Dubh Prais Restaurant

I had high expectations for Dubh Prais. It is a tiny restaurant, overrated, not very fancy, with overpriced average food. The service was very slow and we felt like we were ignored. The haggis was dry and venison overcooked. I would not return here as there are plenty of better places to have Scottish food in Edinburgh.

OUTSTANDING DINNER!!! I am skeptical about elaborated food in the UK: usually you end paying too much for dishes that only taste to butter: D However, my expectations about Dubh Prais were high (in part, thanks to A. Bourdain!). It turns out that my expectations were right. Wonderful experience! I got the mandatory Haggies, and I also tried the a beef dish and a the lamb. EVERYTHING WAS OUTSTANDING! Tender meats cooked to perfection served in a cozy and hidden restaurant in the heart of «the Auld Reekie». Best dinner in a while. Everything served by a nice Spanish waitress with Cordoba accent. Seriously? «Yes! I am also from Córdoba!». Chef McWilliams: I CANNOT WAIT TO COME BACK!

This is one of the most over-​rated and over-​priced restaurants I’ve ever been to. We went because of the positive reviews/​recommendations found online. The food is definitely not horrible, the service is okay (albeit a bit pretentious and judgy), and the ambience is nice, but for the price tag, I expected a whole lot better. This is what we ordered:
Haggis — Had a good crust, but was a bit too salty for us.
Fillet of Scottish Angus beef w/​mustard and whisky sauce — We ordered medium rare and it came out medium well. Edible, but that is a major fail for such a «fancy» restaurant. We can get a steak from Costco and make it better at home for a fraction of the price.
Grampian chicken stuffed w/​Argyll ham, cheddar, and cider sauce — Okay, but nothing special; just reminded me of mediocre chicken cordon bleu.
I really don’t get why people like this place and I think only tourists eat here. If you still want to go, reservation recommended and be prepared for a one entrée minimum per person.

Dubh Prais is expensive, Dubh Prais is bloody tiny, but Dubh Prais is also bloody good faire, well-​plated and a perfectly located venue on the Royal Mile.
I’ve been lazy recently and can’t remember quite whether I got Venison in red jus or another meat there a month ago, but it was fantastic, and blew the exact same plate ordered at Amarone the week before out of the water.
I’ll leave it to other reviewers to provide more details until I return again, but I absolutely dip my hat to the place in the meantime and’ve only favoured Café Marlayne ahead of it in all the 15 – 20 Edinburgh restaurants I’ve visited so far.

I almost never give 5 stars, but I had no choice. If you want authentic Scottish ingredients with a gourmet treatment. Look to farther.
We trust the specials and had both the lemon sole in cream sauce and Collups in the Pan, medallions of beef in a sauce of pickles walnuts. The food was a revelation, the best we had in our week in Scotland. Great staff, we had to thank the chefs also.
Downside is 24 seats– tiny tiny place. Do not walk in on a weekend– maybe never.
Not inexpensive, but the best the Royal Mile has to offer in my view.

HOLE-​LEE-​CRAP.
This place is expensive.
This place is fancy.
This place is limited in capacity.
This place is AMAZING.
You absolutely need a booking to dine here. I saw several walk-​ins get turned away during the course of our meal, even parties of just two people. Regardless of the configuration, there’s only 26 seats in the place. We were lucky to nab a same-​day booking for an early 6pm meal, on the condition we be up and out by 8pm.
(We just barely it)
Everything about Dubh Prais is exquisite. The menu, staff, ambiance and most importantly the food are all fantastic and expertly executed. I’d be so bold as to claim that it doesn’t matter what you order; it’s all going to be good.
I had a large glass of the house red (a Spanish rioja) and it was insanely good for a house wine. My main — a dish of beautifully medium rare Angus medallions in a sauce of pure joy — was unparalleled. How the chef manages to prepare so many dishes so perfectly boggles the mind.
The desserts? Decadent. The coffee? Ever better. I was surprised when told they only did drip coffee, but oh man WAS IT GOOD drip coffee. With some raw sugar and a couple of free refills, I walked away full and utterly satisfied.

Dubh Prais Scottish restaurant is a small exquisite restaurant located below street level of the busy Royal Mile. When I say small, this restaurant holds about 12 or 15 tables if that. When the wife and I walked in, they asked if we had a reservation, we did not. They were happy to accommodate us and the chef even assured us a great meal as he peaked around the corner of the kitchen. I had the Venison that was served with a Port wine sauce and very tasty potatoes. I must say the Venison was full of flavor and quite moist, with no overpowering flavor of the meat. The sauce complimented the Venison very well and brought the flavor out to tantalize the taste buds. This is a great restaurant, with a very comfortable atmosphere, the staff goes out of the way to make you feel very welcome.

