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The Cross Keys, Chester
Chester
CH1 1RP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about The Cross Keys
A strange boiled cabbage smell hit me when I entered the pub, which seemed difficult to explain when I realised the pub was not serving food! That aside, it was smaller than it looked from the outside but very traditional feeling with dark wood and stained glass leaded windows, a shelf full of old bits and pieces at ceiling height, all creating that 'proper pub' vibe. At the bar, six hand pulls, all Joules ales - Chocolate Corker, Shrophsire Hop, Beer Club Brew No 2, Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk and Pure Blonde. The Chocolate Corker stout was pleasant enough. Been after trying this place for years, finally done it, nice to have experienced it and it was my first time (as far as I recall) sampling a Joules ale - so a few boxes ticked there.
On 16th March 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Cross Keys
Proper pub on the corner of Lower Bridge St and Duke St, a single room split into separate areas by floor level and furniture. Six pumps, four with Joules and two with varieties of Old Rosie, the pale is a classic bitter very much in the mould of Bass and was spot on. Everything in the pub structure is wood or glass or metal or leather apart from the bloody cushions! The windows are leaded and stained commissioned by the Brewery in 2011 when they bought the pub. Wood panelling, mirrors and a shelf of pubby nic-nac’s dominate the decor. There is piped music and a small tv to spoil the ambiance but otherwise an outstanding pub with class beer— disclaimer I like Joules beers. Upstairs is a space called “The Slaughtered Lamb” available for hire.
On 14th August 2021
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3269 recommendations about 2978 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Cross Keys
Owned by Joules, this is a pub man's pub. The interior has plenty of inserted/contrived Victoriana - lots of leaded windows, varnished wood panelling, frosted mirrors and some well-placed knick-knacks. Sadly the mute and subtitled sports TV was off-putting and dented the otherwise pleasant atmosphere. A friendly barman presided over six ale pumps, five from Joules and a guest of Slumbering Monk. Sadly the ale quality was poor – the Winter Warmer had hit spring (NBSS 2), Pale was a pale shadow of what it should be (NBSS 2.5) and the Slumbering Monk had definitely been slumbering in the pipes for a while (NBSS 2.5). I’d be prepared to give this place another go as I really like the pub itself and Joules pubs are usually pretty reliable, but they need to get a grip on the cellar of this one. Could and should have been a 9.
On 1st March 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Cross Keys
a first class ale house in a really lovely area of the city. the groups of rowdy lads that seem to take over Chester on a weekend were nowhere to be seen here, thank god. Joules Ales plus guests, I had a spot on Moon Madness. hearty food was being served. excellent pub.
On 1st December 2018
- rating: 10
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Oggwyn Great left this review about The Cross Keys
Pub is as described below , very busy on my Thursday Evening visit as they were setting up for a very popular Quiz Night .
6 handpulls on the bar with 4 from Joules plus Neptune Black Moor and a very good Redemption Rock the Kazbek served by the friendly chatty bar staff .
Locals were a decent bunch , will visit again when in Chester just not on Quiz night .
On 6th May 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 797 recommendations about 683 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Cross Keys
This is a Chester pub that I had been to before, roughly forty years ago when I think it was a Greenall Whitley house with multiple rooms. The original CAMRA Cheshire guide to real ale shows it as a Boddington's outlet and says it's a "modernised old pub". There is no date for this guide but I would guess it's around 1980.
It's now a Joules pub and I found it totally unrecognisable. It's a split level single room with solid wooden floors and Joules stained glass windows, etched mirrors and enamel adverts all designed to look old but all almost certainly new.
The bar has five hand pumps which had the three regular Joules ales plus guests of Mallinsons Mosaic and a beer from North Riding.
I went for the Mosaic (£3.60) which was in good nick.
Despite everything I though this was a good pub.
On 10th March 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Cross Keys
Since it became a Joules run place it has gone from good to very good. Lovely inside and I'm sure Mr Bonsor has described it very well. In my opinion better than the ones nearby except the Brewery Tap.
On 1st April 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Cross Keys
My first visit to this 2015 Good Beer Guide entry pub and it is impressive inside with the glass panels down one wall. Friendly bar staff, and a choice of 4 beers from Joules plus Castle Rock Hedgedog. I enjoyed the Joules Calcutta 1757. There is a room upstairs they hire out with a different "pub" name but I have forgotten what it is.
On 9th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about The Cross Keys
Now rebadged as a Joules Tap House. The decor is still great inside with some fine stained glass, but all the elephants have gone. 3 beers available on the bar, 2 from Joules and a changing guest. The Joules Blonde was a good pint. It's a nice quiet place to sit and talk.
08/02/2012
Good looking wood panelling all around this comfortable little pub, it's almost like a 3 level lounge. There's lots of elephants around the place as well. Very comfortable seating and a nice atmosphere early on a Saturday evening. I think that was going to change later on though as there was karaoke advertised. 3 real ales on the handpumps with nothing memorable on any of them, however the pint I had was well kept. It's a decent place to while away 30 minutes whilst waiting for your reservation time at Hickory's just around the corner as we were doing.
On 18th April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about The Cross Keys
In Lower Bridge Street, just inside the city walls, is The Cross Keys, which is branded as a J P Joules Tap House – a first for me.
It’s a large, brick built, street corner building, with, notably, no Tudor style black and white exterior. Outside, a sandwich board greets us with the sign “real ales, warm welcome, no football”. Another rather sterner sounding sign tells us “no stag or hen parties. Tops to be worn at all times”. On a rather gusty and fresh September evening, I certainly had no difficulty in keeping my top on.
Inside is what I would describe as a pleasant, if rather contrived, ale house feel. There’s much shiny, un original looking, dark wood panelling, pine flooring, mirrors, circular tables and bar stools and comfortable banquettes. The wood panelling bears various inscriptions and slogans advertising the Joules products – thus, for instance, we learn that “pure mineral water drawn through sandstone gives Joules its sparkle” and also that Joules ales are “draught ales, never bottled”. Further inscriptions describe the brewing process and a list of 20 odd Joules Tap Houses is provided – in places such as Lichfield, Leek, Nantwich, Shrewsbury and Wem for instance.
Some leaded coloured windows depict the other Joules houses. On a high shelf round the wall are some old, dusty books, stuffed fish, copper kettles etc. On the way to the toilets are some framed posters from the original Joules Brewery based in Stone and which ceased brewing in 1974. Somebody will no doubt correct me if I’m wrong, but I think they fell victim to Bass Charrington in those dark days of brewery closures.
The pub was advertising “fabulous free bar snacks 5pm every weekday evening till they’re gone” – which they evidently had when I rolled up one late September evening.
3 Joules beers were available – Original Pale Ale, Blonde and Slumbering Monk. Notably, no beers from other breweries were on.
This is a pretty reasonable pub, which, despite the competition nearby, is worth a look in.
On 12th November 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]