Orocco Pier Restaurant — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

With it being a Sunday, it was bustling with large tables in for Sunday Roast. The restaurant itself is decorated beautifully and on entering you’re greeted by a long elegant bar and very eye catching wallpaper.

We were sat in the prime spot in the round table with the best view out over the water. What a backdrop for lunch!

The menu is a mix of seafood dishes and other meat and vegetarian dishes with a definite Asian theme. It’s quite a large menu and I am sure most people will find something they love on it. Initially I was ordering the Salt, Pepper and Chilli Squid (£9.95) with aioli and lime but after enquiring, I was told that the squid is frozen which from experience tends to make the squid chewy so I switched to the Japanese Fried Chicken (£.8.95) with sesame dressing, cabbage and edamame slaw, and a honey and sriracha mayonnaise. I was going to choose the scallops but as I was having seafood for my mains, I thought it best to balance the meal out.

The two chicken pieces where well coated in batter which was crispy albeit a little dark, however the chicken was well seasoned and juicy. Slaw was crunchy and tangy.

Scottish Mussels (£19.95) in white wine, cream garlic and parsley served with homemade focaccia. These also come in a Thai Red Curry and in 1/2 kilo or 1 kilo. Fresh mussels, well cleaned in a creamy garlic sauce - what’s not to love. Only gripe here was that there was huge discrepancies in the size of the mussels. Some were tiny and some up to 3 times the size. Although all tasty, it meant that during cooking the smaller mussels became overcooked whilst the larger ones where cooked to perfection.

I also spotted the The Baked Camembert (£17.50) to share with candied chillies, savoury granola and garlic ciabatta. Sounded the ideal lighter way to start lunch.

Unfortunately there were no oysters available and there was only one half lobster left, which I managed to order!

Note - go early if you want the best of the seafood. We had a 1pm reservation so it may be wise to book for 12noon or maybe a Saturday if you want the best seafood! Samphire is only open Friday, Saturday and Sundays.

Grilled west coast lobster (£31.95 and whole £59.95) with garlic, lemon and parsley butter, hand cut chips and house salad. Loved the presentation of this with the lemon wedged into the claw! Was kinda gutted that I got the smaller claw (hehe - when it comes to lobster who doesn’t want more??). Lobster was drenched in garlic butter, just how I like it.

Roast Seafood platter (£62.95) - half lobster, Cumbrae oysters, fish of the day, whole clams, Orkney scallops, prawns, mussels. This platter sounded superb too but with many of the items not available, there would be no point in ordering.

For this mains it was all about the surf and turf.

28 day aged 225g fillet steak (£38.95) served with hand cut chips, rocket, cherry tomato and parmesan salad, peppercorn sauce (£3.75) and grilled prawns and scallops (£14.95)

Steak was tender although it came medium when we had asked for it medium rare. Well seasoned and a nice piece of fillet. Sauce and chips were spot on and the 2 prawns and 2 scallops added the surf!

Vanilla Creme Brulee with poppy seed shortbread (£8.25). Superb crack on the hard sugar shell but I did miss the genuine vanilla flavour and seeds running through the creme brulee.

IJ Mellis artisan cheese (£11.55) - seasonal cheeses (cheddar, brie and a blue) with oatcakes, grapes and chutney. Good selection of cheeses and a generous platter unfortunately most of the grapes were a little worse for wear.

The staff are fabulous here. Very attentive, friendly, good knowledge of the menu and provide several checkbacks.

The view is superb inside and outside on the balcony and I know why this is a very very popular destination restaurant.

I liked it here. I reckon if you manage to hit the perfect sweet spot of when they have all their produce available - perhaps a Friday night - you’ll be blown away by what they...

Dining at Orocco Pier in South Queensferry presents itself as an appealing prospect, notably due to its enviable views overlooking the iconic bridge. However, a recent visit as a couple left an impression of potential not fully realised.

We opted for a classic beef burger accompanied by fries and a notably minimal portion of coleslaw—barely a tablespoon, merely hinting at what might have been. While the burger patty itself was commendable in quality, it arrived devoid of any sauce—a curious omission given that a burger's essence typically demands some element of moisture and flavour enhancement. Although sauces were offered separately, and ketchup arrived modestly presented in a ramekin, the initial dry assembly felt somewhat incomplete. Further detracting from enjoyment, the bun unfortunately succumbed mid-meal to its own moisture, collapsing into a soggy, less appetising state.

The chicken fajitas at £23 promised much yet delivered surprisingly little. The chicken breast, butterfly-cut, had been grilled excessively, leaving it dry, tough, and rather arduous to chew. Accompanying sides, though commendably prepared in-house, displayed inconsistent execution. The guacamole, fresh yet strangely underseasoned, lacked the necessary punch of flavour, while the salsa similarly failed to impress, deficient in both vibrancy and moisture. Even the assembly baffled expectations—the onions and peppers lay scattered on the plate, distanced from the dry chicken breast, an unconventional and puzzling presentation choice. A modest portion of chopped iceberg lettuce and three small tortillas did little to redeem this fragmented dish.

Despite these shortcomings, the fries stood out—crisp, golden, and pleasingly executed. The restaurant atmosphere was calm, yet the service, though polite, lagged noticeably in attentiveness and efficiency. A 10% service charge automatically added to the bill underscored the venue's premium positioning.

Ultimately, Orocco Pier offers guests a visually striking experience driven by its prime location rather than culinary distinction. With thoughtful refinements in execution and presentation, this dining spot could elevate itself considerably beyond its...

I’ve never in my life written a review like this, but the experience I had today at Orocco Pier was so degrading, so disrespectful, and so racially charged that I feel compelled to speak publicly.

I visited this restaurant with my brother and his wife while on vacation. We were looking forward to enjoying lunch in a scenic spot, but what we encountered was nothing short of disgraceful. From the moment we walked in, we were not greeted, not acknowledged, and completely dismissed. No smile, no welcome — just cold, vacant stares that made it clear we were not wanted.

We were seated next to the bathroom — so close we could hear and smell people using the restroom. That was the first shock. When we politely asked to be moved, the waitress returned only to offer a couch with no table, or a spot near the entrance door — both completely unsuitable for a meal. What made it worse? We could see at least four other free tables, clearly available and not marked reserved. Yet none were offered to us.

The waitress was dismissive and walked away without letting us respond. She made it crystal clear we were not a priority. When we decided to leave — humiliated and disgusted — we weren’t acknowledged. Instead, some staff smirked as we walked out.

This wasn’t just bad service. It was racial profiling, blatant disregard, and a complete lack of human decency. It was the first time in my life I experienced such obvious discrimination, and it was shocking and painful — especially in what should have been a welcoming setting.

To be treated like this in 2025 is horrifying. To be treated like this simply because of who we are — how we look — is shameful on their part.

If you value decency, equality, or simply want to enjoy a meal without being made to feel like an outsider — do not go here. They do not deserve your time,...