Ghillie Dhu

Ghillie Dhu

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Ghillie Dhu
Review
At a glance
Open until 2:00 AM
See all hours
About
Originally St Thomas Episcopal Church, Ghillie Dhu has been beautifully restored to showcase its traditional features. With an enviable location tucked in at the West End of the city centre, we are a short distance from Haymarket train station and directly opposite all major bus routes. Awarded Best Small Venue at the Scottish Event Awards two years running, the team pride ourselves on the quality of catering and service we provide. Ghillie Dhu benefits from a dedicated and experienced events team who are poised to look after your event from enquiry right through to completion. Our chef has created a variety of mouth-watering menus from the best produce that Scotland's larder can offer.
Features
CUISINES
Bar, British, Pub, Scottish
Meal types
Lunch, Dinner, Drinks
Special Diets
Vegetarian friendly, Gluten free options
FEATURES
Accepts Credit Cards
American Express
Free Wifi
Full Bar
Highchairs Available
Live Music
Mastercard
Non-smoking restaurants
Outdoor Seating
Private Dining
Reservations
Seating
Serves Alcohol
Street Parking
Table Service
Visa
Wine and Beer
Location
Is this restaurant good for brunch?
Save this restaurant
Open until 2:00 AM
Sunday
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
12:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Friday
12:00 pm - 2:00 am
Saturday
12:00 pm - 3:00 am
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3.9
3.9 of 5 bubbles
(1,555)
Excellent
678
Good
425
Average
171
Poor
113
Terrible
168

