I'm going to swim against the current on this one, but Usquabae ([ooh-ska-bay], n. aqua vitae, water of life, whisky) just didn't do it for me. We came in around 3 or 4pm and asked if we could get a drink; the host asked us if we had made a reservation. We hadn't, and they made a bit of a fuss about "squeezing us in" (at this point there was only one other person in the entire place - a man drinking at the bar). As long as we "weren't there for food" they could accommodate us. For the record: we were here for an hour, and no one else came in during that time. The whisky options were impressive featuring something from all the regions of Scotland, and we also appreciated their cider and cocktail options. In the end we each had one drink, but genuinely felt a bit disinterested and disappointed by the place on the whole after the hype we had read/heard. We just didn't get what made it THE place to go to in Edinburgh according to so many. We found much more interesting, down to earth, genuine places elsewhere in the city. The cold reception didn't help, but -- really -- what are we missing about this place? read more

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Love this place! Best service we have had in a restaurant anywhere with the most delightful server we have met. The food was very enjoyable especially an amazing mac n cheese and the haggis appetizer. This was our first night in Edinburgh so the relaxed atmosphere was perfect for two jet lagged travelers. Loved the sticky toffee pudding for dessert was a treat! read more

I absolutely LOVED this "Whisky Bar and Larder". It is no surprise it won, "Whisky Bar of the Year 2018." I chose this place from a Yelp search and we are so glad! We almost didn't find it - it's downstairs from Ryan's. We arrived early so we had the choice is any seat. It is a beautiful place. I appreciated the thistle in a glass on our table. I ordered (with help from our amazing server, Angelique) the Chicken Balmoral. I am mostly a vegetarian here at home. So I would have a problem eating haggis on the regular - but holy delicious. Dan's Smoked Haddock Risotto was good. The star of the night, though, was the Sticky Toffee Pudding. I closed my eyes in absolutely bliss with every bite. It. Was. So. Good. What a way to end our trip to Scotland! It started to pick up as we were leaving. Definitely recommend. read more

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In New Town nearer the West End of Edinburgh. It was not easily identifiable by the outside but since I'd passed it daily while walking in and out of town I decided to look into it. My first surprise was that the name roughly translated means "whisky". All I can say is it was on overall terrific surprise! My wife and I had a reasonably long day of tourism and while we enjoyed our entire day we were thrilled with how it ended. I'd made a reservation and had asked for an intimate table. When we arrived they placed us in a 2-person nook. It looked like they also had a 4-person and maybe 6-person nook...I don't recall :) But ultimately these are tables which are a couple of steps down off the main dining area which are surrounded by glass encased, shelved walls which encase various whiskies. And each nook has curtains outside the steps which can be drawn for privacy. Naturally the whisky menu was extensive and prices were reasonable, the service was very good and the food was also quite good. They also allowed us to take our time and enjoy our evening. In all seriousness, we could not have been more pleased with Usquabae! read more

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Wonderful restaurant and bar with friendly, knowledgeable staff. I had a selection of fantastic and unique whiskeys and the delicious haggis. A must-have for a trip to Edinburgh. read more

Great little bar for tasting. Private booths that will allow you to take some scotch flights privately. Staff is very helpful at educating you on what to look for in your tastings. Get their great charcuterie plate to go with the drinks cleanse the palate between flights. When it's cold and wet in Edinburgh, be sure to stop in and get a nip to warm you up! read more

Usquabae - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Three of us came for a whiskey tasting and were fortunate enough to land with Daniel who took us through a flight of whiskeys. The experience was educational and Daniel was charming and a great guide through our whiskey education. I am not a whiskey drinker and I don't think I will ever be. That said, I loved this tasting. I learned something new and different! Definitely give it a shot if you're curious. It was well worth it. read more

We had a great private whiskey tasting here. What an amazing experience. Our waiter talked us through different styles of whiskey and explained regional differences. And as we tasted and explained what we liked he adjusted the selections accordingly. If your a whiskey lover or trying to understand whether you are one. This is the place to go. read more

