Bannerman’s Bar

That a normal pub to go for a pint. Rock music in a moderate volumes and normal prices.

Ah, Bannermans… my favourite watering hole from my university days in the Auld Reekie. The place where student woes go to die… apart from the money ones. ^^
Many people will probably know Bannermans as a gig venue (wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve been to a gig here), and anyone who has been on the ghost tours will have passed it by. It tends to be one of those places that everyone has heard of, but often haven’t gotten around to going to. It’s not big and exciting, but it is a nice and relaxing rock pub, the sort where you can sit and have a natter with your friends without worrying about being drowned out by music or other ambient noise. The music is great, but not a dominant feature of the place. Because it’s off the main stretch, it’s never crowded unless there’s a gig on or you’re there on a weekend evening.
I have found myself coming here every time I’ve been through in Edinburgh of late. It’s not the cheapest of places to go — I know many cheaper — but if you’re looking for a place to chill this is the place to be.
Give it a go yourself, especially if you’ve had a hectic day in the capitol!

Y’know, it’s weird. I’d heard of Bannerman’s for as long as I’ve been going to Edinburgh. I’ve seen tons of bands I know listed as playing there, I know people that practically live in there.
I’d never been. I didn’t even know where it was.
During the Fringe, I was going from one tiny venue to another one, and walked by it and my brain made a DING noise inside my head, that moment you go «aaaaah that’s where it is!»
After the show I went to see — Darren Walsh, he was awesome! — I headed back to investigate. I’m glad I did. I made a point of visiting a few more times during August’s Edinburgh bingeathon that is The Fringe.
It’s a great little rock pub, and has that nice vibe you only get from a good rock pub. A fine and varied choice of beer, lager and ale — not too steep on the prices, helpful staff with a nice line in sarcastic put downs for people trying to be funny. Not me, I hasten to add. I don’t cheek people that give me beer. It’s a rule.
The sound coming from the stage area sounded good, so I must return to investigate that.
Find it and give it a go! It’s well worth it!

I like this place so much that we held our après wedding gig here! My husbands band (Sod’s Law) played and it was great. Somewhere to go that hasn’t disappeared up it’s own backside. Only complaint is the nick of the toilets– sort it out.

It’s a pub that definitely caters to a specific crowd. If you’re not into metal or (really) hard rock, you might not fit in.
Cheap (ish) drinks though.

Well just called in Bannerman’s bar to pick up two tickets for BEASTO BLANCO.
love the band!
So here I am Thursday 30^th January at 12:50pm. It actually busy. Not bad prices today, kronenberg £3.70. I just love it here. Chilling out at the moment. Think I might stay for a while.
Give it a try!

It’s a local bar and nothing special. It’s packed with people of all ages and all walks. There are some nice areas to sit and some tv screens to catch up on sports or whatever happened to be playing.
I would find myself in this place if I happened to be in town and hanging out with mates. There are plenty of pubs in town so you don’t have a lack of choice.

Ruffio is possibly one of the best dogs in Edinburgh. I met her in Bannermans and so I love this place.
Apart from that, Bannermans is a great spot. There’s always a decent crowd in, even midweek it might be quiet but there’ll be a fair few in. Some nights it will be punks all over the place, others it’s rockers. On other nights it’s a touristy crowd. The point is there’s always someone! There’s often live music and sometimes it’s free, which I approve of!
They do decent pub food ’til late, which can at times be a blessing. The bar staff are alright. If you don’t look the part sometimes they can be a tad pretentious which I don’t like, but luckily the clientele doesn’t follow suit. Everyone is so friendly, I’d say it’s one of the friendliest bars around!
The toilets are what get me (anyone who reads anything I write may notice I take toilets very seriously.) The weird, sloped, reflective-​but-​not-​a-​mirror ceiling confuses me. I don’t like it. The toilets tend to be in bad shape too, which in a place like this might be expected but still.
Overall a great spot. I enjoy my nights here and have made a few friends (not like that! get your mind out of the gutter!) including an adorable Husky-​Alsation cross who seriously made my festive season a bit better!

