Such a cute place. And the view of the castle from here was amazing. Super helpful staff! I am a member of a flight crew and as I was eating dinner I was asked to get catering for a flight literally the next morning. I asked the manager if he could make me some take away (to-go) steaks cooked rare to be cooked further on the plane. (I'm a private flight attendant and we cook and plate everything onboard). He went out of his way to make sure I recieved all the items cooked perfectly. Passengers left raving about the food!!! And these are passengers that definitely eat the best steaks. The manager even talked me through a playing game plan and I ran my thoughts of the dishes with him and wow, perfect outcome. I personally got the coley fish dish and started with some cheese. I am a big bleu cheese/stilton girl and it was all amazing. Everything was so good I used the bread from my cheese to mop up every ounce of juice left from coley plate. Great service, great views, and incredible food. All local and ever changing menu to fit what's in market. You'll see handwritten additions to each menu like the cheese and fish. The steaks were the 35 day dry hung flat iron steaks. read more

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Three of us stumbled upon The Outsider while out looking for a place for dinner. It was so good we went back with 2 more friends a few nights later. Nice pleasant room with good size tables and very helpful, friendly courteous wait persons. Very good steaks, and fish, and affogato for dessert. Go to read the creative food descriptions on the menu! read more

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The food, presentation, service and setting were outstanding. We highly recommend this restaurant. The view of the castle is amazing!

Decent food but service was bad. Part of going out is having decent waiter service. The waiter acted like we were bothering them being there. Very non attentive. They never came to ask how things were constantly reached across your plate when you were eating. Not a good vibe. read more

My wife has been following The Outsider on the socials for a bit. So as we find ourselves in Edinburgh, this was a must. Tonight's dinner destination. We got here at 6 with no reservation. We were able to be seated upstairs. This place is busy (much busier when we were finished for sure). So if you can, I'd suggest reserving a spot. It's a bit loud in here. Not out of the ordinary for a busy place. We started with the pressed pork belly app. Perfect crisp. Could've used more of the celeriac puree bed. The confit shallots were so good and nicely sweet. Black pudding cubes (small. More of these!). Candied pears. Mmm. Great start. Wife got the char grilled venison on a butternut squash purée and spicy daikon planks (I didn't find the heat, she did tho!). It was excellent and perfectly prepared. Not gamey at all. I got the 35 day aged hangar steak. This is hands down one of the best steaks I have had out in a very long time. So well seasoned! Which was such a pleasant surprise as it left me wanting for nothing to add flavor. The hand cut fries were good but did need some salt. No dessert as, well, our server was scattered a bit all night. We asked for the dessert menu. She brought us dinner menus and we didn't see her for 10 minutes. So we opted to leave, a bit disappointed at the end. We would come back tho. Thats for sure. read more

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After getting the lay out of Edinburgh We had to stop in for an early dinner/late lunch. The good news is the lunch menu goes late here in at the Outsider but this wasn't the reason we stopped in. This place does look much nicer on the inside too. We were able to get a table around the entrance as so as we walked in. The menu looked good and had a lot of options for pretty fair prices. Once our waitress came she exampled the menu a little more. They are pretty farm to table and once they run out of something it's off the menu. Again, we had come in late in the day for the lunch menu so a number of options were no longer available but this shows the food is fresh. We ordered some for the fresh bread to start it off. Looking over the menu there were a lot of great sounding options. The only issue was a number of them were no longer available. I did end up panicking last minute and ended up ordering the 35 Day Hung Flat Iron. Let's be honest when push come to shove to good steak because it always hit's hard. I of course ordered it medium rare. Our food came out and everything looked great. The chips were more like wedges but again first day in Scotland I don't know what I'm doing so that works. The Flat Iron was cooked right and tender. I was also a big fan of the sauce/butter it came with. Plus it was thicker then I thought it would be. For the the chips/wedges were just all right. Crispier chips would have been better in my opinion but were still good. I will say a great spot with something for everyone and great prices for lunch. read more

