Reviews of The Bon Vivant. (Restaurant) in Edinburgh (Edinburgh).

The Bon Vivant

481 Reviews

250 Comments

Restaurant

Restaurant

55 Thistle St, Edinburgh EH2 1DY, United Kingdom

Description

Information of The Bon Vivant, Restaurant in Edinburgh (Edinburgh)

On this page you’ll find the address, open hours, more popular times, the contact, photos and real reviews of this business.

This business has received very good reviews from their customers, so probably it’s a place you should try if you are looking for this kind of services.

Map

Open hours of The Bon Vivant

Popular times

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Reviews of The Bon Vivant

A. J.

An amazing experience in a candle lit decor with great spacing between tables, despite its small size. The food and drinks are beautiful and delicious and the staff are genuinely awesome! Well worth a visit...and a second...and a third😂

M. B.

Amazing roast dinner! They have a lot of option of food and they have a deal with the nearby wine shop where you can buy your bottle of wine and enjoy it with the meal. I highly recommend it as it was one of the hest roast I have ever had. The restaurant is quite dark, but the atmosphere is really nice

N. L.

Went to grab late lunch with my wife and i must say the service is top notch. Fast and efficient. Food was amazing. We ordered the Bavette steak, truffle parmesan fries, fried anchovies and potato salad. Although it’s fried, the Anchovies was slightly cold. Overall we had a good meal. Would recommend!

D. R.

From the started, main course, desert and also the cocktail everything was delightful!! The waitress were very kind, very good attention. The place is very cozy, i love everything about this place I totally recommend it. I am not easily surprised and this time every dish surprised me in a good way.

W. “. W.

Fantastic little restaurant and bar located on Thistle Street. It's quaint, ambient and energetic. Service is personal and passionate with conversation, recommendation, helpful and professional mindsets. The drinks are wonderful and with the legacy of Bartenders that have cut their teeth behind this bar, that's not surprising, even so, they delivered. Wine options are full. An array of "actual" craft beer, and extensive cocktail menu, especially for those discerning palates out there. The food was divine and served beautifully. Rich flavours this time of year We had the Christmas Menu and a couple of choices from the a la carte. Toilet facilities were clean and spacious. They are following good Covid-19 measures including track and trace. They also encourage use of online menus, but will provide paper copies if requested. It is always advised to book and i highly recommend you visit. On a side note, they also have the Bon Vivant companion next door, a little shop for all your deviant alcohol needs! A must visit if open! Thankyou for the unforgettable experience and I cannot wait to visit again 🥂🍾🍷🍻🥃

o. t. i. e.

Had an excellent dinner here. We were looking for something nice but not overly fancy, and the atmosphere here was perfect for that. Service was friendly and we didn't feel like we had to wait too long for things to arrive, even though they were very busy, so props for that. The food was all very nice; not exceptional, but we didn't come here looking for an expensive fancy meal, so again that's full marks. The drinks were the main attraction however. The cocktail menu was fantastic; it always makes me happy to see such a wide array of the classics represented, and there were no pointless changes to recipes for any reason which is also another pet peeve of mine. You order the drink, you know what you're gonna get, and it was damn good. The gimlet that I had was fantastic! And price was very good too, everything was around the £8 mark which is very competitive. I should also mention that they had a deal where you could order a selection of their smaller plates (called bites) to share, and the price of that was very good too, so if you wanted to come here for drinks but didn't want to sit down for a full meal you could still order some small plates to line your stomach. Very nice, will definitely be returning here. Apologies for the quality of the pictures, we had had a lot to drink by this point. They were really very good!

C. 8.

Realised I had been to the same place before albeit under a different name. Dark and cozy, French style restaurant. Had a lovely selection of Festive bites to start followed by a succulent cod fillet which flaked effortlessly. An impressive cocktail list was perused over and had a Freezer Martini. A little pricey but well worth it.

E. H.

Incredible roast dinner. Amazing choice of starters and loved the fact they did sides (Parmesan truffle chips especially) as options a as well! Service was also great:)

M. B.

Lovely roast, staff and vibe. Great to be able to buy good quality wine from the bottle shop next door for your table. The portions were fairly small (especially veg and potatoes) and the Yorkshire pudding was cold. I still say it’s a 4-5 star roast though.

B.

Stunning wine list, great selection of wines that are interesting, high quality and unique. Staff is friendly, attentive and efficient, decor and ambiance is just lovely. We only managed to grab seats by the bar as we didn’t book a table - prepare before you go and book your seats! We also tried polenta and parmesan doughnuts with whipped feta - fantastic snack, doughnuts were crunchy and well seasoned, whipped feta delivered great acidity and freshness. Will be back for more.

L. U.

Excellent restaurant! We booked in advance and we had our table ready. Everything was perfect and the food is really REALLY good. Give it a chance, you will not regret! I added some pictures from our 3 course christmas 2021 menú.

