please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Not visited here for a number of years and it will be another good few before I return. Used to be a clean local pub selling quality real ale now a wine / craft ale bar aimed mainly at very well paid professionals and tourists. We bought two craft ales and a red wine. Apart from needing to rush out to get a bank loan to pay for the round I had to change my pint as it was like vinegar. Admittedly the lady changed it quickly but without any apology or explanation. The replacement was better but only average. The place has no atmosphere anymore and reminded me of someone's kitchen.
After we were finished we went to the pub next door which was about a third cheaper for the same 3 drinks.
|
Hadn't been in for years and recently took my GF in. Waited at the bar whilst the bar staff tried to sort out a TV channel one of the regulars was having a panic about wanting to watch. Stood, ignored, for a couple of minutes and left.
|
Been in here a couple of times now - once when rugby on TV (Eng v Ire in 2010...Eng got hammered) and more recently NYE 2012. Normally a range of real ales but this seems somewhat reduced now - the ale was ok but the food was over expensive and 'brake brothers'.
|
This pub is a rip-off and I have reported it to the owners - Maclays Inns. I was charged �2.05 for a half pint of a guest ale when a pint would only have cost �3.80. The beer was average but the barman was helpful and understanding.
|
Popped in last night looking for a couple of pints on my way home, ordered a pint of Landlord, paid �3.60, drank half, handed the remainder back and left. This was a very poorly kept pint. It wasn't actually off but it completely lacked the rounded toasty flavour I normally associate with Landlord.
If I order a pint of Landlord and pay �3.60 for it I expect an exceptional experience. I think possibly this place built up a reputation under a previous tenant and now they aim to extract every last penny from the customer without giving anything back.
What's more they didn�t offer to replace the pint. When I emailed them about it afterwards they said it must have been a "bad keg" - but they still didn�t offer to replace it. Not surprising really - if they offered to replace every bad pint they'd quickly run out of beer.
In this part of Edinburgh the best bet is Thomsons on Morrison Street, which is five minutes walk away (roughly the same distance the other side of Shandwick Place). Thomsons charges 10% or 15% less per pint and keeps its ales way better. The staff have personality and a sense of humour. Plus Thomsons will sell you a toasty for �2.20. What more do you want? Get yourself over there! (Try the cheese and Branston toasty by the way - hot Branston with cheese is the business).
|
Wow I'm quite surprised the rating is so low here (5.7 at time of writing). Great selection of real ale consistantly well kept. Bar staff can be a wee bit surly but on the up side plenty of seating andscreens for rugby / football.
|
I reckon average is as good as it gets. Microwaved pies...are you having a laff!! Beer was OK though
|
Just tried again, and the place reminded me of an airport departure lounge, from the three huge flatscreen TVs to the laminated general-purpose menu offering drab food. Zero atmosphere too. This was 4.30pm on a Saturday, so not exactly a dead zone. Friendly but inept Polish barmaid couldn't tell me which pies they had left, or understand much of anything, and of the range of ales (the only reason it scores as high as 4) both the ones we tried, Schiehallion and Peter's Well (I think) were less than spot-on. Left to the sound of a deafening Espresso machine and went to Cloisters at Tollcross on way home - better beer, hand-written menus of appetising grub and busy with folk of all ages drinking and nattering. Goodbye Bert's, you were good once.
|
Thudding dance music in the middle of a quiet weekend daytime pint isn't a good thing. But cheap pie meals certainly are. And the beer's okay too. Could easily be better, but junking the TVs and music system would probably hurt the takings on match days. Pity.
|
Actually, I now have to take back some of my comments below. I'm still not sure I like the new layout but it has retained some of the previous character and it has probably eased the bottleneck that used to occur at the bar during busy times. The beer quality is now actually very good. The clientele has changed (marginally younger and smarter?) and it is certainly busier so the changes seem to have had the desired business effect.
|
This pub is now even worse. It has been opened up, losing the snug and associated character, the poor service remains and the prices have gone up. Seems like a lose-lose-lose scenario to me. What was once one of the best pubs in Edinburgh has been completely ruined.
|
I came to Einburgh 16 years ago, and have been a regular, on and off, since then. But they have been in decline for years now, and the final insult came last night when the barman tried to diddle me - change of �10 for a �20 note. I am not going back.
|
This was an excellent put until the current landlord took over about a year ago. Since then, the ale quality has suffered and service has generally declined with a resulting exodus of regulars. This is a great shame.
Spirit Group have recently sold the pub to Macklays although there has yet to be a reversal of the decline. One can only hope that the new owners will eventually take notice and take some action to make this pub great again. We shall see...
anonymous - 4 Mar 2006 04:00 |
Not bad but frequently far too crowded to enjoy the beer
|
In the West End, close to the city centre but far enough away from most of the summer tourists. Good beer & a real locals pub.
|
Nice Beer well kept. It was far better when the tellys sound was turned off, it now dominates your attention. The lighting was bright now its dark and is like its trying to hide something. It was a 60's replica pub and did it very well Now just Ok and the place to go if you can't think of anythig better to do.
Betty Ford - 21 Oct 2004 11:47 |
Another pub with good choice of ales. This one consists of several rooms decorated with green tiles. Saw the winning Greek goal here in the Euro 2004 final. The locals lost yet more money on that one!!
lout_from_the_lane - 14 Jul 2004 13:46 |
