We just happened across the Fiddler's Arms, and liked the vibe, so we stopped in for dinner. We started with a "Regional Picks whiskey flight". For our dinner, shared an appetizer, a Pie & Mash entree, and an order of the Truffle & Parmesan fries. Everything was delicious. The food was served quickly and the staff was friendly. All in all, we enjoyed our meal and would recommend Fiddler's Arms. read more

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Excellent service from Martin! Love the atmosphere of this place. The food is very very good. Best vegetarian haggis I've tried. Very filling and savory. The hake fish starter was tasty. Also really enjoyed the Buffalo cauliflower. Martin was very attentive and turned on the women's soccer match for us. Had a great time here and hope to come back again. read more

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Stopped in for a quick bite, place was packed, got an inside table, ordered a couple of drinks. Nice enough wine list, full bar and usual beer suspects. Ordered the cauliflower bites, olive bowl, chicken nuggets, fried pickles and bacon cheese burger. The olives were brined and quite tasty, the fried pickles really had a great zing to them. Cauliflower bites were "ok", little overdone for my liking but "ok", my wife liked the cheeseburger, I'd ask for the bacon to be well done, more crunch to it. Good place in the heart of Grassmarket. read more

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An ice cold Guinness with a warm plate of bangers and mash and the perfect spectator view of Grassmarket to round out a day of sightseeing! The service was outstanding and the bangers and mash were spot on! Followed that up with the homemade warm sticky toffee pudding and a cup of "Scottish" coffee (not really sure what he put in it but it sure was good!) and bonus...they had fresh decaf to make it with! read more

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Decent pub food. Service was attentive. Great location in a high traffic touristy area. This old pub had just enough of a urine smell to be authentic without being overwhelmingly off-putting. Just mildly off-putting. Fish and chips were good and crispy. Excellent quality fish, but a bit under-seasoned. The peas that came with them were dried out and poor quality. I ordered the Bacon wrapped Chicken stuffed with Haggis. Chicken was a bit on the dry side, but the bacon and gravy helped with that. Haggis was good though and I really enjoyed the crushed potatoes. Had a whiskey and a cold pint with dinner. Our server helped me pick a good whiskey. All in all, an OK casual meal. This place gets crazy busy so either come early, or be prepared to wait for your table. read more

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Stopped at this little pub in the Grassmarket area of Edinburg for a light lunch. Not a lot of seating which gave it an intimate feel. Unfortunately, at least 15 people were turned away while we were there because there was no available seating. I saw only two workers and they seemed to be handling it well. They took a little time to warm up but by the end of our meal they were friendly. The hubby ordered the Warm Goat's Cheese Salad and a Diet Pepsi. He also got three whiskeys for tasting. He enjoyed the salad and said if you like goat cheese you should give it a try. I ordered the Fish Cake. It was perfectly cooked and the homemade dill sauce was delicious. The salad garnish beside it was fresh and was a nice little addition. The food came out fairly quickly. Near the end of the meal the manager asked if we minded sharing our table with two other people. Technically it was two small tables pushed together so they just scooted the table over and up a few inches. It was about the same amount of space as the other table next to us. We didn't mind. It just added to the intimate feel. read more

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Ate here a couple times because the food is pretty decent and it was close to our flat. The beer once again was a bit of a disappointment due to the lack of Scottish ales. Service is a bit slow but the ambiance is nice. I'd recommend paying a visit. read more

Im not sure why bars get a bad review so often. This place was great! they have specials and discounts on the whiskey, they make good recommendations about what to try and they have really good food. They serve quickly and turn the tables around fast as well, when we asked for someone to wipe our table down they did it quickly too. Older people come here as well as locals and they are good with them, they know the locals and what they usually order. we got the haggis with whiskey sauce- would reocmmend the haggis and not the sauce, and we got the gluten free raspberry cheesecake which comes with a side of ice cream. The dessert was really good, the ice cream really was the star of the dish. We also tried the smoked salmon but I would give this a miss here, there are many more options which are better. My friend got the whiskey special, but I would recommend that you ask the bartender what they would recommend based on your flavour profile. They have a big space, lots of wooden tables and defintely have a real bar feel. They are also the only place which serves food almost all through the day so when other places close, come by this way. read more