R. H.

Had a lovely roast here - the cod was cooked perfectly, served with a great range of veggies and a good amount of gravy!! The brownie for dessert (pictured) was good but needed more freshness. Overall, a lovely place with friendly service!

S. N.

Friendly staff. Food was excellent. The portion of the main course was large. Tempura broccoli with whipped feta cheese was amazing.

K.

Where do I start? I picked this place online before I travelled so I'd never been before and I totally hit the jackpot! Great service from lovely well-informed and helpful staff. I had the roast duck from the Sunday lunch menu and I'm not a plate-clearer by nature but it was so well prepared, well presented and soooo tasty that I finished the lot. The Red Snapper cocktail was fab too, you're asked how spicy you'd like it to be on a scale of 1 to 10! 7-8 was just right for me with that warm spicy feel that doesn't burn. Shame I couldn't try the Piña Colada as they'd ran out. The Posset for dessert was beautiful, if a little runny in the middle, I could have eaten that by the bucket load - if restaurants did desserts like this, or my fave Creme Brûlée, by the bucket I'd be in my element ... and probably dead! : )

P. K.

Go for the food, stay for the charm and cocktails. Great friendly staff knowledgable on food, drink and the local area. Must visit for anyone local or tourist! Will return on any trip to Edinburgh!

L. D.

I stopped in for a cocktail and some small plates from their “bites” menu. They graciously accommodated me at the bar even without a reservation. I also got one of their yummy desserts. The staff was so friendly and generous with their recommendations. This will be one of my go to spots in Edinburgh from now on!

C. M.

Everything we ate and drank was sublime! Especially the cocktails we had were one of the bests we had. As a pastry chef myself, I would like to give my compliments to the chef who made the desserts. That orange cake, presentation and flavour wise was out of this world! Will definitely come again!

E. P.

Really nice resto in Edinburgh. Friendly and polite staff. The food is good, and the prices are great for some wine and small dishes. Recommended.

M.

Very good, inventive tapas and at reasonable prices. Some larger dishes on offer too, quality is not 100% consistent (I've been several times) but overall high. Great wine prices, staff has always been nice, but I've generally visited far from the busiest periods.

A. J.

One of my favourite places in Edinburgh. Food is fabulous, small plates and amazing flavours. Menu changes regularly so always something new to try. Cocktails equally great. Lovely cosy ambience.

J. M.

Wonderful array of cocktails, but the star of the show was the small bites that we shared. Staff were great in guiding us through the cocktails and matching drinks to our tastes.

M. K.

Well, based on feedback from trusted acquaintances I would have anticipated giving this 5 stars... However...... We arranged our day on our last night in Edinburgh so that we would arrive at this establishment for our reserved table at 4pm. Let's bear in mind that this is clearly not a "pull it out of the freezer and microwave it" eatery so we were very much looking forwards to indulging in a large amount of the "bites" on the menu (tapas style dishes). Sadly, just after we ordered our drinks, a very apologetic staff member informed us that the head chef had just tested positive for covid and therefore they would not be serving any food this evening. Our drinks took quite a while to arrive after this after the staff had offered to try to find us an alternative booking at another of their group in the city. When our drinks did arrive, it was suggested that we order some olives and at least there would be something we could munch while having our beers. These were of course, charged. I understand that this was a difficult evening for all concerned but I have to ask why somewhere would only find out about a key kitchen staff member being sick at the very start of actual service. This is poor COVID management. I would give less stars for this, but there was no food to rate, and the experience was therefore a challenge to evaluate. One day, I hope we will get the opportunity to attempt another visit and have something to review.

C. D.

A hidden gem, we have visited Bon Vivant for many years on special occasions when in Edinburgh. Lovely for drinks however often tempted by their small plates which is always goes down as a little snack. Great atmosphere afternoons or evenings.

a. z.

Great find 10 minute walk from the station. Amazing classy cocktails and gourmet food in a cozy atmosphere

A. B.

FANTASTIC can't wait to visit again, large portions, great wines, friendly staff, cosy interior

J. Y.

A fun dining experience. Tapas with a Scottish twist. Great value for money and the cocktails also looked really great! We got 6 plates for £20 and it did not disappoint!

E. B.

Friendly possibly French waiter, he was welcoming. Cosy warm atmosphere a good choice for a first date. Felt a tad rushed out as the bill was just produced by a waitress and put on the table Felt like we had over stayed our welcome.

B. M.

Visited for some cocktails and ordered some parmesan chips! Lovely service and delicious food!

J.

Delicious food, great cocktails. The lamb main was great, as were the haggis bonbon and Pork & Chorizo small plates. The Sticky Toffee pudding dessert was so good, went too quickly to take a photo :-)

A. T. M.

Ambiance, exceptional. Food, gorgeous. Service, amazing. First time here, scrumptious Scottish cuisine done a la francais! Love it, will be back soon.

I. G.

Love this place, atmosphere is brilliant, food is delicious and the wine is divine. The staff are so friendly and knowledgeable helping you to choose foods and wines that go together as well as new choices that you might not have considered. Don't think I'd get tired even if I went every week.

