and when the food came it was delicious. The only thing that out us off was the toilets.

Ordered the Tapas Tower & glass of wine deal - all the dishes were lovely only suggestion would be the plates they came on should be heated - when we provided this feedback to the waitress she seemed to take this as a complaint despite confirming we were more than happy we with our food

Great food, the tapas was brilliant with lots of scottish inspired dishes. Very friendly staff. Wine was very expensive for a twist cap bottle, you'd expect a corked bottle for the price, that and the fact there was no ice in the wine bucket was my only gripe.

This restaurant is in a lovely building which looks like an old fashioned department store. The owners have kept a lot of the features and it really works. The staff were great and service was very good. The food was fantastic, absolutely lovely. Definitely no complaints at all from me. Can't wait to go back when I'm next in Aberdeen.

Went here for a ladies afternoon with live music and Scottish tapas. Was a really fun afternoon. Plenty of food and drinks included. Music was so loud where we were we couldn’t hear ourselves at all and guy singing was ok. Saxophone guy was way better and volume much more in keeping with trying to eat a meal and catch up with friends. Cocktails from the bar were delicious and bar staff were excellent. The girl serving food literally told us she couldn’t be bothered prepping an item on menu so grabbed stuff out of a box which was super disappointing she kinda ruined it when she said that. All that aside we had a lovely afternoon with loads of laughs. Location was great and it’s a lovely venue.

Even from the street, this bar looked very cozy and beautiful. Inside, in the brilliantly designed interior, we had a beer and a nice cocktail. Then we had the house specialty in the restaurant area: the Scottish tapas. First the haggis meatballs, which were deliciously deep-fried, wrapped in a crispy crust. Sometimes you come across people (not Scotts!) who speak disparagingly about haggis. Well, not us! On the contrary the balls were delicious. We really liked the green sauce of the mussels. Unfortunately, the chef did not want to share the recipe with us. The vegetarian toasts with mushrooms and artichoke hearts were also great. Hywel's service is friendly and efficient. Our Sunday lunch was a success.

Nice place to go for pizzas and drinks. Nice ambient and service.

Really lovely atmosphere and good food at the Esslemont. Every tapas dish delicious, but I am so glad I found room for dessert. The rhubarb and white chocolate mousse was fantastic. The place has been done very well and was comfortable and relaxing. Good service from the polite and attentive waiting team too.

This place seems to get worse everytime we come, so we probably won't be back. The starters were alright, but the mains were dry/severly undercooked. I could barely crunch my way through the risotto and my colleague's beef was incredibly dry, even with the jus. Service was good though, waitress was attentive and quick to grab us drinks/refills.

Lovely place and our server Simon was so wonderful! Would definitely recommend

Unfortunately the heating within the restaurant has been broken for several weeks therefore we had a very uncomfortable dinner. It was also extremely disappointing to learn that senior management has actively chosen not to tell prospective customers about the issue. Tell customers about this when booking and allow us to make the choice if we still wish to dine with you, instead of the present deceitful approach which results in an unpleasant evening spent frozen. It's such a shame for the pleasant staff that they also have to work under such conditions.

Great food and efficient and friendly service. Only criticism is the restaurant good have been warmer

Disappointed with our visit. Been twice before once for a lovely lunch and once for a works Xmas night out so expected a great meal. Unfortunately we had to ask to be moved from our table close to overflow of people who had just finished an afternoon booking who were just standing and being very loud near restaurant reception. New table was lovely, quiet but freezing, fire exit doors open as they changed over. Starters and wine very nice but sorry main course Hallibut totally ruined, overcooked and not edible. Had asked for mushroom cream sauce on the side but came with mushrooms in a dish but smothered in a terrible cream sauce. I think a problem with waitress language understanding. When she saw I was not eating she did try to resolve so appreciate that hence the tip but sorry totally ruined the meal. Sorry a real downer to my birthday and will not be back but will return to the bar for lovely cocktails and maybe the tapas menu but please if you are going to put this beautiful fish on your main menu make sure the chef treats it with the respect. Gutted with my menu choice

Food was delicious service a bit slow and they need to put the heating on it was cold which made it uncomfortable saw girls with coats on

Booked dinner to celebrate my birthday. Tried to book the Private Dining Room but was told it was not free at that time, decided to book anyway. When we arrived, we were shown to the PDR, someone had cancelled last minute, lucky for us! We had the best time, lovely drinks, food and the two waitresses (poor them :) ) serving us were just a delight! Good selection on the menu, lots of small plates / tapas available aswell. I would highly recommend this place, so much so, we are returning in a couple of weeks for my son's 18th!

