The Doric

Great location near the station, but you do kind of need to stumble upon it or know where you are going as it is just outside the touristy hustle and bustle of the Royal Mile.
We went with a group of 10 and had to prepay 5 each to make a reservation, which then was taken off our bill.
I just had the salmon started which was really delicious, although the bread was not toasted and quite dry which was a bummer!
My friends had many different dishes and all said it was great! Good place to know and I’ll almost certainly go back, you can get some real typical Scottish dishes here when you have non-​local visitors over that would like to try them.

I had the venison, my wife the tiger linguini and our son the kid menu for lunch. Everything was great, though I would say that the venison is a little bit pricey. The service was very friendly and quick. We also had white and red wine by the glass which were also quite good.

They allow kids!

This was my favorite place to eat/​drink on our 2 week long honeymoon. The food was absolutely incredible, and I wanted to come here every day after.

Great pub near the train station. They had yummy food and an awesome extensive beer list. I had the fish and chips then used the beer list to start exploring Scottish craft beer. Will come again when using the Edinburgh train station.

Just had a surprisingly delightful dinner here tonight and I didn’t even know this is actually the oldest gastropub in Edinburgh! So it’s also a place of historical significance!
FOOD/​DRINKS– haggis Bön bons: crispy and steaming hot when cut open, served nicely with mashed turnips, straw potatoes, cream fraiche and a light salad. It was delicious. Prawns & chorizo: served with fresh bread, prawns taste shrimpy and fresh while chorizo bits are spicy with a kick. The chorizo was a bit salty, but was perfect with the bread. Mulled wine was delicious and warmed my soul.
AMBIANCE/​DECOR– small restaurant with some bar counter seating, dimly lit, but not loud. Good for romantic date, casual dinner, and even an interview over dinner (like the two men to the table next of me tonight). The room was decorated with paintings and tables with candles.
SERVICE/​STAFF– hit or miss. One staff was super friendly/​helpful while the other one was only average and seemed a bit anxious/​stressed out. When I entered the place downstairs into the bar section, the bartender saw me but ignored me. Good thing I figured it out soon enough… when I saw the door to the ‘bistro’ that I just walk upstairs!
Overall, I had a very pleasant experience and the food/​mulled wine that I had was very enjoyable. I like the atmosphere and want to go back to try their other drinks and food items. Would recommend!

Love The Doric!
We came upon this restaurant after a day of walking in Edinburgh. Sat upstairs in the bistro, which was full of charm.
Started of with the cullen skink soup, which was amazing. It was so good, I ordered this soup all over Scotland but never did find one as wonderful as this. The fish and chips with mushy peas were just perfect. The only problem was I was full from the soup so couldn’t finish the fish and chips — not a bad problem to have.
My companion had the upscale version of bangers and mash — it was very tasty, and one of her favorite meals throughout the UK.
Next time we are in Edinburgh we will make the trip to The Doric — well worth it.

Came here on a rainy day in Edinburgh with three friends on a day trip. Very close to the Castle (down a lot of steps on a side street off Royal Mile).
Welcoming, cosy atmosphere, the bistro restaurant is upstairs.
I ordered the Salmon and capers (£8) to start and the Haggis, Neeps and Tatties (£10) for main. The salmon was great quality and fresh, although a little simple and unfussy (just a lemon wedge and buttered bread on the side). The haggis was lovely, well favoured with creamy mash and parsnips balanced the saltiness of the haggis well.
In all, a solid choice for a very hearty and wholesome lunch or dinner, right in the centre of Edinburgh.

We came to this place for something to eat some Scottish good after the Edinburgh Castle and this place came up with good reviews… and it did not disappoint!
My friends and I split the haggis, the shepherds pie, and the fish and chips and I really enjoyed them all. I would have to say I think the haggis may have been my favorite, and it was my first time ever having it, but the shepherds pie was a close second. The service was great and everyone we interacted with working there were very friendly. Definitely worth a try! j

Had diner there last night… short walk from our hotel. Wonderful place, people and food. Not overpriced. We will be back while in town. I had a dark chocolate sponge cake with a caramel type sauce that was incredible. Looks and feels like a very old traditional Scottish pub. Everything we had was the highest quality served by nice Scottish young people.

