The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, City of

Lovely surroundings, helpful knowledgeable staff and a great experience. Only one of us was a whisky fan, but we all tried some under the guidance of the bar staff. They have other spirits too, and wine for the not-so-brave.

Lovely Spot to have a dram or two. Cosy and elegant interior. Highly recommended to Whisky lovers even If you need to be a member to get in.

A fantastic venue with exceptionally friendly and welcoming staff. Nothing was too much trouble. We enjoyed an afternoon of whisky in the relaxed surrounding on Christmas Eve. Dean, Andrew & Ronan were fantastic hosts. All three hosts were efficient, welcoming, mannerly and knowledgeable. One would hardly believe that Ronan has been working at SMWA for a couple of months, he’s exceptionally relaxed with the customers and very knowledgeable about whisky. The venue at The Vaults was tastefully decorated for the festive season. Now that my husband is a member (again) we’ll enjoy visiting more often. Thank you Dean, Andrew & Ronan for making our Christmas Eve 2022 memorable and most enjoyable.

Great food and drinks and excellent service. Also very near our hotel with was a bonus the only criticism was that they overly push to try and get you to sign up to be a member of their whiskey club which was £65 a year which we mentioned we were not interested but tried to keep telling us the bonuses of signing up

I’ve been a member of SMWS for 30 years. Joined when it was a club for whisky enthusiasts. A warm and welcoming place to drop in for a warming dram, in a convivial atmosphere, hosted by staff who were whisky experts. Roll forward 30 odd years and I now have to book a table in advance, but have a time limit to it. Stuck in a back room with no atmosphere and crap piped music playing. It’s been a slow decline into today’s theme bar, with an unwelcoming booking system, miked up staff and hired in part time, non whisky drinking waiters, describing my dram to me. If you are visiting Edinburgh and want to experience whisky in its purest form and authentic atmosphere, don’t come here. It’s lost it’s heart and soul.

The manager in charge is more than willing to tell us the complete story of SMWS. On top of that offers me a dram of 1.326 (It Shines) , a wonderful 59.3% abv Glenfarclas beauty. And now? I have become a member of SMWS.

We visited the society and wanted to taste the wonderful bottlings of SMWS. We weren't members so we were sat at the bar at the entrance. We left very gratified, became members, and bought 2 delicious bottles. The staff there was polite, patient, and provided us with spot-on recommendations. The islay 18 yrs bourbon casks old were spectacular. Me and my friend both enjoyed it. A pity that they were all sold out. Shout out to our wonderful bartender, whose name we forgot to ask. His service made this an impeccable experience. Best we yet had in our trip to the UK.

I’m sorry but I can only describe this lounge as an utter rip off. I joined and paid the expensive fee thinking I had enrolled in some decent exclusive classy bar. Hahahaha. 4 times I have entered circa 10pm only to be told “ I’m sorry sir we are closed. Last orders have been called” When I enquire as to why they are always closing around what suits them, they actually replied with the word Covid. Disgustingly bad service and customer relations.

We are six Canadian rugby mates who ended our three-week whisky tour of Scotland at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for a five-course meal, with each 'course' matched to a whisky. We had our own room and our own host, and the experience was greater than we had anticipated. The evening ended up being a seven course meal - each dish was delicious and well-presented. We had our own personalized menus that outlined what we'd be eating. The whiskies were diverse, well-matched to the food, and challenged our own palates to identify the hints and flavours of each dram. Strongly recommend travelling groups consider this as part of your own whisky journey.

Went to the flagship Scottish Whiskey Society at the Leith Vaults for dinner with family on Sunday 15th May. I chose the gnocchi meal and was served this with a live caterpillar squirming around on the salad leaves, very obvious to see - I’m unsure how the waiter didn’t spot this before putting the plate in front of me. We complained. A different waiter came over, took the plate away and asked if I wanted a different meal, despite feeling quite sick at the thought of eating I ordered the seabass which arrived. It was a very very thin piece of fish on a bed of salad - really unimpressed. I was asked by the waiter if I wanted a drink and I said no and he replied with “not even if it’s on the house” - so I ordered a Diet Coke. There was no apology, no “please let me know if I can get you a drink on the house”, no customer service. We then decided to cancel the desserts due to loss of appetite. At the end of the meal, the waiter printed the receipt that included my gnocchi dish with the caterpillar, three set menus, two of which we didn’t have the desserts for. Incredibly poor customer service from such a prestigious venue. A family member asked if they were really going to make us pay the full amount and the waiter replied with “well caterpillars live on lettuce”. I forgot I ordered a salad with a live bug. Without a doubt the lowest quality meal I have ever eaten paired with the worst customer service ever experienced. Won’t be returning. I had bought the Scottish whiskey society membership for a family member as a gift and will not be repurchasing.

