The Witchery The Witchery by the Castle

Hotel

Beautiful romantic setting! Food is amazing and so is the service!

Stayed here for our honeymoon in the Sempill suite. Absolutely exquisite. Nice little touches such as the complimentary champagne, truffles, Coffee machine and romantic breakfast were the icing on the cake. Stefan and Mark were great 👍🏼 will be returning to try the Turret out next time. The only thing I would say is that the bed is a little small and the pillows aren’t particularly comfortable… I woke up with a sore neck on our last day which was unfortunate. Other than that a beautiful place with an incomparable ambiance that would rival any hotel in the world.

Enjoyed a magical wedding anniversary here, food was the best we have ever had and service second to none. The restaurant atmosphere was magical, loved all of the beautiful autumnal decor. Thank you for a wonderful experience we will definitely be back! ✨

The ambience at the Witchery is incredible. The staff are very attentive. The food is divine. A great place to go for that special occasion.

Very cosy and friendly staff, food very rich but worth it.

Bread was stale, Lasagna was like soup. Capresse salad hardly any cheese. 1 server was not up to par, Did nothing special for our 25 anniversary even though I asked and made reservation months in advance. Left hugry, angry and set us back 100 pounds for 2 people no drinks.

Absolutely stunning venue. We are so pleased we spent our first wedding anniversary here. The food was amazing and the staff very attentive.

Excellent all round. Great service, very good food.

Superb meal, all the staff so very helpful, a definate must if coming to visit thr castle.

Very cool place, exceptional food and service. Highly recommend and definitely would go back. Make reservations ahead of time as it’s popular and hard to get a table just walking in.

Great Dinner. Great Atmosphere.

One of the best dining experiences ever! If in Edinburgh, this is a must.

Great staff and food. Will return if in Edinburgh.

Lovely environment. The food leaves a bit to be desired (tough chicken! ) but worth it for the lovely surroundings.

Such a lovely place to dine, great food, drink and atmosphere.

Just walked in with no reservations. Got lucky. They just got a cancellation. What a great restaurant. The food, the professional service and atmosphere was a top class act. From Canada, Thank you for this great moment in the beautiful Edinburgh, Scotland.

Absolutely stunning! Food, atmosphere and brilliant staff. All on place!

Service was superb from arriving to leaving. Food is unbelievably fresh, well cooked & presented. All staff are amazing, warm friendly and attentive! Compliments to all. Definitely returning!

Great food, atmosphere and staff.

Wonderful atmosphere, fabulous setting, delicious food and excellent service. Equals fantastic lunch.

Always fantastic food and great service.

Beautiful restaurant and excellent food. However I was disappointed with the portion size and my side was cold, was not expecting that from a 5 star restaurant.

Great service. Great food.

Stunning food, great staff and atmosphere.

Very disappointing meal and terrible customer service
Introductory Bread was stale was also asked 3 times if we wanted bread. My main arrived and was stone cold. Advised the waiter who said the pastry on the game pie was meant to be cold. Mashed potato was also stone cold
They took away without an apology. By the time they brought it back my husband had finished his main. Was all still cold second time around but couldn’t face sending it back.
At no point did anyone ask if our food was ok and no apology given
At the price you are paying I would have expected better
Food very plain and over priced
Was looking forward to this as a special treat but won’t be back.

Great service, Gorgeous food would highly recommend, will definitely be back.

Beautiful restaurant, insanely nice food and wonderful staff. Now it’s our local! Winner!

Always outstanding food and service. Ambiance is just magical.

Lovely atmosphere and the food was great. Only thing I would comment on is the bread and butter served at the beginning of the meal. Both were rather bland, and the butter was unsalted. Either a more interesting bread or a flavoured butter would be good.

We have had the most amazing meal here.
The waiters were excellent and attended to our every need.
The food was SUPERB.
Atmosphere is so romantic.
Pure delight.

Loved this restaurant and super food friendly service.

Insanely good food, beautiful decor and wonderfully perfectly attentive staff.
Absolutely did not disappoint, I want to go back tomorrow.
A little bit of sophistication never looked, or tasted so good.

Great service from friendly staff.
Every aspect of the food and service was spot on — с Una Claire McPherson.

The decor and architecture inside is worth seeing, but the food was superb. Worth the expense!

Lovely food, staff and wonderful ambience… thank you so much. Rounded off our wonderful visit to Edinburgh ❤️

Cannot find a single fault. Amazing romantic dinner that surpassed our expectations. Will be back.

