The White Horse in Edinburgh, City of

We have loved this place previously but it’s under new ownership which is telling. Similar menu but dishes don’t have the same flavour as before. Service was extremely disappointing - better places to spend £200 for a couple with much better customer service.

We had a fantastic looong lunch sitting watching the day go by. Outstanding oysters, innovative seafood tapas washed down with a nice bottle of white. Superb desserts. Go!

Fantastisk sea food til rimelige priser. God service i hyggelige omgivelser. Vi besøgte stedet måde til frokost og aftensmad

Deniz mahsulleri seviyorsanız burada güzel seçenekler var. Bizim seçtiklerimiz yerel istiridye, kızartılmış yumurtalı yengeç, çıtır patatesli yengeç ve padron biberi.

Most of the food and the wine was good. However we found the service lacking in several respects. Plates arrived slowly, the salmon was forgotten until we asked for it, water was not refilled, and coffee was served long before dessert - we had to remind the server about the dessert as well. The server was not very responsive. We’ve been here many times before and never experienced this treatment.

Stumbled into this restaurant during peak of festival with no booking, so phew! Super innovative, fun, creative and tasty mid Scottish food. Great vibes and lovely drinks. The Caledonian oysters were superb, the monkfish satay was incredible (and am from Thailand!) and overall highly recommended.

Don’t do it, low quality ingredients and as a result poor outcome. Staff are fine must difficult to deliver the food to tables.

We had some lovely food. Oysters, crab scotch egg, sesame tuna, monkfish satay, prawn & lobster toast and beef & oysters. The beef & oysters was the best dish which was excellent. Service was a little glum which was a shame. Some of the plates were certainly small considering the price. The wine was very expensive at £15 for a large glass. Overall we had really nice food however, don’t believe it was worth what we paid.

Food was fresh & tasty. Stuff was quite friendly and I was not very expensive. Next time we’ll try something new. Local drinks are nice

This place was last year a great experience and this year so disappointing. Food not only average but we sent back the crapmeet Scottish egg as it was rotten. The patron pepperonis either over grilled or undercooked and the octopus without texture and probably unfrozen. 133£ for 3 people is clearly not what you expect…

Food is pretty good (such as octopus) but service and atmosphere weren’t as warm and professional as we’d expected. Nothing wrong just not worth much buzz

We came here 4 months ago and the food was amazing which is why we chose here as the place to celebrate my boyfriend’s birthday. We traveled from Manchester here for the dinner but unfortunately the food has changed so much. Both the octopus and the steak tasted very bitter due to over-grilling. It is like soooo bitter that we could hardly swallow them down. The bitterness has made other food lose their tastes. Also, the clam and the crab fries changed sooo much. They even didn’t look the same. We are discussing 四个月前我们来这吃饭的时候，每道菜都可谓很惊艳，因此这次我们特意从曼城赶来为了我男朋友庆祝生日，然而食物变了特别多，牛排和章鱼都烟熏过度，特别特别的苦，很难下咽，扇贝和蟹薯条和之前相比味道和外观都有很大的变化，真的很失望，很难下咽

My favourite Edinburgh place to eat… till today. Food average, service very poor! Expressly asked for plates to be staggered, everything came together: Bill incorrect. £177 in and out in less than an hour (and that was waiting 15mins for our order to be taken). I’ll go to Sushi Samba instead from now on!

We have been going to the white horse oyster bar since it opened but sadly won’t be back, last time we were there lots of things were off the menu & food wasn’t as good as previous visits, but after todays visit I will not return again some things weren’t available but the biggest bugbear is when you explain that you don’t want all the food to come at once, & then it does! Front of house totally out of his depth explained to him this is not how we wanted our food & all he could say is this sometimes happens!! Also some of our favourite picks monkfish has shrunk in size, salt & pepper prawns cold, straw fries again cold, when we complained we got offered free desert, we don’t eat dessert, also things on bill that we hadn’t ordered! The whole experience was totally ruined!

chef de cocina genial, nos indicó comer ostras, langosta, un huevo relleno y como no podia ser e otra manera, un albariño. muy rico todo

The waitstaff was indifferent at best and rude , at worst. The drinks took WAY too long as did the food - When the food came it was too salty - And I left annoyed and still hungry .

