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Lord Nelson, Ipswich

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user reviews of the Lord Nelson, Ipswich

please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.

Historic building on a busy main road close to the waterfront and city centre. Dark oak beams and subdued lights. 5 beers, Gravity fed, all Adnams.
Nice selection of bar meals and tables for the restaurant feeling. Food was good, beer was well kept. Worth a visit.
TonyMitch - 19 Sep 2018 19:11
Just Adnams beer, but in very good nick. Looks like new owners. Nice pub inside
Wilson_MacDonald - 27 Aug 2017 17:07
Could see it from my room at Premier Inn.When I visited it seemed more like a restaurant,but it still has some of the pub features.Nice staff and Adnams bitter straight from the cask,most acceptable.Visited 3 times over a three day stay in Ipswich.Relaxing place.Shall give a 7 score as not much beer choice,only Adnams and no mild.

oldandmild - 9 Jun 2015 04:05
Quiet of a Monday afternoon, as might be expected, but welcoming chatty staff nevertheless. Decent range of Adnams served by gravity. Both the Southwold and the Fat Sprat (an early contender for beer of the summer) were in fine fettle. Good honest modern town pub in a historic exterior.
richythemole - 25 Jul 2014 04:19
Been here couple of times prior to going to football. Found it perfectly acceptable. Think there were 4 Adnam's being served direct from the barrel. Ghost Ship was very good. Ate here once and had no problem. Only slight negative I can find is sometimes tricky to get to the bar to get served. Like the long wooden tables
johnwarkstache - 6 Jan 2014 12:48
Booked meal at Lord Nelson 3rd August 2013. Very disappointed with the quality of the food. Pork Loin tough, lasagne barely hot, gravy for lamb hock like jelly. When we asked if we could order a couple of additional starters when told bluntly No too busy - pub at the time half empty.

Four members of our party waited a good ten minutes after the rest of the party were served with the main course. Waiting staff did not enquire if everything was in order or if we required anything. Also despite several members of the party leaving a good part of their meals waiting staff never asked if there was a problem. Choice of deserts very limited so we didn't bother.

Not the worst pub meal we have ever had but very close to it. Would not recommend to anyone
Inca999 - 4 Aug 2013 22:08
Pleasant and unpretentious Adnams pub, Bitter was good enough though couldn't taste difference through being served by gravity.
mtaylor40 - 9 Jul 2013 00:53
back one year on from lat visit, still as good as it was.
loveleedshatebates - 28 Aug 2011 12:26
Great place, nearly didn't stop as couln't see the hand pulls but my mate quickly pointed the massive kegs behind the bar! Beer excellent, don't be fooled by the outside, its very modern and clean inside but a good modern.
loveleedshatebates - 3 Oct 2010 10:53
Has a very Adnams feel to the pub - traditional feel with wooden floors, chunky wooden furniture. Tends to have 3-4 Adnams beers on offer and are usually well kept. Also serves good food. Has a walled in beer garden out the back.
Rod_Hariga - 5 Jul 2008 21:16
I guess this is Adnams flag ship pub in Ipswich. In fact I presume this is in Adnams opinion their perfect model pub. It is a pub that only stocks Adnams brewed ale. Bottles of Wine seem just as prominent in the bar area as beer. Pictures and artwork from a local artist featuring Southwold images and a fishing theme were displayed just above the bar area and were available to buy. All the tables are solid and large and are suitable for eating at. Quite a selection of food is available daily to order. A blackboard you can see from the bar area displays all the food choices available. Beams are all around the pub and some look more original than others. Apparently the pub dates back to 1653 and was extensively renovated in 1996.

Four beers were available straight from the cask. Not from the wooden barrels that have the pump clips on but from the standard metal casks just behind. Adnams 'Bitter','May Day','Oyster' and 'Regatta' were available yesterday. I was quite pleased to see that Oyster Stout was available for �2.00 a pint. Isn't this only supposed to be available in February and March?. I was going to have a second but only a half, I soon changed my mind back to a pint when advised that it would be �1.40.

Why no guest beers? All Adnams pubs have these available to order.

It's still quite a nice pub but more for couples and diners. I don't imagine it is a regulars or community pub. The music was quite loud and did not seem to fit the image of the pub.
Love_good_ale - 3 May 2008 17:00
A lovely old fashioned pub with a superb welcome and a great feel, between the Town centre and the docks - sorry, marina :-)
Beer kept as well as anywhere. Be you a regular or a newcomer you are looked after superbly.
Believe the food is good too.
Recommended highly
macca56 - 19 Jan 2008 20:52
First pub of the day & slight panic as no handpumps were evident, but 5 barrels on stillage behind the bar came to the rescue. Four were on offer from the wood (& they were wooden, but possibly fascias) � Adnams Bitter, Broadside, Old, & Explorer. Low beamed pub with three open sections winding around the bar, open fire in central bar area. Solid rustic tables most of which carried cruet sets, so presumably popular for food. Commercial radio blaring from the kitchen � ok tunes but didn�t need an excited on-air winner of �120 and 5mins of ads.
trainman - 18 Jan 2008 11:32
Nice pub! Cracker is you like an Adnams pint with 4 casks ales to choose from on our last visit and all were spot on! Everyone was tucking into what looked like decent fare around us, I took a peek at the menu and plenty to choose from but not much for a veggie.!! Plenty of history to review re: The Lord himself on the walls and beams/posts if your partner darts off for an extended toilet break�

Staff were friendly, ceilings are low (obviously due to the size of the people of the age!) and its location just off the new developments at the docks makes it a great location�.

Jammahn - 28 Oct 2007 14:09
I think the prominent wooden casks might mask the fact that the beer is actually dispensed from standard metal casks beneath them?! But either way this hardly matters, for ale direct from any cask is a wondrous thing, and not always to be found in many boozers. I should say that the Nelson's ales were all in top condition on my recent 2 visits; a sound range of 4 Adnams offerings.
Friendly staff, especially the landlord who struck me as something of a character, and it is populated by a convivial bunch of mostly well-heeled townsfolk. Lots of couples enjoying what looked to be decent food. Conversation is also buoyant, with a pleasant hubbub going on, except perhaps for quiz time, which was taken very seriously and silently!
A cracking little local and worth popping in if you're on your way towards the Marina area. It was a shame that in my recent sojourn to Ipswich this was the only Good Beer Guide-listed pub I had a chance to try!
TWG - 30 Jan 2007 17:22
Good beers and excellent food.
Very friendly service. Really nice pub!
Den143 - 9 Dec 2006 20:44
Excellent Adnams and great food. Well worth a visit.
melbrooks - 5 Sep 2006 22:00
This 17th century pub has been sympathetically brought up to date and like so many these days has a big emphasis on food. Seemingly the whole Adnams range is unusually dispensed from the cellar via wood casks stillaged at the bar back. The attractive interior plus a nice, secluded rear patio complete a pleasant place in which to drink.
Alerover - 23 Aug 2006 15:40
Best pub in Ipswich I would say. Real feel of a good old fashioned pub. Adnams is well kept and stocked in casks behind the bar and managed excellently by Landlord Don. I go every week before football where food service is quick, good and very reasonable.
gooding - 26 Sep 2005 17:08
Great pub, beer straight from the cask behind the bar. Good food by the look of it too.
Paul666 - 23 May 2005 20:54

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