Our first day in Edinburgh and as usual our first order of business is to ride the hop-on-hop-off bus. Today when the Red route took us to old town and I saw The White Hart Inn I said to Jan let's do an early dinner there and she agreed. We continued the route and stayed on back to the stop in old town. We love Alfresco dining but it was too cold and windy today. We went inside and the restrauant was packed. It's open seating. No hostess, no sign in. We were lucky and just happened to be standing next to a table that opened. We had been there about 5 minutes. The restaurant/ pub is rich in history, established in 1516. It's small with limited bar seating and prehaps 8 to 10 tables. It is noisy from conversation, tosting and music, but we didn't have a hard time communicating. It has a great vibe. It's a fun venue and popular with the locals. The menu is not large and has several Scottish offerings. To start, Jan was cold and wanted an Irish coffee. I ordered an Innis and Gunn larger. Innis & Gunn is an acclaimed Scottish brewery founded in 2003 in Edinburgh. It had a slightly citrus flavor. Jan ordered muscles and I ordered the steak and ale pie, served with a charred Hispi cabbage wedge, buttered mash and Merlot beef dripping gravy. It was very tasty, very robust flavor. I loved the cabbage; great flavor. I had to look up hispi cabbage and it is a variety of green cabbage. The muscles were good and the broth very nice. We had a lovely time and a good meal. Our good luck at freelancing dining venues while we explore Ireland and Scotland continues. read more

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We chose this place for being one of the oldest establishments in Scotland dating back to the 18th. Century and a place where poets like Wordsworth, Burns etc gathered for a sip. The setting still looked ancient and the overall ambiance was befitting. Small place though. The food and drinks however disappointed. They could have put more efforts to turn the place into something much more than it is. Service was efficient without being really excellent. read more

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Popped in here briefly for a pint and a basket of fries to share with the kids after a day of trapesing around old town. Was blown away with the history of the place (has been a pub since the 15th century), and immediately felt comfortable at a cozy table. Had a pint of the house bitter cask ale... served at room temp the way it oughta be. Wonderful. The chips or fries were devoured so fast by my boys I barely got to eat any. The bartender was super friendly and prompt. Would definitely return and maybe order more food next time. read more

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Worth a visit while in Scotland Make reservations. Traditional food. Good beer. Great location.

This bar is amazing. I went in on a busy night, everyone was having a good time. There was a live band playing a mixture of Irish and Scottish tunes. The music was incredible. They were so friendly and answered my questions about the music. The bar tender knew his stuff about scotch whiskey. I tried a few different ones, all recommended by him based on what in told him in liked. All tasted amazing. The brews were also good. They had local ales on tap that in haven't seen in the States. I only had drinks so I cannot comment on the food. I had such a great time, I went the next day. read more

The White Hart Inn - History of the Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Loved every thing about hanging out in this historic bar, established in the 1500s. Drinks were coming from draft beers, to whiskey to delicious ciders. Had chips to balance things out but the outside informal entertainment added to the experience. Attentive customer service, making you want to stay longer. read more

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It's truly serendipitous when you spend a day on a tour listening to tales of Scottish history and national pride and have it all come around in a pub visit. Of particular interest to our guide was the song "Loch Lomond." He told us of its meaning and how it stirs the hearts of Scots worldwide, leaving not one dry eye anywhere it is played. The night we visited The White Hart, there was a local gentleman playing both popular songs from around the globe and traditional Scottish music. We kicked back with some cold beers to listen. The crowd was lively - singing along and participating in the intimate setting. Finally at the end, the singer hit us with "A Fairytale of New York" followed by "Loch Lomond." And you know what? There wasn't a dry eye left in the place. This pub is true Scotland. read more

The White Hart Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The oldest pub in town which makes it interesting. They offer a haggis appetizer which allows you to try without too big of a commitment. The appetizer and the mussels were tasty. read more

Great food, incredible ambience and servers were super busy but ALWAYS so helpful! Would definitely recommend. It should be noted that although this place does have great food, they do run out of things so being flexible about what you eat is important. But we loved what we ate regardless!! read more