Walked past Sunday afternoon and thought we'd try here as it looked nice. When we got inside, we noticed it was happy hour on the Oysters £2 each. We were greeted quickly and were shown to our table. I ordered a cocktail.. margarita, this was the best I've ever had. My husband had a double gin and tonic. We ordered 10 oysters and a side of fries. The oysters were delicious and loved the fries, too. The service was good, and the guy was super friendly. It's a really lovely find.

Excellent seafood restaurant with small dishes designed for sharing. Every choice we made was a treat for the taste buds. The choice of three kinds of oyster serves to demonstrate how much they vary in taste. Our favourite plate was definitely the service of Jake which was sublime. Rob our server was both knowledgeable and engaging. The muscadet we had with our meal was just right for our dinner. One of the best meals I've ever had worldwide, certainly in the top ten. This is must do experience for anyone who is in Edinburgh and likes seafood.

This was one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Definitely goes in the restaurant hall of fame. Make sure you have the monkfish, but everything is sublime. Truly! Rob is an amazing waiter who really knows his craft and the menu. Make sure you come here!!

Great gastronomical experience. I’ve visited this restaurant with my husband and my baby. We enjoyed every single dish, specially the oysters, they were fresh and tasty! We also tried different cocktails, they were really good. The waiters gave nice recommendations and took really good care of us. I would totally recommend this place if you visit Edinburgh city Centre. 5 stars to the Staff, Food and service.

Amazing place! Seen lots of reviews on this place and myself and wife decided it was a must visit on our trip to Edinburgh, it did not disappoint! The service was brilliant and the food stunning! The crab Scotch egg is an absolute must, that being said all the food was brilliant. The staff noted it was our anniversary also.

Not what we expected.Food was ok and presentation also.Restaurant had Atmosphere but something was missing.Waiter very friendly.Restroom was not clean also the entrance and steps going down there.If we went to the toilets before dinner we would leave right away.

Absolutely smashing, plates of posters, monkfish, Scallops and lobster. Glass of champagne, ice cold guiness and watching the world go by. Some of the best seafood we've eaten in a long while, not sure where other people are reviewing with their negativity. Go somewhere else, saves space for people who want to have a nice time. Friendly and efficient service without any pretentiousness . Thanks to all xxx

This restaurant was a beautiful experience from start to finish. A perfect anniversary dinner with my wife. Fantastically fresh seafood prepared creatively and with style. Among our favorite dishes were the Crab Scotch Egg, Charred Octopus, Hand Dived Scallops, and Salt and Pepper Prawns. The waiters were informed, helpful and very friendly and supportive in our journey! The atmosphere was very romantic. All their recommendations were spot on. Most highly recommended experience in Old Town Edinburgh!

Not great at all, very basic tasteless food. Totally changed from when it first opened. Over priced. Quality of food terrible. Veg pale, Monkfish so small. Would not recommend at all. Not going back. I think people r totally blinkered into thinking this is the best Edinburgh has to offer! It’s so so not!

Decent seafood in a small but atmospheric location not far from main tourist area and transport. The hake ceviche,monkfish satay and smaller oysters were excellent.The bread was great and a perfect accompanant to mop up the various sauces/broth from mussels. Cocktails were brill. The steak was slightly "chugh" to use a scots word but didn't really detract from the taste. The mussel broth was quite salty for us but maybe coz we hardly use salt in our cooking at home. Staff were pleasant and attentive and it's obviously a very popular place. All in all we thought this was a great seafood restaurant specializing in small plate dishes. Will return in the future.

Fantastic food and great customer service! Niki at the bar treated us incredibly, with GREAT cocktails and some the best oysters I have ever had. Selection of 3 Oysters and all of a very high quality. Steak was good and the octopus was great! Highly recommended and cannot wait for our next trip to Edinburgh so we can come back to this restaurant. Id say its reasonably priced compared to the quality of the food and drinks.

We went here for a special birthday, the food and service was excellent. We had the house seafood platter and loved it. Thank you!

Excellent dinner here, friendly attentive service and pleasant atmosphere. We ordered 5 dishes and a side to share. Standout dishes were the tempura oysters and lobster toast. Ordered a nicely chilled muscadet to go with the food.

