Henry’s Cellar Bar

As a frequent live music goer, it really pains me to see venues wasted. There is absolutely nothing stopping Henry’s from being a too music venue, but it’s clearly unloved.
My biggest gripe is their sound system. Throughout the gig I was at last night there was a persistent high pitched electronic noise, and the balance was terrible.
The whole place has a really stink of can’t be arsed. You’d think as a super central live music venue, they’d have loads of stuff on, especially given it was a Friday night Halloween. But me and my friends who’d come to see the band were the only ones there. They’ve done nothing to generate any customer loyalty. After my friends band a solo dj got up and dos his thing, to absolutely no one. All of this saddens me. If someone was willing to curate this place, and invest in getting it to a decent standard, I’ve no doubt it’d be heaving.
The bar is ok. The taps needed a clean, but the fridge selection wasn’t awful.

I’ve only been to Henry’s during the week, mainly Wednesday and if that’s anything to go by the weekends will be great!
Henry’s Cellar Bar is a small venue not to far from Haymarket Station, walkable from the Canter and not close enough to the infamous «public triangle» for it to be full of stag nights and young lads looking to see the dancing ladies! They run various music nights, all genres, recently introduced a cabaret night and the drinks are priced reasonable and cheaply for Edinburgh.
Henry’s Cellar Bar s exactly what it sounds like. It’s dark, it’s cramped, it smells a bit but all of that really only adds to the atmosphere. The punters themselves always seem to be in great humour, there’s two rows at the front which are set like out like theatre seats and the back has tables set out, by the end of the nights it’s like one big table with everyone chatting to everyone. The nice thing about playing and performing at Henry’s is that the audience listen to the acts and there no rude vibes with people shouting and yelling. They’ve also just replaced the seats so there no broken ones any more!
My only issue with Henry’s is that it share the toilets with the restaurant up stairs which I imaging can be annoying at the weekend, apart from that I think it’s fab.

So, this place as a place is nothing special.
It’s inside (I always picture Owen Wilson in Zoolander «It’s INSIDE the computer») that the magic happens. They host open mics, songwriters nights, and more, oh my! And, yes keep reading, there are money prizes. A friend of mine won 25 and has a chance to win 200 at the finalist showdown Feb 18, 2014. Latch (I seriously want to call him Lurch) hosts, and his certain kind of magic just makes everything better.
So though this place is gritty, let it file your nails down, and your inhibitions, and come on over on a Monday or Tuesday and check it out.

Henry’s Cellar is small. But not in a cramped, stuffy kind of way. In a cosey, intimate kind of way! Meaning it’s perfect for gigs!
This review might be a little different because I was on the stage. When my band play gigs I like to see the audience and gauge their reaction/​rate their dance moves! So Henry’s cellar is perfect in that sense and allows the audience to get up close and personal to the band.
The resident sound engineer was the best we’ve ever had! So helpful and accommodating. And the music from the DJ in the gap between bands was bang on! Suited perfectly to the theme of the night. — 1920s jazz!
Watching the other bands play and playing myself, I felt like Henry’s Cellar is a worthy venue in Edinburgh’s music scene and nightlife! Although, it’s best to check out the bands playing before you go because entry to gigs can be a little pricey. But I’d say it’s worth it based on the quality of the performers!

In the 10 years I’ve lived in Edinburgh, I’ve never made it to this basement bar below Lebowskis… and now I’ve found it, I’m flippin well going to make up for lost time!
It’s a fairly wee bar with a seating area up one end, and a stage/​dancefloor up the other end. The ceiling is low, it’s a bit dark, delightfully dingy and the drink is cheap.
What more could you want? Oh yeah… only awesome live music!
I missed the first band, but the second was called ‘Bobok’ and they were brilliant. Formed by 2 Russian brothers, the music was a mix of «Russian ska, Balkan brass bands, tango & punk», and it was bouncy and sexy as hell (and sort of made me want to dance the Argentine Tango at times!)
The low ceiling makes the sound fabulous, and it positively swallows you up in a vortex of musical happiness!
The bar has regular live music as well as weekend club nights. There’s a fee to be paid at the door, but it’s quite small and, judging by the the band we saw, was worth every penny.
The only truly rubbish part was the toilets, which are in dire need of some tender care. However, I DID have fun reading the graffiti on the toilet doors, and was enjoying this place so much, the state of the toilets didn’t seem to matter in the slightest!
A cellar bar with bags of personality, and I promise that the next time I’m in a great, delightfully dark and dingy bar in Krakow, I won’t whinge about how we don’t have any bars like it in Edinburgh… I was quite clearly wrong before!

Awh man. I gotta say, I am a little bit stuck on this one.
One part of me loves it… it’s a great wee small venue.
But then the other part of me thinks yeah, a great wee venue that has got the worst layout ever?! I mean why on earth would you put a big ass wall/​pillar right in the view of the stage from when you are standing at the bar.
Basically if you want to go here to see a band, go early, and a get a seat on the left side. In that case, this place is totally 5 star material. But when there are a few people there, you are own your own, this ‘magic’ area on the left is almost full and you know if you go stand there (being 5’11″) I am probably going to get in someones way — you are left with the choice of standing at the bar. Naff.
Other than that this little bar is pretty good. Drink selection is about what you would think, and not too expensive. The acoustics are good, perfect for what this place is trying to achieve, but part of me still wants to walk in with a sledgehammer and go to town on that god damn wall.

