The Balmoral Bar in Edinburgh, City of

Awesome place for whisky enthusiasts! Standard serving of some almond nuts and dark chocolate pellets.

My favorite bar in Edinburgh. Relaxed atmosphere, knowledgeable staff and, of course, great whisky.

Thank you Curtis for a great experience at the whisky bar. We got to peruse their impressive collection and Curtis even made us a whisky old fashioned. Highly recommend !

Best place to taste scotch when visiting. Incredible experience.

Loved the atmosphere. Wide range of whiskey in your disposal. You can find one to any budget. Attentive staff

This place is incredible. We had a great experience. The service was unmatched. We have no experience or any knowledge of whiskey, and they provide us with a variety to taste them. We want to comeback

About a week before my flight over to Scotland (From USA), we emailed and were able to make a reservation. We had multiple recommendations to do the Whisky Experience "A Journey Around Scotland" that is inside The Balmoral hotel at the Scotch Whisky Bar. It was worth every penny and it also was a great kick-off to the start of our road trip around Scotland. The doorman had no clue what we had a reservation for but once we found the proper location inside we were set. Fraser was our guide. He did a great job. The breath of my knowledge is in deep into Bourbon, so it was nice to learn more than the basics I know of Scotch drams. He was a trooper and answered a lot of nerdy questions. The pre-selected pours luckily were from brands Ive had but not the collections picked. I would have felt bad if I had a bottle on my home bar that was already pre-poured. If you are a seasoned whisky drinker maybe let them know ahead of time what is on your home shelves so you get all new experiences. My friend who is not a whisky drinker did enjoy a few of the drams... and I had to sacrifice and complete what she didn't like but 3 out of 5 she liked. There was no dress code, however we did feel like under dressed tourist. In the future, will change and freshen up. We did tip in cash, as the staff was so kind and worked hard to make the experience elevated. They were kind to offer beer and cider too, which was great for my friend that isn't a whisky drinker. At one point I requested a Ginger Ale. For a whisk(e)y snob, or newbie. This is a great time. Something I will return for. Also Fraser recommended a few great locations that we ended up going to in other cities in Scotland. We kept going where the Scots recommended and it was a 10/10 trip!

From someone whose main whisky experience is the cheap kind that makes you want to fight police , this whisky tasting was unreal . I learned so much about what I like in terms of whisky . They explain everything in detail , hand pick different whiskeys for you to try and are just real friendly blokes . 100% would recommend to anyone , beginner to seasoned whisky god .

cocktails were disappointing, whisky selection great though

The place to drink whiskey! Super courteous service with first-class advice! We'd love to come back!

Perfect service and atmosphere. A wide range of whiskies.

A little hidden but certainly worth a visit if you want quiet, cosy, and good whiskey most importantly. I was provided with recommendations that suited both my tastebuds and budget which I greatly appreciated.

Curtis was a phenomeneal whisky ambassador. And the deep dive into lesser-known scotch whiskies was delightful.

Had a quick whisky here after dinner at the brasserie. Lovely, quiet bar with a good selection. Barmen are great too. Would return for another drink!

* A note on grades, I rate outwards from three stars. * An absolute highlight of our trip to Scotland. Called ahead to ensure seating availability and enjoyed both before- and after-dinner drinks in the cozy room with excellent service.

First class bar where with every drink you get the story of the whisky from first class staff.

As its name suggests, for whiskey lovers. Superb wall of shelves full of references. A dedicated atmosphere.

With very little doubt - the best whiskey bar in all of Edinburgh. They made a bespoke tasting without hesitation - and every selection was pitch perfect. It's as if they took the best whiskeys I had ever had, extracted the best of each, developed them into a narrative theme, and arranged them in the form of 5 perfectly chosen, unusual and yet unforgettable glasses in perfect order. Exceptional.

Ambiente esclusivo con i whisky più rari in commercio in Scozia. Bar tender professionali.

The bartender is a lot more than a bartender. He’s your guide into the whisky rabbit hole. Both guys are very passionate, knowledgeable, and patient. The hospitality is way beyond my expectation. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking to explore and learn more about scotch whisky.

We absolutely loved our visit to Scotch last Saturday afternoon. We tasted a couple of different scotches and they were all delicious. The staff were extremely knowledgeable and happy to give recommendations. It was like sitting in someone’s living room, in a wonderful way. I can’t wait to go back next time I’m in Edinburgh.