We booked a table for 10 people which was very efficient online. The building and the decor are excellent and very fitting for this style of restaurant. We were seated in a private room which was decorated in the same authentic style. Unfortunately being separated from the main dining area I think we missed out on some of the atmosphere and the service was not as attentive as it could have been. The menu was limited but great quality, some of our dishes were lukewarm but tasted great.

Receptionist was very welcoming. The waiter however was just rude. Poor customer service and just made us feel really uncomfortable.

Very pleasant afternoon sampling numerous whiskies with amusing names such as Flaming Bananas and a day at the Funfair. Don’t let the humorous names fool you this is serious stuff the Sommelier did a brilliant job of guiding us through our selection. The net result was that I had some of the best whiskies I can remember tasting. The food was an excellent accompaniment to the sampling very much enjoyed the haggis Neeps and Tatties. All served in a warm and comfortable environment reminiscent of a bygone era.

A regular to both Leith and Edinburgh Queen Street, I have been a member of the Society since late last year. Consistently the Society has delivered excellent service, recommending great drams and serving delicious food pairings. A particular shout-out to Karen at Queen Street, who on multiple occasions has suggested great drams to me. Many thanks to the whole team for their great work - I look forward to my next visit!

Great venue and lovely food, staff friendly and knowledgeable. Can’t wait to come again with family.

Belo to see and to buy above all

During the nineteenth century Edinburgh was a city full of clubs and cultural societies devoted to literature and gastronomy. One of my favorites is the Malt Whisky Society. In a historical street in the center of the capital of Scotland, this place is considered a place selected by tasting the prices are a little higher than usual, but I can guarantee that the quality of the kitchen and the whiskeys that there can taste are excellent. When we're inside we can see that even typical Victorian glamor of the era of Oscar Wilde himself. Always keep in mind that we can access if they become members, but it is absolutely essential to book a few days in advance.

Vinimos aquí por una noche. A mi esposo le encantó el whisky y disfrutó hablar con el personal que era amable y tenía un gran conocimiento.Un miembro del personal dijo que vendrían a tomar nuestro pedido para la cena, pero después de una larga espera tuvimos que preguntar si podemos pedir ya que nadie vino. Mi única crítica sería que no fueron muy útiles para los requisitos dietéticos. En la parte inferior de su menú dice "Seremos flexibles a sus necesidades dietéticas". ¡Por favor no escriba eso si no es cierto! Quizás el chef puede comenzar a ser flexible con el menú y lo que pueden hacer para ayudar a las personas con alergias. Te desanima volver de lo contrario.Sin embargo, la música en vivo era encantadora y un verdadero placer.

This is a superb hidden away retreat which was warmingly and festively decked out over the xmas n new year and we had a late xmas get together mid January with some gr8 drams and very enjoyable fodder.

Un domingo por la noche relativamente tranquilo me pregunté. Por un breve momento parecía que solo seríamos Jeremy, el camarero, y yo. Resultó ser una noche inolvidable cuando Carl y Suzy entraron acompañados de Jeremy y yo.Muy recomendable. ¡Especialmente cuando Jeremy está adentro!

We were here for Sunday lunch, it was quiet and cozy, I had the Steal and ale pie and my wife had the sausages and mash, both were excellent, it is a little pricy but worth it for the peace and quiet.

Found out about this place via word of mouth from a local.Easy to find and worth a visit even if you are not a member. If you are not yet a member the friendly staff will seat you in the front room and explain their wide variety of whiskys on hand.

We had dinner here, and not a drop of whisky passed our lips. The service, presentation and food were all first class. First impressions of portion size were that they looked a bit small, but (as is often the case with really good food) they turned out to be just right, leaving us sated but not bloated. Friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Not to be missed!

