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The Bow Bar, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH1 2HH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
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 3382 recommendations about 3381 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 3269 recommendations about 2978 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 2727 recommendations about 2727 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 1058 recommendations about 1023 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 1948 recommendations about 1861 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 1338 recommendations about 1324 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 5099 recommendations about 5082 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 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Bow Bar
One of the pub highlights of my visit to Edinburgh. Located on one of the most spectacular streets in the Old Town, it hides behind an unassuming frontage and is easily missed, which is a good thing as most tourists do, leaving it to the knowledgeable.
If you are into traditional pubs focussing on real ale or whiskies then The Bow Bar will fit you like a well-worn pair of slippers from the moment you enter.
Inside this single room bar has no modern frills but a very traditional décor (ceiling especially) an impressive collection of old advertising mirrors, and then the magnificent original gantry on the wall behind the bar for the malts. And as Roger mentions below it still uses the Scottish tall air pressure dispensers for the real ales.
With over 150 Malts and 20+ nonstandard beers (including the keg and bottle offerings) on the relatively small serving bar, it’s a place where you are actually thankful for someone in front of you to be served, so that you have some time to take in what’s on offer. And to make it slightly easier, there are signs on the bar detailing the “malt of the day” and “the malt of the week” to aid the uninitiated. And on the beer front a wooden chalk board to the right of the bar gantry lists out all the available beers giving their ABV, price, and country of origin, so if you are after a pint this is where you should look first.
For the record Sonnet 43 Steam Beer, Out there brewing Co Valentina Pale ale, Kelburn Cart Noir, Fine Ales Highlander and Rune, Tryst Brewery Stars & Stripes and Alechemy Bohemian Pale were the ales on offer for my visit.
Could have easily stayed here all day.
On 4th August 2014
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Bow Bar
There are several pubs in Edinburgh that are hard to leave out on a visit and the Bow Bar is certainly up there with them
Situated in the Old Town in the shadows of the castle, the façade is quite unassuming. The interior is small and simply furnished with the bar in the far right corner and a series of small built in shelves/tables along one side and bare floors. Much of the interior actually only dates back the 1980’s when the pub was refurbished but using reclaimed bits of other pubs that were themselves being modernized so it does still have an authentic traditional feel. There are several old pictures, adverts, old brewery mirrors, a pendulum clock and other oddities that include a cross section of the flagpole that stood at Murrayfield from 1925-1990.
The 8 ales are poured directly through air pressured taps, atraditional Scottish thing but now quite rare. The selection included Caledonian Deuchars, Stewart Edinburgh No. 3, Bragdy Conwy Shipwrreck IPA, Tempest Elemental Porter, Cairngorm Wildcat, Fyne Avalanche, Green Jack Excelsior and Brentwood Pacific Pale Ale. There is also a collection of 200+ whiskies and a very knowledgable barmaid to steer you through it all.
Naturally it can get busy but if you can bag a stool, this is a place that you can while away an entire evening. One word of warning though if you intend to visit as a group, they do not allow stag/hen parties, fancy dress or football colours and the place is all the better for it.
On 2nd November 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]