Custom whisky flight! The bartender asked me a few questions to put together my flight and asked my cost range. I said £30 and it ended up being £28 which was nice. I think her selections matched well and I came away with my fave whiskey I tasted for the trip! She also took the time to tell me a bit about the whiskey (where it's made, tasting notes, etc) Also love the ambiance inside because who doesn't love cute black cat art! read more

The Black Cat - Custom whiskey flight £28 - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Excellent fish and chips! I love frequenting anything related to cat themes in the name so that made the stop extra fun for me. Excellent pub and ambience inside. I didn't know this until I left but I guess there are EXCELLENT whiskey choices here. Next time I will make sure to take advantage of this. read more

The Black Cat - Fish and chips -delectable - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Come in for whiskey good people and sharing the day. Highly recommended if you are on rose st. Stop in and try a rare whisky or one of your favorites. Great selection. I had a rare Caol ila and the wife had a great first try at Arran. Shared a pint. Great seating outside or in. And the prices are fine. Service was great. Bartender was super helpful patient and we're great. read more

The Black Cat - Scotch selection - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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This pub was recommended to me by a few locals and man it did not disappoint. Shoutout to Robbie for being so knowledgable in his whiskeys. He did a great job recommending choices that I'd love based on my preferences. Superb and friendly service. The ambiance though has to be the most homey feeling I get from any by far. They have live music of scottish melodies just playing, drinking and having a good time a few times a week. It's such a good vibe and I look forward to visiting again. You really can't go wrong with any drink here. Amazing mulled wine. Grab a drink at the bar or at one of the tables. Super welcoming and fun! read more

The Black Cat is the place to go if you want to feel the heart and soul of Edinburgh. A bar that welcomes all and gives you that 'local' vibe. They are also an amazing Whisky bar, sporting an impressive array of whiskies across most of the wall behind the bar. The bar staff are friendly, chatty and can help you pick out a whisky based on your tastes. There is also entertainment on specific days ranging from live music to quizzes. Generally not too busy, but on the weekends it can get pretty full. They have food but it's not it's forte, the kitchen is a very small area next to the bar. They can feed you in a pinch but this is not really a food place. Overall definitely a 5/5, this place is worth a visit! read more

We stopped in at the recommendation of Ben, the gent at the Robert Graam store next door. The pub was dark and stinky as well as sticky, but those things aside, it was pretty cool. There were long picnic tables outside to take advantage of the nice weather, so my husband and I stopped for a pint. I'm not really a beer person, but it was particularly tasty and I think it was the ambiance of Scotland... Service was practically non existant after we left the bar, so don't expect much there. Overall 3 stars because it was cool, but not mind-shatteringly so. read more

An absolute must stop if you are a true lover of whiskey! The selection of bottles on this bar is not only wide, but also regularly changing as new product comes and and old bottles are enjoyed to the end. The location for the bar couldn't be better, it doesn't get too overly crowded, beyond what you would expect of a well stocked pub in Edinburgh. Occasionally you'll find live music which really adds to the atmosphere of the whole place. Aside from a constant selection of great whiskey, you will also always find a friendly staff that is happy to share their knowledge and love of a good dram. Do yourself a favor and get here as soon as you can. read more

The Black Cat - A sample of some of the more unique bottles you'll find. - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great little pub on Rose Street with a super friendly staff, excellent beer selection and huge single malt offering. Indoor/outdoor set up but we chose to sit at the bar which allowed us to ick the staffs brains on where to go while in town. Live music at 8-ish was fun an unexpected. Too bad everything closes at 10. read more

Boy, oh boy, what a cool place, but as often as it is staff can really put a damper on things. I understand being busy, but to be blatantly rude and openly talking ill of those patronizing your business isn't cool. I get it, you didn't fully see what beer I pointed at, or hear what has been said, but instead of reconfirming you decided to just pour. When I said "sorry, that isn't the beer I mentioned" you started talking crap with your employee. Not cool. Cool place though. Sad about your employee. read more

My flatmate's friend highly recommended this place, so we came to check it out as our first stop of the night. The space was not too big, but the mirror in the back did make it seem larger than it really was. It was also a bit difficult getting to the bar to order, but we managed to grab a quick drink. There wasn't anything too special or particular as we did not have anywhere to sit either. Another downfall was that they didn't have my go-to Jameson, so I went for an alternative they had. The place is also has a £10 minimum for cards, but thankfully I had some cash on me. read more

