The Albanach is a great restaurant. We timed it right for dinner by going in a little early and were seated right away. Like many restaurants and pubs on the Royal Mile, there is a pub in the front with a seating area in the back. There are great views to people watch from the back room. We had the Steak Ale Pie and the Duck Hash. Since both were listed as "classics" we decided to try them. The Pie was delicious. The meat was so tender and flavorful. The cabbage was the perfect softness without being soggy and the gravy tasted like something from grandma's kitchen. The Duck hash was fantastic. This was our overall favorite meal during our three days in Edinburgh! read more

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We just stopped in for a quick drink, and the place was pretty full. I'll be at small, it felt crowded. We asked about seating and the bartender tried to answer us, and then another woman interrupted and spoke a language that was difficult for me to It didn't sound very nice so we had to ask the original bartender again if we could sit anywhere and they said yes. We were only there for one drink, but probably won't be back because we didn't feel very warmly welcomed. We did not order food, but the woman who was there when we walked in still hadn't received her fish and chips read more

The Albanach - Inside - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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The hubs and I came here after a friend recommended it. I really liked the ordering style - they seat you, give you a menu and you order/pay at the bar right then and there. When we were done, we were able to head right out and continue exploring. We decided to split a fish and chips and thank goodness we did because this is a huge portion. Like skip dinner we were still full off this. Although the fries were so good that we wouldn't have been sad if they'd thrown a few more on the plate. The fish was crispy and perfectly seasoned. The fries, oh, the triple fried fry - perfection. Service was fast and friendly. The space in the back where we sat was nice and quiet with the front space being the noisier of the two. Definitely recommend! read more

The Albanach - Fish and chips - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We were very pleased with our meal. Even though the restaurant and bar were busy when we arrived, we were able to get our meal quickly and it was very tasty. We definitely would recommend this restaurant. read more

Perfect atmosphere for a quick lunch. Lovely, helpful, accommodating, and speedy staff! Food was excellent, would definitely recommend and come again. read more

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My 14 year old son and I stopped into The Albanach for an early lunch. The bar area is cozy and welcoming. If I had been here with friends, this is where we would have wanted to stay all day. The staff is friendly, the food was good, and there's a nice selection of whiskeys to choose from or make your way through. The food portions are generous. My son had the fish and chips and I had the steak pie and mashed potatoes. The fries were amazing. I will definitely be back. read more

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My friend and I came here for a quick lunch on a Sunday. They had a cutest decorations with a lovely painting of a Lagavulin bottle on the wall. They service was friendly and quick and we were able to be seated right away in their seating in the back of the restaurant. We just ordered their soup of the day which was a carrot and coriander soup. It was a pretty basic soup, nothing special but it hit the spot on a rainy Edinburgh day. I can't attest to their nightlife, but it was pretty busy on a Sunday afternoon. I'd come back here again for a quick lunch and drink if I'm in the area. read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Stopped here after Castle tour. Nice pub atmosphere and friendly service. We unfortunately had not very good food. Small salad was greens and tomatoes. The chicken sandwich had tiny pieces of overdone chicken on it with ciabatta not warmed up. Not impressed but maybe you will get better food. read more

We went to this pub in Edinburgh two times. The first night was great. We had a good seat, good service, good atmosphere. We ordered a beef meat pie and mac n cheese. It was unbelievably good. I joked to me wife that it was better than Marie Callenders, which is really hard to beat. We decided then we would be back. We came the next night and we wanted to order dinner. We got some drinks and looked over the menu. I went to the restroom, which was downstairs and passes by the kitchen. Their door is open so you can talk to the cooks. I told them we would be ordering a hamburger in a minute and to please make the chips crispy. However....Houston we had a problem.... The staff said we could not order anything because they had a party of 9 in a back room. Really a party of 9 backs your kitchen up. When I walked by the kitchen they were just standing around. So the equivalent of three three tops ordering a dinner shuts your kitchen down. Two cooks down there should be able to handle a few orders. I think this is a case of managers on duty not performing and probably not doing what an owner would want. The food and atmosphere is way better than 1 star, it is the managers that are dragging them down. They should be no stars. read more

