The Devil's Advocate

Most lists have this as the place to go for a top notch whisky selection and I see why. Wonderfully designed flights to provide whatever variety you want. Couple this with 391 more you could try off the self and you’ll need to have an exit plan and a way to get home. The flights give very generous pours. It’s worth it to share the flight. I loved my tour of Scotland and the help the staff gave with the journey was invaluable. The food was borderline boutique but plentiful and very good. Sitting outside provides a nice feel for people watching and the inside is a great slice of history. A must stop.

Need reservation. Deepseek recommended me to try, so I did. Good service and good vibe (the vibe is like a nice New American restaurant in the US…). Good service and cool decor. The food was decent but I had high hope. The steak in particular was underwhelming. 😕 The lamb rump is super tender tho.

Great spot for both intimate dinners and big group hangouts. The bar strikes a cool balance between rustic and modern, and their whisky tasting flight is a fun touch—especially for anyone visiting Edinburgh. We had the duck, hake, haggis, and crab cakes. All were decent, though nothing mind-blowing. The crab cakes came out a bit cold, which was a letdown. Overall, the food was just okay, but the ambience and drinks made up for it. Bonus points for their wine list—the Picpoul was genuinely excellent.

Our food was delicious. My husband had a steak (perfectly cooked) and I had the lamb rump steak. The real candles on the table add to the atmosphere, which takes you back to an Edinburgh of several centuries ago with the wooden beams and darker lighting in the restaurant. Service was a bit disjointed but we would still recommend this restaurant. It is located down Advocates Close, which adds to the experience.

Absolutely amazing food and drinks, best Paloma ive had in a while. HOWEVER the service - nah so bad. Sam at the front desk was so RUDE like nah unbearable. We were 5 people without a reservation yea yea our fault but like we entered at 2 pm - rush hour was over and we even asked if they can split our table but as rude as she could be she said no. Understood 3 of us sat at the bar and 2 went up to the restaurant. Us at the bar had a lot of fun, bartender was amazing and whipping out some amazing drinks and the bar food was amazing too but the service as such a let down. Like do better guys. There were so many tables available give them for an hour and take them back in an hour but do better.

We had a really great meal here! Our meat was cooked perfectly and everything was well done. What I would say needs improvement is the timing, as well got everything we ordered all at once rather than appetizer + drinks first and then the main meal. Also, we had the feeling that the organization was generally a bit lacking. Overall though, the experience was a good one 😁

As a whisky noob, I was able to try some quite good whisky. Also order the crabcake which was a bit small but delicious nonetheless. The service was great, and a nice atmosphere. Thankfully only halfway up the steps.

We were in Edinburgh the last days for the Military Tattoo and went to the Devils Advocate one night. We were Stunned by the wonderful staff and good food as well as an amazing variety of drinks. The music was just our taste...hard Rock and Rock balades made our day. We are in our 60s and love it when the guests are mixed, young and old. It was fantastic. Thanks for an unforgettable night.

The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you accidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

A hidden bar tucked away with a small sign saying Devil's Advocate and an arrow pointing toward a small cement corridor with an uneven stone walkway. Finally found this bar behind huge black barn doors to the entrance. It was busy inside and decided to try one of their ciders. Thistly Cross is a Scottish Cider on tap at 4.4% and was poured in a tall 16oz glass. It was very different from a beer in taste including no foamy head. It was ok but I'm sticking with beer. They have a great bar bites deal for 5£ which includes Cajun Crab Cakes, Chicken & Inverloch, and Haggis Bon Bons. The bathroom was in a tight room without any toilet paper. The dark gothic theme was cool. Basically, spent a short time here and left.

Make Sure to Make Reservations for Upstairs Showed up 3 Hours Before Close on a Weekday and was Unable to be Seated Did Enjoy Some Lovely Drinks Though

Great place in Edinburgh and I'd love to come back again. Food and drink were lovely and staff very friendly.