This is one of the few last live music venues in Edinburgh and a great one at that! Check out their ‘what’s on’ schedule and you’ll be amazing at the amount they squeeze in.
The bars itself is located in the Cowgate so right slap bang in the middle of Edinburgh. The layout is pretty cool — to one side of the bar are lots of comfy seats to sit and chat, the other side you can stand and prop up the bar and at the back they have a little room like a cave where all the live music is laid down. This room has great acoustics so is perfect for local as well as international bands to do their thang.
If you want a proper bar with no messing then don’t look any further. Great option for down to earth, music loving individuals.

In my brief stay in Edinburgh I absolutely fell in love with Bannerman’s.
The maze of tiny rooms and brick walls had that whole old Edinburgh feel. The drinks seemed reasonably priced to me (but judging from other reviews here they are pricey for the Cowgate). What really stood out for me was the friendliness of the bartenders and the other patrons.
The first night I was there I got on well with the two bartenders, and the second night I wound up talking for hours to some English guy at the bar. From then on, Bannerman’s became my go-​to place to meet people, find good conversation, and get advice about Edinburgh.
Interestingly enough, every single Edinburgher I met reacted positively when I mentioned going to Bannerman’s. It seems like everyone in town used to hang out at that bar, and they all have at least one good story.

This is the place of tattoos, random american dudes, pints, good tunes and really random toilet conversations I did not want to get involved in! But they were stories at least and amusing ones at that. I think otherwise this place would have been rather average.
Only in Bannerman’s have I had some random American dude try and chat me up by complimenting my shoes and saying that he ‘needs’ a picture of him getting a kiss from a scottish girl.
And only in Bannerman’s have I had a girl show me a rather unexpected photo (in the toilets) she received from some bloke she met to be told — if you are going to send a photo of *it* at least make sure it doesn’t look this gross right??? … I mean what are the responses to either of these…
Bannerman’s makes for an eventful evening that’s what. That and being surrounded by tattooed beauties. What else does one need?!

Unfairly or not, I have judged Bannerman’s like the pretty skinny girl with big breasts tossing her hair at the bar.
Too busy, too many people all up in it, too much fuss
And I just couldn’t picture myself elbow to elbow with 167 people waiting to pay 3.80 for a Stella (yes, seriously).
And then I got to know Bannerman’s. More than once I have landed in here for a «quick one» before moving on to a place that I feel more comfy in (a little danker, fewer people, a little less popular) and ended up spending the evening inside a warm and fuzzy pint counting the tattoos. Plus, it’s attached to something that plays loud music and brings in a crowd of some very badass looking dudes.
But the staff were wonderful (Stella still 3.80, but very little waiting), there’s loads of space (only 13 elbows) and after a drink at the bar, you feel home.
I’m sorry I misjudged you Bannerman’s but I still hate that bitchy girl at the bar.

For me Bannerman’s is first and foremost a venue for live music, possibly one of the best known in Edinburgh… Flip through a copy of The Skinny and you will likely find at least 3 gigs a week here.
That said Bannerman’s is also a good pub. Stocking real ales as well as the more standard lagers and a good range of spirits it can be easy to stay here a while and just enjoy a drink. The interior design is a mix of traditional bar (dark wood, stone walls and heavy tables /​barrels) and a tribute to the american biker bar (t-​shirts in a case, a guitar and other rock paraphernalia) often seen in movies.
Perhaps because people so often gather in Bannerman’s to attend a gig there is a great atmosphere, one of those bars you could easily end up making a new group of friends in even if you weren’t going to the show.
Yes its on the cowgate, but it is perhaps the last bastion of «sanity» before you enter the danger zone of nightclubs and nightlife, give it a try if you like rock or just enjoy a fun night out.

A bare and dark rock pub, the kind of place I grew up insort of. I always feel at home in these kind of places, even if I don’t look it.
While I was pleased and surprised to see so many ales in this kind of pub, my delight was tempered somewhat by how the live football was dominating the place. Not very rock and roll.

