Super old place. Very popular Scottish pub but TINY! Go here for some great Scottish fun! Love the atmosphere. Building originally 400 years old! read more

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Come for drinks. Be prepared to be ignored if you don't go up to the bar. Food? Not many options. This is mainly a bar to go to after dinner or in the afternoon. Better options close by though read more

Definitely a locals hang out. Tiny bar with a small courtyard. They had great draft beer selections for those wanting local. My husband and I really enjoyed standing in the courtyard while chatting and having beers. read more

We got in at opening, scored a perfect corner table, and enjoyed a couple pints. Perfect escape from the crowds and cold.

It was unusually hot inside and there was not much seating outside. A little adjustment or two and it would be great I'm sure.

We loved this place. It's small, but very cozy with a friendly staff . Great variety of beers. We highly recommend.

Located off of the busy touristy Royal mile. This small tavern was packed. We grabbed a quick pint of local brew. The tavern was small and quaint. It became busy and over crowded so we moved on after our one pint. read more

This place was phenomenal. It's definitely a cozy, Scottish spot. Very traditional. Great prices. Friendly bartender. read more

Jolly Judge - Outside - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Traditional and historic pub always go to jolly judge when in Edinburgh love the place read more

Jolly Judge - My fav pub in Edinburgh can go outside walk about great atmosphere - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Most friendly and knowledgeable bartenders in the area. Highly recommend as a place for first time whisky drinkers. Wish we had more time in Edinburgh to visit again. read more

Pretty standard Edinburgh pub. Classic pub vibe. No food. Pretty small. Standard drink options. Outside seating. Efficient service. Not a destination but decent place for drink. read more

Great place to pop in for a pint. Love the is place! Definitely stop in and enjoy a true Scottish pub experience.

Quaint neighborhood bar. Casual and authentic. Inside is small but they have a nice courtyard.

Very small pub approx 11 tables mostly for 2 . Medieval times for sure . Nice to think of all the folks who entered this place through the ages .. lively too read more

Everything you would want in a great pub. Great ambience cold beer what more could you ask for.

A cozy bar resto that serves excellent lentil curry soup and toasties. The place is very warm and cozy. Friendly staff. Will definitely go back there again before we head out of Edinburgh. read more

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Great cozy pub full of conversation and no loud background music. Service was quick, friendly and helpful. The crowd was relaxed and cordial. Very happy we found it. read more

One of my favorite traditional pubs in Scotland. It's not on the Royal Mile, well...not right on it. The bartender was affable, the surfing cask ales (you must be takin a piss, mate) were awesome and the traditional decor rules. Once you're done with the castle tour and the Scot Whiskey Experience, roll by this place. You'll be sitting there, drinking pints, chatting with cute locals for hours, and hours, and hours. read more

Jolly Judge - They got surfer cask ales up in this bizzatch. - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

A while back, I was doing the tourist thing on the Royal Mile when I ducked down a side street to avoid the crowds. It wasn't long before I found the Jolly Jude, and it was a discovery that made my afternoon. This pub was like a little cave, or at the very least, my cousin's basement. Yup, I'm not ashamed to admit that I like cozy, and this pub is the definition of cozy. I ordered the lunch special, the plowman's lunch: fresh meat and cheese with a cold pint. The food was simple but hearty. The bartender was very helpful suggesting several brands of scotch for my buddy and I to taste. I have to admit that I didn't really know much about the "water of life" before I came to Edinburgh, but my barkeep did a really nice job of schooling me on the basic..now, I cringe whenever I see someone toss an ice cube in a glass of scotch. The locals, the food, and the atmosphere here where perfect. My only complaint, if you can call it that, is that the selection of beers where pretty much what I get back home. However that was really minor, and this will be one of my first stops when I return to Edinburgh read more

So a friend discovered this place after getting stressed by the amount of people on the Royal Mile and meeting a place to get away from it. After ducking down a little alleyway, lo and behold, he found the Jolly Judge. This is now his quiet place when he comes to town and this part of the city gets too much. It's a nice wee bar for a drink. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to leave Stockbridge to head there, but its an awesome place to hide out during the day when tourists and out in full force and you're sick of all the noise and business. read more

Jolly Judge - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Went for drinks in the afternoon. Exactly what you'd want from a pub in Edinburgh. Small. Intimate. Old and plenty of drink choices.