Marta was fantastic - always a smile and a laugh despite how busy it was. Inside is a bit dark but outside was lovely. Everything we ordered was delicious and cooked to perfection. If there is one thing I'd skip, it'd be the desserts. They were ok, nothing wrong with them, but so many other great options in Edinburgh.

This is a tourist centric restaurant with international staff. More upscale and out of the way from the Royal Mile. Indoor and outdoor seating. Food menu is the usual fair, nothing that stands out as uniquely Scottish. Food was cooked to our liking. Portions were European size, not American. I had the pork chop (6-7oz), and it was good, but I wanted more. Beef was good, but only 8oz. I would come back as the ambiance was good, and as the night goes on, it turns into more pub/bar atmosphere.

After a long walk down a stone path I found this isolated bar called The Devil's Advocate. It had an old tavern feel and was two stories with a bar counter and two bartenders. My hubby ordered drinks and I went straight to the bathroom. After a few minutes I realized there was NO toilet paper in one stall and switched to the next stall which unfortunately did not flush. Cmon people get it together. Frustrated, I left and the hubby had to guzzle his drink.

This is a really popular spot and one I had bookmarked before our trip. We were being pretty spontaneous other than the soccer match we had booked, so wasn't sure when we would explore Old town. We ended up popping in for lunch on a Sunday and we lucked out that there was a table available! The ambiance is super cute, a nice dining room up top, an outdoor bar area, and downstairs an indoor bar area with some enclosed booths tucked in the hallway. The fish I had was cooked spectacularly --battered perfectly; and my husband really enjoyed his pork dish. I would definitely recommend this place and if you can, book your reservation in advance to guarantee your table.

Nestled within small alleys or as known in Edinburgh, "Closes", one can discover a world of beauty. From fascinating stories of days when residents would dump toilet waste right into these passageways to the modern day finds like The Devil's Advocate. A scotch focused food establishment, there is a vast and reasonably priced collection of bottles available here for sampling. Three hundred of them to be exact. Food is a classic Scotch selection of seafood and meats. Sure, one might find a pickled vegetable or two laying around somewhere on the plate, but they are certainly not the focus here. Excellent smoked salmon and smoked fish dip, perfectly crisped chips and beautiful main courses adore the menu. The patio is a very pleasant spot to sit and enjoy the architecture of Old Town.

Staff not accommodating to people of color. If you do not reserve, surely u will not be attended to. Lady at the entrance said no space at the moment but there are plenty of open tables that they can spare.

The Devil's Advocate lived up to the hype!! I booked reservations well in advance (could only get a later dinner at 8:30pm) since it is a popular spot in Edinburgh. The ambiance is so unique - you feel like you are in an old world restaurant hidden away from the city. The service was superb with constant drink refills and quick service for our appetizer and entrees. I am a huge steak person and thought the meat was cooked perfectly, and paired well with the chips. The arancini was almost the star of the show as the starter - definitely recommend!! The cocktails were also well crafted and delicious. All in all, 10/10 rating from me.

I would have given the food four stars, but it was 25 minutes before someone came over to our table to bring menus and take our drink order. Its very loud inside. The food was decent, though. I had the hake which was a little heavy on the Kalamata tapenade, and my boyfriend had the porkchop which was excellent. We also ordered the crab cakes, which didn't taste very fresh and were a little bit overcooked.

Mediocre execution overshadows the amazing bones of this gastropub. Nestled within Advocate's Close, finding the place is an adventure within the Edinburgh castle walls. Upon entry, the juxtaposition of old and new further enhances the experience. The towering industrial shelf of whisky behind the bar catches the eye (in stark contrast to the more traditional pubs that line the royal mile with their ornate, carved wooden bars). The bar gives way to a converted pump house -- both a nod to the history of the area and a clever collection of multi-level stone flanked rooms, allowing the place both to accommodate larger gatherings and offer an intimate dining experience. As with any restaurant though, I am looking for decent food and, more importantly, an inviting place for the evening. The whisky menu shines here. We ordered two flights which give us interesting tours of both Scottish regions and different sherry-casked varieties. Not being a whisky drinker, however, I was looking for more exposition from the restaurant. Our server was clueless and the supposed expert that came to our table exuded exasperation at our questions. They missed an opportunity to narrate their offerings which made our group feel a bit slighted for even asking. Food is at the higher range of average. The cheese and charcuterie board was tasty but felt sourced from the local Sainsbury instead of a lean into local flavors. Similarly entrees (chicken, venison, steak) were good enough but no standouts to report. The jury is still out on restaurant groups and whether they foster mediocrity in pursuit of profit. Bon Vivant Group -- you've got some good underpinnings here -- Edinburgh deserves welcoming service and more than tourist fare!