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I wandered in off the street and loved it. A modern setting with an amazing view, and amazing afternoon lighting through its large windows. Great service in its modern space, the outsider serves tasty modern food and has a solid wine list I had a simple gnocchi with pesto, one of their lunch specials (the others were sold out after 3 or so hours). Each part of it was great, but combining the pesto, feta and tomato with gnocchi was amazing. I followed it with a chocolate and orange pave. Normally I don't like chocolate desserts since they are too rich for me, but it was delicious with the light sorbet. Both tasted as good as they looked read more

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The Outsider was a perfect place amongst the bustle to grab lunch. We didn't have a reservation but still got seated relatively quickly, and our table had a view of the castle. Servers were nice, but busy. We found we needed to flag them down if we needed something. The crusty bread and herb oil were delicious, and I had a glass of pinot grigio, which was also the perfect light glass of wine to pair with lunch. I had the mussels, which were SO good. The sauce they were in was divine. This is a meal I'll dream about! My husband had the 35 day aged steak. He felt like it tasted really good, and the middle was good, but the ends were a little tough. Overall, it was a great experience, and we would recommend to anyone in the area! read more

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Very solid choice for dinner given how hard it is to get a table at other top restaurants. It features an open modern design inside of older building. The menu was an interesting mix of Scottish classics and more modern offerings. My rare venison with kale, baby carrots, beetroot & poached apples was excellent with the Pe Tinto red wine. The servers were attentive and professional. read more

The Outsider - Venison - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Recommended by our concierge so we popped by for a late lunch (around 1:30ish) and there was still a bit of a wait on a Saturday afternoon. With no res we waited for about 15 mins to sit. The venue was bustling with a mix of locals, students and tourists. We were sat in a cute window seat and informed all the specials were sold out for the day. Started with a couple of kir royales (well made) and the cheese board. Bread was fresh and cheese good. My fish panzanelli salad was good and the burger was a bit gamey for our liking. But was prepared for the meat to taste different than from back home. All in all a decent meal. Good vibes. Service was fine nothing to write home about. Not very friendly. read more

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We got in as the last table of the evening being out and about looking for a place to dine. The interior is contemporary and a bit nondescript. Our table next to a window had a lovely view of the castle. All plates were beautifully presented and enjoyed. I ordered the Char grilled Venison, black pepper polenta cake, butternut squash purée, daikon, fine beans, whiskey and passion fruit dressing. It was beautifully plated and prepared. Great flavors. read more

The Outsider - Menu - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Loved this place -- food was delish and the ambiance was great (we got a window seat and people watched). Our server was thoughtful and I'd definitely go back. read more

Fantastic food and very good prices. I had the steak frites and loved it! This restaurant was recommended by our tour host and we loved it so much that we came back twice in a week. Be sure to get reservations because the locals will line up early to grab a table. read more

The Outsider - Part of our tour group with our tour guide, Alice from EF Tours. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

fabulous staff and food. creative menu. reservations are a must for this cozy Edinburgh culinary gem. read more

Sad to say but bland food, okay service Just not worth the price or calories And I really wanted to love it. read more

We walked in with no reservation, and they were able to seat us! With a view of the castle by the window. The candlelight and old building provided great ambiance. The food was so yummy, and they were amazing about a dairy intolerance. Great location near the touristy spots, but it feels like a place locals go! read more

After traveling all day and walking around Edinburgh, we absolutely had to eat something so we stopped in at The Outsider to check out their menu and decided it looked too good to pass up. We were seated right away in a booth as a party of six around mid afternoon on a Saturday. We started off with drinks and they had quite a few to choose from. I went with wine, which was delicious and some people in our group got cocktails and they also really enjoyed those. For my meal I went with a burger, which I know why go somewhere outside of America and get a burger you might be asking, but this burger was incredible! It was juicy and the meat had a lot of flavor without being gamey. The bun was pillowy and the toppings paired nicely with all the other flavors, there wasn't too much of them. The burger was definitely a five star burger but some of the other entrees ordered were not quite five stars. I would go back and order that burger again and again! read more

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The window view was awesome! As was the food and service. I had the muscles and wasn't even able to finish because of the generous portion. Definitely worth stopping through when in Edinburgh. read more

The Outsider - Great view from upstairs seating near windows! - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great service and tasty dinner. Everyone was very happy with their meal. Service was warm and timely.

