Rhubarb

Ambience is excellent. Décor is beautiful. Service was very good. Went here for dinner and for afternoon tea. The tea was good, served in nice silver teapots. The sandwiches and cakes were dry and average. As far as dinner is concerned, the food was good but average and nothing to be too excited about. I would return here for the ambience, not particularly for the food.

The drive up to the grand entrance of Prestonfield house has you already feeling like royalty or that you’re about to star in an episode of Downton! Beautifully maintained gardens surrounding an impressive county mansion on the back drop of Arthur’s seat and Holyrood park is simple stunning. Our party of 5 were warmly greeted by a very helpful and smart kilted gentleman who helped my mum out of the taxi, umbrella in hand to shelter her from the rain. A very impressive start. We opted to have a wee cocktail first in the upstairs lounge — the red room. Gold and red paints, dark, lavish and luxurious furnishings and old portraits make this room feel warm and special. There are two grand high backed seats resembling thrones which were perfect for picture posing! Downstairs the dining room is breathtaking, it’s so grand and so very decadent darling! The food is Scottish produce at its best filled with fresh seafood dishes, game and beef. Every dish was beautifully presented and tasted delicious, service was smooth and professional and nothing a bother at all:) They even put a candle in the petit fours for my mums birthday which was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. An excellent and very extensive wine list complimented the courses and made us compliment each other by the end of the night! This place is stunning but expensive… definitely worth it though for a special occasion.

I booked this as a special surprise for my wife on our trip to Edinburgh. I regret it.
Most noticeably, service was extremely slow. Our total visit was three hours to be served the prix fixe menu: An appetizer, entrée, and dessert. We spent long stretches sitting at an empty table, mostly after the appetizer and before the entrees. Before even receiving dessert, we had already asked for the bill and paid so we could leave as soon as possible. On leaving the restaurant, we both felt that time had been stolen away from us. The server apologized for the delay, citing that a large party was occurring in the other room. If a restaurant like Rhubarb is going to offer private parties, it should make sure it can adequately serve its other guests as well.
Some of the dishes were excellent, and others were just okay, like the mango dessert. I ordered the mushroom entrée, and it was one of the most unique dishes I’ve eaten. Unfortunately, my wife’s pork dish was too salty. The server had the dish replaced without asking whether or not she wanted it replaced or wanted a different dish. Service also wasn’t particularly attentive and very slow as it seemed he was also serving guests in a far away room. I expected better service from such a pricey restaurant.
The ambience was absolutely the best part of the restaurant and the reason why I booked the restaurant. The eye-​popping dining room was tastefully decorated completely in black, red and gold. I felt like I was inside an elegant vampire’s palace. You might think «tasteful» and these colors are an oxymoron until you see it done in practice. It was romantic, it was sexy, it was intimate; a very memorable location. I just wish that the food and service would have been up to the same level as the atmosphere.

Love, love, love this restaurant. It’s incredibly beautiful with outstanding food.
It’s a short journey outside the city centre but well worth the trip. Service is first class. Romance is very much alive in this restaurant as it sets your heart on fire. Thank you so much for several memorable experiences.
Breathtaking!!!

Rhubarb is without a doubt my favourite restaurant in Edinburgh. Classy, without too much pomp, easily a place one could take a romantic date, or a close group of friends for a nice dinner. Rhubarb is set in the historic Prestonfield House, which transports you back in time. Traditional scottish dishes with some modern twist, ensure a high level of quality that I have found unparalleled.
Price is appropriate if a little cheap considering the quality and degree in which it is prepared. They usually do a 3 course for 33 quid, an amazing deal.
The only downside is that it is located in Prestonfield, thus needs a taxi/​car. Though in a way this acts as a good thing as it ensures a relaxed dining experience without too many tourists.

After reading a bunch of bad reviews on various sites, all complaining about a catastrophic service in terms of timing and attitude, my expectations were set on a level where I was expecting to be overwhelmed by cockiness.
Instead, the service was exceptional, both in terms of timing and attitude. In fact, the politeness of the staff was at such an aristocratic level that combined with the decoration of the restaurant, you can’t help but feel as a commoner in middle ages.
Anyways, the food is above decent but not exceptional. The chef is obviously fusion influenced, but not in a relaxed way, i.e. he/​she is trying «too hard» to mix salty/​sweet/​sour. Still, the atmosphere, especially dim lighting somehow boosts the quality perception of the food.
Bear in mind that I went around 18:00 so the service was just starting so my experience might be unrepresentative.

This was a huge disappointment. Rhubarb has a large reputation. The atmosphere was one of the nicest I’ve ever experienced. The servings were ultra small. They were small for the purpose of being elitist. The fish was overcooked. We returned it and the next one also came out overcooked. This restaurant definitely places form over substance. Too bad, it could easily have been a 5 star restaurant. All they needed to do was stop trying to act so special and actually make the food taste great. Big disappointment.

