The Sheep Heid Inn

Not sure what the deal is with the negative reviews. We were staying nearby and this was recommended for dinner. We walked in and the atmosphere was great. The staff greeted us and were friendly. We didn’t have a reservation (didn’t know), but were seated We both ordered on the specials, the steak pie. Was really good and filling. We had zero complaints on anything. Love the history of the pub. I definitely recommend visiting it.

My friend and I decided to have a Sunday Roast dinner during our trip to Scotland last week. Although it was not originally planned we were so happy to get a reservation at Sheep Heid Inn. It was about a 15-20 minute drive from the Royal Mile. The inn itself is so lovely and historic. It happens to be one of the oldest pubs in Scotland, dating back to 1360 or so. Also, the Queen had visited and we were seated in close proximity to the chair where she sat. And they have a 2 lane fully manual bowling alley call the Skittle Alley. The inn lends itself to a very Scottish atmosphere with a warm and friendly decor. The service was excellent and we appreciated the attentive and friendly attitude of both our servers, Hari and Patrycja. So of course we ordered the Sunday Roast with the scallop appetizer, we finished our meal with tea and dessert. Each course was beautifully presented and most importantly well prepared and so delicious. My friend and I truly enjoyed our experience and the conversation with Hari who guided us to some cool neighborhoods to explore.

Awesome experience, would recommend. We were a group of 6 who did make a same day reservation and were easily accommodated. The service was top class, our main server, Nat, couldn't have been more pleasant and helpful. All 6 had amazing quality and flavoursome food. One had an awkward food allergy which was professionally dealt with. We also got a takeaway meal for a friend who couldn't join us in the pub for the meal. Overall a great experience and reasonably priced. Nat was assisted by her colleague Isabel as our servers, and we highly rate the setting, service and food.

Unfortunately, our dining experience was extremely disappointing and fell well below expectations. The cleanliness was unacceptable. The cutlery was disgusting, and the tables were sticky, which immediately made a poor impression. The food was just as disappointing. The portion of mashed potato served with the pie was virtually non-existent, the pie contained far too much jelly inside, and the fish portion was very small, with most of it consisting of batter rather than actual fish. To make matters worse, the restaurant was advertised as adults-only, yet we had to share the dining room with a screaming baby. This was particularly frustrating, as the adults-only setting was part of what we expected when choosing the restaurant. Overall, the poor cleanliness, disappointing food, inadequate portion sizes, and failure to meet expectations regarding the adults-only environment made this a thoroughly unsatisfactory experience. Sadly, I would struggle to recommend this restaurant based on our visit, and I would not be rushing back. REPLY TO OWNER- 20/10/26 Appreciate your response and offer to chat. But this does not explain the dirty cutlery and small portion sizes.

Gorgeous area and lovely pub to match. Food is always amazing and service is wonderful too! the Outdoor seating is available with shelter from (likely) Scottish rain aswell as heaters you can switch on. Also comes with the skittle alley which is a fun activity to do with friends or family!