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Great place right on Grassmarket. Opened in 1516. Very cool old atmosphere. Good selection of Scotch and beers. Had the steak raclette pie. Outstanding. Live Scottish music at 9pm. Small place so make reservations if you want to eat there. read more

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I would love to write a lot about this pub. The problem is I had fun and I can't remember anything anymore.... We were playing roshambo (rock, paper, scissors) for shots.... wow! One of the bartenders tried using fancy writing for their "mulled wine." They couldn't understand why no one ordered it. Me, being an American tourist, asked, "Is mulled urine a Scottish tradition?" SILENCE!!! Then, "OMG! Nooooooooo...." I grabbed the sign... the place bursts into laughter. Next thing I knew, I had free mulled wine "sample".... yup. Not all fancy writing is the same! Great time!!!!! Great service!!!! Crazy locals!!! read more

The White Hart Inn - Mulled urine? WTF.... OHH NOOOOOOOOO.... NOT! Mulled wine - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Edinburgh's oldest bar is gorgeous, no doubt. The quality of the menu, however, comes straight from the 1500s. I travel a lot and know better than to eat anything more substantial than a snack in the tourist quarter, so i can't say i wasn't warned ... The crust on my pie was incredibly dense - almost inedible - but incredibly not as dense as one of the sausages on my wife's plate, which was inedible. Fun place for a pint or two, not for a meal. read more

Loved this bar and the atmosphere ! I'll say what me and my friends appreciated the most was the live music. I'm wondering if there is a list of the musicians playing early to mid March, 2023. Twitter used to post, but it's been awhile. We'd love to follow and show our support! read more

The White Hart Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

We stopped here one night as we were staying in the Grassmarket area. Purportedly the oldest pub in Edinburgh, White Hart was exactly what I expected. We were hungry and ordered some nachos (don't do this, they're not good, and I think they're made with Doritos?). In any case, the beer and atmosphere made up for the questionable nachos. There are several cask beers, cold beers, bottle beers, and ciders available. Not to mention the literal tons of whiskies at your desire. A live band was playing while we were here and our service was fast. Definitely worth stopping in here if you ever find yourself in Edinburgh. read more

The White Hart Inn - White Hart Inn bar - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Really cute, a little haunted, ton of fun and cheers. The pours are good, beer cold and top shelf liquor. It is a must stop in Edinburgh. read more

The White Hart Inn - As the oldest pub in europe, it is really cute, good pours, and great laughs with everyone inside. - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Awsome service and atmosphere. Food was great as well. Thank you Harry and Christian for a warm welcome to your city.

Stopped into The White Hart Inn during my first night in Edinburgh. I found this place by searching yelp in the area and thought it would be interesting to see the oldest pub in Edinburgh. It was busy inside, all of the tables were taken so we waiting about 20 minutes before being seated. We got a couple of Scottish Stouts at the bar during our wait. Once seated, I ordered the Bangers & Mash. It didn't look like much but boy it was a fantastic meal. It was so filling but I forced myself to save room for dessert. This was my first time trying Sticky Toffee Pudding, it was good but it almost tasted a tad bit overdone. Overall this was a cute place with great food and you can expect to leave full! read more

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Edinburgh's oldest pub! What could be more fun than that? Didn't even realize what we were walking into. Spotted it across the road, thought it looked cute, and saw the sign by the door before we walked in. Our experience was very much beer basic. Drinks only, pop in, pop out and move on. Friendly staff, great prices (they could capitalize on the oldest claim but they don't).. Not sure how helpful this review is other than history worth checking out if that's your kind of thing. :) read more

Five-stars to the oldest pub in Edinburgh! A White Hart may have originally been a mythical beast (the white stag), but it ihas been easily found beside Grassmarket for over 500 years! Our bartender was very helpful; when I asked for a Lemon Tonic to add to my Vodka - she showed me her choices, but also offered a cheaper lemonade which they had on tap. It proved to be a great flavorizer for my vodka's at a lower price! They also sell cool looking T's, and they were available in my size (XXL)! Yay! I will def try to get back to White Hart! read more