I went with my wife for dinner, we were very excited to try Scottish fish and seafood, we travelled from Liverpool and booked a table at The white horse oyster based on the reviews which do not reflect at all the experience we had. We ordered two oysters which we enjoyed, hot seafood platter, bread and fries with crab. The hot seafood platter was disappointing, the lobster was overcooked, the octopus was cremated, black and bitter, I’ve had two bites and sent it back, The lobster and octopus were very chewy and no seasoning what so ever. The fries with crab, the same no seasoning at all, the portion was very small served in a tinny bowl, difficult to eat from, Regarding service I was expecting a brief explanation of the platter priced at £110. Very reduced wine list, we wanted a bottle of white wine but 3 were not available, we end up ordering a bottle of prosseco, no information about the wine either from the waiter, she brought us the more expensive bottle of prosseco without to consult us first. Maybe was a bad day but I would not go back, We paid £200 for dinner, similar prices with Michelin star restaurants but there is no comparation.

The best sea food in town. Casual dining in an old pub building. Tapas style and absolutely delicious. And the staff are lovely friendly and helpful. [Hats off to Helga!] . And the oysters are to die for!

Loved their twist on a scotch egg 🥚 with Crabcake wrapped around and egg ! The oysters 🦪 were wonderful The service was fantastic

My fiancé and I had the most amazing dinner here for my 40th birthday. We had been here before a few years ago and the food was delicious and at the time we didn’t think the food or service could’ve been any better until we visited last night. We were welcomed in and looked after by Alex she was very knowledgeable and passionate, she really did look after us. We were informed that the restaurant had recently hired a whole new team, what ever they are doing it’s working, the front of house staff were all so friendly and welcoming and the chefs are creating the most delicious fresh beautiful seafood, it was easily the best meal we have had in a long time and we can’t wait to come back when we next visit Edinburgh.

So disappointed. The Lindisfarne oysters were sublime, and shucked well. The first dishes thereafter were stone cold. The octopus was awful. We literally couldn't cut it with a knife, it was so tough. We left it. We weren't asked about it when the staff took away the plate. Hassel back potatoes were basically just boiled potatoes. Not crispy. Potentially microwaved as they were unusually hot. The monkfish satay was delicious. The lobster tempura was dry and we were still chewing it after a couple of minutes. I'm not exaggerating. We weren't asked once how the meal/food was. Not even when paying. Really odd. I'm not one to moan in my reviews, but this experience was not good.

I am a regular at the White Horse, have been coming for years and left a good review last year. I booked an early table (5pm) on New Years Eve with my family and shortly found out that things have changed - for the worst. To start with, we were told that were no Seafood Platters which is the main part of the menu. This is the reason why we booked a table here as my kids love them. We then ordered from the small plates menu. The Sourdough Bread (£2.50 per slice) with smoked garlic was burned. The Straw Fries were soggy (some were drooping over the bowl). When the Octopus arrived, one was a good size and the other was tiny. I then had to quickly cut them up and redistribute / resize to my kids before they realised that one dish had been short changed. The tempura broccoli was a big tree like sprig with no tempura. There was no quality control in the kitchen and it seemed they were throwing anything on the plate. When the wine arrived, it was a different bottle to the one I ordered as they had run out. When it was dessert time, my youngest ordered Apple Pie - they had run out. She then ordered the Lemon Curd / Custard - that had also run out. There was only 1 dessert left on the menu (Chocolate Mousse). The menu I was given was dirty with food stuck on it and the hallway downstairs to the toilets was smelly with a door open to a grubby utility room. I'd accept all of the above if I had gone to a pub (with pub prices) not a "Chic Eatery" with the prices to match - £125 per head. I knew something had changed and after googling before writing this review found The White Horse was sold to someone new a few months ago. New Years Eve I appreciate is busy but to have most of the menu off at 5pm is poor and shows a lack of planning especially as the menu is small anyway. From other reviews it seems I got away lightly compared to others who had a nightmare at the main 8pm sitting. If you want to keep your regular customers, you really need to step up your game. Unfortunately I don't think I'll come back again. It was good whilst it lasted :-)

