Tolbooth Tavern

4.6

242 Reviews

£25 and under

Scottish

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 23, 2024

8:00 PM

Booked 3 times today

Experiences are available.

Charming
Neighborhood gem
Good for groups

Built in 1591, the Tolbooth Tavern in Edinburgh was formerly part of the original Canongate Tolbooth. This medieval building was used to divide the Royal Burgh of Edinburgh and Canongate.

The Tolbooth Tavern is a cosy traditional Scottish pub full of character and charm. The small exterior gives way to a spacious bar and mezzanine dining area. It boasts a fantastic spot along the Royal Mile.

Serving hearty home-cooked Scottish fayre using locally sourced produce, we are sure to keep you full before a full day on the tourist trail or join us for an evening exploring our fine whisky collection.

Our house favourites include Cullen skink, Tolbooth burgers, freshly landed Scottish fish n chips and our Tolbooth steak and sausage pie.

If you want to embrace dark history and immerse yourself in a spooky atmosphere, The Tolbooth Tavern is a must visit whilst in Edinburgh.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
Scottish, Burgers, Gastro Pub
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–11:00 pm Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–12:00 am
Phone number
0131 557 1333
Website
https://www.tolboothtavern.co.uk/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Our team will look after you
Catering
All of our produce is locally sourced and home cooked including Scottish classics that you are sure to enjoy after a busy day sightseeing.
Private party facilities
We have a fabulous mezzanine area, ideal for semi-private events

Location
167 Canongate, Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 8BN
Neighborhood
Old Town
Cross street
Centrally located on the Canongate towards the bottom of the Royal Mile
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
There is limited on-street parking and pay parking nearby. Waverley Train Station and the tram line are just a 10-minute walk away as well as an abundance of local visitor attractions.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Counter Seating, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Takeout, Vegan, Wine

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Experiences

Burns Day At The Tolbooth
£40.00 per person
Prepaid
Jan 25, 2025 only
Join us at one of Edinburgh’s oldest and most charming pubs for a day filled with tradition, delicious food, and Scottish spirit. Guests will be welcomed by the enchanting melodies of our piper, Chris Norton, setting the perfect tone for the occasion. Our chef has prepared a hearty, home-cooked 3-course meal featuring Scottish classics to honour the day. As part of the festivities, witness the iconic Address to the Haggis, a time-honoured ritual accompanied by a dram of Dalmore 12-Year-Old whisky, adding a touch of Scottish elegance to the ceremony. With set dining times to suit every schedule, you can join us at the hour that fits best and be part of this cherished celebration. Set Times: 12:00pm, 2:30pm, 5:00pm, and 8:00pm

Popular dishes

Cullen Skink£8.25
Traditional smoked haddock soup, with potato, onion & cream. Served with crusty bread
Soup of the Day£6.25
Served with crusty bread and butter
Mushrooms on Toasted Bloomer £8.25
In a garlic & cream sauce with shaved Grana Padano
Smoked Scottish Salmon£9.25
Served with oatcakes & butter
Haggis Bon-Bons£7.65
With a sweet chilli sauce
Red Pepper & Goat's Cheese Croquettes£8.65
With sweet chilli sauce
Homemade Smoked Mackerel Pate£8.25
Served with oatcakes & butter
Chicken Liver Pate£8.45
Served with oatcakes, butter and onion marmalade.
Warm Black Pudding salad£8.95
Stornoway black pudding served on braised red cabbage with crisp pancetta & apple sauce
Panko Crusted Haggis Cake£8.95
Macsween’s haggis, coated in panko breadcrumbs, served with creamy mash & whisky cream sauce

Main Course

8oz Sirloin Steak£28.95
Dry aged, prime scotch beef, served with chunky chips, rocket & Grana Padano salad and a sauce of your choice - choose from Pepper, Whisky Cream or Garlic butter
Freshly Landed Scottish Fish & Chips£17.95
Hand-battered haddock fillet served with thick cut chips & tartare sauce
Homemade Steak Pie£17.95
Served with thick-cut chips & seasonal veg
Homemade Steak & Haggis Pie£18.95
served with thick-cut chips & seasonal veg
Macaroni Cheese£14.95
A blend of 4 Scottish cheeses and parmesan. Topped with crispy breadcrumbs. Served with fries or garlic bread
Chicken Balmoral£22.95
Haggis - stuffed chicken breast wrapped in pancetta & served with whisky sauce & seasonal veg
Haggis, Neeps and Tatties£16.95
MacSween's Haggis with creamy mash, crushed neeps & a whisky cream sauce (vegetarian option also available)
Chicken, Avocado & Bacon Salad£16.95
With mixed leaves, boiled egg, cherry tomato & red onion in a ranch dressing
Goat's Cheese, Avocado & Roasted Red Pepper Salad£16.95
With mixed leaves, red onion, & cherry tomato in a Dijon & balsamic vinaigrette dressing
10oz Ribeye Steak£34.95
Prime Scotch beef served with chunky chips, roasted cherry tomatoes, rocket & Grana Padano salad and a sauce of your choice – Choose from Pepper, Whisky Cream or Garlic Butter.

