The White Horse in Edinburgh, City of

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 😊

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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....

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....

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

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

Superfantastic great the quality on fish and seefood was top. Very pleasant environment and friendly staff. Great great great

Posto buonissimo vicino al centro , qualità dei piatti altissima , polipo , ostriche ma anche il tonno e gli...

We booked based on a guidebook that recommended this restaurant. The place is nice, the food is good but very expensive for what it is and the cooking is not perfect. The biggest problem is the noise, the restaurant is so noisy that it's impossible...

Pas mal mais juste pas possible de profiter car le son ambiant avoisine les 100 décibels. Tous les clients parlent...

Loved this place! The service was great although maybe a little short staffed, which is the only reason it’s a 4 and not a 5. The food was awesome! Oysters to start, then 5 small plates with a couple of sides between two. Highlights were...

Found this small restaurant on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and due to reviews was delighted to try dining here. However inside it’s rather ordinary. The small plate dining was kind of tapas style but unlike Spain it all came at once. The Oysters were...

We so enjoyed this unexpected Tapas style menu that we are going back for a second time later this week. You must have reservations. We tried oysters (very creamy and fresh), mussels (outstanding - make sure you ask for bread to sop up the juice),...

Ate here two consecutive nights having enjoyed the first night so much we booked a second. First night we tried all the starters in a way akin to tapas. All was good with the exception of the crab scotch egg which we both felt had...

Visited this restaurant a few years back and returned last night and it’s now firmly one of my favourite UK restaurants. Beautiful dishes, fresh and cooked perfectly - I recommend the octopus and the crab mayo fries! Lovely friendly service and setting and topped off...

Excellent small gem serving very good oysters and Interesting other seafood and other. Would greatly recommend and friendly helpful staff. Interesting history to building also.

We had a night out with friends. Having experienced Tapas before we knew about small plates. But there is small and small! And expensively small. Most disappointing for what we had expected to be a great experience. The young waitress that served our table was...

Nourriture : parfait Service : nullissime, professionnalisme absent. Incroyable. Tous les plats sont arrivés séparément ainsi que le vin et...

An author friend recommended this wee gem as a post book-prize treat. I may not have won the award but the meal was a fine consolation prize. We shared three so-called small plates - in actuality a generously- portioned tomato and mozzarella salad, a signature...

My wife, myself and a couple of friends went recently and thought that the service was excellent, but regrettably the food served did not justify the price tag. The “small” plates were pretty small and extremely costly.

Experienced this amazing restaurant a few years ago and went back with my wife when visiting the tattoo, this was best sea food we have had in ages. The staff were very friendly and explained the menu. Definitely return

Delicious meal! We chose 2 small plates and a side dish each, then dessert. All beautifully presented. The platters also looked amazing and hope to try on another occasion. We had cocktails at the bar afterwards which were also delicious

Lækre retter, østers, fisk, skaldyr. Hyggelig indretning og god stemning. Fornuftige priser. Busy. Husk at bestille bord.

Spent one night in Edinburgh and was really wishing to find a nice seafood restaurant. Luckily we had the foresight to pre-book otherwise we were not going to get a table had we just walked in. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience: the food was fantastic and...

locale situato nella Old Town. Dall'esterno piccolo ma di media grandezza dentro con ca 40 posti a sedere. Lo trovo...

Delicious food and excellent service. We ordered a variety of the tapas dishes and all of them were delicious. The desserts were also outstanding. It was a busy Friday evening and the staff were run off their feet but so friendly and helpful

Second visit… just as good as the first! First class food and service! Great knowledge of allergy requirements. House Platter is a winner! Just make sure you book!

Simple menu but everything was cooked to perfection. We had a selection of the little plates, oysters and some fries. Everything was perfect. The staff were attentive and really friendly. If you can I’d ask for a table towards the front of the restaurant as...

Went to WHOB for our wedding anniversary. Great buzz about the place. All ages present. Staff attentive. We had monkfish satay, scallops, crab straw fries, beef and tempura oysters and topped off with a couple of slices of sourdough bread. Nice wine list too. I’ve...

We were able to walk in on a Thursday night and found the White Horse was great for casual dining. The oysters were nothing special (sorry) but the Monkfish satay was pure gold. My friend loved her carrot and coriander soup.

The food was pretty good here. Nothing special. The oysters were good, but only 3 kinds offered. This is more of a Tapas place. 6 of us were squeezed in to a booth. Service was spotty, but they were nice enough. It served our purpose...

Me and my friend have been here for hour 24 hours staying in Edinburgh for a concert. Willing to eat some seafood crudités, we stopped here and it’s been the best choice ever! We shared the big ‘cold’ platter and everything in there was of...

We had a wonderful dinner. The most wonderful dinner in our time in Edinburgh. The food was amazing. We tried lots and loved everything. We had oysters and loved these. I will say I had an idea of what the crab fries would be like...

This was a Christmas present so we would never have thought of coming here as although we live in Scotland we don’t live in Edinburgh but we’re very glad we did. It’s mainly shellfish served on small “tapas” plates and there’s surprisingly little actual fish...

The small starters/tapas/taster type menu with a wide range of choice of different seafood including shellfish prepared in creative /imginative and original way was to our taste.Skewered monkfish with a satay sauce is hard to contemplate but it is was surprisingly good.The octopus was chargrilled...

This restaurant has fabulous high quality food and outstanding service. If you love seafood you won’t be disappointed