The coffe varieties are great and range from great stong kenyan coffees to something a bit smoother and mellow. Cakes are good too but it can be a realt struggle finding a table at peak periods. I wouldn't head here for a leisurely lunch or if you are wanting a private chat because it is a big open room at the back crammed with people who may end up wanting to share your table due to the lack of space. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly and are quick and efficient in their service. And although JK may have written a bit here, the previous poster is right, she wrote most of the first book in another coffe shop which has since been turned into a Chinese restaurant. read more

The Elephant House is a lovely little coffee shop for whiling away the day with a steaming mug of coffee and one of their delicious cakes. It's on George IVth bridge, so if you get a window seat, it's a great place for people watching and seeing the world go by. The place is decorated with lots of Elephants (the clues in the name!) so is quite kitsch and cool in comparison to the standard Starbucks and Costas that seem to be on every corner now. They have a huge selection of teas, coffees and soft drinks so there's something for everyone. Their choice of cakes and pastries/biscuits is a dieters nightmare, as they all taste so good. Particularly famous are the cute shortbread elephants they serve. All in all it's a very relaxed kind of place. Everyone sits around chatting, reading newspapers etc and you can quite easily lose half the day in there without even realising it! read more

It is awesome coffee shop, as it is called the Elephant House, and inside there, there are vast array of objects of elephants, in all ranges, and all materials, and everything else in ELEPHANTS it is weird place to be in! Even there is a number of students who do goes there, to take their studies, while having their coffee Even I do sometimes goes in there, to play with their board games which are provided there, and I do spend a lots of time with my friends playing in there. Sometimes it gets quiet, and sometimes it gets busy It varies all the time. Priced at reasonably rate. but loves going in there as it is quite relaxing place to be in. read more

When my wife and I walked in, we we're relatively excited to experience the "gourmet" tea they boast about on their site. And then... 1. We waited several minutes before someone even acknowledged that we were waiting to be seated. Five staff members... FIVE... walked consistently passed us without any acknowledgment at all. 2. We were finally sat only to wait another 10 mins without any waiter coming to our table. Then we finally thought that perhaps we were meant to order at the front. We approached the cashier to order, who told us that a waiter will take our order, so we sat back down, waited another 10 mins until we finally hounded down a waiter and asked to please order. 3. Turns out the tea is not so gourmet. The filters that came with the tea were filthy and hadn't been washed (see photo). There were no sweetener options (which is surprising for gourmet) other than a wide-mouth container on the table that you have to dive your spoon into and given the cleanliness of their filters, I can only imagine how unhygienic the sugar bowls are. Overall, this place was a great disappointment and clearly relies on their connection to a famous author to stay in business. read more

The Elephant House - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

I really enjoyed coming to this place, especially as a Harry Potter fan.i already knew I was going to stop by because I wanted to see how jk Rowling must have felt writing her book I this cafe. It did not disappoint. I love the elephant theme and appreciated the little Harry Potter knock knacks it kept all around. I saw the first edition signed by Rowling herself! I bought a few cute postcards too. I wasn't expecting much in terms of the pastries but was pleasantly surprised they were actually really good. Only downside was how small and busy it is read more

If you are a fan of Harry Potter I would say this place gonna be a dream for you. But as a normal people who just want to look for some good cake and coffee in Edinburgh I am not sure it would be a good choice for you. This place is always packed with too many tourists around the world and they only have 2 toilets for each gender so you could imagine that it would be a queue to go toilet in a peak hour here - and note that somebody could stay a bit long in toilet to take photo of all things that Harry Potter fan draw in there! read more

When I first stumbled upon this cafe, way back in 98-I thought I had found the cafe of my dreams. It was bright, open, and airy with fabulous elephant art and trinkets. Elephants and coffee are passions of mine so it was Nirvana. The cappucinos were ideal-strong espresso, lots of froth. It was never TOO crowded. Then came HARRY POTTER. I must say I'm not a fan but was initially impressed that J.K Rowling supposedly wrote the tome there. In fact, I would often tell the little white lie that I had actually often seen her writing the thing during my visits to the ELEPHANT cafe. However the last few times I have visited-The Elli (as I referred to it), things have been different. First of all-the crowds and queues could have been tolerable perhaps without the computers at the front (a bad sign). Many other people had laptops. I just think laptops in cafes are wrong. If you are going to write in cafes, it should brief spurts of inspiration written furiously in longhand. But I digress. The back room is still beautiful, but crowded. The cappucinoes are okay but not what they were. The front is crammed with crowds and elephant chachka (teeshirts, hats, keychains). Ahh...why aren't things as we remember them. read more

