The Cameo Bar sits on Commercial Street, just after Commercial Street Bridge and with a backdoor view over the Water of Leith. That’s a backdoor view popular with smokers who can gather there in the summer, provided it’s not too late, and smoke outside.
As a frequent customer of the Cameo I believe I’ve seen it at its best and at its worst. For me, the Cameo is at its worst when it is packed to the gills and the kitchen is broken.
The Cameo can get very busy. It’s quite a large pub with two serving areas. There are plenty of tables and chairs, some of which are large enough to house office outings and meals. The back area, it’s not a back room per se, has a large projection TV which can be devoted to sports. There are other TVs throughout the bar. This is great news if you want to watch the match. It’s bad news if you’re not a fan then it can be really hard to hide.
The Cameo’s food menu, I think, is pretty good. There’s a range of snacks, to decent meals all the way through to sharing options. The food is one of the reasons the bar gets so busy as the venue is just as good for lunch or dinner as it is for drinks. I prefer the Cameo for an early lunch when it is quiet rather than a dinner or weekend trip when it is likely to be busy.
Over the years the kitchen has been out of action a few days and for a few days. Most pubs are subject to this happening but this blogger wonders whether the Cameo has been a victim of its own success and that their small kitchen sometimes struggles with all the orders. That said, food is normally delivered fairly quickly – provided you do not get trapped behind an order from a large table.
The Cameo does have a function room, extra space that you can book if you are planning a large office outing but it rarely gets used.
The Cameo Bar is a Belhaven Pub . That may put some people off but this reviewer finds Belhaven pubs to be professional run with well trained staff. Never in all my years of going to the Cameo have I encountered staff shortage or sickness as an excuse.
Lastly, the Cameo provides free wi-fi and this is a significant attraction to any respected geek. The internet speed is not good enough to let you stream YouTube to your phone but is certainly good enough to knock the socks off 3G web browsing.
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