A. H.

Nice and cosy, great atmosphere, great drinks. Good idea to book since they're often full.

a. h.

Had a great meal. All the food in the menu seem to be nicely made and a friendly service but slightly slow as we were waiting over 20 mins to get served. But highly recommended

I. S.

Visited 25 March 2022, great food & drinks and the staff fantastic. Had a selection of small bites and OMG outstanding!!! French Martini was something else... Well done everyone great venue!!!

D.

Nailed it! From being seen and seated when entering till paying the bill and leaving these guys nailed it. Food, drinks, service, layout and cost all done properly. This is a template for how a kitchen and front of house are supposed to work. Very impressed.

D.

What great place. Lovely welcome, great atmosphere, good beer and the haggis bonbons were a delight. Definitely coming back.

A.

Wonderful experience. Staff and service fantastic and would definitely come back to spend an afternoon just drinking in a very laid back atmosphere. Wonderful find. Shame we have to leave to go shopping.

A. M.

Loved this place!! Great drinks and selection of spirits... the decorations make the place feel very cozy and welcoming. The bartenders are super cool and friendly, modified our drinks to our likings. The bathroom is very tidy and nice. Loved my diplomático based tiki cocktail!

J. W.

Fantastic little pub on Thistle Street. It's a wee hidden gem. We popped in for a drink and stayed for 3 hours. The staff are first class and so friendly. Great selection of drinks especially whisky, will definitely be back.

G.

Really good food and drinks, they are flexible with the kind of drinks they can prepare, the one I ordered was not at the menu, and they still made it... The ambient was great and the staff extremely friendly... I will definitely I will go back another day.

J.

Delicious food, great cocktails. The lamb main was great, as were the haggis bonbon and Pork & Chorizo small plates. The Sticky Toffee pudding dessert was so good, went too quickly to take a photo :-)

A. E.

Absolutely loved this place. The atmosphere was buzzing and it was relaxed. The food had your taste buds exploding with flavour and texture, wow. The service was excellent and the prices were good too. The place is cosy, friendly and definitely a place to go for drinks and bites, or for dinner. Will definitely be going again and recommend that you go and enjoy.

J. W.

Fantastic little pub on Thistle Street. It's a wee hidden gem. We popped in for a drink and stayed for 3 hours. The staff are first class and so friendly. Great selection of drinks especially whisky, will definitely be back.

T. Y.

Really good food and great service, lovely atmosphere

A. M.

Loved this place!! Great drinks and selection of spirits... the decorations make the place feel very cozy and welcoming. The bartenders are super cool and friendly, modified our drinks to our likings. The bathroom is very tidy and nice. Loved my diplomático based tiki cocktail!

G.

Really good food and drinks, they are flexible with the kind of drinks they can prepare, the one I ordered was not at the menu, and they still made it... The ambient was great and the staff extremely friendly... I will definitely I will go back another day.

K.

Amazing cocktails & bar staff, very accomodating to personal preferences

W.

Went to The Bon Vivant on a Saturday afternoon to meet up with friends and family for drinks. Friendly atmosphere, good service, despite the restaurant and bar being very busy.

K. L.

The food was excellent and the service was outstanding. Loved our whole dinner experience. Highly recommended!

F. A.

Really outstanding cocktails. Great ambience and excellent food on top of this made it one of the best lunches out I’ve had in a while

f. o.

It was a very enjoyable experience at the Bon Vivant, we arrived without a booking and the manager was really gracious and found us a table, thanks to a recent cancellation. Food? Amazing, brilliantly balanced small plates, lovely boards and a wine and cocktail list that was exquisite, so why 4 stars? Ah!. The Manager and probably the italian/spanish lady were absolutely amazing and in my view I think they are holding the place together. All the other serving staff seemed to be ignoring customers???, they would look at tables and then walk away?? Despite people trying to catch their eye or indicate they hadn't ordered their drinks. That's the reason I cant give this restaurant 5 stars some of the team are letting the restaurant down. That being said we had an amazing time, and would like to thank the Aussie manager and Italian/spanish waitress for an amazing evening.

F. A.

Really outstanding cocktails. Great ambience and excellent food on top of this made it one of the best lunches out I’ve had in a while

K.

Amazing cocktails & bar staff, very accomodating to personal preferences

J. P.

Food is great, drinks are great. They have an extensive drinks list and is a popular venue during the weekends

M. G.

One of our favourite meals in Edinburgh. Romantic candlelit decor, a delicious cocktail list and even better food. The bites were a nice way of getting variety (mushroom roll with truffle was our favourite), and both of our mains were faultless. The sticky toffee pudding was delicious, not too sweet. Friendly service too.

K. L.

The food was excellent and the service was outstanding. Loved our whole dinner experience. Highly recommended!

W. L.

Very good. Recommended to us by London friend, I got 3 different bites that were each delicious (especially the gougere).

j. p.