Awful experience at White Horse on New Years Eve. We were really excited about it as a friend had recommended the restaurant. However, it was a complete nightmare from the moment we stepped in. Thankfully a local pub down the road saved our NY from being ruined. - On arrival, we waited in the doorway to be welcomed for 10 minutes, with staff members passing but keeping their heads down and not saying hello. - Twenty minutes after our booking time we were then seated. The atmosphere amongst customers was awkward and you could tell lots of people were complaining and trying to get waiters attention. They were clearly understaffed. - We were then told that they were out of most food, with only 5 items on the menu left. - The food we could order then arrived, two dishes were severely burnt (I don’t understand why they even bothered serving them) and the beef was blue and chewy. We sent most back - they did not seem surprised and at no point did the manager come over to speak with us or apologise. - We then decided to call it a night - asked for the bill and left. They weren’t surprised. The things that did go well - lovely oysters, great female waitress and they did take the inedible items off the bill. Unfortunately that didn’t make up from the rest of our terrible experience, and the negative tint it put on NYE. I used to work in hospitality so understand some days can be busy. However, it’s new years so no surprise and they could have planned much better.

Sea food is excellent, especially the cod! The octopus was cooked to perfection, we had to order a second round. Mix drinks had the perfect ratio of alcohol and puree. We took our two year old son with us and the staff were extremely friendly!

Everything was fine. Best place eating in Edinburgh. Try this place ! After 3 days advised by concierge of best hotel, it’s a nice surprise. A gourmet lover.

Just came across this restaurant by chance on a Friday night and they managed to squeeze us in at 9 pm. Exceeded our expectations. Really like the concept of Tapas, small dishes. The mussels and clams to start with - absolutely delicious. Followed by scallops, salmon tartare and prawns. Nice South African Sauvignon to go with it. Good and fast service. Would definitely recommend 😊

Everything was mediocre to say the least. Oysters were not bad but completely mangled by whoever opened them. Slapdash service, burnt bread, burnt steak, sticky plates and glasses….give it a miss.

I had the octopus and and the monkfish. It was FANTASTIC! Ohhh and the oysters!! Just great, recommend!

Excellently Essen , super frische Austern , prima Service , faire Preise. Weinauswahl bescheiden. Bier dafür ok . Netter Abend

Scotch egg was good but needed seasoning to be better, beef and oysters were okay, but a wee bit salty, scallops were great! Raw oysters were good but the dipping sauce was not. Meal would be better if there was something on the plate as a side.

Very nice oysters and menu in general at very reasonble prices. We tried every plate on the menu that was available (11 pcs). Our favorites were the tuna, the ceviche and the mussels. Very friendly staff and very helpful. The interior was nice but could have been a bit cozier in that it was a bit crowded/busy.

Nydelig mat , super servering.Fantastisk matopplevelse. Anbefaler på det sterkeste .Super service , gode drinker 👍👍

All I can say is wow! It's not often that food brings me to tears but everything we ate was absolutely excellent. The small plates idea gives the chance to try numerous different dishes and none disappointed. Definitely a treat meal but well worth it...

The food was delicious, particularly the broccoli (sides), seaweed slaw and tempura oyster. Seafood in general was excellent, super tasty. I’d also recommend the apple pie dessert and the rhubarb fizz cocktail. The decor was perfect, chairs were comfortable, and the service was excellent. Our...

Lamentable. Nous avons commandé des huîtres. Des plats et des sides. Nous avons commencé par recevoir un plat sur les...

White Horse Oyster & Seafood Bar could not have been a better experience. First, we were seated at the window seats and looked out on the Royal Mile and it was amusing watching people walk by to look at what we were eating and drinking....

This is a great place to go if you are looking for seafood as well as a good price. Service was also very good and sharp

Not sure where to start. Service was very poor. 3 of the small plates, on what isn’t a huge menu were not available on a Saturday evening. Food came out lukewarm and just wasn’t up to the usual standards as we have dined here before....

Personnel très accueillant malgré le stress Essayez le ‘Side’ frittes et crabe… il est vraiment incroyable… un plat en soit…

Fantastic experience, greeted by a very friendly front of house team, the restaurant itself is a nice modern look, comfortable seating and has a please ambience. The waiter who served us was very friendly throughout the experience and helped us with what wine to couple...

not as good as last time , had a table at the back of the restaurant, view into kitchen, door not closed , able to see plates , food getting scraped into bins and hear staff and their music in the kitchen . Frazzled staff,...

