The basement is probably one of the coolest places to drink and eat in right in the heart of Edinburgh city centre. It's bright, colourful, vibrant and stylish with funky and upbeat music and a million miles away (in spirit at least) from some of the overpriced places in George Street. The bar staff confirm this with their fun Hawaii-style shirts. Although it's fairly reasonably priced, it hasn't been taken over by students yet and the crowd tends to be twenty-something to thirty-somethings.
The food is great value for money and mostly Mexican, but with pub grub favourites such as posh fish and chips and an excellent steak pie. It can get busy so best to book in advance if you can.
shona discovered this service :-)
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El Callejón de Álvarez Gato
+34 914 088 238
Karbon
+44 014 12218099
Springfield Lane, 74 Buchanan Street
saved by one person: there is one review
This is one of the best clubs in Glasgow and certainly one of the most popular. It's the place to be so it can get pretty packed especially at weekends. It's normally not too tricky getting some free passes as there is normally someone handing them out if you are passing around Queen Street of Buchanan Street.
The club is nice inside without being pretentious and the music is pretty decent and is probably one of the best R&B and Hip Hop music clubs around. On Friday night they normally play Indie and Rock and it is slightly more dancy on a Saturday.
There are two rooms as well as a fancy seating area and a place for smokers. The drink is cheap and they serve food in the Bread and Butter bit all night if you are feeling peckish.
shona discovered this service :-)
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Casa Hortensia
+34 915 390 090
Great food, massive portions, good service - can't ask for much more really! Somewhere this good is very popular and so it's best to book. Due to the size of portions, people tend to bring the whole family along so everyone can make the most of it. We went along for Sunday lunch and were lucky that they could fit us in. As it's an Asturian restaurant you need to get a bottle of sidra and try pouring it the authentic way. It might end in disaster but it's all good!
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The food in this Indian restaurant is so good that they keep having to move premises to keep up with demand. It's a really good set up as you can book a table if you want to be sure that you're not going to have to wait for a table in one area or you can just turn up and they'll do their best to fit you in in a separate area. Just remember that it's pretty well-known for the quality of the food so you may have to wait a while.
For the quality of the food, the prices are extremely reasonable. The restaurant is unlicensed so if you want to be good you can choose some of the freshly prepared fruit juices or smoothies but if not, you can bring in your drinks (or go back for more) from the Irish pub next door or alternatively you're welcome to bring a bottle and don't even have to pay for corkage!
The surroundings are impressive in its new home in Victoria street as it's now located in a converted church which has been done up Bollywood style with chandeliers and a massive staircase at the entrance. The place is buzzing with activity and you can have a good look at what's going on in the kitchen which is quite reassuring, although this does mean that it's more appropriate for dining as a group rather than if you're looking for a quiet meal for two.
shona discovered this service :-)
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This place is really cool! It's a British 1950s retro pub that offers you school dinners or classic home-cooked food like your mum used to make depending on your family's culinary skills. Bangers and mash, steak pie and chips, haggis, neeps and tatties - you just can't knock it! There's also the option to try some international cuisine if good old British nosh doesn't do it for you.
This place is really quirky with copies of the Beano on the magazine rack and tomato-shaped ketchup bottles. It's great value and is therefore really popular with students but it's a place that all ages will definitely enjoy. It's got a great atmosphere and you can't avoid having a good time. To top it off, you just can't knock anywhere that sells Tunnock's teacakes!
shona discovered this service :-)
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You can find this bar/restaurant just off Buchanan Street right round the corner from Ted Baker. It's cheap as chips and so is a hit with students although not exclusively as I've treated my mum to lunch a few times when we've been out shopping and it's always gone down well. It serves school dinner type food which is perfect if you've been in town for the day and are looking for a bit of refuelling without spending a fortune. You can get the standard lasagne, steak pie or baked potatoes with a drink for a few quid so it's not going to break the bank and is just as good quality as many other places where you have to fork out a lot more.
It's fairly nicely decorated and also has a wee patio for the smokers. It's also the perfect place to pop into after a night out before heading home as they serve food up to 4 in the morning.
shona discovered this service :-)