Clark's Bar is the kind of unassuming New Town pub that locals quietly love and tourists walk right past. Sitting at the foot of Dundas Street since 1899, it's been through several tenants and incarnations but keeps its soul intact — a well-decorated, slightly classier traditional pub with a solid whisky selection, local beers on tap, and cocktails that punch above what you'd expect from a corner bar. Open 1pm to 1am every day, it's the sort of place you stumble into for one drink and end up closing down.
Since 1899, this unassuming Dundas Street pub has poured serious whisky, cask ale, and cocktails with a local crowd that keeps it alive.
It's open 1pm–1am daily, but go early evening on weekdays for a quieter pint and the best chance to chat with the manager about what's on the whisky shelf.
A 125-year-old New Town pub that earns its keep
Clark's Bar doesn't try to be anything it's not, and that's exactly why it works. Tucked at the bottom of Dundas Street, it's been a New Town fixture since 1899 — surviving multiple tenants, a near-closure, and a refurbishment that made it slightly airier without stripping away its character. The interior is well-decorated without being precious: dark wood, proper bar stools, and a layout that no longer crams tables against the bar (a welcome change from the old days). You'll find a solid rotation of cask ales — Newbarns features regularly — alongside the Innis & Gunn that French-speaking reviewers seem particularly fond of, and a whisky selection that's deeper than you'd guess from the modest exterior.
What sets Clark's apart is the range for a pub this size. Cocktails are genuinely good, not an afterthought, and the staff know their way around both a spirit list and a beer engine. Live music nights pop up regularly, and the atmosphere shifts from quiet afternoon pint to lively evening crowd without missing a beat. It's open 1pm to 1am every single day, which makes it one of the few places in this part of town where you can genuinely settle in for the long haul. The manager gets regular shout-outs in reviews, and you can tell — it's the kind of personal touch that keeps regulars coming back.
It's not flawless. A few reviewers have had billing mishaps and the occasional off pint, and its slightly off-the-beaten-path location means it can slip your radar if you don't live nearby. But that's also its charm — this isn't a pub designed for Instagram or tourist coaches. It's a proper neighbourhood bar that happens to do cocktails, whisky, and cask ale all under one roof, and does them well enough to earn a 4.4 rating across 270+ reviews. If you're in the New Town and want a drink that feels like Edinburgh rather than a visitor's version of it, Clark's is your spot.
Clark's Bar, c'est le genre de pub qui ne cherche pas à en faire trop, et c'est précisément ce qui le rend attachant. Planté au bas de Dundas Street depuis 1899, il a traversé plusieurs gérants, une fermeture évitée de justesse et une rénovation qui l'a rendu un peu plus aéré sans lui voler son âme. Le décor soigné joue la carte du pub traditionnel sans tomber dans le pastiche : bois sombre, vrais tabourets de bar, et une disposition qui ne colle plus les tables contre le comptoir. Côté bière, on trouve une belle rotation de cask ales — Newbarns passe souvent —, l'Innis & Gunn qui a ses fidèles, et une sélection de whisky plus large qu'on ne l'imagine en passant devant.
Le vrai point fort de Clark's, c'est l'éventail pour un pub de cette taille. Les cocktails sont sérieux, pas une rustine, et le personnel s'y connaît autant en whisky qu'en bière pression. Des soirées musique live s'invitent régulièrement, et l'ambiance passe du calme de l'après-midi au frisson du soir sans accroc. Ouvert de 13h à 1h du matin tous les jours, c'est l'un des rares endroits du quartier où l'on peut s'installer pour de bon. Le gérant est souvent cité dans les avis, et ça se ressent : c'est ce genre de touche personnelle qui fidélise.
Ce n'est pas parfait. Quelques clients ont signalé des erreurs d'addition et une pinte moyenne de temps en temps, et l'emplacement, légèrement en retrait, fait qu'on peut l'oublier si on n'habite pas dans le coin. Mais c'est aussi ce qui le préserve des foules touristiques. Un vrai pub de quartier qui fait cocktails, whisky et cask ale sous le même toit, et qui le fait assez bien pour mériter ses 4,4 étoiles sur plus de 270 avis. Si vous êtes dans le New Town et que vous cherchez un verre qui sent l'Édimbourg authentique, c'est ici.