Carwash (The), Edinburgh

The funky purple exterior is a statement of this bar's fun-loving intent. It appears slightly out of step next to the nearby Scottish Parliament at the Assembly Halls. On entering, the place screams 1970s retro. Enter the groove of a Blaxploitation soundtrack surrounded by lava lamps, lurid red, green and violet walls, and kitsch curios. There are DJs from Thursday to Sunday and a cocktail happy hour between 4p and 8p all week long. Munch on nachos and spicy salads washed down with a pitcher of your favorite tipple. Bring your kinky afro wig and dig the scene.