Great meal, nice staff and fantastic atmosphere.

Absolutely loved our stay at The Witchery in the Sempill suite. With champagne on arrival, it was a lovely start to our stay.
It was very decadent and I felt like a Princess for the day.
The candlelit breakfast was superb.
Would highly recommend.

Absolutely wonderful place to dine, the staff were amazing and made us feel special, will definitely be going again Thank you.

Just go and try it, nice food, huge selection of wine, lovely interior and very attentive staff!

The most beautiful rooms i've ever stayed. Staff are welcoming and helpful. We will definitely coming back here next year.

Exceptional staff, very friendly and informative. Stunning surroundings & fantastic food. Thank you.

Quality of the service and the atmosphere were fantastic. Food was really nice, but overpriced for the quantity of it.

This was an AMAZING restaurant! The service was top notch. The scallops were done perfectly. The chocolate torte I will remember for quite a while. The place it’s self was a photo moment at every turn. Would come back no question about it!

Amazing food and fantastic service. Wish we took a picture of our food before we licked the plates.

Loved the experience we had at the Witchery! The stuff was very friendly and the meal was beautiful and delicious in the same time. The interior design of the place was just magical.
It was definitely one of the highlights of the trip for us and I highly recommend it.

Fantastic place with a romantic atmosphere under candle light. Food was lovely and an amazing wine list to choose from.

Great service and ambiance. Enjoyed afternoon tea.

What can I say marvellous food fantastic service and the best company with me. I will be back again.

Fantastic experience from start to end. Great professional service and wonderful dishes!

We enjoyed a wonderful champagne afternoon tea. Perfectly chilled champagne, delicious sandwiches, exquisite sweet treats and fabulous service.

Great place with great food. We have celebrated there twice and highly recommend it.

A great eatery close to the castle. Ghoulish and spooky. Be prepared to pay top dollar. The interior, decor, fascinating history of the place, gourmet food and impeccable service make this well worth one fancy visit. If you can, try to book inside the older section, choose to the royal mile (nearest the entrance).

It was just incredible experience. Great atmosphere, friendly staffs, absolutely beautiful foods and drinks! I had such a lovely time with my friends. I definitely would love to come back to Edinburgh just to visit this restaurant again… :)

Excellent experience here at the Witchery. I took my Grandma for Champagne Afternoon Tea. She had visited over 20 years ago and reported that things had changed a lot. The venue used to be “witch themed” and gimmicky… the years have been kind. My Grandma and I were more than impressed. The staff treated us with great respect and were very helpful and attentive. My grandma is not a strong walker so we arrived with her in a wheelchair, the staff helped and made sure she was steady in her feet and able to make it to our table safely. They then tucked the wheelchair away and brought it back once we were leaving. The food was of a high standard and plentiful. We couldn’t finish everything so we had to take the left overs home with us. However, we left them on the table and our waiter ran down the Royal Mile with the box to make sure we got them! Couldn’t recommend more highly! :)

One of the best meals we have ever had. Worth the price. Service was top notch — we wanted for nothing. Met wonderful people and felt relaxed. Amazing atmosphere. This is a " do not miss" place to eat when in Edinburgh.

Lovely looking place. Food was outstanding. Service was really really slow to start with. Got bread with no butter and waited what felt like for ever to get asked if we wanted a drink. Once we was served the service got a lot better and the woman serving us got friendlier. Definitely recommend trying this place.

There is a LOT of atmosphere at this place. We had dinner in the smaller room up front and desert downstairs. Andrew took good care of us and our two reservation mix-up. The food was excellent, too. The only thing was that the upstairs dining room was really warm. It's pricey, but it was a great experience!

What an extraordinary, unexpected find! We were drawn by the sign and decor, delighted to know we could have a table for a late lunch. Everything was perfectly presented, the food was incredibly delicious and the service was exemplary. The haggis was amazing! The lamb wellington for two was tender and flaky. And thank you for still offering Prima Donna cheese as part of your cheese board, long after I was ever able to find it again. It is my favourite and I am so happy to have been able to have my husband experience it. I will return next time I am in Edinburgh. Thank goodness it is only a train ride away.

This is an upper scaled restaurant where the prices are high, but then so is the service provided. The portions are small, like most upscale restaurants I have eaten at. The atmosphere is dark and looks like it is set in medieval times. They stayed open late for us and the food was good. This is a great place for a romantic meal and escape the crowds around the Royal Mile.

