Happy hour in Edinburgh typically runs from 4pm to 7pm on weekdays, with 2-for-1 cocktails from around £7 each around George Street and the city centre. Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town both have strong bar scenes, and chain happy hours sit alongside independent pubs with their own deals. Here’s where to find the best happy hour prices in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh happy hour at a glance
| Typical hours | 4pm to 7pm, weekdays |
|---|---|
| 2-for-1 cocktails | from around £7 each |
| Best areas | George Street, Grassmarket, city centre |
| Chains with happy hour | All Bar One, Revolution, Las Iguanas, Turtle Bay |
| Last updated | July 2026 |
Where to find happy hour in Edinburgh
George Street is Edinburgh’s main strip for chain bars, with All Bar One, Revolution and other national names running their usual happy hour cocktail deals in a smart, New Town setting. Grassmarket and the Old Town offer a mix of independent pubs and chain venues with their own offers, generally a bit more relaxed than George Street. During the Edinburgh Festival in August, some venues extend or adjust happy hour times to catch the extra footfall, so it’s worth checking current hours if visiting then.
How to get the best happy hour deals in Edinburgh
Weekday afternoons are the most reliable window for happy hour pricing, with fewer crowds than weekend evenings. Checking each chain’s app before you go confirms exact hours, since Edinburgh branches can differ slightly from other UK cities. If you’re exploring both George Street and the Old Town in one evening, planning your route around venues with overlapping happy hour windows makes it easier to catch more than one deal.
Frequently asked questions
What time is happy hour in Edinburgh?
Most chain bars run happy hour from around 4pm to 7pm on weekdays, though exact times vary by venue.
Where is the best area for happy hour in Edinburgh?
George Street has the highest concentration of chain bars, while Grassmarket and the Old Town offer a more independent scene.
Does happy hour change during the Edinburgh Festival?
Some venues extend or adjust their happy hour hours during the August festival period to catch extra visitors.
Are Edinburgh happy hour deals the same as other cities?
Chains generally run similar offers nationally, but exact hours can differ slightly by branch, so check the app.
Edinburgh’s split personality: New Town versus Old Town
George Street’s development as Edinburgh’s main chain bar strip reflects the New Town’s broader character, planned Georgian architecture and a more formal, commercially developed feel compared with the Old Town’s older, more organic street layout around the Grassmarket. That architectural and historical difference genuinely carries through to the drinking experience, with George Street offering a smarter, more polished chain bar scene while Grassmarket and the Old Town retain a scrappier, more traditional pub character. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe each August temporarily transforms this dynamic entirely, with venues across both areas adjusting hours and sometimes running festival-specific offers to capture the huge temporary increase in visitors.
Making the most of Edinburgh’s varied bar areas
Choosing George Street for a smarter, more chain-focused evening or the Grassmarket for a more traditional, characterful pub experience depends on what atmosphere you’re after rather than one being objectively better than the other. Checking festival dates before an August visit is worth doing, since happy hour times and overall availability can shift significantly during the Fringe compared with the rest of the year. Because the two areas have quite different characters despite being relatively close together, deciding your preferred style before you set off helps you head straight to the right part of the city.
More frequently asked questions
How is George Street different from the Grassmarket?
George Street reflects the New Town’s planned, formal character with more chain bars, while the Grassmarket and Old Town retain a more traditional, organic pub scene.
Does the Edinburgh Festival affect happy hour?
Yes, venues often adjust hours and sometimes run festival-specific offers during the August Fringe to capture the huge temporary visitor increase.
Getting around Edinburgh for a happy hour crawl
Because most Edinburgh happy hour venues sit within a reasonably compact area, comparing prices between two or three bars before settling in for the evening is generally straightforward on foot. Checking a local transport app for the last bus or train home, particularly if you’re travelling in from outside Edinburgh itself, is worth doing before you start rather than after a few drinks. Splitting the evening between an earlier happy hour stop and a later dinner reservation elsewhere in Edinburgh is a common and easy way to structure the night.
Group bookings during Edinburgh happy hour
Larger groups looking to make the most of happy hour pricing in Edinburgh should check a venue’s group booking policy in advance, since some bars cap happy hour deals per table or require a booking above a certain group size. Calling ahead rather than just turning up with a large group avoids being told the happy hour deal doesn’t extend to your full party. Splitting a bigger group across two smaller tables, where a venue allows it, sometimes keeps everyone within a standard happy hour deal that has a per-table limit.
Is there a group size limit for happy hour deals in Edinburgh?
Some venues do cap the deal per table for larger groups, worth checking directly in advance if you’re booking for a bigger party.
Is Edinburgh’s happy hour area walkable?
Yes, most venues sit within a compact area, making it straightforward to compare a couple of bars on foot before settling in.