The Railbridge Bistro in Edinburgh, City of

Nice view of the railway bridge. The food and drinks were a bit overpriced for the quality. Had the pancakes with "bacon and maple syrup". The maple syrup turned out to be golden syrup, which was disappointing.

Food & service was excellent. The Meals were very tasty. Staff were very attentive. Great view of the bridges too. We will be back.

Meal & service were excellent. Will be back.

Friendly staff efficient service great views!!

After having being given several recommendations from several people about just how good The Railbridge was we thought we would finally go ourselves and we were not disappointed. The staff were excellent and the food was terrific, but what really makes it is the view of the 3 bridges from your seat.

Thoroughly enjoyed a family lunch at the Railbridge restaurant. We had a real mix of lunches due to the great choice. Everyone enjoyed their different choices. We took our 2 dogs. One sat under the table, the other in his buggy was seated next to the table. The portion sizes were generous. Masses of Brie in my serving and my niece had lots of goats cheese in her salad. The staff were lovely and so laid back despite the place being rammed with people and pups. Just a really good vibe. Well done to the team.

Very accommodating as we went 9n a busy day without booking. Lovely friendly staff

Great models of the rail bridge and views are impressive. The place is cosy.

Great place to get some lunch after a good walk

Disappointing experience from a place we’re normally fond off . We chose to come here for our daughter’s 3rd birthday . We had to wait to get seated which is fine but we were ignored and took some time to be acknowledged . The food was ok but the steak in the ciabatta was extremely tough and difficult to chew . The brie bites were excellent though . The main issue was when paying the bill , we were overcharged as we got charged for a prosecco instead of a nosecco , when I queried it I was told they were the same price. We then showed the staff member it is less , her sarcastic response was “ is it a pound or something your owed “ , it was £2.95 actually and she came over without the right amount . Whether it was 20p or £20 it was wrong . Unfortunately a disappointing experience which has put us off for future visits .

Love going to Railbridge Bistro with our family, the grandchildren love seeing the miniature train going back and forward, both inside and outside. The food is lovely, large portions and always hot, whether it’s their delicious soups, Mains or sweet treats! Only opportunity is the children’s meal perhaps little fish goujons instead of fish fingers Thoroughly recommend a visit when you’re in South Queensferry a bit costly but a lovely treat!

Great place in South Queensferry for a bite to eat. Great views of the Forth Bridge. The staff were friendly and the food was excellent. Will definitely be back.

Fabulous family meal out. The food was great and service fantastic. Special mention to Adam who made sure we were well looked after. Thanks again

Had a family get together Sunday 4th January, the weather was horrible but there was still quite a few people in.Service was prompt and the food was really good will definitely go back hopefully in better weather.highly recommended.

Visited last night for a coffee and desert. Coffee was lukewarm, asked if they could heat it. When the man brought it over he said “be careful it’s hot” so glad he said that as my mouth would have been scalded, I tested it with my pinkie and it was ridiculously hot, 5 minutes later, it was still scalding. I didn’t drink it and when he asked how my coffee was I told him, didn’t answer me and walked away, I got the impression he wasn’t caring. When we paid the bill he had taken the price of the coffee off but didn’t mention it and no apology. We used to love coming here but won’t be back.

Stunning views, amazing historical information about the bridge, including big video projections and a miniature train. But avoid the overpriced food - unless you are just coming for dessert, which is the most reliable part of the menu. But if you are allergic to gluten or dairy, stay away. 4 stars as a museum with nice views, but 3 stars as a restaurant.

Sunday 12:30, parking almost impossible! Very surprised at parking, But views are amazing. Staff very good

We visited Edinburgh during the. Christmas break and drove down to see the bridges and had a wonderful lunch and drinks at the Railbridge. Stephanie was wonderful and helpful. Overall a great time spent at the cafe with family.

Visited for lunch before checking in to our hotel nearby. Booked this time as on 3 January its really busy. Friendly welcome from staff, seated upstairs. Luvly decorations and Christmas tree so a luvly atmosphere. We ordered a Karau Chicken Wrap with a bowl of their homemade tomatoe soup added and a Chicken and Bacon Club Sandwich with a Cullen skink added. The soups were delicious, just what was needed on a chilly day, the sandwiches also very taste. We thoroughly njoyed our lunch, and will be back. :) :)

I have been here lots with each experience getting worse. I believe the location is what makes this place. Food is inconsistent sometimes portions are huge others tiny. Then what you do receive is bland and luke warm. The attitude of half the staff are something else depends what side of the bed they got out of that morning. I think the other night will be my last visit as it’s definitely not worth the money.