Oh goodness.
After our disappointing birthday meal at Ondine, the boy and I decided to give that celebration thing one more try and made a reservation at Rhubarb for afternoon tea. If the food was bad, at least we’d be at a 17^th century manor with peacocks.
Luckily, the food wasn’t bad, not by a long shot. Delicate sandwiches, flaky scones with thick, decadent clotted cream and tangy raspberry jam, dainty strawberry tarts and double chocolate eclairs and a wide selection of black, green and herbal teas ensure that there’s something here for everyone’s tastes.
The food was the least of the experience, though, and that should say soemthing. From our arrival we were greeted by a cheerful doorman in a swank black kilt, and whisked upstairs to the tapestry room, where we sank into an antique sofa and took in the gorgeous furnishings. Prestonfield is just as beautiful, decadent, and opulent as it appears in the photos, and the rich history here is palpable. Yes, there are peacocks, and pheasants, and Highland cows in a pasture by the drive.
The house is gorgeous. The grounds are gorgeous. The food is incredible and the service is impeccable. We spent nearly four hours over our tea, and were never rushed, and rolled down the circular drive completely sated, physically, visually and sensationally. Rhubarb, you have my heart.

Decadent, decadent decadent.
2 peacocks, more decadence, champagne, even more decadence. It really is the place to go if you want to feel like the king and queen of Scotland. Amazing, period interior, gorgeous grounds and views on the outside, impeccable service and food. It can’t be faulted.
Even if you go for the light lunch at a very reasonable £16.95 or fork out for a bottle of the £2000 wine (which although tempted, I managed to resist), you will still emotionally be charmed and satisfied by the absolute fabulousness of the environment. You just can’t help being seduced the minute you set eyes on the grand entrance, then throughout the culinary dream of your lunch or dinner all the way through to being chaperoned to your taxi, already awaiting your royal exit.
I will no doubt be back soon to experience the wine list once again flick past the over-​indulgent two grand wine and settle for a more modest Pinot or Chardonnay.

Catching up on my reviews today, so this one is from a little while back. I went again to Rhubarb about a month ago and it is still the same, so I think it will be valid.
Oppulant is the word I’d describe here. From the moment you arrive at the grand entrance after curnching along the gravel drive, the doormen welcoming you with their very stylish black kilts, you know you are in for a treat.
This place has stature, yet for all its airs and graces, it has a relaxed and enjoyable feel about it. There are a number of small drwing rooms you can take a pre-​dinner G&T or glass of fizz. Then you get escorted through to one of the two dining rooms either side of the house.
Two visits stand out. The first was for my birthday, a special occasion dinner. We arrived about 7pm as the sun was shining on the nearby Arthurs Seat, sat in the garden having a glass of bubbles then went inside to eat. The foor was artistic and delicious, I had some game bird with vegetables which was perfectly cooked and washed down with a very tasty rioja. Desert was a take on a rhubarb crumble if my memory serves me right and was as good as it gets.
The second visit was for afternoon tea. Again, lvoely sunny day, sat our on the lawn. You get an option of two menu’s, one with bubbly and one without. We went with. You get the traditional tea which you tuck into as peacocks parade around you.
The staff are always there, but never there, just far away to not be noticed, which means you get to enjoy your food. There is a lot of emphasis put on service and it shows. Other times I’ve been there have been a number of well to do visitors eating in the place, all of which add to the feel of Rhubarb. It is a fine dining experience, well worth the money. Better than most, if not all, of the fine dining places in town in my opinion.
You can also get some great deals through palces like top table for reduced price meals. If you want to dress up and enjoy a meal in oppulant surroundings, this is perfect.

Love it! Been a few times and has to be my favourite restaurant to date in Edinburgh.

Prestonfield is one of my favorite places — had some wonderful evenings there. The staff are first class and the food and atmosphere’s amazing. I love the way you get to lounge in a sitting room after dinner. The only annoying thing is that i bought the £30 set menu and drinks for 7 of us on my 30^th birthday and none of the puddings were gluten-​free so they charged me an extra £7 just to have icecream when i gad already paid the set menu price that included a fancy desert and icecream. I know the whole thing came to about £300, but that extra £7 still irritated me! oh well — still an amazing place and will def go back lots

Unbelievable. Excellent food, beyond excellent service. Worth every single penny (and there were a lot of those!). If you get the opportunity to experience this restuarant please do so, you wont be dissapointed.

Lunch here was a real treat. You head just out of Edinburgh and through a housing estate before pulling into a long, tree lined drive leading up to the main house. We were greeted by black kilted chaps on the door — nice touch.
Prestonfield house is stunning, has Arthur’s seat and the Craggs as a back drop and is surrounded by park land. Inside the house is very opulent, rich reds and golds. My sister was a bit freaked by the Stag room though — the seats are made of antlers! We saw Alan Rickman checking out on the day we were there and get the idea they do get a few celebs there.
Lunch at Rhubarb was really good. Set menu meant it was not too expensive and worth every penny. We ended up on a table next to the owner but we felt that the service was genuinely good — not just cos the boss was there. Our waitress was lovely — very friendly and helpful.
Would love to try for dinner but think we will need to save up a bit more first as looks rather pricey for evening.

A worthwhile culinary experience. A wee bit pricey as mains range from 15 – 30 pounds (but are delicious). However you most definitely pay for the ambiance. This restaurant is situated in the Prestonfield House Hotel, an old manor. There are a series of rooms for before and after dinner drinks and various dinning rooms. Each room has a unique décor filled with interesting antique pieces. My favourite room is the pink powder room complete with a pink velvet chaise lounge.
This is a great place for a winter’s night out as each non-​dinning room has a roaring fire creating a toasty romantic feel. The perfect date restaurant!