The Ensign Ewart in Edinburgh, City of

We went into this pub on a monday evening. The place was crowded and music was paying. It was a very good atmosphere.

Great pub. Warm and cosy on a cold rainy day. Friendly staff.

A very cozy pub with the dim lights and excellent selection of whiskey and Scottish ales. We witnessed a local band playing a folk music on Sunday night, which was quite lovely. However, by the time we came no food was served.

Excellent place, kind and well educated staff, nice smoky whisky.

Nice Scottish pub, tasty Scottish egg, great pints & whiskies, nice authentic atmosphere.

Have a sandwich or some house soup. Tastes excellent. If you are in Edinburgh, be sure to take a look here.

Proper pint and home made scotch

Very centrally located. Nice area and good old fashioned small pub. Hot whiskeys were exactly whT we needed after a wet tour around Edinburgh castle

Another sneaky good pub in a location that has no business being this good. A rustic little pub with tons of history. A young staff and quite a diverse crowd. Some solid cask ale options but it's all about the conversation and historic vibes. Great spot to stop for a pint any time of day.

Looks like a great place for a whisky. We popped in for a pint and a wine, great little pub.

Our favourite pub in Edinburgh. We always make an effort to visit either for the music or just for a drink. Great staff and great atmosphere.

Great place for drinks and live music. Small, authentic bar, so make sure you arrive early to get some space. The live band was great and brought a good atmosphere to the place.

A great little pub on the Royal Mile, steeped in history and atmosphere, with a good selection of beers and spirits. Found out it has its own whisky bottling too, and it would have been rude not to try it! If you do the Castle tour, you'll also learn a LOT more about Ensign Ewart and his escapades. (Didn't give a rating for the food as we didn't eat there.)

Didn't have any food but saw the cheese platter which looked fab. Just a few drinks for us but a brilliant atmosphere 👌.

Great ambience, friendly staff, enormous whiskey selection and live music (folks) every evening from 9 p.m. My wife and I stayed in Edinburgh for 4 nights and ended up going to this pub every evening.

What a great evening. A very cosy pub with first-class and friendly service. There was also wonderful live music from Rachel Walker and Dominic Blaikie. Thank you and we will be back again.

Great feel to this pub, Feels like a country pub in the middle of the city.

What a fantastic understated jewel, in the heart of Edinburgh. The staff were welcoming and knowledgeable, the food was delicious and well proportioned and the atmosphere was cosy, warm and comfortable.

It was very loud, the staff wasn’t too friendly. 7£ for a cider.

Had a gin & tonic and a small whisky, blended paid £14:95 overpriced tourist trap, watched as the drunks were being prepared, didn't fill the small measure cups quite to the top, usually you might over spill a little, but no,

Had a good time, good music and a good cider, nice place to end the evening. Gladly again.

Lovely little pub with really friendly staff and a good drinks selection. Would happily come back!

One of my favourite pubs. . Always malt of the week, never failed. Didn't eat so no comment there

Literally one of my favourite pubs on the planet

Absolutely adore Ensigns, they're the perfect place for a post-work dram, the staff are super knowledgeable and friendly and the live music is superb. Ensigns has officially become my local bar. It's always the first place I suggest after a shift.

Can't deny that this is an atmospheric place, but it could just be the lack of lighting. It's old for sure. They have a fabulous selection of malts and gins and beers, though two were off when we called on a Wednesday afternoon... including the Innis & Gunn! It's on The Royal Mile so take that as you will. Most establishments on that famous street don't have to try too hard for custom, this place definitely has those feels in many ways. BUT if you're foot-sore, you want to go somewhere old and enjoy a good pint or a lovely malt, give it a try.

Lovely little pub. Staff friendly and welcoming serving some good ales and a range of whiskies. Food looked good but we didn't eat there. Clean and kept tidy by staff. Very authentic surroundings with interesting furnishings.

Had a nice time here. Staff seemed friendly and the food was decent.

It was just such a great experience to have a whiskey tasting here. I tried the beginner guide and it was actually kicking my head already in the 3rd glass. The guy in the counter was really helpful and they recommended me this. We went there during the weekdays but it was also full, so cant imagine during the weekend. Best place to taste scottish whiskey.

Stopped in after a good afternoon walking around exploring, had a very warm welcome from the staff extremely friendly & helpful, great cosy atmosphere in here nice beer great vibe to sit chill watching the world of interesting characters go by , stopped in for one that turned into a few as it was such a nice lil place to chill 😁 great hospitality

Live folk band was very entertaining. Small pub but really friendly.

