Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Bannerman's Bar

    3.8 (42 reviews)
    ModeratePubs
    Closed 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    Bannerman's Bar Photos

    BANNERMAN'S BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Loud
    Good for dancing
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Bannerman's Bar

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Sam S.

    It's a local bar and nothing special. It's packed with people of all ages and all walks. There are some nice areas to sit and some tv screens to catch up on sports or whatever happened to be playing. I would find myself in this place if I happened to be in town and hanging out with mates. There are plenty of pubs in town so you don't have a lack of choice.

    the "cave" complete with pool table
    Anna F.

    I came here on a Tuesday and even though at first I thought it was a rock bar (judging by its rock-decoration and tattooed and pierced clientele) and lo and behold there's a karaoke in the back room ,in a sort of underground stone room with a pool table. Its larger than it appears with about 3 dungeon-like rooms to spread out in (one of which is the stage/karaoke) and there is a good mix of locals and students to give it a very vibrant atmosphere. However, returning a week later I found a lot of the same people singing at the karaoke. Apparently it's their moment of fame. Bless and thank heavens there's alcohol to make it better for you.

    Quiet at bar, busy through the back!

    Well just called in Bannerman's bar to pick up two tickets for BEASTO BLANCO. love the band! So here I am Thursday 30th January at 12:50pm. It actually busy. Not bad prices today , kronenberg £3.70. I just love it here. Chilling out at the moment. Think I might stay for a while. Give it a try!!

    Bannerman's Bar
    Gibson A.

    Even though I don't particularly like the music or the general style of Bannerman's Bar I've still chosen to give it four stars because I appreciate what they do for a particular niche in the undergound music scene. A friend of mine is in a band which regularly plays gigs at Bannerman's and although I'm not the greatest fan of that sort of music it seems to bring together a lot of like-minded people. The back room in which the bands play can feel almost claustrophobic but I think this is all part of the idea and it certainly creates a charged atmosphere. The drinks, although not a rip-off, aren't quite as cheap as some other pubs which are more student-orientated. This is fine though as Bannerman's Bar is not the place to get smashed before hitting the clubs but instead to meet some interesting people and enjoy the environment and music. Although not my kind of place, Bannerman's is due respect for its promotion of an underground music scene and is certainly worth a look if you're interested in metal or rock music.

    Normally, dark pubs dont do it for me. They are just a bit too unsettling and more often than not a bit dodgy. Bannermans however, is the exception to that rule - Bannermans invites you to embrace the darkness, and its good. Like most pubs in this area of Edinburgh, Bannermans is a vault, with its exposed walls and low roof. There is a bar area (serving a wide range of drinks, and pretty cheap too) and also a place where a couple of times a week, a live band plays - usually rock, but I have seen folky type stuff here. Bannermans is a great bar, good staff, great atmosphere and cheap too. The music is good, and I do recommend it.

    See all

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam S.
    2159
    2772
    16294

    13 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Corey G.
    196
    1545
    1676

    17 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Gibson A.
    9
    406
    414

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Amy G.
    28
    331
    318

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J M.
    7
    464
    443

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fiona H.
    7
    412
    404

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam C.
    16
    339
    350

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Robert L.
    0
    259
    257

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Pablo D.
    2
    177
    2752

    11 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 4
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex C.
    10
    227
    103

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    17 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    love this place and the atmosphere in this place is awesome ... the live gigs are a must .... great wee hidden treasure within edinburgh

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Bannerman's Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Bannerman's Bar

    The drinks seemed reasonably priced to me (but judging from other reviews here they are pricey for the Cowgate).

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Pubs 1,207 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

    The Devil's Advocate

    4.3(630 reviews)
    0.2 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    ££

    Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

    The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

    Photos
    The Devil's Advocate - Whiskey flight tastings

    Whiskey flight tastings

    The Devil's Advocate - Fish Filet

    Fish Filet

    The Devil's Advocate - Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    See all

    Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    The White Hart Inn

    The White Hart Inn

    3.9(113 reviews)
    0.4 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    ££

