Makars Mash Bar is an independent Scottish restaurant situated in Edinburgh's Old Town. Renowned for its hearty Scottish comfort food, the restaurant offers a variety of gourmet mashed potatoes paired with locally sourced meats and plant-based options. The cozy interior features exposed stone walls, wooden beams, and tartan accents, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. The menu includes dishes like custom-made haggis, homemade Scotch eggs, and a selection of nine mashed potato flavors, allowing diners to customize their meals. The restaurant also grows its own Lion's Mane mushrooms, emphasizing sustainability and local sourcing. Recognized for its friendly service and inviting ambiance, Makars Mash Bar has received accolades such as being named the UK's top casual dining restaurant in 2024 by TripAdvisor's Travellers' Choice Awards.
What each source says
- Google Places 4.8 8,642
- Tripadvisor 5.0 8,239
Bar length is review volume, so you can see how much weight sits behind each score. Captured 2026-08-21.
What visitors single out
Liked
- Accommodating Dietary Needs The menu includes vegan and vegetarian options, making it a suitable choice for diners with various dietary requirements and preferences.
- Creative Mash Potato Options A unique selling point is the variety of delicious mashed potato options, including black pudding, cheese and chive, and mustard mash, allowing diners to customize their meal.
- Exceptional Food Quality The restaurant offers high-quality, authentic Scottish cuisine with standout dishes like slow-cooked lamb shank and haggis, prepared with remarkable attention to detail and flavor.
- Friendly and Attentive Service Many reviewers praised the staff for being personable, helpful, and efficient, enhancing the overall dining experience with their attentiveness.
- Good Value for Money The restaurant offers reasonable prices for its city center location, providing a great dining experience without breaking the bank.
Criticised
- Can Be Loud and Busy The restaurant can be noisy and crowded, potentially detracting from a relaxed dining experience for those seeking a quiet atmosphere.
- Inconsistent Mash Experience While many rave about the mash, a few found it underwhelming, suggesting the quality may not always meet the high expectations set by others.
- Limited Kids Menu Families noted the children's menu lacks variety and could benefit from more kid-friendly options like a simple chicken dish.
- Long Wait Times Due to its popularity, expect long queues, especially without a reservation, which can be a deterrent for some diners.
- Reservation Recommended While walk-ins are accepted, securing a reservation is highly recommended to avoid extended waiting periods.
The longer read
Makars Mash Bar is a popular Edinburgh restaurant specializing in traditional Scottish cuisine with a focus on mashed potatoes, offering a diverse selection of dishes catering to various dietary needs, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Many reviewers highlight the excellent quality and flavor of the food, particularly the slow-cooked lamb shank, beef shoulder, haggis (including vegetarian haggis), and scotch egg. The restaurant is known for its generous portions and reasonable prices, especially considering its city center location. A unique feature is the variety of mashed potato options available, such as black pudding mash, cheese and chive mash, and mustard mash, allowing diners to customize their meals. Some reviewers also mentioned the option to order smaller, appetizer-sized portions of certain dishes like haggis. The restaurant has a cozy and charming atmosphere, making it a pleasant place to dine after exploring the city. The service is consistently praised as friendly, attentive, and efficient. Numerous reviewers specifically mentioned staff members by name, commending their helpfulness and knowledge of the menu. Makars Mash Bar has two locations; one accepts reservations, and the other is for walk-ins. Due to its popularity, booking in advance is highly recommended to avoid long queues, especially during peak dining hours. However, the restaurant uses a text alert system for walk-ins, allowing customers to explore the area while waiting for their table. While some reviewers found the standard of the mash underwhelming (nothing specifically wrong, just not meeting very high expectations), the overwhelmingly positive consensus is that the food is delicious and authentic. A few reviewers noted limited kids' menu options. Several reviewers mentioned specific dishes they enjoyed, including the mushroom stack, sprouting broccoli, and various desserts like sticky toffee pudding and fruit crumble. Many reviewers stated they would return to Makars Mash Bar on future visits to Edinburgh and highly recommend it to others seeking a taste of traditional Scottish cuisine. Some reviewers noted the mushroom cultivation display as a unique and interesting feature. The restaurant appears to be popular with tourists and locals alike, with many reviewers discovering it through online searches or recommendations from friends. A few reviewers specifically mentioned the restaurant's appeal on Chinese social media. Overall, Makars Mash Bar is highly regarded for its quality food, friendly service, and authentic Scottish dining experience.
A synthesis of third-party reviews supplied by Mindtrip travel index. Not written by Breaks.
Getting there
- Phone
- +44 131 392 8390
- Website
- makarsmash.com
| Mon | 12:00 - 20:00 |
|---|---|
| Tue | 12:00 - 20:00 |
| Wed | 12:00 - 20:00 |
| Thu | 12:00 - 20:00 |
| Fri | 12:00 - 21:00 |
| Sat | 12:00 - 21:00 |
| Sun | 12:00 - 19:30 |
Against the neighbourhood
Rated 4.9 against a median of 4.5 across the 144 places to eat we hold for Edinburgh, where the most-reviewed is Dishoom Edinburgh.
Still deciding?
- What are the signature dishes or most popular items on the menu at Makars Mash Bar?
- Does Makars Mash Bar offer vegetarian or vegan-friendly meals on its menu?
- What is the typical price range for a meal at Makars Mash Bar in Edinburgh?
- What is the dining atmosphere like at Makars Mash Bar and how is the restaurant decorated?
- Is it necessary to make a reservation at Makars Mash Bar, or can you usually get a table as a walk-in?
Where this comes from
Venue records are drawn from the Mindtrip travel index, which aggregates place data and review signals from Google Places, Tripadvisor and booking providers. Ratings are reproduced per source rather than merged into a single number. Distances to nearby venues are computed here as great-circle distances between the published coordinates, not walking or driving routes. Comparison figures are medians computed across the venues we hold for the same neighbourhood or city.
Source: Mindtrip travel index, captured 2026-08-21.
What this page cannot tell you
- Descriptions and review summaries are supplied by the source index and are reproduced as published; they are not independently verified by Breaks.
- Ratings and review counts are point-in-time snapshots and drift constantly. Check the venue's own site or the rating provider for the current figure.
- Opening hours change seasonally and at short notice. Confirm with the venue before travelling.
- Category labels come from the source index and are occasionally wrong — a venue may be filed under a type that does not match how it trades.
- Straight-line distances understate real walking distance, especially where a river or railway sits between two points.