Makars Mash Bar

Had a really positive experience at Makars. We walked in around 7pm and were told the wait would be about 1.5 hours which shows how popular it is. We went for a pint and came back around 8:30, and Ray had a table ready for us. Very helpful and welcoming. Sarah looked after us and was excellent throughout. The Scotch and haggis starter had great flavour and the lamb shank and beef mains were outstanding, melt-in-your-mouth meat and bold, comforting. Great food, great service. Definitely book ahead they’re busy for a reason.

Makars Mash Bar is without a doubt one of my favorite places in Edinburgh. Every dish was amazing. As a starter, I highly recommend ordering the haggis — the main dish is almost the same but nearly twice the price. We also tried the lamb and the duck, each served with a special mash, and finished with the sticky toffee pudding for dessert. Absolutely recommend it!❤️

If you come to Edinburgh, you have to check out Makars Gourmet Mash Bar! We ordered the Free Range Gourmet Scotch Egg Starter, Mini Haggis, Neeps & Tatties Taster, Slow Cooked Lamb Shank, Slow Cooked Beef Shoulder and Bonnie Prince Charlie Spatcock Chicken. It was the first time I tried haggis, and I must say it blew my expectations out of the water. My personal favourite was the beef shoulder as the meat was very tender and chewy, complemented well with their horseradish infused gravy. The only mishap was that we underestimated the portion of the mash potatoes; it was huge! Because we ordered so many dishes that came with them, we got sock of potatoes for a few days after. Our bad. They do offer smaller portions, so we should’ve gone with that. Service staff were very friendly and accommodating. They always wore a smile on their faces during our visit, and were attentive to our demands. They would check in to make sure that we were enjoying our food and time at the restaurant. The space underground where we were seated was dimly lit with warm tones, complementing the wooden furniture, making it very comfortable for dining with friends and family for an hour or two. Upstairs on the ground floor, was very well lit, thanks to the large windows letting in plenty of sunlight. Walls were also decorated with murals and quotes that are pleasing to look at and inspiring to read! All in all, a unique experience dining at Makars, and am looking forward to visiting again!

We weren’t sure what to expect. We thought it might be a tourist trap because of how busy it is, but we are really happy we decided to try it anyway. Book couple of weeks in advance, or be ready to wait for an hour. The service was nice and quick. The food is amazing. We ordered the lamb shank and the slow cooked beef, and for starters haggis and Scotch-egg. The meet was cooked to perfection and we really liked the gravy. We really enjoyed drinks. We have ordered Scottish lager and cider, and of course Irn Bru. It was nice to see that drinks are not some generic brands, but local to Scotland. Portions are very generous, so if you order a starter and a main, you won’t have space for a desert. Cozy atmosphere. If you want a hearty Scottish meal, this is the place. We will definitely go back.

Loved it here. Six of us in the group. I had the leg of lamb with cheese mash, three had the beef and two had the wild boar sausages. All were delicious. Services was fast and friendly, even on a busy Saturday afternoon. We were in the restaurant that you can pre-book, but there is a walk-in option just up the street. I'm sure we will return.