Loved the Monday night pub trivia. The questions really stumped me! The veggie burger was really good with the goat cheese and onion ring. I don't think I'd ever think there was too much goat cheese, but I think it was because the cheese was a bit too crumbly. I would have liked creamier cheese on the burger to combat the crunchy patty, crisp bread, and battered onion rings. The pesto taste wasn't very strong either but it was a good consistency. The curry fries were heavenly and I think I could have eaten an entire bowl. The beers and ciders selection is great! Loved the German beer on tap and the elderflower bottled cider. Bartender was super nice and patient as I asked about all the choices. Nice pub for a pint :) read more

See all

Cozy spot in the middle of Leith. We were exhausted after a day of exploration in the city and just wanted something simple to nosh on before calling it a night. We were here on a Thursday night and it seemed like a nice mix of college folks and regulars. I had the most delicious vegetarian chili dog here and was in a state of utter bliss. It has been so long since I've had a chili dog that tastes like the chili dogs of my youth at mid-mountain ski lodges. They had a good selection of brews and of course whisky so we had a little tasting before calling it a night. The server who came by to check on us wasn't what I would call overtly friendly but he answered my silly questions about the name of the establishment and other random things. All in all it was a good experience and one we'd come back for. read more

See all

Am I allowed to give a place a 5 start just because my getting a dukedom here made me baron of Leith? No? Not even if they had TopGun on when I arrived? Oh ok then Yelp. Even without all those potential caveats, I still really like this bar. It's long and thin ish, so lots of of sofas and booths, and less of the table amongst a sea of other like you might get in a larger pub. The bar itself is smack bang in the middle of the pub, so handy for everyone, and kinda does a de-facto split of the pub into drinks space and food space, although you can happily do both in any part of the bar, it just seems to settle that way. The food i've had so far has all been good (aside from the singular nacho that made an attempt on my life) but isn't spectacular to my taste buds. I think you'd be hard pressed to complain about it, just isn't wow either. The bar has a decent selection of beery things, and cidery things. Haven't investigated the spirits much, and i think the wine is fairly limited. as others have mentioned, Dr Paul does his quiz on a monday night. For people who like a slick pub quiz that doesn't last, all. damn. night, you'd struggle to find one more suitable. I'm not his biggest fan but I can forgive a lot for him being sober and not taking my whole night up. Films wise I think this place just has film4 on all the time. It doesn't have a dedicated cinema room like the drummon st brass monkey and i don't think you can book it out/request a film. read more

Brass Monkey Leith - Quote in the gents - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Super yummy burger.. I got the bacon and cheese one. Nice bar atmosphere and service was very quick! Fries were delicious too. read more

Brass Monkey Leith - Bacon and Cheese Beef Burger - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This great pub was a short walk from our B&B on the first night of our 2 1/2 week holiday in Scotland, and my two sons could not have had a better introduction to the age-old tradition of Scottish pubs than this one. Excellent beer selection, fine single malt selection, good hearty meals, and *great* live Scottish folk tunes, traditional and original from a lady named Cera Impala and her friends. If I ever have the good fortune to be in Edinburgh again, I'm putting The Brass Monkey Leith on the top of my places to which I shall happily return. read more

