The Black Bull

4.4 (313)

£25 and under

Scottish

12 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2JU

Make a booking

The Black Bull

4.4

£25 and under

Scottish

Old Town

Make a booking

2 people

8 Nov 2026

7:00 pm

Booked 24 times today

Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

Lively
Good for groups
Great for craft beers

No bull, no fuss and no muss - just a good Scottish pub.

We serve up scran (that’s food) and swally (that’s drink) that tastes good!

We won’t waste your time with a wall of text, but we’re proud to work with some awesome local suppliers who know their stuff.

We've got a great central location on Edinburgh's Grassmarket. If you're looking to catch the game then look no further - we're a sports bar at heart thanks to our 8 high definition screens.

Pub quiz is every Thursday; grab a bunch of your (preferably smartest) pals and show the world that you're our top quiz team of the week.

🧒 Under 18s welcome until 10pm, last bookings with under 18s is 8pm
🐶 Dog-friendly
🏃 Walk-ins welcome
🍹 Bookings for food & drink and just drinks welcome
⚽ Coming for sport? Let us know in your booking notes and we’ll accommodate
📅 Contact us directly for bookings of 8 or more

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
£25 and under
Cuisines
Scottish, British, Burgers
Hours of Operation
Mon–Wed 12:00–00:00 Thu 12:00–01:00 Fri, Sat 11:00–01:00 Sun 11:00–12:00
Phone number
0131 225 6636
Website
http://www.blackbulledinburgh.co.uk/
Payment Options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual

Location
12 Grassmarket, Edinburgh, EH1 2JU
Area
Old Town
Parking Details
None
Public transport
30 second walk from closest bus stop on Grassmarket. Bus number: 2.
Additional
Beer, Beer Garden, Cocktails, Dog Friendly, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Late Night, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Gift card

Send gift cards instantly by email or print to present in person.

Send a gift card

Experiences

Electric Darts
GBP 7.50 per person
Prepaid
1 - 8 people
Multiple dates available
The perfect competitive night out with friends. Beginners and experts alike will have a blast trying out each game mode; there's something for everyone. £7.50 per person for a 90-minute session. Our full food & drink menu can be enjoyed while playing, or you can order a few of our sharing packages. Minimum 2 people. !If you can't see any availability- do call us and we will try to fit you in!
Drinks only
1 - 8 people
Multiple dates available
a table just for drinks
Food and Drinks booking
1 - 8 people
Multiple dates available
Your table is booked for food and drinks

Concierge
AI Beta

Our AI assistant, Concierge, is here to answer your questions about this restaurant.

Reviews

OpenTable reviews from verified diners

Reviews from people who have dined at The Black Bull.

4.4

(313)

4.2Food
4.3Service
4.4Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Edinburgh/Midlothian
Lively
Edinburgh
Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Black Bull offers an authentic Scottish dining experience with highlights like "the steak pie was easily one of the best things we had in Edinburgh" and "sticky toffee pudding was, without a doubt, one of the best desserts we've ever had." Guests rave about the "excellent service" and lively atmosphere, making it "absolutely worth a visit" in Edinburgh's Grassmarket.

