I hadn't been to Paradise Palms in a few years but I was happy to see: a) it's still such an…read moreinclusive, safe, welcoming space and b) they had a bit of a menu glow-up! Still vegan, but much more focused on a robust fried chkn offering and other fun American-inspired junk/bar food. I appreciate how comfortable they've made the atmosphere; the staff has consistently been so friendly and funny and human; walk-ins welcome!; the front seating has a bit more restaurant-y feel, I prefer the back seating which has a more pub-y feel; and, the food is STILL so craveworthy and memorable. I've tried the hot honey popcorn chkn topped with chilii, spring onion, and sesame (quite spicy! the popcorn chkn texture wasn't my favorite); the buffalo hot chkn wings with blue chz dip and celery (SO GOOD; the perfect amount of heat, but I could go for twice as much sauce; the texture of this chkn is much more satisfying and filling!); the chilli cheeze fries topped with a chipotle mayo (there's SO MUCH food here: they are generous with the chili sin carne... it was delicious piping hot when it came out, it was just as delicious a little cold and congealed an hour later; a MUST for a group!), the jalapeno slaw (it was spicier than, and not as refreshing as, I was expecting). The Frickles (fried pickles) were okay; I was expecting coins, not spears, so most of the coating kept falling off. And the fried chkn ceasar salad was nice: it's ENORMOUS and easily sharable between two people (say if you wanted to get those chili cheeze fries too), it comes with bacon and a less-fried version of their chkn, and it's very heavily dressed. Definitely not healthy, but certainly the most fresh thing on the menu!

So delicious; I went twice during my week-stay in the city!…read more The first visit, I had the Lucky Chicken sandwich/burger. It was pretty good. On the second visit, I had the Lucky BBQ Box; mind and mouth...blown! The bbq ribs/steak had a "meaty" texture and the sauce was hitting(positive term)! The southern fried chicken was yum too, just wish they would slather the sauce that comes on it instead of just sprinkle. The charred street corn also fire(positive term)! The slaw was pretty decent, and the potato salad was okay. It was a bit more food than I could eat, so I took some away with me in a box. Staff were lovely and accommodating on both visits. If I ever return to Edinburgh, I'll be sure not to skip another visit to Paradise Palms!

I loved the look of this funky place from the start. It's dingy yet fun, with Polaroids everywhere…read moreand random fake vending machines. The bathroom walls have old timey porn on them. Again, love it. Service was so-so. Our server was incredibly (TOO) quick to come take our order, then we asked for a minute and he didn't come back for like 10-15 minutes. When we asked him for recommendations or even specific questions about drinks or ice cream flavors, he didn't have much of an opinion and wasn't particularly helpful. Eventually, I ordered The Devil cocktail, which I really enjoyed. That said, our party tried several of the boozy ice creams and they were all kind of... gross? Maybe that's an overstatement, but the alcohol far overpowered the ice cream flavors and ended up tasting almost medicinal. I wish I would've had more time to try some of their other cocktails -- maybe next time I'm in Edinburgh.

I heard speakeasy and owl and my mind was made up, I knew I had to come in and check this bar out…read more In true speakeasy form, it looks as if you are coming down the stairs to get your palm read. When you walk up to the fortune teller, you push her and the door opens into a rowdy room. Well, at least when we walked in it was fairly rowdy. We sat next to the group of about 15 young lads and they were causing a raucous. However, after one of their big songs during a shot, our server came up to them and told them if they didn't quiet down, she'd kick them out so I don't believe this place is supposed to be rowdy. After they left, the place did have a better ambiance. The vibe of this place is interesting with 50 shades of grey as wall paper in the bathroom and old movie theater seating against the wall with church pews as the other side. There is a lot to look at in there. The claw machine where you can built your drink is not rigged so you may lose a few pounds trying to get a drink. If you have old pounds, she likes 'em. The drinks were fantastic. And the ice cream was delicious. I'm not usually a fan of boozy ice cream (something about alcohol and cream turn me off) but the flavors in our whisky honeycomb were incredible. I wanted to try more cocktails but we had been drinking the whole day and I didn't want to be messy walking in a dark city I don't know. It caught up to me in the hotel room though. Thankfully, I didn't lose any of that delicious ice cream that night. ;)

I think the review(s) so far show this place to be a marmite venue, you either hate it or embrace…read moreit's full force and enjoy! Decor, attitude and clientele definitely makes this one of the closest to a true American dive bar feel I've found outside the US in a long time. Themed around 1980s board and computer games, giant mousetrap, snakes'n'ladders and operation references grace the walls, along with duck hunt and pacman! The staff seemed to have an endless energy, every spin of the 'random shot generator' wheel behind the bar resulted in the entire pub cheers and shouts. Cocktails, despite being only £3 a time were tasty and balanced, even if some feel like its the result of a sweet shop falling into a blender, sugar overload! Couple of good beers on tap, usual Edinburgh prices. 4 or so staff on duty so service was fairly quick and friendly. Everyone seemed welcome, from those in rock t-shirts and baseball caps to those in shirts and dresses at the end/start of a night on the town. Regardless of your first impression from the outside give it a shot, just aim for a busy night to really experience it. I've only been once, and after this review I really hope it wasn't a one off as my friend and I agreed we shall certainly be back!

