Athletic Arms in Edinburgh, City of

Part of me is loathe to review this place as so much of its charm is how local and authentic it feels. But it really is a perfect Edinburgh pub. Incredible selection of whiskeys and very friendly staff on hand to help you pick one (of the 850!), especially Moira. Thanks so much, looking forward to returning here.

A traditional pub with friendly staff and an amazing whisky collection!

Whisky mecca, what more to say?

Great value, good atmosphere and shows the sport

A great selection of whiskies for very reasonable prices.

Good booze, nice locals, decent pies.

Excellent pub the only thing we didn't felt welcome so we just took 1 pint with my wife and we left.

Fantastic pub! Great atmosphere! And reasonable price! Just simply one of the best!

I spend yesterday evening drinking here with new friends and had the time of my life. Dom recommended a great whisky, the beers were great. As were the pies. I will definitely go back when I come to Edinburgh again

Fantastic old style pub with great choice of beer and ales

One of the last real pubs in Edinburgh.

Great selection of whisky. Shows sports. Pies are fine

Young members of staff have no idea how to pour a pint properly. Sadly gone downhill.

Was nice to find a Pub that was not full of tourists. I was the only one. Great selection of whiskeys and they have a book that details all of them!!!

Good Value Drinks for the middle of town and a fairly friendly local bar. Sports on the tv and very good nachos, toasties and pies if needed. (The original kind of pub food) I hope this place never ever closes.

Traditional Scottish pub, serving around ten types of beers, around a hundred whiskeys and traditional British pub dishes. A place far from the center to breathe the air of a truly local pub, super affordable prices

We arrived an hour before closing time. Great atmosphere and what an incredible whiskey collection. They have a whiskey card divided by region and alphabetical order, the choice is enormous. We are going to come back here this weekend. We didn't eat anything so we can't say anything about this.

It’s a great experience for locals and visitors alike. The prices are way lower compared to the pubs in the center and turistic areas. Very authentic. A nice friendly experience. The barman was very patient and explained the types of bear they had.

My favorite pub in Edinburgh. An old school proper pub. Unmatched whisky selection and incredible value for money. Bigger measures tham standard pubs. Wonderful selection of beers and lager. The food is great and cheap. Wish more pubs were like this. Please never change!

Rude and creepy staff, no atmosphere and will not come back. Poor manners when talking to customers. Has gone downhill since having a change in staffing Not accommodating towards people with disabilities Very disappointing

First time in it. Great atmosphere and price

Just returned from the halcyon days of Bill Farmer running the busy bar 5 deep on a Friday night. By the time you got to the bar your drink was ready. Fantastic bar management, coupled with the best pint in Scotland.

Went along with a work colleague yesterday, service was great, ever when place was quite busy. Love the fact that dogs are allowed. Felt like a good vibe, friendly staff and locals.

Brilliant pub! Great selection of ales, one of the best whisky selections in Scotland and friendly service. Decent pie too if you need a wee bite to eat

They sell Mcewans 80 shilling here.

What can you say. A traditional pub the way it should be. Good clean beer selections and an amazing selection of whiskys. A real mix of patrons but incredibly friendly and welcoming. Staff and Landlord are amazing and very knowledgeable.. Don't miss a trip to a pub they way a pub should be. No gimmicks just quality.

This pub was great. Lots of locals, great value!

Very busy post match but choice of drinks was very good and the service was first class.

Too good, very good, superb atmosphere. The staff is very nice

A real favorite. The pub you dream of having, otherwise I had an excellent evening there, match day so great atmosphere. Full to bursting, average age 65 but nothing but happiness. Super friendly and available staff. Huge choice of whiskey at a very reasonable price as with everything else. Steak pies 🥧 or mince pies £4 and delicious. You will be in a real pub, far from the city center but what an atmosphere ❤️😎.

Best whisky bar this side of Edinburgh

Really great pub. Lively atmosphere even on a Tuesday night! Fine well keep beer. Looking forward to a return visit soon.

Great pub and great selection of drinks

Interesting layout. Had a decent pint of 80 shilling.

The quintessential neighborhood pub. Quite the trek from the city center but the walk was lovely and I discovered the canal path nearby. I was likely the only tourist inside with locals of all ages enjoying the beautiful day with friends and family. A couple small rooms in the back for groups but the main bar is bright and energetic. Would be a great spot to catch a game.

Banging pub, great selection of drinks at a very affordable price. Thoroughly recommend.

Was a lively boozer, great drinks selection, didn't try the toasties but will assume they are a solid 5/5. 100% worth going into if you are in the area.

Absolutely amazing pub! With a massive selection of drinks and snacks, you won’t be disappointed. The staff and patrons will make you feel like a local as soon as you walk through the door. Also, you are more than likely to see a dog or two who are more than happy to receive rubs and dog treats from the treat jar on the counter! A must visit pub in Edinburgh!

Superb pub. Pies were both excellent and very cheap. Great range of cask beer; the ones I tried were in fine fettle; cool and well kept. Children over 5 are allowed if they have food and are supervised in the back room which is spacious and has a range of Hearts FC memorabilia. The pub is very busy on match days from previous experience but today was spacious and bright. Famous for its very wide whisky range.