The Esslemont bar and restaurant always deliver. They use fresh ingredients of the best quality and prepaid them to optimize flavours and textures. This time, we were surprised by the bacon chutney on the scallop dish. A treat we will bring back home and trie to replicate.

Nice concept and good service. However, the music was too loud to talk and the food was nicely decorated but pretty average taste-wise.

Great restaurant - excellent food, service and overall a great atmosphere. Can select from Scottish tapas or main dishes. Good selection and tapas is amazing.

Came for dinner on Hogmanay… we didn’t have a reservation but the staff were kind enough to squeeze us in at the bar area. The food was delicious - we had the chicken burger and the salmon which were both delicious. The service was really good, and our bill came to £55 for two including drinks. We will definitely come back again.

Fabulous family meal today. Great menu and really family friendly. We will visit again.

Booked for 7 of us on christmas eve & what a great experience start to finish. You could safely say at least 5/7 of our group wouldn’t be the easiest to please, and I can confirm 7/7 left very happy, having cleared plates & all with willingness to return. We had a warm welcome from genuine, friendly staff who showed us to our booth style table, it was decorated beautifully with a festive garland & felt pretty special. We had all been excited to try the menu, and we all liked the concept of Scottish tapas using locally sourced ingredients. It was genuinely difficult choosing what to have, as everything looked so good. Without listing what everyone had & how they found it, I will just summarise by saying everyone enjoyed everything they ordered, and there was quite a variety from fish, to venison, to burgers, etc. My daughter (5) had macaroni cheese & didnt quite manage finish it, so I had a try and it was distinctively good, better than any other macaroni cheese I have tried to date. I hate onions, and its a constant issue when eating out to ask not to get them, despite being really clear I often still end up getting them, even at a certain Michelin starred restaurant. However at The Esslemont my simple request was listened to & honoured no problem. (Thank you!) Would 100% recommend and actually cant wait to return. Brilliant afternoon had by all!

My husband and I went for a pre-Christmas lunch. Again after seeing some of the reviews I would certainly agree with the tables being close together, too close in my opinion as when other diners say behind me they made contact with my chair. It was busy which I feel is refreshing to see as Aberdeen Union St isn’t what it used to be. My husband had the roast chicken and I had the venison. I had to ask for my dish to be cooked more as it was too rare for me personally and feel the menu should specify it’s served rare to allow you to make the choice or be asked when ordering, but have to say nothing was too much trouble for our very attentive waiter Simon, who was outstanding and clearly takes huge pride in his work. His eye to detail was sublime, and he is a credit to the restaurant. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his meal, and we left happy. Would have given 5 stars had it not been for the few negative things mentioned .

A great meal had. Washed down with a fabulous Romanian white wine. Steak cooked to perfection, mussels to die for and a chocolate pud to finish off. Scrummy!!!

Great service, attentive staff and most importantly, really tasty food

We went for dinner on a Friday evening for our son's 16th birthday, thinking it would be a bit special, but it wasn't. It was quite busy and the tables are quite close together, so it wasn't a pleasant atmosphere and the service was very slow, even though the staff was running around doing their best. The starters were OK but my wife and I had the venison for our main course and it was a strange experience: it had the look of medium, the consistency of well-done (quite dry and chewy) and it didn't taste of anything. To us, it felt as if it had been cooked ages in advance and stuck in a microwave to warm up. I had a taste of our son's burger and at least that was OK. We didn't bother with desserts - we could not be bothered with the wait. It was not worth the price.

Went for late lunch. Well, was it late, 3/4 an hour for starter we did receive an apology and no charge for this. Both mains were great but then we ordered a second drink, a soda water and a water never received water Great food pity about service

Amazing, beautiful place with antique stuff all round. Mac's pizza 🍕.

Saturday fizz lunch. Food and service were outstanding but live music was so loud we couldn’t hear each other speak. We had to move on early to have a conversation.

Loved this. The menu has something for everyone and the building is fantastic. A lovely way to remember a fantastic shop. Sorry, but i just had to take the photo of the loo! 😳

Very enjoyable meal, we enjoyed 2 courses with a bottle of wine and some cocktails. Attentive, professional service throughout. Allergies/intolerances are catered for and some dishes can be tweaked to accommodate. Good atmosphere but the restaurant did feel a little on the cold side. Food beautifully presented and we thoroughly everything we ordered. Will recommend to friends/family and definitely will return.

Lovely dinner here and super gluten free options. We booked in advance and I'd stated one of us was gluten free, when we arrived they provided a gluten free menu without asking. The service was great, staff were really friendly. Gluten free catered for really well and when the waitress brought everything over she made a point to say gluten free and mention that the bread with the mussels was GF also which is always helpful as someone who worries when they go to restaurants that they might accidentally be given gluten. Tapas was lovely - only downfall was the halloumi salad. The halloumi was raw and quite tasteless. Everything else was lovely - chicken skewers, mussels and the brie croquettes.

