Edinburgh Pub Guide: The Jolly Judge

The Jolly Judge

The Jolly Judge can be found in James Court, one of the many tiny closes that turn Edinburgh's Old Town into such a warren. There's a sign for the pub at the entrance to the close on the Royal Mile and from here you wander through to an area that might be a million miles from the crowded Lawnmarket you've just left behind you.

The New Pub Sign Interior

The Jolly Judge is a cellar bar accessed down a flight of stairs. The exposed beams and attractive decor make this a comfortable place which can boast a real fire in winter. Until the completion of the Scottish Parliament building, meetings were held close to the Jolly Judge and this became a hotbed of political intrigue: the pub being especially popular because mobile phone reception is not very good.

Old Pub Sign

Things have changed. Scotland's politicians have moved to the other end of the Royal Mile. And the Jolly Judge has entered the information revolution: customers can freely access the Jolly Judge's broadband Internet connection from a wireless enabled laptop or PDA.

The Jolly Judge offers visitors a range of real ales and a choice of 20-30 malt whiskies. Pub lunches are served. The clientele is a broad mix of locals, journalists and court workers, plus tourists who have been attracted by the pub signs from the Royal Mile.

Inside the Jolly Judge