Are you fan of live music or karaōke? If you then you’ll probably be a fan of Bannermans. Tuesday is karaōke night and its one of better karaōke venues in Edinburgh. It makes for a great atmosphere and a decent crowd, who are on the whole supportive no matter how many numbers you decide to murder on a particular night. The only down side of this is that you’ll need to get down in decent time if you’re going to get your name down.
The other speciality Bannermans offers is live music. It’s not specific genres and not necessarily specific days though Monday is often the best if you’re hoping to catch live music on the off chance. If you’re lucky enough to be musically talented you can also enquire about performing. It’s a decent stage and the room creates a great atmosphere.
The one issue with Bannermans is the prices — they can be quite steep. There is, however, good news as a lot of the time they do 3 for 2 deals on pints — so ask about this at the bar before you order, although you are likely to need a student card for this offer.

Having previously experienced the utter awesomeness of being an Erasmus student, one of my first ambitions on coming back was to check out the international scene here at Edinburgh.
Bannerman’s is a frequent haunt of international students studying at Edinburgh University and as a result you’ll find all sorts of nationalities here. Because of this, the place is generally thriving with activity on the international student nights and is a great way to meet some well travelled people, especially handy if you speak a foreign language. (wednesdays is the international student night)
The pub itself isn’t bad either. Plenty of alcoves and rooms to congregate in which is always fun…

Normally, dark pubs dont do it for me. They are just a bit too unsettling and more often than not a bit dodgy.
Bannermans however, is the exception to that rule — Bannermans invites you to embrace the darkness, and its good.
Like most pubs in this area of Edinburgh, Bannermans is a vault, with its exposed walls and low roof. There is a bar area (serving a wide range of drinks, and pretty cheap too) and also a place where a couple of times a week, a live band plays — usually rock, but I have seen folky type stuff here.
Bannermans is a great bar, good staff, great atmosphere and cheap too. The music is good, and I do recommend it.

Heading to Bannerman’s in the Cowgate conjures up many memories of the days when I used to happily demand shots of Aftershock wherever I went (obviously just when I went to bars, I didn’t go round to people’s houses for dinner and ask that they serve me a double Aftershock, no ice, with my meal).
Recently, I returned to Bannerman’s for a more chilled out, civilised hook up with friends, and sipped on a cider rather a potent shot of cinnamon devil juice. It’s relaxed here, and nice and dark, just the way I like it, so I feel like I could get immersed in chatting away for a few hours, and not really care that I’m in a bar. There’s a small room for gigs at the back of the bar, which has a really intimate feel to it, and good acoustics as far as I can remember, although let’s be honest, I’m not a massive expert on band acoustics. Let’s put it simply, it sounded good, and I’m pretty sure a lot of decent Edinburgh bands that are regulars on the gig scene have graced the Bannerman’s stage.

I came here on a Tuesday and even though at first I thought it was a rock bar (judging by its rock-​decoration and tattooed and pierced clientele) and lo and behold there’s a karaōke in the back room, in a sort of underground stone room with a pool table.
Its larger than it appears with about 3 dungeon-​like rooms to spread out in (one of which is the stage/​karaōke) and there is a good mix of locals and students to give it a very vibrant atmosphere.
However, returning a week later I found a lot of the same people singing at the karaōke. Apparently it’s their moment of fame. Bless and thank heavens there’s alcohol to make it better for you.

While trudging around Edinburgh one evening, we walked under the massive bridge of South Bridge along Cowgate. While under the bridge we heard sound emanating from somewhere. Eventually found some holes within the stone walling under the bridge. We could put our ears up to the holes and here music… actually singing… of the karaōke variety.
Walked a little further along Cowgate, and made it to Bannerman’s. There’s a bar area in the front, but if you venture further within you reach some alcove/​cave-​y looking rooms. They were all built with stones, and it became obvious this is where the sound was coming from. So, there was Karaōke under South Bridge.
We ordered a few rounds and listened/​watched to all the Scots sing away (I was too chicken to make an attempt).
Overall, we had a fun time here. It was close to the Travel Lodge we were staying at down the street.

Eigentlich geht mir dieser Pub nicht so rein, aber die Dienstag Abende (- Student’s night) sind schon kultig. Es gibt 3 Bier zum Preis von 2, es wird Karaoko gesungen und irgendwie lernt man stets lustige Leute kennen.