The best student bars and clubs in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is one of the best nights out in Scotland, maybe even the UK, so you've chosen an absolutely belting place to come to uni. With so many bars, clubs, beer gardens and rooftop terraces catering to a host of tastes, the city's nightlife offerings may be overwhelming (especially if you've just moved from a sleepy countryside village). With this in mind, we've put together a list to avoid that fresher's week confusion and make your introduction to Edinburgh a worthy start to the four best years of your life!

The city is home to a plethora of activities outside of its nightlife as well, with lots of cheap things for you and your newfound pals to sink your teeth into, as well as loads of cheap places to eat. However, that isn't what we're here to talk about; you just want to know where to get wasted, right?

Whether you're a hard partyer or you just fancy a night in the pub chatting and laughing until last orders, we've got you covered. So have a scroll down and check out all the best student bars and clubs in Edinburgh!

 

Sneaky Pete's

Where: 73 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JW

A tiny nightclub with a massive rep, both in Scotland and internationally, Sneaky Pete's is a place that (if you can get before the 100-cap dancefloor fills) will offer up one of the best nights you can find in the city. Wedged into the bustling centre of Cowgate, the venue provides you with some of the best up-and-coming indie acts alongside some of the coolest electro-pop sets, all under one roof. As a student, you can descend on some of its awesome midweek nights and save yourself some dosh, or even attend some of their very reasonably priced gigs. It's legendary and for good reason, a must-visit when looking for the best Edinburgh student clubs.

 

Find events at Sneaky Pete's here

 

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Belushi's

Image credit: Belushi's

Where: 32-34 Market St, Edinburgh EH1 1DE

Smack bang in the heart of the Old Town, Belushi's has been a favourite of students and sports fans in Edinburgh for years, mainly just because it's so flipping cheap! With regular student nights offering cheap drinks throughout the week, it's been a go-to pres destination for those who chose the Scottish capital as their home from home. Not only that, but Belushi's is widely known as one of the best places to watch live sports in the city centre, with dozens of screens and a huge range of sports shown, there's no better place to watch the SPFL with a crisp pint.

 

Find events at Belushi's here

 

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Why Not 

 

Where: 14 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PF

One of the best Edinburgh student clubs in the city, Why Not is a modern club in every aspect. With state-of-the-art LED lighting displays, booming speakers, the best vibes, and several rooms with a 700-plus capacity, the club is always bouncing. Students can rejoice at some of their mid-week nights, particularly Flare Mondays, Edinburgh's longest-running student night (which dates back to 1999, meaning it'll be older than the next cohort attending by a few years now). Drinks and shots start at just £1.25 and some of the best DJs come to fill the booth here; it's absolutely incredible.

 

Find events at Why Not here

 

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Pilgrim

Where: 3 Robertson's Cl, Edinburgh EH1 1LY

Pilgrim is an Old Town establishment, meaning it's very close to most of the university buildings. This makes it one of the best Edinburgh student bars for those looking for a booze-fuelled cool-down post-lecture. This bar also has some great discounts on food with a student card, not bad for when you can't be arsed cooking.

 

Find events at Pilgrim here 

 

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The Liquid Room

 

Image credit: Olivia Rutherford/REX Photograph

Where: 9C Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2HE

Housing just a few hundred eager locals and students, the Liquid Room is a dark box in the basement of a 19th-century church on Victoria Street. It offers up some of the most diverse clubbing rosters year in and year out, with indie and retro nights one night and high-profile house and techno parties the other. If you're a student that prefers a boogie of the electronic variety, there are few better Edinburgh student clubs to frequent than here. Whilst it may dent your loan a wee bit more than others on this list, the nights will be ever more memorable (probably because you've not had as much to drink, but who's counting when the music's this good?).

 

Find events at The Liquid Room here

 

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Coco

Where: 125b George St, Edinburgh EH2 4JN

Formerly known as Lulu's, Coco is a late-night bar that invites everyone to come and try something new. Not only do they specialise in delicious cocktails, but they play excellent music too, with a weekly DJ lineup that means you can have either a big night or just a quick drink between bars; the best of both worlds, really. They have a packed calendar of fab events too. 

 

Find events at Coco here

 

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La Belle Angelle

Where: 11 Hastie's Cl, Edinburgh EH1 1HJ

A much-loved Edinburgh club and gigs institution amongst both the local and student population, La Belle Angelle is one of the top places for the lovers of live music to catch some of the best emerging bands around. The 600-capacity venue hosts not only gigs but also internationally renowned DJs and fun, themed club nights. Resurrected 12 years after it was destroyed by fire on its original site in the Cowgate, much to the adoration of the city and its students, the venue offers up something for everyone with its club nights; from 90s parties to reggaeton specials, it has it all. There are few Edinburgh student clubs more worth spending your precious loan in.

 

Find events at La Belle Angelle here

 

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Frankenstein's

 

Where: 26 George IV Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1EN

Housed in a 19th-century church, Frankenstein's is one of the oldest bars in Edinburgh. Arguably the biggest attraction to Frankenstein's is the massive monster that descends from the ceiling every single hour, with smoke pouring from its body and flashing lights accompanying it. Yep, you read that right!

But even with the, what some would say, gimmicky (but we say bloody brilliant) decor, the drinks are reasonably priced, the food is great, and with a regular quiz and classic movie nights it never gets boring. Maybe not a regular one, but an essential visit as a student in the city.

 

Find events at Frankenstein's here

 

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The Bongo Club

Where: 66 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JX

The Bongo Club prides itself on being an artistic hub and is a mixture of a nightclub and live music venue, meaning that it puts on events of all shapes and sizes. Always the type of place to have a packed calendar, it features residencies from some of Scotland's best electronic music acts but embraces a wide range of genres across the dance music spectrum. 

 

Find events at The Bongo Club here

 

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The Hive

 

Where: 15 - 17 Niddry Street, Edinburgh EH1 1LG

This is one for those who like the classic club experience. If you like your drinks cheap and the floor slightly sticky, then look no further than The Hive. Throwing plenty of student events, there's rarely a dull night to be had. 

 

Find events at The Hive here

 

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Think Freshers Think Skiddle. Find loads of freshers events in Edinburgh now on Skiddle. 

Looking for a pub or club for when you visit your mates' unis? We've got guides to all the best student bars and clubs in Liverpool, Manchester, London, Birmingham, Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol, Sheffield, Nottingham, Glasgow, Cardiff, Leicester, Bournemouth, Exeter, Southampton, Brighton, Reading, Swansea, Plymouth and Portsmouth.

 

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Check out our What's On Guide to discover even more rowdy raves and sweaty gigs taking place over the coming weeks and months. For festivals, lifestyle events and more, head on over to our Things To Do page or be inspired by the event selections on our Inspire Me page.

 

 

  

 

 

Header image credit: People's Leisure Club