Creelers

This restaurant has ceased trading.

Creelers

3 Hunter Square, Edinburgh, EH1 1QW

Telephone 0131 220 4447
Food served Mon & Thu 5–10.30pm; Fri 11.30am–2.30pm, 5.30–10.30pm; Sat 11am–10.30pm; Sun 5.30–10.30pm. Closed Tue/Wed.
Pre-theatre times Mon–Sun 5.30–7pm
Average price £10.50 (set lunch); £28 (evening meal)
Pre-theatre price £18.95
Email
Website www.creelers.co.uk

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the 2012 edition.

Creelers’ proprietor, Tim James, started work as a fisherman a quarter of a century ago and he and his wife Fran are co-founders of the Arran Smokehouse and regularly sell fresh fish and seafood at local farmers' markets. With such a pedigree you’d expect Creelers’ Edinburgh branch to focus exclusively on les fruits de mer, but their menus are strikingly varied, both in content and price. The Old Town restaurant has the look and feel of a continental bistro, decked out in warm yellows, reds and blues plus a large mural of the Isle of Arran – from which area much of the produce is sourced. Diners can make their selection from one of the set lunch or dinner menus or the à la carte, and there are various fish of the day specials on offer too. Start with a groaning plate of langoustines, simply prepared with garlic, butter and a squeeze of lemon, or a dense, smoky fishcake with garlic mayonnaise on the side. Mains are similarly unfussy in their presentation and include sweet, flaky halibut served with a light beurre blanc and smooth herb mash or a fillet of Loch Duart salmon with crushed potatoes and creamed leeks. Inevitably, fish and seafood is to the fore here, from mixed seafood pasta to fish stew and good old-fashioned fish and chips, but there are also beef and venison dishes on offer, all prepared using the best Scottish ingredients.

High point: Knowledgably sourced fish and seafood in convivial surroundings
Low point: A la carte menu contains a bewildering array of options

Number of wines sold by the glass: 16
Private dining: Up to 45 covers
Provides: Gluten-free options, Children's portions, Children's high chairs, Wheelchair access, Pre-theatre menu, Outdoor tables, Free wi-fi
Music on stereo: Jazz instrumental
Capacity: 65
Largest group: 45
Open since: 1995
House wine: £18 per bottle

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11. Stumpy – 20 Mar 2011, 9:02am Creelers Report: Ate there last night as part of a party of 12. Mid dessert course we were advised we had to vacate our table as it was needed for the next sitting. Just summed up the poor service from the staff who couldnt even describe dishes on the specials menu! Menu was limited, plates cold when arrived at varying times with teh whole part being served on a seemingly random basis and when the food arrived it was lukewarm. Walk the extra 500 yards or so and enjoy Ondine. Expensive, over rated, mistakes on bill, unknowledge staff and being asked to vacate a table mid course - give it a miss.

10. Maurine Duffy – 14 Oct 2009, 12:30pm Report: OH and they charged a service charge too!!!! they should call it a rudeness charge!!!

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8. loulou@hot-shot.com – 1 Jun 2009, 11:23am Creelers Report: My husband and I visited Creelers pre-theatre on Saturday. We could not have been happier with our meal. I had the langoustines in garlic oil as a starter they were absolutely amazing, I had the venison as a my main - wow it was fantastic! My husband had soup and sea bass which he also really enjoyed. This was our first visit to Creelers and we will without a doubt be returning. The food was first class, service was good and staff were friendly and unobstrusive. My husband said he would have preferred a more private table and I have to agree it could have been a bit cosier inside. I would highly recommend this restuarant esp for seafood lovers.

7. Pauline Roffe – 13 May 2009, 9:37am Report: I visted Creelers in Edinburgh on 5 May for a celebratory meal with my husband. He had the scallops in saffron sauce. Scallops are his passion and he declared the meal was the best meal he had every had! I had roast halibut which was absolutely superb and made me want to try roasting halibut which I have never done before. The service was friendly, the proprietor also - and helpful. I would thoroughly recommend it to all fish lovers.

