The Railbridge Bistro in Edinburgh, City of

Stopped in here whilst visiting the area, lovely venue with fantastic views , food was delicious- the service however was excellent. We were served by the very friendly Stephanie, she even personally took us from our table after we had paid so my other half could choose an ice cream ( i work in hospitality as a manager and would love to have her on my team ) will definitely return when back in the area

Nice but pricey. Very friendly staff. They automatically add a service charge which I disagree with. Fine if they're serving a large number of people, but for 2 coffees?

The food was top class, on top of the views! Perfect backdrop. Adam was so nice and also made our experience, he always made sure our food and drinks were full. The takeaway ice-cream is such a bonus to enjoy the views of South Queensferry on a nice wee walk after ❤️🍦

Lovely venue, great views of all 3 bridges, clean and warm. Superb Sunday lunch, meat was spectacular, our waiter Adam (?) was genuinely just nice, which is a welcome change from some restaurants.

Edit based on bistros reply- “I understood the sandwich comes cold but could be warmish to soften the inch wide cheese. I stated that the fries were almost cold not the sandwich!! The quick service as you say “under 5 minutes” is just a tad too quick, your not a takeaway! That explains the cold fries. Also, to correct your response Re standard tipping done across the board at other eateries being added to bill, adding gratuity/ tips is NOT standard nowadays, I have called 5 restaurants for this Saturday 19/10 special occasion reservation and asked all of them If they added tips as standard and replies from all were absolutely Not! So you are stating something false to justify your charging. And at no point we’re we pre advised of tipping being added as a matter of course. Original review Went here last month for lunch with a friend we were looking for a central point to meet and thought this might be good spot. Now, the foreign server was ok a bit stern/ distant I’m not sure what it was, she came to take our order within minutes of seating, we weren’t ready so she came back a few minutes later. Ordered and kid you not the food was there within 5 minutes, I was surprised at this. We both had vegetarian club sandwich with fries. The fries were tepid, the club sandwich was soso. The cheese was cut so thick it was a bit of a job eating the sandwich, bottom part was sliding away and the thick cheese was so thick it was sticking in my mouth whilst trying to eat, it should have been cut thinner and split between the middle and bottom layer of bread, this may have stopped the sandwich sliding and the mouth chewing being so difficult.. the food was okay that we had but I don’t like to receive food that has a cooler temperature! ( it wasn’t even busy so no excuse). Lastly, when I went to pay the bill the waitress at bar indicated that a 10% ( i think it was 10) tip had been automatically added to bill……. Now I ALWAYS leave tips, it would have to be abominable service and food for me not to, however I said that’s fine. I was taken aback at this, we weren’t a huge party, we were 2!! We are not in the USA were tipping culture is crazy and expected, don’t start this BS here as it won’t work. I like to make the decision if I tip and how much. So for the mediocre food and service and the Tipp adding I may not return, if I do I will indicate not to add a Tipp automatically to my bill. Also you should be making customers aware of this prior to bill payment as it can catch people off guard, a bit sneaky if you ask me.

Looking at the menu you would be quick to say it's expensive however the amount of food you get more than makes up for it. My only gripe is that you don't get enough haggis bonbons per portion but that just leaves you wanting more!

Beautiful place and views. Staff were very friendly and helpful. And the food was amazing. Well worth a visit and we will be back 5 stars all the way

Nice place to have a coffee while visiting forth bridge

Adam was great nice and kind, friendly as well. I do recommend the haggis Bon Bon’s as a starter the sauce was delicious 🤤

They want a lot of money but the food doesn't match. Got the fajitas they tasted like chicken in tomato soup. The sour cream and guacamole are clearly pre prepared because when I got my food they both had a stale crust over the top. They also automatically add tips to the bill, I don't mind leaving a tip but this irritates me to assume. Certainly not good value at all.

