The Waterside Bistro in Haddington in East Lothian

Rustic restaurant with very good regional and seasonal food. Top quality on the plate. Staff very friendly and prompt.

We booked for a table of 20 for a family meal in honour of a relative that recently passed away. Whilst booking, we had specifically requested that we had a separate room and a large table that could fit us all. Upon arriving, we were split across two tables - a table of 12 and a table of 8. There were also 2 other tables of people in the room (groups of 6+ who looked awkward as a result). This meant that we, as a family, felt awkward moving between tables or socialising across them as we didn’t want to interfere with the other tables experience. At no point in the evening did the staff ask if we wanted refills or any further drinks. We had one drink each and only got further ones if we asked. A family member asked for a latte to be told it ‘wasn’t included in our set menu’ but were fine to include tea or Americano’s, didn’t realise milk was sooo out of the question. Especially with a bill that came to over £800. The staff were quick to clear the mains but there was no ask if we were ready for desserts, they had them ready to put down as soon as the last main was cleared. The whole experience felt very rushed, which didn’t feel right since the rest of the restaurant was empty and it was 3pm on a Saturday - so not even peak hours. The male waiter who took our orders was genuinely lovely. It’s a shame about everything else in the experience. Pretty underwhelming experience and a lack of care and attention for customers who have travelled over 3 hours each to meet at this location. It was the first time some of us have seen each other in 14+ years, first time meeting kids, new partners etc and I wouldn’t go again.

Great wee spot for lunch. Staff were excellent. Recommended.

We had a lovely lunch here. The service was great as was the atmosphere. Lots of interconnecting spaces in a beautiful location. Dog friendly too.

Superb pub! Had drinks and a light meal Friday afternoon/ early evening and then took the family the next day for a cheeky afternoon pint! Service is superb, location is absolutely stunning and the food and drinks are perfect. A touch more pricey but well worth every penny👍👍

Food is good service takes a bit long food is also a tiny bit pricey

It's a lovely outdoor setting, very busy on a Sun mid arvo so poss quite tight inside, reservation strongly encouraged. Staff were courteous, if not a little serious given the gastro pub menu 🤣 We had the roast beef and confit duck of which the beef seemed by far the best, both around £25 👍

Excellent food, service and ambience.

Stopped in for a late lunch on a long trip home. Specials and regular menu all looked and sounded good. You'd want to come back time and again to try everything. We had the rump steak and salmon. Fabulous.

Wonderful setting, great ambiance and friendly, helpful staff and absolutely fabulous food. Have been a number of times and am never disappointed..

Fantastic location, great staff, service and food.

Superb food, diverse menu, good service.

Lovely lunch and one of the best steaks I’ve ever had .

N for drinks but food going out to customers look great.

Couldnt have wished for better service or food after my 6 hour drive up north 👏 james and his staff are fabulous 👏

Great food and service here. Our group of 10 had a fantastic time.

Decent service but food was disappointing. The place feels tired and in need of a revamp.

Great experience here, highly recommend! Lovely views of the river, bridge and the church. Cozy and comfortable atmosphere. Friendly service especially from James who runs the place. Food was delicious! Especially great service when James arranged a taxi for us back to our place, an otherwise 30 minute walk. Thank you to James and his staff for a wonderful evening!

This is a fabulous Bistro. The food quality is excellent. Check the specials on the board. Very helpful friendly staff. If you want to have great meal in a nice environment this is where to go. Back at Waterside last night .Both courses off the specials board, Cullen Skink starter and Sea bass main, so so good. The food here is amazing

Went for a birthday dinner with family, it was a bit quieter when we arrived. The atmosphere and decor were very charming and quite traditional and rustic. The staff were so polite and attentive and made sure we had the best experience. They also kindly turned up a heater next to me as I was quite cold. The food was lovely and had decent portion sizes. It's a little on the pricier side, but they use quality product and ingredient, and again, you do get pretty good portions. My only tiny critique is that some of the food was slightly bland for my taste and didn't pack the punch of flavour that I was expecting when I read the menu. Overall, I would recommend visiting if you're in Haddington. It's a quaint and picturesque hidden gem.

