The Blackbird

Name: The Blackbird
Address: 37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, EH3 9LH
Telephone: 0131 228 2280
Price range: £25 and under
Rating: 4.5

4.5

273 Reviews

£25 and under

Contemporary British

Top Tags:

The Blackbird Bar and Restaurant, at 37-39 Leven Street in the Bruntsfield area of south-west Edinburgh, serves modern Scottish cuisine. It is located close to The Meadows public park, less than 10 minutes by car or taxi from Waverley and Haymarket Railway Stations; Edinburgh Castle and the city centre are around 20 minutes' walk away. The exposed stone walls of its traditional, tavern-like interior give it an authentically Scottish atmosphere and it also has a beer garden in which to enjoy an al fresco drink or bite to eat in the warmer summer months. The Blackbird’s menu is composed of gourmet burgers, fresh fish of the day, hearty soups and sumptuous salads, to be accompanied by something from the drinks menu – a glass of craft beer, premium ale or fine wine, perhaps – organic teas and coffees are also available.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 24, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Contemporary British
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–1:00 am
Phone number
0131 228 2280
Website
http://theblackbirdedinburgh.co.uk/
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Simon Upcraft

Location
37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LH
Neighborhood
Tollcross/Fountain Bridge
Parking details
None
Public transit
10 second walk from closest bus stop on Leven Street. Bus number: 11, 15, 16, 23, 36, 45, 101, 102, N11, N16.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

A Table for drinks
Multiple dates available
A Table for drinks only
A Table for Food
Multiple dates available
A Table for food

What 273 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.5Service
4.4Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Energetic

Loved For

Edinburgh/Midlothian
Neighborhood gem
Edinburgh/Midlothian
Great for outdoor dining
Edinburgh
Neighborhood gem
Edinburgh
Great for outdoor dining

