Thistle Street Bar

I went in for a drink on my last night in Edinburgh, and the two bar tenders were both very friendly and knowledgeable, and helped me try three new whiskies that I enjoyed. The atmosphere was wonderful, enhanced by a duo was playing acoustic music. Highly recommended!

Great place, friendly owners, lively atmosphere with live local music. Their selection of Scotch is also worth a try. Would recommend.

Went there with a couple of friends to watch Scotland v Ireland. The place wasn’t packed with a lot of locals. Service was impeccable and Innis & Gunn is my favorite Lager ❤️

This is a great little pub! We walked in on a Tuesday night to hear some lovely live Celtic music. The bar staff were super friendly. They were interested in where we were from (Canada) and made us feel very welcome! The Bellfield gf beer was excellent and we subsequently visited the brewery as recommended. The staff at the brewery were also super friendly! A great experience over all.

The best small pub and family atmosphere. The owners are not only awesome at what they do at Thistle Street Bar but are experts in their history and tour guide services. Will always and only go back to them. They are definitely a part of our family now.

Went here at about 3 o'clock on a Saturday. Of all the things we did in Edinburgh, coming here was one of the highlights! We asked for whiskey recommendations, and Robert sat down with us to recommend different bottles and gave us a lovely lesson on origins and the production process. Highly recommend coming here over any "whiskey experience" during a nice slow hour!

Would not normally share a review like this but felt the need to do so. Yesterday had arranged to meet here for a couple of drinks with an acquaintance, I had arrived early so entered the premises with the intention of using the toilet prior to ordering drinks and choosing a seat to wait. No sooner had I went to enter the pub was I verbally addressed by a man sitting at a table (who evidently worked there but this was not obvious to me at the time as he was sat at a bar table so easily could have been a customer). He spoke so rudely to me in a tone and said “when you enter a pub it’s polite to ask to use the toilet”. He clearly thought I was going to use it then leave again. I explained I had plans to drink here I simply wanted to use the toilet before ordering. Instead of getting a deserved apology I was addressed rudely ONCE again and told I should have said that? Why would I approach a random man sat at a table in a bar to ask to use the toilet lol. In my 28 years of life I have never been made to feel so small when I was about to use the services of a bar for the first time. Simply not how you should treat customers using your establishment and I was never once given an apology. I left and rearranged to meet somewhere else due to this treatment. I will never ever be back and I will make sure to let anyone I know not to ever consider going here for a drink unless they want to be made to feel small and spoken to in the rudest of manners. Would rate 0 stars if I could.

This page what can I say? It’s amazing what a pub. This is the pinnacle of what a drinker should be. Starting with the staff, quality of top shelf drinks. Then there’s the atmosphere l. Do yourself a favour come site at the bar till close and experience what a pub should be. You won’t be disappointed

My favorite pub in Edinburgh, and there are many! Great service, cozy atmosphere, great daily whiskey and beer specials. Frequented mostly by locals and is just off the beaten path in New Town area above Princes Street.

Absolutely the nicest and most engaging couple own this gem of a pub. We were in Edinburgh for 3 days and stopped in each night. We felt so welcomed by the owners. They are incredibly educated on all the history of the Country and the local area. Great knowledge of all things adult beverages. I cannot recommend this lovely family owned pub enough! Will definitely come back!

It's the place you hope to find when visiting Edinburgh. It's got the years, and everything that entails. It takes years to add the layers of depth this place poses. Owner operated by Robert and Dorothy, and operated exceptionally. They are a wealth of knowledge about the spirits they serve, as well as Edinburgh. Stop by for a pint and swig of whisky. It's a must.

Perfect. Knowledgeable staff and good selection of Scotch was already making my evening just fine. Live music, cozy atmosphere, and friendly clientele made it perfect. I think we were there pretty much every night for a night cap.

Received this pub as a recommendation from Secret Scotland tour guide. After a long 24 hours of travel and sightseeing it was exactly what we were looking for. Tucked back from the main roads, this is a really cool pub that seems more of a local hangout than a tourist destination. The pub was lively but you could still relax and enjoy a conversation. As seats became full a local couple shared our table with us and we enjoyed chatting with them for a bit while they waited for their bus. Would highly recommend for anyone looking for a cool pub with a local feel.

What an adorable bar in Edinburgh! It's the kind of bar where you wish you lived around the corner so you could go there every evening. Robert and Dorothy (the owners) run a great bar, but are also a wealth of knowledge about every Edinburgh. Robert suggested several restaurants and they were all spot on. I'll definitely stop back on my next trip to Edinburgh!

The pub was located on the oldest street in New Town Edinburgh. The owner, Dorothy, was very welcoming and provided recommendations during our stay in Edinburgh and eventually to the Isle of Skye. The pub was quaint and relaxing enough to have a conversation with friends. Visited the pub twice to watch a Scottish Bluegrass singer. I'll be visiting the pub again when I'm in the area.

Excellent service, ambiance, and fun! Went two nights in a row and had a blast each time.