We had a dinner in this restaurant and we felt the flavour and the ambient of typical Scottish venue. Very professional and welcoming staff suggested typical dishes to taste. After the dinner we went outside walking in the nearby of the river, the abbey and the city centre. Awesome place to visit. Excellent.

One of the rare restaurants where I have been to eat 2 evenings in a row...

Great service,the food was yummy 😋

Very friendly and professional service and a wide choice of high quality interesting dishes. You can tell they use too quality produce. Just excellent.

Just a wee note to say thank you to James and his staff for a wonderful dining experience today. The service was superb and professional and the welcome from James set us at ease. We have used the Waterside periodically over the past 30 years and from father to son the courteous professional standards as well as the quality of food are still superb. Thanks again Andy Burt.

Stopped off here for a few drinks and the staff are warm and welcoming. Great selection of beers/craft ales and we were offered a taster before getting a pint of whatever we fancied. Highly recommend for a nice drink

Visited today, our second visit and what a disappointing contrast. We were seated near the toilets which smelt of cheap cleaning products and we had a constant stream of people passing our table. Not sure that the tables where we sat should be placed where they are due to this. Our crockery was stuck to the table when we sat down, goodness knows what they clean the tables with, and my cutlery was dirty. The portion sizes are ridiculously large so consequently the prices are also inflated and we felt rushed from the minute we sat down. Two starters and main courses ordered, produced and eaten in the space of just over half an hour!! The female staff were morose. Needless to say we won't be returning. Had we been asked about our experience when we paid the bill I would have fed this back face to face, but as they didn't bother enquiring I've resorted to this review.

Fantastic bistro. Great service and wonderful food . Worth booking in advance.

Lovely experience. Could offer no complaints. Couldn't do enough for us. Food Lovely. Everything just right.

Oh my god how amazing!!! Great food, great dessert

Family run restaurant full of style and character. Beautiful food in a beautiful setting and not enough stars available for service!

Had a lovely visit with my cousin such a beautiful little bistro

Lovely setting. Very attentive and friendly staff. Excellent food.

What a lovely place. The staff, especially Mark, were very helpful and nothing was too much trouble. The food is excellent and helping are generous too. There is a good selection of wines with many by the glass. Also, importantly for us, dog friendly inside and out. Thanks again to Mark for helping us to have a perfect evening after a long day driving. Thoroughly recommend.

A lovely hidden gem of a bar!! What a lovely location too. As stated in the name its sat right on the waterside with amazing views.. 😁👌 A lovely vintage interior, extremely friendly staff. Best steak ive had in a long time, absolutely delicious 😋 A must visit location!!!!

A lovely sunny day out with excellent food and drinks. Service friendly and helpful plus a delightful walk beforehand Helpful and friendly staff made us most welcome

Really good food, great service.

Only complaint was the fish was one fillet cut in half to make two plates and were small fish.

My 11 year old son said “This was one of my favourite restaurant experiences, ever!” Nuff said!

Excellent birthday meal for my wife’. The seafood platter was well presented and tasted amazing , a generous portion. We both had the Pork loin for our main , probably the best pork I have ever had and cooked to perfection . We had no room for desert , but the looked delicious . The price was realistic and the staff were friendly and attentive

Excellent food in a beautiful setting by the river and old bridge.

Surprisingly good food. We really enjoyed it. Staff are very friendly and could not be more helpful. We will be back.

Excellent location, attentive staff, immaculate toilets and the best haddock and chips in a long time.