I was introduced to the Diggers by my partner who is a regular there on match days. Being from the opposing support, I wasn’t sure what my welcome would be, however, I need not have worried as the welcome was as warm as you would expect from an Edinburgh institution, both from the folk in drinking and the bar staff team. On match days it’s certainly busy before and after the game but everyone I’ve encountered have been chatty and good fun. After the last year and a half of visiting the pub, I would now never consider going to that side of town without heading in for a drink at the very least, and often meet my friends from that area in the Diggers as you know it’s going to be a great night in a fantastic atmosphere. The pies and toasties are also banging. Highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area, have a taste for great whisky and making the trip if you’re not!

I was in for a few drinks today with my Dad before the match. First time we’ve managed that in over a year, for various reasons. Was great to be back. Staff were friendly and helpful (my Dad is coeliac now and can only drink GF beer, so we need to ask for options) and the atmosphere was brilliant. Felt very welcome. Will be back again soon 👍

Was in for a few drinks at the weekend and believe me, that was enough. Haven’t been out in a while (still worried about Covid) and wasn’t met with the welcoming I was hoping for. The staff were dismissive and very rude, as were the other customers. Staff could not care unless they knew who you were or liked the look of you, felt very alienated. Will not be back

The Athletic Arms (or Diggers as it’s known locally) is the stuff of whisky legend. An absolutely amazing selection for every taste and budget. Kevin and the team are very welcoming and the pub is definitely an important community space. I particularly recommend the pub quiz on Sunday… though don’t expect to win. Dunno what’s in the water around there, but they all seem to be eggheads. We almost always come last! Highly recommended.

Quiet but friendly staff, bigger than it looks on the outside, defo worth a visit if in the area just to try there guest ales

Love, love, love this pub. The staff, the stock, the atmosphere are all 1st class. Definitely our 'go to' when in Edinburgh.

Great pint of Guinness, friendly staff, fast service

Great experience. A bar in deep Scotland.

Nice little pub with friendly staff. Good place to get a pint

This is the best pub I've ever been to

Great pint, well priced drams and awesome pies!

Been drinking here for yonks before footy games. Even when it is packed, really fantastically quick service. And diggers heavy is brewed bt Stewarts (i think). Nice

Best pint in Edinburgh. Massive choice of whisky. Best pub pies. Dogs welcome.

Diggers (The Athletic Arms) is an Edinburgh institution regarding pubs. It is best known by its nickname of the Diggers which comes from the fact that it was a popular haunt of the gravediggers from the nearby cemetery many, many years ago.  It has also been known for people, not from Edinburgh, to become confused when meeting someone at Diggers as there is nothing of that name outside. 😅 It is also well known for its 80 shilling beer or “heavy”.  It has a good selection of other beers and an impressive selection of whiskies. The decor is very much traditional and often seen as an old man's pub.  There are a large number of beer related mirrors on the walls and also several TVs for watching sports. A sign also proclaims the pub's pies were pie of the year a while back.  Unfortunately we did not find this still to be the case, especially as they had obviously been heated in a microwave (the pastry was soft) and were not fully heated. The staff were friendly. Definitely worth a visit

Great beers, a really great whisky selection at fantastic value for money and an excellent pie menu. There's no better pub in Edinburgh before and after the match.

An obviously great pub. The main draw is the whisky list, which is incredible. Encyclopaedic, like the wine list at a 3 star Michelin place, but also emminently affordable. Good beer selection, and a nice ambiance - not too heaving or loud.

Es un sitio super mítico al lado de un cementerio de la primera guerra mundial y que sirve las mejores combinaciones de whisky , tiene una especie de página amarillas de teléfonos de lista de whiskies y cervezas incluyendo murphys

Went in here with £240 went straight to the terminal where a very rude manager came up to me to be honest I couldnt tell if he was a customer who'd had something to drink or the manager being very rude saying you need to buy something to play the slot machine not ONCE but TWICE so I bought a can of juice no big deal but no need to be so rude or have that as a rule scince I am losing money in your machine and if I WIN that's money that another person lost and only a PERCENTAGE of it..... So still not losing the bar any money was playing gold spins got the bonus and it was 33 pound gambled it LITRALLY 30 spins paid 33 pounds..... Then switched over to another game 50p a spin and the bonuses took more than 100 pounds to land and were horrible would never come back to this place it's below par.

A great local, friendly pub with a relaxing atmosphere and friendly staff and an excellent selection of drinks.

Best pub ever, particularly on matchday. Food is limited but chicken curry pies are delicious. Great range of beers and whiskies. Always well staffed by friendly and professional staff. Fabulous match day atmosphere.

We went to the place for our graduation batch after party The amount of whisky selection they behold is extremely impressive And if you are like us who graduated in brewing and Distilling, or enthusiast about whisky it's your place. The bar person was so polite and helpful can't even explain there patience with such massive groups The place has my heart now.

Popular historic local pub, serving one of the best 70 and 80 shilling ales in Edinburgh at a decent price.