The Albanach - Beef pie with delicious gravy and mac n cheese - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Pretty standard pub. Casual atmosphere. Usual drink options. Service somewhat efficient. Fair amount of seating. Not a destination but an acceptable pub if in area. read more

It started to sleet so off we went to find the closest place for a pint to wait out the quick moving weather.. I was weary of the area - prime tourist spot smack in the middle of the Royal Mile. This place was close and seemed charming, a menu glance made it look pretty affordable. Some of us just had a drink (or two), others had a bite to eat. The haggis rolls were interesting. Food came out quick and was overall fairly tasty. Friendly staff in a somewhat generic but most importantly average priced spot in a busy place in the city. Glad we popped in there for an hour. read more

I was very pleased with my lunch here! I was visiting Edinburgh for the day and I'm happy I chose to go here for lunch. They had a good variety of vegan and vegetarian options on the menu and boy did they have a lot of drink choices. If you came with a group of people this place would have something for everyone. I had the vegan burger made with chick peas and bell peppers and it was the best vegan burger I've ever had (really). It came with a small bucket of seasoned fries (not the US kind) and a small portion of coleslaw (again not US kind). I had the local Scottish ale which was also fabulous. Couldn't have been happier with my meal or the service. My total came to under 15£. read more

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Great food, friendly staff. On our night, service was slow. Still a great meal and would love to come back.

At 840 pm on 1st of November we were told they could not provide food and kitchen was closed by a very unfriendly worker though there were tables available and we had just walked up part of the royal mile after arriving on trian from Glasgow, as friends had recommended this place. From Boston usa. Rude. Clearly they wanted to push only drinks. NOT friendly to us at all. Really put a sad face on the experience, which adds beenlovely walking up, until then... And there we were, willing to promote their Christmas Season before being told "kitchen was closed" ..."Not even a snack?" "No food available" They were arrogant read more

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I was recommended this bar by a local so that I could do a whisky tasting. As per the recommendation, the bartender was extremely friendly and made it easy! If I'm ever back in Edinburgh, this will be one of the places I would definitely go back to. It's not very big and got real crowded after 1 pm. I'm assuming that's the norm. So if you go and want a seat at the bar or a table, get here by noon. read more

The Albanach - Whisky flights - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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My first full Scottish breakfast was eaten at this location. Mainly because it seemed to be the likely place to go when I looked around a bit. Full Scottish breakfast complete with haggis and with a Glenmorangie hot toddy was perfect for a cold day. Huge amount of food for a reasonable price considering it's located on the Royal Mile. My wait person/bartender was very knowledgeable about whisky. Seeing as I know less than nothing about whisky, it was nice to get the crash course in whisky. read more

The Albanach - Full Scottish breakfast and Glenmorangie hot toddy - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We stumbled upon this place just walking by and went in to see a very packed restaurant but decided to go see the hostess anyways. thinking we would have to wait for a table, the gentlemen walked us right in to the only two empty tables they had but it was a bit too small and tight so we asked to be moved to a bigger table that was empty right next to it and he had no problem doing so. This place seemed to be known for their whiskey as they has an entire menu just for different types so we decided to get a whiskey flight and try a few. Not being a whiskey fan i thought maybe my love for it would grow, but i was wrong. Our waiter walked by and laughed at us because we were probably the only people tasting whiskey with our nose pinched so we wouldn't be able to taste it. He paused for a second and said that is not how we drink whiskey! This was our first experience in trying haggis, what Scotland is known for. After googling what a haggis is we weren't sure we wanted to try it but we went for it and were so surprised at how good it was! We got this an appetizer to share and then as per my meal i wasn't that adventurous and go the mac and cheese with bacon and wow was it deliciously cheesy and that bread it came with was also phenomenal . Wasn't crazy about the chocolate cake with whiskey filling, it looked better than it tasted. read more

