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    Paradise Palms

    4.0 (38 reviews)
    ModerateDive Bars, Diners
    Closed 11:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    Paradise Palms Photos

    PARADISE PALMS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Dogs allowed
    Good for dancing

    Recommended Reviews - Paradise Palms

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    Reviews With Photos

    Delicious jackfruit "crab cake"
    Ben J.

    Having visited Paradise Palms twice now, I have some mixed feelings. It's a very cool place to walk in to- wacky decorations adorn all the walls, making you feel like you're in a technicolor jungle. The staff are hip and friendly, and the menu is a fascinating vegetarian take on a British take on food from the southern USA. However, the service is slow, the prices are high, and the food is... just not that good. The first time I went I had a black bean burger and was very underwhelmed by the soggy, tasteless creation they offered me. The second time was significantly better, as I ordered the jackfruit "crabcake" - a tasty fried pattie of veggies and fruit with a bit of spice. The vegan/vegetarian emphasis is deeply appreciated, but I just wish the operation was a little more put together. Maybe I'm missing something.

    A colourful place!
    Paddy H.

    There's an awful lot to like about this bar. It's mega central, tres chic, plays ace music all afternoon, and has a decent selection of things at the bar. It does however have one *big* failing for me. The food, for the portion size you get, is staggeringly overpriced. I ordered a delicious sound basil and peanut chicken bun, and was disappointed to say the least when it was a few mouthfuls. It'd have made a cracking starter if it'd been about £4, but as a main I more than a little peeved. You can build it out with a wee pot of slaw (for a pound) and a reasonable portion of chips (also a pound) but if something is being sold as a burger, I want to be filled please!

    The menu
    Maggie W.

    We only stumbled in here for a drink - it was blowing a hoolie outside and the neon lights called us like a beacon. I would definitely stumble in here again (enough of their cocktails and I probably would be stumbling). It's cozy, camp and kitsch inside - which is pretty much everything I'm looking for in a dive bar. They've got a very good and rather unique cocktail list (I didn't dare try the Buckfast Daiquiri). The Lady Garden is like a jazzed up G&T (my go-to choice) and was as delicious as the name was amusing - there was lots of immature giggling at our table. Prices for drinks didn't seem too bad, and I really fancied the idea of the ninja buns, but we ate before we came. Having seen the reviews about their miniscule size, this might have been a lucky break? They were setting up for a science lecture as we left, and if I hadn't had plans I would definitely stayed for that. Looking at their schedule of events already has me filling up my diary to next year. I hope to return many times and update this review in the future, but yes - Paradise Palms is a hit!

    Alan S.

    Been trying to get here for so long. Finally no festival or students around so we could walk in and get a table. Normally take the stance or bars as I do in music, just because its popular doesn't mean its good. In this case that doesn't work for me. It was such a a great afternoon. Plus points - Great staff, really friendly - The place is decked out in tiki/80s and a whole load of other styles at once I love it. - Great range of drinks .... the cocktails were ideal - The food is all veggie and vegan, which for me and the missus is perfect - The food portions are huge even the small plates - The food is soul food, who doesn't like soul food Minus points - Nothing, get your selves there!!!!

    The Filthy Martini. My tongue's new favourite drink. My head does not agree.
    Rachel R.

    I like Paradise Palms a lot, but I only ever seem to end up there during the festival. As a student I used to frequent its predecessors, and I mourn the loss of their very cheap meal deals. But I haven't been a student for over five years, and I live in Leith now, so... I'm not mourning too hard. Anyway! Last year during the Fringe they had some visiting bar staff from London, who were not only great chat but also plied us with customised cocktails. Definitely a thumbs up from me. Last night, we headed here for food, as I was a few beers in and keen to finally try Ninja Buns. I'd read Paddy's review, so knew that they wouldn't be big, but jings, they are tiny. Properly tiny. Delicious, but itsy bitsy teeny weeny. I went for the chicken and tequila one, which mostly tasted of coriander. I happen to really like coriander, but I know it's a divisive one, so I'm just putting that out as a PSA. I topped it up with 'Asian' slaw and chilli and garlic fries, which were pretty good. I also fell in love. With a cocktail. To be specific, I fell in love with the Filthy Martini. I am a huge fan of salty and sour flavours, I mean, you should see the amount of fish sauce I add when I make Thai food. And if I open a tin of sardines, I'll eat the lot, brine and everything. Obviously if you don't like brine, don't order the Filthy Martini. But I'm very glad I did. My liver is less glad, but meh, liver schmiver. There was a bit of a problem with the bill, namely an extra round of cocktails that we hadn't ordered, but that was removed and our Ninja Buns, two cocktails and a beer each came to about £50. Which was more than I'd really meant to spend, but I got carried away. Like I said earlier, I'm seldom in the area so Paradise Palms is almost certainly destined to remain an August only thing for me, but it's a definitely worth a visit if you'd rather buy your overpriced food and drink in an actual sit down venue rather than from one of the many street food stalls nearby.