A nice pub with excellent service and great foods. They give you a lot for your money! The beer on tap is cold and great. The chips are French Fries on steroids. The signature dish of chips and fries comes with hips of thick fries and large cod. I love the ambience and friendly service read more

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We really enjoyed the restaurant. No reservations required. The food is really good. The staff is very cool. It was our go to place. 3 times read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Really good Whiskey. - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Thought this would be a blast as they advertised live music. Sat by staff at a table and waited 20 minutes before giving up as no one came back to the table to take any sort of order. Very disorganized and the food look d good for those that actually got to order. Ambiance could be great if they actually had decent service. read more

We sat outside with a view of the bright flowery rupenzels hair (Figure 1) draping down the side of the Cold Town House. I had a cold pint of Innis and Gunn (figure 2). This local ale hit the spot after a long walk around the castle. The crispy chips (Figure 3) here were the best we've had in the UK in part due to their simple flume like shape which held a dollop of ketchup perfectly. The onion rings were also crisp and perfectly delicious. Simple, effective, just right as was the service which was brisk. read more

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This place had the worst food that I ever had. They charged me 11.99 pounds for a onion sandwich, it had almost no meat and the service is horrible! I will never eat or drink there again!!! There age great places just up the street, like Biddy's. read more

Dined here on our last night in Edinburgh, but I wish we had tried it earlier. We would have gone back! They don't take reservations (despite the word of the front desk at the Apex Grassmarket so the four of us were lucky to get the last table. Excellent food--had the steak pie and the sticky toffee pudding, both the best we'd had in Scotland. The ambiance was friendly and active, not too noisy. But the service was the best part--we felt like part of the family and were treated like long-time friends. Highly recommend! read more

We had a great meal here - particularly recommend the parmesan truffle fries! The music was great and the guys behind the bar made it fun with their singing. read more

My friend got food poisoning the night before our departure back to the states. Just be mindful. Staff were lovely and kind. Conveniently located read more

The staff are awesome, the drinks are perfect, and food is terrific! We're from the State's, if our favorite pub in Scotland! read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Good food, good drinks, true Scottish Pub atmosphere. Great location just below Edinburgh Castle.

Not too bad a spot! Met with a coworker for lunch after a long flight from the States. Had the daily special - steak and Guinness with fries. Awesome authentic Scottish prepared food. Pretty good. This place is on point. Bar is nice too and has a great selection of drafts and liquors. May have to be my throw down spot while I'm here. read more

We had a very enjoyable Burn's Night Supper at the Fiddler's Arms. The Veggie Haggis was very flavorful with a good amount of pepper and good texture. It was accompanied by Neeps and Tatties which were excellent. And a good Gravy liberally poured over it all. Also had the Haggis Balls. The same tasty Haggis lightly battered and deep fried tempura style Got a side of very nice "seasonal veg". They were Properly a bit overcooked carrots, neeps and green beans with butter and just right salt. Service was very good and the Manager was especially helpful. He gave us recommendations we used for pubs with Scottish Folk music that night. read more

Delicious food and awesome service. Amazing vegetarian haggis with delicious home made whiskey sauce, veggie burger and I highly recommend the Sticky Toffee pudding. Utterly delicious Everyone is super friendly and excellent people. read more

After getting settled in our hotel at the Grassmarket, we decided to grab a bite and explore the area. We found the Fiddler's Arms and decided this was the place to try. Since it was early in the morning, we were able to sit where we liked. Service was friendly and very prompt too. We ordered two drafts of Guinness, and my fiancee ordered the traditional breakfast while I had the equivalent of a breakfast sandwich in the states. I'm not a fan of Guinness in the states, but I had heard it would taste differently in the Uk since it's not being shipped as far (or something along those lines). This is absolutely true - I loved Guinness in Scotland, and it was SUPER cold. The food was fantastic, although the orangish eggs took some getting used to. Jason enjoyed his traditional breakfast of fried eggs, mushrooms, toast, haggis, and a roasted tomato. His first day in Scotland, and he tried haggis! I wasn't as adventurous, but mine was equally delicious. We fell in love with the bacon that is used in the UK too. Overall, the service was friendly, the food was delicious and the beer was super cold - what more can you ask for? read more