These reviews are machine translated from their original language. Show machine translations?
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Martin K
158 contributions
3 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 couples
My wife and I had a gift voucher as a wedding present and decided to use it whilst visiting family up for the Tattoo. Venue is larger than it seems from outside and looks to have been recently decorated but a surprise compared to the outside in that it’s modern rather than traditional. Menu is simple. As nice as the staff were, I’m afraid that their abilities to wait on a table need some improvement. Our drinks order was delivered after some time and somehow the red wine was white…so back it went. Our starters came and the black pudding scotch egg (which apparently had none left but miraculously there was one when I said it would have been helpful to know this before ordering) was overcooked with hard yolks and over crispy shell. The mains were of a decent portion size, chips a little greasy for us but to others may be more palatable. Overall, it felt like a Scottish themed Wetherspoons with slightly higher prices. Not great but also not awful.
Written 17 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi martinkW9255QD, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We're pleased to hear you chose to use your gift voucher with us and appreciate your comments about the venue. We're sorry to hear that your experience didn’t fully meet expectations regarding the service and certain dishes. Your feedback is valuable, and we'll use it to make improvements. We hope you'll consider giving us another try in the future. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please get in touch with us at info@ghillie-dhu.co.uk Thanks, Ghillie Dhu
Written 19 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Julie B
9 contributions
4 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 friends
Had the night we visited not been when England v France football was on and also when many people had been having Xmas parties I probably would have only rated this average, but I have allowed for how busy the place was due to the aforesaid . It’s a lovely building and I booked a meal for the Saturday night of our Edinburgh weekend ( 6 ‘mature’ ladies ). We chose from the festive fair menu £34.95 for 3 course which had to be paid for in advance .Most had a turkey dinner I had the beef feather . I can’t stress how busy the place was as there was a big screen up for the football and the bar area was full , we had a booth away from the bar which was snug but not uncomfortable. Obviously table service was quite slow due to the amount of people , which some of my group were a bit annoyed about , but to be fair I wasn’t too bothered as we had nowhere to get to after and weather wasn’t great for walking around . Initial thought on food portions when delivered was, that’s not much , but actually after 3 courses it was more than enough for me. I had the steak which I thought was delicious , mixed reviews on the turkey, but mainly good. Desert board Cheese board was really impressive cheesecake and toffee pudding got the thumbs up . The staff were busy but were friendly and accommodating when we asked them for anything . The live music was obviously not on because of the match , there was a good atmosphere which was ‘interesting ‘ being English supporters in a pub in Scotland ! They were just setting up the live music as we were leaving, so I can’t comment on it. Only suggestion would be somewhere to hang big coats this time of the year as they were taking over an already snug booth . I would recommend for a meal .
Written 12 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
64manager
Thank you for your excellent review Julie B, we really appreciate your feedback. We hope you will visit us again soon! Alexios and the Ghillie Team
Written 30 December 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Frew83
Dumfries and Galloway144 contributions
4 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 couples
Attended here for a Wedding. Lovely venue for it. It’s an old church converted into a very modern bar and function room. The Wedding was conducted upstairs and it was very nice. Were then invited to go down stairs while the staff converted the room for the reception. The dinner was great - I had the Parfait, Sea Bass and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Staff were attentive but not in your face and they didn’t make any mistakes on anyone’s food order. Once service was over they got the room ready for the dancing - a major part of any Scottish wedding. All in all a great day and a great venue for your wedding.
Written 18 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi Frew83. thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We're glad to hear you had a great time during your recent visit and hope to see you again soon! Thanks, Ghillie Dhu
Written 21 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Ms C
1 contribution
1 of 5 bubbles
May 2024 friends
Skip this one. I attended a dinner with show as part of a tour group. While the entertainment portion of the evening was very good and I would recommend if you are looking for bag pipe playing (a few songs) and singing (a duo performed). However, the dinner was so bad that it overshadowed the evening. The servers were disengaged and observed bickering among themselves, the food arrived cold (except for the soup) and was tasteless and unappetizing. During the last half hour of the show the servers noisily collected empty drink containers and glasses from the tables, interrupting the performance. With lit candles all over the venue, which was cramped with approximately 180 people, we were told in case of an emergency the only way out was a single door leading down a curving staircase at the entrance. At the end of the show the performers were a bit excessive in their repeated requests for tips.
Written 9 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi 485msc, thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We have passed your feedback onto our kitchen team for review. We hope you visit us again soon. Thanks, Ghillie Dhu
Written 21 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kevin F
Wellington23 contributions
1 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2025 friends
Shockingly bad. Stay away from this place especially on a 6 nations game day! Pre game carnage, took 25 minute to get served. Staff couldn’t understand the drinks order then the payment machine didn’t work . Post game, staff couldn’t understand the drinks order . Got it wrong 3 times, second bar person came over and got it wrong for the 4th time, it wasn’t complicated . 3 Pints of Guinness , half a lager and Gin and tonic! Got it right at the 5th time of asking! Food was cold and hard. Pre booked bucket of beer and cocktails never appeared, bill arrived with 10.5%.service charge !
Written 9 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nee D
4 contributions
1 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 couples
I made a complaint about the service I recieved on a visit in October 2024 and still no reply. Numerous attempts were made to speak with someone but no response. This establishment served me food which included an ingredient I have an allergy to. I explained my allergy to the lady serving me who advised she had spoken with the Chef who stated the food didn't include the ingredient with the allergy. Absolutely wrong!!! So wrong I ended up having medication. I would never trust this place given their service standard and moreso the fact 3 months later they have never gotten back to me. Foolishly incompetent people running this place.
Written 16 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi NeeDee79, We are very concerned about your recent review, referencing your visit to Ghillie Dhu, EDINBURGH. We are extremely surprised with your claim of no response on our part, to your multiple attempts to contact us. The venue can be reached by email (info@ghillie-dhu.co.uk), or by phone on 0131 222 9930. All details are readilly availabe on our website (https://ghillie-dhu.co.uk/contact/). Our team of 3 sales staff answer calls and online enquires during office ours, Monday to Saturday, and our call-center team picks-up all other after hours calls. We have no record of a food poisoning allegation in October last year, online, by phone, or in person. Our company policy would have triggered an immediate internal investigation, both in our kitchens and restaurant floor, and a review of our service procedures and general standards. We take any and all food poisoning allegations very seriously and we would ask you to urgently contact us, using the means laid out above. We strenuously object to your negative claims abour our venue, the team, and the way we operate our business. Ghillie Dhu, EDINBURGH, is an established and reputable business in our great city, with a service record of over 15 years, and a multitude of excellent reviews complementing our food and drinks offer, and our service standards. We welcome your feedback, and urge you to contact us asap. Many thanks, The General Manager
Written 17 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Suzan G Bell
Melrose2 contributions
1 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2025 friends
Pre-booked table and drinks package in the auditorium, as recommended by Ghillie Dhu when I enquired. Paid the £30 deposit. No drinks package arrived. Drinks service at the bar was extremely slow, with the wrong drinks being poured on more than one occasion. Food was okay. On the positive side, the music was good. Given the overall experience, we’ll not be back
Written 15 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ImpressmeEdinburgh
Edinburgh49 contributions
2 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 friends
My friends and I attended The Glitterary Lunch on 6th December. The Ghillie Dhu is a fantastic venue but the food was very poor with service to match. The tables were so rammed together the staff found it difficult to manoeuvre between them. However, I always put poor service down to lack of training. Empty bottles weren’t removed from the table, nor empty champagne flutes and we piled the plates up to be as helpful as possible & still sat with this in front of us for an age. The food was barely warm and really unappetising. Considering we had a choice of turkey or a vegetarian option this should have been high quality. We paid £70 a ticket which included one glass of Prosecco & canapés on arrival, a main course & dessert which was quite palatable. Very disappointing.
Written 8 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Thank you for your honest feedback ImpressmeEdinburgh, we sincerely apologise for letting you down on this occassion. We hope you will visit us again in the near future. Alexios and the Ghillie Team
Written 18 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

