Finnegan's Wake

Classic Irish pub! Cheap drinks, lively atmosphere and always someone to talk to!

Glad to find Finnegan's open again after the fire, always a favourite stopping off place during the bi-annual Scotland trip for the Wales match. Good live music on the night I was in, but avoid it on the saturday after the match as likely to be crowed.

Finnegan's is back open after the fire and they've really done a great job. The sound system for the live music is great and has a really warm sound to it. There's more seating than there was before but this doesn't mean that the pub is smaller. We booked their VIP room and had a great night in there. Many more good times to come I think!

Sadly another victim of the Vicoria Street Blaze, shut for the forseeable future (July '09).

Ess

Finnigans is a very popular pub in the Centre of Edinburgh, an Irish themed pub (hence the name).
They have bands on sometimes also, the place is very big and also very busy. The bar staff are very friendly though and they serve you rather quickly.
Not a popular place with myself, but nothing to do with the place, i just prefer things with cheesy music :)
Unfortunately this place could be shut upto another year now due to a fire in the building next door.

One of my favourite pubs ever. Irish bar serving real Guinness and Beamish Red. The decor is great especially the ceiling. This pub is always mobbed at weekends so prepare to queue if you go later on as its one out one in. The last few times I’ve been they’ve had live acts on which added to the experience.

Possibly too popular at the weekend (stag parties etc.) but mid-week not a bad option for watching football as they’ve a large projector screen as well as a few good sized tellys. On the down side it’s one of these places that feels the need to drum up custom after 22:00 by hosting too loud covers bands of varying quality. Nice & central though so at that point you can easily make your way to an alternative establishment.

There’s no mistaking that you’re propping up an Irish bar in this drinking establishment. Everything from Irish road signs, newspapers, Gaelic/rugby stars and of course the familiar old Guinness posters adorn the walls which can feel a tad claustrophobic if stared at for long enough. They’ve even gone so far as to place a real “Telefon” box against the wall as you walk in. No half measures here. Staff seems to be all Irish made and up for a giggle. A highly popular city centre bar at weekends and for Irish matches (of course). Queues are a regular occurrence but once inside and with pint in hand, the craic surely does await and things can get quite boisterous…the emerald isle’s not so far away after all!

Finnigan’s gives you what you expect, but not much more.

It’s an Irish theme pub, so there are the obliatory 'My Goodness My Guiness’ signs all over the place and of course, they play lots of traditional music to keep craic-seeking punters happy.

The house band is great at exciting a crowd, with lots of rousing, danceable songs. The fiddler is a real performer and regularly mounts the bar, striding along it and leaving tourists in raptures.

There isn’t much to keep you coming back though. Come two nights in a row and you’ll feel like a film star, but only 'cause you’re Bill Murray in Groundhog Day.