Great for a whisky flight .. scotch whisky ! The Black Cat has nice seating music and outdoor seats as well as indoor. Some food but here for spirits read more

Is it a proper whiskey bar? For sure! We were just walking along and looking for a good bar, when along came a boisterous place, the Black Cat. We had just come from another spot that wasn't much to brag about, and we were hoping the next would have a nice variety of scotch and wines, and some local flavor. Jackpot. We wandered in, and the place was full. with a moment of luck, 2 bar stools cleared up as a couple paid there check. We swooped in. My gal wanted and wine, and unlike most bars in the area there was actually a few options. Me, I was hoping to find one a rare scotch or 2. I actually saw a few hard to find ones on the menu. I settled on one though, the Aberlour A'Bunadh. A favorite as its good priced, fun to say, and wow it tastes so good. We were on a mission to hit a few different places, so we didn't stay more than an hour. But we have had friends going to Edinburgh soon and one place we recommended to them for sure, "The Black Cat". read more

The Black Cat - Aberlour A'Bunadh - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

The bar guy mistook my companions bad pronunciation for drunkiness and so he denied us any alcoholic drinks. The thing is, none of us could be drunk since we didn't had anything before at all. And a lot of the guys who were sitting at the bar looked much more drunk than we could ever have been... The bartender got very rude when I wanted to explain the situation. Also, I had to explain it to my companion who doesn't speak english well. He couldn't even defend himself. The encounter was very embarrassing so we just left after that. If the staff can make such shady judgements there I would not recommend this bar at any costs. read more

I spent my honeymoon in Edinburgh in September. The Black Cat became our home away from home as everything about it, minus the Scottish accents, reminds us of our home in Austin, TX. We found ourselves wandering into this bar at least once a day for the entire week we were there. Top 10 Reasons I Love(d) The Black Cat 10. Austin-chic vibe 9. Fried haggis balls and other tasty delights 8. Free wi-fi 7. Great mix of music, sattelite and live 6. We were given a personalized whisky tasting and history lesson 5. Clean and spacious womens toilet 4. Convenient - one block off Prince's St. 3. Near lots of eateries and other bars 2. Friendly, engaged bartenders 1. Made us feel at home P.S. Shout out to Rob and Chris for making our last night in Edinburgh so special!! read more

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Behind the bar there's a wall covered in multiple currencies from all over the world, clearly showing that it's a big hit with many tourists. I can see why - they have an outstanding selection of ales and whiskeys and even offer different types of whiskey tasters for those who are beginners or can't make their mind up what to order because of the large selection. This is quite a small bar, however there's plenty of outside seating so there should be room for everyone, plus there's away visitors from around the world so it's a great place to meet new people or meet up with friends. All staff members I encountered on my multiple visits here have been friendly and extremely knowledgeable so don't be afraid to ask if you have any questions. Upon my visits I ordered a few different types of ale, all were delicious and a few of them I'd never even heard of so it was nice to learn about other ales and try something new. The only thing wrong with this establishment is that they have a metal bar and some of the tables match. As soon as a pint is put on the clean table it looks dirty again and if it's wiped down in a rush it does look a bit of a water smeared disaster, this means that the bar never looks clean, but it probably is! read more

The Black Cat - Birds & Bees ale - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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A great local spot. The bartenders were very knowledgeable and friendly. She walked us through six different whiskeys and took her time with us. We also noticed she stayed at the bar even after her shift was over - great sign! In addition to the two flights we also got fries and Mac and cheese bites. They were okay but this isn't a great place because of the food. read more

The Black Cat - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

This is a great find on Rose Street! It is small but what a selection of whisky they have, and what great prices they have! They have about 200 whiskies and are one of twelve official whisky bars in central Edinburgh. The whisky of the month is a stunning price of £2.50 and of good quality. I also tried a great Glenmorangie that is usually £5 or £6 elsewhere, but here it was £2.50. They also have a good beer/ale selection and great cider selection. They have amazing wine deals and it is only £6.50 for a bottle of house wine, and they weren't bad at all (last time I was here we had a bottle of red wine). The Black Cat is a great, non-touristy spot on Rose Street that is tiny but has an amazing selection and packs a punch well above its weight. The prices are great, too. The only thing I didn't like was that the music is a bit too loud for my taste and it was hard to carry on a conversation over the music. Otherwise, it's a great place! read more

The Black Cat - From the outside - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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Packed with cool peeps, drinking. The outside faces Rose St, and its proper people-watching territory. Lots of cask ales. Friendly bartenders. Small interior but comfy. I'd hit it again. read more