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I sat at the bar and ordered a cider and the salmon and mash. I was asked to pay right after I ordered my food. The service was fine, seemed like a good pub. The food was pretty good, but the potatoes could have used more flavor. The sauce was good though to add more flavor. read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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The service was horrible and the staff was incredibly rude. Arriving at dinner time they refused to seat us or let us wait for a table. In an effort to remove us from waiting they requested our IDs even though we were not getting any alcohol, they then refused to serve us at all because we didn't have proper ID and you must be with a legal guardian if you are under 25 (even though once again we were there solely for food). read more

Friendly and attentive service. I had the Traditional Haggis, Neeps & Tatties and my wife had the Fish and Chips. I wasn't quite sure what to expect for the Haggis, but it turned out to be delicious! My wife thought that the Fish and Chips were OK. For dessert we shared the Sticky Toffee Pudding . It was very tasty, with a nice presentation. They have free WiFi. Be sure to ask for the password. read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Traditional Scottish Haggis, Neeps & Tatties - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Super friendly staff....even when overwhelmed with many customers. The food was good, and I recommend the deep fried mars bar to top off any meal. Took the kids and if was great. Has perfect kids portions at a perfect price! read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Decent beer selection on tap...the Magners cider on tap was excellent. - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This place is poppin! The food presentation is really good and that's what drove me to this place. It's right outside kickass hostels too! The bartender was also the sweetest guy on earth especially towards Americans ! He was so kind in explaining what things were since everything was foreign to us! And so I ordered an Edinburgh burger! From America, I have high standards for burgers and it was delicious actually! Such a tasty burger! Highly recommend! read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Edinburgh burger - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Bad service bad food. Don't waste your time or money. We really wanted to enjoy this pub but, once we ordered, we were ignored. Empty glasses and the food was disappointing read more

We are french tourists who have just come to the pub for dinner. The 2 waitresses present at the bar prefer to discuss with the regulars, visibly annoyed by tourists who do not have the right accent and impolite passage! The service is HORRIBLE long ... Even ask the bill is a game of patience. The dishes are good but not excellent. In short, we were disappointed when it seemed like a great place, too bad. Very bad experience. Find another read more

Set in a beautiful, historic location in the Grassmarket. I had such high hopes for this restaurant. Located near one of our hotels, The Apex, it would have been the perfect spot to end our nights during our stay. So when we finally made our way to the Fiddler's Arms, we discovered that the food was just fine, unfortunately, the service was horrendous. The waitress/bartenders were rude, absent, lazy, and turned group after group away even though they were still serving food, had open tables, and they were definitely still open. When we initially approached, one of the waitress/bartenders greeted us with a pitying face, saying that we can seat ourselves, but there are no tables and the wait for a table is 1-2 hours. We looked around and found an open table immediately, so we sat ourselves. The menus are on the tables, so we walked up our orders to the bartenders. When the food finally arrived, we had to ask for silverware. And when she wiped down the table next to ours, she definitely only wiped down 25% of it. I know it's a dark pub, I know it doesn't have to be spotless, the whole restaurant was just a bit grimy. Much better food and much better service can be had at Mum's up the street, so when I return, that's where I will be going. read more

This was a happy find. It seems to be right in the tourist zone, but it's a good stop, nonetheless. It has a good selection of beer on tap. The Innis & Gunn hit the spot. I also tried the fish & chips, which not only tasted good but was a fair sized portion. It's a nice old pub atmosphere if that's what you're looking for. read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Surprisingly good. We were staying at a place nearby at the Grassmarket. We wanted something local for dinner and decided to try this place. We had the pie of the day which was a tasty steak and ale pie. We also had the salmon and mash. I was particularly blown away by the salmon. It had a perfect crispy sear on the exterior, but still juicy inside. We also had some nice crusty bread with our dinner. Service was a little inattentive, but they took care of our basic needs when we flagged them down. They even gave us some to-go boxes so we could take our leftovers home. Nice pub setting. read more