    Our first day in Edinburgh and as usual our first order of business is to ride the hop-on-hop-off…read morebus. Today when the Red route took us to old town and I saw The White Hart Inn I said to Jan let's do an early dinner there and she agreed. We continued the route and stayed on back to the stop in old town. We love Alfresco dining but it was too cold and windy today. We went inside and the restrauant was packed. It's open seating. No hostess, no sign in. We were lucky and just happened to be standing next to a table that opened. We had been there about 5 minutes. The restaurant/ pub is rich in history, established in 1516. It's small with limited bar seating and prehaps 8 to 10 tables. It is noisy from conversation, tosting and music, but we didn't have a hard time communicating. It has a great vibe. It's a fun venue and popular with the locals. The menu is not large and has several Scottish offerings. To start, Jan was cold and wanted an Irish coffee. I ordered an Innis and Gunn larger. Innis & Gunn is an acclaimed Scottish brewery founded in 2003 in Edinburgh. It had a slightly citrus flavor. Jan ordered muscles and I ordered the steak and ale pie, served with a charred Hispi cabbage wedge, buttered mash and Merlot beef dripping gravy. It was very tasty, very robust flavor. I loved the cabbage; great flavor. I had to look up hispi cabbage and it is a variety of green cabbage. The muscles were good and the broth very nice. We had a lovely time and a good meal. Our good luck at freelancing dining venues while we explore Ireland and Scotland continues.

    We chose this place for being one of the oldest establishments in Scotland dating back to the 18th…read more Century and a place where poets like Wordsworth, Burns etc gathered for a sip. The setting still looked ancient and the overall ambiance was befitting. Small place though. The food and drinks however disappointed. They could have put more efforts to turn the place into something much more than it is. Service was efficient without being really excellent.

    Photos
    The White Hart Inn
    The White Hart Inn
    The White Hart Inn - Cozy place

    See all

    Cozy place

    Queens Arms

    Queens Arms

    4.4(114 reviews)
    0.6 miNew Town
    ££

    Out of all the places I've been to in Scotland, I think Queens Arms was one of my favorites…read more We had reservations for this place recently and when I took one step inside, I was already in love. I mean who doesn't love a good pub? You get great drinks and great food at an affordable price. As I write it makes me think of think of when Zidane reunites with Freya in FF9. Sometimes we don't wanna eat at fancy Michelin restaurant that has small plates but charges a premium. Sometimes we just wanna cut all the BS and just get a nice hearty meal. And thats what we got. When we sat down we found out that they were doing a Trivia night. Normally I would have told my girl to pick another spot to eat but for some reason I was cool with it. There was even a table nearby with kids(yuck). And you know what? It was fine. That's because we had been sipping on some amazing cocktails. If you also partake, Gin and Mezcal enjoyers will love the Bramble and Hibiscus Crush. What color are Luigi's overalls from Super Mario? That's such an easy question. Wait...what do you mean Luigi's overalls are blue? They are green. Look at this picture onli...Oh... One of the stars of our meal was the Haggis. This was the first time I had ever tried it and after trying it at multiple places Scotland, Queens Arms I feel has done it the best. I love the complexity of the flavors of the meat with the creamy and pepper flavors of the peppercorn sauce. If you've never had Haggis, you definitely have to try it here. The best part is that it comes with mashed potatoes too! Shoutouts to the Fish and Chips if you are also into that. One of my friends ordered that and I definitely had to go back in for multiple bites. Finally the roast. The Sunday Roast should just be an automatic order if you happen to come here on a Sunday. You get so much food and it's all so damn tasty. They'll cook a roast to whatever doneness your heart desires. We went with Medium Rare and it came out perfectly. If you didn't have enough flavors with all the extra sides it comes with, they also give you gravy to pour on anything you want. Thanksgiving basically came early this night. But as I looked around and admired all the bookshelf's and all the families have a nice dinner with their loved ones, I just thought about how happy I was. I was finally here! This was the start of my trip. Queens Arms has set a high ceiling on great experiences in Scotland. We even went back there a couple of days ago just because we knew we would be able to end the night on a good drink. But in the end I think if you are Edinburgh, you have to come to this place. It is one of my favorite experiences I've had in Scotland so far and I dream about when I can come back again.

    We got 3 reservations to split up our group of 8 adults and 2 kids, so we were all able to make…read moresure to get a table and have the Sunday roast. We shared the ultimate sharing roast and everything was delicious and so filling. It was also nice to be able to sit and watch a match while enjoying the food. The coffee was pretty good too. This is definitely a good option if you're looking for a Sunday roast in the area

    Photos
    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms - Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

    See all

    Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

    Bannerman's Bar - pubs - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...