Been here a number of times and look forward to it every time. Never really had a bad experience but that has just been shattered. Staff were great and fully understanding but they don't control the kitchen.... food was awful. Bland, burned and totally lacking...

Super lokal! Die austern und die warme seafood platte sind ein traum. Wir würde. Sofort wieder gehen. Service sehr nett

Every dish we had was either virtually flavorless or actively bad. The restaurant had a weird fishy smell, and despite appealing photos online, did NOT have a good ambiance. The staff seemed overworked, and it took ages for anyone to take pictures our order and...

Had a very very bad experience. The lady/waitress who received us was soooooo racist and disrespectful. We went without reservation but we were turned down even there are lots of vacant table. We have reserved the next day and waited outside till they open. One...

Wonderful bistrot. Casual but boujii! Absolutely our style the food was great. The wine was great. The oysters magnificent. The manageress Amy looked after us so well and her blonde colleague on the bar, sorry didn’t catch his name, I think he was Italian, he...

Der Empfang war sehr verhalten - wir waren 5 Minuten zu früh und wurden an die Bar verwiesen. Dort haben...

You'll find the White Horse Oyster bar at the opposite end of the Royal Mile from the Edinburgh castle. This small restaurant has limited seating plus the management does a good job of controlling the number of diners so the kitchen is not overwhelmed. Be...

We visited the venue to celebrate a special occasion as a couple. Food met all expectations and was delicious and fresh. The only downside was service on drinks which took a while. Apart from that we had a great experience.

We were totally disappointed by the service it was nothing short of chaotic a waiter running around spilling food down people we ordered food not to be told there were some items not available some of our party received there meals others waited an hour...

5 out 5 lunch experience once again. Delicious food and wine. Attentive and friendly staff. My friends enjoyed their first experience at the restaurant. Will be back the next time I’m through in Edinburgh.

This place is definitely great Bar with outstanding selection of wines and sea-food Tapas. We've enjoyed every dish there. beef and oysters was perfect and crab egg was very special Service was good. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g186525-d3875568-r916793699-White_Horse_Oyster_Seafood_Bar-Edinburgh_Scotland.html#

La cena in questo ristorante si è trasformata in una splendida avventura in mare aperto : la freschezza e varietà...

Overall, I would wat here again. Customer service was phenomenal. The ladies may me feel warm and welcomed. They explained the menu and knew their stuff. The restaurant was cleaned and atmosphere was good. The food wasn't terrible, but the amount of oil made me...

Fancied some oysters during the fringe and to be fair the oysters were lovely and reasonably priced. Unfortunately the rest of the food was a massive let down, and highly overpriced. The prawn tempura was so bland and basic, and not flavourful, alongside the “crab...

In for lunch after shows at Edinburgh festival. Havent been here for years. 4 sharing plates. Shoestring fries good. Crab Scotch egg. Tepid and bland. Sesame tuna - bland Octopus - overcooked so rubbery and shrivelled Downstairs to ladies toilet pushing the door to get...

Ottimi piatti, personale cordiale e prezzo adeguato. Consigliato soprattutto per chi, come noi, vuole fare una pausa dai piatti di...

A very nice place to snack on some seafood and wine. The plates are small, more like tapas, so please order a few if hungry. I would recommend this place more as a wine bar with tapas than a restaurant. Oysters are very nice but...

Wir haben uns durch alle Vorspeisen durchgetastet! Alles perfekt, würde wir jederzeit wieder machen! Danke an das superfreundliche Team! Absolut...

Very good tapas style sea-food menu including oysters. All tapas dishes were well done and creative. Good service. Recommended and will go again.

Excellent oysters and mussels Fresh with delicious sauce matching with them👍🏻 Recommendation on wine pairing was nice too Great service!

My wife and I went with 3 other couples. Everyone seemed to order something different. I had scallops. They were seared perfectly and the sauce, outstanding. My wife had the prawn tempura. Every bite as good as the scallops. The lobster tempura was lovely. The...

what a great restaurant, seafood tapas, some exquisite food choices bottom part of the Golden mile but if if you have time drop in and enjoy some wonderful seafood options

This is a lovely little restaurant on the Royal Mile. The tapas menu was a delight and clearly the culinary team were well tuned to turning out these dishes with good speed. They were all very tasty and well presented, served at the correct temperatures...