313 Reviews

A
Analine
Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes1 review
5.0
Dined on 31 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything's great: atmosphere, service and food Highly recommend !
The Black BullResponded 7 days ago
Thank you for sharing. We’re delighted you enjoyed your visit and we truly appreciate your recommendation!
Is this helpful?
C
Caroline
Edinburgh/Midlothian1 review
5.0
Dined on 30 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Tout était parfait ! Je recommande fortement cet établissement !
The Black BullResponded 7 days ago
Merci pour votre commentaire, Caroline. Nous sommes ravis que tout vous ait parfaitement convenu et nous vous remercions sincèrement pour votre recommandation !
Is this helpful?
L
Lesley
Cambridge/Cambridgeshire1 review
5.0
Dined on 23 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a really good meal here. The service from “V” was wonderful, the portions were hearty, the steak was the best we’ve had in a long time. The ambiance was wonderful. It was full of happy people having a good evening.
The Black BullResponded on 24 October 2026
Your review is appreciated— we’re delighted you enjoyed the hearty portions, excellent steak, fantastic service from Violet, and lively atmosphere.
Is this helpful?
K
Keith
Yorkshire3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 23 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Fully Scottish oriented meal. Haggis, neeps n tatties, Cranachan and a flight of Jura whiskies. Perfect end to our stay in Edinburgh. Service from Vi was excellent and knowledgeable about the whiskies. Best pub for food and drink on Grassmarket. Highly recommended
The Black BullResponded on 24 October 2026
We are ecstatic to hear you enjoyed your fully Scottish meal and Jura whisky flight. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with Violet—thank you for recommending us as the best pub for food and drink on Grassmarket!
Is this helpful?
K
Keith
Yorkshire3 reviews
5.0
Dined on 21 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
The pie is genuinely outstanding. Staff are friendly and courteous. Great experience and decent value for capital city food.
The Black BullResponded on 22 October 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, Keith. We’re delighted you enjoyed our outstanding pie, friendly service and great value.
Is this helpful?
R
Russell
Manchester/Greater Manchester2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 17 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The food is really good. I had the steak pie and it was amazing. We also had the Haggis and my partner said he’d return to Scotland just for this at this pub. The ladies both had Rump Steak and again really excellent cut of meat. This was our favourite meal during our break. Excellent value considering its bang in the centre of the tourist area and dog friendly. Next time we come to Edinburgh we’d head here.
The Black BullResponded on 19 October 2026
Thanks Russell, while we do have amazing fish and chips I believe you may have dined with Badger and Co on Castle street. Kind regards, Team Blackbull
Is this helpful?
S
Sherri
Dallas - Fort Worth12 reviews
3.0
Dined on 10 October 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 5
The Steak & Ale Pie wasn’t as good as expected. The crust was so hard it took some work to even cut into it. Pretty disappointed.
The Black BullResponded on 13 October 2026
Good morning Sherri, Thank you for your feedback concerning the pie, we will ensure this information is passed to the kitchen so that can focus on improving how the dish is cooked. I do hope you mentioned it to your server and were able to help at the time of the meal. Kind regards, Blackbull
Is this helpful?
A
Arlene
Greater Boston2 reviews
5.0
Dined on 7 October 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Fully enjoyed our meals. Toffee pudding was exceptional!
The Black BullResponded on 10 October 2026
Hi Arlene!, Thank you for taking the time to write us a lovely review! We are super happy to hear you enjoyed your meal! Hope to see you again soon for more sticky toffee pudding!! Kind regards, Team Black Bull
Is this helpful?
G
Gus Gold
Orlando / Central Florida East1 review
5.0
Dined on 29 September 2026
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We visited The Black Bull in Edinburgh for the first time, and we were so impressed that we ended up going back again during our trip! From the moment we walked in, the staff were absolutely amazing. Friendly, welcoming, attentive, and genuinely made us feel like we were regulars. That kind of service makes such a difference. And the food… wow. The steak pie was easily one of the best things we had in Edinburgh. It was absolutely incredible and honestly something we’ll be talking about for a long time. But the absolute star of the show was the sticky toffee pudding. It was, without a doubt, one of the best desserts we’ve ever had. Great food, fantastic atmosphere, and an incredible team. If you’re visiting Edinburgh, The Black Bull is absolutely worth a visit. Just make sure you save room for the sticky toffee pudding!
The Black BullResponded on 1 October 2026
Hi, Gus. We must have done something right to get such a good rating from you. We really appreciate you taking the time!
Is this helpful?
K
Karen
London2 reviews
3.0
Dined on 27 September 2026
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had the roast beef and was not impressed. The beef was thick cut but dry, tough and overcooked. The Yorkshire puddings were crunchy like an overcooked Aunt Bessie. However, the gravy tasted amazing and the service was fast
The Black BullResponded on 30 September 2026
Hi Karen, Thank you for the review, Your feedback is highly appreciated! We will have a look at our Sunday dinner and see if we can improve for your next visit. Thanks, The team at The Black Bull
Is this helpful?