Nightclubs

Nightclubs

Edinburgh might not quite have the clubbing reputation of its Glaswegian compatriot, but it still holds its own with its provision of nightclubs and late night drinking dens.

Edinburgh’s clubs are mainly concentrated around a few streets near to the Cowgate and its surrounding student accommodation. Be careful – there are some real dives about down here, regularly changing name to some other single-word title redolent of a sweaty boudoir. We’d like to help you avoid them.

Discerning local favourite Sneaky Pete’s is a very literal one-room affair – walk through the door and you’re right in the thick of things. It’s now home to Auntie Flo & Esa’s HIGHLIFE residency, bringing you a globally-informed, endlessly fresh mix of house, boogie and more.

Across the road, the Bongo Club is currently residing deep in the George IV Bridge vaults. It’s had many different homes over the years, from New Street to Holyrood Road and now here. It’s still home to long-running local favourite nights like Mumbo Jumbo and Messenger Sound System.

Edinburgh’s Mash House is a multi-room venue built into a former church. A relatively recent arrival, the gig and club venue has already made an impact with the sheer diversity of its programming. Round the corner, La Belle Angele has been recently resurrected after a devastating fire in 2002 which put the venue out of action for over a decade.

The Liquid Room on Victoria St is another fire survivor, and is Edinburgh’s longest-running venue. It’s a mid-sized gig venue by evening, and by night becomes a club, host to regular nights like Propaganda and providing a stage for big DJ names like Todd Terje or Dave Clark.

The Caves are a sprawling set of 18th Century vaults underneath Edinburgh’s South Bridge. It’s a mind-blowing space. Guests have included The Hessle Audio crew, Jacques Greene and Monika Kruse.

The Wee Red Bar in the middle of Edinburgh College of Art isn’t just for students. It’s also for art school graduates in their 20s. The Egg seems to have been running on Saturday nights forever, and remains a firm favourite with residents and students alike.

We’ve curated the best guide to Edinburgh club nights. If you’re organising an event or spot any information which needs listing or updating, let us know by contacting events@theskinny.co.uk with the event and venue details.