This is the second time I've been there this week on an Edinburgh daytrip, it's starting to feel like an honorary 'local'. Pub quiz with a vegan meetup group was the reason on Monday, and today was the case of an hour before my bus leaves, where is close by where service will be reasonably fast and I know I can eat? ! Also, because of the excellently labelled vegan options on the menu and I'd spied a couple of options to keep in mind for a return trip. On Monday I had the vegan chilli dog (£9) - which I suspect is Linda McCartney sausages - which comes with skinny fries. Normally I find skinny fries a bit mediocre to wedges/thick cut chips but these were really tasty. Service for most of us was pretty quick, though one of my friends had to wait some time (an hour?) because of an oversight somewhere leading to lack of a matching table number. Tonight service was very fast (thankfully, we made our bus!) and I'd opted for the vegan burger. It's a good firm patty and comes in a seeded bun with sauce on top and bottom of the patty - I think a salsa of some kind. Unless it's unwelcome mayo and it's vegan I'm not too fussy and I don't always notice these things! It comes with the skinny fries, and a non-creamy coleslaw. I'm told by friends that many of the drinks on their menu are vegan - I opted for an Innis & Gunn beer on Monday and today I got a Williams Bros 'Midnight Sun' ; otherwise the beers aren't labelled so if you're bothered about alcohol being animal product-free checking the Barnivore website is often a good bet. Their soup is labelled vegan, and they have a vegan special (this week was tarka dal) and a dipping platter with a few things including hummus and pesto and flatbread. The decor is made up of dark red walls featuring movie posters, and both sofa areas and tables with chairs to suit whichever seating area you feel like having. I feel quite relaxed in there and could easily sit with a pint (or two) for an hour. The TV was showing a movie with subtitles, and although maybe a little anti-social, I was pleased to see it as so many times I have seen pubs showing TV programmes or movies with just the picture and no subtitles (or audio) - what is the point in that?! It's 50p charge if you want to use a credit/debit card, but they do also offer cashback. read more

See all

Brass Monkey Leith is a great addition to the Leith gastro pub scene. The Brass Monkey Leith serves very tasty home-made burgers delivered by their caring and friendly staff with a no-nonsense approach. There's a good atmosphere/crowd which helps a lot. WiFi is pretty strong and they have a couple of big plasma screens for sporting events and a mini-cinema screen at the back of the premises showing some classic and old fashioned Hollywood movies. Great choice of lagers, beers, ales, stouts, ciders, whiskies, coffees & cocktails ... and they sell bottled Brooklyn Lager which is a plus... at least for me. Prices are affordable too... Great place to go back! read more

Brass Monkey Leith - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Being a Beastie Boys fan this had to be tried. Was surprised with how big the place was when we walked in. They have scotch specials and a wide assortment of ciders. We had the burger and a chili dog. Both were good! read more

Brass Monkey Leith - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

.... on Friday evening place looked like a kind of students, young professional's pub which is nice surprise in the middle of Leithwalk. ... inside: comfy seats, lots of space, 4 screens if you fancy for movie with subtitles and good selection of drinks. definitely Im going to visit this place soon... read more

See all

This is what my brain did to me when I entered through the front door of the Brass Monkey: *slap* WHY! *slap* Haven't *slap* You *slap* visited the Brass Monkey before ?! *raised eyebrows + scowl* mmh?! Well? Any excuses?! *shines blinding light in face* I am ashamed to say that I passed so many times and promised myself that I would - but I didn't - I carry the eternal shame of being late to the party. Luckily for me this 'party' is still in full swing. I may be late, but I didn't feel I missed out. (Well ..ish.. I wasted so many years that I could have used visiting this place) I like the atmosphere, the comfy sofas, the leather Chesterfields that are obviously made for giants. All I wanted was to A: curl up on one of the armchairs B: have a beer close by and C: read a book. A&B accomplished I used my Playbook for C instead. So that was me playing games whilst curled up in a massive chair. Bliss. I'll make a serious effort to go here more often. read more

One of my favourite locals! Good for food, music, films, cheap booze, monday night pub quiz, meal deals, friendly clientele, fab staff and of course the amazing Monkey Marys! Brass Monkeys version of the hangover saviour, the best bloody mary I've ever tasted - FACT! Introduced a lot of friends to the Monkey Mary and they are now strong fans! Very reasonably priced at around £3.80 too! They have everything in there: vodka, red wine, port, tomato juice, tabasco sauce, herbs, spices... lovely! So next time your dying of the ultimate Sunday hangover, the cure is at Brass Monkey! Enjoy! Ok, enough of the MM, the rest of the joint is cool too! Funky posters on wall, sultry red lights over the bar, films, music vids or rugby showing none stop, missed match furniture and a collection of board games to while away the night. The Monday night pub quiz is also very popular and a good laugh. We won the drinks round once! Well worth a visit to shake off the Monday blues and continue that weekend feeling! I love the Brass Monkey in Newington and never thought the Leith pub could measure up to it, but I'm slowly coming round to liking Brass Monkey Leith that little bit more than the orginial head honcho! It's got more space, seating, you don't get squeezed in cues at the bar and there are better toilets! Well done BM Leith, I'm a convert! read more

