The Black Cat

Very pleasant atmosphere, just right volume level, VERY amiable bar tenders who are happy to help you pick something out of the vast whiskey selection

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 décor 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.

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!

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!

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 :)

«Meet me at the Black Cat»
When I came to Edinburgh I didn’t know a soul. The one friend-​of-​a-​friend I was somewhat connected to said these few words to me a few days before I flew in. It felt very cloak-​and-​daggers.
This is his local, and it’s worthy of that honour. It’s a nice little spot with cheap drinks and good people, where you can sink into a couple bottles of wine on a casual wed night without a worry in the world. One time I got a weird look from the bartender for ordering whisky with ice. I think that’s a good thing.
Never again. Thanks black cat.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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 décor, 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.

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.

Great spot to stop in for a pint if shopping/​wandering around Rose St. The bartenders were friendly and were happy to give us tourists the rundown on the pub grub they have to offer, like haggis balls and fish bait! I was curious to try but had just eaten before going there so I cannot comment on the food, but they said it’s delicious. Seating is limited so not recommended for groups, but had a great time and would go back.

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

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 décor, 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.

Relax and unwind
A whisky lovers delight
Casual, refined

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!

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 décor, 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.

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!