The Whistle Stop Barber Shop

Stopped in here yesterday for a bite to eat for lunch, as I had been meaning to since I heard there was an American place opening up in Edinburgh. As an American, I love hot dogs and American food so I’m glad I finally got the chance to try The Whistle Stop. My boyfriend and I came in late for lunch and it was pretty quiet, but I was impressed by the atmosphere of the place, it seemed like a cool place to catch a drink and hang out with friends after work or at lunch time. There are a few really big booths there so it is good for groups of people!
We ordered the fried tomatoes, fried chicken bits, Philly cheesesteak egg roll, and a hot dog. I keep ordering fried tomatoes wherever I go in Edinburgh and not getting what I expect… and these weren’t amazing either. Too soggy. Oh well. All of the other food was really good. The best thing was the Philly cheesesteak egg roll, which I actually thought would be weird. I would absolutely order that again! Fried chicken was quite nice and the hot dog was pretty close to a standard American hot dog that I know and love!
I will definitely update this review once I try their cocktails, as I saw the bartender making some and they looked quite amazing and delicious.

I visited on a Friday night for a friend’s birthday drinks and because it’s the midst of Christmas party season the place was mobbed. However, a couple of booths had been reserved for us, and we weren’t neglected by the staff who swung by reasonably frequently to take orders for drinks as well as food.
I only had a wee order of chicken wings but they were perfectly tasty & hot and not bad for only £3.50.
I discovered an elderflower & gin cocktail on the promos menu and that was me set for the night. £3.95 for an elegant looking short drink, floral and with a hint of cherry from the maraschino liquor — super tasty! I’d go back just for these.
There’s apparently a live DJ on Friday nights, and we were enjoying the tunes — we were all boogying away in our booth to the classics anyway! Must point out how super hospitable the staff were — friend brought birthday cake and they brought it out with added candles and all the necessary plates, knives and forks!

This reopened as Whistle Stop Barbershop in September to replace Rascals. It’s got some barber shop themed decorations but it’s not over the top.
I met a friend for a quick lunch which I don’t think we’ll repeat here. The service started off great with drinks orders taken and delivered promptly, then our waitress went on a break and the other two staff ignored us for 10 minutes until we asked one of them if we could order. It then took another 15 minutes for a Cobb salad and grilled sandwich to arrive. There was no check back on the food and we had to grab someone again to ask for water. The original waitress came back from her break in time for us to ask for the bill and then returned with £12 change from a £18 bill (paid with a £20 note) as the till said so? Considering there were maybe four tables for lunch the service was very disorganised.
The food was nice and the atmosphere ok but with so many other options in the area (with lunch special deals) I don’t think I’ll be back for food but might try it for drinks as the cocktail menu looks interesting.

In the spot previously occupied by the very disappointing Rascals comes a really smart new cocktail bar and diner. From the team behind Tonic, the food covers diner classics with burgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, salads, pizzas and chicken n waffles. Their cocktail menu is inventive and they have a very well-​priced list of specials. While there’s some room for improvement on the drinks, I really liked the place, particularly the burgers, so I’d suggest you check it out.
Overall, we said: «I was impressed with the Whistle Stop Barber Shop. The atmosphere is welcoming and has none of the „too cool for school“ feel that the name might conjure up for you. I’d recommend a visit and look forward to going back again myself to explore more of the menu.»