Booked for late December and had exactly the experience I hoped for.
The interior design is dramatic and atmospheric without feeling gimmicky. The menu is strong, and the food delivered - the loin of Balmoral Estate red deer was excellent. Wine was great, dessert was rich but balanced, and coffee finished it perfectly.
Pricey, yes, but the full experience totally justified it.
Matt B★★☆☆☆
Unfortunately my experience at the Witchery Dining Room was subpar. This restaurant is overhyped - and does not deliver for the exaggerated marketing it presents. The food was served cold - the lobster bisque tasted like canned soup with 2 pieces of overcooked lobster - the Lamb Wellington was served with cold potatoes - very rough and over salted - almost pre formed. The lamb Wellington itself tasted like it was sitting in a warmer for a long time - almost wet - not flaky as you would expect.
What disappointed me most about this restaurant is the lack of service. No one even checked in on our mains or explained the menu to us. I booked this restaurant more than 4 months ago - arrived 15 minutes early, and was seated late after other patrons who arrived for the same reservation time - who came after. Then was sat right by the door - with a view of the servery. If you are ever seated here I would recommend moving. All you can see and hear is food being scraped into a garbage.
My honest opinion - from someone who eats out frequently - skip this restaurant. The atmosphere can be enjoyed in other establishments and the food or service is just not worth your time.
K M★★★☆☆
This is for the restaurant only as we did not stay at the hotel. My fiancé and I got engaged in Edinburgh and one of the many things we were excited for was trying The Witchery for the first time. Especially after seeing so many raving reviews and the romantic Gothic atmosphere it has. Unfortunately, this restaurant did not live up to its reputation. It is mostly hype for the decor and atmosphere. The food was not terrible, but it was definitely not worth the price they charge. You can have way better tasting food at a bunch of different restaurants in Edinburgh and pay less. If I am paying 70+ GBP for a steak, I should not have to send it back because it's not cooked properly. Upon getting it back, it still wasn't cooked medium like we asked. We didn't want to waste more time and send it back twice, so I just ate it. Any other place it wouldn't matter this much, but if you're going to charge high prices and act like a serious upscale restaurant, you need to have chefs that know exactly what they're doing. If you want to go for the decor and photos, do it, but be aware you're wasting money.
adam stevenson★★☆☆☆
Honestly you can 100% miss this restaurant in Edinburgh. Over priced for mediocre food.
Do you want to pay £5 for tap water and £5 for bread for the table, sure that's fine, a £12 bottle of wine is £40 sure that's fine, it's a nice location and recommended restaurant that so many people love. The mash, bland and cold, no flavour at all, you would think maybe abit buttery with garlic? Anything? No.
Meat and gravy decent at best.
At best this is a subpar restaurant disguised as fine dining. You can spend less on Michelin star restaurant everywhere else in the world.
I could care less about cost if the food was good, good food makes you forget about the bill and keeps you coming back.... but if the food is subpar you start to wonder what your spending money on. The staff was amazing which is why I made this two stars.
Seriously the food is okay at best, after you eat here you will come back read this review and ask yourself why you spent your money here
pandora proxy★★★★★
Came in for an impromptu dinner, and we left feeling enchanted!
We didn't plan on eating here, but after walking by and seeing how lovely this place looked, we couldn't resist taking a peek and seeing if we could get a table. Thankfully they were not too busy and we were able to get seated right away without a booking.
This is the coolest looking restaurant I have ever been to. The air is thick and dripping with mysterious and rustic atmosphere. Very much living up to the name in the aesthetics alone. Normally I would expect that a place like this survives on the atmosphere more than the service and food itself. Not so, in the case of The Witchery.
The food was excellent! We had the venison and the mushroom lasagna and they tasted wonderful.
The service was also exceptional. Our server was very professional an friendly and made sure we were well looked after with our food and wine.
This was a wonderful, fun, and romantic experience and it's not just for show, this is a proper gourmet restaurant with service to match.
If you are on the Royal Mile and are looking for a novel experience and good food, please try The Witchery.
Marta Mikalauskaite★★★★★
Perfect place! We had an amazing lunch and it was truly a lovely experience. Staff is very professional, friendly and polite. Food and drinks were delicious. Location is both convenient and special, taking into account the history of this place. The atmosphere in a restaurant is magnificent. You can even imagine being a royal living in such a castle-type building. Thank you and I hope to come back one day!
Brandon W★★★★★
Quaint and inviting atmosphere. Adorable art and ambience.
Valentina was wonderfully funny and personable which made the experience more enjoyable.
Did the light lunch option and the food was fantastic. It can get up there in price depending on wine selection and deserts, but it's definitely worth the visit.
nova mclaren★★★★☆
This is an upscale restaurant with excellent service and ambiance. The food is good, but not worth the price. I had the bass, and it was pretty good, but it was sitting in a couple dollops of fancy mayo. My husband really enjoyed the duck breast. The gooseberry rhubarb crumble was very tart, which is how I like it.
gina piersanti★★★★★
From out of town, came here for a fancy lunch after our castle tour. Was so fun and lovely! We booked in advance, the atmosphere was amazing, with candles and beautiful decor. I’m vegan, and they had a few options for me, just had to ask specifically. Lasagna was amazing. My partner had oysters and the risotto. Food was beautiful. Definitely worth it
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FAQs
What is the address of The Witchery?
The Witchery is located at 352 Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NF, UK
How can I get to The Witchery?
You can find directions to The Witchery by following this map link
