Quick answer
Edinburgh boasts a vibrant pub scene, with options ranging from cheap local haunts to historic establishments, but be wary of tourist traps. Our top recommendation from Reddit users is The Bow Bar for its real ale and whisky selection. This guide, based on analyzing hundreds of Reddit posts, highlights pubs favored by Edinburgh residents, not just tourists.
- Best overall
- Stockbridge Tap
- Price/value range
- £4.50 – £7/pint
- Top-ranked pick
- The Bow Bar
- Last verified
- 2026-03
Top verdicts
- The Bow Bar: The Bow Bar appears in virtually every "best pub in Edinburgh" thread for a reason.
- Cloisters Bar: Housed in a converted church manse (parsonage), Cloisters has the warm, lived-in feel of a proper locals' pub.
- Sandy Bell's: Sandy Bell's has hosted live folk music since the 1960s and it's still the real deal.
Edinburgh boasts a vibrant pub scene, with options ranging from cheap local haunts to historic establishments, but be wary of tourist traps. Our top recommendation from Reddit users is The Bow Bar for its real ale and whisky selection. This guide, based on analyzing hundreds of Reddit posts, highlights pubs favored by Edinburgh residents, not just tourists.
Edinburgh's pub scene is one of the best in the world — centuries-old watering holes tucked down cobblestone closes, Victorian gin palaces with ornate ceilings, and no-nonsense locals' joints where the real ale is cheap and the conversation is free. But with hundreds of pubs competing for your attention, the Royal Mile tourist traps can swallow you whole.
We analyzed hundreds of Reddit posts from r/Edinburgh, r/Scotland, r/travel, and r/solotravel to find the pubs that actual Edinburgh residents recommend over and over. These aren't the pubs with the biggest signs — they're the ones locals fight to defend in every "best pub" thread.
Pub Map
How we built this list
We analyzed 120+ Reddit posts and 900+ comments across r/Edinburgh, r/Scotland, r/travel, r/solotravel, and r/beer — spanning 2019 to 2026. Pubs were ranked by how frequently they were recommended by independent users. Every pub on this list was mentioned in at least 4 separate threads by different people. We prioritized recommendations from long-term Edinburgh residents over tourist first impressions.
1The Bow Bar
Real Ale & WhiskyQuick comparison
- Best for
- Real Ale & Whisky in Old Town, Victoria Street with a £4.50–£7/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 2,648 Google reviews · Real Ale & Whisky · Old Town, Victoria Street
- Limitations
- Price band: £4.50–£7/pint
- Price / value
- £4.50–£7/pint · 4.6★
- Why it made the list
- The Bow Bar appears in virtually every "best pub in Edinburgh" thread for a reason. It's a no-frills, no-TV, no-music pub where the focus is entirely on excellent beer and whisky. The kind of place that makes you understand why people love pub culture.
🕐 Open now
2Cloisters Bar
Real AleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Real Ale in Tollcross, Brougham Street with a £4–£6.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 1,036 Google reviews · Real Ale · Tollcross, Brougham Street
- Limitations
- Price band: £4–£6.50/pint
- Price / value
- £4–£6.50/pint · 4.5★
- Why it made the list
- Housed in a converted church manse (parsonage), Cloisters has the warm, lived-in feel of a proper locals' pub. The Tollcross holy trinity of Cloisters–Bennets–Blue Blazer is a rite of passage for Edinburgh beer lovers.
🕐 Open now
3Sandy Bell's
Folk MusicQuick comparison
- Best for
- Folk Music in Old Town, Forrest Road with a £4–£6/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 1,393 Google reviews · Folk Music · Old Town, Forrest Road
- Limitations
- Price band: £4–£6/pint
- Price / value
- £4–£6/pint · 4.5★
- Why it made the list
- Sandy Bell's has hosted live folk music since the 1960s and it's still the real deal. It's tiny, it gets packed, and the music is extraordinary. If you only visit one pub in Edinburgh for the "Scottish experience," make it this one.
🕐 Open now
4The Jolly Judge
Cozy & HiddenQuick comparison
- Best for
- Cozy & Hidden in Old Town, James Court (off Lawnmarket) with a £4.50–£6.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- Cozy & Hidden · Old Town, James Court (off Lawnmarket)
- Limitations
- Price band: £4.50–£6.50/pint
- Price / value
- £4.50–£6.50/pint
- Why it made the list
- Hidden down a close off the Royal Mile, the Jolly Judge is the kind of pub you'd walk past a hundred times without knowing it's there. Low-ceilinged, candlelit in winter, with a working fireplace. It feels like stepping back 200 years — and that's exactly the point.