I visited here because I'm a Potter fan. Very busy place, nice staff; however, Edinburgh was having a "heat wave" and with no AC, well, it was a little warm in the restaurant. It took about 15 minutes for someone to take our order which we understood. They were packed and we weren't in a rush. We decided to try haggis for our first time at this place and so glad we did! It was good paired with the mashed potatoes and turnips. We got the chicken pot pie as well with a coffee (even though it was scorching in there!) They have a few souvenirs you can buy which is fun and nice. I did buy a medium ladies shirt and it runs small. Just please be careful if you buy a t-shirt - they are smaller than what we are use to in the states. Unfortunately, I washed it and dried it on medium heat before I wore it and shrunk it more, so it may be my 10 year old nieces present from Scotland now. Great place to visit if you get the chance! read more

The reason why I wanted to check out this place due to its Harry Potter history. The service was very poor and the food was just mediocre. I would suggest just to pop in for a pot of tea to check out the place but do not eat there. read more

You know- I was super unimpressed with this place. Of course came by as a Harry Potter fan to see where JK wrote the books. Heard the food wasn't great so we came by for cake and a coffee. Service was slow and unenthusiastic. The place wasn't crazy busy, the outside was with people taking photos of the store front, but the inside was not. There really wasn't a reason for the slow service. Cake was ok- nothing to write home about. I think if I had a do over- I'd join the people outside and take a photo and move on. read more

well, i suppose there's not much more to be added to those reviews already here - it has undoubtedly one of the best views you'll ever see while sipping a coffee and maybe nibbling a corner of carrot cake. And nice big tables, comfy chairs and a generally sophisticated atmosphere. Its the sort of place where you come to sit and read a book because you can't just pop over to Paris to sit on the Rive-Gauche and you just need that hit of intellectuality. Even if they are starting to put up adverts all around town proclaiming the magnificence that they must be because they served coffee when JK Rowling wanted some. I bet she didn't have to wait fifteen minutes for hers. But i must stop myself, before you get the wrong impression, because really i love the place (they've even got internet for those of us who have issues with BT), i just don't want you to be completely duped by all the hype..! So go for it, go drink a coffee, but remember that you're paying for more than just a coffee when you drink one here... read more

I adore this little gem and whenever I have guests from out of town I take them here for a midmorning coffee and snack on the side. It attracts such a mixed crowd: tourists, students working away on their laptops, office workers grabbing a quick coffee or lunch. It all adds to the buzz of this place. There is a big selection of teas and coffees; I usually go for the plain old black perculator coffee. £1.85 for a HUGE cup, an additional £50 for any refill. And it tastes good! The interior is laidback and relaxed with quirky little elephants everywhere, making me feel like I'm sitting in one of my friend's lounge rooms. There is no pretentiousness here - everyone is welcome. Grab yourself a seat in the back next to the window and you'll find yourself having a stunning view of the Castle. Alternatively, browse through the selection of newspapers and magazines available. Yes, it gets busy so if you can help it avoid this place during lunch times when all the office workers stream in. But apart from that this place is really worth a visit. Don't forget to grab a pastry. They have a fantastic selection; all of them to die for! read more

Sadly I had to get my food to go but it sure was yummy! I got the haggis and sweet potato sandwich with salad and the only complaint was that some of the lettuce was wilted. But it had a delicious vinegar dressing. Such a unique place in Edinburgh and definitely recommend checking it out. Oh, and now they have a sign clearly stating that you order first and pay, then take a seat. It's like most cafés :) read more

The Elephant House - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Our visit lasted nearly an hour, and we left without eating. Waited to be seated, waited 10 minutes to place order, waited 10 minutes for water, then waited for dinner - We left 40 minutes after our dinner order was placed - the waiter simply avoided eye contact for 15 minutes, after we flagged him). I did get to use the toilet, so not a total loss - although it felt like it. read more

Had some great cake and coffee here, was not busy at all however we went around 8pm. Service and dessert was lovely, would come again!

Would just like to say thanks for all the kind comments. Please check out our new website at http://www.elephanthouse.biz Elephant House read more

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So touristy!! Not worth a meal. The staff is rude and it's quite expensive for sub par food.