Auf unserer Tour durch Edinburgh hatten wir hier eine Whiskey Verkostung. Ein Kanadier als Experte erklärte uns die Kostproben. Sehr gut gemacht. Schönes Gebäude und tolle Bar.

Our tour guide told us about this place as a very good place for food and drink in a very relaxed atmosphere. My wife and I were near this place so we decided to drop in for a late lunch even though we are not members of the society. We sat in the Kalediescope Bar and had a nice lunch with wine. My wife had the tomato soup and I had the seafood platter. The seafood platter had smoked salmon and mackerel and these were very tasty with some accompanying bread and spreads. Very relaxed atmosphere in the bar room near the fireplace. The place was already decorated for Christmas with a nice tree with beautiful decorations. Outside there were two toy soldiers at the entrance as well. Very nice place and good service as well. Good value for money. Next we will try to dining room.

The Kaleidoscope Bar whisky flights always provide an excellent tasting experience. The 5 course dinner was very well thought of the whisky pairing was exquisite. The drinks service should be at the same time with the courses.

Siempre es un placer comer aquí y realmente debería venir más a menudo. Es muy parecido a un club de caballeros en la calle James, pero no es el menos sofocante o formal. El personal es atento, la comida es excelente. Por supuesto, si quieres un escocés, la elección es interminable.

会員でなくとも食事やバーでお酒を楽しむ事ができます。食事は少なめですが非常にお上品で味も緻密かつ美味しいです。店員さんの丁寧な対応も印象的でした。お店の雰囲気も良い非常に良いです。落ち着いたディナーを求めるならお勧めします。

Love my SMWS membership all the time but never more than when sipping delicious drams in the member's bar on Queen Street. Dinner was spectacular with outstanding service. No request is unanswered. Had not visited since the renovation and found it truly impressive. My friends loved it.

The Vaults in Leith sind ein wunderbarer Ort (nicht nur) für Whisky-Enthusiasten.

Absolutely brilliant , we were looked after very well before , during and after the event. We had a whisky tasting session and had a fun , informative hour with Andrew who was very knowledgeable. I would highly recommend a visit.

This place serves amazing whiskeys. I never knew a drop of water "opens up" the whiskey. I learned the rich tastes of whiskeys here.

Le compro a mi esposo y a sus amigos el cupón groupon para una degustación de whisky y una comida. Esto puede ser en Leith o en el centro de la ciudad de Edimburgo Malt Whisky Society.

We thought we understood how to properly enjoy whisky...but James taught us how to enjoy all whiskys! All with a fun personality and warm, interactive demeanor. Great experience!!

We were here as part of a food/walk tour and enjoyed the sample tastings of food and whisky. We purchased a bottle to take home, too. Lovely old building and knowledgeable staff.

Cene con mi pareja en este restaurante por el día de su cumpleaños, y fue un acierto total: la cena buenísima, el trato muy bueno, y se esforzaron por explicarnos los platos y aconsejarnos incluso a sabiendas de que no dominábamos totalmente el idioma.

Arrived with my family to see if we could get in for a quick drink as my Mother is a member and we were told about the member/guest policy but that the receptionist (who was lovely) would see what he could do. Another man came along and explained the policy again (we were happy to leave and we said it was on a whim but if we had to go that was fine) but that this one time was okay even though it was a ‘busy Friday’. He then proceeded to make comments to my Mother about how the policies are there for a reason and he could make her feel really awful by asking us to leave. My Mother tried to make light of the situation but his attitude got worse and worse all while he was still adamant it was fine for us to go through. By this point he was talking to my Mother like she was stupid and his customer service was absolutely disgusting. I refused to go in and waited outside for the rest of my family as he made me so angry and uncomfortable by the way he was talking to my parents. I can’t comment what happened inside but about five minutes later my family came out and said they were ignored and were made to feel so uncomfortable they had to leave. They said the room was very quiet and not the busy Friday we were told it was so there was no excuse for this.

Precioso scotch aquí con sus colegas. Hacen botellas muy únicas y la anfitriona estaba muy bien informada sobre lo que estaba vertiendo, y dio una gran historia de la compañía y el sitio. Fuimos un lunes cuando no sirven comida, ¡pero quieren regresar por más!