5 stars for the cider alone. There was more than 2 on the menu! The Brass Monkey Leith obviously has a fair following, especially among Yelpers it seems! I've been in the odd time in the evenings and the place tends to be hopping. Young, cool folk all meeting each other and being cool with leather jackets and lighters and the like. There's very comfortable couches and plenty of seating, though the place is quite dark so it might be difficult to find a spot. They occassionally show movies without the sound on a big screen at the back. I like that. It gives the non-bants among us some bants. The staff are really nice here, they'll let you sit at the bar with a newspaper and a pint for a long enough time without bothering you. The wifi is alright (currently what we're using it for, until we get ourselves set up!) It's Leith walk so there's the odd character hanging around, as expected. I haven't eaten here yet but I'll update when I do. read more

The Brass Monkey on Leith Walk is probably the closest thing I have to a local, not that I'm here every night or even every week, but when friends who live locally suggest going for a drink (often a birthday) it's here we end up. It's also the location of many after-work drinks for my boyfriend and his colleagues. We keep coming back, so they must be doing something right! If I'm eating here I'll tend to go for the chilli nachos, which they usually do pretty well, although they've never been served the same way twice. The chilli most recently was a little below par, but still fairly decent for the price. The various other meals always look pretty decent, the hot dogs are big and the soup serving generous, for example. Fine dining it ain't, but it's better than a lot of pub grub and vegetarians are well served. There's always a buzz, and the pub quiz (one of Edinburgh quiz master Dr Paul's regular nights) is a lot of fun. If we walk in here, we'll usually spot somebody that we know - for us it's that kind of place. But it's still 3 stars, not 4. There's nothing bad about the Brass Monkey, and I like it a lot, but 3 stars is 'A-OK' and I think that really sums up how I feel about this place. read more

i noticed that this bar had opened almost a year and a half ago, but although it's literally at the top of my street i had never actually been to it before. my usual haunts are generally down at the shore or the town centre, so it wasn't until i agreed to share my knowledge at a pub quiz last night that i ventured in. from the outside it looks like this bar will be small and possibly the preferred dodgy old man style of many of the pubs on leith walk. however, upon entering and finding my lovely group of yelpers at the back my opinion was quickly changed. this place is huge!! it has a lovely seating area up front, a big bar in the middle, and then more seats in the back. the seats are mixed between tables and chairs, a booth aligning the back wall, and big sofas and comfy arms chairs that give the place a nice upmarket pub feel. there was also a make shift movie screen on the back wall that played some 80s classics while we were there. i ordered a greek salad and a cider for my meal during the pub quiz. the salad came and it was HUGE!! a full plate of lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, red onions, olives, and feta cheese with a nice side of bread. however, while the salad was huge and fresh the dressing lacked a bit of flavour so i opted not to eat the whole thing. i have to say that was the only short coming of my dish as i enjoyed the fresh bread on the side and my meal came to a nice sum of £8 including a pint of cider. they also had some nice pizzas on offer and i was assured that the nachos were very good, so i'd be happy to go back to try some other menu items. the main star of my night was the pub quiz though! i've only been to a handful of pub quizzes where i could hardly answer one question. however, this one was well thought out and didn't only ask questions relevant to british knowledge. i was proud to know about half a dozen answers when others on my team didn't. the pub master was also quite fun and kept things going at a good pace. it's an added bonus that the pub quiz is free so you only have to turn up and join in the fun. definitely think i will be making a return visit to take on the pub quiz again and try out some of their other menu items! all in all it was a solid pub and has the convienance of being a five minute walk from my flat. read more

It's one of my favourite pubs when I'm down Leith Walk. I think it's possibly the only pub in Edinburgh where everyone has beards yet none of them are hipsters. People definitely go there for a drink and a chat rather than to be seen. Food: Had a cheeseburger and fries for the first time and was actually really surprised at how good the burger was. It did worryingly only take about five minutes to come and there was none of this fancy lettuce, pickle and onion stuff but so what? It was good. AND, AND it came on a plate and not on a chopping board, slate / half Niddrie. BRILLIANT. read more

