Leslie's - Edinburgh, City of

Nice, cosy pub in a good location on my walk home from university. After a long day studying, I suggested to a friend that we get a quick pint on the way home, and he recommended John Leslie. The place did not disappoint. The interior is very nicely decorated, with a very nice ceiling, lots of historical pictures and advertisements, and an interesting bar set up as well. At one side of the bar, there are only little openings where one has to bend down to stick one's head in to order. I am quite tall, so this proved awkward for me. Instead, I walked around to the other side, a more regular bar with tall stools and the entire variety of drinks on display. We both had the bar's own ale. A very nice, easy-to-drink pint for the decent price of £2.80. The bartender was very friendly and efficient in his service, and the beer was good. The atmosphere in the place was relaxed and welcoming, and it was surprisingly busy for a Thursday afternoon, so I'm certain this would be a fun place to hang out in the weekend. The beer and whisky selections are both excellent, and there are board games available as well, if that's your thing. Worth a look.

The best aspect of The John Leslie pub, for me, has the be the staff. They are extremely approachable, friendly and open besides serving you great pints quickly. The decor also contemporary, yet still manages to retain that feel of a traditional, old pub. The clinetele are almost all locals and they seem a friendly and eclectic bunch. This isn't a standard boozer with fruit machines and gassy, frothy pints of cheap lager, but a proper pub with a good atmosphere and a great range of alcohol. They have a wide range of real ales and beers as well as a decent selection of spirits, including specialist whiskeys from the Highlands. This a good pub with a hearty atmosphere well worth a visit.

This is a quintessential old man 's pub but is still really good fun. Despite the fact it is almost entirely populated by old regulars, you don 't get that 'local pub for local people ' feeling, you know the one where everyone goes silent and turns around when you walk in so you slowly back out before they gather up their torches and pitch forks. The old guys in here are all really friendly and with a combined age of well over 1000 they all have stories to tell and are quite happy to tell you them. That 's not to say you will be mobbed by people narrating their life to you, just quite nice that they are a chatty old bunch. The pub itself is pretty standard really. It is inoffensive but nothing particularly stands out. There is a good selection of beers and spirits and it is moderately priced. If you are a poker fiend but can 't really be bothered to trek off to Vegas every week, on Sundays there is a poker night starting at 7.30 with a £5 buy in. Not quite the same stakes as the huge casinos but it 's a bit of a laugh nonetheless

The John Leslie has been around since 1896 and it 's a gorgeous place, with ornate wood carving everywhere. It 's very much a 'local ', filled with older couples and guys on their own. And its own peculiar quirk is the saloon bar where ladies were served it only has little hatchways through to the main bar and apparently these used to be closed with curtains. It 's a gorgeous bar, well worth visiting for a look and a pint of real ale.

Decent pub with nice interieer full of historic pictures. Beer and ciders are reasonably priced as well as the selection is wide. Good choice for a glass or two :