273 Reviews

JC
JCH1970
Edinburgh
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall4food4service1ambience4
Good atmosphere as always but service (food and drinks at our table) was very slow, we had to get up and go to the bar to get additional drinks.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Lovely staff and a great meal. Cocktails look amazing!
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8
8thtriumph
Perthshire
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 31, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had 2 great burgers , beef and chicken both tasted excellent
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IG
IreneG
Glasgow
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
A very delightful experience, great food, service and atmosphere. Staff very helpful on phone plus at Blackbird itself.
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LB
LinseyB
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 28, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Burger was huge, maybe a little too big as was so difficult to eat, was tasty non the less. Great service
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CO
CatherineO
West Lothian
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall3food4service3ambience3
Delicious burgers with side of fries. Good location with easy access to public transport.
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CC
CeeCee
Aberdeen
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience2
I ordered the JA salad - bland and watery. Also had the chipotle fries - no different to ordinary fries apart from the price. Padron peppers were nice. Hummus with Mexican fruit? It was melon and it didn’t work in our opinion - each to their own though.
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T
Tonra
Edinburgh
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Huge gf burger, lovely slaw, big portions but fries not gf as cooked in cross contaminated oil 😔 and more importantly no desserts 😫 not even ICE CREAM 🍨 Did have a lovely coffee and the staff were the friendliest so will be returning.
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AM
AidanM
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall4food1service5ambience4
Excellent attentive service, sadly let down by the quality of the food.
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PW
PeterW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
The burgers in the Blackbird must be the biggest and tastiest in Edinburgh - an absolute sensation! Combined with excellent service this is definitely a place to return to .
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SM
StewartM
Edinburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely quirky bar/bistro. Really interesting menu and super food. The Crispy Fish was different and delicious! Can also recommend the cocktail selection 😊 will definitely be back!
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MS
MichaelS
Qatar
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It’s been a while since we’ve sat outside and we really liked the ambience!
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AK
AnnetteK
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 18, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Burgers were excellent. We had two different ones and loved the taste and texture of both. No sides come with the burgers so was glad we ordered extra fries-this would have made the meal expensive so was glad we had purchased vouchers to use. Would definitely go again with the vouchers.
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SH
StevenH
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 17, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Nice place although unlucky enough to be seated outside beside a table of heavy smokers / vapers and legal or not, the space is a bit to enclosed for that to be pleasant. Still, they moved and it was a very nice evening. Staff were pleasant and attentive, offering quick service. Would happily go back and recommend, especially if the weather allows sitting outside.
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RB
RosieB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good food and reasonably priced, nice outside area as well
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AW
AnneW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
First visit, staff very efficient and friendly. Burgers and Buns delicious, fresh salad and no problem to omit and change toppings. Will return very soon and if sunny will sit in the large beer garden at rear.
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SA
ScottA
Edinburgh
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Blackbird is a good bar, food was nice, good choice of beers etc on tap...
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R
Rossb
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience5
Chips to accompany burger were too pricey at £4.50 particularly for the portion size. Great beef burger, service excellent and a nice beer garden situated to the rear.
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CL
CarolL
Edinburgh
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fantastic lunch and bottle of wine here. Great service and value for money. Highly recommended!
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A
Anymidges
Edinburgh
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Beautiful summer evening in the outdoor space. Fab cocktails and food😊
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W
susanW
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on July 7, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
Halloumi fries were very nice. My husband ordered the chicken burger and I ordered the beef burger but once I tasted the beef, wasn't keen on the taste (it did look great though, unlike the chicken) my husband commented how small the chicken breast was so we swapped. He enjoyed the beef burger but it was just so big that it was difficult to eat. My chicken burger wasn't very good - small and cooked to an inch of its life (deep fried) - really couldn't tell what I was eating - probably the worstI have had. We also ordered fries which I found tasted quite greasy. Sat outside which was nice and waitress was very good - would go for a drink but not food.
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RZ
ReayZ
Aberdeen
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on July 3, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Had an Itison for 2 burgers for £10. Really decent burgers. They also had rum espresso martinis on the offer for £5 so it was a bargain, delicious lunch with a great vibe!
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SC
SusanC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 30, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
We were given an itison voucher for 2 burgers & saw from the menu that’s there’s 1 burger option for vegans so we ordered those - mine without the bun or the mayo. Burgers were spicy but good. I also loved the sliced beetroot & coconut yoghurt dressing on top. My husband ordered chips which were nice but too salty. If we went back, we’d ask for less salt on chips. I was really pleased Blackbird had one organic white wine by the glass & it was really nice. Like others have said, the staff are friendly & nice.
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e
elizabethm
Edinburgh
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on June 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great little find in Tollcross area with a lovely garden area, covered and with heaters. Nice quality of food, reasonable price and lovely staff
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LP
LorraineP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service, drinks and atmosphere! Staff super friendly!
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SC
SandraC
London
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely environment in the beer garden and they took great care of my dog
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AF
AudreyF
London
10 reviews
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely venue, especially pretty outdoor space. Staff attentive and friendly.
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EM
EveM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 3, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Tasty and affordable food and drinks! Outdoor seating area was lovely.
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AG
AndrewG
Edinburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 3, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent beer garden, excellent food and excellent service. Highly recommended.
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MC
MichaelC
London
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 1, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Staff were excellent the food was very good and we were very well looked after
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FF
FFenley
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall3food1service3ambience5
Visited a few times before mainly for cocktails and brought two friends to try the food this time. Unfortunately, the food took over an hour to come and wasn't great. The rice was dry, though the chicken was tasty. My friend's burger was overdone and the other friend did not enjoy the sauce the halloumi fries came with, saying it was too sweet. However the drinks were fantastic and the ambience great, so no harm done!
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CU
CharlesU
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food, really enjoyed it. Good service and a fair price. Nice outdoor area too. Would defo go again
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MC
MarkC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great pit stop and great vibe. Busy pre Harry Styles.
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f
foodwithfriends
Edinburgh
8 reviews
2.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 20, 2023
overall2food2service3ambience2
I had the falafel which was pretty tasteless but the burger looked good although chips were extra. Wouldn’t rush back.
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A
Anon
Edinburgh
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience5
Lovely atmosphere, very attentive wait staff. Shame that the outdoor area wasn’t open until later but overall great atmosphere.
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G
Gerry
Edinburgh
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on May 1, 2023
overall2food2service5ambience3
We had a burger and a rice bowl. The burger was fine, but came with shoe string chips. Hand cut/cooked chips would be a better option. The rice bowl was salty and lacked flavour. The staff were lovely and friendly and it has major major potential but the food lacked something.
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CC
ColinC
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on April 22, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience5
Service was excellent as was the food! Would have given 5 stars but the room was freezing.
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H
Hawtin100
Edinburgh
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 21, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Had a lovely couple of hours in for lunch and a couple of drinks. Great service and chat from a woman, didn't catch her name but had a New Zealand accent maybe? Sorry if she's this and it's wrong! Will be back!
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AB
AlisonB
Edinburgh
14 reviews
3.0
14 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience4
We love the Blackbird. The outside eating area is a great spot. The food is not expensive but we were disappointed with the quality. Would come back for drinks but not good.
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FW
FlorenceW
London
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall2food1service5ambience4
Ambience and decoration fab, but food bland. Had 3 Katsu Chicken rice bowls. It was very hard to eat the chicken in the bowl, so we asked for plates. Also needed some sauce. Rice v bland. If you just wanted drinks this would be great. But we went for food and music too loud. Service v good.
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Contactless payment available

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking

FAQs

The Blackbird is rated 4.5 stars by 273 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 24, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 2 times today

Experiences are available.

37-39 Leven Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9LH

Additional information

Neighborhood
Tollcross/Fountain Bridge
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 12:00 pm–12:00 am Fri, Sat 12:00 pm–1:00 am
Cuisines
Contemporary British
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
None
Public transit
10 second walk from closest bus stop on Leven Street. Bus number: 11, 15, 16, 23, 36, 45, 101, 102, N11, N16.
Payment options
Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Simon Upcraft
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Beer Garden, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Late Night, Outdoor Smoking Area, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://theblackbirdedinburgh.co.uk/
Phone number
0131 228 2280

The Blackbird

Make a reservation

Additional information

Experiences

A Table for drinks

A Table for Food

Menu

What 273 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing

Protective equipment

FAQs

How is The Blackbird restaurant rated?

Is The Blackbird currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information