The Bow Bar

The Bow Bar is a traditional ale and malt whisky pub at 80 West Bow, on the curving street linking the Grassmarket with the Royal Mile in Edinburgh's Old Town, Scotland. It is a compact, single-room bar noted for its small but carefully chosen range of cask ales on hand pull and a large malt whisky collection of more than 300 bottles. The pub is built around drinking rather than dining, so the signature offering is the pint and the dram rather than a plated dish. Cask ales rotate, with Scottish and other British breweries well represented, and staff are used to guiding visitors through whisky regions from Speyside and Islay to the Highlands. The atmosphere is that of an old-fashioned Scottish pub: wood panelling, a long bar, and a mix of locals, whisky enthusiasts and visitors, with conversation rather than music setting the tone. Noise levels rise in the evening and the room can get crowded at weekends. There is no dress code. A pint costs about £5-£6 (~$7-$8), and a whisky dram starts from about £5, rising for rare bottles. Food is limited, so many visitors eat elsewhere and come here for drinks. There is no booking, and it operates as a walk-in pub, with space most easily found at opening time or on weekday afternoons. Hours run from midday to late daily, but visitors should verify times online. The pub is steps from Victoria Street and the Grassmarket, making it an easy stop on an Old Town walk, and the cobbled streets of West Bow can be steep, so appropriate footwear helps.