The Bon Vivant Reviews Summary

Atmosphere and Decor

Pros:

• "The Bon Vivant instantly transported us to the vibes of Paris!"
• "Excellent food and a super nice vibe inside this well decorated Edinburgh bistro."
• "Great atmosphere. Prompt service. Excellent food and cocktails in a candle-lit, intimate venue."
• "Love the edgy romantic candle lit vibes."
• "The atmosphere is charming. The starter bites are absolutely delicious."
• "The ambiance is cozy, with a sexy charm."
• "Wonderfully cosy & atmospheric wine bar / restaurant with candlelit tables."
• "A very intimate place with a very romantic ambiance."

Cons:

• "But what really killed our visit was the heavy stale air inside, it seems there was no ventilation at all."
• "Can be a bit loud so if you want a quiet meal this probably isn't the place."
• "Atmosphere was loud as a pub."
• "If you're looking for a quiet dining venue this isn't for you."
• "Noisy."
• "For people with high sensitivity it should be kept in mind that the music there is rather loud."
• "We are confident that some of the entrees are good, but we had five small plates — including salads — and it didn't strike us as a 'food' place. Noisy."
• "The only downside is that it can become quite noisy."

Food Quality

Pros:

• "Both mains and deserts were well received too."
• "We had a few of the small bites (mushroom and goats cheese) as well as the steak and the bass and it was all delicious."
• "Had such high hopes. Read some great reviews. The good, our cocktails and small bites were great."
• "The service was excellent and the staff were very attentive and friendly. The food was amazing."
• "Great food and all around experience!! We loved the ‘bites’ selection."
• "The food is consistently first class and nowhere else quite like it in Edinburgh."
• "Absolutely incredible Sunday roast!"
• "Really nicely done bar with a small menu and great service."

Cons:

• "The bad, don't have dinner here. The entrees lacked any imagination."
• "The place is great with a fabulous quirky atmosphere but food was very disappointing."
• "The only downside was that one of my friends did order some other meat dish which was very over cooked."
• "Pro: Fab atmosphere, cheery staff, good food (although venison wasn’t as tender as would have liked)."
• "The food was all very nice; not exceptional."
• "The food and drinks are beautiful and delicious and the staff are genuinely awesome!"
• "The starter bites are absolutely delicious. But then we both had the cassoulet for main which was very dry."
• "We read reviews that were all really good so we booked for a veggie Sunday dinner and was bitterly disappointed."

Service

Pros:

• "The staff were so welcoming and helped us choose from both the wine and the dinner menu."
• "Nothing was too much trouble and the staff were super friendly and attentive."
• "Had lunch here and really enjoyed the experience. The service was excellent."
• "Service was friendly and we didn't feel like we had to wait too long for things to arrive, even though they were very busy."
• "I was very tired and special thanks to the waiter Simeon - he was very attentive and responsive."
• "I visited here about a year or so ago now but I still remember how amazing it was! The service too and had a really cosy atmosphere."
• "Service was so friendly, welcoming and prompt - couldn't have asked for more from our first night in Edinburgh."
• "Friendly possibly French waiter, he was welcoming."

Cons:

• "No idea what happened to our first server. Someone else came by midway through our meal."
• "Server was good, but we were seated between the kitchen and the restrooms."
• "You couldn't pay me to come back here. Wasn't that busy but cocktails took 30mins."
• "We were disappointed as we booked a table for drinks at 6.30pm. We we’re asked if we were ready to order at 6.25pm but asked for a couple more minutes. We were then ignored until 7.05pm."
• "It's hard for a pub to mess up a 'pre-ordered' (and deposit paid) pub lunch but the Bon Vivant managed it."
• "Felt a tad rushed out as the bill was just produced by a waitress and put on the table."
• "Had a table of drinks half full taken away while popping out for a cigarette, no refund or replacements."
• "We were lucky to snag a walk-in table- the place is small. The meal proceeded slowly."