The White Hart Inn - Look for this a over the door! - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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We just landed in Scotland after a 20 hour journey from San Francisco, checked into our room (across from the white hart inn) and went out in need of some dinner. This establishment says it's the oldest in Scotland! So we thought for sure to check it out. The whisky selection is amazing. We ordered a cider, chicken sandwich, steak & ale pie, a stout, and a 10 yr Tomatin. Everything was great! The chicken sandwich was quite juicy, and the steak pie was lovely. The crust on it was buttery and flaky. All the beverages were delicious too. The service is fast and friendly. There are many places to choose from on this street and we were quite happy and satisfied with our welcoming meal in Scotland from the White Hart Inn. read more

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Reportedly founded in 1516, The White Hart Inn claims to be "Edinburgh's most ancient tavern." It boasts visits by Oliver Cromwell, William Wordsworth, and Scottish poet Robert Burns. We came for lunch and were initially very excited after sharing the "Taste of Haggis" starter (£5.99). It was delicious. Unfortunately, lunch was a letdown for a couple of reasons. My husband and I each ordered the Steak & Belhaven Ale Pie (£13.29 each). What came out tasted okay, but it was a huge square of pastry and a tiny - and I DO mean tiny - amount of steak and ale filling. (I will try to upload a photo so that you can see: I'm not exaggerating.) The service was non-existant after we got our food. The server never checked on us even once. All in all, we spent £57.12 for one shared appetizer, one Coke, two pints of IPA (£5.40 each), and three entrées (the third was a burger for £11.45). Given the unreasonably scanty steak and ale pie and the poor service, this was too expensive and felt like a rip-off. read more

The White Hart Inn - Really? This is worth £13.29? (No.) - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Nice casual pub in Edinburgh. I came here after my dinner reservations were unexpectedly cancelled last minute. We sat down, watched some rugby and relaxed, drinking from their wide assortment of whiskies. It was great! The waitress was super friendly and provided great suggestions for whiskies to try. We also tried some of their food including garlic bread, bangers and mash and haggis. The garlic bread was average. Bangers and mash had a good amount of thick churned mashed potatoes with three juicy sausage links. The star for me was the haggis. It came with neeps (turnips) and tatties (mashed potatoes). The mashed potatoes were cheesy and the haggis was on top of what tasted like a whiskey sauce. The haggis was grainy and very flavorful. I honestly very much enjoyed it and would definitely give it another go. read more

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Can't really comment on food since they mysteriously cancelled our reservation without explanation midafternoon for an 8:00 p.m. reservation. Dropped by later in the evening to see why. No one was able to give an explanation. Advertised music was not present. Bartenders seemed inexperienced. read more

This is the oldest bar in Edinburgh. The haggis can be made vegetarian. They have two full pages of whiskey options. The staff is friendly. They will let you sit there for hours and not push you to leave. The bar has character. The sticky toffee pudding was not my favorite. read more

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The vibes at The White Hart Inn are immaculate, especially when Graeme E. Pearson is performing. 10/10 recommend checking this place out on a Saturday night. read more

Famously known as the oldest pub in Edinburgh, we decided to stop here for lunch and a drink on New Years day. Food was incredible. Never having had Hagis before, my hubs and I decided to give it a try. It was amazing, and the star of our meal. For a main entrée we opted for the Steak and Ale Pie. The mashed potatoes were light and creamy, while the steak, which was marinated in beer, was perfectly tender. We enjoyed every bite! The Scotch and Whiskey selection was extensive! I loved that there were so many options from local distilleries. After pondering the drink menu for quite some time, we each decided to try a Scotch from the Highlands. The atmosphere is cozy and warm. With a fireplace burning in the corner, and small tables nestled along brick walls, I felt like I was in a pub straight from a storybook. If I'm ever in Edinburgh, I would definitely return. read more