THE PLACE to sip whisky when in Edinburgh! Ross & the team here due an outstanding job to not only quench your thirst but also to subtly educate you and awaken you palette’s soul when it come to exploring whisky. The selection is definitely the best in Edinburgh & the service is always top notch!

We were enjoying a stay at the Balmoral and I'll admit that Scotch tasting is a new hobby - so I can't speak from a high level of experience. I'll only say that my appreciation of Scotch was greatly heightened by Ross, such a friendly Whisky enthusiast, and I hope to encounter others like him who help cultivate my new found interest.

Best whiskey bar in town. If I could give 6 stars I would. Menu has 400 whiskeys, staff are excellent and extremely knowledgeable. Worth every penny. Do not miss this one!

What a find! Incredibly knowledgeable team with a selection of 500 whiskeys just ask them to take you on a tour of Scotland without leaving the comfortable lounge of the bar . Inspiring - a must visit. Thanks to Cameron , Fraser and Dario .

Did the rare and ghosted scotch tasting and had an amazing experience. I'm sorry to say my memory fails me on who did the tasting for me, but he selected whisky's that I was unlikely to have had or could get in the states and all were exceptional. We visited later the same evening and he again assisted us with selecting whisky that met our preferred taste profiles. I'd give them 10 stars if I could.

One of the best bars in the world.

I booked the whisky tasting and it was an unforgettable moment. Stayed 45min with professionnal explainations and history of scottish whisky ( you have someone just for you), i learned a lot and its gonna be hard to go back to "traditionnal" whisky now. Dont hesitate.

Very good experience. Amazing selection of whisky. Will be back to try something different again.

Top ervaring! Prijs kwaliteit heel goed.

If you like whiskey you must visit. The stuff knows everything and the service is exceptional. We tried about 5 different whiskeys, difficult to find anywhere else. 400 different whiskeys in their collection makes it a must. Loved it! A must when you visit Edinmbrugh!

Small but wonderful bar with staff expert on their knowledge of all the types of whisky they sell, right down to the different types of casks used by different distilleries. Well worth a visit.

Excellent bar to try some whiskies and whiskey cocktails. Very friendly and attentive guys at the bar, made us feel very welcome. Chocolate nibbles were also appreciated! Great job guys.

Fantastic service and selection of whiskeys. The staff were attentive and provided great recommendations, even finding a scotch that my partner liked (who doesn’t like whiskey!). It was a quiet vibe, hidden in the hotel away from hustle and bustle of princes st. Thanks for being inclusive and welcoming 😊

If I could give more than 5 stars I will. Wide variety of Whiskey selection and great recommendations by the bartender. Started with Kilchoman then had Aisla bay, both were great smoky taste. Seats were comfy with luxury interior. Last order is 11:30 PM

If you like Scotch this is the place for you. Cameron and Ross know their stuff and they were so welcoming. I booked a tasting for my husbands birthday and they were kind enough to open early to fit us in. Ross picked some really specialty whisky’s for the tasting. Thanks again guys! We’ll be back for sure.

Wonderful friendly atmosphere, with staff full of extensive knowledge on Scotch whisky…I was visiting together with my brother, he also enjoyed the bar…one of the unforgetable experiences of our lives

Ampia scelta di whisky e consigli graditi...servizio eccellente, in stile scozzese.

Cannot get enough of this place! Such a fantastic array of Scotch to choose from and if you can't choose, you have some amazing batender's who'll guide you through your options. The bartender's, Cameron and Ross, make a great duo - full of information and passionate about whisky, they make the whole experience even more of a pleasure!

We had a wonderful time here. Our guide Pascal was amazing. This is wheelchair accessible activity.

One of my favorite bar in Scotland, highly recommend.

I was introduced to Deanston 18 by Dario and Ross; the vastly knowledgeable, kilt clad, bar tenders. Tasting the majesty of a whiskey which has been soaking in a Bourbon barrel for 18 years in this timeless room with a 400 bottle wall of liquor, was an emotional experience. The whiskey tingle got me good! Thanks chaps!