Excellent cocktails. The food was very good but not quite exceptional. Lamb and Steak were beautifully cooked. Cod croquette and stick toffee were my favourites. 4.5 stars

L. S.

Loved this quirky place - the small bites are full of flavour and diversity. We shared 6 bites + 1 main and it was ample food (plus the sticky toffee pudding is to die for). The service was so friendly, welcoming and prompt - couldn't have asked for more from our first night in Edinburgh

K. M.

Amazing! We were here a year before and was awesome :) This is why we came back, and it was even better! We asked if there is a possibility to order a birthday cake. What we had was the best brownie birthday cake EVER :))

V. W.

We read reviews that were all really good so we booked for a veggie Sunday dinner and was bitterly disappointed. £14 for a cauliflower steak which was bland, burnt tasting Yorkshire pudding, one large carrot, quarter of a red onion, 3 quarters of a potato roasted and some green pea like mash. Some mashed potato and another veg would have been nice. We don't eat much but we were still hungry when we left.

A.

Good food, service and wine, higher end the price range for everyday places but seems to be consistent which is good.

F. T.

The food was good. The cocktail was also pretty good. I went in pretty early so it was empty, but I can definitely see the place being crowded. It's a nice gem of a place.

K. C.

Great buzz and lovely food! Would recommend

A. K.

Amazing food and cocktails. Not that many options for vegetarians (veggie myself) but what they do have has always been delicious and satisfying. Be sure to order the Parmesan fries!

M. H.

Just nice and cool 👌 Tiramisu was from another Planet, classic but realy realy fresh new style. Staff was absolut carefull and attentiv. Thank you for the great Whisky recommendations 😘.

C. F.

Great wee retreat from the Edinburgh madness. Bar snacks were the highlights of the stop as was the parting dram of eggnog.

m. c.

Amazing! Delicious food with the options to do small plates or classic 3 course. Staff were great and the atmosphere inside is always good

P. R.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Really enjoyed the cod entree served with celeriac 3-ways. Great desserts too.

a. K.

Everything was cooked to perfection! Every single bite and meal was perfect (we recommend the haggis bon bons and serano croquets). The servers were attentive and the food and drinks came quickly. The atmosphere was comfortable and great too without being too fancy.

T. Y.

Really good food and great service, lovely atmosphere

m. a.

Great food, with perfectly cooked vegetables (not over done, or hard, making the most of there flavour!). Well cooked meat and fish with complimentary sauces and velvety puree's. Cocktails are well thought out, with a mix of long, shorts, sweet and sours. Also good value. A traditional decor with dark wood and low mood lighting. Highly recommended eating and drinking here when in Edinburgh!

S. L. C.

Fantastic little bar. We enjoyed a Parisian spritz and a punk ipa beer. Attentive staff. Lovely atmosphere. Would highly recommend.

A. P.

Wonderful candle-lit restaurant and bar. It’s a little bit noisy for a restaurant but had a great atmosphere.

G. C.

My favourite bar in Edinburgh! Great range of wines, excellent menu, good service - all in a cosy, intimate setting...

P. O.

Amazing lamb rump! Their truffle and Parmesan fries are also to die for! Will definitely be recommending this spot to anyone looking for a delicious meal in Edinburgh!

J. J.

Great place! Went for Sunday roast, which was delicious. Service was fantastic.

G. C.

Really lovely meal, hosted by lovely waiters and the duck main was lovely with all of the food complimenting the rest divinely ~ would definitely recommend and return! The local gins are also lovely and can be substituted into some of the cocktails 🥂

L. P.

Fantastic spot, my wife and I loved our dinner here, worth booking a table in advance though. The food was just fantastic. We appreciated how much thought went into every detail while the ambience remained very friendly and relaxing. We moved to the bar after our meal and we couldn't resist trying most of the drinks from a superb cocktail list, all of which were top notch. All staff are very friendly and we found George the bartender extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Can't wait to go back.

D. C.

Ridiculously excited about being in a bar in 2022. Fab service, wine list and service.

J. B.

Amazing food. The bites are so good we ordered twice.

A. F.

A fantastic bar with excellent cocktails. The bar staff are absolute professionals and really know their drink so don’t hesitate to ask or get recommendations. The food varies from good to outstanding (perhaps depending on the chef? Stand-out meals there were Fri/Sat). The decor is really nice and candles at night lend it a cosy and romantic atmosphere

N. R.

This is a gem! We found this place randomly and loved it. They have an amazing wine and champagne list for unbeatable prices. Great cocktails as well. Very good food and on top of this very friendly and professional service. Highly recommend

H. F.

Came here during the Fringe for drinks and dinner. Great location and atmosphere, with navy blue walls and vintage French posters, and a real buzz from the number of diners! Cocktails are innovative and superb, £8-10 each. Food was delicious - I had the soup starter to ensure I'd be able to manage my mains, and glad I did as the lamb was cooked to perfection and melted in my mouth. It was all we could manage to share a sorbet for dessert, but the white chocolate sorbet was light and sweet, perfectly rounding off the meal. Highly recommended.

