Sandy Bell's

Sandy Bell's holds a single small room at 25 Forrest Road in the Old Town, between Greyfriars Bobby and the University. It opened in 1920 as the Forrest Hill Buffet, and by the sixties the bar was a melting pot of writers, poets, and musicians at the heart of the folk revival.

Wikipedia documents its international reputation; WhatPub and Forever Edinburgh both file it as one of Scotland's most famous traditional music bars. Musicians fly in with instruments and simply join in.

Sessions run nightly from 9pm, with a slow session every Monday at 6pm and a Scottish mouth organ group every second week.

A wooden bar down one side, benches down the other, and the session corner by the window. Euan's Guide reviewers describe a very small pub with authentic folk music and great atmosphere, and on session nights the crowd spills onto the pavement.

The bar keeps cask beer in rotation and an extensive range of Scottish malt whiskies behind the counter, per its own listing and WhatPub. Order a pint of the Scottish cask, add a dram from the shelf, and keep your order short when the fiddles start. Most pints sit around 4 to 5 pounds.

Players take the corner, regulars take the bar, and visitors stand where they can. Yelp reviewers (n=49) consistently call the nightly music the real thing rather than a show for tourists.

What regulars say:

• Wikipedia records its worldwide reputation for traditional sessions.
• Yelp reviewers say arrive before 9pm or stand all night.
• WhatPub flags the malt whisky range alongside the cask beer.

Who it is for:

• Anyone who wants Scottish traditional music at the source
• Whisky drinkers who like their dram with fiddles
• Avoid if you need a table and a quiet conversation after 9pm

The most important small room in Scottish folk music, and still just a great pub. Arrive early, leave late.

Getting there: 25 Forrest Road, five minutes from the Royal Mile, by Greyfriars Bobby.

Timing: Music nightly from 9pm, Monday slow session at 6pm. Festival season packs it solid.

Cost: Pints 4 to 5 pounds, drams from 4.50. Cash and cards both fine.

Make a night of it: Warm up with a malt at The Bow Bar on Victoria Street, catch the 9pm session here, and finish late at The Jazz Bar on Chambers Street. All three sit within five minutes of each other.