The Witchery by the Castle in Edinburgh, City of

Just awful and pretentious. They abuse their staff by giving them no cafeteria they just rest on the tiny stairs. I have autism and did my best on a trial run but the "guy" in charge didn't give me a chance. I hear he has a bad reputation though

Just tried the restaurant. Location is funky, a mix of Harry Potter +Titanic + Irish pub vibes. Staff was very friendly. Food however is really boring and tastes blend. Overall a bit overpriced. But nice location for a drink and some pictures.

Restaurant only... 2 years ago my husband propose to me in this place. He wrote to resraurant that he intent to do it and we didn't receive nice place in the restaurant. During the proposal waitress interrupt us. It is still in my head. But for balmoral pegeon you could die for and i will be back some day just for that.

Came here for a meal, and it did not disappoint. Great location, with an ancient & mysterious feel. Small menu of traditional choices, beautifully presented and tasting amazing. Attentive but discreet staff. Huge wine list! Perfect for a special meal or romantic dinner for 2.

Romantic restaurant in a very special setting. Staff is well trained and friendly, food well prepared and served, albeit a bit slow. Price wise it’s on the higher side as expected but overall a solid lunch and great memory for us

The mashed potatoes tasted like they came from a bag of powder. Bit of a waste of my money. Ultimately paid €200 for 2 drinks and 1 Lamb Wellington to share…

Afternoon tea for a birthday celebration. Plenty staff but taking very little interest in customer. Food was nice At 130 pounds for 2 I expected some atmosphere but felt staff were just pushing in a few hours before dinner.

Initial thought The Witchery was too dark but my eyes adjusted and I realised its for effect. Staff were very courteous and friendly our waitress was lovely. The food came in a timely manner but we never felt rushed. All 3 courses were excellent and the house wine was very good. Its a bit expensive but worth it for the level of service and the quality of the food.

We came to the witchery for our last day in Edinburgh to enjoy tea for lunch. I was worried that this wouldn't be enough food but oh was I wrong. Everything was excellent from the service to the ambiance to the food. Perfect way to end our trip!

Fantastic service felt a bit rushed at some points had had 2 courses with an hour but asked to hold off for dessert for a bit to slow it doen the red deer main was amazing!

We went for a special dinner yesterday night. I had high hopes for this restaurant because I loved the vibe in the pictures and the experience surpassed my expectations. Friendly staff, good food, good music and nice atmosphere. Thank you again for a lovely evening.🤍

As I suffer from coeliac disease I had forewarned the restaurant when we booked and was told I wd completely catered for. Well I am afraid that was NOT the case. I was handed a menu that basically had the allergens on each item and there was next to nothing without gluten for me to eat. Considering this is a VERY EXPENSIVE place and had come well recommended online to say I am disappointed is an understatement. In the past the when I have eaten out most of the dishes can be adjusted to my needs. Here all I cd have were a few dishes and literally I was told that was it. Had I have known this there is no way I wd have booked and paid what I did when I cd have gone elsewhere with more on offer and at a more reasonable price. U asked of many of the NORMAL dishes cd be adjusted in anyway for me and was told NO. So all in all not a great experience and I shall not be recommending

This was gourmet food with outstanding service in a delightful atmosphere. Was afraid this might be a tourist trap… It was not – it was fine dining in a delightful Gothic setting.

Beautiful space and amazing location BUT, NOT FAMILY friendly—we showed up to check in for our reservation (this place books out weeks in advance) only to find out they don’t want kids here. We brought our VERY chill/mellow 8 yr old with us and they claimed they have a license that only allows 10+ (I call BS cause it’s no different than any other restaurant that serves alcohol), but for argument sake if that is true, they should say so when you make reservations on the website and it doesn’t. They were willing to work with us ONLY if we ordered a main course per person, we actually wanted to do afternoon tea there which was the same $$ or MORE person, but even then they said “No”, one of the host was cold and rude about about it; the First and only rude experience we’ve had since we have been to Edinburgh/Scotland.

Beautiful place. Excellent service and delicious food. Great wine selection as well.

The service was absolutely excellent! The waiters here really take care. That being said I would recommend against getting the lamb. The waitress had warned us it would be pink but truly it came out raw. Even the pastry crust wasn't cooked completely. We did have to send it back and have it cooked further but still came back pretty under. That being said the oysters were amazing and the cocktails fantastic.

