Pleasance Bar

Pleasance is great for those looking for a student bar that is perhaps a little more simplistic and relaxed compared to those found in Teviot Row House.
The drinks prices are the same as those found in the other two Edinburgh University Students Association bars but the main thing that makes Pleasance stand out is the food. This is the place to get curly fries cheap, and for some reason unknown to me the burgers here are a lot better than those served in Teviot. Pleasance is very well suited for larger groups, as it has many large round tables with block seating that can be squeezed into. There is also a fair bit of outdoor seating available for the warmer times of year.
This bar is popular with the sports fans as it has sufficiently big screens showing various football and rugby games yet offers a much warmer, cleaner atmosphere than the Sports Bar in Teviot. The only real downside to this bar is that it is just too small during busy times and a lot of people will be left standing. However, when it is quieter, it’s fantastic.

This is one of the student union bars I haven’t visited that often, probably because it’s so out of the way! The other two, Teviot and Potterow, are literally in the main university area and a mere minutes walk from each other.
However, it may be worth the walk over there as their food is quite good, and QUITE cheap! Previously, I’d only had drinks there for a night at the Pleasance Theatre. However, a group of friends and I decided to have a well deserved after exam lunch there, and we had some great fajitas, nachos and burgers!
The bar itself is quite cosy, but is definitely upstaged by it’s Teviot counterpart.

As a fan of student union bars, the Pleasance bar is one of the best student unions in Edinburgh! Located in the Pleasance buildings, this bar has its own unique character. Inside it, the bar is split between two rooms. The first room is filled with large booths, ideal for students working in large project groups. The second room, adjoined to the first room is much bigger with a stage.
Food and drinks are set at student prices that mean pints from as little as £1.80, while the chicken burgers and spiral fries are fantastic for a student union food! Normally, the bar is quite quiet so it is ideal for students wanting a bite to eat or a drink while studying!
However, the biggest draw for me at Pleasance is the student pub quiz on a Monday night. During semester it kicks off at around eight, and is one of the biggest, if not the biggest student pub quiz in Scotland! The place is always packed, and the prices on offer involve drink promotions and vouchers. Furthermore, what makes this quiz as good as it is, is the quiz master who constructs some brilliant questions and engages with banter from the students!
A student bar from students!

The Pleasance is one of the University of Edinburgh’s most used buildings, and the bar in the downstairs area is well worth mentioning.
Typically a student haunt, it provides all that you would expect from a bar of this type. It also provides food, and shows a variety of sport on its TV screens. Seating is in comfortable booths, with padded seating and small dividing walls that segregate the bar area, so that it can be full of people without feeling that way.
Drinks are reasonably priced, and the food is typically student in style. Fajitas, nachos and burgers dominate the menu, and having tried most of them, I can confirm that they are very tasty, and worth their cheap prices.
I have typically been here on a quieter weekday evening during term time, during which the atmosphere is relaxed. However, as with most bars, when there is a big sporting occasion, a show in the Pleasance theatre, or just during Freshers’ Week, the bar will be a lot busier.
Give the Pleasance Bar a go if you want some cheap student grub, or a relaxed drink with friends.

Pretty good, cheap and quiet bar. Its a student union but often frequented by non-​students as well. Does cheap food too which is a bit up n down, not a big menu and they often run out of a lot of whats on the menu.

I’ve used one of the dance studios — the Ochil Room — for teaching dance workshops recently, and although the room is good — bright and has mirrors, it could do with cleaner floors! However, it’s a great location, and has courtyard parking.

The Pleasance Cabaret Bar hosts an eclectic collection of performances, shows, musicians and artists. It is a major venue for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and is host to the Edinburgh Folk Club. Having witnessed a belly-​dancing show, numerous folk music concerts and a few theatre productions at The Pleasance, it seems to be one of the most versatile venues in the city. A lowered stage with a semi circle of seats surrounding it sets the seine, and also boasts a bar to the rear and a back exit into another bar heavily populated with students. The Pleasance has a great performance atmosphere, and is recommending for both performer and audience alike.

I love this place! It’s a good old-​fashioned student union during term time: the cosiest and friendliest of Edinburgh Uni’s establishments, and then it absolutely explodes into wonderful (immaculately controlled) chaos and exuberance during the Edinburgh Festival. Ordinarily there are two bars used — Inside Bar and Cabaret Bar — Cabaret hosts open mic nights, pub quizes and the like, while there’s food service, some sports and just general drinking fun in Inside Bar. However, during the festival there are loads of theatres, seven bars, various different food areas and a beautiful courtyard for you to enjoy the summer in. The staff are renowned for being the friendliest festival staff in Edinburgh and the term-​time staff are really lovely too! Love it!