hoot the redeemer

as i mentioned in my previous reviews i'm not the biggestcocktailfan but i've heard so much about this hidden gem that i've decided to go see it with my own eyes. entrance is really quirky which was a funny touch at the beginning. i have to say they did make the place quite cool with the machines for ice cream and machines with flavours for cocktails. i didn't try those this time, however i had a royal edinburgh canoe clubcocktailwhich was pretty nice. it came in martini glass and with orange skin. it wasn't too sweet so i liked it. the place was a bit crowded on friday evening for my taste so i didn't have a proper look at the decor inside. the dj station is pretty cool so don't miss it when you're there! i had a good laugh with sarah mackenzie :) will need to go again to get a better feel of the place. but i liked that it wasn't too dark or too loud so even when it was crowded it was still convenient to hang out and have a chat. will be coming back!

i loved this place! i just think the speakeasy bar trend is so fun. this bar is owned by the same people who own panda and sons, so i was expecting it to be good but didn't realise it would be this good. they have a fun claw machine where you put a pound in and get two shots to get to flavours, you then take these up to the bar and they make you acocktailincluding those flavours. i was just in awe. i'm going to need to go back so i can take it all in again!!

as soon as i heard about hoot the redeemer, i was pretty keen to check it out. a 1950s funfair themed bar is right up my street and i was sold pretty quickly. just like panda & sons, you would not think it was a bar from the outside due to to the signs talking about fortune tellers. you walk down the stairs where you are met with a secret door, again like panda & sons. inside you are greeted with almost a miss match of different styles of chair, some are red leather booths, wooden tables and theatre style seats. the walls have retro style posters and artwork. overall the whole look just works perfectly. the first time i visited was about a week after they had first opened so it was pretty busy but did get a chance to try the mystic ballcocktailwhich was delightful. my second trip was a sunday afternoon visit, so i was finally able to try out the pinch n sip machine, which is such a fun and quirky idea. you put £1 in the machine, which is like one of those grab games, pick out two flavours, take the them up to the bar and they will make you a cocktail! you don't have to use both the flavours you pick together, you can keep on for your next drink which is a good idea if you pick two very different flavours. i was lucky enough to get pineapple and kiwi, i was asked what spirit i would like (gin... obviously) and ended up with such a summery tasty little cocktail! 

a must visit place if you, like me, enjoy somewhere a little quirky. try to get their early enough so you can get a proper look around before it gets busy!

also they sell boozy ice cream. yes... booze and ice cream.... together!

what can i say? i had high hopes for a '1950s fun fair themed bar'. staff - pleasant, helpful, speedy with drinks, a+ for staffing. venue - needs some kind of air conditioning, it was really busy when we were in and it felt stuffy and almost to that horrible sauna feeling. the decore is great, i love all the murals. the bathrooms, well, i don't get why the are plastered with pages from one of the worst books written in history (50 shades of grey) or why they are in both the male & female bathrooms, being honest, it's tacky. millions of great books that could have been selected.
drinks - we both had acocktailto start, royal edinburgh canoe club and days of thunder, great cocktails, well made with premium spirits. the second round was lakeland lager for both of us. again, a good lager, easy to drink.
i didn't try the alcoholic ice cream as i'm not that sweet toothed but it seemed extremely popular.
once the hype calms and the bar isn't 70% full of george street wannabe models and hipsters i'll be sure to try it again.

great little place on hanover street. as quirky as it's sister bar panda and sons, hoot the redeemer allows you to use those arcade grabbing machines to select ingredients for you cocktails. take these ingredients to the bar and the bar staff will create acocktailround these flavours and a spirit of your choice. the only draw back for this is whilst it costs £1 to have a go on the machine (which goes towards the cost of your cocktail) if you don't get anything out with your two attempts you are left with nothing. my firstcocktailcost £7 (£6 at the bar and the £1 on the machine). the second cost me £9 (£6 at the bar but three attempts to get ingredients and only ending up with one). a little bit unfair i feel. that said, you don't have to use this option and there are plenty of cocktails on the standard menu and the cocktails i was made by the bar staff were excellent. a fun, quirky place worth checking out.