A most welcoming venu with friendly, helpful staff. The walls have numerous panels providing information and images about the bridge. Constantly running videos add to the history buffs enjoyment. Well presented food, at a slightly above average price. I will definitely return next time I'm in the area.

Went for breakfast with santa. Place is looking stunning. Kids had the fruit skewers, pancakes n nutella. Had the best breakfast. Ate the lot. Pics with santa, presents and decorate there own gingerbread biscuit. Even better santa came around and sat at the table and chatted to the kids. Thank you.

Had a great lunch here, great service and great turkey dinner

Had dinner tonight, very festive feel with twinkly lights and candles. Food was delicious and plentiful, we were checked in on and served professionaly and without being overbearing. There was a live singer too which was fantastic. All in all a great place to go anytime and a firm family favourite of ours. Just make sure ypu leave room.for the epic homemade meringue!

Didn’t have an enjoyable breakfast experience. Arrived just after 11am and ordered two Scottish breakfasts. The breakfasts were served to us within 5 minutes and the only items cooked fresh were the fried eggs, everything else was lukewarm as if it had been cooked hours ago and sat waiting to be plated. We started eating anyway but unfortunately found something in the beans which put us off completely. The staff failed to take responsibility and were looking to blame anyone but themselves. Claiming the kitchen team wear hairnets - we seen several front and back of house staff members go in and out the kitchen, none were wearing hairnets. The poor delivery driver who delivers their tins of beans got the blame in the end. A simple sorry would have been suffice. Shame as it is in a lovely location with a great view, the quality of food and staff attitude lets it down.

Very disappointing! Not the first time I’ve been here; arrived for breakfast yesterday at 1030am lucky if there was 6 others people in restaurant! Ordered 2 small breakfasts and tbh service at first was fine ordering from gentleman but then no check back when we started eating breakfast? Food was JUST warm enough to be edible! Sausage was nicest thing on plate and unfortunately everything else bordering cold, No excuse as place was not busy enough for this to happen! It was a small breakfast and for price! Everything should have been perfect! Shame! First time here with friend as you can see he was very pleased haha arrived 1130 for breakfast and I can say was probably one of the tastiest I’ve had!!! Beautiful location will definitely be back to try main menu! Great job guys 👌

Delicious food as always, served by lovely friendly staff. Great views of the River Forth and the bridges, definitely worth a visit or two.

Lovely place. Helpful staff. Fantastic food at great prices. Would certainly recommend it. Lovely view of the three bridges

Good food and service. Really enjoyed the restaurant with good choices on the menu. Recommended.

Passed while out walking Saw the haggis burger on the menu and knew I’d be eating there and not at the hotel Burger exceeded my expectations, nice portion sized Staff were very warm and welcoming

Main courses were average, chips were cold. Sticky Toffee Pudding with ice cream came with a long black hair in it! Over priced for the quality of food. Sadly wouldn't recommend or return. Totally lost the warm welcoming atmosphere it once had.

Fish and chips was so good! Clean plates all round. Icecream was really good too!

Great place, great service from Adam and food is always excellent. Stick Toffee pudding was very tasty but huge portions and just a bit too much for some of us 😁

Great evening. Food was amazing and service was first class. Thank you Adam!

Very friendly. Only ordered a coffee which was excellent so bought some beans to take home