Had a meal in the private room for 10 of us. It's a really nice room, with plenty of space for an intimate mea. Just a shame it only seats 12 people. We all loved the food and had a great time. Most had 3 courses. We've never had a bad experience in The Esslemont. Only criticism is, we asked if either of thec2 Rose wines were sweet. They came back with a bottle of the Freeda, Melilla Beretta @ £32 per bottle without trying it or answering the question. It was not Sweet, however it was drunk by others. I am looking forward to our next visit.

First time here last night for a friend's birthday meal. The food was excellent and we had attentive service from our waiter. The food was reasonably priced and our per person cost included lots of drinks & service tip!! Our table was from 4 - 7pm and then we reserved the area in their bar for a few drinks afterwards. Great place and I'll definitely be back.

We had a wonderful afternoon for Sunday Lunch to celebrate a friend's birthday. We booked the private dining room and had a fantastic time. The food was excellent and the staff were very friendly and attentive.

Food and service was excellent and specially our waiter who i think was simon and couldn’t have been nicer even came down the street after us to give me my brolly which I left behind

Enjoyed a 3 course meal and bottle of wine with my partner. All highly enjoyable from start to finish, and made all the better by the great service received from Simon who was both friendly and attentive. Will certainly be back.

This was my first ever traditional Sunday roast (the british way). I always wanted to try this. No dissapointment at all, just lovely food. Chrispy Yorkshire pudding. This will not be the last time I have this meal. The restaurant is central, clean and the staff was nice. A little bit long too wait for both ordering and the food to arrive, even though the place was not crowded. Anyway, just a lovely Sunday afternoon and lunch.

Wonderful experience tonight! Great food, good value for money, would definitely come back here!

Quiet, dignified and well decorated. I like to dine alone often for peace and this restaurant gave me just that. Minimul interaction with the staff without being left to feel uncared for. I was served quickly both courses and drinks and was even shown a table where I could plug in on request. Realy genuine hospitality at the Esslemont.

Nice food. Excellent grilled salmon .Thanks for the lovely staff

Local muy bien decorado , sobresaliente. Comida bien presentada y de sabor fantástico, muy buen ambiente . Muy recomendable.

Enjoyed the food, service great

Lovely food. Funny smell when you go in. Some of the tapas/starters are not worth the money - especially the halloumi and tomato salad and the scallops

The food was good. Vegetarian tapas offered alongside the meaty one. It was a great night out. Staff were great, helpful, and friendly. Definitely recommend.

Outstanding service and food. Highly recommended

Fantastic food with service that alot of other restaurants could learn from 👌

Wow, just wow. We had the Sunday dinner and it was just amazing. Service was perfect, it was busy but we felt looked after and not rushed. It was a real pleasure seeing staff take it all in their stride. From offering a drink whilst we were looking at the menu to a perfect wine service, we were well looked after. The food was amazing, perfectly cooked beef, lovely veg, gravy was to die for and we ordered some sides which were excellent. Exemplary meal and I am looking forward to going again

Lovely restaurant in city centre! Good food, really good service and lovely surroundings. Highly recommend it.

Excellent choice in Aberdeen! Their dishes are really well presented and the flavour of every dish is amazing. The scallops were amazing and dessert was a must. The Ginger and Rhubarb cheesecake was one of the best ones ever. The mains have a nice balance of flavour and texture so that even a chicken supreme enjoys a unique twist. Definitely not the last time!

Simon went above and beyond for not only ourselves but the tables around us. He is so attentive and charming - a true asset to this restaurant. They are lucky to have him 😊.

Just had the roast dinner for lunch with my wife and I have to say it was the worst food I have eaten in a long time , the skirlie was swimming in grease, it was inedible. The waitress who was very pleasant passed my complaint on to the chef and the manager but they obviously couldn’t care about their reputation because they didn’t even bother to come to the table. We paid for our meal with a gift voucher so ended up overpaying for substandard food. I definitely would not go back in a hurry. The 2 stars are for the waitress.

Had a fantastic meal here last night the chicken supreme was 10/10 would definitely recommend for service, quality and price

We had the Sunday roast and the best sticky toffee pudding ever.

Incredible atmosphere, amazing food, and lovely service from our waiter. I made a reservation, noting it was our wedding anniversary, and they did surprise us with a kind gesture when it was time for dessert. My children haven't stopped talking about it. The ribeye steak definitely is one to try in medium rare as I like it. The starters were lovely as well. We had their amazing sausage roll and beef chops. Definitely going back.

