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Greyfriars Bobby, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 2QE
Pub Type
Nicholsons (Mitchells & Butlers)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Greyfriars Bobby
Tourist trap on three levels as it’s built on the steep hill of Candlemaker Row and may have been two or more houses at time. A small counter runs along the back wall of the centre section and provides four pulls and a small group of keg founts. Other than the Nicholsons Pale (St Austell) it was two from Stewart and a lacklustre and pretty pricey Vital Spark from the reliable Fyne Ales. Handy for the National Museum of Scotland across the road.
On 18th February 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3276 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about Greyfriars Bobby
A pleasant and traditional looking Nicolson’s pub just a short stroll from the Royal Mile, it’s not quite as large as many of their outlets and with much of the space being given over to diners, options for punters just wanting a drink are a little limited.
Internally it consists of a couple of rooms with a smaller central area housing the bar counter. Seating here was limited with just a circular table in the bay window surrounded by fitted Chesterfield style bench seating and a high table for two. Décor wise it’s quite traditional, with sanded wooden boards on the floor and dark wood panelling on much of the walls with black paintwork elsewhere. A few facts about local landmarks such as the museum and castle were chalked up on the walls, as well as a few small black and white photographs. Up a couple of steps to the left was a dining area, complete with a “Please wait here to be seated” lectern, clearly discouraging anyone who just wanted to find a table to sup their pint. A further bar was down a couple of steps to the right, although this too was occupied entirely by diners on my visit.
Beer choice was a little limited for a Nicolson’s outlet, with just four pumps on the bar offering their own Pale Ale, Stewart’s 80/-, Sadler’s Peaky Blinder and Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted. The solitary cider meanwhile was Mortimer’s Orchard.
On 17th September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1953 recommendations about 1866 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Colin Walker left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
Greyfriars Bobby sits uphill from the Grassmarket range of pubs. On draught there is a choice of Aspall, Innus & Gunn Lager, Guinness, San Miguel, Caledonian Three Hop, Lager, Holyrood Pale Ale, Tennent’s lager, Peroni. There is a choice of ales from at the time of visiting Inveralmond Ossian Ale £4.20, Eden Mill Shipwreck IPA £4.80, Top Out Nelson Sauvin £4.30, Top Out Altbier - A German classic with a Scottish twist £4.50.
On 6th November 2018
- rating: 10
[User has posted 709 recommendations about 704 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
One of Edinburgh’s many pubs named after historical celebrities, a dog in this case (look it up…). With the aforementioned’s grave ten yards away and a neat bronze statue over the road depicting said canine, he’s quite some character. The pub itself looks quite grand from outside but is sadly a fairly standard affair within, though as a Nicholson house it has a higher level of general décor than the average. Three levelled interior, the most characterful part is the dip to right of the bar which sports a large semi-circular rear banquette. There’s another of these banquettes in the small main bar area with Greyfriars Bobby etched into mirrored bar back. The largest area off to left, a 3/4 dark wood panelled place that is mainly inhabited by the dining classes. Five ales on and a good selection for the chain; Ilkley Rosa (very good nick), Broughton Hopopotamus (excellent shape), W&E Conqueror, Stewart 80/- and St Austell Nicholson Pale. Given you get the tourist tick of the Bobby statue and grave within a 30 yard radius, this is one worth doing for a canine hat trick and a decent beer to boot.
On 25th January 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5132 recommendations about 5115 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
Another of Nicholson’s Edinburgh pubs and although I primarily walked to Greyfriars Kirkyard to visit the pub, yes I had to stroke the dogs nose and get myself photographed doing so (well I was in tourist mode).
As mentioned below the true story of Greyfrairs Bobby may not be in line with the version sold to Hollywood and the now commonly believed truth is that it was probably a stray who made a home for himself in the kirkyard. But even so that’s still a lot closer than some fictional loch dwelling monster peddled by the Scottish tourist board to entice unsuspecting tourists to the most boring stretch of still water to be experience in this fine landscaped country..
Oops sorry, rant over, back to the pub. Inside you find a series of sections stepping downwards with the bar at the upper end and then a number of comfortable seating areas to the dining area at its far end.
We didn’t eat in this one, but the standard Nicholson’s food menu was available and the majority of people in had come for that reason.
Yes its primarily there to service the tourist trade and sell them food , but at least now there are five real ale pumps with offerings from the Nicholson’s summer list and my pint of Broughton Brewers gold was perfectly fine.
On 5th August 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2138 recommendations about 2013 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
Called in here for our dinner after doing the pubs in the Grassmarket area very nice part of the Nicholson chain and you dont get many bad ones the food was good and the beer better
On 24th July 2014
- rating: 10
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
Nicholson's pub located next to Greyfriars Kirkyard and the statue of greyfriars bobby. 5 real ales and food served. On entry the pub has a quite formal dining area to the left with a lounge area to the right down some steps.
On 22nd November 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
The story of Greyfrairs and Bobby, the loyal Skye Terrior that guarded his master’s grave for 14 years, is a local legend albeit somewhat economical with the truth according to some recent reports. Outside the pub can be found Edinburgh’s smallest listed “building”, a lifesize statuette of the dog dating from 1872 that continues to draw the visitors and tug enough heartstrings to lure them into the pub. It is alledged that the statue was at some point turned around by a previous landlord to ensure that the pub constantly features in people’s photos.
The pub is housed in what looks like a couple of cattages mmerged together and the interior is split between the main bar which in itself is semi-divided into 2 halves and a sunken side section. The décor is a bit pub by numbers with tartan carpets, paneled walls and a few interesting movie stills including a signed photo of Walt Disney. The furnishings are more pub than lounge with a few padded banquettes in the sunken side bar. There are a couple of TV’s and some harmless piped background music.
As one would expect, the pub draws a lot on the passing tourist trade and despite it being an early midweek lunchtime for my visit, the place was busy with a good proportion having lunch. Just as well as for a Nicholson’s pub it didn’t pull too many punches on the wet side of things and the choices of beers was quite poor with just 1 ale (the ubiquitous Caledonian Deuchars) across 4 pumps. A blackboard listed a coupl of doze whiskies. Price wise (£3.10 for the Deeuchars) it was a bit more reasonable than some of the more tourist destination pubs in town. The menu was typical chain pub stuff with main courses £7-10.
What started out as a pub that was high on the to do list turned out to be little more than average one pinter and whilst I’m glad it’s ticked off, I can’t see that it warrants a visit at the expense of any of the more superior pubs in the vicinity.
On 25th November 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
dragonfly xxx left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
busy little pub(narrow and long)mainly due to tourists.good menu but difficult to get a seat at times.good selection of beers and has a juke box.well worth visiting the historic kirk and graveyard just behind or even better go on the popular "covenanters prison" tour then pop in for a pint and a bite to eat
On 17th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 21 recommendations about 21 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Greyfriars Bobby's Bar
One of those Edinburgh hostelries in the same 'tradition' as the Nicholson pubs in London (same owners, I believe). Nothing really wrong with it, but very obviously aimed at the transient tourist trade so somewhat lacking in atmosphere. Nice pint of Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted blonde beer, though.
On 23rd August 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]