Once, I came here and there was an old-ish guy playing an accordion. Nobody but Sal and I cared. I loved that accordion dude. He looked like an accountant living a secret fantasy. Every now and then he'd look up at the crowd and give a shy smirk, and all I could think was 'does your wife know you're here?'. I hope he's here building up the courage to busk during festival time. Then he could make heaps of money for that flight to Havana, Cuba he's been holding out for. They like them some secret accordion players in Havana. If secret accordion man played here weekly, I would come weekly. The rest of The Fiddler's Arms is pretty average. Average prices, average staff, average atmosphere. I do really like the men's room though. A fantastic idea! I won't reveal what I'm talking about here, there are ladies present and that would be untoward. But the men's room is cool. read more

DEEP FRIED MARS BARS! That is the main reason I was told about and came to this nice little pub. Typical little pub in nice location of town good looking bar too. Ordered Bangers and Mash which was plenty good and the. Sausage is different every week. I can hardly find the words to describe the Deep Fried Mars Bar we had but it was amazing. You can imagine it but you still have to try it for yourself to truly have checked something off your bucket list. If I ever visit Edinburgh again I will be back! read more

Big portions. Good atmosphere. Friendly staff. Sweet spot in the city center if you're in need of food and drink.

Good beer selection at good price. A 250ml. glass of Shiraz is also inexpensive. And good. Place is filled with diners from 6 pm on and with table only food served, tables are often at a premium. A nicely proportioned serving of very good fish and chips is easily enough for two small appetites. This became our local on the third day of our ten day visit. Very friendly and welcoming staff. read more

The Fiddler's Arms - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Good service, good food. I ordered beer-battered Haddock with chips and salad. The hunk of Haddock was so large that I couldn't finish it! Only reason I'm giving it 4 stars is because I ended up sitting by myself at a 4 person table, which turned away many potential customers due to lack of space. I asked them if I should move to the bar, but they said it would be fine. Oh well, it's their business. If you're staying at a nearby Hostel, they will most likely offer a discount here. I paid £7.95 for my meal instead of £10.95. read more

It was good. Some of the negative reviews were bad food but friendly service, we experienced the opposite: delicious food and poor service. I am a haggis snob thanks to being spoiled to real homemade haggis by the St. Louis St. Andrew's Society Ladies. I have traveled around the States and Ontario and never found haggis like home. This was good haggis. A bit too pasty, but the seasoning was delicious and it so far is #2 in my book compared to home. I do recommend it. They put a lot of gravy on it, it is not needed because their haggis is delicious. We also ordered the Highland chicken which was a chicken breast opened up with haggis inside. The mashed potatoes have huge chunks of potatoes in it. The burger is Highland grass fed beef - delicious taste. The sticky Toffee Pudding amazing. Again, it's hard to find good pudding in the States and Ontario. Totally recommend this too. The toilets are downstairs and not handicapped or elderly friendly. Or child friendly because you can purchase vibrating dildos from a dispenser for just 3 GBP. The wait staff was rude. Not interested in taking our order or waiting on us. We paid with credit card. There was no additional tip area on the credit card slip. We read on the forums 10% tip, so I left it on the plate that the bill came on. Not sure if that was correct or not. Location is at the bottom of Edinburgh Castle and the end of Grass Market. They are on a corner across from Kick Ass hostel. read more

First visit and the last. Three of us visited and two of us didn't enjoy meal. Horrible reheated chips with not very good soggy battered haddock. Irish waitress nice. Toilets horrible and badly in need of renovation. When I see poor toilets, I wonder what the kitchens are like. Won't recommend and won't be back as too many other places to try. read more

Great pub! Stopped in and had a pint with friends. Grabbed some sticky toffee pudding and Brie as an app whilst there. Food was delicious and the staff were very friendly. Loved the atmosphere and that it's right down in Grassmarket, close to the castle. If you're staying in the Grassmarket area I recommend you stop by for a pint yourself! read more