Address: 16A Queen St, Edinburgh, EH2 1JE, United Kingdom
Phone: +441312266343
Rating: 4.7
based on 144 reviews.
Atmosphere & Ambience
Pros:
"One of my favourite bars ever - it's cute, it's cosy, the staff REALLY know their stuff."
"This is one of the best hidden bars I have been with amazing cocktails and great music and overall atmosphere."
"Terrific subterranean cocktail bar which has an edgy vibe without being pretentious."
"Hidden away bar which makes it feel secret, great atmosphere and music, excellent cocktails and friendly staff - very happy we found this place (it took a bit of searching!)"
"The atmosphere is perfect. Very intimate and true to the essence of a speakeasy."
"The hidden coves gave it a cosy, intimate feel perfect for dates, while the more open areas are ideal for a group."
"Small and intimate with great atmosphere and exceptional service and attention to detail!"
Cons:
"The inside is not what I expected - not a sleek or sophisticated cocktail bar but very laid back with big cushions and shabby furniture and also very dark."
"Toilets were flooded and the flood had spread into the bar near where the DJ was so we had to walk through a massive puddle when arriving and leaving, not an ideal first experience in this bar."
"But this place is noisy because there are many groups of friends and music is bit weird."
"The whole place felt dank, a bit like drinking in a public lavatory."
"Not a place to go grab a drink and chat since the place was dark and music was loud."
"Because it's so small, as the night goes on it can get a bit crowded."
"Later on the music gets pretty loud so not great for a conversation if you don't want to shout."
Service & Staff
Pros:
"The staff REALLY know their stuff."
"Amazing selection with knowledgable staff."
"The drinks were exceptional and the staff were very knowledgeable and very enthusiastic."
"The highlight for me though (along with the top class booze) is the staff aren't pretentious unlike some other cocktail bars; they just want to find what you're after and give you a top experience."
"Table service etc, staff lovely!"
"The staff were really helpful and we had a fabulous time."
"Staff was accomdating and willing to ensure the best experience!"
Cons:
"Bouncers were unwelcoming and overly judgey about who could or couldn't go in."
"Very rude staff wouldn't let us move a chair about 3 feet so everyone could have a seat."
"Rather than help us to a table, the staff member seemed more inconvenienced by our arrival than anything."
"Very strange experience. Just tried to enter with my partner after watching a comedy show at the fringe and we were told we were not allowed to enter because we seemed too intoxicated by a very abrupt woman on the door."
"Won’t be back. We were in on a family reunion. 8 of us expecting to be there for a few hours. Just arrived. Ordered drinks. Within the first 15 minutes a waiter came over to tell us to stop taking photos with a flash."
"Moody manager made us feel unwelcome instantly as I had a cold small box of leftover pizza and refused to let us in."
"Guy taking drinks orders looked and acted like he had something better to do than his job. Made us feel unwelcome and uncomfortable."
Cocktails & Drinks
Pros:
"This is the place for the actual cocktail lovers and not for the overpriced fruit juices you get in most trendy bars."
"They have interesting cocktail flavours."
"Great cocktails which made for the perfect start to our night."
"The cocktails were amazing."
"Try their cask aged whisky cocktail! Served in a wax sealed bottle, it's a must!"
"Drink selection was amazing with a unique tasty combination of mixers."
"The cocktails are first rate and the service is pretty good."
Cons:
"Cocktails were ok, but the card spend limit is just more than the price of one cocktail so you have to buy multiple at a time."
"The cocktails we all had were some of the worst tasting cocktails I've tried since those teenage years of mixing whatever you could find in your parents' cupboard."
"We ordered 2 Bloody Mary's but were greeted with the classic 'sorry sir we don't sell Bloody Mary's'."
"Bartender brings me something with Talisker 10 (an aged Whisky is not the same as a bourbon) and a 'salt and vinegar' taste because they 'have no not liqueurs'."
"The drinks weren't to my taste but other people love them."
"Cant rate it at all, as we were refused entry."
"Satisfying drinks menu but boy this place takes itself too seriously."
Music & Entertainment
Pros:
"The chill hip hop playing was perfect."
"DJ played great music with a mix of old school hip hop and new."
"Upon entry we discovered an intimate, fun bar playing funky hip hop (real human DJ)."
"The music selection was brilliant and the spirit knowledge the staff had was really impressive!"
"There’s a DJ on set on most nights, playing mainly old school trip hop, house, and hip hop."
"Dark and sultry and with a fantastic cocktail menu they also have one of Edinburgh’s best music policies with DJs every Friday and Saturday night."
"Great vibe and music."
Cons:
"The music is good but very loud, to the point that we couldn't hear each other."
"The music leaves a lot to be desired however! Mostly awful r&b."
"The music was so loud it was impossible to speak."
"World class cocktails served in an underground vibe with loud hip hop blasting in the speakers."
"Later on the music gets pretty loud so not great for a conversation if you don't want to shout."
"But this place is noisy because there are many groups of friends and music is bit weird."
"Where it loses points is the decibel level of the music. It makes it very uncomfortable to try and attempt to start up a conversation."
Location & Accessibility
Pros:
"Low key entrance at the corner of the street."
"It's a little hidden down some stairs with a small sign, so it can be hard to find, but it's worth finding."
"Hidden away bar which makes it feel secret, great atmosphere and music, excellent cocktails and friendly staff - very happy we found this place (it took a bit of searching!)"
"Great little place if you can find it!"
"Beautiful hidden gem in town."
"Once you've found the place, it feels like an old speakeasy."
"Super secret and never feels like the front door is the entrance to the bar and that’s the best part, go down the stairs and have a great time because the cocktails are fantastic."
Cons:
"Oh my days!! What a treasure this was. Super hard to find though so be warned."
"REALLY hard to find unless you know where you are going but that is half the fun."
"Located under a dry cleaners, with a tiny sign this place can be difficult to find."
"Difficult to find from street level."
"This bar is reasonably difficult to find -- no signage and down some nondescript steps."
"Is a bit difficult to find. Just keep an ear out for hip hop emerging from a basement."
"Hard to find, follow the address, find the dry cleaners, look down the steps to the door and a brass sign, and there it is. Hidden."