Had a nice couple pints and whiskies here with some sandwiches. Quiet, on a courtyard, the best part it was cool and had fresh air, unlike other pubs on Royal Mile. Nice people tending and very reasonable prices for top brands. Tasty toasties. A good find. read more

Jolly Judge - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Went in... tiny place and full! I liked the atmosphere for a small Scottish pub... wish my buddy and I had been able to actually find space to sit and have a beer! We couldn't, so we left! But it looked cool... read more

On a visit to edinburgh I checked out some places to have a pint on qype and this place came up. It is tucked away in a small court yard & wouldn't have found it if I wasn't looking. It is a very small bar in a small cellar but with a friendly atmosphere. Had a bowl of soup & toasted sarny with a pint and enjoyed it. Worth a visit, I would go back if up the royal mile. read more

Jolly Judge - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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The Jolly Judge gets four stars because of what it has to offer as a package. Tucked immediately off the Royal Mile and down a set of stairs, it certainly gets its fair share of festivalling tourists, but you are also very likely to find smart locals who have decided to pop into town to take in the atmosphere and don't want to be crowded while they enjoy a pint. And indeed the pints are to be enjoyed - especially the special Stewart's Brewing "Festival Ale" that's on tap just now. Not only that, it's in a lovely (mostly) quiet courtyard space with outdoor seating for those rare warm sunny days. A respite from the crowds, the Jolly Judge is probably the festival's best hidden gem. read more

Love this pub! Here are the reasons: - its tiny and has an open fire - its dog friendly - it has out door seating - loads of people dont know its there, so in the festival it can be a welcome break from the crowds - they do great booze - the staff are friendly - you find a proper mixed bag of people here Whats not to like? :D read more

I have loved The Judge ever since I drunkenly stumbled across it looking for a shortcut to Princes Street one night. It's down an alley on the Royal Mile, one of many, but when you find it, you're laughing. It's a gorgeous little pub, that just *feels* right. There's a well stocked bar with a rotating choice of ales, well versed staff who offer advice and tasters where required, and a wide range of malts and the like. It's small and compact, but in the winter, it's absolutely perfect and toasty warm. A great place to set up camp for the night if you can get one of the tables, and a definite must stop place any time I'm in town. read more

I was pleasantly surprise when I entered the Jolly Judge. In my mind I was walking into somewhere that looked like the Halfway House, down towards Waverley, but not at all - this place has clean lines, comfy modern furniture and tasteful decor. It's as though Habitat never closed down. Small and friendly, a mix of tourists and locals, with limited food options but a reasonable range of drinks. Well worth a stop if you're up the top of the Mile. read more

My mum absolutely loves coming here every Sunday for their pub quiz....and you know what? So do I! Let's look at the facts....a seedy looking old-man's pub in the heart of tourist-land in Edinburgh - yeah, I wasn't too keen either. But I learnt my lesson...the same lesson I learnt that fateful night watching Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent - never judge a book by its cover. Yeah it's a tradtional pub and yeah you can tell the clientele have been going there for years. When my mum and I first started going to the pub quiz we were greeted somewhat coldly, but once they realised we had no general knowledge and positively sucked at World Geography, we got a few more smiles. So, overall it's a brilliant pub and has a great quiz every Sunday. Look out for my mum and I in the corner, we'll be the ones making our way through the wine read more

This is exactly what a pub should be like. Walk down and alley, down some stairs and into a warm cozy basement where you want to sit back and drink all night. Dare I say it's one if the best pubs in Edingburgh. read more

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Friendliest pub I was in while visiting Scotland. Half of the place is some kind of historical landmark so they literally can't change anything. Very cozy, and warm. Check out all the currency stapled to the ceiling and ask for some history on that. Amazing how much they've taken off the ceiling there and the fact that they are only missing two countries, so they say. They'll even show you a $10 trillion dollar note from Zimbabwe, worth something like 40c. I recommend the McEwan's, for those with high gravity American tastebuds, but the real ales are all great here. Didn't get into the whiskies because my map app wasn't working and my memory tends to fade with the sunlight... All in all, a lucky find! read more