R. R.

Excellent jazz pub with a sophisticated food menu. Recommended

J. M.

Highlight of our trip to Edinburugh. Could not reccomend this place enough. Great food with a excellent bottle of wine and a couple of cocktails to finish. Had great, friendly service from our waitress and could of stayed for hours longer if we hadn't had to be up early the next morning! I will be back at some point!

S. H.

A great find on our trip to Edinburgh!! Had a slight mix up with an allergy note but was quickly revised and was taken care of extremely well. I recommend to any travellers who are looking for a delicious meal accompanied by marvellous service. Each server we spoke to was extremely knowlegble and left with a list of recommendations for cocktail bars to go to after our dinner. The next door wine store is under the same company so if you wish for a large selection of well priced wines then this restaurant is a must!! Thankyou Bon Vivant for your wicked service and amazing menu. Will be visiting again on our future trips to Scotland.

N. W.

So cosy, so elegant, staff lovely and they have a great variety of spirits. Definitely, I'll visit again.

G. P.

The Bon Vivant is in the heart of Edinburgh's New Town and in the heart of its people. A well deserved place because it offers a great selection of drinks across cocktails and wines. Food is excellent too. The place is cosy and lively at the same time, with a good mix of local usual customers and occasional visitors. Friendly and efficient service. Definitely worth visiting (and returning, and returning...)

T. E.

Amazing place. Courteous staff and beautiful food and cocktails.

G. T.

Wonderful Sunday Roast at Bon Vivant - great service, atmosphere and food was just delicious!

C. H.

Nice place with nice crowd. Staff very friendly and helpful. Big variety of alcohol. For food we tried a platter that was served on the bar and it was delicious. Its worth a visit while in Edinburgh.

K. M.

Could not rate this place highly enough. The food was excellent and our server was really helpful explaining the different wines and dishes. Cant wait to come back to Edinburgh just to come here again!

m. p.

Exceptional in all respects, service as it should be..... A "must dine experience" when you visit Edinburgh, along with sister restaurant "Devils Advocate"

J. L. P.

Great cocktails, booths with curtains and a solid wine list, not to mention great staff and lovely traditional decor

O. N.

Drinks are fantastic, foods brilliant, and service impeccable! Best place in town for an intimate chat.

G. M.

One of the best meals I’ve had. The best in Scotland by far. Original, flavorful dishes and cozy atmosphere. I definitely recommend this restaurant if you find yourself in Edinburgh!

P. H.

Great food and drink and the staff are great. Dark candle lit place

I. B.

Nice candlelit wine bar. Good ambience.

V. C.

It's not often you sit down and thoroughly enjoy every single thing you eat. This restaurant is an absolute gem. The chef really knows how to cook and the plating is beautiful. Oh, and not to mention, prices are very reasonable. Enjoy!

C.

I visited The Bon Vivant with my friend for a quick drink. I had a pint of californian Lagunitas IPA, realy good choice. Cosy place and atmosphere, extremely good and polite service, clean toilets. I will surely come back for a meal.

S. S.

Amazing atmosphere with even better food.

R. B.

I like the cocktails and the range of drinks. Service is below average, dont expect a smile or a check back. A lot of the food was incredibly salty and although my ox cheek was tasty, it was overshadowed by a cauliflower soup that tasted like sea water.

M. O. N.

Good without being as fantastic as it is made out to be by locals. Wine by any accounts was good with a very good range of wines with us selecting 3 different types. My friend ordered the cheese board and was happy another friend ordered the haggis starter and seabass while i ordered the chorizo and parmasan and truffle chips which were supposedly hand cut however this was not the case. They tasted like okay frozen chips with garlic mayo and a lack of truffle much like you would get in a chipper. Nothing fantastic but a decent meal however nothing to write home about and nothing consistent that would bring you back to dine either.

A. M.

Great atmosphere, staff, cocktails & food. Couldn’t ask for more! Would recommend getting a selection of bites 5 for 2 people and enjoy!

S. H.

Amazing place - came for lunch, stayed for 6 hours...! Food was delicious, champagne / wine selection was very good, staff were lovely and looked after us well. Thanks guys!

M. N.

5 star dining experience. Friendly staff! Thank you so much.

A. B.

Atmosphere, friendly/attentive staff and AMAZING food. What a little gem. Saw a recommendation for here on Topjaw so when we came for the weekend from dublin we had to pay it a visit and it did not disappoint!

A. W.

Such a great place. Food is exceptional, service is the the best kind of quirky and it's a very relaxed, welcoming space. I shouldn't be so positive it's busy enough already!

H. M.

Super small plates and tasty cocktails

C. W. O.

The Bon Vivant was where our Scottish host took us to experience the new pride of Scottish food. We had local ingredients, including haggis bon bons, with each of our starters and plates being well composed and delicious. The waitstaff was attentive, the ambiance was wood panels and champagne bottles as candle holders, and the menu had something for everyone. Besides the bon bons, we had salmon (recommended), a croquette, a vegetarian puff pastry called pithivier (recommended). The portions are on the small side, so we had a "bite" starter each, a main each, and could nibble on desserts. The petit four is a selection of 2-3 desserts with tea that I would recommend as well!