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This is a wonderful place to grab lunch in Edinburgh. The drink selection is fantastic! There were 3 people in our party. We were quite comfortable, and the servers were attentive. The Ginger Beer is out of this world! I gave only four stars for two reasons. 1) My fish and chips was a huge mound of breading, and a small piece of fish. I had to remove the fish from the breading to eat it. 2) We were seated next to an outlaw biker group, wearing their full outlaw attire. They were giving us dirty looks the entire time we were there. This didn't bother me so much, but the others in my party were made to feel uncomfortable. read more

The Albanach - Crabbie's Ginger Beer! Mmmmmmm!!! - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We came in on St. Steven's Day for a casual dinner. The food was good, very large portions, but also reasonable. Their whiskey menu is extensive and impressive. The only downside....out of over 200+ whiskeys they were out of two that my husband really wanted to try. Granted - they were less common, but it was still disappointing. Overall, good atmosphere, food, location and value for money. read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We stumbled upon this place on a Saturday afternoon. It was not super busy when we arrived with 6 and found a table at the front. The staff was great and the food was as well. Fish and chips was good as was the steak and ale pie. The beer was cold and refreshing. The crowd doubled during the meal and it got a bit loud but it is a pub after all. I'd go back. read more

I wasn't really sure what to expect with this wee pub. Like others have mentioned, it's right smack dab in the middle of the Royal Mile, and it looked a little shabby from the outside. Once you walk in though, you're greeted with loads of cozy seating and a really great atmosphere. We were just in for drinks before our underground vault tour and since the place was pretty empty (which was weird but it was a Tuesday mid day) we were able to get a seat near the bar. My guy and I went for ciders, our friends went for a coffee and a summer spritzer they had on offer. Looking around though, it seems as though they have a huge selection of good whiskys to drink as well as beers and ciders. There really is something here for everyone. I made my way down to the toilet and passed the kitchen along the way. There were some delicious smells coming from the kitchen, so I'd be interested next time to sample some of their food. Great little pub, great staff. I'm glad we stopped in. read more

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My family came here to eat dinner after visiting the Edinburgh Castle because it was a convenient walk and my sister had noticed their "We serve traditional Scottish food all day!" sign outside. We had just arrived to Scotland not that long ago and were curious about their traditional food. We'd noticed that the outdoor seating was filled with people drinking ales and having a good time chatting, which may be a sign that this is a popular place for beer. However, we weren't planning on drinking and were seated more inside. Our waiter was very friendly, was quick to give us water, and gave us ample time to decide what we wanted to order. We ordered the: Beer-battered Haddock served with tartar sauce, chips and peas (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gqsU03i-WiyYHcBCdwObuQ?select=haaFamY1ZlwsVCi_0ftqiw#haaFamY1ZlwsVCi_0ftqiw) - This dish was very good. There were two giant slabs of fried haddock whose batter was fried to golden and crispy and meat was super tender and flaky. The haddock is no doubt super fresh and had an amazing texture. The chips were like steak fries, thick and fried to a crisp on the outside and chunky and soft on the inside. The peas were cooked perfectly and looked like little emerald gems! Highly recommended! Wee Taste of Haggis (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gqsU03i-WiyYHcBCdwObuQ?select=haaFamY1ZlwsVCi_0ftqiw#uRPJ2wLKBwBYxc9-R5xNDg) - Okay, so we were obviously curious about the infamous Scottish haggis and couldn't leave town without trying it. I'm glad they offered a smaller portion of haggis on their menu, probably knowing that some people only want to try it but not eat a heaping pile. My parents thought they did a good job getting rid of the lamb stench (our family's not big on eating lamb), but I could instantly taste the pungency of lamb with a small scoop and had to wash it down immediately. Even though I was not a fan of this haggis dish (or ANY haggis dish anywhere, now I've learned), my parents weren't completely averse to it. The yam and mashed potatoes lacked seasoning and we could not finish it. Scottish Beef Stew and Dumplings (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gqsU03i-WiyYHcBCdwObuQ?select=haaFamY1ZlwsVCi_0ftqiw#4Sa988-sWLkRkDISc_hTrQ) - This dish was all right, nothing bad but nothing spectacular about it. The beef stew was not as thick as I was expecting it to be, but the restaurant was pretty generous with their meat portions. The dumplings were a little big and doughy, but were not bad once cut up into smaller pieces and dunked in the stew. The stew was served with regular bread and butter, which we couldn't finish. Black Pudding and Goat Cheese Stack (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/gqsU03i-WiyYHcBCdwObuQ?select=haaFamY1ZlwsVCi_0ftqiw#ooV3M_kzV-FpAHFUG53ROg) - So, here is the lamb again. Initially, my sister suggested we order it since we were on a roll with trying Scottish food, but I did not know what black pudding was. Apparently, it's congealed lamb blood. I tried a little of the black pudding with goat cheese (which I am also not a big fan of), but the lamb stench was still too much to bear. After this dish, I think it is safe to say that for me, lamb is only for the eyes and not food. In the end, even my parents could not finish this dish. However, they did enjoy the caramelized red onion chutney very much! So, needless to say, I'm quite torn about The Albanach. On one hand, I really liked their haddock, but our family, in a brave attempt to try traditional Scottish food, could not seem to adapt to the pungent taste of the lamb. The prices were reasonable for their portions, though, and the service was also decent. read more