I don't want to talk about how much I like this place. It's kind of like being attracted secretly to your boyfriend's younger brother. You would never, ever seriously consider cheating on your boyfriend with his brother... but on occasion, when you have had a couple of glasses of wine with the family, you make an overt sexual reference in front of the whole table about how you'd trade... and oops - AWKWARD. I crush on this Brass Monkey big time, but it's not loyal, trustworthy and right around the corner like the other Brass Monkey. Sure it sells food, but do you really care? Sure, it has Brooklyn Lager for 3 pounds... but you can live without Brooklyn Lager if you have a local where you know all the bartenders and you can stroll in hungover. Sure, it's a LOT more spacious and comfy and more adorable Aussies frequent it... but what's that when you've got the same warm loving person in your bed every night - FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE... sorry, I'm crossing analogies. You get the point. This place is awesome. But not enough awesome to pull me away from the original. If you live a block from BM - Leith I assume you'll feel the same way about my Brass Monkey. read more

All round good boozer. Great music selection, god seating areas (including a wee bit of seating outside), and good food (but a little large). And there I'd a bus stop right outside. read more

Brass Monkey Leith - The hotdog. £8. So good but I couldn't finish it! - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This is a little treasure. I had always walked past it and thought it didnt look up to much from the outside but on entering you find an old fashioned, quirky pub full of eclectic seating sofas and chairs and is a whole lot bigger than it looks from the outside A nice comfy establishment to eat, drink and be merry!! Oh and not expensive either so you can get ultra merry ....well it is nearly the season of jollyness :) read more

I attended a very enjoyable evening at Brass Monkey Leith last night. I like the space. It's comfortable and the bar is very cool. I really like the fact that you can sit at the bar and not feel like you are in the way (on a week night at least!). I always feel that if you can do this it's a bar with good atmosphere. We didn't have food, just a bunch of drinks, but there was a good craft beer selection which was great for me, and a decent number of wines for my drinking assistant. The food did look excellent so I'll have to head there again at some point for a burger. Only complaint was that there are screens at either end of the bar and that's pretty distracting if they're just showing old movies. I'm find with having a "movie night" or something but just turn em off if it's just random crap on there! read more

Many an Edinburgh pub finds its way into the hearts of its clientele and the original Brass Monkey, just off South Bridge, is firmly in that category. Curiosity and some trepidation accompanied news that there is now a second pub to carry the name: an expansionist policy from an old familiar with unique charms? Fortunately much of the atmosphere and character has travelled well and this is a lovely place to sit, drink and meet old friends. The staff were friendly, relaxed and there were plenty of hands on deck. Plenty of drinkers too, but without making the place feel as crowded as the original can quickly become. A wide selection of drinks, Monster Munch and who knows what else are available - I'm told that the tradition of showing films has also made it across town. Well worth a visit and a fine addition to Leith Walk, mid-way between Joseph Pierce's and Boda. read more

A bit overdue Came here with other Yelpers for the pub quiz night... Big space, comfy chairs and friendly staff! Quite lovely. Be warned! Don't trust Google maps to get here, I was led to a random parking lot behind the bar. read more

Can I count myself as a pub quiz regular at this place after going twice??? I darn well hope so!! And I plan on going back. If anyone has my read my review of The Brass Monkey on Drummond Street you will know how much I love it........ and I love this one just as much. They are extremely different, first of all the toilets here - not same sex, and much nicer!! But it has exactly the same atmosphere as the one in town, friendly, local and welcoming. But it is much bigger and has quite an extensive food and drinks menu. Apparently they have over 60 different beers, good times!! The quiz is always good fun and would quite like to go when it ain't quiz night, if it wasn't such a trek from my flat/town! The only issue I had was the difference in the price of drinks. I tend to have a desperado, Drummond Street - £3.35 (roughly), Leith Walk - £2.75. Just make it one or the other.... for the sake of consistency. read more