It's expensive but worth it if you use it as a wedding night.

Super dinner with very attentive but unobtrusive staff. Was able to get a last minute dinner booking. Good vegetarian options. Brilliant cheese platter to close. Excellent wine list.

Ambience very nice. Tings and toilets very tight. Eat no revelation.

Old place where you relive all the atmospheres of yesteryear, exceptional fresh fish.

It's a beautiful place that treats you like a king. I've traveled well and have been in great hotel suites. There's nothing like the Witchery. The rooms have old creaky furniture but it truly brings the ambience. It's quite an experience sitting in the room at night, listening to classical music, drinking champaign, and hanging out with your friends. Experience of a life time. I plan to stay here again in the future. I stayed at the Old Rectory and it's perhaps the best room with an open floor plan. My friends were at Inner Sanctum and the Library. Library was the smallest.

The service was amazing! The rooms have so much character and great details to each theme. Breakfast is great and fresh amenities were replaced every day. Great location on the royal mile as well.

I cannot praise this magical restaurant more highly. The food was excellent and the ambiance was very classy. Given a voucher as a present and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. My wife and I were suitably impressed and intend to visit again. All in was a little expensi e but quite honestly you get what you pay for.

I only rate the restaurant here: It is worth stopping here for the ambience alone! The food was ok, though nothing extraordinary. Service was attentive and friendly.

This was my fisrt visit so I did not know what to expect. We went for Dinner and had a 3 course meal. I found it difficult to choose a starter as there was nothing that fully appealed to my pallet, but I put that down to personal choice and not the menu selection, but I do like soup and there was none on offer. So beacause the starter was not to my taste I have only given 4 stars as I think they should have something for everyone. For our main course we had Lamb Wellington and I agree with a previous diner it was beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We did order extra veg which turned out to be a good decision. The sweet was gorgeous light and full of flavour. The wine list has a choice of 600 bottles, not sure how many are available but they had the 1 we chose. Overall the staff were attentive but later as the restaurant started to fill up a bit more the service was much slower. We did like this restaurant and we would recommend. We would go back again next time we are in Edinburgh.

Unfortunately, I was extremely disappointed with my recent afternoon tea… the bread for the sandwiches was stale and still had crusts on and the quality and selection of cakes was very poor. Having experienced afternoon tea in many of the large establishments, this has to be one of the worst I’ve had. Disappointed as I’d been wanting to visit Witchery for many years … wouldn’t recommend afternoon tea, perhaps a meal would have been better option? Also found it strange that although I had a £125 gift voucher I didn’t get receipt and although some of the staff were lovely and very attentive there was one waiter who was very pretentious. Overall not a good experience and certainly for afternoon tea I’d recommend going elsewhere.

It is a very nice place and also very friendly the people who cater and the food is very rich.

A hoard of snobbish witches who pejoringly select their potential guests for supposedly thick purse. You should already overlike yourself when you get one of the cat tables. Without me, either everything, or nothing. My advice: Save your money.

Absolutely amazing place. The Library suite was stunning, with champagne on ice and a bath you can drown in. Our dinner in the secret garden was just exquisite, a 95 page wine list to choose from and the pumpkin starter was mindblowing. Breakfast was awesome too. However, what really made the whole experience so fantastic was the awesome and attentive staff. We were really treated like royalty through the entire stay. Huge thank you to all the staff who made our Witchery experience the best weekend we have had. We will be back.

I am gluten intolerant and they more than catered to this allergy. Our waitress had all the answers to my questions prepared ahad of time. They also gave us a complementary dessert. The food was delicious, I had the venison and it was cooked perfectly. The space was also Stunning. We'll be back for sure.

Had the most amazing meal here! The service was outstanding and the steak was cooked to perfection! Decided on a white chocolate and rubarb cheesecake for dessert which would never have been my first choice but was beautiful! The atmosphere and surroundings coupled with the service and quality of food make this an absolute must! It’s not cheap but worth every penny.

Amazing food! The ambiance is first class all the way! Highly recommend this place if it is your first time in Edinburgh. Do keep in mind this can be a bit pricey. I highly recommend the venison and haggis!

Truly beautiful dining experience, food was amazing, ambience 10 out of 10! Absolutely attentive staff really couldn't fault anything about the quirky place. Definitely worth a visit if your in or visiting Edinburgh you wont be disappointed. True to its witchery style enchanting.