Incredibly rude staff, never been treated like this anywhere else in Edinburgh. After the waitress promised to move us to the next table, another one sat people there. When I tried to tell her about her colleague the reply was, "I don't care, I am the manager here and I'm sitting these people here". After I asked to see her colleague she said, "Fine, I'll move you over there." And then never moved any of our plates. In the end, no one came to apologise or explain anything to my husband and myself. It's a very touristy place so they do not care one bit of they are rude to you. Very disappointed, won't come here again. PS. Also, while the ladies toilets have nice Harry Potter messages on the walls, there are no working hand dryers and the floor was wet and dirty. read more

This coffee shop is so much fun! And you get a view of the castle while you enjoy. The cakes were delectable and the coffee and tea were wonderful! Definitely a must-stop-in spot! read more

The Elephant House - Victoria sponge, cappuccino cake, tea, and mocha - Scottish Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Expensive for what you get really. Also, the waitress managed to spill hot tea in my friend's lap. Dont get me wrong, cakes and drinks as expected but their prices are cheeky so you can't help feeling they really cash in on JK's former custom. If you are a JK fan step inside or take your pic outside. If you want good value, go elsewhere. read more

I realised, after my last review, that I've still never reviewed the Elephant House. I'm not sure how as I bring most people here when they're visiting me. "Do you really?" I can hear you thinking. "But you've given it three stars!" Well, yes. As a cafe, it's not so hot. It's kind of expensive, although it's a lovely space. The service is as quick as it can be, given that it's almost always heaving in here with tourists wondering which table J K Rowling used to sit at. The cakes are fine. The hot chocolate is fine. It's just a nice place. It's funny, but when you're inside you wouldn't necessarily know this was "the place". The theme is, fittingly, elephants. There are elephants everywhere. It's quite sweet. People don't come for the elephants, though. They come for the magic. The Elephant House, you see, touts itself as The Birthplace Of Harry Potter. Everyone knows the tale - that Jo Rowling, a penniless single mother, used to spend hours in an Edinburgh cafe, writing the book about a boy wizard that would, once published, lift her almost overnight to international literary superstardom. Well, the Elephant House, like many other establishments in Edinburgh, claims to be that cafe. Unlike many other establishments, however, here people have bought into the story. The tourists are fully invested in it. You can see how, gazing out of the large window at the back directly onto the majestic crags of the castle, someone might conceive the notion of Hogwarts. On the website, there's even an interview with the writer from shortly before the publication of the second book, filmed at the cafe (which incidentally is worth a watch because it's endearing how thrilled she is with sales that now pale in comparison to current figures). Now, I don't want to get into a discussion on the nature of truth; this is a cafe review. BUT - whether or not it's true that she actually wrote there is, I think, not important. What's important is that everyone believes it. It's got a kind of truth of its own. Which leads me on to why I bring everyone here for a quick cup of tea, despite the big crowds, the big prices, the fact that while the food is pleasant there are many other places doing much nicer stuff nearby... The toilets. You have to go into the toilets. Obviously, I don't know what the men's loo is like, but if it's like the ladies', then it's a strangely uplifting experience. The walls are covered in graffiti: scribbled letters of gratitude, love and affection to the writer who changed the world and to the characters who are so real to so many. There are silly references, in-jokes about in-jokes, sketchy doodles and deeply heartfelt missives of appreciation, and never has finding words of love written on the wall of a public toilet been so innocent and so beautiful. Hogwarts might be fictional, but the magic here is real. read more

This cafe offers a wide variety of food and drinks, the atmosphere is amazing and their mallow delight hot chocolate is delicious. The souvenirs are adorable and you must see the bathrooms if you go to the Elephant House, especially if you are a Harry Potter fan! read more