Nice bar but they will only sit you to eat unless you have a paid reservation from their web site. The place had all kinds of tables free at the time we walked in, and even though we would have been 30 minutes for a quick bite, the rude hostess refused to help us, even for the entire afternoon. Wow, talk about unwelcoming!

Great food and awesome ambiance. Make sure you book a reservation. The area is a bit touristy, but this is a nice escape.

Selected this restaurant to go to for my birthday based on the reviews. We had to put a $40 deposit down. Not sure if that is customary for all reservations or just on Friday night during the summer months. Maybe my expectations were set too high considering it is highly rated, but experience was mediocre at best compared to all the other restaurants we went to. Servers just wanted to take order and move on. We had to flag them down for another drink. To bring our bill and then to close us out. We ordered appetizers, but never got them and neither of our servers realized it before our dinner came out. It took over an hour to get our dinner from the time we ordered, so the appetizers would have been nice to tide us over. The duck leg was pretty dry. The lamb was good. The steak was ok and the pork chop was decent. Portions seemed small for the price. It was super loud and dark in there, so I would suggest requesting a table outside if you want to spend a bunch of money for an ok meal.

A friend recommended this place so we decided to stop by on our last day in Edinburgh. The restaurant doesn't open until 12 noon. We didn't have reservations, but we got there right around noon and they were able to seat us immediately. We did a whiskey tasting, and our server was great and curated local whiskeys for our flight. We also ordered a charcuterie board (although it included pate and I'm not a huge fan but the cheese selection was good) and garlic fries, fries were nice and crispy so we ordered a second. We didnt order meals but people around us ordered burgers which looked delish. The place is a bit ticket away in Old Town but if you have a chance to, would recommend checking it out

Found this place on Yelp and the reviews were right on point. This is a great place very different from typical pubs. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Only sad I found it on my last night in town.the charcuterie Platter was outstanding and a great value

Nice delicious meal in Old Town, took a bit of finding in a hidden alley. Service and ambiance was great. It was a slow Tuesday night, no reservation was required, the place was 1/3 full. Will come back again when I walk the Royal Mile.

Stopped in for a quick after dinner cocktail. I sat at the bar and I ordered a cosmopolitan, it was refreshing and crisp! The atmosphere was dark yet cozy. Service was prompt and friendly. Would definitely go back to try the food!

Best dinner all week in Edinburgh! Great service, delicious food and lovely cocktails! I wish they would sell the t-shirts. It was the perfect cap off for our week in Scotland.

This was one of the worst dining experiences we have ever had. We had an 8:00 pm reservation, and received our first dish one hour and thirty-two minutes later at 9:23 pm. We sat inside, and by the time we actually received food, tables who had been seated after us were finishing and paying for their two course meals. The couple seated next to us, and seated after us, offered us their chips. The server, who was American, was totally indifferent to our situation. Excuses that were given were something about the temperature of the soup (for real) and then the order didn't print in the kitchen. Yet we asked for it numerous times. If it had been up to me, we would have walked out. They comped our bottle of wine. We should have listened to a server we had at a much better restaurant earlier in the week, who was being kind by saying, they used to be much better.

Went there for drinks. Small bar area but the bartenders were great. Odd musical selections. Very chic place.

Place a must to have a drink. Made reservations on a recommendation from a friend and glad we came to enjoy this historic establishment. Drinks were great was the food was hit and miss. The steak and fries were well seasoned and quality of meat came through. As fir the halibut, it was mushy and the curry flavor made the whole thing sweet and one note. Good to try since it's a historic place.