We had a great meal at white horse. We shared several of their small plates and thus got a nice variety of seafood. Our favorite was the octopus. The service was very attentive and the cocktail selection was perfect.

We stopped into the White Horse on a hot June afternoon for cold cocktails, snacks, and oysters, and I'm so glad we did. Service was impeccable, drinks well made, and the food was delicious. It was also a pleasant surprise to realize that we had...

Excellent food, the service was outstanding, definitely the best restaurant we visited in Edinburgh. We actually went there again for our last night. We

I was at the door looking at the menú and was invited in by the barman. There were empty tables, so I was expecting to be given one, even if I was by myself. Surprinsingly the hostess told they were full. Went somewhere else, 30...

Fabulous food from the Oysters, main courses and desserts. Lovely ambience and right on the royal mile. My wife particularly enjoyed the custard dessert and the lobster and prawn toast. Recommend highly.

It was absolutely delicious! We were late and everybody else closed the kitchen!but not this super nice people! The food was amazing and the super friendly!If i could, I would eat there everyday!

We visited here while on a city break to Edinburgh, it did not disappoint. A nice little restaurant on the Royal Mile, with a very pleasant atmosphere and friendly staff. There is an excellent selection of seafood on offer and as expected with it being...

The best food we have ever had and the service from the 2 girls was flawless. Honestly the best meal out we've had and a reasonable price too! Can't wait to return, thank you so much!

We booked here after hearing about this place and reading reviews. Went for a meal before the theatre and as big seafood lovers were not disappointed. Lovely sized plates, good mix of options. Tempura prawns were delicious, we asked for another later in the meal...

Excellent and amazing food! Very nice and profi staff! Still very very good from many years. 5 y ago was perfect and now the same :))))))

I am a regular at the White Horse. My wife and kids love this place and the food. It is a bit pricey but you do get what you pay for. Service is always great and my family go wild for the Oysters, Lobsters &...

Brilliant lunch here, we loved the crab fries, tuna and the steak. The service was very good as was the atmosphere. Recommend!

Söimme tyylikkäitä ja hyvin valmistettuja pieniä annoksia, kampasimpukkaa, tonnikalaa, kissakalaa ja katkarapuhummeritoastia. Kaikki olivat hyviä, maultaan tasapainoisia. Merileväpähkinälisuke ei ollut...

Came here on our final night visiting Edinburgh, after passing it every day while walking into the city center. Finally gave it a go and were not disappointed! Food was delicious and fresh, staff were friendly and helpful, and the we's absolutely recommend it to...

Fantastic waitstaff and fresh seafood at this restaurant off the Royal Mile. The octopus was fantastic. We had the hot seafood platter for L95. The scallops were good. The tempura was very good too. Oysters 🦪 tasted delicious from the sea. The lobster 🦞 was...

My daughter wanted to go here with my family for her birthday as previous been and enjoyed it and I was looking forward to trying it . We were a bit disappointed as there were 7 of us as and informed when we got there...

Overall a very good meal, the small plates were great, octopus, lobster prawn and toast and the monkfish satay were particularly good. Wine list not extensive but paired well with the food. The service was friendly and the staff were all helpful. Only disappointment was...

The promise of seafood drew us in and everthing on the menu was delicious! The service was also excellent.

The food was wonderful, portion sizes just right. Staff were lovely and welcoming and the atmosphere was fab. Will definitely be visiting again.

Had lunch there in late September. The food was delicious and very well prepared and presented. Tried to go back several times but they were booked up each time! I certainly can understand why they were booked up but we were disappointed we couldn't return

Probably the best seafood meal we had in a long time. The oysters are out of this world, especially during happy hour! The small plates were just amazing and particularly the Prawns, Steak and Oysters, Monkfish Satay and Straw Fries. The place has a lovely...

I keep being drawn back to this marvellous wee restaurant on the Royal Mile. Always a friendly welcome, comfortable cozy dining room, and the most wonderful small plates. Every bite is a joy! All of the staff there are hospitable and efficient. The food is...

Very friendly welcome as soon as you come in, very cozy atmosphere. The food was great and I would definitely recommend this restaurant