The Railbridge Bar & Bistro offers a delightful breakfast experience that’s hard to beat. Our waitress, Stephanie, was outstanding—attentive and friendly, she truly elevated our visit. The French toast was perfectly fluffy and sweet, while the Smoked Salmon Benny was a savory delight, expertly prepared. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a great spot to enjoy a leisurely meal. Highly recommend!

Excellent place for a bite to eat, beer or coffee. I stopped in for coffee whilst waiting for a boat trip on the Forth. Nice atmosphere and plenty of indoor and outdoor seating including a dog friendly sofa and chairs area. I was there late on in the season but it was still busy with tourists and locals alike. I only had coffee but the service was prompt, polite and professional. The coffee was good too. First class location, directly below the bridges with great views over Hawes Pier and the bay. Parking is directly opposite on the front and the town centre is less than 5 minutes walk. I would certainly recommend a visit. I'll certainly will be going back.

Visited again for lunch before checking into our hotel. Friendly welcome from staff, restaurant busy on a drizzly damp day. We ordered soup ideal for the weather, I had sweetcorn and bacon which was delicious, hot, spicy and tasty, also a cullen skink, again told it was tasty, and two chipolte chicken mayo brown bread sandwiches, with salad and crisps, again very tasty, plenty of filling. We noticed the delicious cakes on offer in the cabinets, but had no room. Highly recommended a visit here, on a dry day sit outside and njoy the views. See you again in January :)

Relaxed atmosphere, good cider and toast. What more could you ask for??

Lovely food, nice staff, great views. A+ will definitely come back 👌👍

Ordered a bacon roll for takeaway. ONE small slice of bacon on the whole roll for almost 5£. Ridiculous! Not likely to return.

Had the chicken and haggis, delicious meal! Service was attentive and quick. Would definitely recommend!

We dined here on the 29/09/2024 and my partner and I both had the same choice off the menu, unfortunately despite mine being absolutely fine, hers was dry and tough and she couldn't eat her meal. Normally that would constitute a poor review, however, what turned this into a positive was the way the staff dealt with the issue. Once they were made aware, they quickly apologised, acknowledged the issue and offered alternatives. Three separate members of staff, came to check everything was ok. Unfortunately in a busy restaurant, things like this can happen from time to time but how the members of staff deal with these issues is what is key and here they were absolutely faultless.

lovely experience, and the staff were very courteous

Outstanding food and fabulous staff……the view is stunning aswell

Very friendly atmosphere, vast selection of food to choose from. I had the open sandwich with vegetarian haggis and caramelised onions, tasty combination. My hubby had the Cullen skink, I had to try, delicious, very creamy. We will be back and I will be having that next time. Lots of history to see around the walls with a view of the forth road bridge. Definitely recommend!

Food was pretty nice but service was lacking I'm afraid with waitress ignoring us. Great views of the Forth Road Bridges.

Nice food Lovely room Service lacked a little Good to experience if your down by the bridges

I've been twice for breakfast and lunch. Very nice and tasty food. Fish and chips are amazing , fresh! Will be back for sure more. Beautiful view too

Great service, food was delicious. The train motif was amazing!

Lovely atmosphere service and good👍🏼😍

Our visit was wonderful, from the greetings by our server to the food which we definitely enjoyed. It was our first meal of our Scottish vacation and started us out with a very welcome feeling.

Great place with lots of character. Amazing food, thoroughly enjoyed my meal, and very friendly staff, amazing view of the bridges as well!