Usquabae! A wee hidden gem I've only recently discovered in Edinburgh. I'm pleased that I have--as a recent Scotch convert, Usquabae's West End location and surprisingly expansive Scotch menu had me at "whisky tastings." Good service and lovely meals top this one up to a place you can stop for either a nice dinner, atmospheric drinks and chat, or both! Usquabae appears to be a newer addition to Edinburgh judging by its clean and modern interior, which is refreshing--old man pubs are great, but it's nice to see something new crop up in the city. It sits in the downstairs portion of Ryan's bar, which makes it easy enough to find, and because of its underground location it has the whole dimly-lit, atmospheric vibe going. It has normal tables and even a few "bunkers"--little booth seating areas where you can have a meal, which is nice if you're looking for some privacy. For me, Usquabae ticked all the boxes for a fantastic evening. As my folks were visiting, and that lead to us deciding to check out Usquabae because they do whisky tastings. For a very reasonable price of around 17 pounds, you can sample the "Taste of Scotland" range of Scotch which allows you to try a Lowland, a Highland, a Spey, and an Islay whisky. All this while being guided through your drams by a knowledgeable whisky aficionado makes for a great night. My dad ranked it one of his favorite things done while over. Sure, it's no distillery experience, but when the nearest distillery (Glenkinchie) is 16 miles away and not readily accessible except by car, you make do. And Usquabae provided! So chuffed with our whisky sampling experience were we that we decided to reserve the same bunker we'd sat in for dinner later. Upon our return, we were served promptly by a chipper young gal who was absolutely lovely. Our service was on point, even despite the fact that there was a party of around 60 youngsters keeping her on her toes most of the evening. As someone who used to be a waitress myself, I clap bravo to her for being giving such excellently friendly service on top of dealing with all that. So let's talk about the foodstuffs. The food arrived quickly with steak mains for the parentals, and the two veggie options available for the hubs and I. All the food was excellently cooked and delicious, even, surprisingly, my husband's veggie haggis, neeps, and tatties. I don't normally care for veggie haggis, but Usquabae has some sort of magic worked there--it was surprisingly good! Not only that, but my folks' side of chips were perfect. I mean it. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, ugh. So good. My own risotto was just fine, but there lies my only real beef with Usquabae, but it's quite mild beef if anything. As a veg-head (*queue audience groaning*), risotto is just not my favorite. I mean, come on, it's rice. You can get pretty creative with rice sometimes, but it's still rice. The menu pinned at the door of Usq does mention a veggie pasta alternative, but it isn't listed on the main menu, which gives veggies all of two options for mains, which hubs and I have now exhausted in one fell swoop. That said, the prices were reasonable enough and the food was good, especially according to the folks. I think if there was just one other option for veggies to eat and said veggie portions (and the chip sides so I could stuff my gob!) just a smite bigger, I'd upgrade my review to a solid 5 stars, no questions asked. That said, I could see Usquabae being my new go-to restaurant to take visiting friends and family for a nice Scottish meal. I could definitely see myself going there for a nice, quiet dram or two if the desire so struck. Keep up the good work, Usquabae--you're a lovely joint! read more

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New whisky bar in the west end. 400 whiskies to choose from and a few gins & beers. Lots of Scottish food on the menu from Cullen skink to balmoral chicken and cranachan. Big bar table, few seats at the bar then low tables and little private booths/cubbies for drinking & eating. A curtain pulls across if you want respite from prying eyes! Quite noisy and the space was nowhere near full. Not a bad place to stop in for a drink but would definitely want to be in a booth for more than just one. Well worth checking out! read more

Usquabae - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This food at this place was so delicious! We stopped by after a long day of walking around Windsor. I really was craving Thai food, so we found this Thai fusion restaurant on yelp. The service was quick and food was excellent!! read more

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During my entire stay in Edinburgh, this was by far my favorite whisky bar. What's there not to like? The staff was extremely friendly and knowledgeable. Prices were reasonable. Food was great. The inside is beautiful. Ending up coming here three times in a week. That's how large their whisky selection is. Do yourself a favor: check this place out. read more

