10 Best Nightclubs In Edinburgh | [UPDATED 2024]
The city of Edinburgh is known for its buzzing nightlife, with a variety of bars, pubs, and nightclubs destined to give you a memorable night with your pals. There’s no shortage of cheap boozers for students on a tight budget, every night from Monday to Friday you’ve got a whole bunch of options to keep you partying all week!
If you’re a student studying in this colourful city, you’re going to want to know where’s best to get your drink on. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the ten best nightclubs in Edinburgh to get you ready for the big session.
Rest assured, there are plenty more top venues on offer for students, and these are just a few!
1. Cabaret Voltaire
This venue has a passion for loud music! Located in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town, Cabaret Voltaire has been at the forefront of Scotland’s electronic music scene and club culture for over a decade.
This being one of the best Edinburgh nightclubs, showcases the best local and international DJ talent on a weekly basis! Every Friday they have FLY Club and Open decks and they have several different events across the week!
Cabaret Voltaire spans two floors, and pretty much looks like a cave. They have cosy illuminated booths perfect for chatting with your mates and a cool cocktail bar upstairs, which isn’t too far away from the dance floor you’ll be glad to know.
If you’re not into house music, upstairs have a separate DJ who plays more lyrical, disco music; this place really is perfect for everyone!
Everyone loves a good cocktail, at this club you can get ‘Disco Trees’ which consist of six or nine cocktails of your choice in a stack, this means you don’t have to keep getting up to go the bar and can keep on drinking which is a bonus.
We would personally recommend the ‘Unicorn Juice’ cocktail, it contains Buckfast, Edinburgh raspberry gin, Edinburgh elderflower gin, vanilla, lime, and egg white…delicious.
So pop on your dancing shoes and head over to Carabet Voltaire. You won’t be disappointed!
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Address: 36-38 Blair St, Edinburgh EH1 1QR
2. Why Not
Why Not is among he Edinburgh nightclubs which is super popular amongst students living in Edinburgh, with a spacious modern setting and a great garden with plenty of VIP deals. Based on the popular George Street, this club attracts many students in the week as well as locals fancying a sesh on the weekend.
With a whopping five cocktail bars and four dance floor party booths, this place is perfect for any occasion, whether that be a birthdays, graduation, or just a good old night out! The dance floor is absolutely huge, meaning you’ve got plenty of space to dance and mingle, as well as some of the best DJ’s in Edinburgh on the decks.
Amazingly, this venue also has an LED room consisting of 22,528 LED lights across the walls and ceilings, creating an amazing aesthetic experience of moving patterns. This room features 8 small tables that can be reserved with table service if you’re feeling classy and want to make the most of a special occasion.
The newest addition to Why Not has to be mentioned, The Vault seats up to 20 guests and can accommodate up to 40 guests at one time. With a custom built void sound system, these luxurious suede party booths are built with HD camera feeds so you can see what’s going on around the club and be extra nosey.
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Address: 14 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PF
3. Liquid Room
Don’t let the sticky floors put you off! The Liquid Room is known as one of the UK’s leading venues for gigs and club nights, which is why you won’t want to give this place a miss!
This is among the best Edinburgh nightclubs, and have worked with artists from pretty much every music genre to provide some unforgettable club nights.
It’s located in a 19th Century church in the Old Town area of Edinburgh, which is a great little quirk in itself. The club has two floors and a balcony that overhangs the main dance floor, great to see if you can spot your mates terrible dancing.
There’s also a large outside space so if you fancy some fresh air after throwing some shapes, you can pop outside and take a breather.
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Address: 9C Victoria St, Edinburgh EH1 2HE
4. The Hive Nightclub
Did somebody say cheap drinks? The Hive Nightclub on Niddry Street is known as the cheapest club in Edinburgh. The club venue plays a diverse music range which is perfect for everyone! The great thing about this venue is students get free entry to several different events, which comes with lots of cheap drinks deals too.
Hive mixes a playlist of indie hits, to R’n’B, to nu-metal and a big handful of cheesy pop. The well-known philosophy amongst partygoers ‘Hive till five’ allows clubbers to dance until the sun comes up, just don’t forget your greasy kebab and chips on the way home!
