Hello!
My name is Lisa and i hope that by writing useful, informative opinions i can help to make...
Hello!
My name is Lisa and i hope that by writing useful, informative opinions i can help to make other peoples lives easier and stop others experiencing problems I have!
E-mail me if you want to speak to me.
Thanks!!
bye
Member since:19.02.2001
Reviews:34
Members who trust:5
Espoinage is a pub/club on 5 levels, 4 with different poncy names, Pravda, Mata Hari, Kasbar and Lizard Lounge. Yes they are trying to be more upmarket then it is. But it has worked! There are two entrances, the Main entrance on Victoria Street, and from here you can enter through two sets of doors - one takes you in on that level (nameless level) and the other takes you in on the stairs. follow the stairs right down and you will come to - Kasbar - a very small floor with a small bar. good if you get there early and there's 10-15 in your group. Pravda - Nice floor with circular bar in the middle. Good size, weird seating. Either small booths for two (can squeeze four people in, but i mean squeeze!) or low seats which also can fit two, or four at a squeeze. More seating round the back of the bar, also really for two. Mata Hari - This is the largest, most spacious bar and there is a good sized dancefloor round the side. A lot of seating and tables for 10 people. Fair sized bar, could be more staff, but you could say that about any bar in edinburgh. Seating in small alcoves next to dancefloor and next to bar, but alcoves have 2 or 3 tables in each, some have space for 20 people to sit, and one has only four seats but they are big comfy seats and well worth taking up the space! Lizard Lounge - This is the floor with the proper dancefloor. There are a lot of seats but they are smaller, chill out seats as the main priority of this floor is for dancing. This is also where the DJ sits. you can talk to him/her and put in requests, but you will have to wait till 5 minutes before closing to hear your request! good sized bar, good seating.
The other entrance is a 'secret' entrance round the back at the cowgate, just along from 3 sisters that everyone knows about and gets bigger queues than the front door. It takes you in on Mata Hari.
Ah yes - queues. There are queues of around 100 people at both doors from about 10pm onwards, most nights. especially thursday, friday and saturday nights. I would always recommend getting there before 10pm.
One more rule of espionage is get there as early as you can. I am talking 4-7pm if you want to get a seat anywhere. After 10pm any night you can hardly move around it is so busy. Personally i think this is a fire hazard as if there was a fire most people would be crushed or burn.
Drinks - they do a really good james bond themed shooters menu, £2.50 per shooter. I would recommend scaramanga, teehee, miss moneypenny and octopussy. Party bowls are fantastic. £14.50 and a £10 refundable deposit for a huge fish bowl filled with a red fizzy concoction and giant straws so everyone can just dig in and suck! dont know what the red stuff is, but there is grenadine and lemonade. The ingredients are on the menu's which can be found on every table along with shoter menu's and special deals.
Cloakroom - this is only open on a friday and saturday night and is not worth the hassel. The queue gets huge aroung 1.30am and doesnt go down till after 3.30am. if you can be bothered waiting then okay, persoanlly i just stick my jacket on my chair.
Times - espionage is open from 4pm-3am every day, although durung the festival it is open 3pm till 5am. It is free to get in but the drinks are not cheap, altough not particularly expensive for a posh club.
TOP TIPS Just to recap, i will list my top tips for a decent night at espionage.
1. Enter via the back entrance. this way you start off on a good floor without having to squeeze down 3 other floors to get there. 2. Drink lots of lovely shooters - scaramanga and teehee are my personal favourites. 3. Get there before 10pm as this is the sudden busy rush. The earlier the better really. 4. DONT USE THE CLOAKROOM the queues are too big 5. if you arrive at espionage and there is a huge queue, dont bother. often you will never get in as the queue moves really slowly.
well, i hope i have helped a bit by sharing some bad experiences! follow the golden rules and have fun!!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Great op, but its so easy to get lost in there I wouldn't go in from the back entrance cos it completely throws you! Ruth.
heneghan 10.05.2001 10:50
Some good advice here, but Im getting a bit old for this sort of thing (nearly 30 you know!). Regards, John.
bigkenny 10.05.2001 10:13
Another tip is to know one of the bouncers who lets you in without queueing (this really annoys everyone in the queue though). On my birthday six of us got free T-shirts for having five drinks three (or four it is all a haze now) of the bars. Great op but the place is getting too busy for its own good.
NH Hotels, the hotel chain leader in Europe, with more than 300 hotels in 20 countries in Europe, Latin America and Africa. Enter into our web site and find the best available tariff at all times
May 10th, 2001
(May 9th, 2001)
very helpful by (100%):
