Scotsman’s Lounge

Este pub se encuentra muy cerca de donde me alojé en Edimburgo, y todas las noches al volver para el albergue escuchaba la fantástica música en directo que salía de aquí. Así que la última noche me animé a entrar y puedo decir que pasé un rato muy agradable escuchando a un chico de voz ronca cantar varios clásicos. Sin duda, es uno de los mejores recuerdos que me llevo del viaje. El local es auténtico, y en el rato que yo estuve no hubo más turistas a la vista. El precio de las bebidas es correcto y el local dispone de wifi.

It’s not the worst boozer I have been in. It was a Saturday afternoon, the place was pretty busy until the old geezer started to play guitar and sing. A lot of people left, including myself. It’s just a plain pub.

Sitting just off the Royal Mile, the Scotsman has always been one of the busier pubs in the town. Luckily, it’s also always had a reputation for cheap beer and good music.
Not much has ever changed; the declaration of Arbroath still hangs above the bar, it’s still a dangerous task to get from the bar to the back of the pub without spilling anything, and the gents toilets are still tiny, awkward to get to and busy.
But, it’s the Scotsman, so everyone forgives it.
If you’re visiting Edinburgh, and want a proper Scots bar experience, head off the Royal Mile, away from the overpriced cocktail bars and drop in here, even for one.
An Edinburgh tradition (for me, anyway)

cool local pub. had many pints during my stay in Edinburgh. heard some great live music from an older gentleman playing an electric guitar. this pub is a must when you visit Edinburgh.

An absolute hole of a dive if ever there was, they’ve done away with the sawdust because it got spit drenched too quickly.
The Scotsman’s Lounge is as unpretentious a boozer as there is. It has a near equal share of locals and tourists, most tourists are repeat tourists or those that have had it recommended by friends who have been before.
Living only mere metres from the hovel I never go there unless my Swiss friends happen to be here. Every time I venture through the door I ask myself why, but every time I have a great time.
It should be a really bad pub, but somehow it isn’t, somehow, don’t ask me how, it’s actually a great wee boozer which is often packed.

Really cozy pub for a nice pint. Alot of great history in this pub. When I visit it I make sure give a toast to the lads whose pictures are on the wall’s.

seems popular w/​the locals, and random tourists who dare… definitely a blue collar vibe (which i quite like) on the royal mile. if you venture in wearing your louboutins, you might get the up and down a couple of times, but will eventually be welcomed with open arms despite your lack of common sense. live music many nights.
as other reviewers have stated, it is a bit of an ‘old man’s’ pub, but they’re so charming and friendly. i’ve been asked to dance more here (music optional) than practically anywhere else in edinburgh. bartenders are fantastic.

I can’t really say that it was the pub’s fault for being really hot, I just happened to be visiting on the hottest day this year, so far.
The scaffolding outside the pub makes it a bit hard to locate, but I’m sure that the renovation work on the building above must be necessary.
Once inside, you are facing the cute bar. The pub isn’t all that big but it has plenty of floor space to stand about on. It’s about ten yards away from the Royal Mile so attracts all sorts of people, young and old. There are chairs and upturned barrels posing as tables all around the sides.
I was there on Friday night and there was a man with an electric guitar and a microphone in the corner singing lots of well known rocks hits. A woman punter joined him for four songs and was very good.
I’d recommend a visit to this pub to anyone who likes a relaxed and friendly place to enjoy a wee drink.

After enjoying baked potato goodness on the pavement across the street we needed something to wash it down with. Luckily this little gem caught our eye and we ventured in. Though at first glance it appeared too crowded for us a table was just emptying so we grabbed it and decided to stay. We ordered a pint and a half at the bar where there was no wait and total cost was less than £5. There was entertaining people watching, clean facilities, and cheap drinks. We’ll be back.

