the new club is located on princes street edinburgh commanding amazing views of the castle…read morewhilst having the traditional 'gentlemans club' atmosphere - it is also open to ladies (apart from weekday lunches in the members dining room) its function rooms cater for up to 200 (3 large function rooms + 2 bars) and it has 22 ensuite bedrooms it is also the perfect business venue for small events/conferences (i've attended many over the past few years) - food/wine is superb !!! quite exclusive clientele - but quite relaxed atmosphere - they have lovely oil paintings of lots of famous people and a well stocked library and reciprocal membership with many other clubs

I couldn't make up my mind last night if you actually have to belong to be able to book a night in…read morehere for any activities, but the Masonic Lodge here in Haddington is quite a nice, smaller hall for hosting activities, such as the fundraiser we went to last night. It's clean, tidy, with a small bar. If hosting, it looks like you can bring in your own food (such as the stovies folk around me tucked into). All around are little reminders of the connection of Burns and the Masons, but having a quick google doesn't bring up any historical connection between this lodge and the man himself. Very pleasant place, and always gives me a bit of a shiver to walk into such halls given the sometimes inaccessability of this group.

Love this place! Everyones very welcoming and it seems to do everything! Cafe, artists studios,…read moreperformances, classes/workshops, occasional club nights, gigs, book sales, flea markets, veg' markets, DIY workshops, vintage sales and even wiff waff Wednesday (highly competitive - in a fun way) table tennis! There's probably more on offer but I've just not managed to see it all yet! I've had the fortunate experience to perform here with a dance group (Code Butterfly) a few years ago and we danced all around the space and the audience followed us. There is an amazing network of old tunnels that surround the main hall and maze of staircases that the normal Joe Blogs wouldn't be able to explore unless they came to the show! Blessed! That aside, the cafe is cheap and they serve a lovely brunch at the weekends. There is plenty of local information for groups and community happenings. The perfect place to go to find activities to do or groups to join if you are new to the city. It's a beautiful, quirky venue in an original Drill Hall. Staff are very helpful and friendly. There is a homely, nourishing, homemade, community feel about the place. Child friendly venue, although at the same time it's not over-run with noisy screaming kids. Out Of The Blue's sister venue is Bongo Club, which explains some of OOTBs ethos. The only downside I'd say about OOTB is it's a bit chilly, they do try to heat the space with heat lamps etc, but it must be hard to heat such a vast space. Just wrap up warm and grab a hot chocolate and you'll soon heat up! :)

Out of the Blue is an old TA drill hall just off Leith Walk, now converted into a local community…read morecentre. There's a big central area that usually houses some sort of art exhibition, there's a little dance studio, and there are lots of small offices around the sides let to local businesses. And there's a small cafe that does reasonable coffee and is quite popular at lunchtimes. It's an interesting space and worth remembering about if you're down this way. The cafe service could perhaps be faster when they're busy, but they do a good veggieburger and there are some nice comfy sofas to sit on. A few years ago they first used it as a Fringe venue and it's a great space for that. They often have concerts and other small events on at other times. But it's always worth popping into if you're in the area to see what's happening as there's always something going on, and if you're lucky (and it's quiet) it's a great refuge from the bustle of the city in which to unwind for a while.

Keep an eye on this set of festival venues this August. If history has taught us anything it's that…read moreit does the cheapest, consitently funny shows that might not be listed with the big dogs, i.e the Jimmy Carr's of this world. No doubt, if you're an Edinburgh resisdent, one of your pals will get a job here over summer so you'll get all the inside information, then by law you have to tell half of this information to your friends and so the circle of rumour continues. Read every flyer your handed carefully so you don't miss out.

The thing that really draws people to C Venues isn't its shows ('they have shows here?') or its…read moreprices ('£4 for a bottle of Magner's?) but the fact that this is the first place to start its 5 a.m. license during the festival. One of many venues that spring up for only one month of the year in Edinburgh, C venues is generally heaving with folk between the hours of 3 and 5 in the morning, when many of the other clubs and pubs are closing. At least, that's the only time I've ever thought that it was a good idea to come here.

