Waverley Bar
- Telephone 0131 557 1050
- Food served Sun–Thu 11.30am–midnight; Fri, Sat 11.30–1am.
- Average price Soup and toastie £6; pie and a pint £7.50 (set lunch); £4 (bar snack)
A simple, classic Edinburgh bar whose near-century of history has been respected under new ownership.
The Waverley Bar lay untouched for a year after the death of its owner ‘Captain’ Ian Walker in early 2016, his family having owned it since the 1920s. But this much-missed fixture of Edinburgh’s traditional pub circuit has now returned. To their credit, owners Caledonian Heritable have changed the atmospheric Victorian interior very little, with the maroon wood panelling, bright horseshoe bar and decorative Fringe flyers from years gone by lending the same convivial air. The upstairs room hosts folk sessions on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, as well as Fringe shows in August. While the tap selection is very limited to Tennant’s, Guinness or cider, sixty whiskies and forty gins offer drinkers variety, and the food range has increased slightly from the Captain’s bags of free crisps to include lentil soup, toasties and a selection of hot pies.
- High point: A pub with real classic character which honours its history
- Low point: Overload of Billy Connolly memorabilia in the gent's suggests a tourist-focus
- Notable dish: Mince and tattie pie.
- Private dining: Up to 60 covers
- Provides: Wheelchair access, Free wi-fi
- Live entertainment: Folk sessions on Fri evenings and Sun afternoons.
- Capacity: 100
- Largest group: 60
- Open since: 1891 (2017 under new owners)
- Number of wines sold by the glass: 7
- House wine: £15 per bottle
Events at this venue
There are 12 events at this location
Sorted by title / date & time
100% Jay Handley: Hansplaining
Jay Handley / PBH's Free Fringe Borderline drug-casualty, Jay Handley, arrogantly inflicts his worldview on the public. ‘Moments that can go toe-to toe with the best stand-up I've seen’(EdFringeReview.com). Jay Handley performs around the country at some of its best clubs including The Glees, The Comedy Store…
Tue 22 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wed 23 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Thu 24 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
12 Stories About Britpop
1997; 7 friends meet up to watch a struggling Britpop band and relive the glory days of, well, 1995. But it's not just the band who are having issues…7 friends, 12 stories, 1 hour. Written and performed by Paul Richards.
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 20:45 – 21:45
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 20:45 – 21:45
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 20:45 – 21:45
The Big C
Good news: you’re going to be a father! Bad news: you’ve got cancer! Che got both bits of news within a fortnight. Hear how he juggled the 1-2-3 of pregnancy with the ABC of chemotherapy - and why ATOS were the big C. Not a typical dead dad comedy show.
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 17:00 – 17:55
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 17:00 – 17:55
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 17:00 – 17:55
Dave Maher Coma Show
Chicago-based stand-up comedian tells the story of what happened when he awoke from a month-long diabetic coma.
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 15:45 – 16:45
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 15:45 – 16:45
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 15:45 – 16:45
Jay Handley: Hansplaining
Borderline drug-casualty Jay Handley arrogantly inflicts his worldview on the public. "Moments that can go toe-to-toe with the best stand-up I've seen." EdFringeReview.com
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 22:00 – 22:55
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 22:00 – 22:55
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 22:00 – 22:55
Lots of Comedians
With so many comedians performing in Edinburgh, here's the perfect starting point. The funniest folk in the festival, all hand-picked by your hosts - Steffan Alun (excitable, friendly and Welsh), and Chris Chopping (witty, pedantic, and tremendously clever).
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 12:00 – 13:00
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 12:00 – 13:00
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 12:00 – 13:00
Pauly & Mandy's Mid Laugh Crisis!
Veteran comedians Paul B. Edwards and Mandy Knight present an old-school slice of brilliant club comedy with daily guests from the UK and International circuits. Expect more laughs per minute than those young’uns can generate… Being over forty never felt so funny.
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 19:30 – 20:20
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 19:30 – 20:20
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 19:30 – 20:20
Quilarious Come and Play
Alastair Sadler / PBH's Free Fringe Quilarious: A new exciting comedy format.It’s game show meets comedy workshop as Alastair Sadler leads teams of audience through rounds designed to make the funnies flow, collectively creating five minutes of stand-up. Will we succeed? Who knows… but we’ll have heaps of fun along the…
Tue 22 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wed 23 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Thu 24 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
The Rise of a Comedy Dictator
President Obonjo / PBH's Free Fringe President Obonjo returns to Edinburgh Festival Fringe to perform his new show, The Rise of a Comedy Dictator. In the age of Trump, populism and Brexit, the world probably doesn’t need another bloated ego pretending to give easy solutions. Thankfully, what we need is a comedy…
Tue 22 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 18:15 – 19:15
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 18:15 – 19:15
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 18:15 – 19:15
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Tiernan Douieb: Miserably Happy
Tiernan Douieb / PBH's Free Fringe ‘Very friendly but fiercely political’ (Time Out) comedian, Tiernan Douieb, considers if ignorance is indeed bliss, and if so, surely he shouldn't know that. Tiernan tries to work out what anyone actually wants anymore, what being civilised actually means and whether or not he’ll ever…
Tue 22 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wed 23 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Thu 24 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Top Joe's Oxford English Dictionary Bid Word Launch
Top Joe / PBH's Free Fringe Liverpool Echo Comedian of the Year 2016, Top Joe, has invented a new word. It came to him in a fitful dream. Can he get it into the Oxford English Dictionary? 'Expect the unexpected from this strange and wonderful gentleman' (*Skinny[/i[). 'Very, very funny' (CupofBeans.co.uk). Age…
Tue 22 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wed 23 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Thu 24 Aug
Upstairs Lounge
Free / 0131 557 1050
Part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe & PBH's Free Fringe.
Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd: Parallel Univers-Ity
Join us for a university lecture set in alternate dimensions. It’s sliding doors meets Ricky & Morty in a polytechnic. Combining sketch, song and storytelling, it’s an afternoon out of this world. “A hyperactive & eclectic mix of nonstop laughs” ★★★★ AusTimes "high-energy charisma" – ★★★★ PerthCulture
Wed 23 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 13:15 – 14:00
Thu 24 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 13:15 – 14:00
Fri 25 Aug
Free, with a collection afterwards / 0131 557 1050
Part of PBH's Free Fringe.
- 13:15 – 14:00