I went with a friend of mine to try some of the best whiskies in Edinburgh. Not only we accomplished what we expected, but we had a great time learning from Cameron. He's an open book! You just tell him what kind of flavors you like and make sure he'll challenge you with some incredible expressions.

Had a great whisky tasting treat today at the Scotch Whisky Bar in the Balmoral Hotel. I can thoroughly recommend their Journey Around Scotland, which provides one dram from each of the five main whisky regions. Our very personable whisky ambassador Ross guided us expertly throughout the tasting. He was extremely knowledgeable, there was no question he couldn't answer. All in all, a great whisky experience.

The bazar area is currently on the balcony while the hotel refurbished to make way for new upmarket French restaurant/bar.

Went for the afternoon tea for my birthday. Could not fault the food, tea or service.

Popped in while killing time before catching the train, i had a chocolate and caramel tart topped with a caramelized white chocolate cream and it was amazing i mean deliciously, calorifically amazing. My waistline is thankful I'm at least 100 miles away from more of them.

The Balmoral Bar has been moved onto the balcony during the refurbishment. Seems to be much the same menu but half the space.

Aunque el bar está cerrado por reformas, disfrutamos de la degustación de cócteles en el bar de arriba. Pasamos un fantástico 3 horas con una gran variedad de cócteles y aperitivos. Camarera francesa fue eficiente y bien informado, que no era un problema para elegir un cóctel como uno en el menú no era de nuestro gusto. No puedo esperar a volver para el menú de verano en el bar nuevo.

We were meeting friends for a drink before dinner. On entering the bar at 4.30pm there was a queue and all of the many staff just totally ignored the 6 or 7 people standing. No eye contact or was one word spoken to any in the small queue in the ten minutes we were standing at the sign Please WAIT to be seated! Worse still there were empty tables in view!! Shocking customer care and guess what? When our friends arrived we left and had a delightful drink prior to dinner where we were eating.

It’s absolutely unbelievable how slow four drinks can take to come. Understandable, the bar is relatively full but 40 mins for 2 hot chocolates a coke and a pint can take. We arrived at 4 o’clock and had to leave without drinks at 5 o’clock in order to make an appointment afterwards. Poor service no apologies from staff members and a we have gained a bad impression of the place.

This was our second visit for the cocktail tasting menu. We had booked in advance and were shown to the table straight away even though we arrived quite early. Claire was our host for the entire proceedings, she was delightful; cheerful, friendly, extremely knowledgeable about all the cocktails we were served. The menu should not be rushed, our table was booked for 7pm and we left the bar around 10.30. We had a really good evening, every cocktail was creative, unusual and delicious. And all were presented with theatrical effect.

No habíamos estado en el Balmoral durante unos años y decidí entrar para una copa de champán en una noche fría de celebración. Inmediatamente nos llevaron a una mesa y se sirve rápidamente por varios miembros del personal; el servicio es muy bueno. Sin embargo, mi preocupación es el el ambiente del bar no coinciden con los de otras zonas de este hotel.

I am so disappointed that I am writing this awful review as I have been coming here with my wife, friends and family for years as I just love the place. Now I know it’s not about the money but I have spent a fortune in this establishment over the years but on Saturday I was treated like an idiot! When arriving on Saturday at around 10-15pm was told there was no table but could wait and be given the next available table there was in fact another party in front of us but that was fine as they were seated quite quickly. In between all this i was desperately trying to get a drinks menu and was blatantly ignored twice by the floor manager eventually we got a menu and while perusing the menu my brother in law noticed people being seated that had just arrived I asked what was going on and was ignored eventually we were seated but after 25 minutes still no pol roger feeling a we bit annoyed asked after my wine was told they were trying to chill it! Why not offer something else but please don’t ignore me. When it arrived (this is now 10-55) the waitress did apologise and said if we were having more to pick something else,on the whole a disappointing experience

We stopped here before our dinner and took drinks. The drink list is good and the bar staff were really nice and service minded.

This is a bar I love to visit in Edinburgh. A great central location, brilliant service and wonderful drinks. I really like their espresso-based cocktail!

With its location on a street-level corner dead in the center of the city, this is a great place to people-watch both inside and out. The drinks are reasonably priced, the service is excellent, and the seating is plush - just settle in and relax.

