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History of the Reat Ale Twa*ts. with Quinno
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Detail Pages
The Bow Bar, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 2HH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
David Walton left this review about The Bow Bar
Visited 05/11/25
Eight hand pumps so cask outnumbered keg in this venue. The cask offering was the Whiteout white IPA from Cromarty, the Session Pale from Cross Borders Brewing Co, Winkie’s Flight from Seventy One, the Silkie Stout from Loch Lomond, the Light Bulb from Verdant, the Protocol pumpkin stout from Brew York, the Jock Pumpkinhead pumpkin stout from Loch Lomond, and their own brew the Guising Stout. The keg offering was the Cromarty lager, the Sandfords Devon Red cider, the Lost in Mosaic NEIPA from Loch Lomond, the keg Guising Stout, the Sabra Cadabra and the Turbo Slurm a fruited sour from Yonder. There is clearly an extensive and impressive whiskey selection on the shelves behind the bar counter.
A very pleasant small venue in a tourist heavy part of town. However, it was not attracting the tourists that some of the other venues around here were drawing in thankfully. It is a rectangle from the glass frontage, bare boarded with the bar counter along the right-hand wall on the rear right-hand corner. Bare boarded on the walls to half height, with the upper part plastered in a variety of framed prints. Regular tables and chairs along both long sides plus some upholstered benches in a few places with some very slimline tables to perch your beer glasses on. A log burner would keep the place warm in winter I'm sure and there is a lone barrel to stand at just inside the entrance. Back to the pleasant ambiance of no music, no fruit machines, and no screens. One of my top venues of this trip.
On 8th November 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 897 recommendations about 891 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Bow Bar
My first visit since about 2008, I think. Certainly I wasn't reviewing pubs at the time, but it is remarkably similar to my memory. Eight cask beers on the traditional fonts, and my halves of a stout from Tempest and a West Coast IPA from Seventy One were both in decent nick (NBSS 3 & 3,5), and despite the latter playing up and taking several goes to agree to stay in the glass, it was actually the better of the two. I must make an effort to return before too long - another 16 year gap will definitely be too long!
On 6th January 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 4531 recommendations about 4152 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Bow Bar
This pub certainly had good atmosphere and we managed to get a seat at those unique Scottish tables. It was also interesting to see how many of the customers had a wee dram of whiskey, along with their beer.
I found an excellent stout on handpump, in fact it was so good I commented to the staff on the way out handing my glass back at the bar.
The stout was Loch Lomond Silkie Stout 5%. A further six beers were Cromarty White Out, Oakham Bishops Farewell, Stewart 80, Windswept Costal Haze, Born Brewery Born Amber, plus their IPA challenge ???, which is a competition they have to guess the brewery. Apparently it's been running for 6 years. Would like to spend longer in here next visit.
On 23rd July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3725 recommendations about 3725 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Bow Bar
How can I not have previously reviewed my favourite pub in Edinburgh, I spent the day of the reopening of the Scottish Parliament after 300 years in this pub and on countless other occasions perhaps none as historic or grand. I won’t describe it as it’s basically a corridor with a counter down one side and seating down the other with them narrow Scottish tables only fit for putting glasses on. Sadly I had two beers, the first one was just above average the second pint was average if I was generous, I hope this isn’t a trend, it’s not GBG listed at present so I do worry.
On 18th February 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3793 recommendations about 3462 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Bow Bar
Quite small and easily missed on a street with lots of upmarket shops but this is a drinkers paradise with a very traditional interior.The bar is to the right ,bench seating to the left and room for vertical drinking.
Possibly best known for a vast whisky menu of over 300 malts ,some rising to £250 ! The bar staff use a step ladder to get at the bottles.On the ale front there was Marble Bitter,Siren Cold Stepped Porter,Loch Lomond Silkie Stout,Cross Borders Session Pale,Stewarts 80/-,Cromarty Hit the Lip and Left Handed Giant Dark Mild.That a top range and a great mix of styles.There are also several craft keg taps and I chose as a lastie Tiny Rebel Dark Cherry Battenberg with a pleasing marzipan and cherry balanced by bitterness.
