The Ensign Ewart in Edinburgh, City of

Popped in while I was waiting for a restaurant reservation to try a whiskey and a pint. I really like the interior, staff were super helpful with my choices, and tables were cleared quickly.

Lovely old pub good selection of beers always a visit when in the greatest city

Nice little bar on the Royal Mile.

I have been there in September 2024. I have had a lot of fun. The Whiskey was delicious. And such a good music.... my favourite pub!

Give the Guinness a miss and try the Edinburgh stout on draft.. drinkable isn't the word. Great pub given it's on the tourist honey trap mile

Like another one reading the many amazing reviews here: BEWARE: Disrespectful employees Terrible service They don’t care about you. They believe they already have their brand and their reputation, so I’m here to ask you to challenge that. Don’t waste your time. There are hundreds of places with people that will care about you. AVOID THIS. And enjoy Edinburgh.

Class bar! Worth visit, especially buttered hot rum!

Good, old fashioned pub. Nice pint, but on the expensive side

Pub with a very nice atmosphere, not very big but we got a table straight away. Nice selection of local alcohol, we drank a very good gin. Pleasant and helpful staff. And rather reasonable price for a pub located in the tourist district in the heart of Edinburgh. It was a great find, if you leave the castle at the end of the day, I advise you to stop there for a drink.

Lovely stuff! Cozy atmosphere 😊

Nice, cozy pub in the heart of the old town. You can definitely stay there for a few beers. 👍😂

Historical pub, also known for Oscar de Muriel's crime novels.

Going through some photos and realized I forgot to leave a review for The Ensign Ewart ~ staff were absolute legends! Great music! Excellent pints 🍺 & a warm and inviting atmosphere. Will definitely recommend to all family and friends when they are in Edinburgh. Made an old Canadian 🇨🇦 feel welcome ~ cheers!🍻

Popped in for a couple drinks before a meal, cozy little pub.

Nice pub, unassuming from the outside. The live music contributes to the unique atmosphere, the beer and especially the whiskey selection is very good.

Fantastic traditional Scottish pub.

We stopped in for a quick bite and drink. Great location near Edinburgh Castle.

A nice place to listen to Scottish folk music. It starts at 9 o'clock every night. It is useful to be at the venue 20 minutes in advance..

Live music every evening from 9 p.m.

Finest pub in Scotland, or maybe anywhere. Has it all- cozy authentic interior, an interesting history, beautiful location, wide selection of brews and whiskies, and a diverse array of tavern goers, including local Scots. Excellent live folk music and great craic with people from around the world. Go early, stand at the barrels near the bar- you won’t regret it!

I come here in between and after my shots busking. Great fresh food, high quality pints and extensive whisky selection. Music after 9pm Is always phenomenal, they play authentic traditional Scottish music with high standard of musicians, this coming from someone that also plays a traditional scottish instrument.

My absolute favorite pub in Edinburgh. Almost every time I visit (several trips) I meet someone interesting, I try to stop in each night I'm in that part of town. I've met locals who took me out to other places in town (and had their own flask to share), and a medical student who was sent to university by his village in Congo so he could go back and be the local doctor, and a Canadian who was sailing all the way around Great Britain. TALK TO PEOPLE in this place. It's a gathering spot for all kinds of people. Not to mention the drinks are great and the food is decent. You might not find such interesting people as I have, but they do go there. (To be truthful it's not always amazing, sometimes just regular fun. But the best experiences will make it unforgettable and you never know if you don't get out there).

Been there a couple of times, fine so far. This time we took our son along to try their very good sticky toffee pudding. A waiter turned us down at the door; "No kids allowed". Must be a house policy, since no laws in scotland prohibit that. After further questions including the offer to eat as well the waiter said that the kitchen was closed (even though we've eaten here lots of times at this time of the day and food was still coming out). Sad. Liked it until this event. Very, very family unfriendly. Won't come back.

Just came for drinks and the music. Great whisky selection and the gentleman that served us had alot of knowledge.

Great little pub with loads of atmosphere and friendly service. On the royal mile near the castle, will definitely be back. We had food, which was soup and a sandwich - this was ok. But I feel it's more of a drinks characterful pub.

We were here last year, this year we of course had to visit again. We will of course come again next time we are in the area. Very helpful in choosing a Scotch. And if we have more time, we'll also have a snack.

Super nice pub with a good atmosphere! I recommend

Great small pub in the middle of everything. Usually, I’m the middle of the tourist areas aren’t super authentic, but this small pub was a perfect stop during the day. Great soups, sandwiches, and bears on tap as well and tons of whiskey choices!

The Ensign Ewart: A Quaint Pub Near the Castle The Ensign Ewart is a charming little pub located just off the Royal Mile, near Edinburgh Castle. With its cozy atmosphere and convenient location, it's a great spot to grab a drink before or after a show at the castle. A Characterful Gem: Quaint Setting: The Ensign Ewart's historic building and traditional decor create a charming and inviting atmosphere. Convenient Location: Its proximity to the castle makes it a popular choice for pre- or post-show drinks. A Busy Buzz: Popular Spot: The Ensign Ewart can get quite busy, especially during peak times. However, the lively atmosphere adds to its charm. Quick Drinks: If you're looking for a quick drink before or after an event, The Ensign Ewart is a convenient and enjoyable option. Overall: The Ensign Ewart is a charming little pub with a great atmosphere and convenient location. If you're looking for a place to grab a drink near Edinburgh Castle, be sure to check it out!

Awesome traditional pub in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town! Very nice pint of Amstel lager (too bad they did not have Tennent’s) and an excellent pint of Guinness, for a total of £12.80. Super recommended if you’re looking for a traditional pub with lovey Scottish vibes inside.

Old spot with chill atmosphere just in the heart of City

Great pub on the mile, even serves ale in the dimple glasses !