Brass Monkey Leith is awesome! I love the fact that they have so many sofas and armchairs to sink into and just relax over a pint of something or a coffee. The place is very much as a living room of a 1800 Edinburgh professor with non sticky leather sofas and arm chairs, ambient lights and great variety of music from old school to present pop and rock. The staff is great and friendly and makes one feel welcome and more at home rather then away, nice. The food is actually very creative here. Its pub food taken to another level with fresh ideas on how to make and present a hot dog, wish I had taken a picture to show it. And the cool thing is that it is the friendly chef that brings the food out to the table and as I have nut allergy it is great to get the confidence boost confirmation from the actually chef that there is no tiny way that a peanut has actively rolled around in my hot dog baguette. Another yeah point - they have a flight of the concord poster up on the wall!!! And the yelp pub quiz is great fun! We actually came on 3ed place this time and I can smell the victory creeping on!!! read more

Despite the stunning lack of originality in the naming department this is a bar that Leith Walk has been in need of for some time. Quieter in terms of atmosphere than the likes of Boda etc. you feel under no pressure to neck as much booze as possible and stumble out into the night chilling out in the comfy, dark wood surroundings is fun enough. Given the larger premises there is a larger range of drinks available than at the Drummond Street branch so the opportunities for trying something new are greater. Innis & Gunn's new Rum Cask brew goes down well at around the £3 mark (7.4% so plenty of bang for your buck) and they also stock a couple of Stewart's bottled products as well as a bunch of others. I can see myself going here quite often in the year ahead. The tortilla pizzas on the menu are a great invention & the Monday night quiz makes for an enjoyable start to the week. read more

I have always been a fan of the original brass money, so have been looking for an excuse to check out the new one and finally got around to it. While the original had a fair few flaws, it had a great character and feel about it. The new one manages to keep the character and charm, but irons out many, if not all of the niggles. This new one in Leith is much, much bigger than the original, with plenty of space for people to sit, plenty of space for people to move and plenty of space for people to get served at the bar. It would cater just as well for a couple having a quiet drink to a large crowd looking to have a catch up. I went around lunchtime and while it was quiet, it didn't feel empty. The range of comfy furniture (mainly old style chairs and sofas with big and small tables) which gave it a very homely feel. They have a great selection of drinks, a good menu, good tunes and friendly staff. This is definitely the kind of place that you could find yourself "stopping" in for one and then spending the day there, as they have designed it so you feel at home from the second you walk in and I will be looking forward to returning very soon. read more

Want a pint in a good bar on Leith Walk without any hassle? Look no further than The Brass Monkey. This pub has the feel that you're still in your own living room with comfy sofas that you'll have to peel yourself off but obviously it is a bar which means no washing up or cleaning the next day:) Friendly locals, comfy atmosphere and fairly cheap drinks - it'd be rude not to! read more

ON the site of the former Horseshoe this bar is undergoing a soft tranformation to the Brass Monkey Leith & I have to say I'm enjoying the ride! Check it out for yourself! read more

Went here with friends. Had a good time in a friendly atmosphere. We had several pints from the decent beer selection on tap and some pretty good burgers. Prices were very reasonable. I would come back if I'm in that part of town. read more

Brass Monkey Leith is a welcome addition to the otherwise dire drinking situation in Leith. Its spacious with lots of seating, nice toilets & a gigantic selection of bottled beer from all over the place! The bar was packed the night we were in with a mixed crowd-which also felt promising for Leith! Looked like they will show films there which is also cool. Looking forward to my next visit & would recommend this bar if your in the area or looking for something new! Worth supporting! read more

Great pub - could well be my new favourite local! To be honest, I've never been to any other pubs on Leith Walk as many of them are....how should I put it....uninviting! And I've only been to the Brass Monkey twice on a Monday for Dr Paul's pub quiz. However, it's made an impression. Cheap drinks - wine, beer, shots, cocktails; you name it. And the food is not half bad either - highly recommended nachos as well as the usual pub favourites. Then there's the awesome Monday pub quiz - starts at the reasonable time of 7pm, easy to follow format, challenging, but not ridiculously hard and most of all Dr Paul makes it highly entertaining with a bit of banter with the punters. Music in the background was some beaut 80's hits and Wimbledon on the big screen. What's not to love. read more

