Tolbooth Tavern

4.6

258 Reviews

£25 and under

Scottish

Make a reservation

2 people

Mar 15, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 4 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

Scottish Sharing Platter
£26.50 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
Sample some of the Tolbooth Tavern’s favourite Scottish dishes The Tolbooth Tavern loves to showcase local Scottish produce in our cosy pub. With our Scottish tasting platter you will get to sample some of our favourite dishes. Included within the tasting platter is: MacSween’s haggis croquettes with whisky cream sauce Smoked salmon with Scottish oatcakes Medley of mushrooms with garlic cream sauce, on toasted bloomer bread (v) Freshly landed hand battered mini Fish n chips For dessert you will enjoy a traditional Scottish dessert Cranachan. Scottish raspberries, whisky, cream and oats. Minimum of 2 people to book. Must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
Whisky Flight
£25.00 per person
Prepaid
Multiple dates available
Learn a little more about Scotch whisky! Discover more about whisky through vision, taste, and aroma at the Tolbooth Tavern. You will sample three great Scottish whiskies in our cosy pub. Adults only 18+ for whisky flight. Min of 2 people to book. Must be booked at least 24 hours in advance

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 258 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

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Edinburgh
Best Ambiance

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Tolbooth Tavern shines with its "great food, service, and atmosphere." Known for its "delicious" haggis, fish and chips, and steak pie, it offers a "warm and cozy" pub experience. The staff are "friendly and attentive," enhancing the tavern's "authentic" Scottish charm. A reservation is recommended due to its popularity.

258 Reviews

C
Chiara
Edinburgh1 review
5.0
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Abbiamo cenato in questo locale magnifico! È stata davvero una bella esperienza, cibo e whisky buonissimi! Grazie
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l
lorraine
Dublin1 review
3.0
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Food very poor and tasteless. Would expect better quality for the price. Mac and cheese watery and bland. Meat in steak pie tasteless.
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J
John
Edinburgh2 reviews
4.0
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great pub with great character and excellent friendly service. Would highly recommend.
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EB
ElaineB
Yorkshire1 review
5.0
Dined on March 4, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The staff were amazing and the food was fantastic. Definately a must go when in Edinburgh.
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K
Keith
Seattle6 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 25, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
A wonderful old Scottish pub. Dinner and drinks (cask ales and ciders) were excellent. Service was very friendly and personable. I actually stopped in three times during our week in Edinburgh and I would love to go back. It’s a cozy place on a very touristy avenue so make reservations at least a day early for table service.
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M
Martin
Edinburgh1 review
5.0
Dined on February 22, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Friendly staff, tasty food, quick service, wide set of options for both food and drinks.
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M
Maik
NRW2 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great place to be for dining or a few drinks. Historical building outside AND inseide ! all in great shape. very clean restrooms. Great dining ! We take the sirloin steaks and a Haddock with chips and vegetables. very tasty !
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V
Valerio
Edinburgh1 review
5.0
Dined on February 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing experience! It was our first time visiting Scotland, and after hearing good things about the Tolbooth Tavern, my family and I decided to give it a try. We were 100% satisfied! The food was excellent—we tried haggis for the first time, and it was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere was perfect; the noise level was just right—not too loud (we’re not fans of loud music), but still with delightful Scottish music playing in the background. The staff were super nice, and the overall vibe was very enjoyable. I would totally recommend this place!
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J
Joseph
New York City6 reviews
5.0
Dined on February 1, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 4
Great dinner and environment. Great whisky menu. Good overall vibe
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S
Suzie
Edinburgh1 review
5.0
Dined on January 27, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great service. Hearty food. Good value. Really enjoyed our evening. Made to be very welcome.
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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 258 OpenTable diners.