Thistle Street Bar

This is such a wonderful little bar in the middle of the new town side of Edinburgh. The decor is lovely and creates a cozy atmosphere and the landlord and his staff are attentive and friendly. It has a lot of history too. Ask the landlord about it!

Best pint of Guiness in Edinburgh. Stumbled past this place and stopped in for a quick pint on our last day, had been shopping and just wanted to rest our feet. Got their names from reading other reviews, Robert and Dorothy were fantastic. Made us feel instantly welcome. What a find! Would recommend to anyone looking for a proper pub in Edinburgh.

Thistle Street bar is a great spot for a drink in New Town. Robert and Dorothy are warm and friendly hosts that willingly share their love of the town and history along with a wide selection of adult beverages. Note that they serve snacks only - this is a bar not a pub. Go for a drink and enjoy the conversation!

The Thistle Street Bar was pure magic. Robert and Dorothy have turned it into a wee haven – cosy, welcoming, and stocked with a cracking selection of drinks. The pints were nice and cold, and the chat was even better. From the moment we walked in, they treated us like old pals who’d been coming there for years. We nabbed a spot down at the end of the bar, perfect for watching the banter between the owners and their regulars. One wee highlight was seeing Robert fetch more ice – he lifted a hatch in the floor, disappeared down what looked like a ladder, and popped back up with a bucket full, topping up the supply. If you want a proper taste of Scottish hospitality, we can’t recommend this charming pub enough.

I adore this place! Staff is so kind and Robert is an absolute font of information regarding whiskies. They were so generous with their time in sharing details and I'll be looking forward to my return later in the week and, I'm certain, many more times in the future! Cosy atmosphere. Exactly what you'd hope to find in Edinburgh. And it wasn't overrun by tourists, which is lovely! Slàinte!

Great, proper pub that's very popular from opening time to closing time, so sometimes you might be stuck for a seat. Fantastic whisky selection of well over 100 varieties of whisky / whiskey to choose from. Lovely atmosphere & a good mixture of customer ages. Well worth a visit.

If I could give this place no stars I would. From the minute you step into this place the fun is sucked out of you. They will happily take your money but that’s all they will do. Barely allowed to speak. No music, no sport, no singing. All round just stand like a bit of wood and take abuse off staff members. Baring in mind it’s over priced for a pint as well. guy behind the bars attitude was one of the worst I have ever come across. Looked like he was doing you a favour by being at his work. Two weeks before Christmas and not a bit of festive joy to be had in the place. Others around the place saying the exact same. Won’t be back.

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!

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??