What a gem. Great staff and great service

Lovely old pub that has a great vibe. Generally busy with tourists but thats to be expected with its location. Great variety of whiskys for hose who partake and a cider that wasn't magners or strongbow which made me happy! They did food but we were only in for a drink.

Probably my favorite pub in all of Edinburgh. The soup and drinks are on point 👌 the history behind it and the figure the pub is named after is also quite fascinating

My favorite pub in Edinburgh. Intimate and welcoming atmosphere, wide choice of beers and whiskies: all delicious. Every evening there is live music from 9pm and it is absolutely worth going there and enjoying the unique atmosphere.

Traditional Scottish pub with a lovely atmosphere. Very good whiskey selection. Knowledgeable staff were able to aid my choice of the perfect dram. Lovely entertainment in the evening. Highly recommended.

Amazing selection of local whisky and gin

Terrific old pub in the heart of the city with an extensive choice of whiskies.

Great gin and tonics and friendly staff right on the Royal Mile.

Lovely friendly pub. V welcoming and service second to none. Not much food choice

Amazing experience!!! The vibe was amazing and the bartender suggested me a local whiskey and it was a sheer joy. Looking forward to come here again when in Edinburgh.

1st visit! Very quaint inside. Lucky to get seated. Served quickly. Got chatting to others in the pub. Great wee afternoon. Toilets are well disguised in the panelled walls but barman did give us a clue. Nice wee stop if you're visiting the castle

Mooie authentieke pub in hartje Edinburgh, met goede sfeer en prima service

Servizio ottimo zuppa super e birra ottima consigliatissimo

Bon soirée, avec groupe livve dès 21h très sympathique

Lovely place cosy and atmospheric

Amazing atmosphere and great selection of whisky. Very friendly and helpful bar staff and patrons. If you’re looking for a whisky pub in Edinburgh this is definitely the place.

Great atmospheric pub just 100 yards from the Castle esplanade. Live music every night. It is a busy place so getting a seat is tricky. They do a very good selection of whiskies if that's your tipple but also a wide range of bottled beer and draught beers. Been a few times now. Highly recommended.

Great pub, big range of local drinks, nice friendly atmosphere.

Good selection of beers and whisky, though it is fairly pricey due to its location for tourism. Seating is extremely limited.

De los mejores pubs de Edimburgo. Pequeño, con gran variedad de Cervezas y Whisky. Musica folk en vivo todos los dias por la noche. El ambiente es genial, el personal muy amable y los precios son bastante buenos para estar sobre la Royal Mile

Wonderful place to grab a bite Worth a stop in

What great cosy place staff very friendly, recommend the cheese and meat platter to share

This review is no reflection on the atmosphere of the bar itself but, purely a a reflection of the staff on the 19th November 2023. After enjoying a day of the Christmas markets we chose this bar soley on the live music advertised. After our first drink of the day we were refused another drink and accused of being 'too drunk'. Poor bar staff. Poor representation of a traditional Scottish pub. The Scottish couple we had befriended in the establishment were appauled at the discrimination towards us. My wife owns a bar and knows the policy towards drunk and dissordly and we were nothing but polite and happy to be there. We are disgraced at the discrimination and although a great pub, we will not return. Tainted our whole Edinburgh experience as it was our first time here for our anniversary.

Not the largest of pubs, but it more than makes up for it with the welcome you receive and the ambience. Right next to the castle for those that need a dram after the climb

Pretty unassuming from the outside but wow, does this bar have a great atmosphere. Awesome, old interior with a brilliant pub feel. But the main thing was how great the staff were, they were unbelievably knowledgable about the whisky that they had. It was all more obscure whiskys as well which was fantastic. By far one of our favourite pubs while visiting Edinburgh. Food was great too!

Lovely little pub right by the castle. We only stopped in for a quick drink, but the service was really lovely and the atmosphere so welcoming. We had the mulled wine with cointreau which was delicious. Just what we needed to warm up after a few hours of winter wandering around the city!

Absolutely amazing atmosphere. But the employees were the ones who made the experience. Will definitely come back

Amazing pub with very friendly staff who are extremely knowledgeable regarding the drinks they offer! The bartender's were more than happy to recommend and go into detail about each whiskey behind the bar. I couldn't fault it one bit. A cosy (and clean) place with a great atmosphere especially with live music in the evenings! Recommend to anyone visiting Edinburgh

We loved this ancient pub. Mulled wine, guiness and cocktails all went down while, wr made 3 visits on 3 days.

