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Your favourite Edinburgh pubs


Locky

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The Real Maroonblood
54 minutes ago, leginten said:

 

If you look to the left of the bar in Thomson’s into their kitchen area there’s a photo on the wall of David Gray holding the Scottish Cup.

 

That notwithstanding, it’s a very decent bar and one I meant to have on my list above.

 

Just down towards Haymarket on the other side of the road there’s a newish place called Monty’s which I thought would be a bit poncy and fey for me - advertises “fromage and charcuterie” or some such in the window. It turned out to be really good in terms of range of beers and a simply outstanding choice of whiskies from funky independent bottlers.

I’ve not been there for a long time and it is a good pub particularly when Ian Whyte owned it.

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Stuart Lyon
2 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

If it was Lee he can be excused as he’s a Hibby.

A great guy and one of the best pub managers I've met! In my opinion he's up there with the famous Bill Farmer of the Diggers!

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The Gorgie

Don't really have a favorite as i don't drink in town much but bar salsa can be good but its a bit small. Shandon, Mill, Bensons or luckies on match day.

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The Real Maroonblood
7 minutes ago, Stuart Lyon said:

A great guy and one of the best pub managers I've met! In my opinion he's up there with the famous Bill Farmer of the Diggers!

Absolutely.

Both were really down to earth guys.

Sadly Bill has passed away.

I’ve never seen Ian for years.

I know he had back problems and had to give up the bar trade.

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36 minutes ago, Stuart Lyon said:

A great guy and one of the best pub managers I've met! In my opinion he's up there with the famous Bill Farmer of the Diggers!

Despite being a hibby, Lee’s a great lad. And all pub/bar managers should go and see him for training. 

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3 hours ago, Stuart Lyon said:

I suspect it was Lee thee Manager (dark hair about 5'7" tall) If it was a tall guy then that is Fraser the assistant manager who might have been a bit down because of the cup final result.

 

3 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

If it was Lee he can be excused as he’s a Hibby.

Fraser was the name I heard used by someone at the bar.

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On 31/05/2019 at 14:28, Morgan said:

I knew you’d plump for Thomsons, Stuart.

 

We were in there a week past Sunday. Great pub and good beer but goodness, the guy behind the bar really should be suing the charm school!

 

6 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

If it was Lee he can be excused as he’s a Hibby.

 

6 hours ago, Stuart Lyon said:

I suspect it was Lee thee Manager (dark hair about 5'7" tall) If it was a tall guy then that is Fraser the assistant manager who might have been a bit down because of the cup final result.

Can’t have been because of the Cup Final result, Stuart.

 

As I said in my OP (above) it was a week past Sunday we were in. The Sunday before the final, the day we played Celtic at Parkhead in the league.

 

Maybe he was just having an off day!

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10 minutes ago, Marvin said:

Used to be a regular in the now long gone Rainbow.

 

Westport too :dribble:

You knew Anne-Marie and Brenda in the Western Bar, didn’t you?

 

:lol: 

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8 minutes ago, Morgan said:

You knew Anne-Marie and Brenda in the Western Bar, didn’t you?

 

:lol: 

 

My mate was seeing, Louise iirc from there.  

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Uncle Buck

A few of my current favourites are :

 

Milnes Bar

The Black Cat

Monty’s

Hectors

The Bailie

Caley Sample Rooms

 

Colinton Inn is a decent wee pub for a local.

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Stuart Lyon
1 hour ago, Morgan said:

 

 

Can’t have been because of the Cup Final result, Stuart.

 

As I said in my OP (above) it was a week past Sunday we were in. The Sunday before the final, the day we played Celtic at Parkhead in the league.

 

Maybe he was just having an off day!

 

I should have read it slower Morgan.

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On 31/05/2019 at 13:09, crunchy frog said:

Mid Yoken

Centurion

Southsider

 

All of which have gone to the dogs

 

Persevere

Still good despite it's location

Can get a bit over run with students at times, but still think it's a cracking pub. Decent scran is a bonus, shows all the football, and for a pub so close to town, ridiculously affordable.

 

Found a student saver card lying on the floor once and for a few weeks I used it and was getting pints for £2.15. :lol:

 

we abused it though and got caught out. The extra pound won't kill me. :)

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Shanks said no

Non football depending on my mood and cash balance

 

Cafe Royal

Guildford

Queens

Roseburn

Scotsman Bar - lets see if that gets a reaction..................

Edited by The Frenchman Returns
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Shanks said no
3 hours ago, Marvin said:

Used to be a regular in the now long gone Rainbow.

 

Westport too :dribble:

seemingly the Rainbow/Spice whatever still has a bar, unsure if true?

