please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Just round the corner from the Café Royal is the Guildford - another architectural masterpiece. I could have spent hours staring at the marvellous ceiling. But instead my eyes were distracted by the equally good range of ales - Orkney IPA & Dark Island, Stewarts Pentland IPA, Natural Selection Bitter Descent, Fyne Jarl, Brewed Awakening Coffee Stout, Old Worthy A Worthy Cause, Allendale Wolf, Fallen Blackhouse Smoked Porter & Alechemy 10 Storey Malt Bomb. I went for the porter which was just to my satisfaction, not too smokey. The only downside was a lack of a real cider. The pub has a galleried area popular with tourists and diners, whilst there is clearly a regular local drinking clientele too. Without a doubt one of the best pubs in Edinburgh.
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Visited August 2014 - lovely pub, great surroundings, friendly staff and 8 real ales on, all good quality. Definitely worth a visit.
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Unfairly, the only time I seem to come in here is when you cannot move in the Cafe Royal next door. This is not a negative review, as this pub stands up on its own merits. Busy - but not as small as next door.
Still love them both.
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Made a day trip to Edinburgh from Cheshire, 3 hour train journey, well worth it.
Visited 6 pubs in all, called in here before catching the train back, only a few minutes walk from Waverley - we planned it that way so we wouldn't have to rush, which is unusually sensible for a pub-crawl day out!!
Excellent pint of Brass Castle Hazelnut Mild - rich, smooth, the correct degree of sweetness for a mild, full of flavour, including vanilla - almost like chocolate ice cream in a glass.
Pub great, good surroundings, good staff, good ale.
Based on our day out, a characteristic of Edinburgh's real ale pubs seems to be knowledgeable, helpful and genuinely friendly staff. (As opposed to the over-rehearsed, soulless chumminess of some pubs I have visited in other towns and cities).
Looking forward to another trip to Edinburgh before too long.
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If we hadn't been to a fair few other pubs during our weekend this would have been considered a great pub by all I'm sure. Lovely interior, friendly staff and good selection of beers. I think we were just "pubbed out" by the time we got here.
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Lovely looking Victorian pub which has apparently being in the same family for over a 100 years.If you're a real ale drinker this must be one of the best pubs in the city.About six mainly Scottish beers available.I was gutted I only had time for one before doing the short walk to Waverley station to catch my train.Will certainly stay for longer next time I am in Edinburgh.
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Lovely looking Victorian pub which has apparently being in the same family for over a 100 years.If you're a real ale drinker this must be one of the best pubs in the city.About six mainly Scottish beers available.I was gutted I only had time for one before doing the short walk to Waverley station to catch my train.Will certainly stay for longer next time I am in Edinburgh.
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Was in here with Dave the Rave before and after the Hibs- Thistle game. They had 4 beers from the Tyne Bank Brewery on, at £2.50 a pint. The Silver Dollar was excellent, and then we got stuck in to the Heavely Porter, which is very aptly named.
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Lively pub with a lot of character and a great selection of well kept ales.
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Started going in here more over the last year or two. The beer is fantastic, and there's always a good few on, at least 5 or 6. Jahl seems to be a regular fixture.
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Reasonable enough pub - ale was good but was in a rush so just a fleeting visit.
anonymous - 18 Apr 2013 20:28 |
Typical Edinburgh pub if you like Victorian architecture. Choice of ales was very good. Landlady, who was serving, was pleasant and chatty. In my opinion one of the best places in Edinburgh to go for a good pint of scottish beer.
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Like a lot of pubs in Edinburgh we visited on our trip - very good old fashioned décor. Reasonable choice of ales which were all kept well.
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Quality bar in central Edinburgh - plenty of real ales and mostly from Scottish breweries - well worth a visit.
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My beer choice was excellent with several Scottish brews available. This is a impressive building with a magnificent interior. It is so handy for Waverley station and Princes Street and is next door to The Cafe Royal - so it has plenty going for it. Well worth a pint or two. Recommended.
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Holbornboy...
There was an 11 day beer festival starting on the 19April, featuring 40 beers from East Anglia. You were in before this I trust. The regular beers are run down prior to these festivals so that 10 new beers are available for the start. I`m sure one the staff could have told you this if you`d bothered to ask.
If you don`t mind me asking though.. What cask ale did you get in the Brew Dog pub?