I always avoided going in this place as I thought it looked like a bit of an ‘old man’ pub. Last night I finally ventured in, and will definitely be back!
I still think it’s an old man’s pub (complete with local oldies taking up their resident spot at the end of the bar), but they seemed harmless enough, even to myself, with an accent that makes me sound like a tourist.
We were originally drawn in because of the live music — turns out it was Andy Chung, playing his usual Sunday night set. I’ve heard recordings of his stuff before, but it was even better to see him live.
The owner was there serving and making sure our glasses were always cleared, even when the place was heaving. The staff were all great: chatty, and quick to get our orders. One bartender even remembered our drinks, even when it wasn’t the same person ordering them.
My drinking partner and I (both Canadian) appreciated some Neil Young covers. Andy Chung was probably less appreciative of us yelling out ‘more Canadian songs’ more than needed.
A nice mix of tourists and locals, great tunes, and a relaxed atmosphere.

The Scotsman’s Lounge is one of my favourite pubs in Edinburgh. Although it is fairly small inside with just the one room, there is an incredibly lively and friendly atmosphere about it. Situated on Cockburn Street, Scotsman’s Lounge is right in the city centre and it is just around the corner from the Royal Mile and so it is a great place for tourists to go.
This place is a very traditional Scottish pub, as inside the walls are filled with history and Scottish culture, including paintings, artefact’s and the bagpipes. Scotsman’s Lounge serves a wide selection of different beers, ales and wines, along with the usual standard spirit collection so there is something for everyone. Live music is played most nights, mostly it is local folk artists who play, and the people I have seen play have been fantastic, creating a lively atmosphere.
Most of the clientele at this pub are locals, so I tend not to come here late at night, as they can be quite sleazy and off putting. A really rustic pub which is a great place to go to listen to live music.

I’m with the other reviewers — The Scotsman Lounge has something charming and relaxing about it.
Located in an area of Edinburgh that is hoaching with tourist traps (that probably bore visitors as much as locals), The Scotsman’s Lounge keep it simple and authentic. It’s a straight up, honest pub with a good selection of booze and lots of corners where you can grab a few quiet ones with your mates.
Along with the generally good natured locals, you get a lot of tourists and commuters drinking in here, too. That only adds to the dimenions of this pub, and gives the atmosphere a nice, varied buzz.
I have yet to stumble in here on a night they’re playing live music, but I’m sure it’s good (even when it’s bad). As Gavin said it beats leary joints pumping out the karaōke. Overall, there’s something refreshingly basic about this pub — it lacks the pomp and swagger of many Edinburgh bars (a good thing), but what you can hope for is good service and a sincerely good night out.
Tip for the tourists — a lot of the guided walks (including the ghosty ones) meet outside here!

This pub combines old man-​ness with live music perfectly, and still retains that warm, cosy and sometimes foosty smelling goodness you get from a traditional Scots boozer.
The location is superb and the staff are super upbeat and friendly, and when I went it seemed that the place was more local based that touristy. It can get incredibly busy which makes it basically impossible to hear, and one time a guy knocked my drink clean out of my hand! He did buy me another and apologise though, a true Scottish gentleman!

On the first day I moved to Edinburgh university, having moved all my stuff into my new flat and wondering what to do next, me and my family wandered down Cockburn Street to find some breakfast. As we sat in a small café just down the curving street, I noticed that, even at 10.30am, there were people outside the Scotsmans Lounge having what seemed like a great time.
I made a mental note then that I would try this place out, and it turned out to be quite a place. A very traditional ‘old man pub’, the Scotsmans Lounge is a dark, crowded and cosy place, which has a very charming atmosphere — I have never been here and not had a good time, or a night that has ended up without some funny story or other.
Its often the case that this place has live music on, or sports on TV, which really is no more than a bit of a distraction away from the general vibe of the place. The bar is well stocked with everything you could imagaine to be in a pub like this, and although I have seen cheaper, its no more expensive than other places in this area.

I used to come here regularly when I studied abroad in Edinburgh back in ’04 and it had a great vibe then. Crowded, dark, felt pretty authentic to me. I would go with my buddies to see some live music there, our favorite was a band called Rantum Scantum, top quality entertainment. I suppose we did get some looks sometimes for being the random American girls drinking pints of Guinness, but it’s all good. If the place is still the same, it’s a good time!