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One of the only restaurants I wish there was an extra star for. From the ham and cheese starter full of fresh, local cheeses and perfect ham, olives and bread to main courses including roast Balmoral chicken and haddock....not to mention their EXTENSIVE and tremendous whisky selection. Quite possibly the best restaurant I've been to in the past 5 years. read more

What a surprise and delight. Saw some questionable reviews, but they seemed to be focused on price/portion size, not quality, so we took a shot. They were doing a group whiskey tasting in the bar but still seating dinner guests in the restaurant. We got a great "booth/cave" table. The menu was great. Both local meats and seafood as well as starters and local desserts. My wife had lobster and scallops. I had lamb. Friendly, knowledgeable staff. We chose dessert and told the waiter the typical whiskeys we like and asked him to choose matching whiskeys for the dessert. Everything was great and we left stuffed. 2 mains, a beer and a cider, a terrine appetizer, dessert, 2 whiskeys for 80 pounds. We topped it up to 100 with tip since the service was so personable. We booked reservations for later in the week when we return to Edinburgh. read more

This place has moved up the list to become one of my favorite places in Edinburgh. Tonight we had the six course tasting menu and I had the whiskey pairing. Dinner was excellent and the whiskeys paired perfectly with each course. The staff was extremely friendly and attentive and the atmosphere is charming. And all of this is delivered at a very reasonable price. I couldn't ask for more. I really love this place and it is now one of my "must visits" when I come to town. read more

Elliott was amazing- so knowledgeable and personable, we instantly invited him to stay in San Diego should he visit! Got a great education, had some amazing Whisky and the cheese plate was to die for! Delicious and so reasonably priced- was nothing like home. We will definitely be back! read more

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Oooooh, this was very nearly a five-stars for me. Usquabae is an absolutely lovely place and, if you're looking for a nice meal or a good drink, you could do far, far worse. As far as I can tell, this place is fairly new. It used to be part of Ryan's bar, but they've cleaved-off one part of it and turned it into a thoroughly Scottish (but not at all touristy) bar and restaurant affair. The upstairs area is a bar with a strong emphasis on the whisky. The decor is sort of contemporary but has an old-fashioned pub feel with low lighting, stools and leather-covered sofas and lots of wood and brass. The atmosphere is actually pretty good and definitely a good shout for a libation. They also do food upstairs but I'm yet to try it! Downstairs, though, is where the action happens. Beneath street level is a really cool cellar-bar/restaurant. It's very dimly lit, furnished in lots of dark wood and leather and displays their impressive and comprehensive collection of the old fire-water. I'd strongly recommend calling ahead and reserving an alcove! These tables tucked away in individual recesses give an intimate and utterly unique feel to your face-stuffing experience. I'm not sure what the capacity of each alcove is, but they're quite large and could probably fit at least eight. The menu is reasonably well thought out and contains some great traditional Scottish dishes amongst the more conventional modern offerings. My one criticism, though, is that they have only two veggie dishes, one of which is an extremely boring and predicable risotto! There's a good chance that you're not a veggie, though, so you'll find plenty of variety to suit your tastes! Another thing to give a shot is the whisky tasting. The website says you must book in advance, but during the weekday afternoons they are very quiet and could probably handle a walk-in. Their entry-level tasting is only £16, which includes four excellent drams from around Scotland and a half-hour guide through their tasting. That is excellent value! On the whole, I'm forced to give Usquabae a reluctant four stars only because they have a pretty disappointing selection for non-veggies and are a shade on the expensive side. But if you're looking for a nice place to take some visitors for a meal in an intimate and distinctly Scottish setting, this is perfect. read more

Terrible food and service, and complete indifference demonstrated by the wait staff. Steak and ale pie came out stone cold, and the lamb chops bordered on inedible as they were undercooked. No follow up was made once a replacement meal was delivered, so the waitress had no idea if the meals were ok, or if we needed more water. This restaurant lacks management, in both front of house, and kitchen staff. Best to avoid. They comped my replacement meal, but at the lesser value of the two meals (I ordered something different). Wasn't worth my time to complain, and the indifference added further to the bad experience. read more