Only there for a night but it was an amazing place to be for the atmosphere 💚👏☘️

It is a treditional Scottish Pub since 1690. Every sunday they have traditional live music. It was like a time travel.

Great location for a quick bite and a beer before going to the Tattoo.

Very close to entrance for the Tattoo. Very busy; very traditional pub

Easily the top whisky bar, and likely one of the top bars, in Edinburgh. Awesome location, awesome staff & awesome atmosphere. Live music and fantastic people. A must visit.

Great Pub just outside Edinburgh Castle, full of history and character, busy but staff friendly and helpful

One of the best whisky bars in Edinburgh for its price and selection.

This is a must visit in Edinburgh. Just down the hill from the castle, they have a very nice Scotch whisky selection. The bartenders were so helpful and patient assisting me in exploring Scotch options. The Scotch broth soup was exceptional. We had it two days in a row. Try the brie sandwich too.

Great pub ,on the royal mile. Staff knowledgeable and keen to recommend from their splendid range of whisky's.

I love this pub, live music, you have to go early because it fills up, at noon you can eat soup and sandwich, at night only snacks and drinks. Very cool place. Very nice atmosphere and staff.

Best split pea soup I’ve ever had! The staff was extremely helpful in helping me understand which pubs allowed children since we are visiting with our kids out of country! Great place. Highly recommend!

Stopped in for some live local music and some drinks and we enjoyed every moment. The drinks are typical and the music talent that night was amazing.

It's like your local pub, that isn't your local.

Don't miss a chance for an authentic pub experience here at the Ensign Ewart. Good food and great drink. Live music ever so often.

Pleasant, atmospheric pub with original woodwork. 17th century pub - it has changed names a few times but there’s been a pub here for hundreds of years. It’s a good place to sit and catch your breath- we were lucky enough to sit near some bagpipers. I chatted with them for awhile; Scots people are a quiet but pleasant people. Take the opportunity to listen more than talk

One of oldest pubs in town. Friendly staff and good drinks.

Good environment with folk music after 9pm. They stay open late. Love the music, will visit again!

Lovely little pub with a huge choice in whisky! A great place to relax after a day of exploring the city. No food was served when I was there.

Classic pub and great stop for visitors to the castle. Much nicer and better than many others on the Royal Mile. Wife has scotch broth soup that was top notched.

My favourite pub on royal mile fill of character

Authentic Pub, very friendly staff, dog friendly and real enthusiasts for scotch whisky! Very nice location!

Just had something to drink. Good atmosphere and nice, quick service.

Nice pub in Edinburgh's Old Town! Live music, good atmosphere from the audience, locals mix with tourists here. Very good beer and cider as well as espresso martini!

Un samedi soir , edimbourg..... quoi de plus naturel que d'aller dans un pub !!! Ambiance exceptionnelle, musiques , chants , accueil chaleureux.... bref , tout était au delà de mes espérances !!! Soirée inoubliable. À faire, impérativement, si vous voulez vivre l'expérience du pub écossais avec sa musique et ses chants traditionnels

Solid food and great spot to have a pints. Right near the castle too so it does get crowded at times.

Small, cozy pub with quite an interesting backstory. A fine selection of beer offered here along with typical pub fare and whisky tastings. They serve food until 4 pm and at 9pm they have live music. I stopped in for a quick lunch and a pint. The scotch egg sandwich I had here was phenomenal. I wish I were staying in Edinburgh into the evening so I could return for the live music which I’m sure is a vibe here.

Stopped by after touring the castle. Excellent food and service. They were so helpful and friendly.

Lovely little pub in the old town with quiet some chairs and sofas. They have some good beer on tap and are friendly when serving it.

A genuinely historic and classically authentic British pub with a fantastic story, named after a Scottish hero. Intimate and relatively small, this pub gives you the feeling of being in a pub with hundreds of years of history. It’s also great when there is live music on. The only downside is that it’s extremely popular, especially because it’s right outside Edinburgh Castle, arguably the busiest place in the city for tourists. The food is average and selection of beer is pretty good, but that’s not the reason for going. This pub is all about the history.

Quite disappointed. We were recommended this bar as a whisky bar, and understand it can be hard to keep whisky bar menus reasonably up to date - but the three whiskies we asked for were all out, then the fourth was less than 25mL left, so we couldn't buy it legally. This in itself is frustrating (especially with A4 printed menus which are easily enough updated at least semi regularly), but the bartender then suggesting extremely different replacement whiskies (where the only similarity was often the independent bottler releasing them) was even further disappointment. Maybe our expectations are high, but with plenty of good without bars in Edinburgh, a place like this charging Royal Mile process with limited expertise isn't where my money is going.

Wonderful Scottish pub for a good pint or delicious whisky.

Amazing service and lots of whiskey and lager options. In house music. Dog friendly.

Live music, great selection of whiskey and beers, local.

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

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.

Very nice spot for a quick lunch. We lucked out and got there before the place filled up. The food was simple but good. The service was good. The atmosphere was perfect. We went to lunch as a family with kids. The kids had to sit in the back which still had great seating. There are good toilets too. I highly recommend as a lunch spot. I cannot speak to dinner, drinks evenings/nights at this pub.

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

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.

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

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.

Called in as we were in need of a sit down, refreshing drink and a break from the rain! Our welcome was warm, and although it seems like it’s a catering pub, the staff were perfectly happy for drinks only, and the range on offer was excellent. A nice traditional, lovely pub with a lot of history.

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.

Nice location when thirsty for a beer. Their menu however doesn't offer a lot of options if you're hungry. We did however order a sandwich that was excellent, and another that was not very impressive. According to my personal taste I might add. The bartender was energetic and good, the waitresses however did not impress us.

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.