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When some of my coworkers and I decided to do an impromptu leaving-do/Thanksgiving/pre-Christmas meal, the Albanach snagged the prime position of venue for the evening. Despite my leeriness of venturing too close to the Royal Mile's more touristy (and thus pricier) pubs and restaurants, the Albanach managed to impress me with solid food, decent service, and reasonable prices for the whole shebang. Despite there being 8 of us piling in on a busy Friday night, the service was prompt and reasonably friendly--not quite the sort of personalized experience you'd perhaps receive in a nicer restaurant, but it was certainly a step up from your local old man pub. We were seated upon our arrival at a table pre-loaded with Christmas crackers (score!) in a cozy but spacious dining area and drinks came out not long after. (Extra perk: the Albanach has a relatively sizeable whisky menu--double score for me!) We'd already placed our orders ahead of time from the set menu, so that took care of a lot of the normal confusion that comes along with group dining. That sorted, the food when it arrived was surprisingly good--stuffed mushrooms as the starter, veggie tart with vegetables and sauce to drown them all in as the main for the veg-heads, whereas enormous platters of turkey and steaks went around for the carnies. I didn't hear much complaints out of the lot of them except, if anything, that there was too much meat to devour in one go! Considering there were a lot of happy plates going around, I'd say this wasn't the worst complaint for the books! All in all, the Albanach is a pretty decent joint if you're in the area when push comes to shove. Certainly for the price I think you could do a lot worse in the vast majority of places in Edinburgh around the Christmas season, as we paid around 17 for two courses, fiver for reservations included. Not bad Albanach--you've won me over this round... perhaps I'll make a return at some point for another dram in the future! read more

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Fantastic pub on the Royal Mile, just down from Edinburgh Castle. They have a huge selection of whisky, nearly 30, plus a choice of beers & cider. A simple but full menu if you're hungry. The soup & pulled-pork sandwich are particularly good. Will need to come back to try more! The staff are really what make a pub and this place is no exception!! Do yourself a favour and drop in. read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

As you walk inside The Albanch, it's just plain cool. Period. The warm wood walls and the spacious bar and the cozy nooks in the back felt immediately welcoming. Our sever greeted us and took us to a table along the large windows facing Cockburn Street. The old world views of the alleys out the back definitely felt very Edinburgh. At first glance, I was having trouble deciding on what to order. Nothing seemed to pop out at me and I wasn't sure I was even feeling "pub fare". However, as our waitress walked up, I suddenly eyed the "Mull of Kintyre Macaroni". We asked the waitress what her favorite items were and she suggested the Balmoral Chiceken or the Mull of Kintyre Macaroni. So that's what we went with. Boy, we were glad that's what we picked! Everything was fantastic. I scarfed up every bite of the goeey macaroni goodness. The service was fantastic and we really enjoyed our server. She was friendly and conversational. It was a great last meal for our visit to Edinburgh. We definitely wanted to stay longer in Edinburgh and The Albanach only added to our desire to stay in Edinburgh. Loved it! read more