Went to the restaurant for lunch The server was polite and kind. My issue was with the food. I had the seafood pie and after a few bites it started to make me nauseous. I needed to get the check as soon as possible due to how it was making me feel and really didn't feel like complaining. Due to this, I didn't take one sip of my wine either. I left as soon as I paid, and got sick on the way home. $65 to feel awful for the rest of the day.

If you are looking for pure magic I highly recommend The Witchery restaurant. I had the opportunity to eat in the Secret Garden and everything was perfect. I couldn't ask for anything better. I thank all the staff for their kindness and professionalism, you were all fantastic.

Amazing culinary experience, every dish was perfect, the team was great, could not have asked for a better experience

Only had lunch. Great food and a good deal on the lunch menu on weekday. I recommand booking at least 3 days in advance.

Taste was fabulous. Was there for lunch, did not stay at the hotel.

Went here with my family for my sister's birthday dinner on our vacation. The ambiance and atmosphere is stunning, however I have never experienced service this appalling at a restaurant before, especially one that claims to be fine dining. When our entrees came out my sister, who was excited for the experience of trying this place, said something about loving Italy and taking Italian in college to our Italian waiter. He replied with something snide in Italian, walked away, and proceeded to stand on the other side of the restaurant and scowl. He had nothing to do with our table for the rest of our time at the Witchery. Someone else eventually came over and took our desert order. Later someone who seemed to be a manager came over so we could pay our bill. The condescension and disdain from our waiter towards us was utterly surreal. My sister was left heartbroken, feeling like she had done something wrong. So much for a special birthday treat.

Witchery is definitely not a "must-see" in Edinburgh. If you don’t look the part, be prepared to feel unwelcome. My friend and I, both looking fairly young, were met with condescending behavior throughout our visit. It started when we dropped by to inquire about our reservation. The lady at the door was unfriendly and unprofessional. When I asked to see the menu, she told me to go outside (in the rain!) to view it, rather than simply handing me one inside. This was the first red flag. Despite this, I was interested in the building’s history and decided to book a table for the next day. When we arrived, the initial greeting from the gentleman at the door was better, but it quickly turned sour. As my friend listed her allergies, he informed us we should have notified them earlier. But no one asked about dietary requirements during the booking process, so how could we have done that? The experience continued to decline as the dinner went on. At one point, I was quietly showing my friend the tablecloth, which was full of creases and looked untidy. The server interrupted our private conversation, asking what I was talking about since I was speaking in a different language. I found this rude, but politely explained that the table setting lacked attention to detail—especially for a place that offers £1,000 champagne. His dismissive response was that they serve 300 customers a day, which made the whole experience feel more like an expensive fast-food chain. The food itself was bland and unmemorable. I would much rather support independent businesses where there’s genuine passion for food and hospitality. Witchery, unfortunately, was a disappointment.

This place is phenomenal. We came for dinner and had the filet with roasted potatoes, which was absolutely incredible. One of the best filets Ive ever had. We also had a round of dirty martinis and old fashioned. Again, top tier. The ambiance is gothic and romantic. The service was impeccable. This was quite an experience I’ll remember forever.

Really nice food. Tender scallops and the best salty, refreshing oysters I’ve ever had. The portions were generous. However, be prepared for very stiff and cold staff. When one of my friends moved their glasses to the side to make room to open the menu, a member of staff said “why are you rearranging my table?” We tried a little laugh and apology, but he was not joking, he was literally scolding us. This made us feel embarrassed and unwelcome. As people who don’t go out for expensive meals often, we want to have a pleasant experience when we do, even if we’re not entirely familiar with the minutiae of table etiquette.

This review applies to the restaurant for dinner: What a complete scam and tourist trap. Waiters were also extremely snobby. Not sure why. They wouldn't have a job without the patronage of tourists. The food was in tiny portions and the quality did not match the exorbitant prices. Nobody wants to leave feeling hungry after an expensive meal. Steer clear of this place, though I suspect that due to their location and interesting theme, they'll never actually have to raise the quality of their food or their service in order to maintain the same level of profit.

The food, atmosphere and especially our server Holly was incredible! She had such a positive attitude, knew the answers to all of our questions and gave thorough opinions on her favorite dishes. Oliver was also extremely personable and attentive to us during our meal. Such a special experience for our honeymoon. We will be coming back our next trip to the area and highly recommend to anyone looking for an outstanding meal while in Edinburgh!

