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    The Fiddler's Arms

    3.4 (68 reviews)
    ModerateBars
    Open 12:00 pm - 1:00 am (Next day)

    The Fiddler's Arms Bars Photos

    THE FIDDLER'S ARMS ATMOSPHERE

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

    Recommended Reviews - The Fiddler's Arms

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    Wendy B.

    An ice cold Guinness with a warm plate of bangers and mash and the perfect spectator view of Grassmarket to round out a day of sightseeing! The service was outstanding and the bangers and mash were spot on! Followed that up with the homemade warm sticky toffee pudding and a cup of "Scottish" coffee (not really sure what he put in it but it sure was good!) and bonus...they had fresh decaf to make it with!

    Fish and chips
    Amadeo D.

    Decent pub food. Service was attentive. Great location in a high traffic touristy area. This old pub had just enough of a urine smell to be authentic without being overwhelmingly off-putting. Just mildly off-putting. Fish and chips were good and crispy. Excellent quality fish, but a bit under-seasoned. The peas that came with them were dried out and poor quality. I ordered the Bacon wrapped Chicken stuffed with Haggis. Chicken was a bit on the dry side, but the bacon and gravy helped with that. Haggis was good though and I really enjoyed the crushed potatoes. Had a whiskey and a cold pint with dinner. Our server helped me pick a good whiskey. All in all, an OK casual meal. This place gets crazy busy so either come early, or be prepared to wait for your table.

    View out our window as we ate
    Kathy K.

    Stopped at this little pub in the Grassmarket area of Edinburg for a light lunch. Not a lot of seating which gave it an intimate feel. Unfortunately, at least 15 people were turned away while we were there because there was no available seating. I saw only two workers and they seemed to be handling it well. They took a little time to warm up but by the end of our meal they were friendly. The hubby ordered the Warm Goat's Cheese Salad and a Diet Pepsi. He also got three whiskeys for tasting. He enjoyed the salad and said if you like goat cheese you should give it a try. I ordered the Fish Cake. It was perfectly cooked and the homemade dill sauce was delicious. The salad garnish beside it was fresh and was a nice little addition. The food came out fairly quickly. Near the end of the meal the manager asked if we minded sharing our table with two other people. Technically it was two small tables pushed together so they just scooted the table over and up a few inches. It was about the same amount of space as the other table next to us. We didn't mind. It just added to the intimate feel.

    Menu
    Fran L.

    A nice pub with excellent service and great foods. They give you a lot for your money! The beer on tap is cold and great. The chips are French Fries on steroids. The signature dish of chips and fries comes with hips of thick fries and large cod. I love the ambience and friendly service

    Really good Whiskey.

    We really enjoyed the restaurant. No reservations required. The food is really good. The staff is very cool. It was our go to place. 3 times

    Flowery rupenzels hair
    Dirk W.

    We sat outside with a view of the bright flowery rupenzels hair (Figure 1) draping down the side of the Cold Town House. I had a cold pint of Innis and Gunn (figure 2). This local ale hit the spot after a long walk around the castle. The crispy chips (Figure 3) here were the best we've had in the UK in part due to their simple flume like shape which held a dollop of ketchup perfectly. The onion rings were also crisp and perfectly delicious. Simple, effective, just right as was the service which was brisk.

    Kim M.

    The staff are awesome, the drinks are perfect, and food is terrific! We're from the State's, if our favorite pub in Scotland!

    Menu

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    Good food, good drinks, true Scottish Pub atmosphere. Great location just below Edinburgh Castle.

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    7 years ago

    Big portions. Good atmosphere. Friendly staff. Sweet spot in the city center if you're in need of food and drink.

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    Page 1 of 2

    The Fiddler's Arms Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - The Fiddler's Arms

    Excellent food--had the steak pie and the sticky toffee pudding, both the best we'd had in Scotland.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

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    Beer & Skittles - Opening night for Beer and Skittles! Great sports bar, cocktails and garden

    Beer & Skittles

    4.3(3 reviews)
    0.8 miNew Town
    ££

    Great new bar in the basement of Steak at Picardy place, a huge refurb has resulted in an…read moreamazeballs bar to enjoy a few drinks! I'd even be tempted to come and watch the sport here. They do beer cocktails yay. We tried a tequila based sangria style one and a beery take on a Moscow mule. Both were really tasty. They have a huge range of draft and craft beers and do bottles with chaser shots a personal fav was the Aussie bundy rum with my beer! Bar snacks are on to keep you going but not full meals yet, though you could always head up to Steak if you're peckish.

