The Outsider Restaurant in Edinburgh, City of

Lovely restaurant with friendly staff. We had dinner here tonight and I don’t have any complaints. Food was very tasty best meal we’ve had in Edinburgh so far.

Tasty good quality food. Pretty view of castle. Would recommend for lunch or dinner

Hidden gem! Great restaurant. Very busy. Lovely views!! Our waitress was very nice and attentive. Highly recommend.

Outstanding! Great food. Awesome view of the castle from a few tables.

While the location and view were fantastic, our overall experience fell short of expectations. The food, though decent, didn’t stand out and felt overpriced for what was offered. Additionally, the loud group dining next to us made it difficult to enjoy the atmosphere. We were also disappointed that only cash payments were accepted due to a reported card machine malfunction, which we were informed of hours prior via a text message. This seemed avoidable, especially since we overheard a staff member suggesting to another guest that couldn’t withdraw cash that the machine might work after all, which left us uncertain. It was an unfortunate situation given the potential of the venue.

Insane experience ! Starting with the ladies in charge, then the unique place and ambiance and last the food. Can’t believe they have so many complex dishes available and so delicious. Very cheap for the level of food they provide! Will be back tomorrow for more !

Always fantastic and reasonably priced. Actually a steal. A true Edinburgh establishment.

I have been in Edinburgh for 5 days, this restaurant doesn’t represent any of the great food and hospitality we experienced. The food was cold except for the mussels. The sole fish was undercooked, tasted so bad even the cherry tomatoes were rotten. When my daughter complained about her dish the manager was so rude to her and he didn’t even try to apologize instead he was extremely aggressive and defensive. I do not recommend you to come here.

Met some friends for lunch here on their suggestion. Great place, good food at decent prices, great service. We sat in the mezzanine, and it was a bit noisy, the restaurant was quite full and busy, but it did make it more difficult to make conversation. Would definitely go back!

Arrived at 7:30pm and they had run out of 3 dishes. Went to place orders and they were out of 2 more dishes. Food all arrived lukewarm which was a shame because the taste was good.

The food here is great. But, the service was terrible, we didn’t see a server for a half an hour. We ordered everything when we saw her, from there we had to ask for our drinks because they didn’t come, our mains came after we had been there for an hour then were taken back when they found out we didn’t have our starters. So I then another wait to get those. We had to get up and request things we needed because we weren’t being served. Not only was this happening at our table but it seemed to be happening to most of us. We were finished after 2 hours and asked for takeout boxes and they told us they don’t offer them because they aren’t licensed to let us take out food. Horrible experience, good food.

Had a lovely lunch, the restaurant was extremely busy but still managed to fit us in. I had the coley with tarragon sauce and it was delicious, other mains were burger and the steak frites and clean plates all round. Would definitely return as a family for lunch and for dinner maybe just the two of us as would be good as a date as it's lovely at night with the candles and chilled atmosphere. We've been going for years and still excellent, especially the lunch prices.

Nice food nice service Couldn’t be more pleased

Found it walking from the museum , what a lucky find for lunch , lovely staff , it fills up quickly but staff stay ontop of everything , lovely choice , top nosh for a fraction of what you would expect to pay for such delicious and imaginative menu , treat yourself I'm sure you will return .

Just had lunch here. I had steak frites, my wife had mussels. Brilliant. The mussels were declared the best ever! The steak was lovely. Only about £10 per head. Very good wine menu as well. Staff are really ‘on it’. It’s two minutes walk from the Museum of Scotland. Totally recommended.

Great atmosphere and service. Had a perfect view of the castle and the food was very good. Came here for dinner and was so good that we came back for lunch!

Dine by candlelight in this spot right off the main drag, with a gorgeous view of the castle. I had the venison, which was good. I'd like more of a non-alcoholic menu for five stars on Food.

Went for my anniversary meal, my partner had the mussels. Later that night she was horrifically ill throwing up constantly through the night and the next day. I called the restaurant to inform them about what had happened, they showed very little care for the situation didn’t make any effort to apologise for what they had caused. I was disappointed with my venison, was over cooked and the flavours were nothing to brag about. For the price of this place all there is to show for it is the interior. I would advise against eating at this place. Better spending your money elsewhere.