If you're down Leith Walk, and looking for a friendly pub, the Mousetrap comes highly recommended…read more A good selection of drinks, nibbles, eclectic decor make this well worth checking out!

I doubt I will ever drink in Victoria Bar again, however, I can see how it might appeal to some…read morelocals as a decent place to meet up for a drink and a chat. The place is frighteningly dark and my mates and I just about called out a 'hello?' when we walked in. On closer inspection though, there were some men sat wearily in the corner guarding their pints. The decor is alright, but you have to be up pretty close to see it. The staff are okay, but do seem pretty short with you. On the plus side, all their drinks are well priced and they have an impressive range of spirits including local Scottish malt whiskeys and beers. As said before, this perhaps isn't the place to go if you're a student, then again, they probably don't care.

This bar is really pretty awful. Full of old men that clearly don't want you to be there, the pub…read more(like the customers) is on its last legs. Old, tatty and dirty, this is one pub I won't be going back to. The clientèle are hostile, as are the staff. The beers are exactly the same as everywhere else. The interior and atmosphere are terrible. Don't come here

The Auld Hole in the Wall was the last pub I visited of the many in Linlithgow. This is another pub…read morethat sells itself as being open to tourists but didn't feel quite that way when I was in. I had a mixed experience really. When I went in everyone looked pretty unfriendly and the bar staff didn't seem eager to serve. But once I had been there for a while they seemed to perk up a bit. I still felt a bit uncomfortable however. The beer I had was a bit of a let down unfortunately. However the pub food they serve was surprisingly a touch above the rest. My only complaint was that it took a while to arrive. But once it did it I was a little more impressed by it than the usual pub affair. Supposedly the pub is under new management after a spate of awful owners who really let the place go to ruin. Maybe it' still recovering from those dark days. I would certainly like to revisit and have a more consistent experience.

Damn! I'm honestly surprised at the type of ratings this place has gathered, and how few. This…read moreplace gets a gold star from me! We had two lovely beers (standard tap and bottled fare) and decided to have a meal along with it. That's where we were absolutely sold: they presented us with the BEST mac & cheese I think I've just about ever had. It came with a salad (also delicious) and garlic bread, and we had chips as well. For pub food, this place seriously takes the cake. Couple that with good service and clean, standard facilities (and a cozy gas fireplace) and you've got a lovely pub on your hands. :) wish it wasn't so far away... I'd go back for the MAC alone, easy!

Sometimes you want to eat where locals eat not where tourist eat and this seems to be the place!…read moreWhat is unusual here is you can get your beverage with your meal and in the case of coffee for breakfast-that's kind of important! And good coffee! The restaurant is in a two story entertainment building in that the 2nd floor has a movie theater and gym; the bottom floor is all restaurants! Yesterday we got a 6 oz hamburger, fries and tall beer for £5.7 (believe me.. good price and place was packed)! For breakfast two eggs Benedict w/coffee £5 each. Have great liquor prices too for night time

1. Poor food, badly cooked 2. Table with left over crumbs…read morefrom prior customers. 3. General atmosphere not really nice. Money spent not enjoyed.

Press Bar, a Glasgow drinking spot synonymous with journalists and journalism - hence the name…read more While over the years that industry has changed markedly, therefore Press Bar's clientele also has, it's lost none of the charm I first encountered in 2005. It has the feel of a proper neighbourhood bar, which always warrants a thumbs up from me, especially in this day and age. The surrounding area seems to have been constantly undergoing developments and changes for as long as I can remember, but the Press Bar, fundamentally, hasn't changed much. On offer you have the usual selection of drinks, but there is the nice addition of a guest ale or two - on my most recent visit it was Harviestoun's delightful Bitter & Twisted. Great value too. The staff are lovely - the prices are reasonable - and it's a nice wee bar to have a few quiet pints. I like!

It's hard not to admire the Press Bar…read more Standing defiantly in an area full of new builds, this inconspicuous little pub used to be a thriving hub for journalists. Not only did it attract staff from the old Herald building next door, but rather from across the entire writing scene in the city. Those, of course, were the days in which newspapers were thriving. These days, the whole atmosphere surrounding the impression is grim and socialising plays less of a part than it once did. For those who remember the glory days, the Press Bar remains a nostalgic nod towards better times. Personally, I'm just pleased to see a good, solid old school bar remain in this area of the city.

Was with a group of friends and was not allowed in because I was wearing athletic-style shorts…read more This was despite the fact that many of the women were wearing skimpy clothing. Would have appreciated a publicly posted dress code but I guess that would be too much effort.

Why step into a place with one genuine bartender, well theres no reason. The live music is there…read morebut there is no kindness or appreciation upon being served. We as customers must understand that beer/ale is overpriced at bars but we are there for the enviroment. I do not think that there is a manager in place and if there is please rid of the unhappy employees, its a bit of a drag seeing subpar workers.

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.