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The Raven, Bath
Bath
BA1 1HE
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Raven
Really not the quality I was expecting – there’s now a horrid knock-through into a rather grim looking room and it all felt very messy. I’m hoping this isn’t the finished article. Half a dozen cask on over two bars. My Branscombe Branoc was barrel end (NBSS 1.5) whilst the Raven Gold (brewed by Blindmans) was fine (3). I’ll leave it unrated for benefit of the doubt. GBG’22 listed.
Feb 2011
Located over two floors with a bar on each (with both actually staffed) the Raven was renamed and refitted a few years back. Six ales are usually on the go. On my last visit the Saltaire Triple Choc was in sublime condition as was the Otter Amber though the Castle Rock was a bit odd. The two Raven house beers are brewed by Blindmans. Two ciders (Orchard Pig and Gwent-y-Ddraig) also available. The downstairs layout is a bit awkward and the bar a bit sparse – bare boards etc. I much prefer the plusher upstairs, which holds nice views from the windows as well as a selection of daily papers. This has long been a haunt of Pieminster Pies, which in here I find rather expensive relative to what you get. Perhaps I have been spoilt elsewhere? A good place and it should be on the crawl itinerary. Rated 8
On 12th November 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Raven
Proper pubby feel is this GBG 2022 entry.
3 chalk board with Cask, keg and ciders detailed. Handy, as getting a full view of the bar is a slightly tricky.
I went for a cask 3D brewery, because you are worth it and it was in fine condition.
Ikea style "pubby furniture" in a crowded downstairs bar. I seem to remember being upstairs on a previous visit.
Pick of the most central pubs for me.
On 12th October 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1338 recommendations about 1324 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Raven
As described below, this 18th Century town boozer is a GBG regular and is one of the better places in Bath to get a decent pint. There was a good mixed crowd in when we visited, and that made for a convivial atmosphere. Ales on were Twisted Oak’s Sheriff Fatman, Java Joe from 3D Beer, Glastonbury’s Voodoo, Eternal Spring from Quantock and two house beers, Raven Ale and Raven Gold. Ciders were Equinox from Weston, Sheppey’s, Stan’s and West Country Gold. Food was good quality pub grub and Pieminister pies. It seems to have improved since earlier reviews, and I’ll certainly be coming back.
On 14th June 2022
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3285 recommendations about 3250 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Raven
A good tradition corner boozer, Six beers on Blindmans Raven and Raven Gold,Two Cocks Cavalier,GT Thirst Of Many,Fine Tuned Red Rhapsody and Burton Ale. I tend to agree with Bucking Fastards earlier summary, nice pub but B list beer.
On 17th March 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Raven
A traditional pub with a narrow downstairs room and bar running along the back wall. The pub was quite busy on our visit, so we didn't venture to the upstairs room. Seven ales on handpump, so we went for the Flying Pig Brewery Birdman and their own ale Raven Gold, both were in excellent shape. The pub also offers an extensive range of pies and mash and a menu can be seen chalked up on a large blackboard near the bar. A lot of ale drinkers on our visit, which was a good sign.
On 23rd October 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Raven
This Georgian building has a pleasing traditional feel to the ground floor bar ,well described by Blackthorn.I ventured upstairs where there is a charming restaurant with a double aspect from windows on two walls and it's own bar,serving a subset of whats available downstairs.It was proving very popular on my Saturday evening visit.
I came here on the strength of its GBG listing and the ale offering on my trip was Raven's Gold & Bitter (low strength,both brewed by Blindmans),Yeovil Summerset,Hook Norton Right Hook and Keystone VPA,a very boring heavy brown beer.There was a lot of cider on ,but for an ale drinker it felt like an unexciting range,so we sloped off after a pint,having enjoyed the interior rather more than the beer.
On 10th July 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Raven
A pleasant pub tucked slightly away down a small side street, but only a stone’s throw from Bath’s premier shopping street, it’s well worth checking out and has won the local Camra branch’s Pub of the Year on a few occasions.
It consists of a single, long and narrow bar downstairs with wooden pews around the perimeter and I believe there is also further seating available upstairs. It had a traditional and cosy ambience with rough wooden boards on the floor and a mixture of salmon and cream paintwork on the walls, whilst the wood panelling on the lower part of the walls had been painted a pale blue. There was some exposed stone walling at the rear of the pub which looks as though it may perhaps at one time have been an old fire-place and a doorway. There was also an old bookcase and a number of unusual wooden etchings on the walls. A large chalkboard menu listed a selection of Pie Minister pies as well as a few lighter snacks.
Beers on this occasion were Raven and Raven’s Gold (brewed for them by Blindmans), Slaters Autumn Red, Durdle Door and Hop Project Simcoe. A board on the wall also listed Dorset Silver, although I did not spot this on the bar, and another board listed a further three that were “coming soon”. Ciders were also well represented with Moles West Country Gold, Sheppy’s and Dorset Orchards First Press. All in all, a great little pub and well worth seeking out.
On 18th September 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Raven
There were seven ales on in here, including a couple of house beers (Raven (£3.80) and Raven Gold (£3.70)), which I think are brewed by Blindman Brewery. A list of bottled beers from around the world was above the bar counter. Oversize lined glasses are used, so a full pint is guaranteed, and the Guv’nor made the point that he preferred to err on the side of generosity, which is a very rare (but welcome) attitude to say the least. The speciality of the house as far as food is concerned seems to be the selection of pies, at £9.20 a throw, which looked pretty good although not sampled by yours truly. Other food is also available of course.
There are no tall tables/tall stools here, with just traditional metal-framed Britannia tables, upholstered settles and small stools as the furnishings. On the walls are some unusual yet attractive cartoons drawn or painted on wood panels, and at the back is a Bath stone fireplace – now disused with a settle in front of it. I saw another room upstairs advertised, but didn’t investigate it. But the best thing (perhaps after the superb ale selection) for me about this pub is that it was quiet – no music was being played and I didn’t see a TV (if there was one somewhere it wasn’t on). There were the sounds of people talking though, which I think is what pubs should be about.This is an excellent pub and well worth a visit if in Bath. It’s a GBG regular, and I’m not surprised that it’s been the local CAMRA branch’s pub of the year. Highly recommended.
On 30th July 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Raven
Small back street pub, long room downstairs with the bar along the side. Not much to it & the beer was average.
On 30th June 2013
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1456 recommendations about 1434 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Raven
This multuiple award winning free house (including the 2010 CAMRA City Pub of the Year) is centrally located for all the pleasures of Bath and should be high on the list for all beer tourists.
The pub is split into two single rooms on two floors, the downstairs bar being quite simple with a basic approach, bare floors, high back settles and built in bookcases. The upstairs “Supper Room” had a bit more of a relaxed feel but not in a trendy lounge kind of way.
Unusually, both floors have their own full bar offering 6 ales and a cider (the same ales were available in both bars however the hand pulled cider was different). The 2 house beers (Raven and Raven’s Gold) are actually rebadged ales from the Blindman’s brewery in nearby Frome. The fact that it is a Good Beer Guide regular entry should be enough to endorse the consistant quality. Food wise, their pies come highly recommended by a trusted source although I didn’t really get a chance to try one and it should be pointed out that these are full meal pies and not just a quick snack as reflected in the prices.
There are no TV’s, music or fruit machines and a quite civilized ambience with a fairly mixed customer base. On the whole, this is one of Bath’s pubs that would be very difficult to leave out of any beer related visit to the city.
On 10th March 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]