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    The Abbey

    3.8 (35 reviews)
    ModeratePubs
    Closed 9:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    The Abbey Photos

    THE ABBEY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Abbey

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    Dodgy

    Horrible from attitudes of staff to hygiene then the food had hair and signs of mice in premises NO GO!

    Lauren G.

    The Abbey is located in the Newington area of Edinburgh, really close to the University, the student halls of residence and the Meadows so it should be really popular with the students. It's not. It is your typical average old man pub, with sleazy drunken men leering and jeering at every girl who walks in - not inviting. Inside The Abbey is really run down, with stains on the chairs and carpets and the floor is really sticky. The only redeeming feature of The Abbey is the menu. It serves full English breakfasts for under five pounds, a wide selection of burgers and main meals for around six pounds. They also have a good range of snacks which are cheap and cheerful, around two pounds and are tasty, especially the potato wedges. The Abbey no longer do their pub quizzes and just show football all the time instead - definitely not a place for a girls night out.

    Gibson A.

    From the outisde I thought this place looked awful. By day there are emaciated old men cowering in the porch, smoking and swearing about everything. By night it doesn't get much better, only busier. I came here with some in my first year and we only lasted one drink because of the prices and the general boredom radiating from the ambiance. Fair enough, it isn't trying to market itself to students so it can't really be criticised for its older clientele. Nonetheless, it just doesn't offer much to those who aren't locals looking for a drinking hole with friends. The menu looks alright with roast beef and plenty of burgers, but other than that there isn't much to attract people out of their way.

    Robert L.

    I've only ever been to The Abbey on the one occasion, but then again the whole place failed to make a very positive impression on me. The pub itself is nice enough, though the shape of the bar can make things a bit cramped in here despite the fact that it is a fairly large pub. My reason for coming here was because the Crags was showing the United game and we wanted to see the Arsenal game so at half time we left the Crags searching for a pub showing the latter game. The only pub we could reach in the half time break was this pub as they were showing both games here (which does count in their favour). I should also mention that they do have a good number of TV screens and I was impressed with the setup here. What I wasn't so impressed with and what put me off this pub were the prices of the drinks - I mean you can get so much cheaper in this area so unless you are in desperate need you are very unlikely to come here, although I guess this is just their way of keeping students out. As far as I can tell there isn't enough on offer to justify the prices you have to pay.

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    9 years ago

    Nice selection of whiskey, knowledgeable staff, good service, tasty food.

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    The Abbey Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Abbey

    We needed a bite after a rugby match at Murrayfield and settled on The Abbey Bar.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    John Leslie

    John Leslie

    4.1(12 reviews)
    0.4 miNewington
    £

    The best aspect of The John Leslie pub, for me, has the be the staff. They are extremely…read moreapproachable, friendly and open besides serving you great pints quickly. The decor also contemporary, yet still manages to retain that feel of a traditional, old pub. The clinetele are almost all locals and they seem a friendly and eclectic bunch. This isn't a standard boozer with fruit machines and gassy, frothy pints of cheap lager, but a proper pub with a good atmosphere and a great range of alcohol. They have a wide range of real ales and beers as well as a decent selection of spirits, including specialist whiskeys from the Highlands. This a good pub with a hearty atmosphere - well worth a visit.

    This is a quintessential old man's pub but is still really good fun. Despite the fact it is almost…read moreentirely populated by old regulars, you don't get that 'local pub for local people' feeling, you know the one where everyone goes silent and turns around when you walk in so you slowly back out before they gather up their torches and pitch forks. The old guys in here are all really friendly and with a combined age of well over 1000 they all have stories to tell and are quite happy to tell you them. That's not to say you will be mobbed by people narrating their life to you, just quite nice that they are a chatty old bunch. The pub itself is pretty standard really. It is inoffensive but nothing particularly stands out. There is a good selection of beers and spirits and it is moderately priced. If you are a poker fiend but can't really be bothered to trek off to Vegas every week, on Sundays there is a poker night starting at 7.30 with a £5 buy in. Not quite the same stakes as the huge casinos but it's a bit of a laugh nonetheless

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    John Leslie
    John Leslie
    John Leslie

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    Queens Arms

    Queens Arms

    4.4(116 reviews)
    1.3 miNew Town
    ££

    Out of all the places I've been to in Scotland, I think Queens Arms was one of my favorites…read more We had reservations for this place recently and when I took one step inside, I was already in love. I mean who doesn't love a good pub? You get great drinks and great food at an affordable price. As I write it makes me think of think of when Zidane reunites with Freya in FF9. Sometimes we don't wanna eat at fancy Michelin restaurant that has small plates but charges a premium. Sometimes we just wanna cut all the BS and just get a nice hearty meal. And thats what we got. When we sat down we found out that they were doing a Trivia night. Normally I would have told my girl to pick another spot to eat but for some reason I was cool with it. There was even a table nearby with kids(yuck). And you know what? It was fine. That's because we had been sipping on some amazing cocktails. If you also partake, Gin and Mezcal enjoyers will love the Bramble and Hibiscus Crush. What color are Luigi's overalls from Super Mario? That's such an easy question. Wait...what do you mean Luigi's overalls are blue? They are green. Look at this picture onli...Oh... One of the stars of our meal was the Haggis. This was the first time I had ever tried it and after trying it at multiple places Scotland, Queens Arms I feel has done it the best. I love the complexity of the flavors of the meat with the creamy and pepper flavors of the peppercorn sauce. If you've never had Haggis, you definitely have to try it here. The best part is that it comes with mashed potatoes too! Shoutouts to the Fish and Chips if you are also into that. One of my friends ordered that and I definitely had to go back in for multiple bites. Finally the roast. The Sunday Roast should just be an automatic order if you happen to come here on a Sunday. You get so much food and it's all so damn tasty. They'll cook a roast to whatever doneness your heart desires. We went with Medium Rare and it came out perfectly. If you didn't have enough flavors with all the extra sides it comes with, they also give you gravy to pour on anything you want. Thanksgiving basically came early this night. But as I looked around and admired all the bookshelf's and all the families have a nice dinner with their loved ones, I just thought about how happy I was. I was finally here! This was the start of my trip. Queens Arms has set a high ceiling on great experiences in Scotland. We even went back there a couple of days ago just because we knew we would be able to end the night on a good drink. But in the end I think if you are Edinburgh, you have to come to this place. It is one of my favorite experiences I've had in Scotland so far and I dream about when I can come back again.

    Came here on our first night in town on the strength of the Yelp reviews and were not disappointed…read more We enjoyed a fantastic Sunday roast including a delicious pavlova for dessert. The kids meal of mac and cheese and fries was perfect for our picky little eater, though big enough for at least two!

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    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms
    Queens Arms - Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

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    Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

    The Abbey - pubs - Updated August 2026

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