A busy place, good service, did not eat, but the food looked good that other customers were having.

Great little pub ,loved the vibe nice and friendly atmosphere

Had drinks with family . On holiday in Edinburgh for a few days. Great pub, really oldy worldy , lovely atmosphere and lovely people.

Staff was incredibly rude. This is a tourist place so wouldn’t expect amazing service, but wouldn’t expect bartenders to be outwardly rude.

We spent some time in here for drinks which were delicious! I had a few different gin drinks with their mixers that they recommend. Very nice small pub with a variety of alcohol and food options. Great service and would definitely go back.

Cozy bar the only criticism is the selection of beers available

Had some sandwiches and a drink here. Food was decent but didn't open until nearly half 12 when they are meant to open at 12

Great spot, friendly staff and great service and food

Lugar muy acogedor, la comida podría mejorar, sobre todo los platos calientes. La sopa de verduras excelente, al igual que las cervezas escocesas.

Das Essen hat gut geschmeckt und die Serviererin war freundlich. Leider haben wir ewig lange auf unser Essen gewartet, also mindestens 45 min für einfaches Essen.

For some good Scottish experience. So relaxed and enchanting.

Great spot, excellent guys behind the bar, and super service

Great atmosphere and good staff

Great service, good food, what else do you need. It is a bit crowded and cramped though.

Superbe ambiance, des concerts tout les soirs, le cadre est super cosy et chaleureux. J'adore.

In the middle of Royal Mile. So another classic pub with tourists. Not my favourite in Edinburgh.

We had a really fabulous evening at this pub! Friday evening music was amazing! 👏 - Irish folk style acoustic band - we got chatting to other people around us and it was a really good friendly atmosphere! Great pub! We didn't eat there on this occasion just had drinks - including several whiskey tastes! 😃 🍺 🍻 🍷 🥂🍸

Best pub ever. Amazing and very typical pub feeling. We come back here at least once a year but sometimes even more often. Saturday evenings are the best thanks to the lovely folk music provided by the band. Best pub EVER!!! 👍😁🎵

Posto perfetto dove bere buon whisky scozzese e ascoltare musica dal vivo

Fantastic atmosphere and very helpful staff.

Food was lovely, nice little lunch. Espresso martini was banging, really enjoyed it. Unfortunately the staff were not overly attentive, so we skipped dessert as we were waiting a long time (we were right in front of the bar) the staff were chatting up at the bar and didn't seem to notice. 10% charge was automatically added, which peeved me.

Very traditional quaint pub with great atmosphere 👌

Szkocka muzyka na żywo wieczorem

A very cozy pub in the very city centre. Great drinks, service and music. Never miss a chance to drop by for a drink when I am in Edinburgh. Cheers.

Really nice place with a very good choice of whiskey would definitely recommend

In a city of great pubs the Ensign stands out!

Great historical pub!! Had a great pint!

Nearest pub to the castle. If your going to a show in the castle get here an hour before and your likely to get a seat and not have to wait in a queue

Lovely pub, staff excellent very attentive in a nice way. Smiles go a long way. ❤️

Great whisky, chill live music in the corner

Line was longer at bar and no table service. Kitchen was closed which was a major disappointment

Lovely, friendly little place on the Royal Mile, recommended by the Royal Mile Whiskies specialist whisky merchant a few minutes walk away. I wasn't sure what I wanted to try, but the very helpful bar maid suggested smelling the fragrance of three to help me decide. I went for one of the Skye whiskies, to try something new. It was lovely.

Got a bad pint bar man reluctantly changed it . Amstel

Fantastic place to find interesting and rare whiskies in the heart of Edinburgh. Staff are always good chat and helpful and the place always has a nice buzz about it. To top it off, live folk music most evenings after 9pm. This is my favourite watering hole in the city by far.

Fantastic location and great atmosphere for enjoyment.

Fun spot in a touristy location.

Very cool place. Good beverages and music.

Nice historic pub. We visited on a busy Sunday evening primarily to listen to/possibly join in the folk music session lead by the exceptional Sandy Brechin on accordion. The volume of the drinkers, many of whom seemed oblivious to the music made it difficult to hear it. I guess that’s just what happens in a famous pub on the Royal Mile in peak tourist season.

Very good the Manager savannah the king of the jungle is a great a Bloke who promised us free drinks

Excellent all round. Staff brilliant never had a wait for a drink at the bar.