Decent food. Pre cooked slightly and bigger portions would have been nice

A previous visit and review was met with a follow up by the owner that I was mistaken so I made a second visit; This cafe is in a very scenic location and the food and drink is generally ok, the service is poor and below what I would describe as a minimum standard. A summary of this would be the two young ladies stood chatting leaning against the counter daydreaming and a few other members of staff with stern faces trying not to make eye contact. We visted on a Sunday morning at the end of summer and it wasn't busy, I can only summarise this is because of the prices, service or there insistence to sneakily add 10% service charge to your bill, but you will see the owner say "we always ask" or "everyone does this now" (no they don't) but I can confirm that on the occasions I have visted no one has mentioned they have added a service charge and both times they have had the card machine ready with the total amount and service charge keyed in to the machine. Again on both occasions a fuss has been made to remove it, "I will have to redo the bill" , "oh you want it removed". Everyone should always ask for any automatic service charge to be removed, don't be pressured, they are hoping you will be too embarrassed to ask, if you think the staff deserve a tip tell them you will leave it separately. I will never understand why a restaurant/cafe would want your last memory upon leaving to be "can't believe they added a service charge on the bill" instead of " we will come back again"

Been here a lot over 20 odd years. New menu today was welcome. A lot more fish on the menu. Great quality and good portion sizes. Went for girly lunch. We all had the same smoked haddock with a poached egg on mash with a hollandaise sauce. Delicious and very filling. Forgot to take a photo. Will definitely be going back soon. Back again 16.2.24 Delicious again. Took the husband for late valentines lunch. Had desert this time too. He had the Rail Bridge burger. Back again 8.2.24. for breakfast. So nice. Husband also pigged out on a meringue.

One of my favourite places in south Queensferry. Spectacular views. Great menu but the service has gotten really slow

Foods gone downhill since last visit

My first day and my first Scottish breakfast. It took some getting used to, but delicious. It wasn't one of the top 10 breakfasts on my trip, but this restaurant left a good impression. It is super cozy and nicely decorated. The service was nice. The view of the bridge is perfect. My conclusion 7/10 You can come here without any worries.

Amazing French toast breakfast and Danielle made us really welcome. Great staff and food. Came back later for cakes too. Thank you!

We made a quick stop before returning to the hotel and had not booked. They courteously served us tasty and well-prepared dishes at a completely appropriate price, with several gluten-free options Satisfied!

A stop so brilliant we went twice in one day, once for hot drinks and breakfast/scones before our Forth sailing, then back for dinner after! Attentive and helpful staff, brilliant decor and delicious menu. Couldn't be better.

Food, service & atmosphere are always great - Emma served us and she was lovely. I had the haggis bon bons followed by coffee and a yummy (huge!) empire biscuit. I'd have given it 5 stars over all but prices are a bit steep for what you get. I've noticed a rise since last time I went. I'd think twice in future purely due to cost.

Nice place for an evening to watch the sunset, have tea, scones and jam.😋😋

As a resident of Edinburgh, I've been coming here for years for coffees, breakfasts and lunches, long after the tourists have headed home. Slowly, the prices have increased and the food and service has not kept pace. Portions smaller. Service unfriendly and slow. Food pretty much pre-prepared. We were there today. Steak pie and chips £20. Scone £4.50. 2 scoops of ice cream £4.95. Fruit juice £4.50. Waiting staff generally unsmiling and left you feeling like you were an irritation to them. Automatically added service charge removed as a result. Not sure if the menu is at a higher price due to new owners or to capture the summer cruise cash. Either way, value for money overall has gone. Unfortunately, we won't be back to a place we used to enjoy.

Unfortunately we had to wait a long time for two drinks, it seemed very disorganized, apparently there was a change of ownership here and the whole thing still has to fall into place. We always visit this restaurant every time we visit Scotland and will give it a chance again next time because the location is unique.

WASTE OF MONEY The food was horrible, very dry and looked like it was just pre heated, I will never recommend anyone or come back again. Coffee was cold. Very expensive and the service was so delayed

Very very nice food and very nice staff. Our sever Danielle was very nice and I would highly recommend this cafe to any and everyone.

The food was excellent as was service. We had Tabitha and Joanna serving us and they couldn’t have been more attentive. All the food arrived on good time and the bonus was the live music later. Just feel there should be some rechargeable lights on the tables to give a bit of ambiance as the evening goes on. Will be back.

