Review: Chilo’s, a burger restaurant on Clerk Street

A review of Chilo’s, a burger joint on South Clerk Street that has aspirations for greatness but is let down by the details.

During the Edinburgh Festival, finding a moment of peace and a square meal can feel like an impossible quest. To escape the crowds and in a desperate search for protein and fibre, I ducked into Chilo’s Burgers on South Clerk Street with mixed thoughts. You can’t go wrong with a burger in a bun, and I was fairly impressed by the ambitious menu.

My first impression, however, was that a small hurricane had just passed through. The place was messy. While the constant churn of the Festival crowd might be to blame, the general state of things felt neglected. It was a theme that, unfortunately, would continue.

The Venue

Chilo’s on South Clerk Street is a long, thin restaurant. You couldn’t get a couple of rugby players standing side-by-side in here, but there is enough room to walk between the tables. There’s just enough space for two at a table, but it all felt quite grotty.

While waiting for my food, a trip to the toilet revealed the restaurant’s strange paradox. It showed that Chilo’s aspires to be fantastic; there was a heated, light-up mirror in the gents, the type that prevents condensation. Yet, the facility hadn’t been cleaned for hours, if not days. It’s a jarring contrast: high-tech fittings in a low-hygiene environment.

The Food and Drink

My attention immediately went to the giant burgers. Chilo’s offers monster challenges like the “King Kong Burger”, the “King Ghidorah Burger”, and the “Kaiju Burger”. I was up for it. Give me a giant burger.

The food didn’t take too long to arrive; I wouldn’t call it fast food, but the service was prompt. My Kaiju Burger was neatly wrapped in paper, a clever, Japanese-style touch that prevents the pulled meat from dripping everywhere. You aren’t really expected to touch the food with your hands.

And the burger itself? It was good. Not great, but good. It was absolutely what I needed at the time, a satisfying and hearty meal. The surprising aspect, though, was the drink. Chilo’s has its own range of sodas, and the no-sugar cola was absolutely fine. No complaints whatsoever. Do we need another cola in the world? I don’t know, but it speaks to the brand’s ambition.

Things to do in Southside

South Clerk Street is in Edinburgh’s vibrant Southside, a short walk from the main Festival hubs around the Bridges and the Royal Mile. If you’re looking for an escape from the madness, this area is a great tip. You can leave the crowds behind with a five or ten-minute walk.

The neighbourhood is packed with theatres and venues like The Queen’s Hall and Summerhall, a multi-arts complex. For a unique experience, you can book a tour at Pickering’s Gin Distillery, located in the old animal hospital at Summerhall. If you’re heading into the city, consider booking your tickets for attractions like The Edinburgh Dungeons in advance to skip the queues.

Transport is easy, with numerous Lothian Buses running along Clerk Street. For travel further afield, both Edinburgh Waverley and Haymarket stations are easily accessible. If you need somewhere to stay, you can find a range of hotels and apartments on sites like Expedia and Hotels.com. And for travellers with luggage, services like Radical Storage offer convenient drop-off points.

Overall

Chilo’s is a brand that is clearly going places. With a half-dozen locations across Scotland, their own cola, and heated mirrors in the loos, they have big ideas. This visit, however, didn’t quite knock my socks off. I can’t criticise the food too heavily, but the experience was marred by a lack of cleanliness.

If the restaurant had just been a bit cleaner, if I had felt a bit more comfortable in the space, it would have been a fantastic little oasis. It’s on my radar, and I might go back. Recommended if you’re on a mission to try one of Edinburgh’s biggest halal burgers, but otherwise, you might want to fish around.