Absolutely fantastic, great in every way, such a find. Food was excellent and amazing value, staff, even though they were so busy couldn’t be faulted. We had to come here twice during our short stay just to try it again!! Best chocolate pave ever. A definite revisit required.

Fantastic. We had an amazing seat next to the window and had a view of Edinburgh castle! Staff were attentive and so friendly. The interior is candle lit and very ambient, lovely place for a date night. I would really recommend this restaurant if you are unsure of here to eat during your visit to the city. We had the venison which was lovely and the el pinto wine.

When we saw the menu we thought it was going to be very expensive but we ate very well and for a very good price. It took them a little longer to give us a table but then the service was great. I would highly recommend the spinach crepe, it was incredibly good! Very good location.

Designed for “romantic” dinners, the starters are not badly priced. But the main ones are too expensive for the quality. I would say 25% above the price. The tables near the sales have a relative view of the castle and are pleasant. I wouldn't choose it as an ad-hoc place but if there is no other option the food is not bad and it is well taken care of.

Went for lunch and wasn't really sure where to go, really glad we happened to walk past this place. Steak frites are super reasonably priced and so tasty with lots of peppercorn sauce. Soup and bread very tasty also. Great service and very friendly/helpful.

Terrific place fkr an evening meal. The venison was amazing

Reasonable prices, good food, service slow during busy times

Extremely disappointing experience for what should have been a special graduation celebration. From the initial phone booking where the manager was rude and inflexible about timing, to the hostile reception when we arrived. The staff were unprofessional, both in their dismissive attitude and inappropriate attire. The poor service might have been more tolerable if the food had been better. Unfortunately, all dishes arrived cold. The polenta was stodgy and dry, while the soup was thin and watery. Despite a few decent elements, the overall quality was mediocre at best. What could have been a memorable celebration was ruined by poor service and subpar food. Would not recommend for any special occasion, or really any occasion at all.

Great restaurant and friendly service

The interior and FOH team of The Outsider set a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere. I had the pan fried duck which was presented perfectly and tasted unreal. Will definitely be back again!

The food was amazing! Had the best venison ever and the steaks were very well cooked. Great local place and the view of the castle was amazing. Would highly recommend.

Recommended by a friend to have some traditional Scottish food. The tender venison came with a few side dishes and a tasty sauce. We were a large group so we had a table upstairs. It was quieter and comfortable.

The food is delicious, the views are stunning, and the wine selection is good. Overall, it creates a delightful dining experience.

We arrived around 9:30 or so The kitchen was closing soon but they still let us sit The owner and the waitresses were very courteous and welcoming despite the late hour We ate a soup (which reading other reviews is very popular but because it is really worth it) A little spicy if you're not used to it but with the cold outside it's really excellent To finish, a very particular risotto (photo) with goat's cheese yolk and if I'm not mistaken also a bit of truffle powder (really an excellent composition) All accompanied by bread (I think made by them) and butter A must-try place with an excellent atmosphere by candlelight It's just a shame that some customers were a little too out of line

This is a retrospective review but just tried to book a table again now and the staff member was rude as hell so I might as well post it. Firstly you have to book via telephone as they have no online booking system. This means you get an overstressed person who is both working their job and having to deal with bookings. Secondly we'd waited for over an hour for our mains and they had run out of the ingredients so had replaced it with something else not from the menu. Overall this placed is overhyped, sub-par food and the just not worth the hassle. I really don't know what the outsider is trying to achieve with this venture but your food has to be really top notch to have the attitude they have and it's just not even close.

I'm not a vegan, but I ordered the vegan dish because it was so elaborate. The flavors and textures popped yet blended perfectly. Candlelight, good cocktails, and a stunning view makes this reasonably priced eatery a 5 star experience.

It took too long for me to finally make it to this Edinburgh classic. The food and service make the experience with great attention and quality. The menu is fun hand written daily specials. The room is loud and could use with some sound dampening management. It is very hard to hear your own table in conversation. But I fully recommend this place and hope they continue to improve the premises.

Service was great. Very knowledgeable and professional yet friendly. The starters were the star of the show for me. Ox cheek and the risotto. For mains I had the flat iron. Ever so slightly on the tough side but very tasty. Would go again.

