The Alchemist St James Quarter — Restaurant in City of Edinburgh

Booked a reservation to celebrate a birthday on a Thursday evening in the summer. The restaurant was empty but that didn’t bother us or affect our experience. With that in mind, we didn’t know why it took so long for someone to take our order. We eventually got our food which tasted good but when it was time to order dessert, we were informed the kitchen was closed.. it was only 10pm which was not late at all and on this Google Maps page, it even says the kitchen doesn’t closed until 10:30pm!

We were extremely confused as usually, you get informed that the kitchen will close soon and asked if you want to order anything else (we saw the same thing happen to another table after). This was also very disappointing because, as I had mentioned before, we were celebrating a birthday so wanted something nice and sweet to end the meal, this was noted on the reservation but not acknowledged once. Since we were quite upset, we decided to just get the bill but did confront to wait about the time the kitchen was supposed to close as our experience at the restaurant was ruined from that point. The staff member who brought over the bill mentioned that the service charge was optional which we thought was strange as this is not something you usually mention but we gathered it’s because we saw them looking over at our table when we was visibly upset about not being able to get dessert for the birthday meal.

Despite it taking some time to take our food order, they were fast to come and settle the bill. We did ask to remove the service charge but decided to also confront them about the kitchen closing time. The server went to check and brought over a folder which had the kitchen closing times, letting us know that in fact, they made a mistake in closing the kitchen early and if we wanted to still order. (We got the impression that they closed the kitchen early cause the restaurant was empty but they still should’ve informed anyone who was still dining).

We did end up getting dessert as we had already decided what we wanted we asked for the bill after, expecting the service charge to be removed since we had already asked them to do it before because even though we were able to get dessert in the end, the experience was already tainted. The bill came and the service charge was not removed so we had to ask again and there was no acknowledgment/apology of what happened. We are not confrontational people and work in the restaurant industry so are understand how things should be done. We would not and did not ask for any discount of the meal as this is something the server should offer as an apology so we just settled to not pay the service charge.

We went to visit Scotland from London for a birthday trip and was excited for this birthday meal but were upset with was we experienced, especially for the standard/cost of the restaurant. I leave this reservation a few months after we went to the restaurant as I was quite shocked at what happened at the time and just wanted to enjoy the rest of the trip. However, I can’t seem to forgot what a disappointing experience it was.. don’t often leave bad reviews and only do when I believe others...

I read a few of the negative reviews on here about this place but I know what the public can be like so I dismissed them to give this place a chance. We didnt have any food so I cant comment on that. The drinks themselves tasted good and the bar staff were great (they seem to be the only staff that actually do any of the manual work). We arrived from the street entrance and we werent greeted by anyone we had to walk into the restaurant area and look for someone to help us. I said we had a reservation for drinks at 4pm which we were 10 mins early for the blonde member of staff (not bar staff but unsure of her actual role) just said thats fine take any seat you want and go to the bar to order. Which would have been fine .. had I not booked online and received an email from the establishment that literally says “This is a drinks reservation for the restaurant area. You will receive full table service.” I don’t think it bizarre to then be expecting table service when we arrived especially since it asked for any special requests on seating on the booking also. It was disappointing that we were not receiving table service and like some of the reviews stated previously it ruins the magic a bit having to carry your cocktail to the table yourself as half of the drama has been and gone by the time you reach the table. I thought that maybe the blonde staff member had missheard me or missunderstood me so my partner checked at the bar we definitely weren’t to be receiving table service to which the man said “only if you get food do they give you table service” obviously again understandable had the actual booking confirmation email not said we would receive full table service for our DRINKS only booking ?? We only really came here for the dramatic instagramable drinks and many of the ones i wanted to try i didnt because for example- the bubble would have burst on the way to our table before i could get a pic - so I didn’t really want to waste money. Its a shame as i was super excited to go here and thought other peoples reviews were being dramatic but unfortunately was quite disappointed with the whole experience as we were being promised something that obviously was incorrect. There were about 5/6 women around a table who were not in bartender aprons but who obviously were staff - possibly holding a casual work meeting or something- but it wasnt a good look after being promised table service and not receiving it so maybe its an idea to have these sort of meetings in the back staffroom area? As it felt like you werent really valued as a customer. The cocktails were nice enough and the bartenders were great but the rest of the in house staff seemed a bit pointless and to confirm you definitely don’t receive full table service for a drinks only booking like the email confirmation states. A shame but no desire to return. The music wasnt too loud at all though so they at least have fixed that common issue i kept seeing in...

This was the 4th time going to the Alchemist in the last 6 months and on previous vists I have been pleased with the service and cocktails and really enjoyed my experience.

Last night however, i was extremely disappointed with the service which has put me off recommending or going back for the time being. Firstly, when we arrived and sat at our table, one of the waiters started telling us of other pubs we could go to. We were confused and thought she was asking us to leave until she realised that it wasn’t us who had asked for pub recommendations. Since this was an easy mistake to make, we didn’t let it bother us and went on to choose our cocktails. I was then surprised to be told we were to order our drinks at the bar (which hasn’t been the case before). Assuming that at least our cocktails would be brought over to us, I ordered a cocktail that involved fire and looked forward to them bringing the Bunsen burner over for the spectacle like I had seen happen before. My friend went to order the drinks and soon after, we heard a cheer from the bar and I looked round too late to see the special effect that had already happened to my drink for the bar standers rather than the person paying for the drink!

I went up to the bar and said that I was expecting the special effect to have happened at my table or at least warned that it was about to happen but was told that they always do them at the bar. I explained that I had seen that cocktail being set on fire at a table in the past, hence why I choose it, along with other special effects but the bar tender said that must have been during covid times. I said that I had been in 3 weeks ago and been given table service and he replied that I ‘must have been special’ which I thought was rude! When I informed him that I had seen this particular cocktail being presented at another table and other cocktails being delivered and presented at tables every time in the past, he shrugged and said ‘well it’s just bar service here’ and walked away.

This wasn’t the only disappointing cocktail of the evening - my friend lost the bubble off the top of the cocktail she was carrying back to the table for someone else so another wasted special effect cocktail!

I have come to the conclusion that if all drinks are now being served at the bar, then special effects are null and void unless the whole party come to the bar together to see and drink what is being made (are we expected to spend our time all standing at the bar?) and therefore the whole experience is downgraded and not worth the extra cost!

I was also disappointed that the staff member was not being accurate with regards table vs bar service - and implying that table service has never been a...