We went for dinner and while food and drinks were really delicious the service took too long for every step of the evening. I enjoyed the ambience and being a one of a kind experience but the service dragged this down. It took more effort for every step than should be required of a 5 star restaurant. I would plan more than 3 hours if I ever went back, to accommodate the wait for ordering, the ordered items to make it to the table, and the check (even after asking for it) to finally arrive.

We had an excellent dining experience at The Witchery - the Lamb Wellington was 5 stars!! Wonderful service, atmosphere and decor.

The ambiance is out of this world. The food is perfectly prepared. A very good dinner.

The staff were amazing, the food amazing, the athmosphere amazing - it was all just amazing! Loved it so much.

We had an amazing dinner there for our last night in the country. Service is impeccable, the cooking of the meat was perfect, everything tasted so good and even if the price is high, it is worth it for the atmosphere and the amazing food from starters to dessert 😋

If you want atmosphere and wonderful food, this is the spot for you.

Really good spot for a special meal. Incredible fun old-school interior. Lots of wood panelling, gilding, flowers etc. Nice variety on the menu (no children’s menu though btw - they don’t do anything off menu for fussy eaters in case you have one). Nice service. Only gripe would be that they insist on keeping your wine chilling in a bucket away from your table and topping you up themselves. Had to wait a little a couple of times, and got a minor telling off when I tried to do it myself..! That’s minor though. All the waiting staff were super nice and helpful. And the food was really as good as the photos look. I’d really recommend - such a fun place!!

The Witchery used to be my favourite restaurant in Edinburgh, however I feel it has gone downhill and is now poor value for money. There are so many better places to eat in Edinburgh.

Had a really nice experience having lunch at The Witchery. Staff was friendly and very profesional and the food was so good.

My husband and I had an unforgettable romantic experience at The Witchery by the Castle. Perfectly located after a visit to Edinburgh Castle, it was a dream come true. The main restaurant had an incredible atmosphere, and the food was truly divine. We loved our servers they were very affordable. The other areas of the atrium were equally impressive - we could have easily spent the entire evening there. The Witchery is a must-visit for any couple looking for a magical night out. Tips: Make a reservation in advance, as the restaurant is very popular. Be sure to explore the different areas of the atrium. Dress to impress! The Witchery has a sophisticated atmosphere. I hope this review helps other couples plan their perfect Edinburgh date!

We had a lovely lunch prior to attending the early show of The Edinburgh Tattoo. We were extremely well looked after by all the staff. There was a change of shift during our visit but both teams were excellent. We had the Lamb Wellington for 2 and it was delicious. I also thoroughly enjoyed my starter of steak tartare. All in all a very enjoyable experience and highly recommended.

Celebrated our anniversary at this beautiful romantic restaurant. Service was attentive and impeccable, and the food outstanding.

Had a delicious meal here to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Food was absolutely divine, and we enjoyed the cocktails that were on offer also. As it was our anniversary we were given a complimentary dessert at the end of our meal which was a lovely surprise and made it all feel all the more special. The decor inside the restaurant is beautiful and we really enjoyed the atmosphere and the background jazz that was playing added to the ambience. Pur visit made our trip to Edinburgh all the more enjoyable, thank you for a wonderful meal! Our only slight criticism was that the bottled water we were given hadn't been at all chilled, and was served at room temperature. Warm water isn't so pleasant with a delicious meal, but the cocktails made up for it!

We stayed in the guardian room and it was nothing short of spectacular. The room was like a museum and it was super cool. We had dinner at the restaurant and because we stayed there had no problem getting in. They were amazing helping with bags and making it easy for us to arrive when the Tattoo was going on. The topper was the amazing continental breakfast they brought to our room and setup for us to enjoy in the reading room. Staff was wonderful. We’ll be back to enjoy a different room next time.

Honestly … I was disappointed it felt like an overrated overpriced experience. The food had little taste and portion sizes for the cost was underwhelming. Also and I know the restaurant couldn’t help this - but had the most annoying person sat next to us being loud and irritating so couldn’t even enjoy the atmosphere (the man was terrified of silence). We didn’t stay long based on the lack of quality food - £50 for a bit of fish with bones. DONT believe the tik tok hype, its average food with above average prices.

