Grand Cru
- Food served: Mon–Sun noon–1am
- Bar open: Sun–Thu 11am–1am; Fri 11am–2am; Sat 11am–3am
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 7
- Private dining: Up to 20 covers
- Also offers: Vegetarian options (at least ¼ main courses), Gluten-free options, Children's high chairs
- Music on stereo: House, dance, pop music and R&B, live DJs on Fri/Sat from 10pm
- Opening times: Sun–Thu 11am–1am; Fri 11am–2am; Sat 11am–3am
- Capacity: 75
- Largest group: 35
- Open since: October 2000, relaun
- House wine: £10.20 per bottle
Send us more details about this place.
The 2011/12 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).
Theatrically chic, Grand Cru is an energising venue for an upbeat evening meal. Though the large bar is devoted to drinkers, a separate dining area is juxtaposed comfortably enough to give you some space to enjoy your food. For a less noisy seat, though still far from quiet, choose the smaller room towards the rear with a faux starlit backdrop. Alternatively sink into one of the sumptuous cushioned booths and enjoy the party atmosphere. It is probably the funky interior and weekend revelry that will attract many to return to this trendy New Town bar, but the menu is also good value for money and far from disappointing. Starters are eclectic, ranging from garlic mushrooms to antipasto, duck spring rolls and sesame-seared tuna with wasabi. For mains the pan-fried duck comes nicely cooked with a rich orange and Grand Marnier sauce and the potatoes Dauphinoise, although a little stodgy, are no poor substitute for the plain boiled version. From the succinct dessert menu choose the rustic crème brulee over the slightly disappointing chocolate torte. On a Friday night this is not a venue for the faint-hearted, but it certainly gets top marks for fun.
- High point: Great value for money and great fun
- Low point: Toilets are poorly tended
Reviews of Grand Cru (79 Hanover Street, Edinburgh)
- 5. Ed1nburgh1, Edinburgh – 12 January 2012, 9:10pm
Grand CruReport -
Lucky to get a star!! Awful, starter was dry, hard and OFF!!! Main was dry and unadable, staff didnt anything about it but apologise, after agreeing my meal was dry, wont be going back or reccommending it was terrible!!
- 4. nickyc, edinburgh – 29 November 2011, 3:41pmGrand CruReport
-
Can't understand how people haven't liked Le Grand Cru. I have been there loads of times at lunch time and the food has always been great - tasty, a lot of it and cheap. The wine prices are excellent too. The staff have always been very helpful and friendly and I have recommended it to lots of friends. I LOVE it!
- 3. Lisa C, Dunfermline – 16 October 2011, 11:03pmGrand CruReport
-
Was at Grand Cruz this Saturday and it was pretty awful!
To begin with, I was there in a party of 5, I had booked the table well in advance with a living social deal. I had received a call from Grand Cruz on the Wednesday to confirm my booking but when we arrived, my booking was not on their bookings list for the evening.To list the thing which were a huge dissapointment:
1. The restuarant manager was rude and table staff were rude.
2. There was no house champagne left and the alternatives offered were prosecco
3. Their blender was broken so certain cocktails could not be made and Daiquiris were not frozen daiquiris even though the choice was given
4. No steak or lamb was on the menu (the restaurant/bar should have known these would be popular and anticipated more stock needed to be ordered)
5. Wobbly table meant drinks were spilled including half a glass of champagne
6. When we asked to look at the dessert menu, the restaurant manager in as many words said we had to hurry up and decide what we wanted while she stood at the table looking unimpressed
7. We were not asked if we wanted any coffees and waitress presented us with the bill and said we had to pay as the bar was getting busy
8. Waitresses were shooting our party dirty looks when we talked amongst ourselves as how shockingly poor the service wasOnly redeeming factor was that the food we did order was good but I would not go back as a result of the very poor service!!!
- 2. very unhappy, edinburgh – 1 July 2010, 4:39pmGrand CruReport
-
To be honest, Grand Cru are lucky they even get one star. The service was appalling; the staff were disinterested and rude.
Went with friends for breakfast on a saturday morning. I was disappointed initially when told that there were no vegetarian options available except toast and jam so i ordered this and when it came it consisted of two pieces of bread (barely toasted) with jam...and salad. I was somewhat confused as to why my toast and jam came with a side salad so asked the waiter who bluntly pointed out that they thought my plate looked 'cheap' and so added salad beside it to make it look better!! My friends were equally unimpressed with their food and the service. Also we had to ask for cutlery!
It's a shame because this place has the potential to be really nice but trust me its not worth going to. Plenty of other nice places to go in Edinburgh.
- 1. Ian C, Leith – 2 October 2008, 8:49pm
Grand CruReport -
I would agree with the official List review that the staff are great and it is a nice place for a drink and meet friends but I would forget food.
I had the nachos and a supposed tomato and red pepper soup. It was a watery tasting, unseasoned bowl of passata Neither my girlfriend or I could taste any pepper at all. The nachos were advertised as being covered in monteray jack cheese which turned out to be a greasy, cheap dyed chedder. The bread which came with the soup was stale. All in all very poor for £13. If we go again it will not be for food. There are a lot better places in that part of town. Top marks for services though!
To post a review you'll first need to log in: Forgotten your password?
Not registered? Sign up – it only takes a minute.
RSS feed of these reviews