日本にも支部のあるウイスキー愛好家団体の本部です。会員制のウイスキーラウンジなので敷居が高そうですが、意外にもカジュアルな雰囲気で、リラックスして楽しんでいらっしゃいます。

Also has many options to choose from and rare scotch . If visiting Scotland try to make it out here there’s nothing like it in Los Angeles

さすがスコットランド、会員制のウィスキーバーです。年会費払って会員になれば全世界にあるこのwhisky societyに行くことができます。(日本にも支店があるそうです)また、1人会員がいれば、会員じゃない人3人まで連れて行けます。

The selection and knowledge at SMWS is just superb. If you are looking for the best Whiskies in town, this is the place. Also have a lunch in 2nd floor, kitchen and wine list are worth of every penny

Recently hit Edinburgh to watch Scotland take on Ireland in the 6 Nations Cup and boy did I discover something more - The Scotch Malt Whisky Society! Stopped in our first night for a couple of drams and was blown away by the service and quality of the Whisky!

A really lovely place, loved the lunchtime atmosphere and the guests, we had fish & chips and it was excellent, tried out the whisky which is part of the experience. Great chat and relaxing atmosphere.

Attended a whisky tasting event here and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very informative and tasted 3 very different but enjoyable single malts. Included was a choice of main course and my haggis, neeps and tatties was a good choice! I would recommend this event for anyone interested in malt whisky and it would make a great gift!

Habíamos estado buscando comer aquí por un tiempo, pero nos fuimos decepcionados. Me encantó el ambiente íntimo y disfrutamos de la comida, pero el servicio nos dejó con pocas probabilidades de volver.

My friend is a member so we popped in here for a snifter after dinner. Very Olde worldly. Main room plush with wood panels a fire lit and lots of space to sit including inviting sofas. The provide newspaper so you can easily spend and while away your day. An amazing array of whiskey and worth trying as the bar staff are very knowledgeable and they do serve other drinks as well as snacks and food.

He sido miembro del SMWS durante más de 15 años y, lamentablemente, no visito tanto como debería.

Visited for the bar for a tasting and was not disappointed. Staff were incredibly knowledgeable and the experience was fun, educational, and suitable for all - whisky novice or aficionado.

We visited on our last day in Edinburgh and didn’t have time for a whisky experience. Instead we chose the 3 whisky flight. It was just as good and the server was very informative about each whisky we tasted. This was a great experience!

We were here for a tasting with supper. There is no doubt that the whisky was good, but the food was poor to mediocre. Service staff were friendly.

Loved celebrating a special evening in Edinburgh. Club atmosphere lived up to expectations as if we were at an old friends home. We had a private dining room with wood paneling. Our waiter was very good in recommending the food

Been a member of SMWS for fours years, but this was my first time to The Vaults, so I know what they're about, and I definitely know their whiskies.

Comfortable,good food,and a nice dram,not many guests on a weekday evening,however.Personable service.

A great venue with an awesome atmosphere. We were well looked after by Marcus and Ben who served our whisky, answered our questions, made recommendations, volunteered information at will and gave us public transport advice as well! The food was great too. We were surprised how many people were drinking things other than whisky, given it's a whisky venue for members, but a good range of alternatives are available, and the service offered to non-whisky drinkers is just as friendly!

Siamo stati una sera in questo posto a Kaohsiung (Taiwan) per caso su consiglio di un ristoratore precedente che stava chiudendo una sera di agosto.

Great ambiance supported by crisp, elegant, and knowledgeable service. The plating of all dishes served was gorgeous and the food skillfully prepared and balanced. The original cask strength whiskeys we sampled were of such diverse aromatic gamut and flavor palette that they ultimately were appreciated as what great dishes would be like if they were transformed into spirits. A memorable experience.

Este año fue mi primera visita al margen, tuve el honor de elegir nuestro primer 'show'. Elegí 'Un año de Escocia en una comida' que parecía muy prometedor y lo que pensé que sería un gran comienzo para nuestra experiencia marginal.

Pasamos una tarde aquí con un miembro tras una excursión SMWS de destilería Glenkinchie (también recomendado). Increíble colección de individual a muestra en los barriles, semi-formal relajado ambiente del salón tradicional los miembros. En verdad bien informado bar para ayudarle a descubrir a igualar sus gustos whiskies, incluso sabores que no te gusta. Excepcionalmente buena relación calidad menú de almuerzo. También podrá ver el extraño aquí también son alucinantes!