We loved this small cozy restaurant so much we came back next time we were in Edinburgh. The food was as delicious as I remembered and our waiter was a real asset to our experience with his detailed knowledge of the whiskys we enjoyed before our meal. Especially love the individual dining alcoves for a special dinner. We'll definitely come back next time we're in town. read more

I've been a couple of times now. First was just for a quick drink at the bar to which I could have spent hours talking to the barmen about whisky and beer - great selections of both! The second time I brought a group of friends for a nice meal while they visited and it was fantastic! The starter of a bread and cheese board wasn't much to write home about but the main courses and the drinks were on point. Chicken stuffed with haggis, game pie, fish and chips and pasta - all good food and good sized portions. The service was amazing as well, they were helpful with the drinks and the food but also were attentive. We made a mistake thinking vegetables came with a dish and so asked if the vegetables were coming. The waiter went to the kitchen and brought back a portion of veg to which we apologised for our mistake and he said not to worry! Awesome service. Also a fantastic atmosphere for a first date - busy enough to not make it awkward but private spaces enough for a nice chat! read more

Very happy here. We had an early dinner with a flight that was designed specifically for my husband's tastes. While we didn't love all of the the Scotch, it was awesome to try unusual brands. The venison was really good, too. read more

Our choice as the best in Edinburgh out of the six whisky bars we visited. Great staff, selection is huge, great location. Modern and elegant design. read more

Excellent food and service and the best selection of single malt whiskies I've ever seen. My wife and I arrived without a reservation and were given the choice ti sit in a room that would soon be occupied by a large party or the bar. We chose the bar and started with a single malt. The bar staff is extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The food was superb. I had the stuffed chicken which was easily the best chicken I've ever eaten. I rarely order chicken when dining out but was tempted by this choice and was very impressed. The food was fresh, hot and cooked to perfection. read more

This was one of my favorite dining experiences while traveling in the UK. I could not recommend this place enough. And our server was such a lovely Irish young woman that steered us in the right direction when ordering. The atmosphere, service, food, and whiskeys were all a delight. 10/10 would recommend. read more

Was recommended to come here by my wife and mother in law. Well we find ourselves back in the UK traveling from London to Aberdeen with a short stop in Edinburgh. I really identify with this place. Interesting layout, we're currently sitting in our own alcove. I started with pea and ham soup, one of the best I've ever had. Of course me and my wife had the haggis. Very generous portions. My eldest daughter's boyfriend had the haddock and says it was lovely. My youngest had a medium rare rump steak which was very tender. The choice of whisky is incredible, you'll be hard pushed to decide. Highly recommended, book in advance if a weekend. read more

Great bar, but be careful not to sit in the upstairs tourist trap "Ryan's" by accident! You have to head down the stairs.

Great spot for a beer or whiskey in Edinburgh. Nice atmosphere, great selection of local brews and single malts, and lovely staff (Rebecca and Timna). Rebecca has a lovely voice and will sing The Hills of Donegal if you ask. read more

Wow. Wow. Wow. Went straight downstairs. Didn't disappoint. First night ever in Edinburgh and I'm in great hands. Whiskey flights were incredibly diverse and I really feel like I was exposed to whiskeys I would never taste in the US. It is a five star just for the drinks and the service. But.... food. Lamb soup was flavorful without any frills. Then the chicken wrapped in Bacon and stuffed with haggis... wow. Juicy and smoky and pepppery. Then had the toffee pudding as a capper and am as happy at a dining out experience as I have ever been. read more

The concierge at my hotel steered me right. First off, I love that many restaurants in Edinburgh stay open during off peak hours and are open late. As a tourist, I eat at random times but I like to avoid tourist traps. I popped in here in the middle of the day after the castle, and I was still able to get good food. The fish and chips was the best, certainly better then anything I've ever had in the states. I also liked my cocktail and the service was gracious. read more

Great whiskey selection and service. The price and location are right and the basement bar is modern and attractive. By all means, go. Cheers! read more

Really good find. Nice selection of whiskeys and beers and the food is great too. Will come here again.