The Jolly Judge is a great traditional little pub just off the Royal Mile. Inside it is cozy (warm) and welcoming, while for the nicer days there are picnic tables so you can enjoy the architecture of the courtyard and the rare scottish sun. There is a decent selection of draft drinks (real ale and craft lager) alongside a good range of spirits. Whilst just off the Royal Mile the Jolly Judge never feels like a tourist trap, prices are average and there is a mixture of locals and visitors. The only downside is that the Jolly Judge is a bit of a mobile black spot, though they do offer wireless which compensates for this somewhat. Overall this is simply a good pub. read more

I love this little pub. It has a great Scottish feel to it - lovely and cosy in the winter. The staff are very good too. It's an excellent place to pop into for a quick pint before going off to visit the Royal Mile. read more

I can cut through James Court in my backyard and pop into the Judge for a quick pint whenever I fancy -- no need to hit the Mile at all! Of course, the downside to this proximity is that drunk revelers can do the same, so that every Friday and Saturday night I go to sleep with the hoots and hollers of rowdy men in my ears. I can't hold it against them, though; the JJ is a great place to enjoy a few pints and plenty of banter. The bar staff aren't over friendly but that's just fine. It's a cozy little place without a hint of the tourist vibe that most places on the Royal Mile ooze. read more

This pub has a lot of charm. It is basically an olde place, done in a modern style. Narrow. Could get cramped, but if you get a seat, it is a spectacularly cosy place to kill some time. Enjoyed a very good pint of Kelburn's Tarten Army! Would like to have stayed longer. Their website doesn't do them justice in terms of beer range! read more

This is a hidden gem with low key, excellent service with cozy fire place. We loved this place that we came back the last night in Edinburgh. Its reasonable and located in the small alley, that its gets enough people, but never too crowded or get bad service. read more

A great take on the Scottish traditional pub! Drinks with no fuss, occassionally extremely busy but a must see while you're in town. Closed for refurbisment in late 2008. Ess read more

As the name promises you can spend here a jolly evening with your friends either in summer in a lovely little treasure of a backyard/court or on a cold day inside next to a heating fireplace. Charming stuff which make you feel comfortable, great choice of Ales, and atmospheric interior. Well done, Jolly Judge! read more

My fav. on the Royal Mile. It's well hidden inside Lady Stair's Close in front of Writer's Museum. It's tucked into a side wall and down some steps once you enter the Close from the Royal Mile. Not that many tourist here, or any drunken Stags or Hens acting like idiots. Very traditional and laid back, no loud music. You wouldn't know it was a pub from the outside either. 2 picnic tables in front and a plain white plastered wall with 2 plain windows are all you see, making it look more like an entrance to nice flat. A simple sign hangs out front. The customers spilled out into the Close, drinks in hand, standing & chatting in groups casually, something you couldn't do if the pub were on the main street. Inside is a treasure too. It's old wood beams crossing every 2 feet on the ceiling, painted on the spaces between the crossbeams, and a white, clean stucco wall with charming pastoral pictures hung around the place. The bar is narrow but long, accommodating around 60 people that night, and it was packed. The atmosphere isn't living room, and isn't modern chic, but it's warm and cozy without having cloying wood everywhere. (They have nice modern toilets above the bar, something unusual in a pub like this, I think.) They had Real Ale, cask ales, freshly hand cellar pulled as well as the regular swill. Overall, my favorite of all the bars in the immediate area. read more

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On a fricking freezing midday walk down the Royal Mile from the Castle, we needed two things: a cheap lunch and warmth. We stumbled across this place and I'm really glad we did! It's a cosy, small little basement pub with a roaring fireplace and a handful of tables. I even managed to find a table next to a socket to charge my phone. Result! Their menu is very basic and cheap. It did the job. I ate a baguette with three fillings for about £3.50. Friendly and chilled mix of locals and tourists. The bartender was sweet. If you're trying to find this place, walk down the Royal Mile (from the Castle) and look for a signpost on the right hand side of the road. The pub is through a little alleyway in a tiny courtyard. read more