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Relax and unwind A whisky lovers delight Casual, refined read more

The Black Cat - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Chill, relaxed bar with a great selection and perfect location. Music is on point as well

I really wish I could rate this place higher but I had one of the worst serving experiences here. In their defence, it was a Saturday in December and they had a sign up saying "Staff needed", so I didn't give them 1 star! We came in, there were a few tables free so we sat down. We got some menus from another table and decided on haggis balls, soup and a tostie and some drinks. After waiting at the bar for 10 minutes, my order was finally taken. The boy (really very young) punched it in and I paid. I assumed my drinks were going to be brought to my table because he started taking other orders. Another 15 minutes later I asked about our drinks and he wondered what we ordered again. 5 minutes later they came. Another 10 minutes gone past, and I asked the bar staff about the food. They said it would be there soon. We finally saw there was a massive mix up, because another staff member came out with food and had no idea what table it was for. This happened another three times. After asking again, we realised that our food order had been forgotten and we insisted it would be made soon. We had been there for 45 minutes already. The main waitress told the boy to go wash tables, because obviously he was doing something very wrong! She apologised and gave us two drinks on the house. Finally our food arrived. We weren't the only table with issues, it seemed like all tables were waiting on something or the other. This place could be a decent three of four star even, the decor is cute and the food is fine. However, they need to train their staff better and have a better system with drink and food orders. I won't be coming back. read more

Really like this bar, I've seen it at both ends of the spectrum, on a busy Friday night with great live music(folk if I recall) and in the middle of the day during the week. (yes I am an alcoholic). It hit's a lot of the spots for me, trendy yet understated decor, cosy with lots of nooks and crannies to hide away in but not too small to be claustrophobic, friendly staff, a good drinks selection and a decent location. Haven't tried the food but that's not what I go to pubs for anyway. read more

Great people watching spot, big patio, good selection of beer and draft cider. Reasonable prices, friendly staff. Fast Wifi, ask the server for the PW. I'll be back :) read more

Real student pub very small and dark but full of character . they do music mostly folk . Intimate seating arrangements . Good selection of real ales which are well kept The sender lace is extremely popular particularly with arty student types. There is some outdoor bench seating . read more

Settled down in this nice little bar for a couple of beers before heading to the sushi joint a couple of doors down with a groupon voucher in hand. First impressions were nice decor, friendly professional staff and a great selection of spirits. The beers on tap was the aim this evening however and I was pleasantly surprised by the selection. The bar man listed a whole range of interesting choices and I opted for the St Mungo. My other half loves cider and the Addlessons got a thumbs up and a comment along the lines of one of the best kept ciders she has had. It actually smelt like apples and tasted great. We liked the place so much that we went back for a night cap after our meal. This will now be my watering hole of choice at this end of town. read more

After the dive bar that was Filthy McNasties, came the completely forgettable and short lived Citizen Smith, comes the Black Cat - the latest incarnation of what must be the smallest bar on Rose Street. This time though, they could be on to a winner. Rose street in not area are that I would normally go for a drink, partly as it caters too much for the stag/hen crown, party the fact that many of the bars are just tourist traps and party as there are quite a few which are just a bit rubbish. This bar is tucked away at the west end of rose street, no fanfare outside to entice you but purely out of curiosity as I walked past it i tried it out and was very pleasantly surprised by what was inside. Its small, too small to bother the stags and hens which is an automatic winner, but while very reasonably priced, its not a cheap dive bar so has done a good job of getting rid of the former Filithy's crowd. What you have instead is a low lit, quite quiet, mildly gothic place, that is superb for a drink and a chat. Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff and below average drink prices for the area means that I will go back. Not sure how well know it is, but as word spreads im sure there are loads of people like me who would like to have someone in that area to meet people for a quiet drink but not have to deal with the usual stress of rose streets patrons! read more

We decided to take a break from exploring the city by having a drink here. The bartender was friendly and helpful in picking out a good local beer. She even let me try one, and when I didn't care for it, poured me another one to try. She even had great recommendations for whiskies. The atmosphere is very much dark but the staff and even the regulars were all great company. I'd definitely come back. read more