S. M.

Great service and an experience to remember, thank you to the team

E. H.

Great food, great service, great atmosphere. Very cute place with very tasty food at a reasonable price.

S. S.

I've had dinner here on 2 separate trips to Edinburgh and both occasions were great. The food is good and it has a really cosy and homely feel, but cool at the same time.

M. M.

Atmosphere great. Cocktails great. Food great. Staff great. Bought wine next door and you only pay a small corkage in the restaurant.

A. S.

Great dishes, wonderful selection of cocktails, strongly recommend.

F. L.

Amazing place with the best service seen around town. Amazing selection of drinks and the menu is to die for. Tried the lamb with Taboeleh and Harissa which was amazingly detailed and balanced in flavours. Worth every penny.

d. k.

Wonderful restaurant and bar. The food, cocktails, and service were all spectacular! I will definitely be going back. It was expensive but well worth it if you have the money

R. S.

Excellent food. Especially venison main course. Also great service. Really appreciated staff recommendations with menu.

T. R.

Beautiful organic white wine.. fabulous service a must visit and wine shop next door

S. S.

Edinburgh's hidden gem! Top service, excellent food and amazing cocktails. Really cannot express how grand the service was.

L. S.

Great food, great service and great atmosphere! Highly reccomend!!

P. H.

Amazing ambience, very friendly staff and a great selection of cocktails. The Barkeeper's Choice Cocktail never disappoints :-)

K. O.

Excellent wine shop with an interesting and varied offering. Highly recommended!

D. F.

great food and drinks menu but the staff are honestly fantastic . always feel they look after you - done with such professionalism and ease . shout out to the manager who always makes you feel special.

P. M.

A wonderful restaurant with great service and a nice selection of dishes. I particularly enjoyed the seafood on offer as well as a cauliflower side dish with lardons. Recommended.

S. L.

Really excellent place. The bites make for great starters, and the mains are generous both in quality and quantity

A. F.

A fantastic bar with excellent cocktails. The bar staff are absolute professionals and really know their drink so don’t hesitate to ask or get recommendations. The food varies from good to outstanding (perhaps depending on the chef? …

M. M.

Atmosphere great. Cocktails great. Food great. Staff great. Bought wine next door and you only pay a small corkage in the restaurant.

W. T.

A lovely place to sit eat and drink. Staff fantastic. Well laid out and popular.

J. M.

Best wine bar in Edinburgh! Just love it. So vibrant and fantastic wines xx

P. H.

Amazing ambience, very friendly staff and a great selection of cocktails. The Barkeeper's Choice Cocktail never disappoints :-)

P. M.

A wonderful restaurant with great service and a nice selection of dishes. I particularly enjoyed the seafood on offer as well as a cauliflower side dish with lardons. Recommended.

J. R.

Absolutely love this bar. Really cosy with great music. Fab drink selection and amazing service.

V. C.

It's not often you sit down and thoroughly enjoy every single thing you eat. This restaurant is an absolute gem. The chef really knows how to cook and the plating is beautiful. Oh, and not to mention, prices are very reasonable. Enjoy!

J. C.

Stunning place to go for dinner with your half. The food was amazing and the service was great.

J. R.

Absolutely love this bar. Really cosy with great music. Fab drink selection and amazing service.

A. H.

Its the Bon Vivant...says it all really!

I. G.

Very good and affordable food and the staff was amazing!

S. B.

Great cocktails, they are expensive, but worth it as a treat. You can certainly taste why the cocktails are priced the way they are.

I. M.

Been there 6 times in last few months. Beautiful food. Great service. Great atmosphere.

R. S.

The staff and the atmosphere are the big draws here, the wine and cocktails and food are top quality but getting helpful honest advice from the staff makes the different

L. S.

The ambiance is always so relaxed, with low candlelight vibes, great food, cocktail and drinks selection. Great place to snuggle in from the Christmas cold

S. L.

Really excellent place. The bites make for great starters, and the mains are generous both in quality and quantity

R. T.

A very personal experience, I have been four times now and the environment is welcoming, friendly which is also backed up by the food.

W. T.

A lovely place to sit eat and drink. Staff fantastic. Well laid out and popular.

D. D.

Very good food, good quality fresh produce. The truffle chips are out of this world!

P. W.

Food was beautiful, cocktails too.

G. E.

Great service. Lovely food.

L. J.

Popped in for a random drink. Certainly got that. Fantastic cocktails and service. Will be popping in again for sure!

P. G.

Very good wine list, appropriately priced, and good cocktails. Draft beer is disappointing but the food is very good.

L. M.

Great food, wine and service in a cosy but lively setting. Will definitely be back!

N. C.

Very good food, friendly staff. Nice ambience, great for date night.