One of the best meals I have ever had. I came with my mother on her birthday and our food and drinks were delicious. Our servers were fast, attentive and very nice. The restaurant was absolutely beautiful in every corner. Would definitely return.

Atmospheric restaurant with attentive professional staff. Wide wine selection and knowledgeable wine waiter. Price reflects the level of service, location and professionalism. Only challenge is portion size; far too small. Go for the atmosphere and location, but if you're hungry may be think again.

Our stay in the inner sanctum suite was amazing! We really couldn’t of asked for more! Stunning room, excellent facilities and lovely and friendly staff! The food in the restaurant and in our breakfast hamper was gorgeous! We felt like we were royalty for the stay! I will definitely be returning!

My wife and I had dinner last night in the Secret Garden. I am sorry to say, the meal was way below the standard we experienced this time last year. Our starters were bland, with poor presentation, and our main course was a disgrace. The Halibut was over cooked, and once again lacked seasoning or flavour. The Seasonal Greens were under cooked. Very disappointing compared to last year. Oliver the floor manager was very polite, and apologised. We did say we were not looking for any discount, but he deducted the main courses from the bill anyway. Advice, you need to replace the head chef.

This place sucked. It actually hurts to say since this was our big reservation for our trip, but this place sucked. The oysters were good, but the lamb wellington was pitiful. Soggy crust, falling off of the overcooked lamb, with the side vegetables being a joke for food. We're still upset several weeks later with how much this place sucked. The service was so bad; they managed to step on my feet nearly every single time they came over to our table. I hated this place so much that I put on a good face for my wife until it was over, then practically ran outside. Hated it. We've eaten some amazing food in our life, and this just is not the place to go for that experience.

Good food, but not great. My haggis starter was very nice, but not as good as the similar dish I got from a local cafe the following morning. The main, trout, was superb, however. The waiter's upselling was slightly annoying, as was the 'voluntary' £1 donation to a charity which appears on the bill. I'd happily pay that pound if offered the choice, but the way this restaurant has it there by default feels somewhat underhand. Lovely setting, although the background music was ill-fitting. It needed classical music, not random 'radio hits'. Both my partner & I were frequently bemused by how much it dampened the mood. Worth going, but it's not as good as I was led to believe…

Restaurant a few steps from the castle, very nice and nicely decorated. Really nice and historic Locale. Varied Menu, good dishes Although the price is a bit high. Impeccable service. Table for two really resicato.
Great as a pre or post visit of the castle!

The history of … the witchery by the castle. The AMISTAD y el buen SABOR always endures in time Thanks marcel.

The food was lovely. Bread was terribly dry though. For the price you pay, you would have expected semi-decent bread. I would have given a higher score, if the service we got was better. None of the waiters, but one served us with a smile. They either sounded too annoyed or gave the impression that they rather not be there. Atmosphere was nice, but it was too dim. It makes it very hard to read the menu / see what I'm eating.

Wonderful vibe, beautiful place. The "spooky" style is actually very cozy. The interior decor is amazing. Nice waiters. The dishes I ordered were very good, but the main course could have been more generously sized. The side dish was a little boring. I do recommend this place for a special night out, but order 3 courses and side dishes if you are hungry. The wine list is quite extensive. A bit pricier than other restaurants in town, but not too bad considering the atmosphere and service.

I stayed in the library suite, which was amazing. The whole atmosphere of the hotel was great. The staff was friendly and the food was tasty. They were able to get us a reservation for their dining room pretty last minute. It's a great location to stay while in Edinburgh!

The Witchery is in an old building down the street from Edinburgh Castle. It is a multi room restaurant, each room having a different feel. As far as I could tell, that's also a terrace and possibly a garden. On this latest trip I went for lunch, which was delightful and fairly well priced for the location. I've also visited for dinner and it's a wonderfuly cozy and romantic place, under the candle light flickering on the old panelled walls. The service is top notch and the food is great.

Disappointing. Several friends recommended I dine here when visiting Edinburgh, and I'm sorry to say it was a bit of a let-down. The best part about dinner at the Witchery was the picturesque entry through the old stone close. My dinner partner and I were dressed for dinner at a lovely special-occasion place. The vibe inside was anything but, as the room was full of loud tourists in T shirts. The meal was good but not great. The service was friendly. The historical setting is lovely but marred by a lack of decorum which I think would be greatly improved by the imposition of a dress code, and perhaps some quiet classical music in the background.

