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Beer of the Week (w/e 26th May 2024) with Wittenden
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The Guildford Arms, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH2 2AA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 9 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Guildford Arms
Whilst mainly the same as what I encountered ten years back, there have been some subtle changes here and there. The beautiful ceiling looks to have been repainted and is a lot more vibrant than I recall from previous. So that’s a plus. A minus is the huge Bladerunner-esque TV above the main door permanently beaming out advertising toward the ranked masses in the main bar. So that’s a minus. Still plenty of interesting ale at the bar and also notably advertising gluten free beers too. However it was a mixed bag when I ordered; from the cloth-eared barman auto-piloting to pints (and not even being gracious when I pointed this out as he was hallway up the first pint glass) to two of the three ales (from Loch Ness and Alchemy) being utterly flat and lifeless. Left disappointed, though I would try it again next time because it certainly is a lovely place.
March 2006
My personal favourite I did in Edinburgh, a massive range of ale served in a tidy boozer with a lovely Victorian interior (dig the revolving door, dark wood interior and high, ornate ceiling). My pint of Red McGregor was superb. Ideal for a few beers before catching the train from Waverley BR - a must-visit. Rated 9
On 23rd January 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5197 recommendations about 5180 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
David Ross left this review about The Guildford Arms
An extremely popular and, therefore, extremely busy central Edinburgh pub, the Guildford is just a short walk from Waverley Station. The interior, reached through a revolving door, is beautiful, with lots of dark wood, chandeliers, mirrors and an ornate bar. This boasts approximately ten hand pumps and an equal number dispensing keg beers and ciders. Being in the middle of Edinburgh, it is understandably expensive, with a perfect pint of London Pride costing me £3.90. The upstairs restaurant, called "The Gallery," is part of the pub and food is also served in the ground floor bar, including breakfasts from 10.00 to mid-day on Saturdays and Sundays. The main attractions here, though, have to be the architecture and the beer.
On 18th January 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 769 recommendations about 683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Guildford Arms
We left the Guildford Arms and the neighbouring Cafe Royal Bar to the last evening of our visit to Edinburgh as a way to sign off the trip, and what a double to finish these are.
The Guildford Arms is a superb destination pub and one that should be included in any visit to Edinburgh.
Converted to a pub from an existing shop in 1898 during the golden age in Scottish pub design, it is now a rare survivor of that period when Scottish publicans responded to the strong Temperance Movement of the time by investing in extremely grand premises to differentiate from the common seedy drinking dens.
Once you have negotiated the revolving front door you are faced with a magnificent ornate dark wood interior and an impressive canopied bar. We managed to get a seat up the end by the equally wonderful Gallery Restaurant mezzanine level, the underside of which is mirrored for effect. Although a lot plainer than the ground floor it is worth taking a look up the stairs to the Gallery restaurant because from here you get a great view of the rest of the pub and especially the ornate ceiling, which you are now obviously a lot closer to.
But as Roger says it’s not all about the décor and we were lucky to visit when they had a complete mix of Ales on the 11 working pumps. And to prove it these were Cairngorn Wildcat, Highland Brewery Company Island Hopping, Alechemy Amarillo Burst IPA, Scottish Border Brewery Foxy Blond, Orkney Dark Island, Williams Brothers Birds & Bees, Harviestoun Schiehallion, Craft Beer Kitchen Magnum Scrachi Ale, Stewarts Pentland IPA and last and very least in this company Charles Wells Bombardier.
Between us we tried five of these and they were all in top condition.
Very difficult to pull ourselves out of this one.
On 5th August 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2147 recommendations about 2019 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Guildford Arms
Much like my estimable friend I can't understand why I haven't reviewed one of the top three pubs in Edinburgh so this is a live review as I am sat there looking at nine pump clips of extremely good beer. Personally I am drinking an Orkney Dark Island which is spot on just a bit "Edinburgh" at £3.70 a pint! Three pulls are being swapped but I think I'll pop round to the Cafe Royal and then the Abbotsford rather than see what's on next.
On 19th January 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3293 recommendations about 2999 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Guildford Arms
This pub has been one of my regular haunts in Auld Reekie for years, but for some reason I've never got around to reviewing it. Expertly described by Roger below it's a architectural gem and if that floats your boat try the Cafe Royal next door. They often have weeks where they showcase one brewery's beers which is probably what Roger encountered. At other times it's a complete mix of differing ales, mostly Scottish, all well kept on every occasion I've visited, which has been often. Like I said it's a gem even in Edinburgh, which is full of gems.