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What the hell has happened to this pub? A couple of years ago this was arguably the best pub in Edinburgh for real ale. On my recent visit only five of the ten pumps were in use and dispensing a boring choice - two beers from Kelburn, Deuchars and Stewart 80/-. I managed a couple of mouthfuls of the Stewart 80/- before decamping to the BrewDog bar.
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A popular traditional pub just by Waverley Station that boasts a glass turn style entrance.
9 ales on draught of which the majority were Scottish ales when I came in on a Saturday tea time, the one I had was perfectly good.
Restaurant upstairs in the galley area above the pub is interesting.
Pub was okay but I didn't really get a great feel, pleasant staff, fine crowd just not much to report.
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Walked out of the Cafe Royal to come here, because I actually like the idea of being able to breathe when I'm drinking. A bit less crowded, but a lot less manic than its neighbour. Good beer and excellent food. The decor is only a bit less over-the-top than the Cafe Royal, but the experience is much more enjoyable.
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Always a good experience. I have also always found a very good selection of mainly Scottish ales on offer, with only the occasional clipless handpump, and they are in good condition too. The place is usually buzzing with good-natured conversation, between the varied customers and the barstaff as well. A place where the stranger is made to feel welcome.
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Been here many times over the years. It just peeks out from the chaos that is Princess Street. This weekend, I sneaked in whilst the family continued down to the shopping centre. Friday afternoon around 4pm and packed out. Fought way to the bar for a decent pint of Engineer (I think).
Come to this end of town and hit this and the cafe royal together. This is the working class sister to the middle class boozer next door.
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Although a similarly asserting exterior to its nearby neighbour the Cafe Royal, this doesn't quite match up on the inside. But then it's more of an earthy, traditional pub and comparisons with the aforementioned upmarket establishment probably aren't fair. The Guildford offered us I think 4 very decent cask beers, and the Dragonhead was fine, contrary to the last reviewer's experience. Saying this though, I felt a little deflated; not because of what was on but what wasn't a further 6 pumps sat derelict, only taunting the adventurous ale-lover with supposition about what could be. Granted, it's better to stock 4 not 10 if experience shows only 4 can comfortably turn over, but still it seems a shame. It surely could be a means of outdoing the Royal, which whilst good only offers 4 ales... A mixed but affable clientele could be found on a Wednesday afternoon, and my trusty partner-in-booze and I agreed we could've happily whiled away more time here. But the airport beckoned. Oh well, maybe another time. It's a good find, as although it enjoys convenient proximity to Princes Street, it is just far enough from the main drag's hurly-burly to provide a haven of relative peace.
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Hmmm. I must have been here on an off day. I approached the bar to be greeted by a barman with his arms folded. I thought they taught them not to do that at bar school. Dragonhead Stout is one of the great beers. Not here it wasn't. There is no point having ten pumps if you don't keep your beer well. It appears this place may be resting on its laurels. Or perhaps I just ordered the wrong pint on the wrong day? Cafe Royal showed how it should be done later in the day.
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What can i say other than breathtaking decor, excellent beer and convenient location. My favourite Pub in Edinburgh
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Excellent selection of ales in this immaculate pub. Has a very upmarket feel to it, almost too posh! Worth a visit but if you prefer a bit more old world charm I suggest you head over to the Bow Bar or Ryries Bar in Haymarket.
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A not to be missed Edinburgh Classic, great beer, great looking pub and good conversation, a stunningly preserved interior devoid of plastic chain pub instant tat. Lets face it when a pubs this good wht would you want to change anything?
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Right next door to Cafe Royal, it has an impressive interior and even more impressive selection. I counted 10 real ale hand pumps plus another 12 pumps with continental lagers and fruit belgian beers. It can get really busy, so more suitable for an afternoon visit. The Punk IPA (dangerous at 6%) was top class.
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Lovely pub. Only problem - it's too popular! Gets very crowded esp. early evenings, including Saturdays.Partly due to proximity to Waverley Station, buses & Princes Street, but also because it is a fine traditional pub with a good selection of beers, decent food and professional staff.
If you are visiting Edinburgh don't miss this one.
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Thanks for the update jacko72 - bad luck indeed, missing out on 10 new ales just a couple of days later! Just my luck, at least the Wolves won against Hearts. Hope all that made the Jazz Festival had a great time and I'll be sure to give the Guildford Arms another try in the future.
