Mono Restaurant Reviews

Best food in Edinburgh We booked our dinner at Mono a few months in advance as one of the first restaurants we wanted to try post lockdown. We were absolutely NOT disappointed. As soon as we walked in we were impressed. Beautiful ‘fine dining’ atmosphere with very friendly staff. We were first offered drinks at the bar before being shown to our table in the downstairs dining room. Our 5 course tasting menu was exceptional, all of the food was delicious. The sommelier was fantastic and all of the staff were so attentive. I am pregnant so made note of this on our booking (which was checked and checked again by the wonderful staff before our arrival) and the menu that was offered to me was exquisite. I was also impressed by the mocktails on offer and commend the bar staff. We absolutely loved our experience here and have booked in for another date night at this venue only a few weeks after our last dining experience! Absolutely a restaurant not to be missed in Edinburgh!

A lovely evening! We very much enjoyed our evening. Each course of the tasting menu was so beautifully arranged and absolutely delicious. My husband also had the accompanying wines which enhanced the experience. The staff were so friendly and knowledgeable about the food and wine. Would certainly book again!

Faultless from start to finish The concierge recommended Mono,wow this was a real treat. It is truly fine Italian dining at its best.Sophia is a natural front of house,warm interesting and interested. They had a list of the dietaries and Sophia told us that the kitchen had everything in hand! I will not ruin it by describing the food too much,but the canapes and amuse bouche were divine! The ravioli was feather light,the fish was perfectly cooked ,the beef was yummy and the strawberry dessert was just wow! The wines married the food perfectly! It is serious cooking in a very relaxed atmosphere Thank you for a wonderful evening

Wow! I challenged my fiancé to take me somewhere new and different for my birthday this year and he out-did himself tonight. Mono was new to me, I have never been before but from the moment we were greeted at the door and taken to our table by Jacob, I was made to feel a million dollars tonight. From there, things only got better and better. I was spoiled with the tasting menu and wine pairing; Every dish and drop just amazing. The restaurant (we were sat downstairs) is just beautiful. Simple, clean and classy. I can’t believe this gorgeous spot was under my radar. The beef dish was my favourite tonight but honestly so hard to choose. The fish was also delicious! I would highly recommend. What a wonderful birthday (I picked the right guy!) and thank you Alessandro for taking the extra time to talk us through our wines. We will be back! Do you do weddings??

Did our experience reflect the fact that we were holidaying with a tour company and visited as a group of 25+ ? Our visit to the Michelin-starred Mono restaurant was posted by our tour company as a highlight of our holiday. It is located less than two minutes walk from our Edinburgh hotel, the Ibis, South Bridge. We were asked to pre-order on the previous day - two options for a starter and two options of a main dish being offered. Vegan options were available on request. Also included was a single glass of wine, a glass of beer or a fruit juice. Anything else, we were required to pay for. Fair enough. We know that Michelin starred food doesn’t come cheap. From the beginning - Covid restrictions were strictly in force and service was quick, efficient (ie everyone served within a very short time) and in the main, friendly. On our table for four, two opted for the melon with Serrano ham and both commented on the ripeness of melon and succulence of the ham. Both ate every morsel. We two had chosen Insalata Caprese. Undoubtedly lovely flavours! Small sweet tomatoes cut up in a tasty dressing (no balsamic vinegar though, which I love!). A roundel of mozzarella had been simply halved and it appeared that the two halves may have been thrown from a distance, and allowed to land where they pleased. As a nod to the green component a sprig of basil lay forlornly on top. Still, as said before, quite delicious - to the point where it would have been rude not to mop up the excess dressing with the small pieces of fresh brown bread on the table for olive oil dipping. (I say small pieces of bread - they didn’t appear to be small at first, just served sitting atop an opaque container which was two-thirds full of dried beans(?) - possibly peas!). For mains the options were Saffron risotto or some kind of Spicy Sausage Ragu - the latter described as ‘okay, but could have taken a bit more flavour’ Three of us chose the risotto - and that was exactly what we were served. A dollop (cf school meals) of a yellow gluey substance, variously described as looking like macaroni cheese, scrambled egg and something produced by a baby with a bad tummy. This, to one side of a large plain, white dinner plate - as though it was waiting for something else - without even the relief of a small piece of garnish or decoration, nothing to add to the look of an already bland-looking dish. The rice was perfectly cooked and the flavour was okay but no better than previous risottos I’ve tasted and well below several - in particular a pea and mint one I enjoyed before lockdown. We declined dessert. Those that did have them seemed happy. I ordered a cup of tea, received a pot that held at least a generous three cups and a bill for £3.50. As a group of 25+ , we were seated in the bar which is at ground floor level and suited the less mobile members. We guessed that this might have helped the place to look busy and encourage possible walk-ins. Other guests were accommodated downstairs - we didn’t see that bit. If possible, I shall post a pic of the risotto. It has always been my understanding that Michelin stars are awarded to chefs/restaurants that produce food which is attractive to look at, tickling the taste buds before even the aromas reach the nose. I don’t know the amount paid by our tour company. I wish I did. Both courses lacked evidence of presentation skills, although the flavours were good and there was sufficient - just. And having said all that, I wouldn’t be averse to trying a taster menu here - with or without complementary wines - just to find out exactly what they are capable of. Edinburgh and Scotland itself needs all the tourists it can attract, in order to return to some sort of normality.