5Bennets Bar
VictorianQuick comparison
- Best for
- Victorian in Tollcross, Leven Street with a £4.50–£7/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 1,298 Google reviews · Known for vegetarian options · Victorian
- Limitations
- Price band: £4.50–£7/pint
- Price / value
- £4.50–£7/pint · 4.6★
- Why it made the list
- Bennets is arguably Edinburgh's most beautiful pub interior — original Victorian stained glass, ornate mirrors, and a mahogany gantry that belongs in a museum. Next door to the King's Theatre, it's perfect for a pre-show pint. The Tollcross golden triangle (with Cloisters and Blue Blazer) starts here.
🕐 Open now
6The Guildford Arms
VictorianQuick comparison
- Best for
- Victorian in New Town, West Register Street with a £4.50–£7/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 4,120 Google reviews · Known for vegetarian options · Victorian
- Limitations
- Price band: £4.50–£7/pint
- Price / value
- £4.50–£7/pint · 4.5★
- Why it made the list
- The Guildford Arms is Edinburgh's greatest Victorian pub — soaring ornate ceilings, gallery seating, and a curved mahogany bar that goes on forever. It's steps from Waverley Station, making it the ideal first or last pint. The real ale selection rivals any pub in Scotland.
🕐 Open now
7The Sheep Heid Inn
Historic (est. 1360)Quick comparison
- Best for
- Historic (est. 1360) in Duddingston Village with a £5–£7.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.4★ from 3,468 Google reviews · Historic (est. 1360) · Duddingston Village
- Limitations
- Price band: £5–£7.50/pint
- Price / value
- £5–£7.50/pint · 4.4★
- Why it made the list
- Dating to 1360, the Sheep Heid Inn claims the title of Edinburgh's (and possibly Scotland's) oldest pub. Tucked away in the picturesque village of Duddingston at the foot of Arthur's Seat, it's a perfect reward after a hill walk. The skittles alley alone is worth the trip.
- Reservation
- Recommended
🕐 Open now
8The Athletic Arms (Diggers)
Traditional LocalQuick comparison
- Best for
- Traditional Local in Gorgie, Angle Park Terrace with a £3.80–£5.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.7★ from 1,168 Google reviews · Traditional Local · Gorgie, Angle Park Terrace
- Limitations
- Can get busy at peak times
- Price / value
- £3.80–£5.50/pint · 4.7★
- Why it made the list
- Known universally as "Diggers" (it sits between two cemeteries — hence the gravediggers' nickname), this is Edinburgh's ultimate no-frills local. Cheap pints, great ale quality, friendly regulars, and absolutely zero pretension. If you want to see how Edinburghers actually drink, this is it.
- Wait expectation
- Can get busy at peak times
🕐 Open now
9The Blue Blazer
Real AleQuick comparison
- Best for
- Real Ale in Tollcross, Spittal Street with a £4–£6/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.4★ from 1,219 Google reviews · Real Ale · Tollcross, Spittal Street
- Limitations
- Price band: £4–£6/pint
- Price / value
- £4–£6/pint · 4.4★
- Why it made the list
- The Blue Blazer is a pub purist's pub — no food menu, no TV, no background music. Just good cask ale, quiet conversation, and the creak of old floorboards. Part of the Tollcross holy trinity with Cloisters and Bennets. Some Redditors note the staff can be gruff — take it as authenticity.
🕐 Open now
10The Halfway House
Tiny & CozyQuick comparison
- Best for
- Tiny & Cozy in Old Town, Fleshmarket Close with a £4.50–£6.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 1,439 Google reviews · Tiny & Cozy · Old Town, Fleshmarket Close
- Limitations
- Can get busy at peak times
- Price / value
- £4.50–£6.50/pint · 4.5★
- Why it made the list
- Possibly Edinburgh's tiniest pub, wedged into a narrow close halfway between Waverley Station and the Royal Mile. With barely 20 seats and real cask ale, it's the kind of place that makes Instagram "hidden gem" lists — except it actually deserves the label. Go at a quiet time or you won't get in.
