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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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The White Hart Inn, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 2HS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Old Boots left this review about The White Hart Inn
Billed as Edinburgh’s oldest pub dating from 1516, who knows? it has been renovated many times I guess as apart from some Victorian woodwork and a fireplace there’s nothing old in here. Obviously aimed at the tourist trade it has an emphasis on food resulting in poor bar service. Eleven keg taps of Belhaven and UK national kegs plus four hand pumps, one with the Belhaven “Our Heritage” pump clip (not a beer!) an Old Golden Hen, reversed Abbot and a Greene King/Belhaven bitter (3.9%) badged as a house beer, probably Deuchars IPA. The fake beams have lines from Burns painted on and there’s some claimed link on a sign in a Burns shrine by the front door.
On 28th January 2025
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3599 recommendations about 3279 pubs]
Blackthorn _ left this review about The White Hart Inn
One of a number of pubs along the popular Grassmarket strip, this appears to be one of the more traditional options in the vicinity and I could happily have settled in here for a good couple of hours if only we hadn’t had a restaurant booked.
Décor wise it’s quite traditional as mentioned, with plenty of old wooden beams on the ceiling, wood strip flooring and dark green wood panelling on much of the walls. An old black and white picture of the pub with the castle in the background featured prominently, along with a sign saying that it was established in 1516. A fireplace was off to one side with a stag’s antlers above, as well as a few other bits and pieces such as pots, teapots and a few pictures. Plenty of pewter tankards hung from the ceiling.
Beer choice was perhaps a little disappointing with just Old Golden Hen and their own Best Bitter being available, whilst a third pump for Abbott Ale appeared to have run out and a fourth just had a sign on it detailing Belhaven’s brewing heritage but was apparently not dispensing anything. The solitary cider meanwhile was also a rather disappointing Aspall’s, and the prices seemed a little steep with three pints coming in at £18.75. Overall, whilst I thought it was a very nice pub, they really need to work on their beer selection and pricing a bit.
On 25th October 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The White Hart Inn
One of the six pubs that line the north side of Edinburgh's Grassmarket, its worth taking a look at White Hart Inn for the front door alone, an impressive structure topped off by a collection of extravagant features including the impressive carving of a white hart. Apparently the pub name refers to an incident in 1128 when King David I encountered a white stag while hunting in what is now Holyrood Park.
Claimed to be Edinburgh's oldest pub, with bits of the cellar dating from 1516, much of the rest of it dates back to 1740 as mentioned by Roger below.
Sadly the interior of the pub doesn’t quite match up the opulence of its entrance and the L-Shaped interior around the corner bar is smaller than you expect from outside. But with a wooden floor and wooden beams with its pewter tankard collection and lots of wooden furniture, its pleasant enough..
Sadly also not the ale choice of other nearby places and only two of the three handpumps were in operation for my visit with Belhaven IPA and Caledonian 80/- on.
Managed to get one of the out front tables and I can think of a lot worse places to sup a pint of 80/-
On 3rd August 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2236 recommendations about 2098 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Peter Rydings left this review about The White Hart Inn
Always worth a look in this pub had a pint of Burke and Hare named after the body snatches of years gone by
On 24th July 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 948 recommendations about 917 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The White Hart Inn
Interior as described by roger button below. 3 real ale taps 2 on and food served. Live music advertised.
On 28th May 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2933 recommendations about 2866 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The White Hart Inn
Established in 1516, the White Hart is one of the oldest pubs in Edinburgh although much of the building above ground dates to around 1740.
Previous visitors include the notorious grave robbers Burke & Hare and Robert Burns who alledgedly stayed overnight (is there a pub in Scotland that didn’t claim a visit from him at some stage). It is said that the customer base is alsoregularly joined by numerous ghosts and apperitions.
The exterior has a fine carving of the pub’s namesake mounted in an impressive framework over the front entrance. Internally, the pub is a simple knocked through L-shape with fairly run of the mill décor, bare floors, beamed ceilings, standard pubby fittings, assorted pictures and a few dangly pint pots hanging from the rafters. The “effect” fire doesn’t really enhance things and there isn’t really much heritage value for a pub with such apparent history.
The beer selection wasn’t too extensive with just 2 ales available, Belhaven IPA and Caledonian 80/- and a third, Herok & Howells Tantallon Sunrise IPA “available soon”.
The atmosphere was quite friendly and welcoming with a chatty barman and I was soon deep in conversation with an American tourist looking for assistance over beer selections and the forthcoming “soccer” match in town. There is some seating outside on the Grassmarket where thankfully fire jugglers and street entertainers have replaced public hangings as the principal form of entertainment.
The pub shouldn’t really be viewed as an essential stop but it is an adequately safe bet if passing by.
On 15th December 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The White Hart Inn
Impressive, green-painted frontage but the 'L'-shaped bar is much smaller inside than you might expect. Claims to be Edinburgh's oldest pub and also the most haunted. Mostly dark wood, and not over-decorated, with the only eye-catching feature being the rows of pewter tankards hanging off the roof beams. Unfortunately only one of the three handpumps was on when I ordered my pint (offering deuchars IPA at £3.00), but at least the staff were actually doing something about the other two. Overall, given that it is in 'tourist central', it had a surpringly relaxed atmosphere.
On 13th February 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
William Purnell left this review about The White Hart Inn
The White Hart was owned for a number of years by Mitchells and Butlers but in early December 2009 it was sold, along with a number of others in Scotland, to Greene King/Belhaven
On 31st December 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 218 recommendations about 205 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Jan Reed left this review about The White Hart Inn
Great place if you can get in! Its tiny and always busy, the live musics always good, from traditional to modern, Steve was playing when we were in over Easter and was great.
On 1st May 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 7 recommendations about 7 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mat Nichol left this review about The White Hart Inn
The oldest pub in town. Has an amazing feel to it, even for a tourist area. Food in there is great.
On 16th November 2006
- rating: 10
[User has posted 115 recommendations about 115 pubs]