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We had an Airbnb in Grassmarket, and after checking out the Last Drop Tavern the previous day, we chose the White Hart Inn because it is allegedly the oldest pub in Edinburgh, with parts of the pub dating back to 1516 and 1740. And we love old pubs. As the legend goes, in 1128, King David I happened to encounter a white stag while hunting nearby. (Hart being another word for stag.) Originally deriving from ancient Hungarian legends but also relevant to Mesopotamian and Persian cultures, the white stag has represented (at one time or another for different cultures and religions) purity, the cosmos, star myths, the hunt, a god of wisdom, symbol of rebirth and light, a messenger from the otherworld, a questing creature that leads you to adventures. Once inside, the pub has a small, cozy atmosphere. It really isn't meant for a ton of people, but it has an inviting atmosphere that I'm sure both locals and tourists enjoy. I eyed the whiskey flight, but ultimately just decided on a pint with lunch. I chose the Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese sandwich and it came with curly fries, a side salad, and some kind of slaw. It was really tasty, and I'm not even a huge fan of cream cheese. The sandwich bread was soft and the perfect vessel for the smoked salmon and cream cheese, and the meal was relatively filling and affordable, too. I would recommend this pub for anyone who is in the area, especially if you're interested in history and checking out "the oldest pub in Edinburgh." Plus, the Grassmarket area is just fantastic in general, so there's a ton to see and do if you're around. read more

I'm glad we visited, to say we visited, since the White Hart Inn is the "oldest" pub in Edinburgh. It's cozy inside, and I think I would enjoy hanging out on a cold night. But service could be a lot better. My husband and I wanted to have dinner here. As it was late, I called in advance to ask if they were still serving. The man on the phone told me that food was only being served outside, and that he could get me in if we got there quickly enough. No problem. We were staying in an apartment that was not even half a football field away. Long story short, we got there and the barkeep gave us the cold shoulder. I know it's a pub, with a sign that says that the bartender is always right. Fair enough. read more

The White Hart Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great little pub that transports you back to the 16th century and makes you feel like you've come in out of the cold while traveling for a pint and food. Great Haggis, and a hamburger that comes with haggis on it. Good whiskey selection, local beer, incredible friendly staff. I come here for a night every year I'm here (been coming here three years). Get the Innis&Gunn Lager, and the Haggis with Neeos and Tatties read more

Stopped in after dinner (Aug the 27th), while in Edinburgh. The pub is a warm and cozy place that definitely boasted an upbeat vibe. Come to find out, it's the oldest pub in Edinburgh at 501 years old. When compared to US establishments, that's ancient. It was really humbling to be seated at the bar in an establishment that has been serving people for that many centuries. The bartenders and waitresses were all quite friendly and made our experience all the more memorable. To top it off, they had live music with a gentleman who played the guitar and sang Scottish folk songs...he really kicked it! Many beers to choose from and liquors galore. Fantastic evening where fond memories were made! read more

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Historical and still fun today. Great food and atmosphere. Just across from my hotel making it easy. Grass Market is an active place with good food and entertainment. read more

The White Hart Inn - White Hart Inn is one of the pubs in Grass Market. I can see it from my hotel window in Edinburg Scotland. - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Not a huge food selection but what we had was all very d. Highest recommendation for the meat sandwich. It was so savory, tender and delicious. The Mac and cheese was very cream and beautifully baked. My son in law had an Indian dish which I can't remember the name of but he said it was very good. The mashed potatoes were beautifully blended and very flavorful. The bartender/server was busy but kept checking on and was very helpful while we placed our orders. read more

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After a stop at armchair books and nabbing myself an amazing antique copy of Oliver Twist, I decided to celebrate with a drink. Cue the White Hart Inn: supposedly Edinburghs oldest (and haunted) pub. Truth be told, I was Pokemon hunting and took my facts from the pokestop (it's like playing, exercising and learning all at once!) Arriving at the lunch hour, all tables were full but I managed to nab myself a place at the bar and enjoyed a class of house Merlot whilst I read my book. This place is just lovely, definitely a tourist spot but also great for locals just wanting to sit for a while with no plan in place. I was the latter, just sitting, reading and people watching. After I while I got hungry so ordered a starter size of haggis, neeps and tatties. They were delicious! And really for me it was the size of a main, for £5 this meal filled my belly until dinnertime. Staff were also extremely friendly and seeing they were enjoying each other's company just made for a really relaxed and positive atmosphere. I stayed for two hours drinking, eating and reading alone. At no point did I feel rushed to move on and thoroughly enjoyed my experience here. Worth a visit just for a drink or for some food if you're in the area. read more