Quite an outlier rating review, given the general high rating the restaurant has received. This is a personal experience, some might not mind it and some will, entirely subjective. Our group visited this restaurant expecting a pleasant experience, but a few key issues left us a bit disappointed. Here's a breakdown of our experience: 1. Service Speed: Orders arrived promptly, which was appreciated. 2. Food Quality: I ordered chips—average and unremarkable, earning a neutral 3/5 for the food itself. Had I ordered anything else, I would be able to give a more balanced rating for the food, e.g. whether I liked it or not. But chips are generally always average wherever you go. 3. Views: The views were good, but similar to other restaurants on the same street, so this wasn't a unique advantage. Concerns: - Bill Payment: Being told we couldn't pay bills separately because the staff was busy caused significant inconvenience for our large group (7 of us, 6 having ordered smth). While this might be understandable in some cases, it isn’t standard in most restaurants and left us puzzled. - Tipping Practices: The bill included an "optional" tip from the start, we received the bill with the tip already included. Indeed, in the bill, there was a section that said that the tip was entirely optional, but the action of adding it from the very beginning to the bill definitely creates social pressure for you to tip. When we asked to separate the bill/pay for what we ordered separately, one worker helped, but when one of us asked about the charge appearing on the card reader, we were told it included the tip, which was now mandatory to us because they went out of their way to accommodate us. This comment seemed to our group, quite a puzzling one, given it is common practice to provide the separating of the bill/paying separately in restaurants and a service that does not take long, I would say it took maximum around 10 minutes to complete. This undermines the optional nature of the tip and felt like forced gratitude. I believe many would understand that social pressure to tip in these circumstances. Finally, i understand that paying separately is not guaranteed in all restaurants, absolutely valid, but the comment does leave one feeling like we were being somewhat unreasonable requesting to pay separately at a busy period. While the staff's workload is acknowledged, these practices—especially the implied obligation to tip—left a sour impression. Dining should not involve coercion or attitudes suggesting standard expectations are a special favor. Improvements in policy and transparency are necessary to make the experience more enjoyable. With regards to the reply, I would like to confirm that we did indeed not arrive with a reservation. If a reservation would have been needed or accommodating us meant a lot more effort, I believe we could have been informed of it and perhaps made another decision under those circumstance. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, a review is personal, subjetive, some after reading this will mind what happened, but still decide to visit, but remind mindful of what happened to us and avoid certain things, and still have a great experience. This is a recount of what happened to us and how we felt, it does not mean that you will feel the same way. Recounts of things are always through the perspective of that person, this is my perspective and what I recall happening, the other Party might remember it differently, who you decide to take as truth is a matter of your own critical thought. This review has been edited.

Nice athmosphere but we learned that there is pork meat in chicken burger after eating that.

I had a lonely brunch with my wife and in-laws. Nicola and Alix were our servers and they were so helpful. Very enjoyable time.

La primera vez que visito The Railbridge Bistro y sin duda volveremos. Solicitamos un asiento en la ventana ya que era el cumpleaños de mi padre y conseguimos una mesa preciosa junto a la ventana con una vista fabulosa de los puentes. Todos disfrutamos mucho de nuestras comidas que eran deliciosos. Buen menú y tenía porciones más pequeñas disponibles en artículos seleccionados que se adaptan a algunos de la familia. Todo el personal era encantador y acogedor y Stephanie era particularmente encantador y alegre y hablador. Mi papá disfrutó mucho su almuerzo de cumpleaños. Esperamos volver pronto. Sin duda recomendaría una visita.

What a great find this place was! Not only is the food great but the atmosphere is really nice and the service spot on! Loads of history of the bridges on display upstairs which is worth a look and a cute little train going along a model bridge 😊

Cullen Shink very tasty, definitely good. Super quiet and pleasant environment.

Food has definately gone a bit downhill since I was last here. Poor quality, hastily plated and overcooked. No working coffee machine, which to be fair the staff did tell us about but overall feels like this place has lost some of its charm.

Such a cosy venue with the most amazing views of the Bridges. They do the best Cullen Skink though this time I had a lovely cheese scone with butter and jam yum!

Very cool breakfast with a nice view. Nice staff and completely reasonable prices. You still have peace and quiet early in the morning. :)

We called in for a light lunch: soup and a sandwich with a soft drink. The soup and sandwich were lovely all freshly made. The menu had good choices. The view from the window was great, looking out over The Forth and the three bridges.

Excellent place to share and enjoy the pleasant view

Amazing service by Nikola! She is amazing 🩷 she needs a promotion!

Nice vibes, good food and drinks, the sea view was fantastic. Most importantly, however, the service was excellent. The staff are really nice and professional. Stefanie was fantastic, helpful, and friendly.

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

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.

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 ❤️🍦

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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"

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.

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

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.

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.

Eat good food right on the water

Just popped in on our way back to the shio

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.