Whistlebinkies: 4-6 South Bridge, Edinburgh

Binkies sells itself as being the main bar for live music in Edinburgh, offering live music every night. This is great as Edinburgh which could certainly do with more live music venues. It can be hit or miss though depending on the band. I saw a great blues band here a few months ago, however I’ve also seen some fairly generic bands who play nothing but cheesy cover songs (of the ilk you would get at Finnegan's Wake or many of the bars in the Royal Mile on a Friday/Saturday night). At the weekend make sure you get there before midnight, as after that they start charging a £4 entry fee! Also you may want to take a pair of ear plugs if you’re sitting/standing next to the band as some bands crank the volume up to 11 (if you’ve seen the film Spinal Tap you’ll appreciate that reference!).  The beer is enjoyable and they have a reasonable range of beers on tap and in bottles and I enjoyed the pint of Guinness I ordered, which was just as well as it cost me £3.75! As with many venues in Edinburgh you’re never far from a Stag or Hen night and Binkies is no exception with a Stag party making a general nuisance of themselves on the dance floor!

All in all it’s a good night out at Binkies which offers; lively entertainment, attractive barmaids and a decent selection of beer.