The Dagda Bar, Lauriston, Edinburgh

Judging by the name and the rather garish pub sign outside, I had expected this to be an ultra-modern bar aimed at attracting students from the nearby University. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the tiny interior has a much more old fashioned atmosphere, with some tables made from recycled beer casks and four real ales on tap. The barman even went into some detail about the merits of each one. My companion and I were the only customers, although it was a Friday afternoon, but the Dagda would be very crowded with even a couple of dozen people in it.

On a recent visit it was quieter than my first experience and reinforced my first impression that this is a very good bar. Nice laid back atmosphere with unobtrusive background music and friendly staff who are happy to chat about the beers, the local area or life in general. Beers were mostly from the local Stewart Brewery with one from Rudgate. There are plenty of large ornate pubs in Edinburgh, this isn’t one of them but is well worth a visit.

I didn't spend much time here but it's definitely a bar that I want to return to. There were three Scottish ales plus a big range of bottles including Duvel, Le Chouffe, De Konnick and Krusovice. It's a small one room bar with stools at the bar, seating around the outside and a stone floor with a large barrel acting as a table in the centre. The reason I didn't stay longer was a group of loud drunken students debating everything from, philosophy to creationism to sexual fetishes to absolute b*llocks. Normally this would entertain me but one of the girls had one of those loud whiney yank accents that can disturb dogs three streets away. It spoiled the experience a bit but I saw enough of the pub to appreciate how good it is and to make me want to return next time I'm in Edinburgh.