On 26th January 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3226 recommendations about 3137 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Guildford Arms
Originally built in 1841 as a shop, the Guildford Arms opened as a pub 1898 and has been run by the same family ever since. It remains one of the more ornate and interesting pubs in the City Centre and should be considered an essential part of the Edinburgh pub tourist’s itinerary.
The entrance has an unusual curved porch over which sits a flat screen TV. The wedge shape of the building isn’t that evident once inside and the interior is a lot larger than you first expect. The décor for which the pub is rightly praised is immediately apparent with the ornate patterned ceiling the crowning glory. Opposite the central bar is a series of wavy banquettes and small marble topped circular tables with patterned inlays. Overhanging the main bar is an ornate balcony belonging to the appropriately named upstairs Balcony Restaurant and containing what looks like the best seat in the house with a birds eye view of the proceedings below.
Fortunately the pub isn’t just about the décor, the beers are pretty impressive although they may seem a little mainstream to regular drinkers in Scotland. The choice on my visit were mainly local beers with 5 from Caledonian (Nectar, Marching Orders, Flying Scotsman, Deuchars and 80/-), Orkney Red MacGregor, Harviestoun Bitter And Twisted and one English interloper in Falstaff Blaze. Prices were around £3.30/£3.40 a pint which is a fair price from my experience of the City Centre pubs.
My visit coincided with the fringe festival and a large stage had been built just inside the front door with a group of traditional musicians warming up although sadly I wasn’t there long enough to sample things in full flow.
This was a pub that I had been eager to visit for some time and it certainly didn’t disappoint and I would ensure that an extended visit is on the cards next time.
On 8th December 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about Guildford Arms
Quietly situated around a bend just off busy Princes St, the Guildford Arms is a splendid wedge shaped Victorian gin palace with many well preserved features. The intricate and ornate high ceiling and the upper wall frieze are works of art and worthy of a visit by themselves. Factor in the ten handpumps serving a good range of mainly Scottish beers in excellent condition and you have one of Edinburgh's must visit pubs. I spotted beers from Orkney, Caledonian, Brewdog, Atlas plus Big Lamp from Newcastle. There were three on from Orkney, I plumped for the Northern Lights which was first rate. Not cheap at £5.40 for my pint plus a glass of lemonade, but I don't know how the split works.
Comfortable, carpeted with traditional seating around the exterior walls, a stair rises from the middle of the pub to a galleried restaurant. Huge windows to the two outer elevations let in plenty of light and give scale to the room. The pub was very busy on Saturday afternoon and we had to hover for a table, but soon succeeded.
Definitely worth taking the trouble to find, I could have stayed much longer.
On 6th September 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Kevin Alvin left this review about Guildford Arms
Friendly staff and clientele, very open to foreigners. I was surprised to see a beer from my home state of Texas on tap, even if it was only by name. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting since its less than a mile from the train station.
On 10th December 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2 recommendations about 2 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Guildford Arms
Tucked just behind Burger King, off Princes Street the revolving main door entrance leads into a high ornate ceiling bar with curved seating around the perimeter of the main bar area. There is an upper level seating area accessed by a staircase beyond the bar. This has long been a favourite of ours when in Edinburgh and the range of Scottish ales seems to be getting better. Now back in CAMRAs 2011 good beer guides but odd that it had been dropped for a few years as has always been good on our visits.
On 16th October 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Guildford Arms
The Guildford is located in a back street just off Princess Street, and is one of Edinburgh's hidden gems. The building is an odd shape yet architecturally very interesting - I wonder whethe it was a grand house at some point in the past. That aside, it's real treasure is its beer. There were 10 handpumps on this week, many with Scottish beers on. I simply couldn't get through them all, and sort of lost track of what I'd had, but avrything was excellent. What I do remember is perfectly kept pints of Harviestoun B&T, Fyne Ales Avalanche, Dark Island and Caledonian. This remains the best real ale pub in the New Town area for both quality and choice and is an essential part of any City crawl.
On 21st May 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3302 recommendations about 3267 pubs]