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LondonWolf, seems you were unfortunate on this occaision. The bar were having to run all their ales down for the start of their Sinclair Breweries sponsored Jazz Festival that started on the 6th. There were 10 new ales on from the Friday morning. 4 from Atlas & 6 from Orkney, including Dark Island Reserve 10% for the connoisseur.
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Perhaps we were exceptionally unfortunate, but having been recommended this pub by friends as something of an ale mecca, we were somewhat disheartened to find only the somewhat pedestrian 'Deuchars' available yesterday afternoon. Regulars will be able to advise whether this was a temporary blip - quite a decline from the 8-10 pumps mentioned in previous reviews (?!) or indicative of a more worrying decline. Nevertheless, the place was clean and staff friendly, so would certainly give it another try.
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Has not been in the GBG for a few years, but still a sound port of call with plenty of real ales on offer, generally on good form. A nice pint of Orkney Raven was enjoyed yesterday as the final pint before the train home. Pricier than the Cafe Royal next door, although to be fair the interior is almost as fine.
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Wedge-shaped pub hidden behind the eastern end of Princes Street. The revolving door is an unusual feature. Giant TV above the entrance, which no-one was watching.
Ten handpumps serving, amongst others, Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted, Orkney Dark Island, Thornbridge Seaforth and Raven and Fyne Ales Avalanche. On my visits I tried the Thornbridge Seaforth and the Fyne Ales Avalanche - both were excellently kept. The Avalanche was proving particularly popular.
Probably the best pub for real ale in the town centre.
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well this is probably the best real ale pub in edinburgh . on our visit on a busy friday night there were about 10 real ales some from smaller scottish brewerys such as orkney as well as some of the more well known like harvistoun .,of which i tried a bitter and twisted. it was excellent, as was the caledonian sea dog . it was also good to note that all the caledonian beer was priced at �2.30 a pint .on the down side called in for lunch on saturday and paid �8.95 for haggis neaps and tatties i mean i could have put that together for a quid...tut...
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Was up in Edinburgh last week and popped in to this pub, good selection of ales and i found them all in reasonable condition. Would have to problems coming here again when next in this great city.
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Always has been one of the best pubs in edinburgh , still is an amazing spot for a pint - and something for ever palatte especially real ales .
But it does get hugely busy at the weekends and can be hard to get served from the small bar , but boy is it worth it .
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Arrived on a short pre Christmas weekend to find a beer festival on. Around 10 pumps in use. �3 pint. Worth a look for the architecture. Close to Waverly Station so well worth a visit.
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'Grand' architecture and Sky Sports 2 on with the sound off above the door. Yep, this is a mini-chain city pub alright. Make no mistake, it's a good one. Had no problems with the ale unlike certain contributors (had an Orkney Dark Island here that was pretty perfect), and lives its after-work feel very well.
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Although doing a tour of GBG pubs, we popped into this one as I remembered it from a previous visit, and it must be one of Edinburgh's bests for choice of ales. 4 Atlas and 5 Orkney beers on when we were there and I could not fault the Red McGregor we had. It was busy and the staff were coping very well. Will be back again whether in or out of the guide.
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Had so-so pints of Northern Light and Latitude cask pilsner. Can't judge if that was just the beers themselves or a reflection of their keeping. Mighty tasty goulash unusually paired with penne.
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Excellent pub hidden away in West Register Street, and for some reason not in GBG (unless it's got in this year). Superb selection of ales on in a relaxing, enjoyable town setting. Knowledgeable barman, good conversation with other clientele and overall a well-spent couple of hours.
I will most definitely be back and would recommend this for any crawl.
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Invariably very busy but it feels less touristy than the Cafe Royal. Always worth a visit for the diverse and excellent range of ales.
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I would recommend a visit primarily for the wide range of ales (with Fyne Avalanche, one of my Scottish favourites, seemingly a regular visitor at the moment). A large transient trade means that the rather offhand service is largely unnoticed, together with staff who act as if they have no idea what a full pint is. Architecturally worth a look too, together of course with the Cafe Royal next door.
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Nice pub, love the look of it (although it should be a Sam Smith's to be perfect ;)). Alright staff.
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A wider selection of ales than its more illustrious neighbour help to make this place equally worthy of a visit. There are beers available from all over the UK and a great range. On my visit, beer from Cornwall was available, very rare in Scotland. As you can see, it's also a very handsome place. The ornate plasterwork on the ceiling is a particular draw. The pub has one large room centred around the L-shaped bar, with a seperate restaurant area upstairs. Revolving door is an interesting feature though! Edinburgh has many unmissable pubs for the ale drinker and this is one of them.