We were immediately greeted by a friendly staff who dealt with reservations and the coat hanger.
The environment we ate in was very intimate and accommodating, all lit up by pleasing candles scattered around the room.
We opted for the proposed fish menu and each of the three dishes was of excellent quality and cooked excellently.
The service was impeccable.
The bill not for all the pockets, but adequate to the local.

The history of… The witchery by the castle. Friendship and good taste always lasts in time Gràcies Marcel.

Amazing setting! This is a hotel with a beautiful restaurant. Two restaurants actually, you can chose if you like to sit in the one called "the secret garden" or the ordinary restaurant. I was here for the two-course lunch. However the food was very bland, and very pricey. 25€ for soup and a fish-pie, that didn't taste much. However it was worth it if you like a beautiful, luxurious experience. I did not go there for the food to be honest. The service was perfect. So unless you go there for the beautiful place, then go somewhere else, food wasn't all that.

A trip to another time.
A historically great hotel.
The bathroom had a bathtub in the middle of the room with mirrors around it, unique.
There was even his own butler.
The service was excellent and friendly.
The food in our room delicious.
In our rooms, you felt like a Burgdame.
The location perfect.
Impressive experience.

A weird level of refinement here. No dress code but adding one would improve the overall experience. Walk in seating is possible but not preferred. The menu is so so to be honest and only reasonably executed for the price point. Better for couples than families.

Beautiful restaurant with highly attentive staff. It has a nice relaxed atmosphere. Quite pricey however definitely worth the money.

First of all, the most important: the food. It was very good. I'm not leaving the place thinking how unforgettably delicious the food was, but it was indeed great! The wine selection was also quite comprehensive and even the wines by the glass paired perfectly with the food and were very tasty indeed. The ambience is worth 5 stars, definitely (worth saying we had our meal at the secret garden, not the witchery room itself), which was more romantic and cozier than we could imagine. The service was very friendly and accommodating. All and all it was a fantastic evening, well worth repeating.

Decor here is fantastic, one of the most unique restaurants I have eaten in. The staff was attentive, professional, and polite. Steak was delicious. Sides were a little underwhelming. Wine list was vast and excellent. A good place to eat after a long day exploring the castle. Make reservations and expect to pay a little more for the fine dining experience.

Had the set lunch menu. I chose pea soup and fish pie. Both were very heavy handed with salt. I was very thirsty afterwards Service was superb and the atmosphere was stunningly furnished. A very romantic atmosphere.

Such a big restaurant only a high chair now! Dining table with the dining table between the distance is too close, eat, chat there is no privacy. The point of the lunch menu, 19.95 pounds, only two dish. Not sated.

Stunning restaurant. Ambience is perfect. Waiters are very attentive without being in your face. Perfect level of service. Oh by the way, the food was beautiful. Two course lunch turned into three course as we couldn't miss the fantastic desserts. Absolutely loved it.

Really big portions! Food was decently good. Wasn't very impressed by the oysters — still good though (£17 for 6). Waiters were very attentive and checked on us constantly just to make sure everything was ok. Prices were reasonable and affordable. Their 2-course lunch is priced at £20. Made reservations for The Secret Garden Dining Room — beautiful setting with candlelights.

Practically in the dungeons of the castle
The right meal. No more.

Salty food with cold service, waste of money. The starters are ok, but the main dishes are really yucky and salty.

The Witchery is a fine dining restaurant with a romantic setting and professional staff. We enjoyed the 3 course table d'hote meal, which was very nice. The restaurant is fully staffed and provides service that is as good as one is likely to see in Britain. The food is well-prepared and nicely presented. The meal is expensive, and well worth it.

After two wonderful nights in The Turret Suite this is hands down the best hotel I have ever stayed in. The suite, the staff, the welcome champagne on both days were all amazing Expensive — yes, but you get what you pay for!

Lovely room. Professional staff. Amazing wine list. Food was good. Maybe not amazing but very good. We had the 2 course set lunch menu which was very good value at about £17 quid. Nice room for a romantic meal.

The setting, ambience and general experience was fantastic. BUT I have to say the food was a little disappointing. Pigeon and fillet of beef presented nicely but really quite bland. Having the wine sommelier help us select from the EXTENSIVE wine list, select appropriate glasses and decant the wine for us was a lovely experience though. The wine was fantastic! On the whole a nice experience but expected more from the food.