Don't miss out on this treat ,very reliable in this tourist central location.
On 19th November 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3076 recommendations about 3076 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Bow Bar
a lovely single roomed bar with an interesting choice of keg and 8 real ales on the bar (including a mystery ‘dark beer’ that I never attempted!). Fairly touristy, but spirited proper pub atmosphere. Lots of old Edinburgh memorabilia on the walls and friendly foreign barstaff. Certainly worth a visit in central Edinburgh.
On 5th December 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1173 recommendations about 1136 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Bow Bar
A traditional looking pub situated just around the corner from the popular Grassmarket strip, this was our second attempt to visit here having previously turned up at around 11:30pm on a Friday evening, only to find a situation of complete chaos with a couple of police officers in attendance. Fortunately on a Sunday afternoon, it was all together far more civilised.
Internally it’s all one long, open plan room with dark wooden boards on the floor, wood panelling on the lower part of the walls and cream painted wallpaper up above. The ceiling was painted a deep red colour and there was a wooden porch was at the front of the pub that had a small TV perched on top of it, although this was not in use on our visit. An extensive collection of old brewery mirrors were on the walls, as well as various old enamel advertising signs for cigarettes and tobacco. An old fireplace was at the rear although unfortunately all it contained was a very tacky looking electric wood burning stove. Bench seating with blue padded cushions was around much of the perimeter. Food options seemed to be limited to a few pies served on a lunchtime, although we did have a packet of haggis flavour crisps if that’s more your thing.
Beers on tap were Tempest Pale Armadillo, Hybrid Groat, Fallen New Word Odyssey, Allendale Wilderness, Fallen Idaho Simcoe, Windswept Coffee Porter, Gipsy Hill Inspector and Cromarty Red Rocker. After that lot it was very disappointing to find that they had no ciders on tap, although despite that I quite liked this pub and would happily return, albeit perhaps not on a Friday or Saturday evening.
On 5th April 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2105 recommendations about 2004 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Bow Bar
One of my favourites (of many) in Edinburgh. Unchanged, so little to add to previous reviews. Normally a centre of refinement but just to keep my on my toes, there was an altercation tonight. Don't let this put you off - its a rarity caused by someone who had a few too many of the 310 available malts.
Stewards 80 /- in fine form.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2EbetSm
On 5th January 2018
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1714 recommendations about 1688 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Bow Bar
Ten years on and almost no change in this superb little bar. The interior is a single room, wooden flooring and third length wood panelling with lots of framed breweriana on the wall (mainly fabulous old brewery mirrors). There’s a nice fireplace though the flames in the wood burning stove looked rather odd and I assumed these were fake. The teeny-tiny tables are solidly attached to the floor, unusual. Eight font (air pressure dispense) ales; Stewart 80/- (decent nick), Cairngorm Sledgehammer (superb shape), Fyne Hurricane Jack (very good), Alchemy Bowhemia plus four ‘mystery’ dark ales from Scottish breweries which were part of a January-long competition to find the best – there was a cup above the bar waiting to be claimed for it as well. The huge whisky range remains, 300+, as does the newspaper rack. A word about the staff, who were good-humoured and knowledgeable (the incoming barmaid had a quick nip of the two new beers on since her last shift). A friendly atmosphere inside (no music, TV or machines, which helps) and it’s a real session pub. Pretty much perfect, in my eyes.
March 2006
Old fashioned pub dedicated to two of the finest drinks available - real ale and whisky, making the atmosphere inside a joy. The whole place is dedicated to enjoying the drink with no distractions except for a newspaper rack and the buzz of other conversations. Also near to some great eateries and close enough (but far enough away from) the Royal Mile to pop in and not get squashed by tourists. A must. Rated 9
On 23rd January 2016
- rating: 10
[User has posted 5891 recommendations about 5871 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Bow Bar
Old style pub with a wooden floored interior and brewery memorabilia on the walls. 8 real ales and 4 keg ales plus an extensive malt whisky selection. Tucked away on Victoria street but well worth seeking out.
On 8th August 2015
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3027 recommendations about 2961 pubs]