Did not expect this place to be here but the food and setting was excellent

Picturesque bistro on the river embankment in Haddington, staff sat us upstairs at a table for two table was a bit squashed in a was a bit cold upstairs also, quite a limited menu but plumbed for the goats cheese starter which was very nice and my wife had the lamb terrine which was ok but a bit dry i had the sea bass mornay which i have to say was very nice and my wife had the fish and chips which was also very nice, pudding wise we both plumbed for the sticky toffee pudding which was good but probably too big portion wise one portion would have done the two of us,staff were all very attentive and friendly overall nice place and decent food would definitely return.

Cracking place. Lovely food and staff very friendly. What's not to like. 😎👌

Currently at the Riverside in Haddington. Paid 28£ for a blue fillet steak. This steak is not blue, it is overcooked and dry. Very disappointed. Since then, asked for another steak and it came perfectly grilled, a succulent tasty steak. The 2 stars revised to 4.

Absolutely beautiful meal in the Waterside Bistro 2 weeks ago. We arrived on a midweek evening without a booking and were glad to find that we were able to have a table for 2 with our large breed dog. Lovely Bistro, with fresh white tablecloths, candles, a jug of water and a basket of bread brought staright away. Service & ambience impeccable. We enjoyed Carrot, Coriander and Courgette soup and Stornoway Black Pudding starters, Chicken/Chorizo with Rosemary & Apricot and Fish mains, Sticky Toffee Pudd and Rhubarb Creme Brulee to finish. Each course was delicious. Will visit again when in Haddington

I was working locally, my customer recommended going here, it didn’t disappoint. Great setting, fantastic old building that serves great food, very well. The service was top class, I had the special starter and main course. Prawn and pickled herring salad starter, the herring was so fresh and the rose sauce was incredible. Bread pork steaks with tomato linguine was extremely tasty, I’m still full 2hrs later. I hope I get to work up here again soon.

One of the best places we have been to can't wait to go again

I had the large fish and chips. It was mostly batter and very little fish. Call me old fashioned but large means a full fish. The fish was cut in to slices and served as two portions. Basically I got half a fish if I was lucky. The waitress was very professional and didn’t charge me. I hope the chef and owners take this on board as it’s a great restaurant.

We have been meaning to visit for sometime now and we weren't disappointed. The food was exceptional, as was the service, the staff are so lovely. Definitely worth a visit, we will be back in the Summer. Highly recommend.

I absolutely loved this place, definitely my favourite place now, staff were very kind they made me feel like I was an important figure by making a mocktail for me that wasn't even on the menu, food is a 9/10 I personally like my chips softer then they were but dessert was the best! Definitely recommend going

I have never posted a review before but can I just say what an excellent little gem in Haddington this is. The food is fantastic but the service is beyond amazing they offered options that were not on the menu for my daughter and even made a strawberry mocktail for her. My wife said that her cod was the best she has ever had. I live 4 hours away and would really consider driving all this way to enjoy the food, service and atmosphere again. You must try this place if you are ever around.

The food was exceptional, but the host, Stewart/ Stuart (forgive me if spelt incorrectly) was by far the highlight of our evening! He truly exemplified the true meaning of customer service. We admired the location of the establishment, as Stewart/Stuart went out of his way to give us the history of the place and the town itself. Super informative, greatly appreciative! -Visitors from the Washington D.C and N.Y

Just brilliant, delicious food, exemplary service and cosy welcoming atmosphere. Loved every minute of our visit here. So good would recommend booking as it is very popular and I can understand why.

It's been many years since l was last in the Waterside (l live down south now). The ambience, service and quality of food was excellent

Another fantastic meal. Always a great experience. Front of house staff are brilliant, always very warm and friendly, plus very accommodating. The chefs produce amazing cuisine. The menu always leaves you struggling to pick which delicious dish to choose. James the owner is the perfect host. If you have not been i strongly suggest going here. It wont disappoint. Hands down my favourite restaurant in East lothian!!

Friendly service and an imaginative menu

Had a party of 27 folk. Well catered for by the excellent staff. Food lovely.