We had the most amazing meal here for our anniversary. Every course was delicious, we had the best seats in the house over looking the castle and the service was almost as good as the company 😉 Thank you Jess you made it a lovely evening for us! Will definitely be back and recommending to our friends!

Went for lunch before a match at Murrayfield. The restaurant was busy but the service was still quick. Very well priced and varied lunch menu. The staff were helpful about gluten free options too, confirming that the chips are cooked in a separate fryer.

Everything about this place was meh.

Restaurant with a clean classic style serving delicious food at reasonable prices. A little understaffed, and so service was a little slow. I would still highly recommend it for the delicious food.

Had a late lunch with business associates and we were pleasantly surprised with the food quality. The olives and the cheese plate were big hits! (We fell in love with the red storm cheese ❤️) the view is great. Had the fish stew and it was very interesting. Don't recommend the gnocchi dish... It was not like the Italian gnocchi we are used too, it was looking like an omelette cut in pieces 🫤)

We had a lovely dinner and experience. The food was delicious, the view from the window tables overlooking the castle and old town was stunning (probably one of the best views of the castle from a restaurant). The restaurant felt busy in a positive way, the vibe and atmosphere was both relaxing and alive. Everyone from the staff really took good care of us - special thanks to Ignacio and his wife! Highly recommended! Definitely a place to revisit.

Great food, atmosphere and hidden place from tourists ;)

Very good first and second course; we had soup, cheese and trout; cod, steak and pork saltimbocca; the desert was not as great as the rest (trifle and lemon cake)

The restaurant has a nice ambiance and we decided to go because it was recommended. The whole place is lit with candles and it is really nice. We ordered the flat iron steak and asked for it to be cooked medium. It was so hard to chew that it was like chewing gum. I couldn't eat the steak, only had the chips and the salad. Also, the waiter who was taking care of us was not very nice. She didn't even ask why we didn't eat our steak, she just asked if I was going to continue, when I said I wasn't she took both of our plates without asking my friend. Although her sentences seemed to be helping us, her attitude and actions made us feel bad when we said we wanted to taste wine, as if we shouldn't do this. I felt weird. After my experience, I won't go again.

Beautiful decoration and comfortable sofa seats, food is pretty good and healthy.

It was quite okay. We were famished when we got there. The food was delicious, thought it had varying temperature.

What a wonderful restaurant, warm welcome from front of house, didn't have to wait for a table, excellent menu, with a great lunch menu, very reasonably priced,food was excellent, I will definitely return when in Edinburgh

Went at 4.30 and told to come back at 5 as they were doing a change over for dinner while board outside said lunch menu is served till 5. When said to the manager he didn’t really care. Attitude wasn’t good, advertising wasn’t good but they probably don’t care as enough passing trade to allow 3 people to go somewhere else.

Awesome food variety at a very good price. We had coley with potatoes, kale and an Orange mermelade, and the cheese table and both were very tasty.

Everything was spot on—from the starters to the preparation, and especially the desserts. We came across this restaurant by chance one day, booked it, and everything exceeded our expectations.

This restaurant has a very modern feel, with excellent service, and food. Their duck breast was absolutely phenomenal. I would definitely recommend stopping by for the excellent food!

Friendly, agile service and a flat iron that exceeded expectations.

Spectacular!! Excellent food and service!!

The food was ok, prices were very high, we were sat next to a very loud group of guys and the waitress didn't check on us until the very end of the meal. She was super busy so I felt bad but it still wasn't a very fun experience for us.

Gorgeous food for such a low price at lunch, high class and wonderful service. Dishes were fantastic.

Delicious food from fresh seasonal ingredients and an incredible accommodating staff. 10/10 if you’re visiting the city.

Stressed server, probably due to the fact that the TPE was not working. We had to go and withdraw money from the ATM a little further away. Friendly waitress and decent dishes, the fries are not homemade... Not incredible but it's okay.

Great view and tasty food. Service was a little slow but overall a lovely day experience.

I really don’t understand how there can be such a straightforward Racist in Edinburgh in 2024! Can this crappy restaurant still be open? Do you really have no fear of fire if you place the candle so casually on the table? Who on earth would be so stupid as to eat this? ? ?

Nice place, busy but great service.

