Pub Crawl Part Three: George Street (sans pretension)
Some nights, you just want to class it up, head to George Street (and the surrounding area), and party the night away. Crowds seem to gravitate to WhyNot and Shanghai Club, given the lines are always so long, so they must be the places to be, right?
No. No no no.
If you want to avoid groups of horizontally gyrating 18 year olds and actually have a good (and not too messy) time, you should plan your route carefully. There are plenty of respectable bars and pubs in the area to start your night, as well as places to dance the night away (once you’ve got a few drinks in you) that aren’t packed with Freshers having their first (official) year of alcohol fuelled experiences.
Jekyll and Hyde
(112 Hanover St, Edinburgh EH2 1DR)
The thematic ambiance of this pub can be kind of cheesy, but is a must-see on the lengthy list of Edinburgh pubs. It has a calm atmosphere to start your night off but gets pretty crowded, without many seats, so you may want to get there early. They’ve got a drink named after each deadly sin; if you want to start your night off with a milkshake, give the Sloth a try (strictly for those of you who do not suffer from a similar ailment to D’s lactose intolerance). It’s £4 and sure to fill you up.
Queen’s Arms
(49 Frederick St, Edinburgh EH2 1EP)
Turn off of George onto Frederick Street and make your way down to this cozy, but lively, pub that serves a variety of drinks (and even some food if you’re still hungry after that Sloth at Jekyll and Hyde). There are plenty of seats for you and your friends to catch up on each other’s lives as you begin your night out. They’ve got some good drink prices too, breaking the George Street stereotype of being out of a reasonable price range.
El Barrio
(47 Hanover St, Edinburgh EH2 2PJ)
If you want to dance the night away while lightly sipping (or downing) a rum and coke, like all great expats should, then there’s no better place to do it than El Barrio. Back on Hanover Street, the DJ and his air horn will be there to entertain you and your friends (The air horn, a common sound used by DJs mixing music of the Latino variety, consists of three brief punches of air and can be heard in tracks by Don Omar, Daddy Yankee, and Pitbull, amongst other Reggaeton legends). Don’t be intimidated by the doorman asking to check the inside of your purse, the crowd is friendly and always up for fun. We’ve heard Barrio is renowned for their Mojitos, but we have never been there at a time when we feel like asking for one wouldn’t get us a glare from the bar staff.
Bear in mind the McDonald’s on Princes Street closes at 3am on weekends, and cabs can be hard to come by after last call. But hopefully by following our suggestions, you won’t be in any rush to make it home.
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D&A