My husband and I recently went to Scotland. We toured mostly the Highlands with a brief stop in Edinburgh. The Witchery was by far the most expensive restaurant we went to with so-so food. The waitstaff and service was impeccable as was the atmosphere. But, my mushroom risotto was uncooked and raw (I wish I had taken a picture). There are way better restaurants with equally nice atmospheres and hospitality. I regret spending the money on this place.

We were very excited to eat here, so much so we planned part of our honeymoon around it! Sadly it was less than exceptional. The food looked great as did the decor from the photos on IG. The food was not worth the price or the hype. I hate to say but after a 22 day trip of food costing $5-80 a person, this was close to the bottom of the list. As a high end eatery this was a massive let down. The staff was fair but not great, the decor was fine but it was so hot and so dark we could barely look at it. At one point my wife sat with her cup unfilled for 15 or more min. We even had 2 friends come up from London to join us. Their review is the same. I truly hope we were the exception and not the norm. I wish I could say next time we are in edinburgh we would give it a shot but we aren't willing to spend that much on a I hope it's better.

Good service, but I got really bad diarrhoea after eating their dessert and drinking their alcohol.

We had a lovely lunch here for my birthday. The staff were impeccable and the food was nothing short of amazing. They even gave me a little surprise for my birthday (see photo). We'll definitely come again on more occasions.

Thank you the Whichery hotel and your staff for a wonderful time. My partner and I spent a lovely weekend here a few weeks ago. We stopped in the Library, and I have to say what a truly beautiful place, the decor beautifully presented. The service was impeccable, nothing too much trouble. We will definitely return back one day. Thank you once again.

Very good food and just wonderful atmosphere. The Witchery is very classy and quite busy given its location right next to the castle. Get reservations well in advance.

Favourite place to stay in Edinburgh (Inner Sanctum And Old Rectory) Great restaurants (The Original Dining Room AND The Secret Garden). Make a reservation well in advance, it’s a must!

Delicious food, great service, and a beautiful atmosphere

To preface this review, we had eaten at Dowans Castle, Monkstadt 1745, and Iverlochy Castle prior to this. The expectations were similar but unfortunately we were let down. We were late meeting another couple who had already been seated, so after waiting a little at the hostess counter (who was helping another couple) and seeing our friends we bypassed the queue. The hostess and another staff member tried to stop us. Thankfully they left us alone after they saw we knew where we were going, but a bit peculiar of an interaction. (Do they have people rushing down to seats that aren’t theirs? Did they think we didn’t belong? I understand if they were trying to help, but we weren’t dawdling to suggest we didn’t know where we were going). Just peculiar. The aesthetics are certainly pleasing and lighting is right. Sincerely disappointed by the generic liquor in the cocktails and overall lack of creativity. (We were at the Georgia Tea Room and Devils Advocate the prior two days which really hits these marks). Food: Appetizers Oysters - 8/10 Scallops - 7/10 Shellfish bisque - 6/10 Mallard - 9/10 Mains: Lamb - 9/10 Risotto - 4/10 (undercooked) Haddock - 6/10 Beef tartare - 7/10 We didn’t get dessert because the food had been very one note. Our waitress tended well to the table and staff removed dishes quickly. Again, the aesthetics are right but the drink and the food were lagging behind. Maybe go for the lunch session if you want the experience because the price didn’t match the offering.

Gorgeous place, great food and service. Highly recommend.

You can enjoy an elegant meal with gentlemanly service in a wonderful space. Even when I was in a hurry to pay the bill due to my travel itinerary, they accommodated me kindly. The staff were very considerate and it became a memorable experience for my trip. I would like to visit again.

The restaurant here was perfect! Love all the details they’ve put into the setting, and the contrasting themes of the Garden and the indoor part which was much more darker and a “witchy” vibe. We sat in the garden. The lamb wellington was the best wellington I’ve ever had, and the oysters and cocktails were amazing as well.

A wonderful location right off the busy and loud Royal Mile. Immediately turns into a calm, wonderful restaurant tucked away from all the noise.

Family lunch great position fabulous food and very professional and friendly service highly recommended.

Expensive but a beautiful place

We loved our experience at the Witchery! I would suggest afternoon tea because it is just a lovely and not rushed experience. The staff was very welcoming, and the atmosphere was absolutely wonderful.

