Le Monde: 16 George Street, Edinburgh

French for the world, this is a sensible name for a French daily newspaper. Quite why this bar on George Street is called such a name I’m not sure, as there is nothing really worldly about it - other than the fact tourists may drink in it during the festival. To be honest I think the owners just chose the name because it sounded swanky.

This place is all about the swank! It’s attached to what their website calls a ‘boutique’ hotel – what the hell does that mean? Drinks are obviously expensive! It’s a nice place to go for one or two pints after work, but if you go at the weekend for a session you will require a small mortgage and be irritated by posers!

The problem with this bar is it is trying to be a sophisticated bar to suit the likes of Paris, London or New York. Unfortunately it is located on George Street in Edinburgh, a street where you may get posers and radges, but certainly not sophistication!
 

Swank!

 

Bannerman's Bar: 212 Cowgate, Edinburgh

 

Also known as Shanerman's (Shan a Scottish word meaning unfair or terrible) this is actually quite an entertaining place. The bar leaves a lot to be desired, the beer is average and fairly overpriced but it’s a great place to people watch and I believe they do drinks offers Sunday-Wednesday.

While I was drinking there, a group came in on a pub golf night – obvious by the way they were dressed. They were like a fish out of water and left quickly though not before one of the girls in the group managed to flash her ass. Later a couple of attractive girls dressed in 1980s sparkly gear came in selling cigarettes from a tray.  I’m sure some of the guys in the pub that bought cigarettes from these girls didn’t even smoke – quite a marketing technique!

This bar markets itself as a rock bar and for £5 I could have watched the band playing in the next room. £5 isn’t a lot of money for a gig but why not just have the gig in the bar and let the punters paying for drinks also hear the band? Instead I enjoyed watching the tennis on TV and the various characters in the bar.

Murrayfield bar: 57-59 Roseburn Terrace, Edinburgh

A very average bar, I prefer the Murrayfield Hotel. You get an ok pint here but on the Thursday night when I visited there were hardy any bar staff so it took me ages to get served.

The main toilets in the basement were out of order so everyone had to wait for the disabled on the ground floor. 

They had a poker night on while I was there and I’ve been told they do Beer Pong. There are also TVs to watch the sport and like the Murrayfield Hotel is packed on match days. Overall an average soulless bar and a poor man’s Murrayfield Hotel!

Roxys: 23 Queen Street, Blackpool

I should point out that this review may not be entirely representative of the bar as my mates and I didn’t rock up to this bar until after 1am on a Sunday morning. I found this bar a bit more chilled out than some of the other Blackpool bars, although it could have been due to the time. It’s quite a big bar with several levels; so there was plenty of space to sit down, space to do a few comedy dance moves if you wished, and an outdoor balcony to get some fresh air.

I stuck to bottled beer, of which there was a reasonable selection, though later on the boys got on the Jäger train for a couple of stops.

This must be a popular tourist bar as we met a couple of drunken girls from Paisley. Along with being a tourist bar I wondered if they did weddings, as there was lots of what looked like confetti all over the floor when we walked in. Possibly due to another stag/hen night (for which Blackpool like Edinburgh seems popular)?

After researching this bar I believe there are drag acts on so I guess the boys were lucky we went late and missed that!

Litten Tree: 8-14 Queen Street, Blackpool

An average bar with average drinks. Being a Blackpool bar the music is blaring and there are stag and hen parties aplenty. 

The Counting House: 10 Talbot Square, Blackpool

It was after 11pm, and after failing to obtain a drink in a hotel along the shore (as we weren’t guests the hotel wouldn’t serve us) the boys were passing by the Counting House and were parched. Promotions staff for the pub offered us free entry and a free shot so we went in.

However, there is a reason why they need to offer free drink to entice you in, and that reason is that the pub is terrible! The pub is tacky and dirty and they play clubbing songs from the 1990s such as Samba De Janeiro. It made me think of Kevin & Perry Go Large.

Despite this all the punters looked like they were having a great time. There was a stag party (of course there always is in this kind of pub) but a distinct shortage of women.

Verdict: makes Frankenstein in Edinburgh look classy!

The Cambridge: 20 Young Street, Edinburgh

 

There are two pubs on Young Street; the Oxford Bar and the Cambridge. Cambridge beat Oxford in the 2012 Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race, and in my opinion the Cambridge Bar wins over the Oxford Bar every time!

Where the Oxford does a grotty small pub, the Cambridge does a comfortable bar with a nice atmosphere. Where the Oxford favours miserable old men as punters, the Cambridge has a mixed clientele and some hot barmaids. For entertainment the Oxford has an ancient telly you could anchor a boat to, while the Cambridge has a flat screen TV (on which you can watch actual sport rather than just Sky Sports News) and supplies newspapers and even (god forbid) background music!  

But most of all, while the only food the on offer at the Oxford are stale pies, the Cambridge serves a delicious variety of burgers cooked on site. Yes it’s all about the burger at the Cambridge.

The Cambridge also serves beer! Though even if it didn’t I’d still favour this bar to its boat race competitor.

 

 

The Balmoral Bar: 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh

 

The Balmoral Bar is part of the prestigious Balmoral Hotel, and is the ideal bar to go to if you are waiting to catch a train at Waverley Station. Now why would I say this when there are two cheaper bars across the road from Princes Street, and one in Waverley Station?

Well the bar in the station called the Nor Loch is an absolutely terrible bar, and is therefore aptly named. If I can one day be brave enough to try a pint in there I may write a review! The bars across the road on West Register Street (the Guildford and Café Royal) are nice but the advantage of the Balmoral is that because the pints are pretty expensive you will only have one, and therefore not be in danger of having several and missing your train.

The Balmoral bar also offers a relaxed atmosphere with table service and they bring you some posh nuts with your beer.

Kid's Rhythm ‘N’ Blues Kaffee: Grote Markt 50, 2000 Antwerpen, Antwerp

 

This is blues/rock bar and I wasn’t disappointed. When I went in a live band was just finishing their set so I hung around for their second set and the guitarist was amazing, stunning the punters with his renditions of classics such as Johnny B. Goode and Voodoo Child.

I got a nice glass of Hoegaarden and my mates ordered a Palm beer which was also nice. Personally I quite enjoyed the Belgian beers, but would warn you to find out the alcohol percentage of the beer you’re ordering - as some of them will blow your head off. If you want to play safe this bar does Guinness.