Aiming high, and sadly missing… I feel I need to correct these 5 star reviews. To be blunt, the food isn’t great. We had the taster menu with the wine pairing, and I’m still disappointed whilst writing this. Most courses were bland. This is not fine dining. Having been to many different fine dining restaurants, you can see what they’re aiming for. The format is very much the same as many starred restaurants. The staff whilst very friendly, need more training. The sommelier knew what he was talking about. The open kitchen is also familiar. The ingredients for a good restaurant are there, but the most basic fundamentals of good food are not. I won’t go into detail on each course, but the ravioli was probably the most tasty dish. Something needs to change in the kitchen if you want to progress, because the food simply isn’t up to scratch. The fish and beef courses were honestly tasteless. I wish you guys well, but there needs to be a huge step up in quality if you want to compete with the big boys……

Faultless Evening We recently had the 5 course tasting menu and were blown away by how perfect our evening was! The food was delicious and the service was absolutely faultless with amazing attention to detail. Really exceptional team both front of house and in the kitchen - recommend for anyone visiting Edinburgh! Thank you for a lovely evening.

Fabulous Amazing food. Amazing wine. Amazing service. Having never done a tasting menu before we didn’t know what to expect but it was incredibly welcoming and relaxed which made for an outstanding dining experience! My partner is vegetarian and as much thought went into that menu as the regular menu. Special thanks to the sommelier who paired excellent wines, was very knowledgeable and was highly attentive. A wonderful evening and hope we can visit again soon.

Fantastic Find! I visited Mono on Saturday with my partner and two friends. When we arrived, we were met with a warm greeting by two of the staff members who went over the menus and recommended some of their signature cocktails. We each had a well presented cocktail up in the bar area before heading downstairs for food. We ordered one of the boards that was filled with meats, cheeses and bread (massive portion of the money!). Then shared two gorgeous desserts. The atmosphere was lovely and relaxed and all the serves were friendly and helpful! It was a brilliant night! I will definitely be back and would highly recommend!

Best restaurant in Edinburgh Absolutely amazing experience! Would highly recommend. We was served by Jacob, who always was looking after us, very attentive for small details, one of the best restaurants I’ve ever been.

Complete mess - wish I had gone elsewhere I booked this restaurant several weeks in advance for a special occasion. When I arrived on the night, the staff told us that there had been some issues with the website and booking system, and that they could only offer us the bar menu. They seemed fully aware that several others had issues where the booking system had done the same, but seemed completely disinterested in helping, instead just saying it had happened lots. There was only one option to book a table on the website, so if you book don't expect to arrive and be given the meal you expected. Had I known their booking was so useless I would've gone for this special meal at another restaurant - all of which were now booked up by the time we were told we couldn't have our meal at mono. A special night was ruined despite booking a month in advance. Don't waste your time - go elsewhere!

