The Voodoo Rooms is a cocktail bar, restaurant, live music and events venue perched above the Café Royal, just off Princes Street in the heart of Edinburgh. It opened in 2007 to great critical acclaim, and in its first year won the coveted “Best Cocktail Bar” award from the Scottish Licensed Trade News. Since then, it has cemented its reputation both as one of the coolest and best loved Edinburgh nightspots and as a great venue for live performances throughout the year.
Nightlife at Voodoo Rooms — Photo courtesy of Voodoo Rooms
From the first moment you enter this unique and charismatic club, you will be struck by the sumptuous décor. Black leather booths, black and gold cornicing, rich deep mahogany bars and wonderfully ostentatious chandeliers combine to create a lavish fin de siècle atmosphere which perfectly sets the scene for cabaret style entertainment. There is a decidedly decadent feel to this venue, which is at once sexy and vivacious.
The venue consists of five large rooms and three bars which connect in a circle. The main bar is long and slim with deep leather couches, highly polished tables and rich black velvet drapes. The dining area is a more intimate affair with oak-paneled walls, gold chairs and black table linens.
The Ballroom Bar continues the warm wood paneling, complemented by black walls with ornate golden detail. The Ballroom itself has very dark red velvet walls, studded with twinkling lights and large oval tables to each side of the wooden dance floor. A raised dais at the far end of the room is a stage for performers or is strewn with bean bags and sloughing couches for patrons to recline upon.
Finally, there is the chic Speakeasy with its own small bar and DJ box. The black walls and ceiling are accented by gold piping and soft black leather couches line the walls. Another raised dais forms a secondary performance area or another place to relax.
The bars stock a huge range of specialty rums and tequilas and a great selection of wines and beers. However, where they really excel is in their cocktails.
Cocktails are clustered into the imaginatively named groups “Season of the Witch” (drinks inspired by Celtic mysticism), "Cult of Voodoo” (cocktails inspired by the Americas), “Modern Alchemy” (a reworking of classic cocktails) and “Asian Sorcerers” (Asian-inspired cocktails). You can also request any classic cocktail, but with these unique riches on display, who would ask for a piña colada?
The bar also serves a tasty range of snacks, including tempting platters to share, very good chips and the cult classic pickled, onion-flavored Space Raiders. If you have never tried these highly addictive crisps, now is your chance! The restaurant is perhaps a little less inspired, the menu being somewhat limited in scope. However, the dishes are well prepared and reasonably priced.