Just popped in on our way back to the shio

Eat good food right on the water

Been here many times over the years for breakfast lunch and dinners. The staff are always extremely friendly and helpful. It can be busy so it's best to book a table. They have a great selection of cakes and also have ice cream. There's seating upstairs as well as outside.

You were my favourite site to have coffee and cakes but, unfortunately, you've worsen a lot. Bad service (the waitress looks like she was telling me off when I asked something), the cakes were so dry and small and the prices have increased a lot. All the best but never here again!

Food is lovely just such a shame about the service. We were in yesterday afternoon (5/8/24) - sat outside and placed our order which came back wrong then when it came out the second time part of it was missing and took ages to be brought to us. We wanted another drink and were on limited time so because the service was slow I went to the bar to pay and order 2 drinks. The guy on the bar, whose name is Tristan I believe, was incredibly rude and clearly couldn’t be bothered. I was actually taken aback by his behaviour and I could tell the woman on the bar was aswell. He kept telling me it was table service outside to which I advised no one was coming over to us, then the next way he tried to get rid of me was to say he couldn’t put it through without a table number- I then told him what the table number was then he said he didn’t have a fob? And stormed off like a child. I told the woman at the bar just to leave the drinks and we just paid and left.

We have been for lunch before but yesterday went for tea and scones they were lovely and the waitress who served us was so nice definitely will go back

Visited for lunch and ordered the fish, unfortunately had a hair in it on arrival, told the staff and they very apologetic and cooked a fresh one. However I wasn't overly impressed, the batter wasn’t very crispy, quite soggy inside as was another of my party who ordered the same. The price is quite steep for the food not to be of a better standard (£19.95). My daughter has a dairy allergy but we weren’t asked about any allergies - luckily I’d already checked out the menu beforehand so I knew what would be safe for her to eat.

Friendly staff, service good. Addition of pepper on food too much

Always pop in on the way to Edinburgh. Superb food. Love the Cullen Skink. It's great sitting outside. Friendly staff and nice atmosphere.

The ice cream at The Railbridge Bistro is delicious. The strawberry and mint chocolate chip flavors were particularly wonderful. The staff was very friendly and helpful. The location is also terrific, with a gorgeous view of the three bridges.

Location and atmosphere of the restaurant were fantastic. However,I was unfortunately quite let down by the food. I went for the 'Ultimate Sunday Roast' where the veg was underdone, the meat overdone and the gravy very watery. On the plus side, the portions were quite generous but the quality is not there for the price point.

Ice creams for our grandchildren. Mega size and very reasonable price

Not a great experience. We were seated outside and ordered 2x bruschetta, 2x drinks and 2x sides. The 2 bruschetta and 1x side arrived not even 90 seconds!! after ordering. No sight of the drinks or the other side, odd. 10 minutes later, the drinks arrive. At this point, we had finished the food. I asked the waiter if my mashed potatoes were coming and was assured rudely that they will be there soon. Another 10 minutes pass and another waiter comes to say the side is coming soon, but there is a fault in the ordering system so the order didn't't get put through to the kitchen. The waiter says the side will be taken off our bill. 30 minutes pass, still no mashed potatoes? At this point, I am upset and say I want the mashed potatoes for takeaway. The waiter rudely says that the mashed potatoes were taken off the bill so they were never coming. Shocking experience, rude staff and neither food or drinks came together or at the right time.

Wow what an amazing place for a Cafe. If you like structural engineering, no there can be no better place to have breakfast. Overlooking the 3 bridges on the estuary. Nice breakfast, clean and competent staff…

A fab lunch stop during cycling as it's easy to park your bikes within sight of their outdoor tables with a laid-back vibe and an excellent view of Forth Bridge. Food okay too. Cullen Skink a wee too salty though.

Food and atmosphere were great, service was slow. We were able to get a table for eight without reserving a table. The Outside was great. The burgers we ordered came after only 30 minutes but the rest took another 20-30 minutes. Half of us were already done by the time they brought us the rest. We asked for the bill and decided after waiting 10 minutes to go inside and pay there.