Delicious The staff here were incredible. Food was inventive and delicious and they had a cracker of a wine list. Paired wines with the 5 course tasting menu were a match made in heaven. 10/10 recommend

Fine dining Italian The two young Italian chefs at Mono are making a mark in the top end cuisine of the capital. The five course menu (plus amuse bouche) we had today was exciting, creative, and most importantly bloody good! Hard to pick a winner, with dishes that bring a flavour explosion like the ravioli with parmesan and asparagus, or the cleanness and elegance of a mullet in tempura with a velvety pancetta. Probably my favourites were on the one hand a rather complex halibut dish that featured a halibut terrine and a lovely cacciatora sauce, beside the halibut fillet and a mushroom; and on the other hand a starkly powerful BBQ short rib dish which is not what you expect, graced by lovely beetroot in three ways. I also recommend that you get the Taleggio cheese extra-course because it's quite something, straddling savoury and sweet with a stunning base of caramelised onion and a balsamic vinegar ice-cream. Service is friendly and skilled, prices are fair for the quality and the location, and both the upstairs and downstairs rooms are spacious and elegant. Obligatory for all the gourmets in Edinburgh! (there is also a more easy-going wine bar option, if you don't want to go for the full five courses, which looks extremely appealing).

A hidden gem - do not miss! SO glad I decided to stop in here. I came with some friends and we got a selection of cocktails as well as some sharing plates for the group. It’s worth a visit for the cocktail menu alone but the starters/appetisers are gorgeous. I really enjoyed the vibe so ended up coming back to try more of the food. I ordered the rabbit porchetta and it was BEAUTIFUL, can’t recommend this place highly enough!

Amazing food and service! We had the most lovely evening here last night! Alessandro and the team looked after us so well and were so knowledgeable about the food and wine. Anyone going NEEDS to get the extra cheese course - it’s the most beautiful mix of textures and flavours I’ve ever tasted!! Will definitely be going back!

Enjoyable Evening Excellent service in a nice restaurant setting. Some of the taster dishes were delicious, and overall the food quality was high. The staff were well trained and knowledgeable. The wines were also a very good compliment to the food. The only negative was the food portion sizes. Although my wife was pretty full, I still felt hungry upon leaving the restaurant. I did ask for more bread during the meal and was charged £3.50 which I thought was a bit cheeky considering the final bill was £250. Overall it was a good and enjoyable evening.

A must try. Fantastic. Amazing food. Had the 5 course tasting menu and each dish was so tasty. Real flavours of Italy while being inventive and beautifully presented. The matching wines were all Italian as well and the sommelier Alessandro really knows his stuff. I’m definitely be going back.

Exceptional Italian Tasting Menu Wonderful Italian tasting menu with matching wine flight. Exceptional food. Each of the 5 courses perfectly prepared and presented. Portion size just right. Service impeccable without being intrusive. Entertaining and knowledgeable sommelier. Lovely ambiance and well organised Covid safety. Will definitely go here again

One of the best fine dining experiences I have had in a while One of the best restaurants I have ever been to. So it was a given that I HAD to write this review so that everyone knows how great the food and service is. (Yes, it's a tad bit long but they deserve all the credit and more)??✨ The people who waited on us were the most kindest of humans. I was done with my exams and this was a farewell dinner party so to be honest, everything started on a bit stressed out note. But they realized this and gave us time...A LOT OF TIME to figure out what we wanted to order, as we googled the items mentioned in the menu. Also, they explained every single item on the platter and even how it was made..(P.S. loved the jam made out of onions). To be fair, I was a bit too nervous as I didn't know in which order to eat what especially in their 'Mixed Board'. So they suggested us a few ways to enjoy the combinations of cheese, etc. but more than that they emphasized that we could just be winging it and to be honest, it was a relief for me 'cos well who doesn't love random experimentation of combination of foods when everything is so darn flavoursome !✨ Also, the pasta was delicious (do not get fooled by how tiny it looks. It was very rich and fulfilling) and the Tiramisu was just so damn refreshing, light and fluffy❤️...it was just perfect. But the best of all, we saw the customers leave but even as we were just halfway through the dinner, there was no pressure...NONE! AT ALL! They gave us our dessert and well...I wouldn't recommend what we did (to be kind to them)...but we sort of ended up spending an hour more after their closing time. And you know what?...they saw us enjoying the dinner so much that they offered to bring tea for us...AFTER THEIR CLOSING TIME!.. Honestly, I cannot put into words how happy and at ease we were after the meal and it was definitely one of the most fulfilling dining experiences that I have had in a while. If you are in Edinburgh and want to try out great Italian food with the most chilled vibe, this is the place to be! Thank you, Mono❤️

Traditional Italian food I visited mono bar the last weekend. Food was fabulous, authentic traditional Italian food, risotto alla Milanese was my favourite! COVID rules are applied and the staff was attentive but not invasive. An outstanding experience. I can’t wait to try their tasting menu when the restaurant will be open!!!