Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Golf Tavern

    3.7 (46 reviews)
    ModeratePubs
    Closed 10:00 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    The Golf Tavern Photos

    THE GOLF TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating

    Recommended Reviews - The Golf Tavern

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Man swinging club on golf course outside of The Golf Tavern
    Valerie C.

    Paul was a hero today. Thank you for being so brilliant & giving us the Scottish customer service we have learned to know & love (even before you opened)! You made a Highland Games Athlete very happy on his Birthday by letting us get a few swings in.

    The ultimate burger with Mac and cheese! Also with extra pickles...
    Amber L.

    We took the visiting family here for a traditional pub meal on there visit to Scotland. The first floor, or ground floor as I guess you call it here, felt very war and festive, although good sized and not too packed feeling even though it was busy. Unfortunately it did not have room for 7 people so we went upstairs, which was empty. The service was good and the beer selection on tap was fairly good. They have Blue Moon on tap, which was a huge plus in my book. The menu is pretty extensive and in the end everyone opted for more traditional foods, except myself who tried the ultimate burger, which was a burger with Macaroni and cheese on it. We had the haggis fritters and the bruschetta for a starter, both were very good and well spiced and seasoned. Our food did take a bit long, but they were busy so it wasn't unexpected. The food arrived and was very well presented, also the portions were not too big. Good sized, but not overwhelming. Two of us got the venison and chorizo burger, which was very nice, my burger was amazing! So naughty, but so delicious with the Mac and cheese. It could have done with a bit more cheeses goodness, but both myself and my sister in law loved the Mac idea. The fish and chips were also good and the sweet potato fries served with just the Mac and cheese on a bun were amazing. Overall, it was a surprisingly excellent meal. We were far too full for dessert, but were very keen to try to come back for it. The music was a bit weird, but if you like hits from he 90s mixed with recent hits it's ok. The atmosphere is nice, the food is good and the service is great. Such a nice pub to make a stop at on a cold day.

    Matthew L.

    After walking by this bar for years, recently I finally decided to pay this Tavern a visit. The Golf Tavern dedicates its walls to golfing memorabilia, however do not be fooled by this. Inside, the Tavern is quite modern with lounges, comfy seats and numerous wide-screens! The Tavern was packed when I went in to watch a football game, no seats were available, so if you want a seat while watching your football team, then get there early! No doubt many students were there due to the student offers. There are discounts on main meals and also some discounts on drinks, brilliant if you're a student not wanting to break the bank! The Golf Tavern, along with the Links provides bars where students living in Marchmont and Bruntsfield can come and drink cheaply while watching the football, so if students get on your nerves I would instead play the golf course outside!

    Alex C.

    Right on the far end of the Meadows, by the Bruntsfield links is the Golf Tavern, one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh. Despite the fact this is obvious outside, you wouldn't know this once inside as it has all been done out in a really modern style. The bar is pretty cool, but the problem is that it takes up too much of the space. There is no room left for the customers, and once the (very) few seats fill up, there is a crush of people standing. The drinks are okay, just normal pub regulars - Tennents, Fosters etc, and they have an alright selection of wines. They are not too badly priced either, and if you are a student you are entitled to 20% off with their discount card. They also have a pub quiz once a week on Sundays, but it is not great - short and easy. The best bit of the pub actually isn't even found inside it, it's the golf course opposite. There is a really good fun 18 hole pitch and putt on the Links, and Golf Clubs can be rented for a £5 deposit. Only open during summer it's really good fun, and adds an extra element to a pretty normal pub

    Qype User (sloven…)

    Tucked in behind Bruntsfield Place right on the edge of the Bruntsfield Links and the Meadows, the Golf Tavern provides a nice retreat to escape to when the elements force an end to play over the road. Founded in 1456, Ye Olde Golf Tavern has been attractively refurbished into a kind of shrine to Scotland's national obsession, the walls being lined with all manner of mounted photos of the pros in action and other golf-related decoration. Ideal for those wanting a sophisticated place to hang after a few rounds on the links, steer clear if large flatscreens and a stunted range of ales and lagers aren't your thing. Personally, the golfers are welcome to it.

