Why Not Nightclub Edinburgh — The Full Honest Guide

Why Not has been on George Street since 1997 — making it the original. Long before the strip filled up with bars and clubs, Why Not was already there. Since a full refurbishment in 2013 it's won eleven national awards and built a reputation as one of the most ambitious club experiences in Scotland. That's a bold claim. Here's whether it holds up.

I went to check it out. This is what you actually need to know.

The Setup

Why Not is located below The Dome on George Street — you wouldn't necessarily clock it from the outside but once you're in, the scale of the place becomes obvious. There's a large central dance floor with four party booths overlooking it, multiple bars across the venue, a private Las Vegas-style VIP Vault room, and — the thing Why Not is most known for — Scotland's only full LED room. On top of that, there's a sizeable outdoor garden area, which is genuinely rare for an Edinburgh club.

It's a big venue. That matters because it means it can feel very different depending on which night you go and how busy it is. At capacity it's electric. On a quieter weeknight it can feel sparse in places.

The Nights

The four core nights cover most of the week. Love Wednesday is the student night — entry is cheap, drinks are cheap, and the crowd is almost entirely university students. It's consistently one of the busier mid-week nights on George Street. Filthy Friday brings a more mixed crowd with a heavier commercial music focus. Why Not Saturdays is the flagship — the venue runs at its best, the booths fill up, and the LED room really comes into its own. There's also a Monday night, Flare, for those who want to extend their weekend.

The LED Room

It deserves its own section. Why Not markets it as Scotland's only full LED room and there's nothing else like it in the city. Every surface is programmable — the walls pulse and shift with the music. If you're going to Why Not for the first time, you need to spend time in here. It has its own DJ playing a different set to the main floor, usually leaning more into R&B, and the energy in there on a good night is a cut above the rest of the venue.

The Outdoor Garden

Another genuine differentiator. Why Not has a large outdoor garden area with heaters and a bar — rare for Edinburgh, and appreciated on those nights where you need air. It's a proper space rather than a small smoking area, which makes a difference for groups who want to actually have a conversation between songs.

VIP and Table Bookings

Why Not does table bookings well. The four dance floor booths give you an elevated view of the main floor, dedicated service, and a space your group can return to throughout the night. For bigger groups it's worth looking at the VIP Vault — a fully private room for functions and celebrations. Table packages are competitive with other George Street venues and for a group of eight or more, the booth experience is one of the better options in Edinburgh.

Drinks and Pricing

Entry is one of the more reasonable on George Street. Love Wednesday is £4 or so, Saturdays go up to around £10 depending on what's on. Drinks are Edinburgh city centre prices, roughly £5 to £7 for a pint. Nothing outrageous. If you're going as a group, table packages come with bottle service and a minimum spend that goes straight onto drinks rather than being lost as a fee. For bigger groups this can actually work out better than doing rounds all night.

Love Wednesday is genuinely cheap end to end. That's been the point since it started. Students aren't getting hit at the door and then hit again at the bar. It's one of the reasons the night has lasted as long as it has and still pulls the numbers it does.

How It Sits Against the Rest of George Street

George Street has a lot of options. Shanghai is just a few doors down. Lulu, Tigerlily, a handful of others all competing for the same Friday night crowd. What Why Not has that most of them don't is sheer variety once you're inside. Multiple rooms, the outdoor garden, the LED experience, a private function space. You're not locked into one vibe for the whole night. That flexibility matters, especially for mixed groups where not everyone wants the same thing from a night out. If someone needs air they've got the garden. If someone wants something different to the main floor they've got the LED room. Most venues on the street can't offer that.

Practical Things Worth Knowing

Book a table in advance if you're going on a Saturday, especially for a group. The booths overlooking the dancefloor go early and walk-ins don't always land the same spots. The venue does proper ID checks so don't bother trying it under 18. Dress code is smart casual, trainers are fine, full sportswear is a gamble. Queue management on busy nights is organised and the security team are professional rather than aggressive about it.

Worth It?

Yes — Why Not is one of the most complete club experiences on George Street. The LED room alone makes it worth a visit, and the outdoor garden gives it something most Edinburgh venues simply don't have. Entry is reasonable across all nights, and on Saturdays with a table booking it's genuinely hard to beat for a group night out. The mid-week student nights are dependable and well-priced. Where it can disappoint is on quieter nights when the size of the venue works against it — but pick the right night and Why Not delivers.