The great: location and ambiance. The so-so: the food. The bad: customer service. This was one of the pricier meals for the most mediocre meal. Would not go back.

Good was great. Service and whiskey flight were great to kick off the holiday. Ambiance was 10/10. Nothing not to love about this place... highly recommended

We came here to taste some whiskies, and as you can tel from the pics, taste whiskies we did. The bar staff was very helpful in making selections, especially those we can't get on our side of the pond. The vibe here was upbeat and very energetic. It looked to be a great place for a date.

Gorgeous setting for a drink or a meal. I had the burger and it smelled so good I completely forgot to grab a pic. It was totally worth it. The only thing for Americans, no mustard only ketchup or Mayo. They have an outstanding selection of whiskys and their cocktails are spectacular. They know how to bring out the best flavors. Highly recommend a visit when in Edinburg

Good but not to dream about. They were super busy with holidays That being said i would only go during slow time 3 meals brought out at different times...

We ate here on our vacation in September and overall it was a great experience. The ambiance could best be described as sedated chic-not too rowdy, but still happening. There was a snafu with our reservation, they had us in their books for an hour later, but I had my confirmation and after a brief wait, we were seated. (Note: definitely make a reservation or prepare to be disappointed because they're always booked.) The service was attentive but not intrusive and everyone was very friendly and polite. We had a bit of a surreal moment as a random server came over at one point to ask if there was anything they could do for us...in the sense of why were we sitting there...she was unaware we'd been there for over an hour enjoying our meal, but it was straightened out by our assigned server and no harm no foul. The food was well seasoned, creative, and delicious. See pictures below. We started with the soup of the day and the samosa. Mouth watering divine! I had the ribeye, which was juicy and tasty, but a little tough. I can't remember my wife's entree (either the chicken or fish), but she did enjoy it very much. I also enjoyed the Scottish Road Trip, their whisky tasting, which included a sampling from each of Scotland's key regions. They were all divine and I highly recommend it if you're a whisky drinker. My favorite was the Raasay Single Malt.

I recently traveled solo in Edinburgh, and knew that this had to be one of my food stops! I had the lamb couscous and it was *divine*. Ambience is definitely hip / hotspot, so be prepared for some noise and definitely make a reservation. They also have a bar in the downstairs if you're just looking for drinks. Either way - if you're in Edinburgh definitely add this to your list!

The food was good but it has a limited menu. It would have been nice to have a whisky menu. I couldn't download the list. My phone said the site was not secure. My server said just ask a bartender. No, I want a list. The bar was noisy and it was loud in the restaurant above.

This is a quaint pub located in one of Edinburgh's side streets. I found the food to be fair tasting but nothing special, I also found this pub to be overpriced. The service was wonderful and staff friendly, but would I return no. In my opinion there are more reasonably priced pubs with better food and drink.

Popular spot for popular reasons. Very delicious cocktails and the food isn't far from bad as well. I would def recommend booking a reservation if you are going there for dinner. The service was efficient. The ambiance is dark and more of a dim setting.

We came at lunchtime. They gave us a hard time about not having a reservation, but the restaurant had plenty of open tables. It's a neat building. I ordered the Tweed Valley beef burger, and it's probably the worst burger I've ever had. I did not like the patty, and I had to scrape the tomato relish off because it wasn't good. All in all, I was not not impressed with our experience.

We did not have reservation but luckily they were able to accommodate us. The place is small so I really suggest making a reservation. The food was really tasty, had a lot of flavor. We enjoyed the appetizer, main course and dessert. Highly recommend trying this restaurant if you are in Edinburgh.

Really terrific food in a lovely, interesting building. Crab cakes + lamb + hake. Hake came with a veggie coulda that was really terrific. Only missteps were service issues. We saw three servers really misunderstanding who was responsible for which tables. We were left unattended several times, which marred slightly an otherwise spectacular meal.

Great bar/restaurant. Atmosphere is awesome. Food and drinks were excellent. Highly recommend!