Unfortunately did not have the best experience here. While the ambiance is nice and servers are friendly, the food was disappointing and the service was extremely slow. Food arrived ~50 min of order (factored in they were busy) and also took a long time to get the bill and a server's attention. The one dish I do not recommend is the venison - the portion is small and there's not too much flavor (meat was cooked medium for context). read more

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We came here on a Monday evening and the place was packed. We tried to make reservations during the day but couldn't get through, so we came on the off chance we could get a table. Luckily we got a table and the place was busy throughout our stay. They know how to cook their seafood as the mussels, trout and cod dishes we ordered were cooked to perfection. With so many places to eat in Edinburgh, this place is definitely worth a visit. read more

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A great stop for lunch! The mussels were so tasty! Our server was helpful in recommendations for wine to pair with our meal and walked us through the menu. A great view of Edinburgh Castle from inside! read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This is a very busy, popular, loud place. It has a strong local following. The night we were there they were under staffed. Our server had way too many tables and inadequate and incapable support. Food was good, well executed local cuisine. I had lamb, perfectly cooked. Sauces and dressing artful and vivid. Good for an exciting night out, not so good for a relaxing and cozy dinner read more

Ate here on our food tour and then returned for dinner. The ambiance is unique and classy. Feels upscale. Food and drinks were decent. Service was a bit slow but they were pretty crowded. Fish dishes were great. read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Yum! Delicious mussels and pasta. Make reservations if you can - this place is poppin'! The mussels here are on point. I wanted to drink the broth. I ate so much bread because I kept dunking the bread in the mussels broth. It was savory and had a little creaminess to it. It was perfectly seasoned! The tagliatelle was fantastic. The only thing I would've wanted was a bit more al dente cooked pasta. Otherwise the seasoning was perfect and the ingredients were fresh. I very much enjoyed the flavors of this dish! Definitely recommend this restaurant for dinner. The views are gorgeous from a couple of the tables upstairs. You can see the Edinburgh castle in the sunset! read more

Good food Terrible service. I felt like I was doing them a favor by being there. I was completely ignored. I won't return. Too many other places to visit. read more

For such a popular location, I didn't chance it and tried to make a same day reservation for here. Luckily, the gentleman who answered the phone confirmed my table for two; although maybe only half the tables were full when we arrived at 6pm. It did get pretty crowded later into the night though. Note, if you get the chance, asked for a table in the mezzanine overlooking the castle. Anyways, we were seated in the main dining floor with high ceilings. Also loving the real candles burning on every table. As a starter, we got the Crusty Artisan Bread for 2 (£1.60) and a bottle of the Kotuku Sauvignon Blanc wine (£27.60). The bread was a huge fluffy loaf that came with butter and pesto oil --although I really should've saved it to dip my mussels. This wine was crisp and sweet, which was delightful to pair as well. For my main course, I had the Steamed Mussels (£16.90) soaked in cream, bacon, pine nuts, parmesan and fresh basil. The flavor was wonderful, especially with other bits of seafood tossed into the broth as well. I would definitely get this dish again. The extra plus was the fries that came with it --thinly-cut and crisp. Overall, food was good and ambiance was airy and relaxing. read more

The Outsider - Steamed Mussels with Fries. - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The food was fantastic! Unfortunately they fell incredibly short on service. It took about 15 minutes for someone to even come by to give us water and from that point forward it wasn't good. The table next to us got up and left. Again, price was incredible for the lobster and it was perfection. read more

The food was not bad. Steak was delicious and the salad was great. The mussels weren't the freshest. The one thing that stood out was the waitress hygiene wasn't very good... read more

The Outsider - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

If you go early, you can get in before the evening rush. Friday night is a bear. We sat on the mezzanine level which is supposedly more quiet than the main door. We had actually made reservations earlier in the day. And when I asked if we could have a window table, we were told that he didn't have one, yet we watched one sit vacant the entire hour and half we were there. Good initial service from a left handed waitress! Never came back to ask how it was. But was prompt with the bill. They are not paid a living wage but hourly based on age! Be 21... My partner ordered the delicious mussels and I tried the spicy lamb meatballs. The Sauvignon Blanc was mediocre. The food really is good, really good. However, the management didn't even say goodbye or thank you for coming in on our anniversary. Just stood there looking busy. It doesn't seem like they care much about their operation. read more

