Makars Gourmet Mash Bar

Today me and my family went to this restaurant and it was a diamond in the rough. When we arrived, we were sat at a huge table. We picked out our food and drinks and the waitress took the order. She was very nice and my child was debating getting a kids or adult portion. She told us to get two kids portions which saved us 7 pounds. The food was delicious, very filling, and appetizing. After we ate we had delicious desert. I recommend the cheddar mash with the Honey Glazed Chargrilled Smoked Gammon with Sweet Chutney. Overall this meal was fantastic and is a hidden gem.

OH MY!!! So happy this was our last meal in Edinburgh!!! Meat and potatoes is what you're looking for... well here's where you'll find it!!!

Meal 1: Lamb and Classic mash- dairy butter with a side of Chili Smoked bean medley with a spot of tea/cream
Meal 2: Grilled chicken and Mash with smoked Bacon and spring onion

Ok so first off My meal...Meal 2 was devoured! Just delicious! Chicken breast split on top of my mash and the gravy was flavored to boot with honey, whiskey and garlic... chicken was loved on in marinade!

Now the lamb was definitely tender however there wasn't much flavor unless you dipped in the accompanied tomato sauce which wasn't too bad just not a lot seasoning to taste, not the rosemary, garlic or mint.

The side of mash wasn't the chili we were expecting.. it was not spicy and our American brains with Southern US when we read chili.. they were still good though!

This originally was the restaurant I was most excited to go to, but it wasn't as amazing as I had thought it would be.

First off, you need a reservation in advance. If you don't have one, they have another entry a few stores down just for walk ins (but it looked packed mid week). Service was alright, not bad and not great. Inside was clean.

Now the food - nothing special. The boar sausage was quite tough and half was overcooked so it became dry and chewy. The beef shoulder was much more juicy and cooked well. However, didn't knock my socks off. The potatoes were good, a variety to choose from. However, nothing I couldn't make at home. The best part was the gravy. Thick and full of flavor.

Overall, I feel this place is a little overhyped if you've had the opportunity to try some great restaurants in your life. This place may leave you unfulfilled; but definitely is acceptable.

We didn't make reservations but they do take walk-ins. There was a huge line on a Monday but the wait wasn't so bad. The host took our number and texted us when our table was ready. We killed some time walking around. Coming to Scotland I definitely wanted to try scotch eggs and haggis. However I cannot stomach authentic haggis so when I saw they did a vegan haggis I had to check it out.

4/5 Scotch egg was a little overcooked in my opinion but it was good. Went well with the aioli.

5/5 Vegan haggis is a must. Super flavorful and was really delicious. I ordered it with the olive oil mash. Flavors mixed well together with the sweet potatoes and peppercorn cream sauce. You can ask for vegan sauce also. Haggis part was made with oatmeal pulses veggies and seeds. Crunchy and creamy mix! Definitely try it even if you're not vegan.

5/5 Bonnie Prince Charlie grilled chicken was super moist. The whisky peppercorn mustard sauce went really well with it. This was also ordered with the olive oil mash. Came with a side of pickled carrots that also paired well with the main dish.

4.5/5 Can't mess up broccoli but it was very tender and went well with our main dishes. Just wanted to get some veggies with our dinner. However the presentation could have been better. The server's finger was touching our dish when brought out.

Overall it was a good meal and not too overpriced for the area. It's very packed so you know the food is good. Service was fast but a bit rushed. Our server was ok but not great. Possibly because it was very busy for a Monday night.

Service was pretty good, I wouldn't say that any one staff member was incredibly cordial, but no one was horrible either. The location is split in two, one side for walk-ups and one side for reservations. I would suggest making a reservation because the walk-up line was quite long, and that was a chilly Tuesday in early May at 5pm.
Food itself was mixed, I had the Lions Mane mushroom and the smoked applewood mash. I don't know if it's how they cooked it or just the typical texture of that type of mushroom, but I did not like the mushroom. It has a rubbery texture that makes it unpleasant to eat, although the seasonings themself were nice. The mash was solid, but hey, it's mash. My mom really enjoyed the boar sausage and mash so that was a bonus. Everything looked solid and of good quality, maybe it's just not my thing anymore.

Updated with photos.

Again, an excellent spot with friendly service. Make sure to book a reservation or happily walk around the Royal Mile to kill some time as you will have to wait about 45 minutes to get in during the rush period. Thanks for a great night.

Popular spot for lunch close to the Royal Mile. Difficult to get reservation, or perhaps during the holiday time. Your best bet is to wait in line when they open. We were able to get seated for our party of 3. Staff was incredibly friendly and helpful with selections. The food was prepared and delivered quickly. We ordered lamb, chicken, and beef shoulder. All 3 were incredibly tender and juicy. The mashes were tasty. I would recommend trying something different aside from the classic butter as that one is a bit bland. Go for something exciting! The black pudding and chili bean mash were better. We also ordered sticky toffee pudding and it was a great way to wrap up our meal.

Limited street parking. Easier to walk or take a bus. Quick and friendly service. Clean restaurant with bathrooms available.

We go here every time we are in Edinburgh. What is more to love than several pages of mashed potato dishes? If you get there a little before they open you can usually be served immediately as a walk-in. This place is very popular, clean, and has a really cool mushroom museum in the basement. If you aren't in the mood to stand in line in misty UK weather, then it's best to make a reservation. As for me, I'd stand in line and ruin my hair any time for this food.

Everything i ordered here was superb and the service was amazing.

Not important but every server here was good looking and I was questioning if that's what was one of the requirements to work here haha

Scotch Eggs: Wish the yolks were a little more undercooked but overall love the dipping sauce and enjoyed it.

Mini haggis had the perfect ratio and it was gorgeously displayed.

Lamb was soft, flavorful and worth every bite. I got it with the potatoes with blood sausage.

Their selection of whiskies were perfect and complimented the food well.

There are seating both up and downstairs. Chill vibe and I highly recommend.

Popped in to the Mash Bar after some long walks in the city. I did not realize how hungry I was until the food got to the table. It was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend even if you have to wait!

We ordered the Haggis and Cheddar Mash, Sticky Toffee Pudding (a must), and Wild Boar Venison Sausage and Cheddar Mash.

I popped in while on a mission to try sticky toffee pudding before leaving Edinburgh. I hadn't realized how popular Makars was -- it was early afternoon on a Monday and this place was totally packed! I was seated in about 15-20 mins.

This was my first time trying sticky toffee pudding and I enjoyed it. I didn't think it was as incredible as some of the other reviews suggested, but different tastes! If I could do it all over again, I'd come here for "food food" v. just dessert.

My server was a bit short, but it was understandable based on how busy it was.