We love the food options. Our party of three ordered the rib-eye, pork chop and the venison. We each shared the meat offerings. All were fantastic. What we really loved was all that the sides were so interesting and well done. We didn't have a reservation but were early enough that we could be seated. We highly recommend The Devil's Advocate.

This was a great find in Edinburgh. It is tucked away, but is worth searching out. It can be a little loud, as it is a two story bar. But the food is worth it. We sat upstairs, so it wasn't quite as loud. We sat right next to the dumb-waiter and got to see all the food which came out. It probably made us hungrier seeing all the delicious looking food come up! I had the venison atop peas, bacon, and broccoli. It was very good, and I would recommend it. I got a side of the truffle and parmesan fries, which were very good. The drinks were also good, and I'd recommend them. I had one which combined red wine and whiskey, which was surprisingly good.

Presumably it was just me, as I was an American traveling solo, but the service at this place was not nearly as welcoming as it should be. I suppose, since they are always so busy they don't have to be, but it took away from the overall experience. My main waitress was very inattentive, but seemingly only to me. Other staff were personable and pleasant, but when your main waitress is short and unhelpful the experience looses its luster. The food was good and very flavorful and obviously the whisky and drinks were top notch.

This restaurant has a beautiful walk down to the bottom alleyway. We had the dinner menu, the closest thing to fish and chips was this fish and curry and the curry was AMAZING.

Very cool vibe with indoor and outdoor seating (with heaters!). There's certainly no lack of entertainment when you sit outside with the drunk singing passers-by. Service was friendly and they checked on us regularly even though we sat all the way at the end corner. The food and drink options are great but I settled on the lamb. It came out perfectly medium rare with delicious sauce and couscous.

My friend was just refused service because they refused to detail all twenty food allergies they joked about having. They apparently ask if people have food allergies before ordering. My friend joked oh, yeah, I've got like twenty. But then my friend couldn't actually list twenty allergies, none of which are life-threatening......so they refused my friend service and kicked them out!

Food was amazing. Vibe is dark and moody, servers and host were attentive enough that we got our food and drinks on time and just aloof enough so that you're not feeling overwhelmed by attention. Get reservations - it will help. Otherwise, I think you can have drinks while waiting for a table, but I don't know how long the wait would be. The point is, make a real effort to go, it's worth it.

A wonderful experience. Food was delicious. The atmosphere was high end pub/restaurant. Waitstaff was very helpful and kind.

Funky location. Great atmosphere. Good pints and whiskey . I highly recommend as a pub.

I absolutely adore this place, and have for so many years now Located well down Advocate's close (if you're coming from the high street) is a not so well kept secret. The ambiance on a early fall or winters night when there is a crisp in the air is the reason I think I love Edinburgh so much (besides family). Walking to this place is almost like going back in time, especially if the lights in the apartments are out and its off season and quiet. Walking in is always a treat as I love the industrial look of the bar and the intimacy of the downstairs booths. Upstairs is more traditional feel, and if its warm enough or you are OK with a heating lamp, the outside is a great space as well. The staff is always incredible, and if you don't have a reservation they'll do their absolute best to squeeze you in (I was surprised how busy it was in November when I was here for my birthday). The food is also constantly rotating, and I like to go without looking ahead of time to see what's on (I am in town infrequently enough that its always new, or newish). This past November it was a mix of meats and fish, and while I was going to go with a filet, the incredible and kind waiter we had recommended the chickpea fish curry. It was truly incredible, as it was essentially a serving of fish and chips over a delightfully spicey (and somewhat healthy) chickpea curry. Honestly this is why I love being in Scotland so much. The food is so fresh, and you can tell that whoever made this dish did so with ingredients that weren't preserved or frozen in anyway. If you're looking for a good meal, or a place for a date night, then Devil's Advocate should be high on your list.

What I cozy little spot tucked in a stairwell alley. Nice spot for a nice warm lunch. Ordered the fish and chips. The fish was absolutely perfect. So delicious! Great staff, small, warm, cozy with outstanding food. A must go in Edinburgh...