Delicious food, great service and the best view - thank you.

My partner and I had a very lovely Saturday evening here. The service was great the only issue of the night was my partners steak was a little overcooked than what she had asked for. However this was quickly resolved with no issues by the lovely server Nikola. There was also live music which was great along with the view of the bridges. Will definitely be back.. Highly recommended

Very energetic atmosphere with great screens for sports! The Railbridge Burger was great and they are dog-friendly too! How cool is that?

Wonderful bistro near cruiseship dock. Had the Steak pie. Best steak pie I have ever had. Wonderful servers. Made you feel at home

Food completely British salt-free, no problem salt was on the table. I ordered sole, £21, it was on the table after about 5 minutes, so it was pre-cooked, well done, two small tail pieces and a middle piece, also quite small. The wine I ordered only came after I complained that I wanted it with food and made a stupid comment. Eight people on staff, five tables occupied. Coffee once sat next to coffee and was lukewarm, £3.95, the second was better and even hot. I have no idea how good reviews came about, but if you only eat burgers/fries, you might be happier. The house itself is great, more can be done with it. Overall a disappointment if you're hoping to eat well.

What a great place to stop and eat while visiting the railway bridge. The staff was very polite and attentive and the food was great. Three from our party of six ordered a meal with fish. All enjoyed. I had the sea bass and it was cooked perfectly. My wife enjoyed the fish and chips and one of our traveling companions got the smoked haddock. Great food. We loved it so much we just had to try the desserts. We all would highly recommend this spot. You may find parking a bit difficult especially during the busy times but we drove past the most obvious spot for parking and on the left up a small incline we found another parking lot and found a spot there.

Lovely friendly attentive staff, fabulous atmosphere. Would highly recommend

Great location, service was excellent, the smoked haddock is highly recommended. Loved the cheesecake and cappuccino. If you're nearby, it's worth stopping in. Can't wait to go again.

Very friendly staff especially Vicky very attractive and professional would recommend the rail bridge

A very nice place for a meal or drinks 🍸 service was excellent and staff very diligent too. Well worth a visit and the veiw is great. The old pictures upstairs is worth having a look at about the building of the rsil bridge.

Outside wood seats hard uncomfortable Service good they try hard .Started to rain went inside smooth transit handled well Served coffees both Luke warm We returned them and they were replaced cheerfully with hot coffees They try hard

Had lunch yesterday sandwich was terrible, bread was not fresh enough, expensive lunch but not satisfactory in terms of freshness, service was not great either, wont be returning.

Danielle was very kind and was attentive to my dog and my pals dog, providing water and dog treats to them both. When it started raining she helped us with our hot drinks into the restaurant and allocated seating in the back of the restaurant. Thank you very much. Andrea, Carole and Misty (dog) and Annie (dog).

Great food, friendly atmosphere

Great location between the forth bridges.Excellent food,good prices and the friendly staff make you very welcome.

Danielle our server was excellent! She was busy but her service did not reflect that at all. Would visit again, thanks Danielle :)

High quality pub grub food with great atmosphere upstairs was much quieter. Service fast and welcoming. Will be back.

Amazing food, ribeye steak cooked e x a c t l y ! how I love, husbands steak n ale pie was a great choice as he really enjoyed. Lovely service, good location, and try the ice cream for dessert mmmm

Don't dare ask for a breakfast roll at 12 on the dot, you'll be politely told to do one.