Este bar era increíble para el principiante hasta el experto escocés. La selección es excelente y los camareros son fantásticas. Nos lo pasamos genial con Allan y Tom, fueron muy acogedores y serviciales para nuestro grupo que no están muy bien versado en whisky. Recomiendo encarecidamente revisar este bar y sin duda volveremos la próxima vez que estoy en Edimburgo.

Had a combined dinner and Whisky tasking even with a group. OK food and a new experience for me, Try it!

I feel honored to have experienced a whisky tasting with a representative from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Delicious range of whisky and very knowledgeable staff. I can highly reccomend a tasting!

Delicious range of whiskey and knowledgeable staff. Great for wee dram on the way back to the hotel.

14 men from all over Europe for a great evening of awesome whisky accompanied by fantastic food, topped off with spectacular views across to the Firth of Forth. All explained by the excellent staff.

Outstanding! The Bangers and Mash were wonderful. The Irish Cheese plate was to kill for. The Chicken and Tarragon pie was the best I have had. The selection of Whisky was second to none. Sampled three and bought a few more. Membership has its privileges.

Das Vault, die Heimat der Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Urgemütlich, der richtige und zünftige Ort, um ein dram der ausgesuchten Whiskys zu genießen. The Vault immer wieder ein Besuch wert.

Asistieron a un evento de cata anoche con mi hermano y padre, y pasamos un tiempo estupendo, el lugar era pintoresco y pintoresco patio cubierto con una vid y salas de dibujo paneles de madera.

Bästa maten och whisky provningen. Trevlig och kunnig personal. Vill varmt rekommendera detta Måste besökas om man är i Edinburgh

We were not too impressed by the appearance of the dining room. It was all rather grey and dull. If you’re there in the daytime, ask for a table by the window, as the views are nice.

We have been coming here for years as my husband has been a member for a long time. The Society is housed in a beautiful Georgian town house in the centre of Edinburgh over three floors. Their latest reworking has removed the dining room from the original room on the ground floor to the first floor (original drawing room of the house). A bar is on the top floor and now in the ground floor area too. Somebody has hired a simply dreadful interior decorator. Nasty overstuffed brown leather sofas block the windows and horrid flooring and dingy fabrics clutter the space. Weird lighting of an unappealing level does not add to the atmosphere. AND the main fault which I have noticed before is that the heating is inadequate. I had my lunch today with my coat on as other diners also had sweaters on and woollen wraps.The upstairs Members Snug had no heating on at all!! A small fan heater was trying to raise the temperature to 20degrees in the main dining room.. Whats the deal here? The kitchen is fantastic with a beautiful menu and fabulously presented food by attentive waiting staff. Please get this dreadful décor fixed and get some proper heating in the place.The whiskies are all excellent and a good wine list for those not wanting the hard stuff at lunchtime was also good. I'm afraid full marks for food but 4 out of 10 for ambience and comfort.

メニューであるテイスティングノートを参考に多種多様なモルトを注文し楽しむことができます。 もちろんホスピタリティあふれ...

Well fist time there but it was very good. I was at a monthly lunch with about 16 of my ex HP people as we are all retired but the food was excellent, Most had a starter and main course .

I have been there various times and it has been a great place to be. Today though, I was there with family and a member of staff made a misogynistic and homophobic comment. A comment like that does not fit in a city like Edinburgh....

Was a good evening tasting som stunning Whisky. A touch on the expensive side but the Malt selection is stunning. A true Whisky lover will enjoy the experience.

Absolutely beautiful food in a wonderful environment. My partner and I had dinner here on Saturday evening. We had a window table on the first floor and thoroughly enjoyed the views, inside and out. Staff were friendly and helpful but not always there when we looked for them. Food was delicious, we had the tasting menu which I would thoroughly recommend. We also opted for the matched wine, all the wine matches were spot on for flavour but be aware the glass you are poured for each course will be small. The waiters explained the food and wine flavour pairings pretty well too.

As part of an Odysseys Unlimited tour, our group of 24 ate here in a private room upstairs. The food was very good, but served very quickly. I wish I had visited this establishment on my own as the entire venue looked very promising. Maybe next time!

