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Captain's Bar, Edinburgh

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Cask Ale
4 South College St., Edinburgh, EH8 9AA (View on Google Map)
  • Historic Interior

Located just to the south of the Old Town, this pub has existed on its present site for over 200 years. Although it is just off busy Nicholson Street and handy for the nearby Festival Theatre it is often missed by tourists. It is a characterful, lively, small public bar that holds regular folk music sessions. It comprises one narrow room with an L-shaped bar and superb wooden gantry. The two real ales are normally from local breweries. No under 18's are permitted inside.

CAMRA Edinburgh Real Ale Quality Award runner up 2024.

Information for this venue is provided by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland Branch of CAMRA
Previous Names
Local Authority
City of Edinburgh
Last updated
Last surveyed
07/01/2025
Leasehold owner
unknown
Freehold owner
unknown
Pub ID
EDN/928
Asset of Community Value

One star - A pub interior of special national historic interest

Listed status: B

A small, basic but friendly drinkers' pub situated in a five-storey c1790 tenement block. The long narrow bar has old dado panelled walls, a fine 'James Gray whiskies' mirror and the original back gantry, running the length of the room with an odd kink in the middle.. The original full-length counter was replaced by a much shorter one in the 1960/1970s and has two water taps that still work but are not used. At the front right is a small snug area that was originally separate with its own entrance door.

Monday
2:00pm - 1:00am
Tuesday
2:00pm - 1:00am
Wednesday
2:00pm - 1:00am
Thursday
2:00pm - 1:00am
Friday
2:00pm - 1:00am
Saturday
1:00pm - 1:00am
Sunday
2:00pm - 1:00am

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Current beers

This Pub serves 2 changing beers and 0 regular beers.

Regular and recently seen

Barney's - Capital Porter TasteMatch Prediction

View beer
Barney's - Capital Porter
Barney's - Capital Porter Strong Porter • 5% Spotted 6 times.
Barney's - Capital Porter
SIBA Indie Beer Sold Here
Barney's - Capital Porter

Spotted 6 times. recently. Last spotted 2 days ago at Captain's Bar, Edinburgh.

ABV 5%
Style Strong Porter
Colour
Vegan Yes
Gluten Free No
Changing

Changing beers typically include: Barney's (varies) , Bellfield (varies) , Stewart (varies)

Source: Local


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Facilities
Live Music Live Music
Two folk music sessions every day, afternoon & evening
Dog Friendly Dog Friendly
Games Games
Dominoes, cribbage, cards
Wi Fi Wi Fi
Plus phone charging points
Features
Cask Ale Cask Ale
Real Heritage Pub Real Heritage Pub
Transport
Close to bus routes (321m)
Various
Open map, zoom in and hover on bus stop symbols to see route numbers
Close to metro (965m)
St Andrew Square
Nearby Station (659m)
Edinburgh
Directions
Off Nicholson St

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Grab a copy of the Heritage Pub Guide for Scotland

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