Burgers

6oz burger patties served in a brioche bun with chopped lettuce, sliced tomato & our house sauce. Served with fries. Extra toppings - cheese, bacon, Fried onions £1.50, Haggis £3.00

Classic Burger£14.95
Cheeseburger£15.95
Bacon and Cheese Burger£16.95
Haggis Burger£17.95
Moving Mountains Veggie Burger£15.95
Panko Chicken Burger£15.95

Sides

Fries£4.75
Thick-Cut Chips£5.10
Onion Rings£5.75
Mixed Salad£4.95
Seasonal Veg£4.75
Honey-Glazed Mini Sausages£6.75
Garlic Bread£5.85

Dessert

Sticky Toffee Pudding£8.65
served with vanilla ice cream
Chocolate Brownie£8.65
served with whisky cream
Cranachan£8.65
Scottish raspberries, whisky, cream & oats
Selection of Scottish Ice-Creams£6.25
choose 3 scoops from today's flavour
Vanilla Cheesecake£8.65
served with cream
Apple Pie £8.65
Served with vanilla ice cream
Treacle Tart £8.65
Lemon & Ginger treacle tart served warm with Crème Fraiche & orange drizzle
Vanilla Cheesecake£8.65
Served with whisky cream and heather honey

Hot Drinks

Americano£3.75
Cappuccino£3.95
Latte£3.95
Flat White£3.95
Espresso£3.50
Hot Chocolate£4.25
Tea / Earl Grey / Camomile£3.75
Baileys Latte£8.55
Gaelic Coffee£8.95
Hot Toddy£6.50

What 242 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Edinburgh/Midlothian
Best Ambiance
Edinburgh
Best Ambiance

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Tolbooth Tavern offers a quintessential Scottish pub experience with a "fun atmosphere" and "great food." Guests appreciate the "friendly staff" and accommodating service, even during busy times. The steak pie and Cullen Skink receive special praise. Located on the Royal Mile, it's a historic venue worth visiting.

242 Reviews

E
Evelyn
Glasgow
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, service and ambience. Had a great time.
Is this helpful?
A
Ailsa
Dorset
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 29, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
The haggis and pie were tasty- took a while to come but Luke our excellent waiter was apologetic and very friendly!
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c
cortney
Milwaukee
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Quintessential Scottish pub with great food, drinks and atmosphere. Loved our time there!
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J
James
Edinburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 12, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Absolutely loved Tolbooth Tavern. The staff are incredibly friendly and the food totally amazing. The steak pie is to die for. The tavern is so lovely with its quirky charm. We loved every second. Thankyou everyone.
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T
Tara
East Sussex
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 9, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Always a gamble trying to find an authentic pub with great food but this place did not disappoint. Worth the short walk out of the centre for a proper Scottish welcome, traditional pub, friendly staff and amazing food. Rounded off our short trip to Edinburgh perfectly.
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E
Enrico
Edinburgh
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on November 4, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Pub storico. Ambiente caldo e accogliente. Staff cortese e preparato. Buon cibo con porzioni abbondanti (unica pecca ...il fish and chips rimane un po' troppo unto). Ottime birre ed ampia selezione di whisky. Conto nella media di Edimburgo.
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J
Jess
London
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food was absolutely lovely, we had a variety and each person loved their chosen meal. All staff members were friendly and welcoming, we turned up an hour early for our reservation and we happy to have a drink before our meal if there wasn’t a table available but we were taken to a table right away, Will definitely return next time we come to Edinburgh!
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A
Ashley
VIP
Dublin
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on October 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing food, staff were very friendly and knowledgeable! Great value for money!
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X
Xara
Edinburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 26, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food was perfect! The atmosphere was so Scottish and cozy! The service very polite! The music awesome too!
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G
Gina
Raleigh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on October 25, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I’ve eaten here a few times. Every time has been great! Thoroughly enjoyed the food and drink!
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FAQs

Tolbooth Tavern offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at 0131 557 1333.

Tolbooth Tavern is rated 4.6 stars by 242 OpenTable diners.