This place is very inconspicuously placed on the Royal Mile/​High Street and for good reason! I had an excellent meal here for my boyfriend’s birthday with his father and stepmother. If you are a local (or even a tourist) you’ve probably walked past this place and have never noticed it. It’s located in the basement and the restaurant probably only seats about 20 people. I had a unbelievably tasty and authentic Scottish meal. I enjoyed a haggis ball starter that came with a whisky sauce. I love haggis and it was cooked perfectly. If you want to try haggis in Edinburgh I’d highly suggest trying it here! For my main I had venison that was cooked medium rare — it was so tender! My accompanies all enjoyed the steak and all raved about it. In fact, they have been coming for years and order essentially the same meal every time! The service was above 110%. I really had a great and memorable meal and I’d highly recommend this place!

I found Dubh Prais on Unilocal when I was searching for haggis because I wanted to try it for the first time at a reputable establishment.
The entrance is a bit tricky, you will have to figure out where the door is. Since its a basement cellar there is just a door on the street.
Inside, there’s only a few tables so get there early-​ish or make a reservation. Thankfully, we arrived on the early side and were seated immediately.
I had their smoked salmon appetizer — its fantastic and super fresh!
My mom had a seafood soup (might have been a special) which I didn’t get to try.
She also had sole with lemon as her entrée. It had lots of flavor, very rich but delicate at the same time.
I chose to have haggis as an entrée. Luckily, it turns out I really like haggis so I thought this was great.
The best part of the meal may have been dessert. It was a special — chocolate mousse cake concoction. Wow.
Fantastic service as well. I never felt rushed but we were certainly looked after.
This restaurant is truly a gem on the Royal Mile!

It’s a cozy location for decent Scottish food. The service and atmosphere are very nice, but for the cost the food could be better. There’s nothing wrong with it – quite tasty – but the meat perhaps wasn’t as high-​quality as I’d expect and the flavors didn’t meld as much as I would have wanted.

Went here on a whim while staying a few blocks up the road. We were able to get table on very short notice by a very friendly staff. It’s a very cozy location downstairs, but you really need to go here, it was without a doubt the best dining experience we had while in Edinburgh. Traditional Scottish and British fare, expertly crafted by a chef who obviously cares deeply about what leaves his kitchen. Well worth finding!

Had my first haggis here and it was sensational! Had it as a starter and I’m now reluctant to try it anywhere else as i am positive it wont be as good. Fantastic little restaurant, ideal location, highly recommended, will definitely be back soon!

That was the finest beef I’ve ever tasted anywhere in the world
Sir David Attenborough
The haggis is pretty fucking awesome too!
tikichris
I was up in Edinburgh recently, where I made to sure to stop in at one of my all time favourite restaurants (as in the whole friggin’ world), Dubh Prais. Despite its location in the heart of the Royal Mile, it still retains loads of character and has a homey, off-​the-​beaten track feel to it. Much of that has to do with it being in a wee basement.
I now have been to Dubh Prais three times. I can’t get past the haggis and the steak. Next time I’m in Edinburgh, I’m going to try to go twice: once for the haggis and the steak and another time to explore the menu a little more. It looks delicious. As should be expected from a top notch Scottish restaurant, the whisky list is exceptional.
If you’re planning a visit to Edinburgh, definitely give Dubh Prais a go. You’ll be wise to make you’re reservation well in advance (for weekend evenings anyway). It’s tiny and has some very ardent fans.

I sometimes think Dubh Prais is Edinburgh’s little secret. Although it’s located on the Royal Mile, it’s very easy to walk past it. That would be a mistake however, as it serves fantastic Scottish cuisine at very reasonable prices.
I have used the restaurant when taking overseas visitors out in Edinburgh and the feedback they give me is always first class.
The premises are located in a basement and aren’t fancy — but that is part of the charm.
Using the finest Scottish ingredients, chef and owner James McWilliams rustles up some beautifully simple but delicious dishes.
The focus is definitely on meat and fish, but vegetarians are catered for as well.
If you are looking for somewhere in the heart of Edinburgh which serves fantastic Scottish food, this is the place to head to.