Went for a coffee and beer before moving on for lunch elsewhere. The place was very busy as it was the day of the Scotland NZ rugby match. Although packed it did have a calm atmosphere. However the staff seemed run off their feet. I would have thought management would have realised it would be a very busy day. For the high prices charged; as expected in a 5 star hotel I would have thought the service would have been better.

Visitó una noche. Saludó y llevaron a un asiento. El personal es muy atento, te traen bebidas. La desventaja iluminado tenuemente, así que no podía leer un periódico. Cuesta £6 lager. 50!

nice bar within the Balmoral hotel, also good for bigger groups. Fantastic drinks list and very good cocktails, service sometimes not 5 star, although prices are...

Popped in here for a drink after lunch at the Ivy. My husband and I have been here several times before over the past 12 years. Admittedly the last visit was around 2 years ago. We know drinks are expensive but it decided to pop in as it was nearby the Ivy. What a major let down. After ordering similar drinks at the Ivy you realise how over priced this place is. I don’t mind if the surroundings and service are great. But they’re not. The service is woeful. You never used to have to wait at the door to be seated before but now you do. Fair enough. But when we went in and waited, the waiter came over, waved at some seats towards the window and left us to find them. Five minutes later he came back with a drinks list. Ten minutes later, there was no sign of anyone, so we left. Truly disappointing. This place used to feel special but sadly no longer. Also, the interior is so shabby and dingy. Come on Balmoral, at the prices you’re charging you really need to up your game. Especially with so much competition in St Andrew Square now. Sadly, you’re looking outdated and in need of a face lift.

On Tuesday we went to The Balmoral to sample the Autumn Cocktail Tasting menu. What a brilliant way to spend 4 hours whilst in the city. Delicious cocktails, excellent knowledgeable and friendly staff who couldn't do enough during your experience. If you are visiting Edinburgh, then this should be on your 'to do' list. Highly recommended.

Wanted to visit here because I'm a fan of Top Gear and this was the finishing point for the Race to Edinburgh. It is a beautiful hotel although a bit expensive for me however, I had to have a beer and take a picture! The bartender was quite friendly and stated that he has seen numerous people come in for the same reason but never to take the same picture - perched up against the column like Jeremy Clarkson.Flight to Scotland - $950Glass of beer - £8Top Gear picture - priceless!!Tip: even with the bustling out on the street during the afternoon, the bar is rather empty leaving you with plenty of picture taking time without bothering anyone.

Considering the prices of drinks in this bar and the reputation of the hotel you would expect the service to be exemplary however actually getting served was an effort. The waiter decided to try and commit everything to memory and consequently got it wrong.In my view not enough staff and better training required. Quality and variety of the drinks was good.

We stopped in The Balmoral Bar for a quick drink and a cheese board as a light bite to eat one afternoon during the Edinburgh Festival. What I expected in a bar attached to a 5-star hotel was top quality fare and service. What I got instead was adequate service and a fairly poor selection of cheeses with little flavour. Frankly, you can get better at mid-priced restaurants and gastro pubs for half the cost. Grossly overpriced, low quality food, and mediocre service. If this is an indicator of the full hotel experience I certainly wouldn't advise anyone to visit.

My wife and I had read positive reviews of the bar at the Balmoral but were disappointed by our experience. The seating was in poor repair with ripped leather on the seats and the general decor was drab. The drinks were ok but expensive. Service average. Overall a pretty average experience

We spent most of our time in the scotch bar but we came here for drinks as well. I found the servers very friendly and knowledgeable, the drinks expertly made, and the food was very good. It ws very busy when we were there which added a nice atmosphere. I would highly recommend it.

Went to The Balmoral to celebrate my friends birthday. We booked in for the cocktail tasting menu and we were not disappointed. Fantastic service, the cocktails were delicious and they even gave us some lovely little nibbles which they refreshed throughout the night. Would definitely recommend as well worth a visit.

Visited with my daughter for a quick drink. We were greeted at the door and led to a nicely placed table for 2. The seating is a little shabby (tears to the chair arms) and the menus have also seen better days. We ordered 2 G&Ts, nice selection and the drinks were presented well. However at £17.50 for the 2 I expect much better surroundings; The Caledonian - ( Waldorf Astoria's Peacock Alley) does it so much better, service, surroundings and at a more reasonable price. As we left we said goodbye to the young barman who muttered 'bye' but didn't even look up from his host stand.I'm afraid I'll be sticking to the Caley in future.