Overcrowded and can’t move. Can’t get served, can’t get to the toilet, can’t get out. Does the place have a fire approval license thingy?

i love henrys… sure its dark and dingy but its perfect for rock n roll music… iv played there often and seen some great bands… the staff and promoters are music lovers and they understand musicians needs… the crowd tends to be people who go time and again who also love their music… its my fav haunt to checkout the local scene… the pa is top notch and the engineers are superb… all in all its the best in town… check it out

Henry’s Cellar Bar is a great little music venue situated downstairs, beneath Lebowski’s on Morrison Street. The long and the short of this venue is that the night is what the promoter makes of it, but if the effort has been put in to book decent bands and let everyone know about the night, it’ll be great fun. Drinks are reasonably priced and there is a discount for band members, staff are friendly and the atmosphere is, well… again, it pretty much depends on the night, but when my friend has organised gigs there I’ve had a great time and enjoyed some great music. I would say that it was a venue more suited to those among you who enjoy Punk/​Hardcore/​Indie etc. But either way you’re bound to meet some friendly people and have a good time. The reason I have not given this venue 5 stars is simply because it’s opening hours are inconsistent and it is sometimes difficult to tell if even the folks who run the place know if they’re coming or going, so I would do some careful research before trekking across town for a gig.

Dark and Dingy. But also inexpensive and atmospheric. I visited Henry’s last week as my brothers band was playing here along with a couple of others. It’s your typical small, old, underground gig venue with low ceilings, a small stage, cheap drinks and mis-​matched furniture. It was £4 in which was reasonable and the crowd was an eclectic mix of people.

Henry’s Cellar Bar does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a small and eh, a bar.
I have a friend who is a super scene kid who reads NME, watches Skins and thinks he is at the forefront of what is trendy and what is not. He often plods off to Henry’s Cellar Bar and drags me with him and I’m glad he does. For once he is actually right about something being cool. There is often some obscure band playing or perhaps the next big thing and a great atmosphere to go with it. I have watched bands played here when they have first started out, and are now off to play T in the Park this year. So if your lucky you may spot some real talent.
Makes for a fun night out and its a cool venue, so give it a bash!

Hurrah for dark and dingy Henry’s!
One of Edinburgh’s staple underground (no, actually underground) music venues. I’d reckon, despite it’s modest size, 90% of every gig I’ve been to has been here. The booze tastes like an instant hangover but hey, you’re not there for a poncy cocktail you’re there for the huge list of experimental and alternative bands.
Obviously, the busier the more atmospheric it tends to be, so when you’re walking back look down into the tiny courtyard and if it’s filled with too many people smoking roll-​ups and wearing leather jackets you’ve come on the right night!

A staple of the Edinburgh band scene, Henry’s is dark, atmospheric, a (literally) underground music venue where all of the best band’s in town are likely to have gigs at some point in the near future.
There are always drinks promos on the go, and it’s the sort of place where you keep bumping into the same crowd of people, so you can kind of rock up here even if nobody else is up for coming out that evening.
Wicked.

Ah Henry’s. Dark, dingy, delightful! The bar isn’t brilliant, but its not overly expensive. The bands aren’t always incredible (unless its the sound staff’s birthday, holy hell that was an awesome night!) but there’s always someone worth seeing. there’s room to dance, but if you’re seeing a more sit downy band (henry’s has been known to jazz) then the whole space has tables and chairs.
the sound set up is pretty decent for a room with awful accoustics. I’d definitely recommend ear plugs for louder bands though as things can get painful.
Best of however, the chinese place upstairs does dimsum til 3am. how awesome is that?

One of Edinburgh’s finer underground and experimental music venues hidden down a step set of steps, located on Morrison Street close to its junction with Lothian Road.
Formally Henry’s Jazz cellar, the line up has changed extensively since the drop of Jazz from its title and, for live music and late night club action, Henry’s keeps it eclectic and on the edge and its clientele matches.
Drinks are very cheap, bar staff friendly and atmosphere never disappointing. The venue’s sound staff are among the best in the city and the PA is top notch given the size of the venue (you’ll know if something’s going on at Henry’s by happening by outside).
As a locally driven venue Henry’s is used by some of Edinburgh’s best underground promoters and sees some of the best local and touring talent pass through its dorrs year round, the Fringe barely makes an impact here which is definetely to its credit and sees the place teaming with locals avoiding August fatigue!
Long live Henry’s and all who sail in her etc
Ess

Great live music venue with local and not so local acts playing regularly. Henry’s is absolutely tiny and is hidden below street level on Morrisson St. It’s definetly nothing fancy, but a really great, down to earth place to go if you like your live music — oh and drinks are cheap as chips too!

Henry’s is a fantastic little venue hidden away underneath the Festival Tavern and Rainbow Bridge restaurant. The sound is excellent due to the small ceilings, good PA system and sound engineers who know what they’re doing. It also has regular live music, hosting touring bands from all over the world as well as many of Edinburgh’s best local acts. Drinks prices are pretty cheap for the location and the atmosphere inside when there’s a good band playing is the best in the city. It also hosts an eclectic range of club nights, although these can be a bit hit and miss. Definitely worth a visit if you like live music!

This is one of my favourite live music venues. It is a tiny atmospheric little bar that not only hosts some brilliant club nights but has a knack for showcasing some of Edinburgh’s best unsigned bands (as well as occasionally getting ‘bigger’ names too). The acoustics really resonate in here, probably due to the small space and the fact it is below ground level. My first choice for live music, cheap drink and fun nights.