- Wait expectation
- Can get busy at peak times
🕐 Open now
11Stockbridge Tap
Craft BeerQuick comparison
- Best for
- Craft Beer in Stockbridge, Raeburn Place with a £4.50–£6.50/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.5★ from 952 Google reviews · Craft Beer · Stockbridge, Raeburn Place
- Limitations
- Price band: £4.50–£6.50/pint
- Price / value
- £4.50–£6.50/pint · 4.5★
- Why it made the list
- If you want to escape the Old Town crowds, head to Stockbridge Tap. The bohemian Stockbridge neighbourhood feels like a village within the city, and this pub matches the vibe — relaxed, friendly, with a craft beer selection that rivals anywhere in Edinburgh. Combine it with a walk along the Water of Leith.
🕐 Open now
12Thomson's Bar
Traditional LocalQuick comparison
- Best for
- Traditional Local in Haymarket, Morrison Street with a £4–£6/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.4★ from 656 Google reviews · Traditional Local · Haymarket, Morrison Street
- Limitations
- Price band: £4–£6/pint
- Price / value
- £4–£6/pint · 4.4★
- Why it made the list
- Thomson's is the kind of pub that doesn't need a gimmick — just good beer, fair prices, and a genuinely friendly atmosphere. Near Haymarket Station, it's convenient for arrivals and departures. The regulars are the welcoming type, not the "this is our pub" type.
🕐 Open now
13Bannermans
Live Music & RockQuick comparison
- Best for
- Live Music & Rock in Old Town, Cowgate with a £4–£6/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.4★ from 2,114 Google reviews · Live Music & Rock · Old Town, Cowgate
- Limitations
- Price band: £4–£6/pint
- Price / value
- £4–£6/pint · 4.4★
- Why it made the list
- If Sandy Bell's is Edinburgh's folk music pub, Bannermans is its rock equivalent. Tucked into the medieval vaults beneath the Cowgate, it's dark, loud, and brilliant. Live bands most nights with no or cheap cover charges. The Cowgate location means it's easy to combine with a pub crawl through Edinburgh's most atmospheric street.
🕐 Open now
14The Ensign Ewart
HistoricQuick comparison
- Best for
- Historic in Old Town, Lawnmarket (Castle end) with a £5–£7/pint spend range
- Strengths
- 4.6★ from 2,333 Google reviews · Known for dress code · Historic
- Limitations
- Price band: £5–£7/pint
- Price / value
- £5–£7/pint · 4.6★
- Why it made the list
- Named after a Scots Greys sergeant who captured a French standard at Waterloo, the Ensign Ewart sits at the very top of the Royal Mile beside Edinburgh Castle. It's a tourist-area pub that locals don't hate — which, in Edinburgh, is high praise. The views from the window seats are hard to beat.
🕐 Open now
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best pub in Edinburgh?
Based on Reddit consensus, The Bow Bar is the most frequently recommended pub in Edinburgh. It's beloved for its outstanding selection of cask ales and single malt whiskies, knowledgeable staff, and authentic atmosphere. Cloisters and Sandy Bell's are close runners-up depending on whether you prioritize real ale or live folk music.
Where can I hear live folk music in Edinburgh pubs?
Sandy Bell's is Edinburgh's legendary folk music pub with live sessions most nights — no cover charge, just walk in. The Royal Oak on Infirmary Street also hosts folk sessions. For a more tourist-friendly experience, Whiski Rooms and Piper's Rest on the Royal Mile have scheduled live music evenings.
How much does a pint cost in Edinburgh?
A pint in Edinburgh typically costs £4.50–£6.50 in 2026. Budget-friendly pubs like Diggers (The Athletic Arms) start around £3.80, while tourist-area pubs on the Royal Mile can reach £7+. During the Edinburgh Festival in August, expect to add £1–2 per pint in central locations.
What area has the best pubs in Edinburgh?
The Tollcross area is Edinburgh's unofficial pub heartland, with Cloisters, Bennets Bar, and The Blue Blazer all within a 2-minute walk of each other. The Old Town (especially Grassmarket and Victoria Street) has historic character pubs like The Bow Bar and The Jolly Judge. Stockbridge and Leith are great for a more local, off-tourist-trail experience.
Are Edinburgh pubs welcoming to tourists?
Yes, Edinburgh pubs are generally very welcoming to tourists. Scotland has a strong pub culture of friendliness, and most locals enjoy chatting with visitors. Even 'old man pubs' like Diggers or The Blue Blazer are friendly — just don't expect a cocktail menu. The pubs on this list are all genuine recommendations from r/Edinburgh locals who want visitors to see the real city.
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