J. P.

Fabulous!!!!! Lovely food, extremely friendly staff, great atmosphere... Just the ticket.

B. S.

Excellent cocktail bar and restaurant mature fun place to enjoy and savour the atmosphere

A. L.

Stunning! Food was outstanding. Service was exceptional. Atmosphere was superb.

S. W.

Charcuterie board is beautiful, the drinks are great too! WeveW coma back after finding this little gem

A. W.

One of the best roasts I've had, very good and thoughtful staff and lovely restaurant.

K. D.

The perfect place for a pre-dinner cocktail, or even to stay and lounge a while. Terribly cozy and perfect for mingling.

M. G.

Great place for cocktails that is hidden away from the mainstream bars. Small but quaint

K. D.

We have just ate at this place and I can tell you the "bites" are divine and the smoked salmon starter with popcorn is the taste of the future!! Eat here !!!!

L. f.

A must visit everytime we have a break in Edinburgh

J. B.

Very friendly staff, great service and fit food. Highly recommend 👌

S. S.

Back open for great food. Top service and most enjoyable. Welcome back. 😄

M. W.

Really nice food and cocktails. Sometimes a bit too loud for a nice dinner though.

A. S.

Always good. Staff are top drawer

J. H.

Great value, especially with the BYO arrangement. The Sunday roast was excellent.

C. K.

Very nice place, pleasant atmosphere and music. Will definitely visit again and can only recommend.

B. O.

Friendly helpful staff, great beer selection and a lovely atmosphere - the perfect Christmas Eve place to unwind

M. B.

Excellent up market bar, good range of drinks. On the pricey side

V. P.

Very chic bar. Will definitely return for a meal sometime.

V. M.

Good food and very good wine. Loved it!

C. L.

Great friendly place for good food and fantastic cocktails.....

M. A.

Great service, Great Sunday Roast and well priced too!

F. S.

Great atmosphere and staff

J. C.

Amazing Sunday roast. Excellent service!

A. D.

Very nice food, good tapas type selection

B. S.

Fabulous food...great cocktails!

N. O.

Great vibe with awesome ales. Pretty epic Guinness as well for the record!

C.

Good range of cocktails and beers. Food is ok.

K. B.

Nice place, but you can only get seating if you buy food.

H. S.

delicious food, great service and great cocktails

A. R.

Great atmosphere, bartender made some good drinks

A. R.

Love this bar good food good people good drink just love it

K. M.

The truffle fries were next level and the waitress was so wonderful!

J. H.

Great wine selection, warm and cozy.

J. T.

Great drinks, great decor, lively atmosphere

S. K.

Good and best champagne served at good and reasonable prices

S.

Great staff! Amazing drinks

J. W.

Great food thank you

G. B.

Excellent food! Perfect for relaxing evening.

D.

Great cocktails. Nice staff.

K. O.

Excellent cocktails friendly staff

X. P.

Great food, great wine, great service!

C. M.

Good food but expensive and poor choice of beers on tap

K. A.

very good value , food good, great atmosphere

P. T.

Lovely cosy little place with good food and friendly hosts

A. G.

Really cute cocktail bar right by princes street. Would come back!

O. N.

This place is a hidden gem absolutely amazing food ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

s. s.

Excellent good food and drinks a lovely meal

A. C.

Nice atmosphere, good service.

H. P.

Food was gorgeous and service wonderful!

K. W.

Excellent food, great atmosphere

N. C.

Sunday roast aficionados redeeming all the excesses of the evening beforehand 💖😍

M. B.

The mulled cider is the best I've ever had!

J. R.

Really good place to eat and reasonbly price

R. H. C.

Great cocktails and a super friendly team.

J. H.

Everything was perfect

M. “. A.

Really nice food, friendly staff

D. S.

Grate place for drinks, very nice service!

D. S.

Just everything was great. Lovely place and people.

T. J.

Food goes out fast chefs r great

J. H.

Great place to enjoy a Sunday roast!

L. “. B.

Nice classy place for a cocktail.

J. V. B.

Fantastic food, drink and atmosphere

B.

Well priced wine list

M.

Great little place with friendly bar staff

a. a.

Too dark

P. B.

Great food and staff!!

L. F.

Great Wee Pub 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

C. M.

Nice beer

A. P.

Decent bar, eclectic clientele.

Z. F. C.

Outstanding! I wish this existed in London

A. P.

Decent bar, eclectic clientele.

C. M.

Nice beer

A. B.

Staff were fantastic.

M. R.

Nice wine bar.

a. a.

Too dark

T. B.

Very good food

D. P.

Great experience!

C. M.

Good food but expensive and poor choice of beers on tap

D. P.

Great experience!

s. p.