    Interesting sports bar under Steak on Picardy Place. I was a bit unsure as a previous reviewer said…read moreit was a bit of a lads' place. Anyhow the OH persuaded me to give it a shot for a quick drink to shelter from the rain whilst we deliberated on a venue for dinner. I'm glad he did. In addition to a decent selection of craft beers, there's a hefty cocktail menu. I tried the Ginger Tom Collins & it hit the spot. Just the right amount of ginger to pack a punch but not enough to be overpowering. The OH had a pint of draft beer & seemed happy enough. The low ceiling means it gets noisy even if it's not packed. There was a stag do, 2 birthday parties and hen group as well as some other folks. It was only just possible to hold a convo at normal volume & be heard. There's a decent sized courtyard out the back too but it was too wet & cold to try it out. I'd definitely visit again but maybe on a week night when it might be a little less noisy.

    The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

    The Devil's Advocate

    4.3(630 reviews)
    0.3 miOld Town, Royal Mile
    ££

    Just an awesome, rockin' final meal in Edinburgh - fantastic food, good service and energized local…read morevibe! Absolute must to get reservations! We tried on our first week in Edinburgh and failed, but were able to make reservations 3 weeks out for our last night in Scotland, and we are glad we did. Pork cracklins were a bit hard and crunchy, but everything else was perfect. We had fresh bread and langostinis for starters, along with a smokey whiskey cocktail, the Smoked Indiscretion! For mains we enjoyed the poached Cod, and the Pork with Barley. Service was very good, and wine selection was extensive. Atmosphere was loud with music and locals' chatter in the bar below, but dark tables and heavy wood panels made it a perfect place for a couple celebrating 3 weeks of travel. Highly recommend a visit to the Devil's Advocate, if you can book a table in advance.

    The Devil's Advocate is undoubtedly a treasure to find in Old Town Edinburgh, especially if you…read moreaccidentally take the News Steps to get there, only to realize you should have simply taken the steps up Advocate's Close from Cockburn Street. But they call these lessons, "character building," apparently. No matter, the Devil's Advocate is worth the search. Located in an old Victorian pump house halfway up (or down) Advocate's Close, the Devil's Advocate is known for a killer whisky shelf of more than 300 different bottles from various distilleries across the Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside, Campbelltown, the Islands, and Islay. I finally sipped on a 15-year Tamdu that has convinced me to keep a bottle at home. Then there's the Clydeside 2024 Limited Edition Cask Strength that was wicked impressive. The bartenders are class at making and serving seasonal and regular cocktails that have their spin and character. My wife enjoyed gin-based cocktails such as the Clean Slate (with St-Germain, citrus, and sugar), Rose Garden (with Yellow Chartreuse, Cocchi Rosa, apple, lemon, and mint), and Bee's Knees (honey and lemon). I went full speed ahead with the scotch cocktails, which are essentially classics with a scotch-substituted twist. The Double Shot is an Espresso Martini with Dalmore 12 in addition to Kahlua, espresso, and demerara -- quite smooth without being too sweet. The Scotzia is a Negroni with Fettercairn 12, while the Boxcar is a Sidecar only with Aberfeldy 12. We enjoyed the bar for a few hours, watching the bartenders make magic while sipping on cocktails, while listening to 80s pop tunes. A great evening indeed.

    Photos
    The Devil's Advocate - Whiskey flight tastings

    Whiskey flight tastings

    The Devil's Advocate - Fish Filet

    Fish Filet

    The Devil's Advocate - Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

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    Double Shot with Dalmore 12, kahula, espresso shot, and Demerara.

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Inside front room (there's a back room as well)

    Pickles of Broughton Street

    4.9(20 reviews)
    0.8 miNew Town
    ££

    We were doing our regular research, hoping to find the perfect anniversary restaurant, when we…read morestumbled upon Pickles on a map. A quick Google search later, we decided to add this to our "must visit while in Edinburgh" list. This wasn't our anniversary restaurant, of course, but we knew we needed to dine here at least once. It was a long walk from our hotel, but it was a nice way to see parts of the city that we wouldn't normally have gotten to. The restaurant itself is nestled in the basement (or downstairs) of a cute building. It's small in there, but they're very good at maximizing the space they're given. We settled in at a teeny-tiny table off to the side and swiftly ordered a couple of pints. The menu is very straightforward: you're either getting a meat and cheese plate, just a cheese plate, or pates. We decided to share the Mixed Meat & Cheese platter. We figured that we'd snack and drink some Scottish beer, then head off into the night to find our "real" dinner. Thing is, though, that combo platter filled us the heck up. The waitress came out with the meat and cheese plate and a box of bread, oatcakes and crackers, and my husband and I had a "where is all this going?" moment. But our pro-waitress dropped the plate on the table and popped the bread box into a shelf on the wall next to us - a shelf that neither of us ever even noticed, to be honest. The meat and cheese selections were delicious and paired really well together. Kind of hidden away on that shelf (holding the bread and oatcakes) were a couple chutney jars. That chutney - lots of fruit pieces and complex flavors - brought a lot to the cheeses. We really did love the food, the surroundings, the beer and the staff. I wish we had something like this back home.