Friendly staff and good service but the ribeye was tough, grisly, and not particularly tasty. To be fair, I didn't complain about it to the staff. I suppose I just expected a £38 steak ordered medium rare to be good.

Over priced tourist trap. Bread stale. Does that tell you something? Building lovely and staff excellent. Pity about the food.

(Secret Garden restaurant review) Beautiful place, great place for a romantic dinner (candle lit). Food is good but prices are a bit high (a la carte). Sidenote : The temperature in the restaurant was quite high.

It looks very nice and the staff are very polite, but the food… the environment is very good, dinner three.
At the recommendation of a starter, a lobster bisque and confit leg, staple a seafood platter and omelet, no longer difficult to eat, the three stars is because of the environment
Two people spend£100+

Amazing ambience in this restaurant, limited menu and rather pricy.

Burger! That wasn't a burger. It was barely a morsel of meat and was naked to boot! Wagyu or not (and I've had better Wagyu burgers from Aldi! ), it wasn't adequate. Went for the early evening 'theatre' menu. The starter was ok. Pea and mint voluté that really was really a soup and didn't have much mint in it. The main, burger; comprising the smallest naked burger you've every seen, around 7 chips, and very tasty tomato and onion. The saving grace of the whole meal was the dessert. Which was extra. But at least it was good. As was the wine and the service. Hence 3 stars for me. Maybe I'll go back and try the standard menu at some point, but definitely not the theatre menu.

We booked a late lunch in the secret garden, The staff didn't seem very happy to be there on new years eve which is understandable but they should still crack a smile now and then. We had this meal after I had just proposed and the last thing you want after that is miserable service. I had the venison which was very poor. The presentation and design of this restaurant saved it from getting one star.

A beautiful setting and polite staff, but rather dissapointing food. The vegetarian moussaka was quite boring, nothing special about it, and the portion was not at all satisfactory (compared to other main courses, vegetarian food should also have at least SOME proteins or carbs). The scallops were tiny (perhaps that's how they are caught locally), but worst of all there was some sand present in the lettuce that accompanied the dish, very distinctly. The staff commented that it might be the rock salt seasoning, but salt dissolves in the mouth, this stuff didn't. And let's be honest, I use plenty of rock salt at home and it never tasted like sand before… In summary, the setting is beautiful, and might be worth it, but don't expect excellent food.

Service was excellent, made us feel special and my wife loves that. The wine list was too big and rather expensive. Had the set course menu @ 35 each for 3 courses. Then £60 for two bottles of red, ouch. Food was fine, for us the atmosphere was a little quiet and felt like other customers were listening to me get drunk. We fell out of the restaurant after our alloted 2 hours having had a nice evening.

Booked me and my BF in after being recommended by a good friend as a must visit in Edinburgh. After checking the place out the day before I cancelled straight away after being disappointed and disgusted by the snobby waiters and staff, the dark dingy dining room which smelt so badly of stale fish s musty rooms, it was hot and crammed in. Utter disgusting and felt sick by the smell. After leaving after only ten minutes my hair and clothes smelt bad too. Utter let down.

Lovely atmosphere. Beautifully decorated. The food was outstanding and the wine steward helped us make the perfect choice. Outstanding date night!

Second visit. It was a special occasion and we had a gift voucher to use. I had read quite a few bad reviews and I was just hoping the food would be hot. As it was the service was pleasant and 'just right' — not overbearing nor ignoring us. We chose the two course lunch menu — my wife raved about the pea and mint veloute (a thick soup as the French waiter explained). It was served with delicious tiny cheese scones and served piping hot. I had the salmon starter and the pork main. Super. My wife's fish pie was served in a small copper pan with her side dish of peas and bacon in another small pot. The cutlery was on the large side and she couldn't see how she was going to easily eat the main and the side dish out of two separate pots so brazenly asked for a dinner plate and tipped out the main and the side dish. OK, perhaps not what fine dining is all about, but much easier to get into the pie. The waitress, whilst very pleasant about it, seemed unsure as to why my wife wanted to eat off a plate. We are not wine fans and would have been happy with water with the meal but felt we had to order a 'drink' so ordered a lager. If you like wine you would be spoiled for choice. I ordered the desert selection, my wife passing as she was full. However the desert selection came with two spoons and she suddenly found room for more! The desert selection were all delicious, the creme brullee and the passion fruit trifle memorable. Dress code was casual at lunch.