Lovely! Good solid comfort food for a cold Scottish winter's night 😊

This is the second time we have been, and we can't fault it at all. Lovely food in a lovely environment with great service. Can't fault it at all.

Had our works end of year do there, was superb

Nice place, good atmosphere, good food and service but limited menu

Excellent Excellent Excellent thank you 👌

A very nice meal spoiled by the view out of the window. A begger being treated for a meal by 3 well wishers pushing a mobile food bank. Just felt so guilty 😔......for a couple of minutes then downed a bottle of Red 😵‍💫

We arrived at The Esslemont Bar & Restaurant after being at the Panto a few days after Christmas. The atmosphere was good, our waitress was very attentive and ensured we, a party of 8, had everything we required. The food was excellent and everyone was able to get what they wanted. Glad to see the old style toilets still in place, a memory from 50 years ago. A very enjoyable experience, we will return.

Lovely Xmas meal with very friendly staff

Great food selection and attentive staff. Well worth a visit.

Very nice meal. Great friendly service - sorry can't remember name of server.

Very disappointing group booking on a Saturday afternoon for a Christmas meal. A large group of 18 people, we ended up being split over two tables which was the first disappointment. The pigs in blankets were raw, the turkey was cold and to top it all off, we were told that we couldn't order a round of cocktails because we were too large a group to serve (despite the other table in our group getting them when we first arrived). We then approached the bar to order them ourselves to be told by a very rude member of staff (rudest memeber of staff I've ever encountered in a restaurant) that we could not order drinks. It's so good to see a business doing so well in these tough times that they don't need to serve all their customers. All in all a very disappointing experience for what has become something of an annual tradition. Won't be back, don't recommend. If you do darken the door as a big group I would say, don't expect to sit with the entire group or be able to order anything more complex than a vodka coke.

When for a meal before a show the food was excellent as we're the staff and very friendly

The staff are excellent, very helpful, we had a very nice and helpful Simon serving us tonight. Thanks to the chefs for a excellent well presented meal, we both thoroughly enjoy our visit. We'll done to you all.

First time here and highly recommend!

Very loud clientele but everything else is great

Came here for my birthday celebration. The atmosphere was awesome. The staffs were so welcoming. I enjoyed the food. Shared some platter with friends and also steak with finneeeee wine 🍷 😋

Great overall experience on our first visit for Saturday dinner before a concert. Looking forward to returning to try more off the tapas menu. We highly recomend the salmon!

Lovely meal. The wine was excellent too

Ok staff. Nice location, although to noisy. Ok food, even though the wild mushroom crostini had absolutely no wild mushrooms and the bread was a mini bun, instead of slice of bread. The vegan brownie was super sweet. Ginger mocktail was nice.

Wonderful meal and welcoming service. I‘d stay here longer just for this.

Cold food, staff not very attentative

Excellent food and service. Really great relaxed environment too. Will definitely be back.

Amazing meal at the weekend along with excellent customer service from Simon. Thank you again.

The dining experience here is brilliant, I had a fillet steak and wow, it was just superb. The only reason I put 4 star is that you still feel hungry afterwards, but everything else including the service wad dynamite

Shared starter was excellent. Main course of Pork schnitzel dry and cream sauce bland.

Great pizza quick efficient service

Just had drinks but the staff were superb and has good atmosphere. Will return here and have food next time 👍👍

Came here with my wife for our wedding anniversary, we were well taken care of by the staff, please atmosphere and the food was delicious, would def come back here. Prices were reasonable for three course meal and drinks

Had a memorable dinner experience at the Esslemont thanks to your lovely server Nicole. She made excellent recommendations for food and wine. I enjoyed everything that came and would recommend to others as well. I came on a Saturday, solo, but was able to sit at the bar and order. Glad I stopped in!

Good service, not too attentive staff. Food good. Noisy when seated on lower floor. Overall, great night.

Overpriced. The presentation is good-the substance not so good. The pork with the linguini was just a No. Overcooked linguini, no salt at all and didn't match the big piece of pork with bread crumbs. The food came cold. Positive aspect: staff is super kind and professional. Nice location and nice wine. But the food is a nonononoNO.

Excellent food and good, friendly staff.

Struggled to find somewhere for Valentine’s Day dinner, and was very disappointed when I saw the esslemont was fully booked. Simon was an absolutely Angel and managed to help us our and did everything in his power. We are so grateful and can’t wait to visit! Coming from someone who works in hospitality, their customer service is fantastic!

Very nice surroundings, excellent meal . Very efficient and enthusiastic floor staff. Very good all round experience and will definitely dine here again.

Visited for the first time a few days ago and what a gem the food was excellent, the staff all very friendly and helpful would definitely visit again.

Lovely meal, roast beef, serving person very sociable and attentive, would recommend.