Lovely place, very friendly staff..beautiful to visit in the summer months, can be a little expensive but the quality of food you get is worth it.

First time here today 6/01/24 would highly recommend great service beautiful food lively fresh bread and water served before the meal will. Definitely be back

The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous! The atmosphere, the service and the food are HIGHLY recommended!! I’d like to mention the how nice the staff is, specially James! A great place to visit with family, a date or friends! 🙌

Thoroughly looked after by the staff. In a party of 28 our meals were generously portioned, steaming hot and delicious. Couldn't fault it and would recommend 👌

Lovely food, very attentive staff and very relaxed atmosphere.

Food and service are top class, they cannot do enough to make your visit more pleasing

We finished a walk in the Haddington area with lunch at The Waterside Bistro. We were greeted and served by friendly staff. Our table looked out over the river and the old bridge with snow on the ground. We had a light lunch of soup and pate which was delicious and perfect on a very cold day.

This is a favourite of ours around Christmas time. It's dog friendly, staff are great, loads of choice in menu, food is delicious, reasonably priced, and a great location. Thank you!

My friend and I had a lovely lunch, value for money and friendly staff

A wunderfull location that makes your day even it is rainy and windy outside. We felt a bit like coming home or visiting close friends... the staff here is doing an outstanding great job. Everything is well organised and we could recognize immediatley that the people working here do indeed love what they do.. Food was very well presented and tasted fantastic. This is the place to recommend for all who likes to be in a cosy warmhearted place with loveley people and fantastic food! Will return for sure when back in Scotland!

Amazing food and really friendly service. Thanks!

What a beautiful evening spent at the Waterside Bistro on 15 August 2023. The best meal I have ever tasted. Greeted with a warm welcome at the door and looked after from start til finish. Very friendly professional staff. Fresh bread and butter and bottled water all ready and waiting for us when we were seated. Mains were roast pork with black pudding, trio of fish, beef burger and chips. Desserts were chefs homemade chocolate mint cheesecake, and selection of ice cream. All portions were enormous!! One soft drink and 3 alcoholic drinks. £79 total. Local produce lovingly prepared. We will be back. Just superb!

A lovely venue, attentive staff and lovely food. The Guinea Fowl was cooked just right and the entire dish was very tasty. The chocolate delice was amazing. Thanks

Took our adult kid's to celebrate 🍾 a birthday. The Waterside is one of our favourite local eateries. Love the use of local produce and a lovely menu that doesn't overwhelm with too much choice. I had the pork loin....marvellous. Great choice of wine and beers too. Will always return. ❤

Vegetarian risotto was too salty for my taste. Jerk cod was somewhat bland but the creamed corn was tasty. Large portions. Waiter was perfect. Overpriced. Lovely location but troublesome finding the bistro and the car park.

Great place for a pint and lunch. Lovely setting and great food and service...

Lovely discovery by the river on a baking hot day. Friendly staff, great food, sunny atmosphere at the outside tables. The inside looked about perfect for the rest of a Scottish summer!

We chose this restaurant because it is a gluten free friendly place. With that in mind it has to be said that the batter on the fish was excellent and the chips were fine but the peas were actually hard. The tartar sauce that was advertised with it had to be asked for as did one of the meals! There were four of us, the waitress brought three meals and we thought she would be right back with other. After about ten minutes we had to seek out another server and ask where the fourth meal was. He brought it about five minutes later, but we were still missing the tartar sauce, which, for me, makes fish and chips special. The tartar sauce was clearly home made and I would highly recommend it, if you have the patience for waiting for your food. It was Friday afternoon, around 2.30 so I don't see what the issue was. A wedding party did arrive on site shortly after we ordered, and I do understand that this could make them a little more busy, but were they not expected? If not, then surely the customers who were already there and who had already ordered should have been attended to first. All in all, top marks for the fish and tartar sauce, low marks for the peas and the service. Sorry guys, this breaks my heart because I actually do like to give good reviews.