Place came recommended by our Scottish tour guide (his friend is the owner) when we asked about the best local beer pub/bar in Edinburgh. Did not disappoint. Large space indoors with varied seating at tables or on couches. Nice beer on draft, and an extensive can and bottle menu. Bartenders are knowledgeable about the selection so feel free to tell them what you want so they can help you find something you will enjoy. Very friendly people in a relaxed atmosphere. Food was good as well. We got chili cheese fries and burgers. Easy place to spend the afternoon, or a nice long night out. Worth the walk from the downtown and touristy Edinburgh area. read more

Wow. Great pub food! Had the Vegan Chili Dog and Custom Burger with Guacamole and Salsa and they were both delicious. To top it off we had the best Sticky Toffee Pudding ever. So good. Very much enjoyed the meal, which also came out very fast. Excellent Cask Beer on tap also--I realize this will change, however--very smooth with a hint of hops. read more

I was very pleasantly surprised at how nice this pub is. It's roomy, the seating is set out nice for relaxing and chatting. Relaxed atmosphere with a mixed crowd in it. Leith prices with an uptown feel. The bar staff were excellent, polite and attentive. I would definitely go back. read more

Met a big group of people from grad school there , great venue for a large group meeting. A friend and I showed up a bit earlier so we could get something to eat. We were both impressed with the non-traditional pub options, there were good veggie options and fusion influenced burgers and curry dishes. Cool place good prices for food creative pub food. read more

I always enjoy going to the Brass Monkey Leith. It's practically on my doorstep and not a bad pub to head to on a Monday for the Pub Quiz with Dr. Paul. The food is mostly quite good, I think there have only been a handful of times I was disappointed (like when the kitchen was closed randomly in the middle of an afternoon, or when they ran out of sweet potato fries). I have never been for any other events other than the pub quiz and the occasional random pint or two so I can't really rate the pub much more than three stars at the moment. Although I am a fan on facebook, I haven't really been informed as to what was happening within the pub. They have that massive screen in the back, are there ever any movie nights? I know occasionally they also have open mike night, but again, I've yet to experience these evenings. Overall its a nice pub, with good food, and friendly staff on pub quiz night Monday. read more

New place taken from the other Brass Monkey in the Newington area. It has a casual and friendly atmosphere with good beers on draught. Recommended. read more

A welcome addition to the Leith pubs. Excellent selections of beers and ciders and chilled out atmosphere in the place. A good pub quiz on a Monday night too which is well worth visiting for. Overall, a good place to relax with friends for a couple of hours. read more

The Brass Monkey Leith has been a fantastic addition to the area. It's a big pub, and it always seems to be busy whenever I go which is a shame as you'll struggle to get a seat, even though there are plenty. They have a great selection of beers which are very reasonably priced. They have a small selection of freshly made meals which look amazing. I've not tried yet, but I have been told they're lovely. They also project films onto the wall at the back of the pub (subtitled of course). I would definitely recommend giving the Brass Monkey a try you won't be disappointed!! read more

One of the best pubs in Edinburgh, and certainly my favourite in Leith. An amazing selection of beers from around the world, great staff (and knowledgeable too, as they select the beers), cool music, and the food is outstanding (try the burgers, pizza, or cheeseboard.) All of which attracts a great crowd of friendly regulars. It could do without the obnoxious fruit machine but that aside there really isn't anything not to like. read more

This is a good-looking pub, lots of comfy seating, film posters and art on the walls, lots of different beers, ciders etc, regularly changing to keep things interesting. Plus they serve food AND films! What's not to like! Well, there's the temperature. It can live up to its name in the colder months (hey it's Scotland, that could be any time!) and there's the staff. If you want a lesson in being ignored with disaffected arrogance, this is the place for you. Face it, you aren't cool enough to get served here. But if you ARE prepared to wait while the staff chat to their chums at the hatch, you will eventually get served, and you might even get a full pint before they shuffle slowly off again on their low-slung jeans. The nachos are bloody good, the staff are bloody awful, the prices are pretty fair, but who ever asked for fried potatoes with an All-Day-Breakfast? Good place. Could be so much better. read more