Second dinner in one week so I can do a decent review. Fantastic! Consistently delicious food. Very nice decor with a romantic setting and little private booths. Tried the following dishes: haggis, fish cakes, half haddock, venison and steak and ale pie. The drink selection is amazing and the friendly staff helpfully suggests the right things (great suggestions!) everything is fresh, the salads are crisp, the meat juicy. I want to take this place back to NYC with me. read more

Usquabae - Haggis - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Excellent spot for whisky AND beer. Make sure you make it down to the downstairs bar - the upstairs bar (same owner, but different establishment) does not share the same wide selection of whisky and beer. We enjoyed a 12 year Old Pulteney and a couple of hoppy IPAs. Rebecca from Donegal behind the bar was lovely and very friendly, with excellent recommendations for other bars to visit. Marketing expert Timna was also lovely and helped with recommendations too, although I'm not sure she enjoyed our cheek. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Went twice on my visit to Edinburgh with one of my sons. My first visit was amazing - tried Macallan 25 for the first time. Prices are the most reasonable in town, the setting is private/intimate, and selection is phenomenal. On my second visit, David was the consummate host - felt like we had been friends for ages. Many whisky places to try in Edinburgh- but DO NOT miss this one. BTW - food looked amazing - I did not eat there but will next visit. read more

Excellent place for dinner and drinks. Went there during my visit to Edimburgh and I'd definitely recommeded it. Super nice and professional staff and good quality food!!! read more

Just an amazing place! Despite how crazy busy it was due to the Scotland/Wales Rugby, every staff member was patient, friendly and knowledgeable! They put together a scotch tasting for me that was exactly what I was looking for...and I wonderfully discovered several that I never experienced in the states. Food was delicious, priced right, and timely. We'll be back and will recommend to all! read more

Forget the Witchery. This is the best restaurant in Edinburgh! The food is fresh and amazing - also crazy amount of reasonably priced Scotches to try. read more

Had a great experience tasting several whiskeys from the massive menu. Kaitlin was the BEST guide with her tremendous knowledge in whiskey! We had a few starters and the musselswere spectacular. We will return on our next visit to Edinburgh! read more

Minor disclaimer: This review applies to the downstairs bar section rather than the restaurant itself. Usquabae is a bit of a hidden gem in Edinburgh. There is no shortage of whisky bars in Edinburgh, but this one has an amazing collection of malts and impeccable service. Michael helped us navigate amongst many options that evening. Now this is a person who knows how to make cocktails, and then some. Case in point, we opened with a gin martini which sounds relatively simple, right? Well, his martini was one of the best ones we have ever tried. He explained the process, the ratios of gin to vermouth to ice, and so forth; everything precise and logical yet tailored to our palate. Anyways, onto the scotch. Michael sat with us for a few minutes and asked us for both a flavor profile and a price point. It was really a conversation rather than some kind of questionnaire from which he could grab a few bottles that might kind-of-but-not-quite meet the criteria. We tried a few scotch flights. Every single selection was great: these included some of the well-known makes along with distillers few have heard of, likely because production is small or does not make it out of Scotland. Just as when we ordered, Michael also sat down with us roughly midway the scotch flights to make sure we liked the selection as well as provide some curious insights/history/trivia on the bottles we were trying. He also helped answer some specific/obscure questions about scotch (we didn't ask these to be snobbish or difficult or the such, but rather because we had in front of us someone who definitely knew this stuff well). As for the atmosphere - the basement bar has a few private two to four person small coves with comfortable chairs surrounded by shelves upon shelves of whisky bottles. It's perfect for a quiet and intimate evening; relaxed and not pretentious. Bottomline, make sure to visit Usquabae. And don't be afraid to splurge a bit on their malt collection - you probably won't find many other places with that selection and knowledgeable staff. read more

We went here twice. Not only do they have a tremendous selection of whisky including many rare bottles, but we experienced two different people working there who had complete knowledge of all of them. Both times we described what we wanted and they delivered perfect examples. They were also both very friendly and willing to share their time and expertise. The atmosphere is very relaxing and beautiful in a cave-like basement conducive to a memorable experience. Highly recommended! read more