Avoid this place at all costs—overpriced, bad service, and racist management, a pattern noted by several other reviewers. Booked this place for a birthday celebration, but it was a disaster. The manager seated us in a cramped hallway with a dangerously unstable candle setup. The waiter was cold and indifferent, and the food took forever to arrive—when it did, it was overpriced. The manager repeatedly asked us, an Asian group, to move our chairs, claiming they were obstructing others, despite the fact that this was where he had seated us in the first place. Strangely, he did not ask other diners to move, despite them being in similarly spaces. It felt blatantly discriminatory, as his rude behavior was clearly reserved for us. His attitude was worse than the food.

A true hidden gem of the city of Edinburgh. We had lunch at a table with a great view of the castle, the food was tasty and the staff were attentive and friendly. I recommend with love!

Food inedible. Cheapest cut of steak ive ever had. All my friends food was bad. Manager didnt care

Very good restaurant, the daily specials are very good for less than 10 pounds I recommend

Unexpected good dinner here! Lovely evening

Amazing lunch after a long travel day.

Hostess ignored us, and the waitress had the attitude that we were a burden. Generally the service was at best dismissive and slow. Someone obviously spent some money on the beautiful surroundings, too bad it is not run with the same care. Cheap paper napkins, the glassware must have been purchased from a second hand store. DO not lose the chef, the food was very good, well prepared, flavourful, and attractively presented. Be aware that there is a 12% service charge tacked on. I would have asked it to be removed had I not been in a group.

One of our favorite food spots in Edinburgh! Delicious food! Recommend!!

We stumbled on this place while strolling around and were very glad we did! We stopped in for lunch. My son and I both had the steak frites and were blown away by the lunch portion size and flavor. I love steak with peppercorn sauce and this was the best peppercorn sauce I've ever had.

A Fantastic Dining Experience The Outsider in Edinburgh exceeded all of my expectations. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with stunning views of the city that make for a perfect backdrop. The menu offers a great variety, blending traditional Scottish ingredients with a modern twist. The staff were incredibly friendly, attentive, and despite it was busy and we didn’t book in advance we were offered great table and prices are very reasonable. I’ll definitely be back!

The atmosphere, the location, the view, the detail of the candle on the table AND... the incredibly good meal! Our best Scottish culinary discovery! And the team at the top!

We have had lunch and 2 dinners here in the last 5days. Great food, friendly staff. Highly recommend it.

The ambiance is nice, but the food is just averagee for a restaurant of this kind. I ordered cod fish and tagliatelle. The flavors in the cod fish didn't come together, and they weren't very harmonious. For that price, it should be much better.

Fantastic meal and service at this great restaurant. The venison was cooked perfectly and the polenta cake was a revelation. Cannot recommend highly enough.

Best steak I head outside of south America.

Referred by Iustina & Genny at the Market St. Hotel and wow, did they hit a home run here. With last minute reservations on a Friday night we were seated in the main dining area with a view of the castle. Our candle lit dinner consisted of leek & carrot soup and pork belly/black pudding plate for appetizers. The main dishes were Grilled Venison and Cod. All of the above were rich with accompaniments in copious quantities. The presentation was classy yet not complicated. The taste was wonderful. Service was excellent. We finished off our culinary adventure with Chocolate/Orange Paze (like mousse) and Baked Fig. Both sinfully rich and way too much sugar for me. So we cleaned the plates and will pay tomorrow.

Really great atmosphere and really great food! They change up their specials daily so it's always exciting to visit each time :) Lunch prices are excellent for the quality of food offered - you can tell there is a lot of thought and care put into the flavours and presentation. Staff are always lovely and welcoming. It does get quite busy at lunchtime so it's advisable to book your table in advance!

The worse experience I had in Edinburgh. We came on Monday night and one waitress was serving half of the dining area. Most of the dishes are much more salty than other restaurant I’ve ever tried especially the risotto. And when we told the manager about that, he said - since every ingredient of this risotto is salty, so the dishes suppose to be salty :)

A bit disappointed to be charged for the olives and bread that were offered because the kitchen was running behind

Wait staff was unprofessional and seemed very irritated and unable to cater to anything specific. Ordered steak and asked for medium to medium well, was told only medium/rare was available. Was served raw steak slightly seared on both sides. Decided we would just bring them back to our airbnb and cook them ourselves. Then we were told no takeaway or leftovers. Paid over 60£ per person for a few bites. Very disappointing.