Review of the restaurant. Wanted to love the food but unbelievably mediocre. Had scallops for starter, came with coral that was very deteriorated and unfresh, Asian salad accompaniment didn't match. Main of venison came with uncooked quinoa and terrible chocolate sauce that covered the salad! Prices didn't match standard of food. Many places in Edinburgh that outclass in taste and price without stuffy pretention. Try The Dining Room instead.

Food — it was good but nothing exceptional. Be ready for lots of fancy words when you read the menu. Our waiter did try to explain what the French/ fancy words meant but I could not say what kind of soup I was served. The portions were generous. The bread was pre-sliced and dry, no butter or oil was served. The cheese plate was very good Wine — I only had a glass but the Bordeaux from the by the glass menu was very good and a full 1/4 bottle pour. Ambiance — it is a nice small room and pretty entrance. Service — very weak, slightly pretentious. The wait before and between courses is interminable. Our waiter was an American just learning his Scottish accent so it was annoying. I would not go back even if it was cheaper. Our cab driver told us he has heard that comment from others that he has picked up at the Witchery.

Stunning place. Great place, great food. I would eat there everyday, if it was slightly cheaper. But definitely an unforgettable experience.

My husband and I had lunch at the lovely Witchery restaurant, to celebrate my birthday, which we had flown to Edinburgh from Southampton especially for and we were not disappointed! The food was excellent, as was the atmosphere. The service was friendly and very attentive without being clinical and robotic, like you find in some of the Michelin Star restaurants. It was well priced and a great experience.

This place is just magical. During Christmas we went here for our Christmas dinner. The food here is outstanding. And the staff was very friendly.

A beautiful setting very close to Edinburgh Castle. I thought it would be very busy with tourists but it wasn't. We ended up going for the 3 course set menu which is very reasonably priced. The staters were great. Delicate and flavoursome. The main also matched this and the jus that came with the Glasgow Steak was incredible. The meat was a tad tough and the copper pot it was served in made it extremely difficult to cut into and eat from. Great dish to look at but I just wanted to get into it. As always I got the cheese board. Nice range of cheese also sourcing locally where they could. Even though we had 3 courses we didn't leave full. The dishes tended to be on the small size. Also the service was attentive to start but maybe inexperienced as when our drinks came to the end we never got asked if we would like another. Not too much of a big deal as it was the middle of the day and we didn't want to drink that much. (Visit — 02/01/2015 Lunch Service).

Aside from the great atmosphere they also have great food and services that is so cost-effective. I brought my Mom here last month for a date and she said that that was one of the best romantic gift that she has ever received. I am so glad I did that.

Very good cuisine with an extensive wine list excellent treatment the high price.

A visit to The Witchery is like stepping into another world. One that is candle-lit, atmospheric and reminiscent of a gentler age. But the food is firmly from this century, with each plate better than the next. I’ve visited The Witchery a few times and so I’ve sampled a number of things from the menu. The lobster bisque, for one, is a real stand out dish. I’ve also sampled their steak on more than one occasion, which is always perfectly cooked and comes with wonderful chips. On my last visit, the cheese board was truly excellent. It was more adventurous than other boards I’ve had before, with a distinct nod in the direction of the Mediterranean, with a number of Italian and Spanish varieties. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend The Witchery. Excellent food is married with a one-of-a-kind venue, which is well worth the price point.

The Witchery by the castle — Secret Garden: My personal recommendation; The Lamb Wellington, a pastry baked lamb loin stuffed with wild mushroom and chicken mousse wrapped in Seranno ham. Smoked aubergine pureé, served up with spring greens is just party central in the mouth! It was so good I wanted a second helping but at £60, I thought I would leave room for the dessert that promised to have me licking the plate too. There is also a set menu as well that wont have your bank manager calling to check if all your marbles are still in tact. I was also brave enough to try the Haggis — forgetting for a moment what its really made of. The food was flavourful with fine wine from a weighty book of world class wines. The service is great, but because it's so popular the tables have a 2 hour limit.

One of the most indulgent places to dine in Edinburgh — it gives you a real experience of the dark glamour Auld Reekie has to offer. Very different experiences whether dining in the front dining room or the Secret Garden, but both equally special. Don't go if you're pinching pennies as it's worth getting the full experience and it comes at a fairly hefty price (the book — BOOK — of wines goes up into the thousands of pounds which is crazy), although there is a pre-theatre menu which looks good. Absolute must if you can for a very special occasion — oh, and book well in advance.