Vi bokade en provning och fick en fantastisk genomgång från Olaf som var såväl kunnig som entusiastisk. Att vi var en grupp med olika erfarenhet (och intresse) för whiskey gjorde inget - Olaf fann en god balans.

My son is a member and lives just across the way. We walked over for dinner. I have been here a few times before and always enjoyed the elegant surroundings. Had one or two whisky forays, but this evening was just a bite to eat and a couple of beers. Staff are always charming. Food is good and wholesome. The atmosphere is just fantastic. Definitely one of my favourite Edinburgh watering holes.

Tenía ganas de visitar la Sociedad para la cena la noche del viernes, y tener una copita (o quizás dos). El personal sabe sus whiskies, y pudimos señalar un par de interesantes desde la reciente ejecución presupuestaria "lista" de embotellado que probé durante el transcurso de la tarde.

If you are lucky enough to be a member of the SMWS or know one this is Mecca. In the Vaults this is a lovely gentleman’s club environment with a tasty lunch and really know need to mention the Scotch. We stopped by for a couple of drams and a delightful Venison Pie. The two volume whiskey bible is overwhelming but if you tell the bartender what flavor profile you like he will do you wonders.

Unbedingt hingehen, auch wer nichts mit Whisky am Hut hat, kann hier sehr gut in Kontakt kommen, und etwas außergewöhnliches lernen

I joined SMWS years ago and keep haunting the Leith venue, it being where it all started. The dark red walls with both dramatic, informational (the roof) and cheeky paintings (wink wink: the Norman Rockwell Connoisseur -painting pastiche has quite many levels indeed), the history-filled surroundings, the selection of society-only whiskies, which can be very interesting indeed if you give a hint to the bar-people about what you like, maybe sprinkled on a portion of haggis should warm the hardest of hearts.Only drawbacks are the slightly sleazy surrounding city area and the fluctuation in the quality of service of the bar. I would like to be impartial, but I have found that the female bartenders try way harder to find whiskies according to specifications you give them and I have ended up buying way more bottles of exceptional delights from them than the occasionally nonchalant, jaded male bartender who sometimes seems to suggest what ever. Same is true for the Queen Street SMWS, which I strongly recommend you to visit, both for its interior decoration being up to par with Leith, but also for superior surroundings and approachability when compared to the Leith haunt.

Visiting friends they wanted me to try something different and I have to say this place is absolutely very chilled out, sitting on nice sofas, looking at hundreds of bottles, going through your whiskey menu... very cool. I ended up even buying a bottle (never spent so much on any bottle) cause it just tasted phenomenal. Really worth a visit if in town.

Our meals were great, as was the service for the meal. Service in the bar on ground floor was non existent Staff talked among themselves and never did approach us. The place could use some cleaning. Stairs up to the dining room were filthy. Would go beck to give it a second chance simply because the food was outstanding

We are not big scotch drinkers, but wanted to taste some of the single malts. This was a great place to go. You don't have to be a member of the society to taste the whisky in their bar. A very knowledgeable server brought us a flight of whiskies and explained them in ways that were easy for us novices to understand. Great fun!

Didn't know what to expect as we were just seeking good whiskey. This was a fun experience as you get to choose the flavor profile you like and they bring out your delicious dram of whiskey. A bit upscale but worth it!

We had five whiskies to taste with an excellent talk by Olaf on the making of these 60 degree proof whiskies and how to drink them. It was a very good one and a half hour talk and guidance. Everyone enjoyed it and found it very informative.

For our last night in Edinburgh, our son had arranged for us to have dinner at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. While there is a room dedicated just for members, the public may make reservations to eat in their dining room. Hands down, the best dining experience we had in Scotland. The bar, where you may wait for your table to be prepared is stocked with the best whiskies on earth. Excellent and very friendly service. The restaurant is upstairs and is elegant by any standard. The menu is French and the food was exceptional. Diners are brought a small taste of whisky before the meal, then small dishes are brought between each course to prepare the palate. It was a two hour dinner that passed far too quickly. This needs to be on the fine dining list of anyone planning on eating in Edinburgh!