Always good

F. R.

Loved this place, excellent service....lovely staff. . .very attentive.....great atmosphere....💖

E. G.

(Translated) Very warm welcome in a subdued atmosphere with candles. Very good cocktail (let the regent of the establishment advise you). Tasty cuisine. Deer steak a delight. Parmesan fries and truffle mayonnaise is a great side dish idea! All accompanied by pleasant background music. Nothing to say! (Original) Très bon accueil dans une ambiance tamisée aux bougies. Très bon cocktail (laissez vou conseiller par le regent de l'établissement ).Cuisine savoureuse . Le steak de cerf un délice. Les frites au parmesan et mayonnaise aux truffes est une très bonne idée d'accompagnement en supplément ! Le tout accompagné d'un agréable fond musical. Rien à dire!

C. N.

(Translated) Very nice discovery! the setting is great, and the servers really adorable. As for the dishes, they were simply exquisite 🤤 Thank you for this moment ❤️ (Original) Très belle découverte ! le cadre est super, et les serveurs vraiment adorables. Quant aux plats ils étaient tout simplement exquis 🤤 Thank you for this moment ❤️

S. R.

(Translated) At Hogmanay, Edinburgh is crowded with tourists. It is difficult to find a place in a restaurant. We were so flexible to have dinner very early. We could therefore be pushed in between, but had to clear the table after an hour, which we were told before. The time was completely sufficient for starters and main courses. Bon Vivant offers the equivalent of tapas as starters. Two each for £ 4. It is worth accessing here. We tried three. All very tasty! As a main course we had a duck breast. It was excellent! (Original) An Hogmanay ist Edinburgh mit Touristen überfüllt. Es ist schwer, einen Platz in einem Restaurant zu finden. Wir waren so flexibel, sehr früh zu Abend zu essen. Wir konnten daher noch dazwischen geschoben werden, mussten den Tisch aber nach einer Stunde räumen, was uns zuvor gesagt wurde. Die Zeit war aber völlig ausreichend für Vorspeise und Hauptgericht. Das Bon Vivant bietet als Vorspeisen das Pendant zu Tapas an. Je zwei Stück für 4 £. Es lohnt sich, hier zuzugreifen. Wir haben drei probiert. Alle sehr lecker! Als Hauptgericht hatten wir eine Entenbrust. Es war vorzüglich!

Q. C.

(Translated) Very cozy and vintage atmosphere. Cocktails are super good as the food. And the service is super great and friendly. I really recommend the place. In French: a really very pleasant place with a warm and vintage atmosphere with old French advertising posters. The cocktails are really good and so is the food. In addition, the servers are very caring. (Original) Very cosy and vintage atmosphere. Cocktails are super good as the food. And the service is super great and friendly. I really recommend the place. En francais: un lieu vraiment très agréable avec une atmosphere chaleureuse et vintage avec des anciennes affiches de publicité française. Les cocktails sont vraiment bons et la nourriture également. En plus les serveurs sont vraiment au petits soins.

B. B.

(Translated) Everything was perfect ! The very warm welcome, the attentive and efficient service and the mastered and surprising cuisine. A very good address. (Original) Tout était parfait ! L'accueil très chaleureux, le service aussi attentionné qu'efficace et la cuisine maîtrisée et surprenante. Une très bonne adresse.

T. C.

(Translated) A hidden gem. Cozy atmosphere, good cuisine and very friendly service. € 30 per person for the 3-course menu and drink. They gave us free mulled wine and some Christmas candy. (Original) Una joya escondida. Ambiente acogedor, buena cocina y servicio muy amable. 30 € por persona el menú de 3 platos y la bebida. Nos dieron gratis vino caliente con especias y unos dulces de Navidad.

G. M.

(Translated) I went to buy some bottles of rum and gin, the very friendly seller helped me choose according to my tastes and the result has been good. From what I have seen later, the prices adequate to the market, neither cheaper nor more expensive than elsewhere. (Original) Fui a comprar unas botellas de ron y ginebra, el vendedor muy amable, me ayudó a elegir en función de mis gustos y el resultado ha sido bueno. Por lo que he visto luego, los precios adecuados al mercado, ni más baratos ni más caros que en otro sitio.

J. A.

(Translated) Great cocktail, interesting wine list but just wine by the glass. The food is very good. (Original) Super cocktail, carte des vins intéressantes mais juste au vin au verre. La cuisine est très bonne.

M. P.

(Translated) Excellent restaurant serving fresh and carefully prepared products. One of the best value for money restaurants. (Original) Excellent restaurant servant des produits frais et soigneusement préparés. Un des meilleurs restaurants rapport qualité/prix.

W. W.

(Translated) Great. Service very attentive. Kitchen very good. Ambience very pleasant. (Original) Großartig. Service sehr aufmerksam. Küche sehr gut. Ambiente sehr angenehm.

N. G.

(Translated) We only stopped to have a drink, the place is nice too bad it's very dark (Original) Ci siamo fermati solo per bere qualcosa, il posto è carino peccato sia molto buio

S. N.

(Translated) Delicious food in a dim atmosphere. (Original) Leckeres Essen in schummriger Athmosphäre.

A. M. T. N.

J. I.

K. S.

a. b.

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