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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Beehive Inn, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 2JU
Pub Type
Taylor Walker (Spirit Pubs)Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Old Boots left this review about The Beehive Inn
One of four pubs in a row down one side of tourist hotspot Grassmarket, this one is owned by Greene King like the nearby White Hart but with a different cask offering apart from the house beer which is probably Deuchars IPA as well. Instead on the four pulls were Greene King Fireside, the house beer and a beer called Strangers Brewing Co Modern Pale, a fairly ordinary slightly hazy, sweet pale from a nearby brewery. There’s a range of kegs on a dozen taps with a double being dedicated to Belhaven, the others are usual suspects. It’s multi spaced and multi level on the ground floor with the counter in the middle section. It extends over three floors but I stayed on the ground floor, there’s a beer garden with views of the backside of the castle and a whisky lounge is advertised on the first floor. It has some nice old maps and pictures as decor. You have the usual music, screens and machines if required or not in the case of the music.
On 28th January 2025
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3599 recommendations about 3279 pubs]
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Beehive Inn
One of many pubs and bars on this popular strip, it was very busy on our recent Tuesday evening visit, to the extent that the only available seating appeared to be perched up on a stool at a very small round table. Had there been a bit more room we might have tried the food, but then again going on the long and orderly queue at the bar perhaps that would not have been a good idea.
The main bar is fairly traditional with very dark blue paintwork on the ceiling and much of the walls as well as some wood panelling on the lower part and wood strip on the floor along with some black and white chequered tiling around the bar counter. Plenty of pictures were dotted around the walls, many of the locale, as well as various other notices and information boards. There were also a number of TV’s showing a sports channel, but at least the volume was off so this was not too intrusive. The seating was quite tightly packed in and included a table made from an old beer barrel. A second room off to the left looked a little more elegant with wallpaper on one wall and some mustard colour paint on the others as well as some old portrait paintings and fitted, padded bench seating. Even here a large TV had been mounted up in the corner though which looked rather out of place.
Beers on tap were Tiny Rebel’s Supersonic, their own Beehive Inn Best Bitter along with Lone Goose and Suntrap from Stranger’s Brewing. The solitary cider meanwhile was a rather disappointing Aspall’s.
On 27th September 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Beehive Inn
Now under Belhaven/Greene King ownership, with their prices still in the same bracket as the previous owners, Taylor Walker. This 400 year old pub is a tourist hotspot so seating is at a premium. The ground floor has a lot to offer visually, but I found the first floor dining area to be a step up again with the fixtures and fittings. The upstairs bar counter was pale oak with a boarded oak floor, coffered ceilings finished in red, along with drapes and panelled window shutters. Four ales, Orkney Red MacGregor and Wave Breaker, Caladonian Deuchars and Beehive House Bitter.
On 15th July 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Beehive Inn
Quite a characterful Taylor Walker outlet in Grassmarket. Three rooms (separate old buildings knocked through?) with a central bar, so actually quite a large pub. Tasteful combos of gold and black wallpaper / red and gold stag head wallpaper along with some exposed stone walls. Nice ceiling roses spotted by Mrs Quinno. Fell apart somewhat at the bar; four ales on - two GK (why?), Borders Festive Foxy (decent) and Houston Peters Well (end of barrel) plus Thistly Cross cider. Lazy bar skills, a Yank tourist wanted a proper British ale and got pointed to GK London Glory rather than the Scottish stuff! Taylor Walker prices, possibly the most expensive beers I purchased in Edinburgh. Apparently has a garden area with castle views but was too cold and wet to go exploring. One visit was enough for me, I think. 6.5
On 25th January 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about Beehive Inn
Very nice big pub spotlessly clean had a good hour sat outside in the sun watching the world go by Had a couple of pints of Euston Blonde 5% could have sat there all day but had to move on its another must when you're down the Grassmarket
On 13th August 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Beehive Inn
I quite liked this one on the Grassmarket. Its another quite big pub that takes up three former houses and operates on two floors, with the ground floor bar and then an upstairs restaurant.
Now all one connected space internally but in several defined areas so that it gives you the feel of a multi roomed pub. As you enter the main bar area is to the right, and then an equally large seating/dining area is off to the left. Quite a pleasant traditional decor with plenty of wood panels and screens.
There is a decent beer garden at the rear of the pub, which has a raised decked area and provides dramatic views of Edinburgh Castle. But as there was a lot of festival activites going on in the Grassmarket we chose the pavement tables out front .
One reason I liked this pub was because it was clearly aimed at the food and beer market and focussed on drinkers and diners in preference to the shot devouring Stag and hen parties. And another was the interesting beer policy.
Although clearly owned by a large chain (which I can now see is Taylor Walker from below) the five ale pumps were all dispensing brews from the Houston Brewing Company and over my stay I tried their Blonde Bombshell, Peters well, , Slainte and Tartan Terror. I am not sure if this is a permanent policy or I just struck lucky, but it was refreshing to go in a Grassmarket pub and not see Deuchars IPA or Belhavens..
On 3rd August 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Beehive Inn
A Taylor Walker pub serving 6 real ales and food.
On 23rd August 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2933 recommendations about 2866 pubs]