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This pub gets a relatively high mark because of its ales, which are a fine selection indeed. The xterior is also very beautiful in a proud, Scottish kind of way. Friendly service is another bonus and the bar and ceiling our wonderful examples of Victoriana. The clientele is too male though.
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For donkey's years I bypassed this place to head for the CR next door. After reading the local CAMRA newsletter I decided to pop in and regretted my previous ignorance!!
Great selection of real ales on offer and all well kept!
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Interesting pub, great choice of real ale, let down on this visit by one unfriendly barman and a strange sewer type smell in one corner of the pub.
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This place is really nice. Beautiful decor, good choice of drinks, nice mix of people. Perhaps a little more expensive than some other bars but well worth it.
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Gorgeous interior, exterior looks good too. Around eight real ales on (with sparklers) and friendly staff. Seemed to be a mix of locals who sit in all day, those just finished work and tourists. It's reasonably close to Waverley Station so if you have an hour to kill, you could do a lot worse than pop in for a swift one, or two.
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Revolving door to the place. Nice range of ales and friendly bar staff.
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Worth finding the dates for their beer festival. They always have a good selection ofwell kept ale. Service is efficient at both bar and food side.
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My first visit in over two years. As usual a above average choice of beers available. I tried the Caledonian XPA and Bitter & Twisted and found both were well kept. A good mix of locals and tourists in as usual.
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I visted on Friday and this is certainly a great pub - lovely interior and welcoming and efficient staff. But ... I sampled three ales and they were all pretty lacklustre. There's a very good selection but they're not well kept. A shame, & I would certainly go back to see if this was a blip ...
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Lovely pub ... the interior is stunning, and the beer always comes with a good variety and is well kept. One of my favourite Edinburgh Boozers.
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My favourite Edinburgh pub. Vast range of Real Ale & single Malts. Always pretty busy when ive been in there so seating is at a premium. Have a restaurant although i have never eaten there so cant comment. Fantastic ceilings worth a visist on their own as is seeing a new customer try to negotiate the revolving door by pushing it the wrong way. A real treat.
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Popped in a couple of time last week whilst in the city. As part of the Edinburgh Festival they currently have a stage in there and there are jazz bands on every night.
Still a good friendly place with exceptional beers. Must be one of the best pubs in Edinburgh.
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Being my first time to Scotland I liked the place. Compared with London, they had an extensive range of whiskies to choose from. I was impressed. Locals & staff alike appeared to be very friendly towards tourists. As opposed to our London counterparts.
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It's always been a pleasure to visit the Guilford Arms but last night's trip was my first since the smoking ban and so from my point of view it was even better than ever.
The pub can be quite lively but it's always felt like a friendly place for an occasional Edinburgh visitor. The beers, as everyone has commented are superb and the choice is excellent.
The prices are more like London prices so be warned.
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Last time I was in here was just before Christmas. I'd always been quite a fan so when visiting Embra a mate and I decided to pop in. Had some superb German wheat beer during the drinking of which we realised Keira Knightley was sat over the way with some of her mates.
So it's home to the stars too!
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Difficult to know what to add to what has already been posted but just to reiterate. The revolving doors are a novel innovation, the celing is a wonder to behold and the real ales are superbly kept, my favourite being Harviestouns Bitter and Twisted.
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Ever since I discovered the Guildford inbetween two train journeys, it's the one and only stopover pub in Edinburgh. Great location across from the Waverley Steps (note: being refurbished at the moment, which means one will have to take a slight detour through the mall), but in a really quiet cobblestoned alley. Classic pub with fabulous ceiling. The food is absolutely high standard and gorgeous (try the smoked mackerel!. The eight handpumps deliver great Scottish ales including of course Caley's but a constantly changing offer of some very elusive ones as well. Can be crowded in weekends, but on weekdays around lunchtime no problem. Boasts TV sport, but never obtrusively. Visit!
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Ah! The Guildford! A VERY fine pub indeed! Another of those bars I frequented as a student, and was delighted to revisit recently to find little had changed (apart from the FANTASTIC range of cask beers now available, not that cask beers weren't available then, but they now have a bigger, better range of draught beers)You'll be lucky to find a table, so hopefully you'll not mind perpendicular drinking. Although the bar is very busy, you won't have to wait for your order to be served. I can heartily recommend the Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted, although will be many others to chose from. Beware of the revolving doors when you leave, especially if you've had a few!!!