The Albanach - Mull of Kintyre Macaroni - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We stopped in here post dinner for a drink. I had a champagne cocktail, sorry Scots, don't hate me, I just can't drink whisky, and certainly not straight with a bit of ice. People looked happy with their drinks though. Also the selection was vast. I had a good time, despite not being a whisky drinker! read more

The Albanach - Front of the bar - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We only had 3 days in Scotland and those 3 days; we found ourselves back each night here. There's over 200 types of whiskey. Locals come here so it had a very mellow vibe. You must order the Cranachan, thank me later. read more

The Albanach - Cranachan with mulled wine. Delicious! - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Upon our arrival to Edinburgh my wife and I had dinner at the Albanach Pub on the Royal Mile not far from our hotel. We found an empty table and browsed the menu before we turned in our order at the bar. I had the Chicken Pasta in a creamy Cajun sauce with garlic bread. My wife had a beef burger with Chips. Both meals were very delicious and filling. It seemed like both these meals came out of the kitchen with in minutes of ordering. The prices here are very reasonable considering this pub is in a touristy area. I would not hesitate coming here for a meal again. #edinburghpubs #edinburghrestaurants #royalmilepubs read more

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We walked into this pub completely at random and what a great choice we made! I ordered the Slow Roasted Lamb Shank which was cooked nicely. The lamb was juicy and flavorful. The boy had the Rob Roy which was black pudding wrapped in a chicken boob wrapped in Scottish bacon. What a fantastic flavor combination! Our waiter was amazing at giving us recommendations, being attentive, and he had a great personality! read more

The Albanach - Slow Roasted Lamb Shank (foreground) and the Rob Roy (background) which is black pudding wrapped in a chicken wrapped in Scottish bacon - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Light Lunch on a very Rainy day here in Edinburgh. The menu looked good and there was a fire. We have a booking for dinner so I opted for Cullen Sky and the wee cuz had Haggis Fritters with a whiskey sauce and salad. I a pint of Peroni and the wee cuz had the usual Rose Wine with sods. The Cullen Skink was piping hot and very tasty a wee bit heavy on the potatoes and lacking in Fish but hit the spot. The wee cuz loved the Fritters we had thought of having a pudding but sadly no space left. read more

The Albanach - Bar are - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

It was okay. The burger not all that flavorful and in the dry side. Limited beer selection. Service was good and friendly.

So, I couldn't get more UK if I tried, and I quite enjoyed it. Fish pie, peas and carrots, and bread and butter. The fish pie was good with the mashed potatoes. The cheese sauce was smoky and flavorful in a musky way. The peas and carrots were....peas and carrots. Nothing too spectacular, and the carrots were barely room temperature. Super expansive whisky selection....I may come back and try. Unfortunately, two shots throughout the day (see lunch) already had me ready for bed, so didn't try any. Would recommend on the fish pie and whiskey selection, but the peas and carrots could use some work read more

The Albanach has a highly varied selection of Scotish Whisky​. The food is bar, type, nothing fancy but the Whisky menu was most impressive. The service was good and the people are good mannered, young, some tourists. It's a very lively pub. read more

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Polite friendly knowledgeable staff. Helped me pick a Whisky to try. Also had the scotch eggs. Quite cozy, but you do have some personal space, unlike some pubs on high street. Pop in for a pint or a dram if you've the time. read more

