I’ve only been to Edinburgh for work or with the family, so hoping you guys could help me plan my stag do. I’m sure my best man (my brother) is diligently doing his homework, but thought I’d check up with the STW massive as a lot of you seem to live there.

The daytime is sorted with mountain biking at Glentress, weather permitting. Backup plan of climbing. So I’m just thinking of nigh time entertainment

As a general guideline to let you know where I’m at.
– Aged 34 but honestly a bit old before my time.
– No strip bars. My brother is best man and the idea of ogling naked birds with him watching feels creepy.
– Definitely nice pubs with somewhere to sit at the beginning of the night. Lots of friends to catch up with, so no loud music.
– Getting more rowdy as the night wears on, so a ‘plub’ would be nice to round off the night. But not totally ruling out the idea of a club provided I don’t feel like someones dad when I walk in.

Hope you can help. Brother and I are doing a recce in a couple of weekends time.

So the Pubic Triangle is out then?

Large groups can encounter resistance in the better places.

Just so you can have a fall back plan.

I had a great stag in Edinburgh….went to the stand comedy club,great laugh as a stag party.( the comedians love stags as theyres a fair bit of material)

Have a nice meal…plenty to choose from they’re..head down George st as its got tons of bars..split up if theyres a few of you

Good luck staying out of the strippers!

The Pubic Triangle…. now that does sound decidedly ropey!

One thing I was told was not to try George Street as we’d not get in most places. There was another street mentioned, but I forget the name.

That’ll be part of the purpose of the recce actually. Check with the doormen as to whether a group of 9 blokes would be let in.

Food wise, the Friday we’ve booked a private room at the whiskey society. Try and keep it low key so as not to hamper the biking on Saturday. Saturday night food is likely to be fish and chips, to keep costs down.

Central Edinburgh’s not amazing for alehouses – there’s one on every corner on Rose St, Grassmarket and they’re nearly all average. The nicer / more interesting ones can get colonised by Teds in rugby shirts so that’s another concern.

Some names to start you off – The Guildford arms (sort of opposite Waverly station) is one of the better places in terms of ale, usually a lot on offer – interior is bog standard though. Right next door is the cafe royal bar, which has a very nice traditional interior, but ale is unremarkable IIRC [If you merged the two you’d have a cracking boozer].
The Bow Bar on Victoria St (goes down to the Grassmarket from the Royal Mile) is a cosy place that is v good for Whisky. Loads of Edinburgh pubs will have 100 malts but this place is known for looking after them.
The Brew Dog Bar on cowgate probably counts as a plub, rel. new – if you like Brew Dog ale and don’t mind stepping over comatose students who’ve had 2 pints then it’s a nice spot.

TBH with a stag night you’re not looking for the world’s best a lehouse so maybe Grassmarket, Rose St etc might be the best bet. They’ll certainly be v busy, lively etc.

Citrus club just of Lothian Rd near Usher Hall would be suited to the older mature types. Open till 4am. Good noodle bar nearby too.

Rose St has loads of bars if you want a crawl! Some really nice eating places on Broughton St – Mathers Bar at the top is a good pub to start in.

Citrus club just of Lothian Rd near Usher Hall would be suited to the older mature types.

Ooof! That hurts. 😉

Club Tropicana for the win

….well at least you won’t feel like someones Dad if you go. They play decent music and not so loud that you have to shout either.

The Stand comedy club might be worth checking out for part of the night?

DO NOT go to the Jam House. Unless you like being eaten alive by 50yr old women and watching men dance like your Dad/like a 5 yr old at a wedding. I’m still waking up at 3am screaming sometimes recalling that night.

..and there’s the Cav Club at Tollcross if you want to feel like someones Dad. Just up Lothian Rd from Citrus.

Might be some cocaine snorting footballers in there mind!

CC Blooms would give you a memorable stag night.

Gluptons nailed it…try there.

Now there’s no need for the rampant homophobia in the corner there lads.

I was about to recommend the whisky society for a more refined night out, you seem to have that covered.

There are loads of good bars in Edinburgh but stay away from the touristy places like Royal Mile, Grassmarket and Rose St/George St, my bar of choice for grownups at the moment is Under The Stairs off Candlemaker Row for the awesome cocktails. Then head to Cloisters in Tollcross, or the Basement Bar at the top of Broughton St. Bow Bar as mentioned.

Don’t try to get in anywhere en masse and obviously a stag do on a saturday night in Edinburgh, no bar worth going to will let you in.

P.S What has happened to the Cavendish in Tollcross ? We used to go there all the time to the very very upstairs for reggae nights. I might have been the whitest but I certainly wasn’t the oldest.

Also these guys, for the next morning.

http://www.funinthemud.co.uk/2009site/

They cater for all abilities.

The cavendish is still there, it has had various refits and name changes but now it’s the ‘Cav’