Assembly Bar is cheap and cheerful. It’s a shame that the food is a bit of a mixed bag, but that doesn’t seem to put off the regulars.

The Venue
Assembly Bar is located on Lothian Street, across the road from the University of Edinburgh’s Potterrow and Bristo Square. In summer, the tables on the outside pavement catch the sun until late in the afternoon, but at any other time of the year the purple exterior walls are a reflection of the welcoming interior. It is advisable to visit the venue on foot because you are not allowed to park on the street.

The Atmosphere
The bar’s proximity to the University’s city centre campus makes it a popular choice for students, though it is also said to be a favourite of staff from the National Museum of Scotland which is just around the corner. The bar staff – like the clientele – tend to be young and although they are usually friendly, they aren’t always completely on the ball. It is not uncommon for your food to arrive before your drinks. The interior is a mixture of wood, fairy lights and red lamp shades. Dark wooden tables and chairs are interspersed with a number of leather sofas, with a few American diner-style red upright benches on a raised area in the back. The toilets are downstairs, and, it has to be said, are of the slightly grotty student union type.

The Food
Assembly is open for food from 12 until 9, and, in theory, it caters for breakfast (weekends), lunch, snacks and dinner. The meals are all decidedly cheap, especially if you go for the standard 2 for 1 deal on main meals - from 5pm, all-day at weekends.

Some dishes, such as the vegetable burger and the chicken fajitas, are perfectly OK and certainly offer value for money. The sandwiches (£4.95) are adequate if a little dry, and the added fries are known to be a bit limp and soggy. The pizzas don’t taste freshly made at all, it’d come as a big surprise to find out if they were.

Finally, the sharing platters are really not worth bothering as the sweet potato chips are soaked with frying oil and the chicken strips are of questionable quality. The cakes and sweets, however, are lovely.

The Drink
The bar is stocked with the usual soft drinks and bottled booze, with premium lagers like Stella, Kirin and Red Stripe on draft. There is also a good selection of teas and coffees – with and without a kick – to go with the cakes. Staff are happy to serve tap water with meals.

The Last Word
If you aren’t too fussy about the quality of the food, Assembly is a cosy bar in a central location where you can enjoy a cheap meal with friends.

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