The Albanach stands out from other other traditional pubs in the area because it puts a modern twist on its decor, dining and whisky menu. It's a whisky bar offering a colourful variety of drams. It is priced accordingly, so a stiff shot in here doesn't come cheap. Saying that, it's interesting learning about whiskeys from the well versed bar staff, and the wide variety of tasty Scottish malts will wet a lot of tourist appetites. They have a nice menu, again putting a modern, fresh twist on traditional pub classics. I'm pretty sure they had cullen skink - everywhere on the Royal Mile has cullen bloody skink - but the food looks tasty, so I'll gladly take it. As for drinking in here, it's pretty busy throughout all times of the day. It seems just as popular with locals as it is with passing travellers, so that's a good sign that it's universal. Nae bad, like! read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Bars on the Royal Mile are, if you ask me, pretty much exclusively reserved for tourists who don't realise how overpriced they are, and aren't looking for a 'local' with any sense of community. And to a certain extent, The Albanach fits all of those criteria: a cheeseburger and chips wiill set you back the best part of a tenner, and at every second table in the outside area there'll be somebody staring at a map of the centre with a slightly puzzled expression on their face. That said, if I ever go for a drink with friends in this area we nearly always end up here at some point during the evening. House wine, although not exactly going to win any vintage awards, is only £12 a bottle which isn't much more than the price of a glass of equally average wine in some George Street bars. Not too shabby at all. Also, I don't know if they've recently had a big refurb but inside it is really nicely decorated. Unlike lots of traditional pubs in the old town, where "traditional" means it still smells of the pre-smoking ban days and is always full of old men drinking pints of real ale, The Albanach has lovely slate floors and new polished wood everywhere. Just watch the step up as you go through the door on your way in. It catches me out every time and yes, everyone can see you. read more

The Albanach - image courtesy of www.belhaven.co.uk - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Compared to your stereotypical bar on the Royal Mile, the Albanach bar certainly does stand out of the crowd. Just located on the corner of Cockburn Street, the Albanach bar is well known for its range of whiskies. Whenever I have been in the bar, it has been modestly busy, however saying that, whenever I walk by it always seems very busy! The Albanach is slightly on the pricey side, after my mate experienced paying £4.50 for a pint of Peroni! I think the pint was slowly enjoyed due to its price! The bar is also very cosy with little seating areas through in the back. The Whisky menu is more extensive than other bars, and has a great selection of malts from Speyside and the Islands! And for the whisky amateur, help is at hand! The staff seemed fairly knowledgeable and were very keen to help! The food on offer looked very tasty, however the prices on the food menu looked less appetising! However, due to the fact the Albanach stands out from the rest, it is most certainly worth a visit! read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

If you live in or are visiting Edinburgh, it's going to be hard to miss The Albanach. This pub is located on the corner of Cockburn street and the Royal Mile, opposite Hunter Square. Is it worth its prime placing? The Albanach is alright. It's definitely a touristy pub. Albanach translated as "Scottish" and inside there is a sort of Gaelic theme. Written on the wall inside is "bàr uisge beatha" which means something like "waters of life", which is where the term "usquebaugh" came from, and is thought to be the origin of the word "whisky". Although I think the Gaelic word was once used to refer to all distilled drink. See my reviews are more than just a provider of useful tips, but a learning opportunity too. The Albanach has an okay selection of real ales and a pretty extensive collection of malt whiskies. If you ask me, popular or tourist pubs are always going to have half decent atmospheres because they are never unfriendly and well kept. So in some ways they do make good pubs. But the flip side is that sometimes a certain magic is lost, and they can also become a bit too crowded. Albanach at least falls in the latter camp, especially during summer and on weekends. read more

The Albanach - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

An incredible selection of whiskys from around the world but mostly from the UK which is what wanted and suggested to us by a retailer elsewhere on the royal mile. The football game between Scotland and England was going on but we got there a wee bit before it started to get a good spot to sit. We came for the scotch but beer both bottled and draught and wine are available as well as mixed drinks. Others complained about the small selection of beers but who wants bud light when ye kin git ay bony scots bier to support their efforts, ya kin!! The food we did not get as we were in the bar only to drink but the restaurant seemed nice enough on another visit. The whisky selection was second to none and we appreciated the tasting notes on the menu. See pic. Highly recommended if ya don't mind a wee bit a noise from da locals! read more

The Albanach - Whisky tasting menus - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We stumbled into this place during lunch. Their whisky selection is incredible! The food was delicious and the staff were super friendly. It was nice to be seated away from the louder bar area. read more