    Suzanne J.

    This place is so fun! Its a mishmash of stuff and it's all a bit cray cray! I fell in love with the decor and the randomness of it all. I feel like I'm on holiday, which is I'm sure, the look they are going for with a name like Paradise Palms! I had to have the Buckfast Daiquiri of course, and truth be told it was really yummy-and not at all like bucky. So I guess that's good. They had a stage, so I would be interested in coming back and checking it out next time!

    They let me behind the bar to take photos for my blog :D thanks Paradise Palms!!
    Vicky V.

    2 fun facts about me: I love Hawaii... And I LOVE dive bars!! I'm summery, Paradise Palms is my favourite bar in the whole of Edinburgh... And I like me some bars! The bar is busting full of awesome decor and Hawaiian shirts, the staff are ludicrously friendly and a lot of fun, plus the food is incredible and really affordable. And don't even get me started on their boozy selection. Five of your finest Scottish pounds will get you the best cocktail in the country: A Buckfast Daiquiri. Seriously, this is so many levels of 'so wrong it's right' I don't even know where to start. Don't judge em till you try em! I've been to a lot of birthdays and leaving dos here and we've always had a total blast. When I was looking for somewhere to throw an Etsy Craft Party, Paradise Palms was on the top of my wish list. They were super helpful and let us rearrange the furniture to fit over 20 people in for a big ole craft-a-thon. I'm really pleased to share it was a total hit! They even let me in behind the bar when I was doing a shoot for my blog. That's a lot of trust and support right there, and the photos turned out beautifully ;) Top Tips: They have a mini record shop inside and even sell vintage Hawaiian shirts! They also have loads of fun events on (including Drag nights!) and even host a monthly Bar Boothsale, which is like a Car Bootsale only with cool stuff and ... A BAR ;) be sure to check out their Facebook page so you don't miss out on anything, or you'll regret it!

    Sugar Daddy cocktail
    Robyn Z.

    i popped into Paradise Palms for a quick drink prior to a christmas dinner. having never visited the venue before i was pleasantly surprised by the decor (sort of tiki bar in the wild kind of theme) and the cocktail menu on offer. i tried a sugar daddy which was lovely and had a great sour/sweet taste. had i been there longer i definitely would have tried a few further offerings on the cocktail menu but a good place to go next time i'm in that part of town. also as a side note, the bartenders were quite dishy... so quality service for a good looking guy :) always a positive in my book!!

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    7 years ago

    Very best Jackfruit tostadas. Vegan friendly, smaller portions for price.

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    Paradise Palms Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Paradise Palms

    I had to have the Buckfast Daiquiri of course, and truth be told it was really yummy-and not at all like bucky.

    Mentioned in 5 reviews

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    Hoot The Redeemer

    Hoot The Redeemer

    4.2(27 reviews)
    0.5 miNew Town
    ££

    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. ;)

    Photos
    Hoot The Redeemer
    Hoot The Redeemer - The speakeasy "door"

    The speakeasy "door"

    Hoot The Redeemer - The very cool stars to the door

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    The very cool stars to the door

    The Mousetrap - i was amazing

    The Mousetrap

    3.8(6 reviews)
    1.6 miLeith
    ££

    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!

    Photos
    The Mousetrap - Its Vicky's place :)

    Its Vicky's place :)

    The Mousetrap
    The Mousetrap

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    Bar Salsa - Great music and good drinks, definitely get a Venom, I recommend the Piña

    Bar Salsa

    3.0(14 reviews)
    0.2 miGrassmarket, Old Town
    £

    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.

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    Bar Salsa
    Bar Salsa

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    Auld Hole In The Wall

    Auld Hole In The Wall

    3.2(5 reviews)
    16.0 mi

    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

    Press Bar

    4.0(4 reviews)
    41.3 miMerchant City, City Centre
    £

    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.

    Paradise Palms - divebars - Updated May 2026

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