A handsome basement under Frederick Street where Edinburgh Rugby away days meet cask ale and a sellout Sunday roast.
The Queens Arms hides below the cobbles at 49 Frederick Street in the New Town, named after Mary Queen of Scots. The pub describes itself as a hidden jewel, and the basement room backs the claim with bare stone, a proper bookcase, a fireplace, and a chandelier built from wine glasses.
Sport runs all week across five HD screens carrying Sky, TNT, and Premier Sports. In late 2024 it became the official pub for Edinburgh Rugby away games, confirmed by the club itself.
Fanzo lists it among Edinburgh's reliable rooms for finding any fixture, from Six Nations to midweek European football.
The main bar runs traditional, all stone walls and firelight, with screens placed so no seat misses the match. Yelp reviewers (n=114) keep noting the same surprise: a sports pub that looks like a country house library.
Handpicked cask ales and craft beer come from Scotland's independent breweries, alongside malts, wine, and cocktails. The kitchen cooks Scottish produce and the Sunday roast sells out weekly, so book ahead. Pints run standard New Town money, around 5 to 6 pounds.
Edinburgh Rugby fans own it on away days; the rest of the week splits between New Town locals, office groups, and visitors who found the stairs. Big fixtures fill every stone corner, so arrive early or book.
Edinburgh's classiest place to watch sport. Book the roast, claim a fireside seat, stay for the dram.