World C
1 contribution
5 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2025 friends
Great place! Friendly staff and delicious food at reasonable prices. Our server, Tanusri, was knowledgeable about the menu and accommodating to our needs. The manager checked with us to be sure our food was enjoyable. The sweet potato soup was scrumptious! I highly recommend!
Written 13 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Explorer39877304182
1 contribution
5 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2025 friends
Last Saturday my friends and myself popped in for lunch, they were running a special rugby menu and had a good choice and we tried beef chilli nachos, BBQ wings, chickpeas Curry and chicken burgers and beers all were top notch on quality and the service too. Great ambience which tease your vibe too. Overall great experience once again for me.
Written 14 March 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

manfire343
La Balme-de-Sillingy77 contributions
5 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2024 family
While in Edinburgh, we decided to dine at this restaurant for our son’s birthday. The atmosphere is pleasant and the service and very attentive. The menu offers a beautiful variety of tasty dishes, with options for all tastes “The Haggis and very very good” Special attention at the time of dessert, they concocted us an incredible plate for the 3 while we had nothing to order with music as a bonus!! We had a great time and the prices are very decent!! Recommend without hesitation!"
Automatically translated
Written 2 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi manfire343, thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed your recent vist with us and will pass on your fantastic feedback onto our team! Many happy returns again to your son, we hope to welcome you back soon. Thanks, Ghillie Dhu
Written 3 November 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Escape658204
4 contributions
2 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 family
Had a table booked for my family and we were ushered round the back as there was also a wedding on in the main bar restaurant area. It would have been nice to have been informed about this when booking. It felt as of we were an inconvenience to the main event. There was also live music in the main area but as we were round the back we couldn't enjoy this although the staff did advise we could come round when we finished our meal which I thought was a bit odd as we would then be in with all the wedding guests. When ordering food it was clear the staff had not really been trained on the menus as we asked how certain dishes came and they didn't really know. Not thier fault bu a failure in management in training staff accordingly. The Ghillie Dhu is a traditional Scottish restaurant however I didn't see one scottish member of staff which in my opinion is a bit of a shame and let down. The food was OK however the whole experience was poor and I had organised a family get together in Edinburgh were I felt let down.
Written 29 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Thank you for your feedback Escape658204, we hope you will visit us again soon. Alexios and the Ghillie Team
Written 18 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

James H
Arnold947 contributions
2 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 couples
We expected a "Scottish Evening" here but found it dull with dull food and extraordinarily slow service. We left just before the music was to start as there were less than a dozen people in attendance with classic rock and roll blasting from the speaker above our table. It looks inviting from the outside and in the brochures but we were disappointed.
Written 8 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
We're sorry to receive your feedback 974JamesH974. We hope you'll visit us again in the near future. Alexios and the Ghillie Team
Written 29 October 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nancy S
4 contributions
5 of 5 bubbles
June 2024 couples
We arrived in Edinburgh and were looking for a pretty, casual spot with good food and live music. We got all of that at Ghillie-Dhu! Enjoyed the food - my husband especially loved the cullen skink aka smoked fish soup - and the service was friendly. Guitar player played Scottish songs about love and fishing, and the place was a perfect intro to a great city.
Written 6 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Hi OnAir08399829030, thanks for taking the time to leave us a review. We're glad to hear you enjoyed your meal and live music during your recent visit. We hope to see you again soon! Thanks, Ghillie Dhu.
Written 21 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

ccarolwat
Livingston19 contributions
5 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 couples
Edinburgh was very busy but we managed to make a booking at Ghillie Dhu for Lunch from the moment of arriving we made to feel welcomed. We had a lovely server Manpreet who was very patient while we made our choices. We will return
Written 18 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ghillie Dhu Edinburgh
Thank you for your excellent review ccarolwat, we really appreciate your kind words. We hope you will visit us again soon. Alexios and the Ghillie Team
Written 18 January 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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West End
Prevailing winds meant that most cities that grew in industrial Britain had their most desirable neighbourhoods to the west – upwind of factory fumes. Edinburgh was no exception, with its wealthiest citizens settling in its West End and leaving behind grand Georgian townhouses, private gardens and genteel crescents. These backstreets remain as dignified and sleepy as ever, and most of the action here lies along the district’s busy main roads. Lothian Road connects to southern Edinburgh and harbors a vague entertainment district: three theatres and the city’s main indie cinema. All attract a select crowd, the sort who appreciate the Saturday Edinburgh’s Farmers’ Market around the corner. The West End’s other great thoroughfare, Shandwick Place, is dominated by trams trundling out to the suburbs and airport, and shoppers picking up last-minute items before hopping aboard.
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GHILLIE DHU, Edinburgh - West End - Updated 2025 Restaurant Reviews, Menu & Prices - Tripadvisor

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