This place never disappoints. We've eaten here numerous times but it was our first time staying here, in the Inner Sanctum. We had a hamper breakfast in our room the first morning - major pampering!! Our dinner was also fabulous. Service is top notch with a tremendous amount of thought put into the details of our stay.

The Witchery is the most amazing dining experience. Nestled in a room down a flight of stairs. The room had a mid-evil decor, and I felt like I was eating surrounded by history. The food is excellent.

Delightful tea service. Excellent vegetarian options. Beautiful restaurant with great ambiance.

Beautiful restaurant. We only stoped by for a drink. View were lovely atmosphere was great.

I have never left a review before but this one must be said. I booked two reservations to the Witchery restaurant in advance, one for today and one a few days from now, both for the light lunch. I was excited to eat here and anticipated a fine dining experience after reading all the great reviews on the restaurant. Come to find out the only good part of the reservation was the hostess at the front. After sitting us down and placing our orders, I was disappointed with the arrival of cold bland soup. For reference I got: the wild garlic soup and roast potato gnocchi adding in a broccoli side, and my guest the same wild garlic soup with grilled lamb liver. After our sad soup, we finally got our main courses. The gnocchi tasted only of salt and heavy cream. The lamb dry, clearly overcooked served with bland potato’s. The only acceptable dish was the side of broccoli. Unable to eat our main courses we decided to just pay the bill and leave, but even that was a disaster. None of the servers came to check on us, but we finally were able to flag down someone to help us. We asked for the food to be taken back and to get the bill, but was met with even more difficulty from the server with their disapproval to take back our dishes. When we finally got the bill we had decided to pay on one card. My guest left their card and went to the bathroom, and I was questioned by the server about signing in her stead. The waiter refused to take the bill from me and I understood so I waited for her to come back to sign. My guest’s thoughts “He came back to take the payment after I was out of the bathroom. However, I was berated while taking the payment being told we were breaking the law by having another try to sign for me. I apologized because I didn’t realize that it was against the law, and asked where It needed signing. He replied that I didn’t need to sign anywhere, after basically lecturing me about it for several minutes.” Overall in addition to the food being disappointing, the service equally disappointing. For the price of the food and service fee, i expected better food and better service. It should not be surprising that after we left I cancelled my next booking here.

Hands-down, the best dining experience my husband and I have ever had. Every plate and every bite was heavenly. The staff were so very kind and the ambiance is unrivalled. 10/10!

Went for a posh dinner and could not have been happier. Beautiful decor, beautiful food and great drinks. On the pricey side but well worth a treat for special occasions.

We were in Edinburgh for the weekend and decided to treat ourselves to lunch at The Witchery on the Sunday - we were not disappointed! We ate in the secret garden, the food was fantastic, and the waitress was even better! Couldn't fault the service at all. We would love to go back and try the main restaurant one day!

I had tea in the garden room and it was stunning and the food was delicious. It's pricey but definitely worth it.

We were a bit sceptical in the beginning as it seemed a bit like a tourist trap. However the service standards were very high and the atmosphere unique. Food was good but not mind blowing. I suggest you opt for lunch as you will have a chance of checking the place and experience the unique atmosphere without breaking the bank.

The Witchery provided a magical and royalty-worthy dining experience. The food was beyond delicious, the atmosphere was cozy and enchanting, the service was magnificent. Reservations necessary and dessert is a must

Had a dinner there on May 31, got tartar and lamb. After dinner ended up on an ambulance with severe food poisoning. Truly unforgettable experience.

Amazing attention to detail and delicious food, worth the trip for our anniversary & hubby’s bday.

The atmosphere is stunning. The foods were average and overpriced. Also it's a very busy place. I suggest booking in advance.

Had a nice late lunch here for our anniversary and shortly after needed an ambulance with the medics conclusion that both of us came down with what seems severe food poisoning.

19.15-21.30 Amazing food great service as to be expected in the garden restaurant! until at 21.45 the Restaurant manager British or Scottish asks you in a very rough tonality to give your table free! Bill on the table and the unkind hospitality sentence „we need your table“ not given in a charming tone and actually very unfriendly! Notice all this Whilst you are still drinking your tea after three courses and a great bottle of wine approx cost 400 pound for 2 pax. I myself worked many years in 5* Hotellerie and gastronomy I know getting free tables can be mastered with more charm and skills! To bad when the restaurant manager ruins all the fantastic job the fantastic kitchen and service makes you experience. To the hotel mmgt: this gentlemen needs urgently a training how to treat clients kindly and with respect! Good the rest of your staff is amazing but one black sheep can do a lot of harm..

