The Castle Tavern is a historic four-storey stone pub sitting directly opposite Inverness Castle, in a building dating back to around the mid-1700s. The ground-floor bar serves real ales and malt whiskies, and there is an upstairs restaurant serving traditional Scottish food with views over the castle and the River Ness. Outside there is a terraced beer garden looking down over the city. The building is Category C listed and dogs are welcome in the bar area. It hosts regular live acoustic music from local artists alongside its weekly open mic.
Castle Street · Every Friday · Free
The Castle Tavern Open Mic
Inverness's weekly Friday open mic at The Castle Tavern, IV2 4SA.
Open mic at a glance The Castle Tavern · Inverness
Friday
Open mic night
Sept 2026
Listed since
23 Sept
Last verified
Free
Entry
—
Sign-up time
Verified
Listing status
Run a Inverness open mic? List it free — verified within 48 hours
Last updated: 23 September 2026
The Castle Tavern Open Mic — Quick Facts
Inverness's weekly Friday open mic at The Castle Tavern, IV2 4SA.
✓ Verified activeLast verified
The Details
Everything you need before you turn up
DayFriday
Start–
Sign-up walk-in
Slot length–
EntryFree · all ages
Capacity–
Performer typesMusicians
Sound engineerBYO / hire on the night
View on map
Where
The Castle Tavern1-2 View Place
Castle Street
Inverness IV2 4SA
Castle Street, Inverness — check venue website for parking and nearest station.
Highlights
Free entry for all
Walk-in sign-up
Musicians welcome
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
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About The Castle Tavern
About This Open Mic
Every Friday in Castle Street, Inverness
Start time — we’re on it, no info yet
Free entry for performers and audience
Slot length — we’re on it, no info yet
Gear & backline — we’re on it, no info yet
Part of the Inverness open mic directory
The Night
The Castle Tavern runs a weekly open mic every Friday in its bar opposite Inverness Castle. The night is hosted by a regular compere with other local players covering when he is away. Published start times have varied between an afternoon and an early evening slot, so check the pub's Facebook page for the current time before turning up. It is an acoustic, informal night in a small traditional bar.
What's on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA + monitors
Drum kit
Guitar amp
Bass amp
Keys / keyboard
Vocal mics
In-house engineer
The Night at a Glance
How The Castle Tavern’s Friday night runs.
Every Friday Free entry
Find The Castle Tavern
1-2 View Place, Castle Street, Inverness IV2 4SA
Planning Your Friday Night
Arrive early to sign up for a slot. Entry is free and the open mic typically runs until late. Bring your own gear.
Part of the Inverness live music scene.
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Try the Rate CalculatorCommon Questions
Seven things people ask before turning up at Inverness's The Castle Tavern open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only, opens at . Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Inverness open mic nights for alternatives.
BYO PA, mics and instruments.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
Yes — free entry for performers and audience. Most Inverness mics are free; browse the list.
Solo and duo acts work best given the gear available; ask the host before bringing a full band.
1-2 View Place, Castle Street, Inverness IV2 4SA.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Inverness regulars across the Inverness open mic scene. Inverness open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
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