Edited by The Frenchman Returns
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3fingersreid

Corn Exchange -Baltic street

The Mill (original 1977)

Luckies -early 80’s -1990

Kestrel -Bruntsfield 

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1 minute ago, 3fingersreid said:

Corn Exchange -Baltic street

The Mill (original 1977)

Luckies -early 80’s -1990

Kestrel -Bruntsfield 

Jings!

 

Where the feck did you pluck the Kestrel from?

 

That was like donkeys ago!

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2 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Non football depending on my mood and cash balance

 

Cafe Royal

Guildford

Queens

Roseburn

Scotsman Bar - lets see if that gets a reaction..................

The Cockburn Street Lounge Bar!  :lol: 

 

That reaction ok?

 

:wink: 

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3fingersreid
11 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Jings!

 

Where the feck did you pluck the Kestrel from?

 

That was like donkeys ago!

Had a few beers in there on a Friday after being at Napier COLLEGE as it was , doing my litho print city and guilds . Being a lightweight usually made it to merchiston cr before needing a piss and or a spew ???

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Just now, 3fingersreid said:

Had a few beers in there on a Friday after being at Napier COLLEGE as it was , doing my litho print city and guilds . Being a lightweight usually made it to merchiston cr before needing a piss and or a spew ???

Please tell me you used the Himalaya for a carry-out too?

 

 

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3fingersreid
6 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Please tell me you used the Himalaya for a carry-out too?

 

 

Don’t like curry’s mate , sorry ☹️

Once in a while we’d head down to the dundee arms for a bit of culture tho after the kestrel 

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3fingersreid

We did use the Globetrotter chippy tho , although I’m not sure it was called that back in the early 80’s 

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stevie1874
41 minutes ago, Morgan said:

Please tell me you used the Himalaya for a carry-out too?

 

 

The Himalaya’s a big miss to that area. Gutted when it closed.

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Shanks said no
1 hour ago, Morgan said:

The Cockburn Street Lounge Bar!  :lol: 

 

That reaction ok?

 

:wink: 

You bite, however its actually quite an entertaining excursion as I experienced a few hours ago. Trick is to get a seat and to watch.

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7 hours ago, 3fingersreid said:

We did use the Globetrotter chippy tho , although I’m not sure it was called that back in the early 80’s 

It was. I see they've changed the counter round so it's straight ahead when you go in and not to the left.

 

Was the college union not in a house on Merchiston Place, a stone throw from there?

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3fingersreid
1 hour ago, Lemongrab said:

It was. I see they've changed the counter round so it's straight ahead when you go in and not to the left.

 

Was the college union not in a house on Merchiston Place, a stone throw from there?

It was , as apprentices on block release we were paid by our employers , at that time weekly -and well paid too thanks to union wage structures- so we made full use of the student union . Friday nights in the Bristo Sq union was a cheap night out for drink and lots and lots of lovely female students too . 

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John Findlay
On Thursday, May 30, 2019 at 11:36, Locky said:

Noticed on the bus to work this morning that the infamous Spiers Bar in Goldenacre is gone and has now gone a bit more upmarket. According to Google it changed almost a year ago!

 

Prompted me to think of your frequented Edinburgh pubs, what's left of them anyway.

 

I'll earn no accolades for my favourites but for me Robbie's on Leith Walk, Southsider and the occasional jaunt to the Ferryboat see me right.

Ferryboat. Get a grip man.

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John Findlay
14 hours ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

Non football depending on my mood and cash balance

 

Cafe Royal

Guildford

Queens

Roseburn

Scotsman Bar - lets see if that gets a reaction..................

Scotsman bar is under new ownership. Same owner as the Perch now.

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15 hours ago, 3fingersreid said:

Don’t like curry’s mate , sorry ☹️

Once in a while we’d head down to the dundee arms for a bit of culture tho after the kestrel 

As in Vietnam?

 

Now called The Fountain, I think?

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15 hours ago, 3fingersreid said:

We did use the Globetrotter chippy tho , although I’m not sure it was called that back in the early 80’s 

 

Aye, it was.  ?

 

 

14 hours ago, stevie1874 said:

The Himalaya’s a big miss to that area. Gutted when it closed.

 

Indeed, it was our favourite Indian place for many years.

 

Did you go there regularly yourself?  You may know Darren who worked there for ever.

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4 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Scotsman bar is under new ownership. Same owner as the Perch now.

One of only two pubs in Edinburgh where I have had an early morning pint.

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3fingersreid
2 hours ago, Morgan said:

As in Vietnam?

 

Now called The Fountain, I think?

Thats the pub mate ??

Very educational ??

 

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crunchy frog
23 hours ago, Locky said:

Can get a bit over run with students at times, but still think it's a cracking pub. Decent scran is a bonus, shows all the football, and for a pub so close to town, ridiculously affordable.