You can also register your university society at The Hive nightclub for exclusive use with plenty of drinks, what better way to mingle with your uni pals?
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Address: 15-17 Niddry St, Edinburgh EH1 1LG
5. Sneaky Pete’s
If you want a loud, buzzing live music bar and dance club, Sneaky Pete’s is the place for you! Located in Cowgate, club nights start at 7 pm in this very teeny tiny, loud venue.
This intimate nightclub has the capacity for 100 people, so prepare to get up close and personal with strangers! It’s definitely worth it because the atmosphere here is something you’ll never forget.
The club draws in a diverse crowd of music fans who love all different genres, once you step foot in this great little venue you’re guaranteed to have a fun care free night with some great tunes.
Open until 3am all week, you can party all night, everyday if you wanted, at this niche venue. Nirvana actually played here back in the 80s, adding charm and edginess to this small but charismatic place.
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Address: 73 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JW
6. The Bongo Club
If you fancy something a little different from Edinburgh nightclubs, The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue, and all-round artistic hub at Cowgate. Owned by local arts charity Out Of The Blue, this place is known for its creativity and uniqueness.
This place is known for some of the most notorious club nights from themes such as funk, soul, house, disco, and many more.
Midweek there’s midnight bass which is all drum and bass, jungle, bassline and grime, you’ve got soul funk and disco every Wednesday and Thursdays are usually kept open for one-off events. Sound intriguing? Get your dancing shoes on and get down there!
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Address: 66 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JX
7. Wee Red Bar
This trendy little student bar has a lot of pizzazz! Located on the grounds of Edinburgh College of Art, this venue has a massive selection of club nights, gigs, and performances on offer. This place is a much-loved Edinburgh venue and prides itself on fantastic sound quality.
Not to mention, their drinks prices are super cheap, so you don’t need a large pocket for this place!
Their events calendar is ever-changing and despite being a small venue, a great time can always be had here!
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Address: Lauriston Architecture Building, 74 Lauriston Pl, Edinburgh EH3 9DF
8. Shanghai Nightclub
Located at the heart of Edinburgh’s vibrant nightlife scene, this club is a true gem that promises an unforgettable evening.
Dance the night away on their spacious dance floor, where top DJs spin the latest tracks and classic beats. The music selection is a fusion of genres, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re into chart-toppers, R’n’B, or dance anthems, Shanghai Club has you covered.
For those seeking a more intimate experience, their VIP areas offer a touch of exclusivity. Enjoy top-notch bottle service and a private space to unwind with your friends!
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Address: 16a George St, Edinburgh EH2 2PF
9. Club Tropicana
This is the ultimate sticky floor 80s nightclub! Located on Lothian Road in the heart of Edinburgh, you’re guaranteed a night full of laughs and throwbacks at Club Tropicana. Granted, this place isn’t always filled with loads of students, but don’t let that put you off!
This place is filled with people of all ages having a dance and a sing-along.
The drinks are lovely and cheap and it’s absolutely free to get in which is a double bonus!
Another unique feature is a back-to-the-80s selection of drinks including Hooch and Red Stripe.
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Address: 23 Lothian Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2DJ
10. 4042
This quirky little place is actually a ping-pong hall, which is a fabulous idea to pass some time with your friends and great for those with a competitive streak. For those who love to dance, don’t worry, there’s still an intimate dance floor ready and waiting for you to bust some moves.
The music is mainly hip-hop with a touch of house and some R’n’B; it also features a huge screen for sports fans.
What’s even better is the fact that ping-pong is free to play on a Monday, a great way to get rid of those Monday blues by thrashing your mates at a game!
4042 is known for its unique drinks, we’d have to recommend the slushy cocktails that are served in a disco ball, very extra. They even have a photobooth so you can capture some cute pics of you and your pals! This certainly is one of the best Edinburgh nightclubs.
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Address: 40-42 Grindlay St, Edinburgh EH3 9AP
There we have it, the party’s over (for us anyway). We hope you have the best time experiencing the Edinburgh nightlife this freshers, or whenever you fancy a party!
For you to read next: Top 12 Brilliant Bars in Edinburgh To Visit In 2022.
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