please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
One of the most beautiful interiors in Britain, with first-rate service and beer quality to boot! I have been here half a dozen times over the past couple of years and have never been less than impressed. One would hardly believe it was a [De]Spirit Group managed house.
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Amazing building, ales tasted were of good quality, shame the refurbished toilets has lost it's blue and white porcelein sinks, they were a unique talking point for the pub!
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The best pint of Deuchars IPA I've ever enjoyed was in this pub on Friday 10 October. I even learned how to pronounce 'Dookars' - way to go for a Tyke !
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Beautiful Edinburgh pub, with the tiled pictures inside and brass fittings a particular delight. Nice pints of Red Smiddy and Marching Orders and good haggis, tatties and neeps. Will be back on my return to the festival in 2009.
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Having dined at the Cafe Royal on every visit to Edinburgh I was expecting good food and warm service. However, after my visit today, I can confirm that I have never in my life received such disgusting service in any restaurant/pub I have visited. Our main courses took an hour to arrive and after asking what appeared to be the manager where our food was, we were told that she had already cleared our plates away. Informing her this was the starter, we asked to have our food soon or have our money back. We were then told that it was our fault it was delayed as we had 'moved tables'. Having been sat in the same spot without as little as a bathroom break, we were understandably puzzled by this. After complaining in a reasonable manner we were told we couldn't have our money back, only the money from the main courses that weren't delivered - no apology was offered. We were then asked to leave the restaurant, hungry and disappointed. Don't go here unless you're looking for frankly disgraceful service and mediocre food.
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I visited the bar in May this year after an absence of many years and was knocked out by the quality of the beer, but above all, the staff on duty. A young lass from Invergordon was in charge and if she wasn't pulling pints or taking orders for food, she was out clearing tables or helping to serve food up. It was only a small team but they worked perfectly together to deal with a very brisk lunchtime trade. Well done!
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Good to here the toilet debacle is fixed! Saves wading through sewage spilling from the gents as I did a year ago. Now if they can sort the bar staff out so they aren't so bloomin slow!
Food is generally ok, ale is passable, service in the past off putting.
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The Cafe Royal has just reopened after a subtle refurbishment, all the best bits are the same but the big news is the toilets are now a work of art. Chatting to the manager she told me they had to spend £50k to sort them out including diverting a sewer pipe!
Otherwise the Royal is as good as ever, I enjoyed an excellent well kept IPA and she who must be obeyed and me shared a very well prepared, fresh club sandwhich. This old Edinburgh institution is now better than ever and remains a pub everyone should visit at least once.
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Just got back from The Cafe Royal where i've enjoyed the best pint of Deuchars IPA.
Chattng to the bar staff they proudly told me that they had won the PLATINUM Beautiful beer award and it's the first in Scotland to get this.
The environment is perfect with loads of history, and the Steak Pie was perfect.
WHAT A GREAT BAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I visited on a quiet Monday early evening. The beer was good and I found the service friendly. They have just restarted using dimple mug style glasses (if you want one) which makes a nice change. The decor and bar layout lived up to expectations. However, the gents toilets were disgustingly smelly. You could smell a strong odour of dried urine in the corridor as you approached them and inside it was eye-watering. I found I couldn't enjoy my beer from then on because of the stench still lingering in my nostrils. Not bothering to clean the toilets is quite unacceptable and, for this reason, I can't recommend this pub unless you are just popping in for a quick one.
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Update from me.
The CR is slowly improving. The food is great and the beers are being better kept. Still a problem getting served, though, even when the bar is not that busy. Annoys me why the don't light the fire during these winter months, unless there's some local regulation against it.
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Very good food, and decently-kept beer. Worth it for the decor, and welcoming without being over-familiar.
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I've been using this pub off and on for over 30 years. The comments about the surroundings are spot on.....and I can see where the views on staff are coming from.
On the beer front, I can't remember ever having a bad pint. On the food front.....whats wrong with just a pie!!
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The big feature here is the collection of magnificent, enormous 19th century framed pictures constructed with tiles, extending into the superb dining room that has a lovely marble-topped counter. A grand wood panelled screen inlaid with mirrors separates the dining area. The ceiling is highly decorative with lots of gilding and the wall has an impressive gold-embossed freeze. Beers are served from a huge island bar with an attractive central gantry and are from Caledonian, Courage and a guest. It certainly lives up to its royal title.
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Always worth a visit but your probably better going in when its fairly quiet. Unfortunately the staff are not interested and you can wait a long long time to get served.
A stunning interior though and a nice way to spend half an hour or so with a pint.
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Been visting this bar for years, latterly as a stop-off on way home from mid-week libation with mates. It's on the skite, I'm afraid. Some of the barstaff (esp. male barmanager)do NOT look happy in their work. Some stare elsewhere whilst serving you and a couple of them have the insulting, annoying habit of dropping your change into your hand from a height!
But I digress. Still a wonderful bar, and everytime I go in I still gaze at the tile murals on the wall. The beers, I fear, are not being kept well, and neither are the pipes for the RFU stuff!
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The selection of ales is not comparable to Guildford Arms around the corner, but a stunning interior.
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A great Edinburgh tradition. A wee bit lived in but very much part of the faded oppulance. Main bar downstairs is truly beautiful. Upstairs is very different and better for a session, also comes into its own during the festival.
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not amazing but pleasant enough. it couldn't be your local and it's a bit empty of atmosphere. i would take my girlfriend there for the oysters once in a while which was always nice. i would say it's certainly worth a visit for those going along princes street or getting a train or something. as the rest along princes street / rose street are so bad. but not the best place in eburgh by a long shot.
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A tourist attraction which promises more than it delivers. Still, it's well worth a visit every now and again.
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Fabulous setting, interesting clientele but why is it impossible to get a decent pint of beer anywhere in Scotland where everything seems to taste like Irn Bru?
Popper - 21 Oct 2004 21:12 |
Echo the feeling it should be part of the National Trust estate good resteraunt allegadly.Bar an berr is just very average It could be so much better.
Betty Ford - 21 Oct 2004 12:24 |
Should be protected by law. Glass, wood, marble, nice beer, great oysters, comfy seating. The perfect pub.
Owen - 7 Oct 2004 15:57 |
I was there a week ago at a function in the upstairs lounge area, not the front pub. The place was stinking. The gents toilets upstairs were disgusting even though the pub was quiet. I hope you don't delete this message as it is the honest truth. I point this out as the situation needs dealt with.
For a place with such a reasonable reputation I was seriously disappointed.
Robert - 11 Aug 2004 18:31 |
Had a good proportion of well dressed/heeled when we called - there was some display around the castle so plenty of smart kilted types on view. Ales fine but overall seems more faded than the Guildford next door although the victorian tiled panels along one wall are worth the visit
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Grand interior, great G&T, tasty, basic dishes and FAB oysters
Me - 15 Jun 2004 11:52 |
Just around the corner from the Guildford Arms and decorated in a similarly impressive fashion, worth a visit if you are in the area.
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Amazing, splendid, fantastic. Don't need a barrell or a beard to feel at home here.
Billy Elliot - 15 Oct 2003 14:03 |
Liked the Haggis, Neeps and Tatties there
Mike - 26 Sep 2003 14:33 |
Smart, city pub.
Lots of lawyers from nearbu courts/offices.
Vindaloo - 16 Aug 2003 08:53 |