We happened upon the Waterside for lunch and so glad we did. Cucumber gazpacho (pic), pigs cheek and black pudding with applesauce and the pasta with peas and broad beans were all exceptional! I only wish we were going to be in the area for dinner!

Great food, great company, great time and great views

This place easily outranked all the other places we visited in Scotland... and we visited quite a few! Excellently positioned by the riverside, this place offers some really great food and drinks. The taste was simply majestic and the overall service was brilliant. We were lucky enough to secure a table, because the place was almost fully booked at the time of our visit. Possibly requires a reservation, but should you ever find yourselves in Haddington, make sure you pay a visit in this place!!!

Beautiful place to go for a delicious meal . The food was excellent and the service wonderful . They were very friendly and welcoming to us . Definitely worth the visit if you're in Haddington

We arrived on a Monday evening without a booking and were seated very quickly. It was a sunny day so we chose to sit outside by the river in what is a lovely setting. The menu and specials offered a good choice. The food and service were excellent and it wasn't overpriced. Definitely recommend and will be back again when we're in the area.

the staff are so lovely and the food is fabulous , would recommend !!

the staff were so nice and accommodating and the food was delicious! definitely reccomend.

Kitchen closes at 8! So, arriving at 8.15 after a long journey from S Wales, we had to beg to be fed. They kindly found some pate and cheese in the kitchen for us. Friendly and helpful.

Pleasant staff, food excellent.

Très bien, repas copieux et très bon. Menu enfants proposés. La déco est très sympa. Cadre tres agréable et service très pro et sympa. Go go go nous avons passé un très bon moment.

The food was good and the staff was competent. We enjoyed our meals but would not be in a rush to go back.

Great Service,Lovely People. Lovely Food allways. Beautiful Location. Why wouldn't you ?

Fantastic food, service and atmosphere. Highly recommended and beautiful location by the river

Very nice food with exceptionally nice staff in a great location.

Great experience, food are amazing! services are wonderful very kind people Highly recommended!.

Superb food and service. All round fantastic experience. Highly recommended.

Tasty food, cozy atmosphere, excellent service, and a very picturesque outdoor setting - highly recommended!

This is the best place I've been to in 30 miles. The food is great the service is good and the atmosphere is amazing. Coming here for a lunch in the sun is a brilliant day out. Its not too expensive and the beer and food is always fresh. I definitely recommend trying this place if you are in the area 😁👌

Lovely bistro located at the side of the river. Menu was good and we enjoyed the battered fish supper. My son had the potted crab and really enjoyed it. The cider on tap was crisp and refreshing. Highly recommended

Food was lovely Staff very friendly and efficient

Came one evening and were greeted by host who seated us down and promised will bring the menus. Few minutes after a waitress pops out with the menus but completely ignores us and comes back in. When she pops out again I have asked for the menus. When she brought the menus asked if we booked - and we said no then she said that they are busy and food will be a long wait. Host who greeted us never mentioned any issues. I have ordered a still water but got sparkling. Food Very average but overpriced. 13.50 for small portion of fish and chips and they even forget to give a tartare sauce. 19 pounds for 2 slow cooked pieces of pork belly tossed with some sweet soya sauce. Advertised side was pineapple and cucumber salad. It was a simple salad with 2 small peaces of pineapple and couple slices of cucumber plus some cheap salad dressing. Haddington has not many other decent places but the restaurant should keep their standards if they want to charge top prices.

FANTASTIC place. Professional friendly helpful staff, excellent service, and GREAT food. We had potted crab n shrimp, pig cheek, and black pudding and olives. Then Burger with chips. I took a pic to show the burger, honestly, best burger I have ever had. Normally you get burger and think I could have gone burger King for half the price, but not with this one, it was sooooo tasty and juicy. Well worth the money Beautiful surroundings and amazing place, what else could you ask for. You have definitely got three new regular customers