We tried one of the tasting paddles as virtual novices to the intricacies of Whisky and thoroughly enjoyed our experience. The wait staff were more than happy to pass on their knowledge to us and the atmosphere is dark and cosy. Definitely worth a visit for Whisky newbies and lovers alike.

Eating at the SMWS has become a regular appointment. The best value for money of the restaurants tried in Edinburgh so far. Great atmosphere.

Visit frequently, mainly for whisky, but increasingly often have food as well. The most recent was a platter of three starters for £12 - excellent value, and great food. Glazed pork belly, beer-battered haddock and smoked salmon. (Who knew that smoked salmon and pork belly went so well together?)Previous night I'd had the steak, also good eating and good value.And of course great whiskies to go with the food - they have plenty of other drink options too.

Went for lunch in the members lounge in February. Ordered mussels which were served with a knife and fork(!). After a 20 minute wait I eventually got a dish for the shells and a spoon, by which time the food was cold. Over a third of the mussels were inedible as the shells were barely open and could only be prised open further with force which ripped the shellfish and were quite unappetising. Mussels are one of my favourite dishes and I have never had such a large proportion of inedible ones before.My husband called over the manager to point out the number of shells which were inedible. The manager was supercilious and dismissive, assuring us having spoken to the kitchen that the barely open mussels were perfectly all right and asking us what we expected him to do about it. We paid and left. I sent an email of complaint and reminder letter but didn't even receive an acknowledgement. Needless to say my husband who had newly become a member as a Christmas treat, has elected not to return.

We had lunch here on a Thursday afternoon, the restaurant was very quiet. However, the atmosphere and our very knowledgeable waitress made the day. The food was excellent, the portion sizes are generous. The cheese selection was amazing and at a very reasonable price. All in all very good value for money. We will definitely go back and highly recommend to anyone who enjoys very good food and wine to give this little gem a try.

If you like whisky especially single cask then this is an amazing place to visit.There is a public bar with lots to choose from to make the visit memorable..To access the members area you need to join the Society which is great value.Enjoy

This is a club, no question of that and it doesn't pretend to be anything else. The main clubroom which is the bar and dining room is delightful and full of atmosphere. Yes of course it is for Malt Whisky lovers but not exclusively and you may drink beer, wine or almost anything you might fancy. The food is very good indeed, it tastes good and is well presented.

We've been members for years, and come here for lunch frequently. There was a period where some of the staff at The Vaults were a brusque, rude bunch, but I'm delighted to say that the current team all seem rather charming (there's a bearded chap in the bar who's particularly delightful!)The sandwich and soup deal here is always a delicious combination - I'm particularly addicted to the Croque Monsieur - and there's usually some sort of 'special' on too.(Yesterday's soup was slightly mystifying - it was advertised as tomato and lentil (a huge favourite of mine) but when it arrived, turned out to be potato and leek! The staff didn't mention that it was completely different, and as it was so tasty, neither did we : but some people might have been slightly irritated/disappointed by the substitution. Perhaps a bit more attention to detail please....)The society rooms are very beautiful - (although I must say how disappointed I was this Christmas to see a FAKE tree! I realise that it must be a lot cheaper than the usual massive real one, but what a shame ) - and the fires are a delight on a cold day. Anyway, it's lovely being a member here, and unlike the Queen Street branch, the members still seem to respect the 'silent mobile/laptop' rule. Long may that be the case.

I've been a member for many years and particularly enjoy the vast array of malts on offer. The atmosphere in Giles St is wonderful. The staff friendly and knowledgeable. It's just a good place in which to spend time.But I have to highlight the coffee today. Beautifully made and just the right temperature. The food here is excellent too. Join! It's worth it.

Visited Queen Street venue for lunch with friends. 28 has had a recent makeover. Although the general public have access to a bar on ground level and a restaurant on the first floor, the members area on the 2nd has not improved.The table is neither a sitting place nor a bar. There are fewer seats although the wee nooks comfortably seat 6.Never mind, the whiskies are still great, if more pricey!

Been members for years and it never disappoints lovely place to hang out especially in the winter months.

I recently stopped my membership! Why? Well, only tried three times during the year to go to the members lounge and each time I couldn't get in! Too busy, by allowing the dinner guests sitting in the members area... So why pay £62 for a private lounge I can't access..... A shame.