What can I say? This was an experience and a half and an absolute must as something different for a special gift.I took my mum here for her 60th birthday to do the cocktail tasting and had I formed the bar that it was for a celebration. From the first moment to the last, the staff were attentive, but not annoyingly so, topping up our snacks and water, and timing the next cocktail perfectly to our pace of drinking.The cocktails themselves were beautifully presented with full explanations of them given by the staff and arriving at our table with a little bit of theatre! The final cocktail was served with a happy birthday dish and some tasty macarons, which really topped the whole thing off.The tasting experience changes seasonally so always an excuse to go back and do it all again!Very special thanks to Derek, who was chatty and entertaining , and is a real credit to the Balmoral.

Went there late at night after a long day of running around Edinburgh. It was a great way to quietly cap off a long day. The server was great and directed us in the right direction for a pleasant whisky tasting experience. Go there!!!

excellenter Service, sehr frische und gute kleine Speisen, alles sehr empfehlenswert und professionell

On a Saturday at the height of the Edinburgh festival there were only two members of staff serving, sadly not enough. Second round of drinks never arrived and despite repeated attempts to gain their attention we were left wanting, therefore we gave up and left.

Un bar de gare : tout le monde rentre ; aucune intimité = des tables collées les unes aux autres.Les serveur passent avec le linge sale en chariot au milieu des clients ! Tout ça dans une cacophonie !À fuir

Each time we go to Edinburgh we just have to go to the Bar for a special drink....ok its not cheap but that’s not the point. The place is so lovely your treated like ‘people’ and well its so relaxing and a good reminder what the good things are and they are worth the wait.

We had a fun time at the Balmoral Bar. There is a host at the door, but we always got a table. They have everything that you could ever want. The service is impeccable.

We had such a lovely time, wonderful staff especially the girl with the short blonde hair and Derek, they were very charming and kind. The cocktails were delicious. We will repeat for sure and we will recommend this bar to our friends.

Love this place,great ambiance,great staff cocktail list is pricey but fab nibbles are tasty and you get a refill if you ask

Have visited before and service is always excellent. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and friendly and will recommend cocktails. My sister and I had a Bloody Mary and I think who was the bar manager recommended strength of spice. We went for 10/10 and was perfect. We will certainly go back! Also made my 14 year old son welcome. We look forward to our Christmas cocktails, now a favourite with my family!

Enjoyed a cocktail prior to our dinner. Very warm comfortable room. Delightful light snacks - nuts and popcorn - served. Offers small menu suitable for snacking as well.

We stopped in the Balmoral Bar after putting in long days at the Royal Highland Show and sightseeing. Great selection of wines, beer and mixed drinks.

2 friends and myself popped in for a cocktail and was so impressed with the cocktail list and the friendly staff that we've booked to go back and do the tasting menu in September. We cant wait. We watched a couple who were having the tasting menu and got chatting with them, they said they thought it was great value and super choice of cocktails.

Stopped off here for a nightcap after dinner with friends at The Honours.The modern bar is really tired now. The seating at the table we sat at was worn and cracked, not in a vintage Chestrefield way, but in a nasty and cheap way.The cheap decor sits discordantly with the drinks menu pricing. £7.50 for a pint is unjustifiable in Edinburgh, but all draught beers were priced uniformly. The restricted wine list was more expensive than The Honours. Decent cocktail list, but, again, crazy prices. No wonder the place was empty.A real shame that this venue, occupying such an iconic spot in the centre of Edinburgh, is so tired and prohibitively expensive.

My boyfriend surprised me with a valentines date to the Balmoral Bar for the cocktail tasting menu. It was so perfect. The staff were so welcoming and friendly and I was made to feel at home. One thing that really stuck out to me was when I was walking past reception to go back to the bar and a lovely gentleman who worked there commented on how lovely I looked and wished me a good night. It was such a nice thing to do and really raised my spirits and confidence. We plan to come back for New Year's Eve and I'm already excited.

Personnel très amical et sympathique , mais pour le verre avnt le diner c'est beaucoup trop bruyant et il est impossible de se parler Dommage

My wife and I visited a couple of times and had only good experiences there. The staff is really friendly and very helpfull to give good recomandations etc.