A very popular and busy place..Great selection

Staff spend most of the time on their mobiles. Would have ordered a dessert, but staff had absolutely interest.

food was great the forth brige can be seen thru the windows cozy restrant

Really disappointed at our recent visit, yesterday, as the food has always been very good here. Last night was comparable to a Wetherspoons, apart from the prices. £14 for a stir fry served in a cereal bowl is just not good value for money and didn't taste particularly good either. My haggis, neeps and tatties looked good on the plate, however was pretty tasteless. It stated on the menu that their staff are experienced at dealing with people with food intolerants, but we found that not to be the case. My wife is dairy intolerant and asked about a few dishes to which the girl replied, quite honestly, that she didn't know and would need to go and ask the chef. This hardly backs up their proud boast on the menu , but at least the waitress did explain that the 10% service charge wasn't mandatory which was nice of her to explain. The simple thing, in my opinion, is not to have it on in the first place and leave this decision to the customers.

First visit here last Saturday for breakfast. Lovely place with fabulous views. The service was fantastic and quick, we all loved that our waitress advised us that there was a service charge on the bill, however this was our decision if we wanted to pay that or not👌 most places now just add this on. It felt nice for us to have the choice on what we wanted to pay. We always tip, this was respectful and led us to giving more than the standard tip. The service was first class overall. The food was amazing, the scrambled eggs and salmon on sourdough was fresh and plentiful, my friend ordered the small breakfast and wished he had went for the large option, it was very tasty and my other friends had the French toast with Syrup she loved again the portion sizes where apt. We loved the Scottish theme and the flags up supporting our team in Euros😀 there is also a fabulous small art gallery in the pub as you go out the door, definitely worth a look. We loved this place and definitely will be back.

Menu was great! Food was amazing and the views are fantastic! Absolutely loved it here and would definitely recommend

the service was perfect, but the fish was very greasy and the quantity of chips was minimal.

Always a good place for coffee or a full meal. Good menu with varied choices and the staff are attentive and friendly. They do seem to have a problem with their iPad devices telling the staff dishes aren't available when they clearly are, which is a bit odd and needs to get fixed.

Good variety of Scottish dishes - we had the haggis bon bons for starters, followed by smoked haddock and the steak and ale pie. Everything was very tasty.

Cullen skink soup superb fast friendly service thank you

My friend and I were on our last day of vacation and ate here for lunch. Cute location. Food a bit pricey and our waitress had a huge attitude. £9 for the Cullen skin soup and £4 for a scone. Seems a bit overpriced as compared to Dalgety Bay. Waitress who seated us was so rude. She all but shoved my soup in my face and said you're welcome. I would have said thank you, but she came up behind me and I didn't see her until she slammed it on the table. Then she knocked over some poor woman's cane and rolled her eyes at the lady. Also don't know if the heat was on. A lot of us were cold and had coats on.

This was superb and I definitely want to go back

A super cozy place on the bank of the famous bridge! Delicious food and drinks, nice service.

Sat outside as it was a lovely day, it was busy, but service was OK, inside it was clean and tidy. Had tea and scones with jam delicious.

The food was excellent and the staff was very friendly and helpful! I had the smoked haddock, but they were out of mashed potatoes, so I subbed it with the neeps and it was an excellent combination. All of our starters were also very good. But really the staff made it a great experience.

Excellent, best in South Queensferry

We have been a few times and just love everything about it.

Lovely views but the food was mediocre. The burger I had was good, but the gravy was flavourless. Nice place for a quick bite with a view.

Great little pub/cafe. Get the Haggis Bon Bons.

I recently had breakfast at The Railbridge with friends and family, and it was a delightful experience. The breakfast menu was imprScottishwe had a Scottish vegetarian breakfast and a Scottish chicken breakfast. The dishes included beans, sourdough, a full fried egg, potato scones, and hash browns. We also tried their burgers with sides, which were equally satisfying. The coffee options were excellent; I particularly enjoyed the cappuccino and frappe, but the highlight was the best hot chocolate I’ve ever had. The ambience of The Railbridge is a blend of modern and warm elements, enriched with historical details about the Forth Bridges. A lovely fireplace adds to the cozy atmosphere, and the windows provide stunning views of the bridges on the river. It's a perfect spot for a relaxing meal with great food and an inviting environment.

As it was raining, it was a place of shelter! However, tea and scones were very welcome!