Excellent lunch experience! Great food and drinks at a good price. Would definitely recommend.

Wife and I had an early dinner here that really stood out from other dining experiences in Edinburgh. Really fair prices, great service, delicious food, and a unique by the glass wine list. Great views of the old city. Also looked like the menu changed daily. Highly recommend for a neo- European meal.

Food is really good and it's a lovely setting inside. Great combination of flavours. The servers did a great job of accommodating us, speaking in Spanish for other guests & finding out about allergens despite the restaurant being busy. That said, they do seem to prioritise turning over tables rather than delivering good service for people still in the restaurant. Food takes ages to arrive. I'm also not sure what they want the restaurant to be – it acts like something posh but it's not really. Food is quite overpriced but the servers look like they've just been dragged out of bed.

Friendly staff, tasty food, good service. There's lunch menu at 12-5 everyday, try mussels! It's really good. Enjoy the food with beer, cheers!

A local restaurant. The available items do not suit all tastes In short, no one comes 😂😅 And if God wrote you, let the fries be present ☺️

Excellent food at a great price

We reserved a table and it took a while to get our table.

Amazing view, very good food and super staff

One of the best restaurants in Edinburgh and reasonably priced. Bold and adventurous flavors, definitely not your standard pub faire

AWFUL!!!!! Very posh and not very good. The food is very expensive and very strange (and super spicy). It took us more than 1 HOUR to serve, just for a couple of starters. The only decent thing is the service, but I would never eat here again.

I flew all the way to Edinburgh wanting to eat at The Outsider. Upon arrival at the restaurant I was met by the most rude maître d’. Because I was dining alone I was given the worst table in a section of the restaraunt facing a wall. When I requested one of the many other open tables I was refused in the most dismissive and rude manner. Even though many other tables were open she refused to seat me at all of them. So I left. Very disappointing. Just because someone is dinning alone doesn’t give this woman the right to be so dismissive and rude.

Excellent food. Worth a visit for the bread alone! Very helpful and informative service. Slightly confusing menus. All hard surfaces, hence noisy when busy.

The Outsider: A Vibrant Dining Experience Located on a bustling Edinburgh street, The Outsider is a gem offering a unique dining experience. With a concise menu, they offer a variety of dishes that cater to different tastes. The modern cuisine is full of flavor and beautifully presented. The service is exceptional, with friendly and attentive staff. If you're looking for a vibrant and delicious meal, The Outsider is a must-visit!

Fantastic food. Best veggie meal I've had in ages.

It's good but nothing more. View of the castle (and the roofs of the surrounding area). Very touristy and very noisy... In summary, good but meh :o)

Although it’s in the old town it was not very touristic. The food was very good and had a great vibe. Place was quite busy and loud but a lot of fun. If you can get a table but the window there is a great view of the castle especially at sunset. The food was very good and the bread and butter weren’t die for! We highly recommend for a casual dining.

Great tasty food, buzzy atmosphere, friendly staff (even during fringe festival mayhem). A minor slip-up with one main was efficiently resolved and compensated.

Went during late lunch around 2.30pm and the place was still packed! Didn’t need to make reservations but would certainly recommend to book if going at normal meal times. The lunch menu was absolutely value for money. The mains were priced between £9-£13 for a sizeable portion. Didn’t manage to try the famous dishes like pan fried trout and venison, they were both sold out. Had the pan fried coley and steamed mussels instead, they were both great. The red pepper soup was ok too. The service was quick and efficient. We were seated very quickly and the staff helped to store our luggages in a room. Food arrived quite quick as well. The tables were placed quite close to each other though i would expect that only because its lunch crowd. For those hoping for the castle view seats, there were only 3 tables that allow as such, could try reserving. Nevertheless, the environment is still pretty great with high ceiling and was airy and tastefully decorated. Would definitely recommend for lunch as the price to value ratio is great. The dinner menu is almost double the pricing but it would still be worth it for the view.

What a treat fantastic fish soup, excellent gnocchi and good selection of wine. Surprisingly well put together food and very good value.