Golden Guinea, Bristolback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
My companies head office is in Bristol and when I need to go to head office, they book me into the Mercure Holland House Hotel on Redcliffe Hill. I hate hotel bars for many reasons (price, soulless etc) and always try to find somewhere else for a pint.
With the Golden Guinea I struck gold (pardon the pun). It is about 100yds away from the hotel and is what I call a proper boozer. I drink cider and if you don't want the standard Addlestones (which is good)fare, they stock at least one barrel-on-the-bar special for the likes of me and you to try and a regular strong cider called Blackbeard. With its strength somewhere in the 8 point somethings, it is wise toonly have one or two.
I have also eaten at this pub and although the menu is not extensive, they do serve wholesome food at very reasonable prices. But I have saved the best for last - live proper music!!!
The last time I was there, an ensemble of musicians came in to the pub and played traditional English folk music on a variety of instruments - I was blown away. This was a Tuesday night and the music was awesome. The musicians came in, bought a pint, settled down and made exquisite music - there were only a few other punters there but it became obvious that the musicians were playing purely for the love of playing. I was transfixed for a couple of hours and got to know a few of the players (being a musician myself). All in all, a wonderful night.
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Nice pint of Plain Ales "Innocence" was sunk here last week,quite a lively student type venue at weekends.Only downer was the rather large head on the pint... 6/10
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Good drop of beer to be had in this often-overlooked pub. Quite groovy, younger vibe, friendly.
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Never Been to this pub before.
Only 2 of the three beers were on, one was something pretty standard the other was wickwar cotswold ,the name escapes me ,as has been said before a tad expensive at �3.10 , that said the quality was very good.
The pub also sells a local cider which I shall try on my next visit.
Food also i have to say was pretty good.
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Nice little backstreet local spoilt only by the thumping music, which is often way too loud. usually has intersting beers, though not always well kept.
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Sorry, still not saved up enough for a round, especially now that's it's over �3.00 a pint here. Easier option is to pop into the Little Grosvenor by Asda. Still a �2.00 pint of Bass there!
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Called in here yesterday evening with the lads from work as a starting point for our "night out" before Christmas and ended up staying until gone 11pm. We managed to drink all the excellent Doom Bar so ended up on the Addleston's Cloudy Cider to finish off. The only other real ale on was Bath Ales Christmas brew which was a bit too heavy.
The place appears to be a magnet for the younger student element at the moment, or at least it was last night. I must be getting old, cos' I'm starting to feel the cold and the numpties that were here last night kept going in and out the patio door and leaving it open. OK in the summer, but not on a cold sub-zero night.
Downstairs in the "Lounge" was a "Hip-Hop" DJ with a pair of SL1200's pumping out some indeterminable thump-thump music. Not my sort of thing, but the student types liked it.
I think my only criticism on the Guinea itself are the prices. Doom Bar at �2.90 is a bit pricey in my book as is the St. Austell Tribute. Guinness is �3.10.
I'll be back when I've saved up to by a round!
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One day I'm going to be the first to review a pub that has re-opened, but yet again I have missed out on this one!
As the previous poster said, it's a great improvment, now with striped wooden flooring and finished in gastro-pub brown paint. Quite an unusal choice of lagers being served, all European but not ones I had come across before, eg; Grolcsh Blond. Beers were fairly standard Doom Bar nd Tribute, Ciders were Addlesones and "Black Beard". No idea where this comes from, but the friendly bar staff volunteered a generous sample on hearing us discussing it (it's 8%, and not unlike the Exhibition from the Coranation Tap).
A couple of outside patio areas on two different levels, one accesable from the ground floor and another from the downstairs bar. Well worth checking out.
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Right next to Bristol General Hospital, the Guinea is one of those Bristol pubs that are easy to miss if you don't know it's there. Re-opened Monday 2nd November after three weeks of refurbishment. New decor is a bit dark, but it's a 100% improvement on the state the place was in before.
I had a couple of pints of St. Austell Tribute @ �2.90. Other various lagers here as well, including Wheat beers and a Czech lager on draught. No food at the moment, but that will be addressed in the near future.
On their promo cards is says "Bristol's Best Backstreet Boozer"
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Closed 12/10/2009 and the builders have moved in. Not clear what it's to become, but looks like some form of licensed premises, hopefully a Pub?
Whoever takes this place on should eventually reap the rewards, as the Bristol General Hospital has been sold and will no doubt be re-developed, more than likely into apartments?
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Previous comments a bit out date , no real ale , i like good old tatty pubs , but feel this one could now due with a bit of tlc
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Used to be purely serviceable.
I hear that 'Hidden' will be taking this over.
Is that true?
Any dates?
Am particularly curious as this pub is technically my local (actually the Ostrich is), but I've preferred the Shakespeare until now.
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Quite a "local" but very friendly welcome was appreciated and a nice pint of guest ale was even better appreciated. 7/10
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