Well, had a great time in Edinburgh and heres my thought based on recommendations from you all:

Pubs:
Candy Bar (on George Street) – I thought the best of the pubs on George Street, a lot of the bars on this road a bit pretentious, lacking soul, one for the show offs but this one narrowly doesn’t fall into that trap. (Manchester version would be one of the better bars on Deansgate Locks)

Basement – (just off Leith Walk)- this was on our way from the B&B to the ‘centre’ area – loved it in here, as the name suggests, underground with a good atmosphere, grungy but cool (Manchester version would be Corbierres / something in Northern Quarter)

Villager (near Grassmarket and Bridge) – without doubt the best bar Edinburgh had to offer, great crowd, great drinks, great decor, great atmosphere and awesome music, LUSH! I really loved it in here! plus you get to see Studioderms robots on the wall (a few pics of them in the link below) (Manchester version would be Bluu in the Northern Quarter)

Food:
Guillianos (The Shore) – avoid like the plague!

McKirdys Steak House (Morrison St.) – expensive but well worth it – a steak house run by former butchers, they know their stuff.

Attractions (that we enjoyed):
Modern & Dean Gallery
Camera Obscura
Royal Yacht Britannia

Things we didn’t enjoy:
Bus tour – very hot and stuck in traffic
Bars not allowing you to drink outside after 10pm

a few pics…..