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    12 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Matthew L.
    1
    298
    265

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex C.
    10
    227
    103

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sam C.
    16
    339
    350

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sean H.
    17
    31
    0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    11 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Great atmosphere, nice portion sizes, quality food, a little loud but great for mothers day

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mark W.
    1
    170
    221

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    15 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    18 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Cosmos R.
    188
    13
    31

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    19 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    10 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    16 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of J A.
    3
    17
    0

    14 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Great pub. Great Restaurant. I got the seafood cakes. Mostly seafood, not a lot of cake. Very good. No Complaints. Good location.

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    13 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    This place is absolutely awesome. Food beer and service are on point. Definitely recommend coming in for sure if you are visiting the town!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alan R.
    11
    21
    4

    12 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 2

    Review Highlights - The Golf Tavern

    And if you like a busy atmosphere, head down during the Six Nations for a rousing rendition of O' Flower of Scotland!

    Mentioned in 6 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Verify this business for free

    People searched for Pubs 1,255 times last month within 10 miles of this business.

    Verify this business

    John Leslie

    John Leslie

    4.1(12 reviews)
    1.1 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

    Photos
    John Leslie
    John Leslie
    John Leslie

    See all

    Old Bell Inn

    Old Bell Inn

    4.1(41 reviews)
    1.0 miNewington
    ££

    This was our first night in Edinburgh (Sept 2024), having flown all day from SFO. This delightful…read morepub was a short walk from our B&B (check out the 23 Mayfield B&B), and we reserved a table which turned out to be a good idea. It was a Monday, and trivia night, so it was crowded. Good food and good beer, trivia was hard. (Name the fast food chain with most outlets worldwide? Name the top ten grossing Tom Hanks live action movies. That kind of thing - didn't need to be Scottish to play). A huge bonus that we didn't fully appreciate until a week into the trip - they offered skinny fries, which we yanks think of as fries, as an alternative to the thick cut chips that are included in every meal in every restaurant in all of Scotland. Okay, we have not been seeking out Michelin restaurants, but I sure long for some mashed potatoes with my chicken sandwich. Also, really friendly staff at the Old Bell (because we had literally just arrived, we didn't have two pounds in order to join trivia night; they said no worries, and just added it to our food and drink bill). And great ambience - traditional Scottish pub, with food and beer. Check it out.

    Wonderful. Warm. Inviting. Our waiter/bartender happily…read morehelped us select beer and whiskey to start our journey into traditional Scottish cuisine. Every dish was artfully made. Smoked salmon so fresh that its firm flesh gives a good bite. The steak and ale pie is also sublime. The haggis is rich, savoury, and delicious. Finally, the sticky toffee pudding has such sweet depth and complexity that I became teary with joy,

    Photos
    Old Bell Inn - Old Bell Inn interior

    Old Bell Inn interior

    Old Bell Inn - Smoked salmon

    Smoked salmon

    Old Bell Inn - Old Bell Inn exterior

    See all

    Old Bell Inn exterior

    Queens Arms

    Queens Arms

    4.4(114 reviews)
    1.0 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.

    We got 3 reservations to split up our group of 8 adults and 2 kids, so we were all able to make…read moresure to get a table and have the Sunday roast. We shared the ultimate sharing roast and everything was delicious and so filling. It was also nice to be able to sit and watch a match while enjoying the food. The coffee was pretty good too. This is definitely a good option if you're looking for a Sunday roast in the area

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

    See all

    Wellington upfront and Mac and Cheese in the back

    The Devil's Advocate - Smoked fish plate

    The Devil's Advocate

    4.3(630 reviews)
    0.9 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.

    See all

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

    The Golf Tavern - pubs - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...