The Thistle Street Bar is definitely one of favourite pubs in Edinburgh - and that is saying something! Situated in Thistle Street, Thistle Street Bar is right in the city centre and just around the corner from the pub central area in Rose Street, and so it is a convenient place to reach. It is pretty small inside, but it makes it fell nice and cosy as there are plenty of corners to sit in with friends and there is a beer garden at the back which is a lovely place to sit on a sunny day and enjoy a drink. The Thistle Street Bar serves the usual selection of beers, ales, ciders, wines and the standard range of spirits, and drinks are very competitively priced with a large glass of the house red wine costing less than five pounds. Behind the bar is a collection of world money notes and there is a big TV screen which tends to show all the sporting events going on. The staff are really friendly and warm and there is always background music playing. The one thing which kind of puts me off this pub is the toilets as there is only one toilet each and so you can be waiting ages to go to the bathroom. I love to come here on a pub crawl or for pre-drinks before a big night out. There is always a lively atmosphere in here, and they serve delicious cocktails - amazing!!!

I feel that the ambiance and drinking here might be superior during the day as opposed to the night? Went here on a busy Saturday night and found it hot, crowded and with too many glaring lights. Enjoyed the beer and the beer specials but found the whole pub rather uncomfortable and more of a place to stop on the way, rather than a destination. I would go back in warmer months to check out the beer garden. Would skip over if you're hopping around bars on a weekend.

Do you heart cobble stone streets where pubs are ubiquitous? F Boston streets/pubs...I'm talkin bout UK streets/pubs. I do. Affable bartenders and tasty cask ales. This is the paradigm, over here. Oh yeah, don't sleep on the deeelish meat pies. Do not. This spot is another New Town gem.

One word- Little! This bar ticks all the boxes for me! Traditional, tiny, cosy, authentic, unpretentious and cheap! I love the dark wood, the booths, the teeny tiny beer garden with about 5 chairs and the general ambience in this place. Probably somewhere best visited with a small group or in a couple, as it is so small and gets busy quickly. Grab a seat while you can.

Definitely an all rounder. Cosy and homely in winter with friendly staff and the fire blazing. And in summer you truly get the most of it's tucked away location on a typical Edinburgh cobbled street, even better there's an intimate beer garden in the back, if you can't get a spot it's not too tough to settle for floor to ceiling glass doors. To say it's cute would belittle what a man's man pub this is. I hear it's one of the only bars to play English football too, which doesn't interest me in any way but I live with someone who whines about the racism in Scotland towards the English.

Good beer, often not overly crowded, great staff, and consistent patrons that are always easy to get along with... I think that about sums it up. I came in here randomly one nice summer afternoon and have been coming back since despite it being a bit further out than other bars that I frequent... the drink selection isn't huge, but suitable... the place is also pristine for what it is, save for the bathrooms perhaps, but a pub bathroom is a pub bathroom so you can't really expect too much. Besides, you don't come here for the bathroom... do you? The inside is old world and cosy, with a fire if the weather suits it and candles throughout... this place shines the best when it's just busy enough to have all of the seats filled, but without the post work rush which still isn't too bad here most days... definitely a great place to catch up with a few friends if you catch it at the right time. As some others have mentioned, there's also a small beer garden out back... but it's definitely small and I'm not certain I would trek here expecting a nice spot to drink outside it's just a bonus more than anything else. As with most things it's all about expectations... I couldn't give it less than five stars personally as I find myself back here more than anywhere else in the city for now. On that note, if you're new to the city and looking for a place to get to know people then you can do far worse than here... if you're in that situation I would definitely give it a go, you may walk away pleasantly surprised at the evening that has vanished before you. (Due to socialising that is... although I hear whiskey has the same affect for most.)

A great atmosphere and a terrific setup for a pub. The place was very lively in the early evening and stayed enjoyable later. Probably the best pub we encountered during our trip.

Ok, I know it's a bit weird to be reviewing a street, but I love Thistle Street. What's not to love??! It has the most amazing restaurants and the best atmosphere in the whole city. This is the sort of place that yelp is made for, you wouldn't necessarily notice the narrow, unassuming street unless you were loooking for it. Cafe Marlyane is a lovely French restaurant, and Fishers in the City is one of the best fish restaurants i've ever been to. The narrow cobbled streets make it one of my favourite places to eat in the whole of Edinburgh

Like Emily, I am also a huge fan of Thistle Street. It definitely has to be one of my favourite streets in Edinburgh and I just love walking along this little cobbled street. Thistle Street has two personalities. During the day you can stroll along and browse in all the boutiques such as Pam Jenkins and Covet exploring the gorgeous outfits, stunning designer shoes and quirky jewellery. By night Thistle Street almost makes you feel like you're abroad and it's only when you find yourself back on George Street that you realise you're still in Edinburgh. In the summer all the restaurant and cafes have their windows open and people can be seen sitting outside enjoying the evening air. My favourite restaurant on Thistle Street has to be Cafe Marlayane with it's hand written menus, excellent menu and delicious desserts... it's one of my favourite restaurants ever.