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5. dinerX – 16 Apr 2009, 3:55pm Creelers Report: LOVED THE FOOD, THE CHEF KNOWS HIS/HER STUFF, AND THE SERVICE IS ATTENTIVE. YOU KNOW THE FOOD IS FRESH WHEN THERE'S A LOUD SMELLY FISHERMAN DELIVERING HIS WARES AS WE WERE SURVEYING THE MENU OUTSIDE!!!

4. Geedoc – 16 Apr 2009, 1:01am Report: I was unfortunate enough to vist this place on Wed 15th April 2009.
How I now wish I had stayed at home,and made toast or grilled an egg.
Creelers as previously stated is not cheap, worse,it is very poor value for money.
Forget the menu you may have see on the web...it no longer exists.We were offered a very, very poor menu.....foolishly,we did not leave at that point.
We ordered from the very very poor menu..and were served a very very poor meal.
The fresh and raw oysters tasted like fresh and raw oysters.It turned out to be a blessing that the chef was not required to do more than open them..and slice a lemon,they were nice.
The next bit;it would be misleading to call it the main course,came along at a stonking £22 per head.This proved to be a strange concoction of overcooked shell things (fishermen would call it bait).The menu claimed it was scottish shellfish,in reality it was a poorly steamed collection of razor things,some surf clams,a few mussels and.(I think,boiled to death)squat lobster bits.
It was truly awful.
To be fair,they did not charge us for the food..but never again.
My advice is stay well away from this awful place.
Does anyone else think it's odd that the customer reviews are ever so slightly different from the Eating and Drinking review..?

3. Reviewer – 29 Sep 2008, 10:05pm Report: The first reviewer was spot on - avoid this place at all costs. It was the first place where I've ever had to send steak back. I'm pretty sure the veg were microwaved too and the parsnip tart overcooked. Very disappointing.
The decor is poor too - it looks like a bad episode of Changing Rooms and I've seen better toilets in pubs.
Maybe the place relies on the tourist trade in the summer is therefore sloppy - this is poor and expensive.

2. Stumpyjack – 13 Jul 2008, 11:23am Report: Despite reading the first coment on this resturaunt we decided to give it a shot based on reputation - we were not at all dissapointed. The Tuna carpaccio was delicious;subtle and light, it is a starter that I would have no hesitation recommending to friends. The fishcakes were hearty with large chunks of a variety of flaked fish which my dinning partner thoroughly enjoyed. What impressed us a lot was the wide range of specials off the menu based on what is available fresh on the day and priced depending on the size. The Brill was succulent and tender cooked to perfection with a delicious nutty flavour while the Hake fillet was beautifuly presented on a bed of warm beetroot. The blackberry tart and cheese board were both of the same quality and standard as the rest of the food that we enjoyed last night. Creelers is not cheap but you get what you pay for; I would not hesitate to recommend this resturaunt to anyone who wishes to taste the freshest of scottish produce, cooked to perfection in a simple unassuming setting.

1. profiterol – 25 Jun 2008, 6:41pm Report

Probably the most disappointing restaurant that I've been to in Edinburgh.
The salmon starter, although tasty, was literally 3 bites of fish, nothing more. The tuna carpaccio didn't really taste of anything and the mackerel sashimi didn't seem very fresh.
Beware of the scallops as a main course: bland! The sea bass was overcooked and was placed on a plate with far too much oil and garlic.
Dessert was probably the worst part: we only tried the chocolate torte, which was cold and had a rather large dollop of creme fraiche, which was unnecessary.

The staff were friendly enough, though gave the impression that they didn't really know much about what was being offered and made quite a few mistakes with the bill.
Overall, a very expensive place which did not live up to the menu's expectation.

Average rating 3.5/5 from 3 reviews of Creelers.

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