This bar in the Balmoral is a great place to unwind after a long day of seeing the sites. Very comfortable atmosphere with spot on service.

delicioso mas lotado de turistas na rua w register q fica na frente é lotado de bares tipicos mais aconchegante

Ordered a watermelon cocktail--which instantly became my favorite of all time. The trio of snacks that come with the drinks are perfect. Decor wasn't really what I was expecting and didn't exactly scream elegance, but again, the drinks were the highlight. Pricey but so worth it.

We came in one night for cocktails around 10pm. We had been hoping to try the cocktail tasting menu later in the trip, and thought we would come and try some of the cocktails to get an idea of what to expect. We ordered a Morello Mojito and a Tiramisu cocktail. Neither were good I'm afraid. The Morello cocktail tasted of a plain mojito, and the tiramisu was covered in cheap-tasting hot-chocolate mix. Considering this cocktail costs £16 the presentation and taste was not good. We had better cocktails at other bars in the area for much cheaper. Not sure if we just had a bad bar-tender, but it put us off returning and paying for the tasting menu as the cocktails just not worth the price when there is so many better options.

Friendly staff, good drinks selection, nice cosy atmosphere with some well spread seating! Nice try with complimentary snacks (bit weird the popcorn trend!) and expensive!

Stopped off here for a few drinks as had had a terrible week. This helped make up for it- atmosphere was lovely and relaxing. Bar staff were very accommodating- when asking about a certain gin they explained it and gave suggestions. We didn't eat but the food looked amazing. Would definitely come here again as it's a little bit of relaxation and peacefulness in a bustling street.

Sebastin was amazing and looked after us brilliantly like.We loved our experience and time spent in this wonderful bar in the centre of Edinburgh. We had a bottle of champagne and then we were offered 4 glasses of complimentary champagne as we were on a hens night. Very nice touch!

Received a voucher for cocktail tasting, and went on Friday night. It was something completely different and my friend and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. You get 5 cocktails, starting off with a Camomile Rum Toddy and finishing off with a Cranachan Kiss and an espresso, although have to say the prosecco cocktail was my favourite! The whole night was so relaxing with the waiter serving each course to us, with no rush for us to finish. Each cocktail was so different and we enjoyed every one. It's a great idea if you're looking for a present for a special birthday. Would highly recommend.

Stopt for a few drinks on our way back to our hotel. They hade their on specialites that was quite lovley.

A nice place to spend an hour while waiting for a trainNice vibe, music and friendly staffI would be happy to spend tome here rather than the cafes in the station

I cannot give anything at The Balmoral a bad review - I love the place. As a mixologist myself, I am passionate about cocktail making. I have one golden rule regarding one of my favourite cocktails - The Cosmo. Never, ever, ever should a twist of orange peel adorn the side of the glass. They broke the rule! BUT the cosmo was still great (I removed the offending item immediately!) and because all our other drinks were perfect, the staff friendly and knowledgable I couldn't even complain about it! (My family were shocked into silence as they have seen me explode in other establishments over this offence, and often going behind the bar and training the bar staff to make one properly! - but not here, not at my precious Balmoral!)

The staff are so rude, couldn't get rid of us quick enough . The looks, the cheek, removing our glasses as soon as we drunk our last sip! Not offering another drink absolutely disgraceful.The young man standing there with the door open saying bye, when we were not ready to leave.Sorry but you have lost our business, customer service should always be 100%, remember you never know who your clients!

This review is based on the Balmoral bar, i cannot comment on the rooms as i haven't had the chance to stay the night (although i will one day when i can convince my other half). Have drank in here a few times, and although expensive (£15 a cocktail!) i still find myself returning as their drinks menu is good and worth returning for. On my last visit i found my favourite cocktail had been removed from their list, after asking the bartender they were able to make it for me. Would return, and will hopefully stay the night.

Arrived at the bar and was skowled at as if I had done a jobby on the doormat. Was looked up and down by the staff members(as I was dressed in shorts) and then was told that our table was the one in the corner while everybody else was escorted to their tables and politely sat down. Very few draught beers in stock and the beer I did get tasted like tramps piss. I guess those dressed in full legged trousers money is better than mine....and was made to feel this way