I would give this place more than five stars, if possible. We found this place nestled right off of a main street on a cobble street road. The atmosphere was cool and the selection of drinks was quite expansive. They had a good selection of every kind of alcohol, beer, wine and pitchers of mixed cocktails. The Pimms and Lemonade was really good. The people behind the bar were extremely nice and chill. It was easy getting along with anyone behind the bar. I think that made us keep going back. If I am ever in Edinburgh again, I will frequenting this spot again. Thanks for a good time!

Really good little pub, just off the beaten track. Awesome selection of drinks (I'd recommend Kirin) and the bar staff are uber-friendly. Really good crowd as well although we were in on a Friday night and it was packed! Definitely worth a visit

This used to be one of Edinburgh city centre's best secrets, however people seem to be catching on to just how fantastic it is. This cafe is more of a take away destination (it has only one table!) however it is well worth a look. They do sandwiches, potatoes, soup and all the usual lunch time type foods as well as a dish of the day which always sounds and smells fantastic. As well as this they have some excellent meal deals if you are after a little more than a sandwich. Considering the cafe is right in the city centre, the prices are second to none. The only pitfall with this place is that around lunchtime there can be queues, however if you head there around 10 to the hour over the lunch hours you will find there is noone there since the last lot of customers are heading back to work. The best sandwich shop in the city centre and family run which is always nice, give it a try!

Nice little bar. Bit too hot though. One very grumpy staff member unfortunately. Would be back nonetheless

When I came to write a review for the Thistle Street bar I found, to my great horror, that it wasn't even listed on this site! Now, a few seconds later, I have brought this wonderful, hidden bar to the masses! Granted, I may be revealing Edinburgh's best-kept secret but if you've never been for an ale at this little bar then you've never lived. A small and cosy pub, the Thistle probably can hold only around 20 people seated and a few more standing up. The main interior of the bar is lovely with its wooden floors and dark-wood bar. During summer there is also a small beer garden around the back to the building. In terms of drinks, there is a great selection of lagers on tap including Budvar (always the sign of a good establishment) and an ever changing guest ale! If you're peckish then food is also served from a light menu. Go on, try out this wonderful bar..just keep it as our little secret!

Finding the Thistle Street Bar is often the result of roaming round the cobbled roads behind George street and saying I wonder what's down there? It's like finding treasure. The little place is lit low & ambiently and has little booths where your group can be left all to yourselves, which is a good antidote to the bars along George and Princes Street. Here's a great place for a quiet wee drink. Some interesting beers & spirits are available, and the boards above the bar are full of intriguing suggestions that become affordable as they're discounted. I've tried many new malts and liquors in this place, which certainly helped me through the Edinburgh winter! Unfortunately, the prices were really ramped up earlier in the year, but this is still a great little pub and a real quirky alternative when in the city centre.

I like this bar. I was introduced to this whe I was pitched a film by local Film Makers we met up and I wanted to visit again it is small, some may say cosy I say small. A good selection of beers on draft, great mixers. The Bar staff are helpful, attentive and friendly. great place to meet friends before going for a meal or and located on a quiet street. Well worth a visit

I went here for drinks with some co-workers and really liked the place, a nice atmosphere, although not many places to sit. I would love to go back when it isn't as busy and enjoy some time there. The staff was also very lovely and the service was good despite it being so busy.

Pleasant bar with a nice selection, but we were looking for some pub food too and all they had was meat pies, crisps, and beer nuts, which we made do on until we had to head off to the tram.

I celebrated my 50th birthday in Edinburgh, and visited the Thistle Street Bar the night before returning home. This is a great little pub, very close to the Frederick House Hotel where I was staying. I enjoyed the atmosphere here, and after a couple pints, tried a Haggis and Cheese Toastie. It was very good! Closed out my birthday with a Bushmills.

Visited in 2009 during Festival time. The quintessential pub, loved it! Right in the midst of everything in New Town.

Finished off a night by the fire in this small cozy pub. Beer selection was mediocre (no real ales), but the atmosphere makes up for it. Only detractor was a group sitting near us who had the unpleasant habit of lighting their cigarettes inside BEFORE heading out to the patio to smoke them. This one-time occurrence wouldn't stop me from going back.

Only been in here once, but it was a memorable night! Good service, a pretty barmaid and a telly. Just my kind of place. Very small bar, but we managed to get a seat as people were leaving when we came in - result! The toilets are reasonable enough, but the 'grafitti' on the windows made them a bit more interesting (it took me a while to figure it out!). Oh yeah, also had a group of guys ask me if I fancied a wee game of football on the road outside. Random, but fun

You need to get in early to get a seat but it's a great place to pop in for one beer and stay all night. No fuss, just great beer, good staff, loyal punters and a good atmosphere. Clearly too small for a good group night out but great for whiling away an evening in the centre of town without needing to go to a big barn-like bar.

Great selection of drinks, Friendly bar staff and great atmosphere.. what more do you want in a pub??