The Doric is claimed to be the oldest traditional gastro pub in Edinburgh offering authentic Scottish food. I went for a pint of local Three Hop Lager served in a big mug with a handle. While in Scotland I decided to try the traditional Cullen Skink soup served with a nice tomato foccacha and Haggis Bön Bons. I took those two starters as mains instead, and that was enough to satisfy my hunger.
Deep fried haggis balls are worth a try. I’ve tried haggis before somewhere else, but it wasn’t particularly amazing, as the dish is normally served with potato mash and feels quite heavy, whereas here the haggis balls starter portion is just the right size to get the taste and feel you up.
The service is nice, I really needed to charge my phone and the bartender was happy to help charge it at the bar. It gets quite busy, therefore better to book in advance to avoid disappointment.

While traveling through Edinburgh on our honeymoon, we jumped into this little place before a show. Wow. really, really great food. We had been ordering fish and chips all over the UK but this place was the absolute BEST! My husband went for the shepherds pie and it was just as amazing. They also let me make my chips «fancy», which just meant truffle oil, but it was seriously good. I am jealous of the locals who get to have this place nearby. When we come back to Scotland, we will definitely stop here!

Amazing atmosphere. Amazing food. Amazing live Scottish music. Amazing drinks. Came in with no reservation, made a reservation there & only waited 30 minutes. No problem, because downstairs was a full bar with seating & live local music. Had the Haggis & natties, was amazing. As well as the Shepard’s pie. You won’t be dissapointed.

Excellent Shepherds Pie. The downstairs pub area is great for a drink and listening to their live music. If you are wanting to sit down and have a meal the upstairs dining area can fit larger parties. (Ours was nine people) Their Malt Whisky Truffles desert is excellent. Service was excellent as well as all the food we had.

Passed a delightful evening forking away at my Haggis, Neeps, and Tatties. The Scottish national dish, as I was told, did not disappoint! The term that comes to mind is «(Scottish) comfort food». It was quite flavorful without going overboard in any direction. (Over salting is a big turn off for me)
Atmosphere was warm and friendly. I quite enjoy the upstairs-​dining gastropub vibes~

it’s a birthday, and he wants to party like it’s his birthday. So where do you take 11 people in the depth of Christmas party-​season when this should have been booked back in May?
Well, hurrah for Unilocal,hurrah for online bookings (taking the painfullest of painful ‘room for 11 people? No? Ok. Next! discussions out of the pain) and helped me narrow down the available restaurants according to the Silent Reviewer’s specifications down to um, The Doric. So, our options were relatively limited, but it was such a good thing, in this case. It was a cold, miserable December night, the pub downstairs was heaving, the restaurant upstairs the same. But, all the meals were great, service was pretty damn prompt, with nary a person left without a drink too long, and our meals were all served together. With a big group, it’s often that this fails, especially in the catering style poor quality party food that makes an appearance. Not here, and in fact, there was a non-​festive menu still available to choose from that just made my heart sing — all too often the Silent Reviewer is left with turkey as his birthday meal option year after year. The fact he chose it anyway made it his choice rather than mandatory.
So good we’re going back with another big birthday group — see you soon The Doric, see you soon.

I ate a delicious hot smoked Scottish salmon pasta dish here. I really enjoyed it as a lovely way to taste some Scottish cuisine!
The dish included asparagus and artichokes, drizzled with a rich tasting balsamic vinegar. It was sprinkled with cheese too which was nice but would have been handy to know in advance as I’m not supposed to be eating dairy.
Overall a delicious, huge portion that id recommend!
The staff were friendly but the service was a little slow and we had to seek their assistance twice to hurry up our order and pay for our food as we were under a bit of time pressure.
A nice pub with a good bistro located closed to Waverly train station, so very handy!

Great fish and chips and shepards pie. Nice dining room upstairs. Woulda received five stars if they had malt vinegar for the fish

The original building was constructed in the 17^th century and it still retains its original characteristics, many stairs and really narrow doorways– a throwback to an earlier time: the Gastro Pub food is well cooked, well presented and delicious, especially the home made icecream.

Servers are über friendly here. Very nice! Here’s the quick and dirty.
Pros– Delicious haggis bon bons, yummy side salads, the beer and cider selection was GREAT (hello kopparberg!), and the pig’s nose whisky was fantastic! Great service. Responsive and chatty servers that can put a smile on your face.
Cons– Why was my table so sticky? It needed a good wipe down. Macaroni and cheese was kinda oily… as in the oil wasn’t blended well into a creamy cheese. It was kinda separated from the rest. Asparagus was overcooked.
Bottom line: I’d come for the drinks and haggis bon bons!