The Basement Bar and Restaurant

The Basement Bar and Restaurant

10–12a Broughton Street, Edinburgh, EH1 3RH

Telephone 0131 557 0097
Opening times Mon–Sun noon–1am
Bar open Mon–Sat noon–1am; Sun 12.30pm–1am
Food served Mon–Fri noon–10.30pm; Sat/Sun 12.30–10.30pm
Average price £15 (lunch); £15 (evening meal)
Email
Website www.thebasement.org.uk

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Eating & Drinking Guide

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

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

Given its neon signage and the staff’s long-standing penchant for Hawaiian shirts, the Basement has never been a byword for subtlety and sophistication, but instead is a slightly ironic slice of Miami teleported into a Scottish cellar. It’s clearly a winning formula, as peely-wally Edinburghers have long sought refuge from the grey cobbles amongst the bar’s lurid hues. Now under new ownership, however, there are signs of changes creeping in, and Honolulu’s tailors must be wringing their hands, for even the trademark shirts have become optional attire. Nevertheless, it retains most of its core values, with a good pub menu supplemented by a wide selection of Mexican classics, and their ability to mix a mean margarita is still indisputable.

High point: Supremely unpretentious
Low point: A sense of a slight identity crisis

Number of wines sold by the glass: 10
Private dining: Up to 16 covers
Provides: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's high chairs, Outdoor tables, Free wi-fi
Music on stereo: Eclectic mix of pop, funk, jazz, rock and dance
Capacity: 50 + bar area
Largest group: 18
Open since: 1994
House wine: £13.75 per bottle

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Comments & ratings

10. Popinjay – 22 Mar 2012, 11:15am The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report: Popped in for Lunch with five friends . Even with the set menu , great value at £9.50 for two courses , there is enough variety to satisfy most appetites . I had the smoked salmon pate which was absolutely lovely followed by a rich and tasty Rump and Merlot pie . I shall be back .

9. XYY – 13 Mar 2010, 8:34pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report

I take back my previous posting. The Basement is brilliant and I have been back many a time since. If you're a fan of pate, try their starter. Ooooft!

Drinks wise, they stock Thistly Cross cider.

Basement is amazing value for money and I highly highly reccomend it.

8. Lizzie D – 26 Feb 2010, 12:59pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report

I've always had a lovely time in the Basement. The food is great, really tasty and there are good options for vegetarians which is a surprise!

Good to go to with friends and I have even taken my mum and she loved it too.

7. Lynda – 16 Sep 2009, 5:06pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report: I think The Basement is a great bar. I have eaten there many, many times and never had a bad meal. The food is freshly cooked and delicious. Very friendly staff also. The steak pie is particularly good.

6. disgruntled local – 25 May 2009, 6:57pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report

Warning for those who want the lunch time deal… Don’t share the courses!

The deal is that you can have two courses for £7.95. Someone in our group only wanted the starter and not the the main course, so this was shared with someone else. When the bill came we were charged for the main meal (£7.95) plus the starter (£3.75), the staff argued that the deal could not be split between different people.

I have never heard such a nonsense rule.

We should have been told this when ordering from this menu - Terrible service from the staff. Also I'm afraid the food was not worth the money

We used to eat here often. After this rip off none of our 'local’ group will be going back.

You have been warned.

5. bex82 – 20 May 2009, 6:23pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report: I've lived in Edinburgh for almost 5 years and love eating out - especially at the Basement. I love the ambience, the whole relaxed atmosphere of the place and it helps that the food is delicious and extremely reasonably priced. The menus are updated slightly every so often and I've taken many of my friends here and even friends visiting me and they have all loved it. You are quite tighly packed in which in another restaurant would really bother me as I would feel that the surrounding tables could hear my conversation - but this is not the case - believe me i've tried to listen in to others conversations and you can't hear anything! If you haven't been yet - go!

4. Nina – 24 Dec 2008, 3:05pm The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report: The basement is a great place to go on a sunday, to relax. The steak Pie they serve is the best I have had in town. The veg were cooked as they should not too much, not too little and the pie was homemade and delicious, quite surprising really when you know the standard of the food served in some surrounding pubs. My friend wasn't so lucky with her food which she thought wasn't great. Is this place a hit or a miss food wise?? I'll have to go back to find out.

3. Jesticles – 23 Dec 2008, 6:09am The Basement Bar and Restaurant Report

I used to work there- best place and best people in scotland! you can get lost in there for hours and emerge a different person.

would get back there if i could! miss it to bits.

2. XYY – 16 Jul 2008, 5:45pm Report: The basement is very weird. I was told it was mexican, got there and there was the likes of steak pie on offer. Hawian shirts, and cocktails. Crammed into a tight space, not the best service, pretty dour. Food itself was pretty good, chilli prawns, and the aboved stated steak pie were pretty good, but it's just a weird wee place. Not been back, and probably won't be.

1. Juliet – 7 May 2008, 4:47pm Report: I love the basement, they do the most lovely steaks! Mmm.

Average rating 4.5/5 from 8 reviews of The Basement Bar and Restaurant.

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