 

Found a student saver card lying on the floor once and for a few weeks I used it and was getting pints for £2.15. :lol:

 

we abused it though and got caught out. The extra pound won't kill me. :)

Went in SS last night after meadows festival it was 17 quid odd for 4 Heineken a strongbow and vodka lime soda. Used to put 100 quid a week in their till but pfft it's still a fiasco 

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Currently Bannermans, Innis & Gunn kitchen. Malt shovel.

Back in the day Earl Grey, Conan Doyle, The venue

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Dagger Is Back

Have never been in the Diggers! So

 

Mathers West End

The Guildford 

Queens Arms - my go to pub when I was a lad

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stevie1874
6 hours ago, Morgan said:

 

Aye, it was.  ?

 

 

 

Indeed, it was our favourite Indian place for many years.

 

Did you go there regularly yourself?  You may know Darren who worked there for ever.

Ate there many times and never disappointed. Didn’t know any of the staff but I’d presume Darren was the big guy (non Indian) front of house? Any reason why they sold up as was always busy?

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11 hours ago, John Findlay said:

Ferryboat. Get a grip man.

Tad harsh John.:rofl:

For what it's worth, I've a lot of family down that way and it's their local. My grandad was a regular and passed away last year so it's nice to go back now and again.

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John Findlay
14 minutes ago, Locky said:

Tad harsh John.:rofl:

For what it's worth, I've a lot of family down that way and it's their local. My grandad was a regular and passed away last year so it's nice to go back now and again.

I used to live right across the road from it Ferry Road Place. Not to far away now on West Granton Road 

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10 minutes ago, John Findlay said:

I used to live right across the road from it Ferry Road Place. Not to far away now on West Granton Road 

It's nowhere near as bad as used to be. Now just your average local boozer. Mostly older heads in so a good atmosphere, and shows all the football.

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John Findlay
6 minutes ago, Locky said:

It's nowhere near as bad as used to be. Now just your average local boozer. Mostly older heads in so a good atmosphere, and shows all the football.

I know. It's my son's football coach's local.

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56 minutes ago, stevie1874 said:

Ate there many times and never disappointed. Didn’t know any of the staff but I’d presume Darren was the big guy (non Indian) front of house? Any reason why they sold up as was always busy?

That’s him!

 

He actually was in the place every day from the age of 5 with his mum, who started the business!

 

Believe it or not, he ‘died’ for 15 minutes in 2010 and was brought back to life.

 

Strange but true.

 

Nice speaking to you about this, by the way.  :thumbsup:

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Governor Tarkin

Edinburgh is chock full of public houses of the first rank.

 

I simply love it.

Edited by Governor Tarkin
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stevie1874
26 minutes ago, Morgan said:

That’s him!

 

He actually was in the place every day from the age of 5 with his mum, who started the business!

 

Believe it or not, he ‘died’ for 15 minutes in 2010 and was brought back to life.

 

Strange but true.

 

Nice speaking to you about this, by the way.  :thumbsup:

Just being nosey but any ideas why they closed ?

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On 02/06/2019 at 09:46, John Findlay said:

Ferryboat. Get a grip man.

 

Better off going to the Dookit if it's still around. Ferryboat :rofl:

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Shanks said no
On 02/06/2019 at 09:54, John Findlay said:

Scotsman bar is under new ownership. Same owner as the Perch now.

Also had it first refurb in 20/30 years, one of the few pubs with live music. Can be a bit stag/hen/brave touristy but often bouncing with plenty of bursd

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15 hours ago, stevie1874 said:

Just being nosey but any ideas why they closed ?

No, sorry.

 

I haven’t lived in Edinburgh for 12 years, and although we return four or five times a year, we’ve sort of lost touch with things a bit.

 

There’s a good guy who posts on here ( @Dino Velvet ) who used the Himalaya regularly. He may know the answer to your question.

 

 

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Doctor FinnBarr
On 01/06/2019 at 09:30, superjack said:

The pub that had the best jukebox in Edinburgh.

 

On 01/06/2019 at 09:38, Smithee said:

No way, I saw this post and came on to ask if we were talking about the black pig!

 

 

Good jukeboxes seemed to be Jeff's thing, don't remember much about the one he had in the Pioneer but the one he had in the Blind Beggar was a cracker.

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By area for me personally

 

Northfield: The Scottie 

Porty : Skylark(very snooty however you do get a gem of a DJ in there sometimes) 

Abbeyhill: The Regent 

City Centre: The Guildford Arms(incredible range of beer)

Southside: Droothy Neebors

Lothian Road area: Footlights

Leith: Links Tavern(Bottom Shop) 

 

 

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