Last week I decided to drive up to Edinburgh for a mini holiday and thought to check this place out. I actually did not know about this café and it's history until I discovered it through an Instagram profile. I was searching hashtags of cappuccinos and a delicious looking one popped up and the title said "Birthplace of Harry Potter" which drew me in right away because I am a big fan of the book series. I walked from my hotel to the Cafe and right when I saw it, I knew I would enjoy the view because it was located on George IV bridge which overlooked a good portion of the city including Edinburgh Castle! The front of the Cafe is painted in this nice blood red color and there is a poster of JK Rowling in the window which draws you. It looks very small when you first enter and you worry if they are going to have room for you as there are only a few stools/chairs for window seating. However, as you get close to the counter you realize that there is a much larger seating area in the back of the café. The Elephant House differs from a lot of café's in that you have to wait in line to be served at the counter and then wait to be seated, rather than taking your seat and ordering from there. The menu was full of cute British and Scottish foods/pastries and a set of coffee drinks as well. I opted for the special of the day which was a lovely fresh mint tea and a slice of the homemade organic carrot cake. After paying things got a little tricky because the place was PACKED! The front of the cafe is first come first sit type of seating but the back room where JK Rowling sat and wrote the first few Harry Potter novels is assigned seating by a hostess. It seemed really crazy because we had no where to place our tray and had to stand holding it in that hectic crowded area while waiting to be seated. After 2 minutes we were seated with another group, which made me a bit awkward but quickly that faded because I wanted to relish in the ambiance of the room, the HARRY POTTER WRITING ROOM as I called it :). It was a nice back room, not a lot tables so many people shared with other customers they did not know. A lot of writers sitting on laptops or writing on pieces of paper for inspiration which I thought was really cute. The best part was the view from the back windows. Perfect panoramic view of the city and Edinburgh Castle. Was it a coincidence that Hogwarts looks EXACTLY like Edinburgh Castle? I think not! The mint tea was lovely and fresh and the cake was sweet but not too sweet and had amazing frosting. I decided to take a quick break to the bathroom where I was extremely surprised by the white walls covered in writing with notes from fans all over the world thanking JK Rowling and complimenting the books. I really enjoyed the whole experience except for seating situation and being forced to share a table with others who didn't seem too keen to be sitting with us either, but that quickly vanished after a few minutes. Great experience, good food and environment. read more

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Must see if you're into Harry Potter, like I am. The coffee I had was good, as was the service when I was there. Make sure you take a trip to the toilet...it sounds weird, but you'll see. read more

The chocolate cake tasted like a stale Tastycake. Which isn't that bad, but it's not good either. We were seated fairly quickly, but the staff spent the rest of our visit gossiping in the front. We could have written a book in the amount of time we waited. The only magic here is how they managed to look so busy without actually doing anything. Three stars for Azcaban's cafeteria. read more

I love the back room, it has a great view of the castle. Its a good spot to meet friends, central and with a variety of sandwiches. The coffee and croissants are specially good. read more

The famous JK Rowling writing place! Even though it is known for Harry potter and all that, it kept its elephant theme and atmosphere which was nice! The hot drinks are quick good. Must visit the bathrooms, they are...interesting. Nice view of the castle from the window though! read more

This place was decent but crazy busy! Interesting with the J.K. Rowling history... we just happened to be walking by and hungry. If you're going at a peak time, get ready for a wait. read more

This is a cute, cosy cafe in the perfect location just off the Royal Mile. Like everyone else, my friends and I came here for lunch because of the JK Rowling connection after visiting the nearby Spoon Cafe Bistro (also a former cafe where Rowling used to write) and finding the menu too eccentric for us. We were pleased to find that the menu was reasonably priced and really, really good. My chicken tikka baked potato was delicious, as was my smoothie, which I'd been craving all day. The staff was fun and friendly, and the place itself is lovely, with a great view of the castle from the back room (which is said to have inspired Hogwarts). I'll definitely come back if I ever visit Edinburgh again. read more

Just not a great choice. The tea was weak, it was a bit crowded for what it was, I guess because of the Harry Potter connection? If you're a real fan, that might be enough to make this place appeal to you, but it's not like there's anything in the place that's related. The decor is just like over the years they went to rummage sales and bought every bric-a-brac type elephant they saw & lined them up in a cabinet like your nan would do. We went in planning to get lunch but left after tea and went across the street. It's not that it's that bad it's just meh, the prices aren't great, and in this area, there's no reason to settle. read more

Slightly overrated. Usually crowded. Food is average.

Bad service, ok food. When I ordered my drink the waiter said "do you even know what's in that?" And looked at me, disgusted...I guess he doesn't like café au laits. Our barista was a skinny white guy with an attempted Mohawk and glasses, after insulting not only mine but my sisters drink choice, he never have us a number, and this never brought us our food. My sister had to actually go to the kitchen talk to them and finally bring the food herself, when we asked the waiter where the food had been he sneered "oh, looks like I forgot" I also saw the other barista be really rude the the woman in line behind us. After all the rudeness, the food wasn't even good, my sisters scone tasted like it was from a tesco bakery, and, after the service we had here, it probably was. read more