We got seated on a Friday night with no reservation but it's probably a good idea to make a reservation. The space is very cool with some benches in nooks and an upstairs seating as well. We started with the smoked Aubergine and buckwheat pancakes. It was fairly unique I admit but it worked pretty well. The aubergine was very flavourful and smoked well. The pancakes were fine but a bit plain I suppose. I got the roast lamb rump with courgette cake. The lamb was good though rather fatty. But at least I could cut around the fat. The courgette cakes were actually a highlight of the dish. Very smooth, almost decadent flavour. I'd get the dish again but just wish there was less fat on the lamb - a meatier cut would be ideal. read more

The Outsider - Smoked Aubergine & Buckwheat Pancakes - unique and interesting, quite good - Modern European Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This restaurant's staff is extremely rude and says "fuck off" to their customers. We came this place at 9:40 p.m. on Friday night and their business hours on Google shows close at 11:00 p.m. when we ask to sit and there is couple tables available on that time, the staff with European accent is impatient and extremely unfriendly to us. He refused to serve us and kick us out and then said dirty words to us. I think this restaurant is races because we're Asian from the U.S. the staff ruined our wonderful trip in Edinburgh. Avoid this place if you're Asian. read more

Heard such good things about this place but was sadly disappointed by our dinner experience. Our order took over an hour to arrive, and a lot of tables were waiting as well. My lamb arrived cold and the staff wasn't very friendly toward us - perhaps a busy night although it was a weekday not weekend. The positives are the atmosphere is nice and upscale, and the food does taste pretty good. Another person in my party said the lobster tasted amazing but the shelling tools provided weren't sufficient, so it was really difficult to eat. Wish I had liked the restaurant more but it may have just been a busy night for them! read more

The food had amazing flavor. One of the most tender cuts of meat I've ever had. The venison had great taste and texture. The Olives were from Spain and were authentic and delicious. Our waiter was super nice and gave us whatever we needed. Overall I recommend placing a reservation. read more

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My family of 5 had dinner here during the Fringe Festival and the food was our favorite meal of the trip. Service was great and we all loved the atmosphere. read more

We had some of the most delicious seafood tonight. The favorites include their cod and roasted lobster' the ambience was vibrant and light coming through the windows was beautiful with rooftops below! Service was prompt and courteous despite a full house! Highly recommend this restaurant. read more

This place is so good, I can't even believe it's real. The innovative, healthy, delicious food, generous portions, at those very reasonable prices?! How is it possible? The ambience is modern and feels lovely with the views and the window, but not fussy, and the service was similar - it's laid-back but feels nice too. I've been on two separate trips to Scotland so far and will keep coming back in the future. read more

First time in Scotland and the UK, saw the ratings on yelp and google and decided to try. Casual and modern atmosphere - can get a bit loud during the busy lunch time! Food is 5/5 for me. I got the lunch special - char grilled pork chop loin (?) and it was delicious! Price was around 6.8 pounds and plenty of food! I would say the dish is on the saltier side, but still very very delicious. The dish came with potatoes which were also perfect. My wife got a linguini special that has crabs and the dish was full of that ocean/sea taste. It's like you're sitting at the beach- just in front of the ocean and then a little bit of paprika's spiciness brings that warmth of the beach sunshine. Also got the bread for two and it was worth it. Three pieces of warm bread with butter and I believe it was pesto butter! Bread was crunchy and hard on the outside and soft inside. Perfect way to start our UK trip! Recommend for lunch!! read more

Love the service, lovely waitress made the day, but above all, best food we've had in our time in Edinburgh and that's no exaggeration! Combined with the price, I cannot think of a better place! Great great value! Loved the lamb rump curry, great rabbit pie and braced leek! Certainly recommend! read more

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Really good food at an inexpensive price. Service was extraordinary. Highly recommend.