    Comforting environment, food and drink. It's like being in your own home, warm with friends. Staff…read moreare helpful and friendly. Enjoy yourselves.

    Photos
    Pickles of Broughton Street - Cheese platter

    Cheese platter

    Pickles of Broughton Street - The cheese board

    The cheese board

    Pickles of Broughton Street - Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

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    Amazing cheese and bread and wine.

    The Voodoo Rooms - Mushroom stroganoff

    The Voodoo Rooms

    3.9(78 reviews)
    0.5 miNew Town
    ££

    We decided to stay and have a cocktail at the VooDoo Rooms after exploring the Midnight Lunar…read moreMarket. What a vibe this place has going on! We were lucky enough to just show up and grab a semi-circle shaped booth by the bar without any wait. We LOVED that a) the cocktail menu clearly stated "All drinks vegan, please inform staff of any allergens before ordering" and b) that they had the shape of the glassware next to the drink name. The bartender even took some time to make recommendations based on both what was most popular with customers and what the house/staff favorites were. We ended up going with the Porty Licks (gin, pineapple liquor, passionfruit, toasted almond topped with edible flowers) and Green Room (bourbon, peach liquor, lemon, peach, basil yuzu). Both were really well balanced drinks! Next time I'd get the King Khan (spiced rum and a mango oat lassi) or the Hare Krishna (mango, oat milk, chilli, coconut cream, and cardamom - sounds like a lovely non-alcoholic beverage and dessert)!

    This place is a gem! I greatly appreciate a vegan option, an actual tasty one at that! The mushroom…read morestroganoff was perfect! It was so flavorful! My non vegan friend even picked into my plate. Great drinks! The staff were friendly and attentive! The decor of this place was amazing; looked like something out of a movie. I'll definitely slide by on my next trip!

    Photos
    The Voodoo Rooms - Cool fixtures

    Cool fixtures

    The Voodoo Rooms - Behind the bar

    Behind the bar

    The Voodoo Rooms - Spice up your life

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    Spice up your life

    Bryant & Mack Private Detectives - Difficult to find, but well worth it!

    Bryant & Mack Private Detectives

    4.6(17 reviews)
    0.4 miNew Town
    ££

    I was there on 30 October 2025 with a few travel friends, and it turned out to be one of the best…read moresurprises of our trip. The minute we found the door off the little lane on Rose Street, there was an air of mystery... exactly what you hope for from a "detective agency" style speakeasy. Once inside, the vibe was perfect for a chilly Edinburgh evening. Like, moody lighting, vintage-style furnishings, and that cozy, clandestine feel that makes you glad you made the effort to find it. The service was absolutely welcoming. The bartenders were friendly and attentive, and even at 9p, mid week (when you might expect things to be winding down), the place was comfortably busy but not packed, but full enough to feel alive. Drinks menus came in little "confidential" envelopes, which instantly added to the fun. We ordered several cocktails that evening, and every drink was carefully crafted and flavorful, smooth and topped off with warm hospitality. I honestly did not have one bad cocktail. If I were to highlight a few things from our night - I came away loving the atmosphere, the attention to detail, and the general ease at which we were treated which is exactly what I wanted out of a night out in Edinburgh. If you're visiting Newcastle, upon, Tyne, Edinburgh, or just wandering through Rose Street and looking for something a little different... don't walk past this place. Bryant & Mack Private Detectives is a fun little secret with classic cocktails, cozy speakeasy vibes, and service that makes you feel like part of the case, lol. It's a fully immersive experience.

    Awesome speakeasy in New Town…read more It really is on the hidden side, it took me a few minutes longer than I thought it would to find the door (look at the posted pictures, it helps). Once inside (you'll have to knock to get in), you'll find a cool little lounge with great cocktails, chill music, and amiable bartenders. We were surprisingly the only ones in there around 9 pm on a Friday night, which we thought was odd (as did the bartenders), but it meant we got to hang out with them and shoot the shit (meeting bartenders from all over the world is one of my favorite hobbies). Besides the fact that both were into motorcycles (and one came to Edinburgh once and immediately backed up his bags and moved over from Italy - props), we found out that they could make a mean cocktail. We, of course, started on menu, but wanted to see if they could do any variations, which they not only did, but nailed: "do you like bitter or sweet" - bitter "Floral or not so much" - surprise me "base?" - gin Dunno what it was called, but it was one of the nicest gin drinks I had in a town that is crazy for gin at the moment. I highly recommend this place if you're looking for a good cocktail place, the ambiance is on point and the drinks are superb.

    Photos
    Bryant & Mack Private Detectives - Bowery theater

    Bowery theater

    Bryant & Mack Private Detectives
    Bryant & Mack Private Detectives - September gem

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    September gem

    The Fiddler's Arms - bars - Updated May 2026

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