Wonderful food. My wife and friends enjoyed a wonderful lunch just prior to visiting Edinburgh Castle. A perfect combination we will do again.

I had lunch in the Secret Garden part of the restaurant. Lovely setting brilliant food and wine. Friendly staff. Well worth a visit.

Excellent romantic dinner. Will absolutely visit again!🍷

We had a late lunch. The service was exceptional, and the food was delicious.

Charged $20 for water. The price of the water was not on the menu.

My friend recommended the afternoon tea experience to me and I was not disappointed. Beautiful setting, beautiful food, great service. It's a little pricey but an amazing treat. Definitely ranks as one of the top afternoon teas I've had!

Wow, incredible fine dining experience. Everything tasted magical specially the wild salmon. The service is exceptional as well. Highly recommend for lunch or dinner or I know they also serve good afternoon tea.

When they told us 45 minutes to wait for Wellington we understood real food! Congratulations, everything perfect, service, cuisine, environment

We had our afternoon tea in the secret garden room served by the lovely waitress Valentina who was so helpful and attentive. Lovely ambience and lovely food. This is a place for special occasions and was a thoroughly lovely experience,

Unfortunately very disappointing food, the only good thing was when my mom couldn't hold her laughter in at how bad the food was and how much money we just wasted! Flavorless

Lovely light lunch in a very atmospheric surrounding. We visited on a trip to Edinburgh and managed to get a walk in table for lunch. We initially wanted to experience the afternoon tea but learned upon arrival that we would have to book that 24h in advance- fair enough and next time this is definitely something we will plan in advance. The light lunch we picked instead was reasonably priced and tasted quite nice but it’s the atmosphere and the attentiveness of the waiters that really sells it for me.

Really lovely experience. We took the light lunch deal and got the quality of food was really great. It’s a fancy restaurant, but the staff was approachable, attentive and friendly. The interior was really special and it’s definetly worth a visit while in Scotland, We wanted to go for an afternoon tea, but that should be booked at least a day upfront. Will try that next time. Thanks

My boyfriend and I were really excited to eat here having booked months in advance, we arrived having been in Edinburgh for the first time for maybe only a couple of hours in really good spirits and clearly really enjoying each others company, we had a good laugh and joke with the waitress who was lovely. When I went to the toilet I heard Gersi the manager refer to my boyfriend as “the weird guy”and when I returned to the table he came over to say that he cannot serve us any alcohol despite the fact that he’d already taken our order and the waiter was at our table corking a £70 bottle of wine to which he starts going “no no no no no” as if we were children and when I asked why he said “another table has complained about you”. Honestly I’m not quite sure in what world he’d ever think it was appropriate to speak to me like that when we’d done nothing wrong and if it was up to me I’d have left there and then but my boyfriend insisted on staying: we ate our dinner without a fuss which by the way was very very average and the chips were the best bit. The waitress apologised to us repeatedly and expressed that she felt very awkward. Upon paying our £135 bill Gersi returns with a dessert to apologise which we refused and saying “if you’re too drunk we can lose our license” - despite the fact that we were both absolutely sober. The atmosphere in there is absolutely terrible you can hear a pin drop. £135 for a very average meal and for the waiter to get personal with us was a very, very bad first dining experience in Edinburgh and I would never ever return or recommend this place to anybody it was truly disgusting.

Great atmosphere, nice staff. Very tasty food, also several vegetarian and vegan dishes!