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It is touted as the oldest pub in Edinburgh and was rated well on Trip Advisor so we ventured here to enjoy some good pub grub. I got to enjoy the meat pie that was full of very tender cuts of beef and there mashed potatoes had bits of cheese which made it specially scrumptous. I tried my friend's bangers and mash made with venison that was tasty. I also tasted the mac and cheese which was sooo good and my other friend ordered chicken stuffed with haggis and it was all delightful. It was hard to choose a favorite dish, they were all so good. Service was a bit slow but friendly. A very comfortable atmosphere. read more

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Founded in 1516, White Hart has to be the oldest pub in Edinburgh!! Although Sheep Heid Inn claims the same, ok, let's not sweat on it... For the history geeks, famous people like Oliver Cromwell and Robert Burns have been sighted in this pub (not recently, thankfully, so many ghosts in Edinburgh!) . I have been here quite a few times for either food or whisky or ales: imagine a 3-4 pages whisky catalogue grouped by area and flavour details for each one of them!! Same idea follows the food menu too! You will find quite a selection of starters (try out the Belhaven ale Sticky sausages), hot drinks too, traditional pub dishes like Steak and Ale Pie, Chieftain Haggis, Neeps and Tatties, but also platters like Scotch Egg and Sticky ale Sausages, mushroom quiche and beetroot, honey roast ham and Orkney cheddar cheese. For the burger fans there are four options including one named William Wallace and another Rabbie Burns! White Hart Inn is also one of the few pubs I know that serves Cranachan, a traditional sweet Scottish dish. Chef has added also the Famous White Hart Tunnocks Ice Cream Sundae - I need to try that too!! Four more dessert options - sweet tooth guys rejoice!!! Highly recommended!!! read more

The White Hart Inn - Brilliant advert! Converted? ;-) - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Bad microwaved food, tasteless, wasn't a fan of any of the 3 plates of food that I tried

The White Hart is an unpretentious pub in the Grassmarket. It claims to be the oldest pub in Edinburgh. Perhaps it is. The friendly staff guided my son and me through the selection of single malts and made some excellent recommendations. It made for a lovely last night in Edinburgh. read more

We stopped at the White Hart Inn after hearing rave reviews about it from our tour guide, as well as some of the stories of the people that used to frequent it. We made a mental note to stop by here for a proper dinner one of the nights we were out and about. The place was a bit small and had a little bit of trouble accomdating 7 of us at one table. They were happy to help though, and put together two smaller tables for us to make it work. We ended up blocking the door to the kitchen with this setup but they didn't seem to mind and were very pleasant about working around us. While in Scotland I got hooked on meat pies. We don't have anything quite like them in the states. The closest we have is a "pot pie" which is much smaller with a much more flaky pastry type crust. The meat pies in Scotland are much bigger. The steak and ale meat pie at the White Hart Inn was amazing. Truly the best dinner I had while on vacation. The steak was tender, and the gravy was this amazing savoury ale sauce that was super delicious. It contained a good variety of vegetables and the crust was nicely done. The portions were very generous, almost super-sized compared to other places we had been to on the royal mile. We also had the cheesy garlic bread appetizer which was also quite nice. Crisp and full of garlic flavor. Quite good. They had a full bar and we indulges in a few lagers. Overall, it was a very memorable meal. I'd highly recommend stopping in. The service was good and they were very accomododating of our large group, and very prompt in bringing out the food. Very well done! read more

The White Hart Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Historic-looking decor and architecture. Cask ales were refreshing. Affable barkeep. If these walls could talk...there have been legendary figures that have shared stories and pints in these seats. Now it welcomes Louis R, the new legend. Aye. read more

The White Hart Inn - ill as hell. Love it. - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Tourist from USA: Lovely old pub (oldest in Edi) full of music, food, and fun. The wait staff was very knowledgeable about gin and what the best pairings were. We had the haggis starter and a sandwich, which was the perfect amount of fuel for the rest of our night. Def will go again! read more

The White Hart Inn - Pubs Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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