Rick`s say:

Situated on Frederick Street, in Edinburgh, Rick`s bar is a favourite with locals in Edinburgh. Chase the day away with our choice of drinks from our extensive cocktail and wine lists which would not look out of place in a bar in Manhattan.

Social and Cocktail says:

Having opened its doors way back when in 1999, Rick’s has been a fixture and favourite of the George Street cocktailing scene for many a moon. The bar first came to my attention when I arrived in Edinburgh as a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed fresher, with rumours abounding in our halls of residence that it was the Edinburgh watering hole du choix of a certain two, then-playboy princes. With one royal now reformed and the other one enjoying the nightlife Stateside, this star-studded honour now belongs to yesteryear, but I was keen to see whether Rick’s legendary glamour lives on.

The bar certainly looks the part. Cocktails in mismatched teacups and ironic hipster décor are resolutely NOT the name of the game here – Rick’s is cleanly, elegant with olive green walls, dark wood, and a nice local design flourish in the form of an Edinburgh Castle mural over leather banquettes.

And so to the cocktails! The menu was impressive, eclectic and showed the input of a creative and expert mixologist. It was split into classics (Martini, Bloody Mary, etc), refreshers and coolers, daiquiris, sours and retro drinks– Blue Lagoon or Pina Colada anyone? – all coming in at between £7 and £10 each. I hummed and hawed over the extremely extensive selection, but eventually plumped for the intriguing “Secret Cocktail”, which featured Hendrick’s�Gin, Laird’s Bonded Applejack, lime juice, homemade pomegranate syrup and egg white. I loved the presentation of the cocktail – opaquely pink with a snowy white topping. Taste-wise, lime was certainly the dominant flavour, but not overwhelmingly so, tempered nicely by the sweet apple brandy and pomegranate syrup. The fluffy egg white on top was a bit heavy-handed – my first couple of sips were mouth-stickingly dry, till it had thinned out a little – but it did give a pleasant texture and creaminess to the drink which made you sip, savour and enjoy, rather than guzzling like lemonade.

My friend Christie opted for a longer and more refreshing drink, in the form of a Blackberry Fizz, a fruity concoction of vodka, Chambord raspberry liqueur, lemon, blackberries and ginger beer. This was definitely our winner, pronounced to taste like a purple Fruit Pastille (which everyone knows is the best one) – juicy and sherbety with a subtle kick of fizzy ginger heat to cut through the dense sweetness of the fruit. It definitely fell into the “naughty fruit squash” category, in the best possible way.

With over ten successful years under its belt, Rick’s has clearly found a winning formula that will stand the test of time – classic cocktailing done with simple, gimmick-free panache. The small tweak needed of my drink aside, it was understated perfection. Princes or no princes, a royally good drinking destination to be sure!

Jane Eats Edinburgh