Absolutely stunning. We ate at the restaurant and it was worth it

We booked here to celebrate our Silver Wedding with our family. We know the sister restaurant/hotel at the Prestonfield, which is far superior on every level and I would thoroughly recommend the extra travel to rather than here. The Secret Garden at The Witchery however left us feeling rather let down. The waiter was lovely but the surroundings were, well, an old, dimly-lit Edinburgh building with some flowers and candles chucked around for atmosphere. Nothing spectacular. We expected it to be a bit gothic/ atmospheric/dark and were really excited about going but it was no more atmospheric than anywhere else. In fact, I felt like I was sitting at an old relative's shoogly table, worried that the wobbly candlestick was going to set fire to the place. The food really let it down though. The best part of the meal was the salty, charcoal bread roll which was delicious. We ordered three Côtes de Bœuf, medium rare, and one came out well done and another medium to well. One was replaced without too much question but at £100 per côte it should have been perfect or not allowed out of the kitchen at all. Apart from the replaced dish which was hot and had a lovely flavour ( including the handleless sauce pot which was so hot you couldn't lift it!) everyone observed that their food was tepid. Perhaps it had been left lying in the kitchen too long before being brought to us, who knows? As a kind gesture, the waiter removed the last round of drinks and service from the bill. Obviously we added the service back on as the quality of food wasn't his fault. Anyway, a rather underwhelming experience, very sadly, to end our special celebrations. Not to worry, we had lunch in Le Train Bleu in Paris last week. Now THAT is a spectacularly opulent restaurant with great food that we keep going back to!

A beautiful setting perfect for a truly unique romantic dinner, candles, a feeling of being in your own corner with gentle light and gorgeous food. (Photographed the charcuterie lunch starter) For a romantic meal I couldn't recommend more highly

Excellent fine dining. Had the light lunch in the lower area; good ambiance. Quality service, no asking "how is your meal". They know how good it is.

Excellent meal and service, surroundings first class. We won't wait as long to visit again.

I had the opportunity to dine at the restaurant and what can I say, I didn't miss Italian cuisine even for a second. I would have liked an encore of everything, truly spectacular, especially the tarte tatin served with ice cream at the end of the meal. A dream. Excellent place for a candlelit dinner or an anniversary, very professional waiters, great attention to the customer. Splendid location. An experience that I would gladly repeat, really.

We dined in the Secret Garden at The Witchery, and it was phenomenal. Amazing food, sizable portions. Not an extensive menu as can be expected from such a fine dining establishment. Beautiful ambience, with candle lit tables. It was an winter evening so their outdoor seating is unavailable. It's very close to the Castle. We did not stay here, but definitely will look into it in the future.

This review is for the restaurant, not the hotel: We made reservations here hoping for a delicious and unique meal in a beautiful dining room. The room was spectacular, the food was disappointing. The final bill was a little over $350 for three people and was by far the worst meal of our Scotland trip. The meat was clearly low quality and flavorless. For example, we ordered a filet and the venison/haggis Wellington. The only flavor in either dish was the char of the filet. None of the meat had any taste, and felt as if it was frozen before being prepared. The sides were terrible. Cold, unseasoned mashed potatoes and bland roasted potatoes. The appetizers were lifeless, aside from the burrata, which was incredible and the reason for the second star of this review. The scallops were overcooked and £30 for three scallops is insane. We also had the chowder, which honestly tasted like it came from a can. The wine list is massive, but only a few options are offered by the glass, and the bottle prices are from another planet. I highly recommend avoiding this restaurant. We certainly will not be back.

My (now fiancé) surprised me with a proposal in this beautiful hotel. I never would have dreamed that we would have had the luxury of staying here but I was proved wrong. The room that we had booked was called 'Old Rectory'. The photos don't do it justice.

We booked a table over one month ago for our upcoming trip to Edinburgh. We arrived for our table early, only to be turned away, because of having children under 10. Surly it’s not a licensing law, so just discrimination against parents travelling with young children? Wow! Apparently it would have been mentioned in our booking confirmation email. As Cilla Black once said, surprise surprise, it’s literally half way down the email. Who reads past the first line of “booking confirmed”. We aren’t solicitor’s carrying out conveyancing for goodness sake. Why not make it blatantly obvious that parents with well mannered or well behaved children aren’t welcome at your establishment on your website, instead of hiding this half way down on your booking confirmation. What are you? Squirrels hiding your nuts? We planned our complete trip to Edinburgh around the booking for this table, the castle, tours etc. Now we have a hungry family trying to find food on a walk in basis in the centre of Edinburgh. Even David Dickinson wouldn’t be able to sniff out such a “Bobby Dazzler”. Avoid this place if you have managed to procreate within the past 10 years and the fruits of such procreation are with you.

The restaurant is VERY overrated and overpriced. Nice atmosphere, but the food was quite normal, nothing special at all.

Dining here is wonderful. Attentive upscale feel, with service to match. Shared the haggis-wrapped, venison Wellington - phenomenal!