Been visiting the Diggers for 63 years. That tells the story,, 🥰🍺🥃

Many a good memory at this place. Many a memory...

Best pub I went to in Edinburgh, great prices, and a great selection.

You like your beer. You like your whisky. Then why are you not in The Diggers? Seriously though, The Diggers is an Edinburgh institution and if you've not drank here you're seriously missing out. Excellent beer served by knowledgeable staff, it's a great local. Pies are great too. It's close to Tynecaste Park so it gets busy when Hearts are at home, but it's always welcoming. They even serve Hibs fans like me. Seriously recommended.

Fantastic neighbourhood pub. One of the best in Scotland.

It's been my old man's favourite for years, although anywhere that sells McEwan's 80 is on his list of favourites! ☺️

Quality drinking establishment. Great service, superb choice and ambiance. Decent prices a great experience. 👍

Hearts Pub through and through.

Not as good as was when I lived opposite and used often, but gotta change to stay open still was good pint.

Friendly local pub, and a safe inclusive environment for Edinburgh residents and visitors alike. Fantastic ales, and amazing to think that there are hundreds of whiskies in this one place.

Nice pub, good beer, helpful staff

Best whiskey pub in town! Lovely locals, chill atmosphere 🥃🫶

Great ambiance. Value for money menu. We landed up having an awesome chat with some regulars.

An old man's pub that welcomes anybody. A great selection of whisky, perfectly kept beer, and cheap basic pub food. I love this place, which is good, because it's a five minute walk from my house.

Old fashioned pub with good beer and huge selection of whisky. Limited pub food selection

Excellent selection of malt whiskys

Nothing beats Diggers for a quiet pint on Saturday.

Whenever we're in the area we always take time to stop at the Athletic Arms for a pint or some whiskey. Great ales and excellent selection of whisky and other spirits. Food is also great, especially the pies. The atmosphere is always relaxed and the place itself looks great with comfortable benches. And you should also get a diggers t-shirt while you're there!

Bright and airy with a traditional and clean decor. The whisky selection had to be seen to be believed. A significant number of one off and rate bottling not usually seen, all at very fair prices and 35ml measures.

Brilliant place to sample great whisky As mentioned by previous reviewers staff are a hit or a miss even when you buy them a drink Apart from that a must place to go for traditional pub atmosphere 👍👍

Moi qui ne parle pas beaucoup anglais, le serveur a été très compréhensif et a répondu à toute mes question que ce soit sur la bière et le whisky en passant par les différence entre la monnaie écossaise et celle du R-U. Il m'a fait déguster des bière typique et même du vin sachant qu'il sont plus disposer sur le whisky. Je recommande

Brilliant traditional Edinburgh pub

Day at the footy, visitors for the day, locals were very welcoming, typical pub food,atmosphere was great for people who appreciate a noisy sports related pub

Best whisky bar in Edinburgh. Great service. Tasty pies.

No food but beer and atmosphere brilliant as usual. Service very good despite pub being very busy due to a match at Tynie.

Great pub, cheapest I've seen in Edinburgh as well! Went on a Friday evening and it was bustling without being too busy - a really nice atmosphere. Good mix of real ales and keg beers, but the whiskey selection is the star of the show: the list is several pages long, boasting some rare ones from closed distilleries! Highly recommend if that's your thing in particular.

A great place to find a large selection of single malt whiskies. A real old man pub (quite a few of the locals are older than many of the whiskies combined) which is a major positive, always get a good chat with someone when you go in and plenty of characters. Staff can be hit or miss depending whose behind the bar but doesn't massively detract from the experience. (Where else can you get a nip of Dallas Dhu for a tenner?!?)

I didn't have the food. The whisky selection was amazing!

This premises is something special!

Great Pies and Nachos and at a decent price! 👌

What a pub, haven't been here in years so took a wee wonder in on Saturday evening and I was taken aback. The selection of beers and whisky is something else. Bar snacks were good, service could have been a wee bit better but that'll not stop me going back this weekend when my sons up from London. I've already downloaded him 🥃🍻🙂 I came in at 18.00 on Saturday and left about 21.15. No real issues, just my comment/observation.

Good range of beers. Great prices.

Popped in for a pre dinner drink, cocktail for my daughter, pint of Deuchars, both perfect. Used to frequent this pub years ago, nice to return. Still has original bar feel n looks.

Fondly known as The Diggers, this is a small super friendly local, home to one of the best pints of Guinness in Edinburgh and over 600 whiskies. You can feel the history as soon as you walk in! The bar staff are really friendly, they do soups, pies, and several other food options, but really this is about the beer, whisky, and the banter

Great vibe in here, good place to watch football games.

Good drinks in a proper old fashioned boozer.

Its a amazing pub! If you want the taste of a Scottish pub you should go there. Not expensive pub and good finger food. Go for it.

One of Edinburghs more historical pubs!! Local to the city centre yet quietly placed away from the masses

Rengeteg whisky választék van szinte lehetetlenség választani ! Eddig a legjobb hely itt skociaban ! Aki erre jár és whiskyt akár kóstolni az térjen be !