I absolutely love this little cafe. It's a very relaxing environment. I had a hot chocolate and a homemade shortbread- the shape of an elephant! My only negative is that they didn't have any small mugs for our hot chocolates so it was put in a bigger mug but it was filled less than what I would say the small was! read more

Very disappointed. We attempted to visit on 3/13/12 after a long day to Inverness and back to Edinburgh. The hours posted were until 11 P.M., we arrived at 9:15 P.M. for a late dinner and they decided to close early. We knocked on the door as the servers were cleaning tables and chairs and just said "sorry". It's never a good idea to not observe your own hours. You lost 4 customers that night along with another couple that had arrived at about the same time we did. In addition, we paid for a 5 pound taxi ride from the train station. I would have loved to have tried the restaurant. :( read more

Nice and cosy café. We had just coffee and tea but it was good. Nice pictures on top of coffee :) For elephant lovers! Do not forget to visit bathrooms!! read more

Lovely interior, great location, this place has a lot of potential. Unfortunately it sells it self solely on what's written on the banner outside 'the birthplace of Harry Potter'. This was not the birthplace of Harry Potter, it was the train from London to Edinburgh, and the city itself fuelled these ideas. Before being the elephant house, this premises was Nicholsons café. When J.K used to sit in the café to write Harry Potter, it was in the building which is now spoons café. Ironic, when this is the main claim to fame of this place. Moving on from its main selling point, Nicholson's offers the normal café fair found in numerous cafés around Edinburgh. I haven't tried any of their food, my boyfriend and I just came in for a coffee. It was okay, but not amazing, considering how many good coffee shops there are in town. The cakes look great upon the first glimpse, but head across the road to caffé lucano, and you may feel a sensation of deja vu. The cakes are all the same, maybe add or take a few. Check out a few cafés in town, and you may experience the same thing. It would seem that many of these places buy cake that is made in bulk at some factory out of town. This is not to say that they are bad, maybe they are decent, but it is kind of soulless. When I go to a café I often fancy something really fresh, made for the café by people at the café with much though and attention. How can you go on the hunt for the best carrot cake in town if they are all the same? Like I said, this place has loads of potential, but I'd rather avoid the crowds and head for somewhere that offers more genuine food. As I said, I can't comment on any of the savoury food. read more

Terrible service, had a hard time communicating with my server so I thought I would go with an easy choice a salad, my salad was drowned in dressing, never seen anything like it, it was like a soup and salad. When I showed it the server said well "you get what you pay for" then when i said that's not the point she said "well I did not make it" terrible place my advice walk in go to the back room look at the castle and walk quickly out. read more

This was sincerely the absolute worst food that I have ever been served in a restaurant. EVER. While the staff is lovely and the allure of the Harry Potter legacy make for whatever little charm The Elephant House has, it was not nearly enough to counter the truly horrendous food: the hamburger I ordered had blue mold growing on it and no, that is not an exaggeration. Even had it not been rotten meat that was served on a stale bun, the burger patty was clearly a cheap pre-made frozen grocery store product of D grade quality. It was served with a piece of wilted lettuce, on a stale bun with a side of equally stale, plain potato chips (crisps). I can't think of a more horrific food experience. It was embarassing. I love Harry Potter and JK Rowling but this place deserves a big miss. Sorry. read more

I can see why JK picked this sacred spot as a haven for writing the first few books of Harry Potter. Before the fame and stature she brought this place, I would imagine that it would be a serene scene for her to get into character and forget the hustle and bustle of Edinburgh. There is also a great view of the Edinburgh Castle from the window that would provide a beautiful work space before the crowds came. Food: The beef pie was underwhelming and needed more flavor, but came with a generous portion of mashies for my husband's empty stomach. The vegetarian chili, on the other hand, was full of flavor and a delicious treat to warm us up before heading out to explore the city. Hot chocolate was a delight and comes with the option of a ton of fun flavors to add, if you desire. They even put a Harry Potter scar design on my foam! Staff: The hostess was fantastic and friendly and found us a table right away. However, the baristas up front knew nothing about the menu, couldn't remember all the things we ordered & were slow to serve, which definitely explains the line out the door. Tourism: Although it was the birthplace of Harry Potter, there is nothing 'Harry Potter' about this place aside from the bathroom and one collage of JK Rowling. If you are going there expecting some shrine to HP, you will be disappointed. Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere of this place. It was a welcome and warm resting place while touring the city! read more

Nice place, comfortable location and atmosphere. Very delicious cakes and cappuccino comes with elephant-outlined chocolate topping.