Wow! Pleasance really rocks during the Festival! I've been here a couple of times out of season,…read morebut that doesn't prepare you for the madness that takes over the place for the Fringe. There are awnings, tents, stalls and even a couple of small venues jostling for position in the courtyard like a medieval carnival or something. Take a deep breath before plunging in, otherwise you'll be completely overwhelmed by the noise and spectacle. I found it a little hard to find what venue my show was actually being performed in as the ticket simply said 'Pleasance courtyard', but as the performance time grew closer some helpful ushers appeared with big signs and started organising queues for the various shows, so it all worked out well. I loved the bar area towards the rear with it's comfy armchairs; a nice place to relax between shows and fairly close to the loos as well, which was nice. One of the better-organised Fringe venues, this ranks alongside Assembly and Gilded Balloon at the top of the Fringe pile.

I love coming here during the Fringe, it's a fine selection of venues all in one big area…read more I've been to 4 shows in this courtyard and I don't think I've been in the same place twice. The larger theatre "Pleasance One" up the stairs is very old school, with the raised stage and cushioned bench seating angled to the back; the middle sized "Below" venue is a more modern style - with stage area at the front and the seating rising up to the back of the room. Then, there was the "That" - it was a shipping container with a sound system, bench seats and the comic stood in the corner. It sounds awful but it really worked well. The comic even worked it into his opening comments, so it's also useful. The staff here wherever you go are all cheerful and helpful beyond belief, managing huge queues with ease and a smile. Also, in between shows or before and after, there's several drink and food stalls and seating in the main courtyard, superb for those odd days when the sun shines on the Fringe. One of the nicer venues to visit, pop along and take in a couple of shows!

Went as a solo female and had a blast great edm music everyone was polite no creeps a few friendly…read moremen but nothing uncomfortable or weird dance floor opens at 11z

Cab Vol is great if you're into less mainstream music than you'll hear in a 'normal' club. And if…read moreyou don't mind sweat dripping off the low ceilings onto you at least once a minute, or drinking out of plastic cups. I have to honest, it's not my thing. I've been dragged along on a handful of occasions by friends, and each time I go i'm determined that this will be the time I have a great night there and leave at 3am completely converted. It's been four years, and it hasn't happened yet. That has a lot to do with the people that go though, as opposed to the club itself. On tuesdays this place pulls in a lot of "rahs" from Edinburgh Uni, thinking that wearing weird coloured skinny jeans suddenly makes them alternative. It doesn't, and their huge back-combed blonde hair dos look even more ridiculous than normal.

Great little unassuming coffee joint during the day. Thoroughly enjoy studying there and chatting…read morewith the staff. Everyone is so friendly and they have delicious pastries. Highly recommend for a great afternoon coffee stop in Leith area.

I stopped by for a final couple of drama on my last evening on Scotland (09/09/25). There were…read moregreat scotch offerings at all price points, the atmosphere felt upscale, but still comfortable, and the staff were all pleasant and very helpful. I'd definitely return.

On our first night in Edinburgh, some friends wanted to kick off the trip with a whisky tasting, so…read morewe booked a whisky-and-cheese pairing at SMWS. I don't drink alcohol, but their online mocktail menu looked great, and when my friends made the reservation, the staff confirmed they'd be happy to accommodate me and that I could order a drink at the bar. I was genuinely excited given the variety of mocktails listed. The space is gorgeous, and even without drinking, the whisky selection is fun to explore - the names alone are worth a chuckle. The staff were warm, and our whisky-tasting guide was both knowledgeable and entertaining. After we settled in, I headed to the bar to order a mocktail, and I probably should have stopped while things were still going smoothly. The bartender ended up calling over an off-duty staff member because they were "between menus." He was extremely friendly, asked thoughtful questions about what I liked, and said he'd come up with something based on what ingredients they had. The drink was delivered to me later in the tasting room, and it was... fine. Interesting, with a smoky note - perhaps an attempt to give me a peaty, Scottish experience - but not quite to my taste. When I paid, I'll admit the price surprised me, as my mocktail cost more than a friend's dram of whisky. My friend later mentioned that it also felt like a miss that I wasn't given a cheese tasting tray alongside everyone else, especially since our group nearly bought out the tasting. My place setting was empty until my drink arrived. I didn't think of it at the time or feel entitled to anything, but offering a "no-alcohol" tasting option - a mocktail or NA beverage plus the cheese pairing - would be an exceptionally thoughtful addition for guests who accompany drinkers. As the sober friend tagging along, the experience was perfectly okay and largely in line with what I expected - but with a couple of small tweaks, it could have felt much more inclusive.