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My personal favourite in Edinburgh, a massive range of Real Ale served in a tidy boozer with a nice Victorian interior.
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Lovely pub and beer range/quality excellent - ideal for the station
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Great city atmosphere, good ale and just a great environment in which to have a beer. I agree entirely with the other comments. NEDRAD Approved.
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Excellent beer quality,which was only matched in Edinburgh by The Blue Blazer.Tried several of the brews & they were all top notch.Harviestouns bitter & twisted and a Kelburn brew,being particularly good.
Quite a busy pub with the punters being better dressed than you normally get for a pub with such good beer...Well worth more visits
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This bar is really worth travelling for - even all the way from Norway. Among the many great real ale bars in Edinburgh this is the very best, and the only bar I have given the highest score so far. Cozy, relaxing atmosphere, mix of clientele and even a gallery with a restaurant serving perfect food. And of course, the best of Scottish real ale. I enjoyed some decent halfs of Dark Island, Trade Winds, Clipper IPA and Stuart Ale last time I visit the bar.
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A perfect bar! Splendid victorian interior. Well kept ales from Cairngorm, Orkney, Broughton and Traquair House were on on my visit in sept. Friendly and observant staff.
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Hadn't been for about a year so was looking forward to my visit. Still as good as ever with excellent beers and a friendly environment. Shame I only had 40 minutes before my next (yawn) meeting.
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Splendid pub - the previous contributors are spot on. Quite close to the Cafe Royal, which should also be on your pub itinerary
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You cannot go for a drink in Edinburgh without making your way to the Guildford Arms. This has to be one of the best drinking locations, there are so many good ones to choose from in truth, with great beer, friendly staff all in such lovely surroundings. I shall return here on my next trip for sure.
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Just had to pop into the Guildford again on a recent flying visit to Edinburgh, and the usual selection of Scottish ales were on good form. Only problem was England were getting stuffed in the cricket (ODI not the proper Ashes) and not only did we have to put up with the gloating Scots but there was also a group of Aussies to contend with.
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Excellent pub so near to waverley Station. Friendly atmosphere and good choice of beers.
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One of the better city centre pubs,it's what a pub should be like.
It looks like the Queen Vic inside
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A marvellous "proper" pub - definitely the place to come drinking after you've had a quick look at the Cafe Royal round the corner.
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One of the best in Edinburgh. Canny whack it
Betty Ford - 21 Oct 2004 12:23 |
An amazing old pub with a ceiling that has to be seen to be believed. Good beer, friendly. Thank God it hasn't been torn apart in order to get the youngsters in - as has happened to pubs in my home city, Cardiff.
Owen - 7 Oct 2004 16:02 |
I'll repeat that that was said before - great ale, plenty of real ales, incredible ceiling. Rightly popular with locals and tourists alike. A choir were singing on one visit (no idea why perhaps they like the pub)
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The Guildford is good most of the year - good beer and reasonably quick bar staff, but during the Festival it fills up with tourists drinking a half pint every two hours and regulars steer clear for four weeks. My wife's great-uncle moulded the ceiling, which is stunning. Other pubs in the area with similar ceilings and ornate carvings are The Cafe Royal, round the corner, up the alley and 80 yards further on, Tiles on St. Andrews Square. Both quite trendy, unlike the Guildford which is comfortable.
Willie Wallace - 3 Feb 2004 01:07 |
Located at the East end of Princes St in the town centre, and an ideal place to start or end a pub crawl along the infamous Rose Street. The first thing you notice is the revolving doors you have to get through to enter the pub and once inside the wonderful decorative ceiling. A wide range of beers from Scottish breweries was available plus some foreign lagers. The food is very good and there is a gallery restaurant open in the evenings. Don't forget to visit the Caf� Royal just around the corner, which has an equally impressive interior.
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an amazing former hotel turned pub on the edge of rose st in edinburgh. a real ale lovers dream: over 12 on tap when i visited last week. ornate moldings, dacor, a funky old wooden turnstyle front door, and a cool balcony overlooking the main bar area...nice barstaff and clientele...was greeted warmly by a local who "been drinking there for 30 yrs" and bought my firend and i a final pint before returning to the states. seek out this pub!!
scott - 1 Nov 2003 03:22 |
