Date and Time: 12 July, Friday, 7:00 PM

Head out of the old downtown towards the iconic Old Course of St. Andrews, and you will find a small white building sitting in the shadows of The Old Course Hotel. Looking out over the 17th hole of The Old Course is The Jigger Inn. Due to it’s semi-legendary status in the golf world because of the prime location, and an open secret in the local and student world for pints of Guinness, The Jigger Inn is an intriguing stop on the pub map of St. Andrews.

The place looks extremely small from the outside – and it is. Just three small interior rooms make up the eating areas, with a patio out the back doubling capacity in nice weather. The bar is small, but well stocked and staffed. Occasionally bar service can get a little slow, as the place fills up with post-golfing drinkers, so be prepared for a small wait. That also goes for eating. If aiming to eat with a larger group, either booking in advance or showing up in off-peak hours is recommended, due to the small floor footprint.

When choosing seating locations, be advised that the patio is right on the corner of the 17th hole. This allows for some good views of The Old Course, a nice sea breeze from the ocean, and the chance to really get into the action. And I do mean into the action – during this review, someone plunked a shot into the bushes about 10 feet away, and everyone got up to look for his ball.

The beer was a Guinness. This should need no further introduction, as if you have not drank a Guinness, then you’ve either A) been living under a rock, B) you’re not of legal drinking age, or C) you think that dark beers/porters/stouts are disgusting, and would rather drink your coffee in the morning and not have to filter your beer through your moustache. All of these takes are potentially correct, but as The Jigger Inn is billed as having the best pint of Guinness in St. Andrews, it felt appropriate.

(Ed. Note – I literally have no idea how one goes about classifying the ‘best’ pint of Guinness anywhere. Call me uncultured, but where I come from, a pint of beer is a pint of beer; there is no such thing as ‘the best pint of Beau’s’, for example.)

Paired with the classic (and thankfully only) beef burger on the menu, we get to the meat of the issue. Loaded with cheddar cheese and Ayrshire bacon, dispensing with those pesky veggies like lettuce, tomato, and the completely unnecessary red onion, this burger gets down to business right away.

The bacon was crispy, providing that all-important crunch to the experience. The bun was solid and firm in the hand, toasted on both sides to provide a proper platform. The cheese sharp, but not overly runny or greasy. Finally, the patty was the excellent texture of firm but forgiving, breaking away properly as you bite away. The whole package stayed composed for the duration, never giving way to a soggy mess, and the tomato relish on the side kicked the tasting experience up a notch in class and flavour.

The fries chips were nothing special, but started out firm and crispy, and didn’t turn into a soggy mess when dunked in ketchup. Average offering here, but no one goes to the pub or orders a burger specifically for the chips.

For a pub burger, The Jigger Inn’s offering stands tall. In terms of quality, it’s right at the intersection of pub and gourmet burger, providing a damn tasty burger at the appropriate size, with great structural qualities at an okay price point. That would be the only criticism here, as at 15 GBP for the burger, it’s not the cheapest one you will find in town, but as they say, you get what you pay for. Overall, as of this reviewing, if you’re looking for a sure-thing burger, this is your best bet in St. Andrews.

The vibe? It’s a golfers pub, so take a guess. Heavy on the older white men, with a lot of Titleist hats, polos, and American accents. Don’t know the difference between a 9 iron and a waffle iron, think an eagle is a bird, or a bunker is something you hide in? Make a few friends and you can find out in a hurry. Or don’t, and you’ll be spared a two-hour retelling of how Jim from Des Moines drove a beauty shot 260 yards down the fairway on 16, when it rolled to a stop just short of the rough, and he broke out the 7 iron, waited for the wind to blow slightly south-east before dropping it just short of the pin, leaving a light-weight tap-in for birdy, only to miss the read on the green, with a vicious side slope causing an over-hit ball to break hard right as the true down slope direction took hold.

Didn’t understand any of those sentences? Luckily you can still enjoy the burger, the beer, and the environment, because it isn’t all golf.

There are a few dark quiet corners that have a great pub feel, the early-evening golfer rush dies down pretty quickly, and in the event you want to watch Federer dismantle Nadal, there are a few TV’s to allow for that. To be honest, it seems like it should be busier, given the proximity to The Old Course, The Old Course Hotel, and the quality of food and drink on offer. Pure speculation here, but potentially being removed from the old downtown makes it a little more niche, and after you’ve walked 18 holes, another 500 meters or so for dinner and drinks is a long way for Jim from Des Moines.

Good For: The Burger. Pints of Guinness. Quiet pub feel. Patio viewing and nice evenings. Getting into the golf action. Talking about how your perfect chip out of the bunker on 10 ended up getting taken by the wind into the rough.

Bad For: Large groups on short notice on busy evenings. Those on a tight budget. Those who hate golf and everything in/around/involving it.

Cost: 19.80 GBP