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!

First and foremost, let me confirm Bar Salsa has nothing to do with salsa dancing nor the sauce!…read more It's a teeny tiny bar located between the Cowgate and Grassmarket. The area where you'll find drunken throngs of students, back-packers, stag & hen nights shuttling up and down the cobbled streets. It was very entertaining to watch these crazy scenes roll by from the security of the pavement seating, as I sipped my Peroni in the evening sun. That's the only way I'll take advantage of the uber cheap drinks here, outside away from the cramped dark interior and loud music or sport screens. Inside the bar is now relatively clean, although there's little seating, upturned barrels serve as tables, lots of timber cladding and there is only one unisex toilet. Although it's dark, clammy and the window soon steam up once the pub crawls begin! The drinks are outstandingly cheap with all spirits £1.25, bottles at £1.95 and all pints £2.25. There is a huge selection of flavoured shots if you really want a metal night! This place is great for a cheap drink, a quick nip or if you manage to grab a seat outside, a few bottles in the sun.

While the name Bar Salsa might conjure up images of a snake-hipped Romeo with a waxed chest and…read morewhite loafers, gyrating alongside a Latino temptress with a rose in her teeth, in reality it's very, very far from that. More of a drunken free for all than a bar, the punters here aren't necessarily here for a good time so much as to get as annihilated as possible, before being bundled in a taxi home. Grubby surroundings, an atmosphere of excessive inebriation without a hint of aggression, and cheap prices. A-OK.

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!

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.

This is exactly the kind of pub I love. Not fancy. Not touristy. Great music. Great drinks. A bit…read moredivey. Dark enough to be intimate. Friendly barkeeper. Moderate prices. Old-school pub atmosphere. If I'd live in the neighbourhood, this would be my local pub to go to all the time.

Having undergone a lick of paint outside and a renovation inside the bar is now a very good choice…read moreshould you wish a quieter establishment in which to watch the football on TV or play Trivial Pursuit or just drink and talk somewhere you don't have to raise your voice in to be heard. At £3.50 for a pint of Joker IPA it's also got a more sensible pricing policy than many of its near neighbours. On visiting again the other week I saw the pub now has an arrangement with the Origano pizza takeaway further down Leith Walk. You can therefore order (from around a dozen or so different types) a pizza & have it delivered to the pub for consumption there.