The Black Cat - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

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I'm going to let the cat out of the bag, The Black Cat is a good pub on Rose Street... Rose Street (much like the Grassmarket) serves as a pub crawl magnet, where all the pubs are essentially generic, well The Black Cat isn't one of those places, for one it isn't suited to the stag/hen pub crawls simply due to the fact it's fairly small. As this is a pub, lets get to the important part, Black Cat keeps a good lager (St Mungo), real ale (two rotating casks), Aspalls cider and a great selection of whisky alongside a choice of vodka, rum or gin. So a good selection of beverages (I don't drink wine so it will never appear in my reviews but it is available) for the more discerning palette... So to sum up this is one black cat that isn't ill luck should your paths cross. read more

Popped into The Black Cat for a pint on a recent sleety weekday evening. There is a cluster of pubs on Rose Street (most of which we haven't tried yet), but we chose this one based on its impressive reviews. Immediately loved the relaxed atmosphere and decor, marvelled at the impressive whisky selection. There were two tasty ales on tap which we happily drank down. The menu of little snacky things looked tempting - we'll have to give them a try on our next visit. We will definitely be back. I could see this place becoming a regular stop for us as we settle into our Edinburgh routine. read more

My fiancé and I were on vacation in Edinburgh earlier in November, and we stopped in the Black Cat by chance, and I want to say that we had a fantastic time. I want to say that Jane the bartender was amazing. She was super knowledgable, sweet, and professional with us as we had a whiskey flight tasting. We both work in the restaurant industry in the States and have many years of experience combined. We experienced the friendliest bartenders and servers here, but Jane was the best! We just wanted to let you know that. read more

Great for a drink DO NOT EAT HERE! Great little place with a good selection of whisky and some nice wines. The atmosphere is great and the staff very friendly. I would strongly recomend this place for a few drinks. BUT under no circumstance eat here. It's tempting because it's very cheap but there is a reason. All of the food appears to be very low quailty frozen and then deep fat fried (by the barmaid). Don't let this stop you going for a drink though :-) read more

The Black Cat - Bars Near Me - Edinburgh, EDH

Great place for whiskey or a pint. They serve cheap pub grub and has a nice pub feel. Staff is helpful and nice

This is a nice bar on Rose Street. It is one of the smarter looking ones in this area. I visited through the day and it was very quiet so not sure whether business picks up later on. The pint I had was excellent and the prices are very reasonable. They have a huge selection of whisky on offer which I didn't get chance to sample. Worth a visit if you're passing. read more

We went here on are last day for a drink and it was a really nice bar. It was really modern but still had a bit of character. I couldn't believe the amount of whiskey they had on offer. I had a vodka and coke and my partner had a beer. The seats we were sat on was old barrels which I think was cool. The staff were really friendly and made us feel welcome. read more

This is a lovely little bar. I'm sure it must be the smallest bar on Rose Street - it's really just a square room. Nice atmosphere, and an excellent choice of real beers. They have guest beers on tap, and a huge range of bottled ales, including some great American craft beers. Staff are lovely too. This was only my second visit, but I'll definitely be back. There are tables outside - I'm looking forward to relaxing with a good brew next summer when it's a bit warmer! read more

I am not a fan of Rose Street and had not been there in months but after lunch at Calistoga and a couple of drinks in Element Bar, we were looking for something more 'pubby' and a friend suggested the Black Cat. I had never heard of it and have absolutely no idea what was there before. As its name suggests, the inside of the place is dark. Very dark. A bit too much to my liking. It is very small but we managed to squeeze in and had no trouble sitting down. The selection of beers is not huge but it is good. They had some Black Isle Red Kite on tap, which is quite tasty. They also had some St Mungo Glasgow lager, a German-like lager, which was quite nice. It was fine for a while, but when they put up the music volume up so much that it became uncomfortable and we could get on with our chat, it was time for us to leave. I guess they maybe want the place to be a bit more bar-like on a Saturday night but this was just not on. Definitely a place where I would go back to if I happen to be on Rose Street. read more

We found this bar on our first day in Edinburgh and we went back every day! The staff is very friendly, the prices are great as is the selection of whiskys and beers. The staff could not be more friendly and knowledgeable - and thats the main reason we kept going back. They hire folks from all over the world so the conversation never gets old. They also have free wifi and folk music many nights of the week. If you find yourself in the lovely city of Edinburgh make sure you stop in! read more

Mostly a whisky bar, but they have a few interesting beers on tap. Busy place with lots of locals. Service was friendly so they get an extra star. read more

Awesome pub! Plenty of drinks to choose from, and the night I was there, very good live music. Enough said!

Not bad. A bit small, and not many beers on tap. But they had a great selection of spirits, bourbons and whiskeys. Also, this fantastic Scottish group were sitting at a table and playing folk tunes at one of the tables. read more