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Detail Pages
The Dispensary, Liverpool
Liverpool
L1 2SP
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Rob Hunter left this review about The Dispensary
I have been here once before, but it must have been quite a few years ago. Paid a re-visit on Friday early afternoon. Five of seven hand pulls in active service, with one of the remainder unclipped and the other having a reversed Ossett Butterley. I went for the Titanic Plum Porter at £2.44 for a half, and was in superb condition, being pulled through before being served. A chalk board to the left of the bar lists the ales.
A nice old school traditional pub, conveniently just a five minute stagger from the nearby Roscoe Head. A bare boarded floor surrounds the bar with a few bench seats in the windows. To the left is a carpeted raised area with more comfortable cushioned bench seating to the corner, a fireplace, and small round tables with low stools. The windows have etched glass, with the raised section bearing the words 'Smoke Room', and there is coloured stained glass above.
I was the only customer in shortly after midday. A couple of lads entered shortly after me, but they seemed to be just chatting with the bar staff, although one of them had a pint of tap water before disappearing. A couple of actual paying customers came in around 12:30.
Golf was showing on the TV but muted in favour of music playing at a reasonable volume. There does appear to be an Irish rugby theme with pictures on the walls.
Gents toilets are down a corridor at ground level, ladies are downstairs at basement level. Externally, there is a covered beer garden.
I can't fault the ale selection and my Plum Porter was excellent. I shall be back!
On 21st September 2026
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1036 recommendations about 775 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Dispensary
I seem to have memories of being here once or twice before, but didn't write a review. Hazy memories, so another visit was called for. I find it a little underwhelming, the dark interior not being helped by much in the way of lights on a gloomy January afternoon, and the only member of staff having her head buried in a book and barely engaging with customers. Five hand pumps on the handsome but dark and gloomy bar counter, with Ossett White Rat and two of its relatives from Rat brewery. (Also Titanic Plum Porter and Oakham Citra, which seem to be regulars) I went for Drowned Rat, a 4.3% "pale, hoppy bitter" which tasted bland and underwhelming - possibly even gloomy - to my quite possibly jaundiced palate. Time to find another pub.
On 12th January 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 4937 recommendations about 4518 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Dispensary
Purveyor of Tayto crisps at a pound a packet, as well as cheap pies and sausage or vegan rolls. Also: beer! Ossett and Oakham seem to be preferred with 2 of each, but there's several more handpumps. TV screens are a bit annoying, but the sound was off when I visited.
The Dispensary is well worth stopping at and I'd hope to revisit at some point.
On 14th August 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 691 recommendations about 642 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Dispensary
I visited the Dispensary on the evening of the last bank holiday Monday when it was fairly quiet with a handful of people listening to jazz music in the background, I struggle to listen to jazz without thinking of Tom & Jerry. The first thing I noticed when walking in was a nod to this pub’s past where ‘the Grapes’ is written into the mosaic tiled floor at the entrance. Inside the thin bare boarded bar is seating across the front and up the left opposite the U-shaped serving counter that runs across the rear. Raised seating is found in the left rear and televisions for airing Sky Sports are hung very high up the walls, so with them muted they’re easy to ignore. I counted seven hand pumps on the counter, two were unused and Oakham’s Citra was off which left Ossett’s White Rat, Rat Brewery’s Robin Rat, an offering from Wild Horse Brewing and a very nice pint of Titanic’s Plum Porter. The food stretches to baked goods in a heated cabinet on the back bar, I went for a cheese and onion slice that tasted suspiciously like a Greggs, which I’m fine about because Greggs slices (when they’re hot) are actually banging. The bloke behind the counter was very friendly and I thought this place had a lot of character, so I’d gladly return.
On 14th May 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6829 recommendations about 6790 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Dispensary
A decent corner pub with an equally decent beer range albeit mid-range, I went for the Oakham Citra which was spot on.
On 18th June 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2410 recommendations about 2373 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Dispensary
Well, another fine pub, where I was trapped by a thunderstorm. Unusually stopping for two - a Utopian Extra Pale Ale on Cask. So, only ever having this Devonian brewery in can, I come to Liverpool and find it on cask twice in two pubs. Also tried a Neptune Mosiac. Both in top condition.
Need a further reason to come to this classic old school pub?
Taytos.
On 10th July 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1926 recommendations about 1886 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Dispensary
Formerly a Cains house, the Dispensary is a typical Liverpool city centre boozer that used to be a regular haunt for us a few years back when Dave was in charge. He was a unique character in the city's pub scene, but we managed to get on well with him and always found the beer quality to be superb.
The pub changed hands a few years back, but it seems that the new owners have not tried to change what the pub was renowned for. The beer range is almost as good as before and the character remains, even down to the rather stinky toilets. In fact, it was actually much busier in here than how it used to be, with a much younger crowd. So, the new owners must be doing something right.
Regular beers here are still Oakham Citra, Ossett White Rat & Titanic Plum Porter. Also on for our Saturday evening visit were Titanic First Class & Bowland Hen Harrier. Not quite as many real ales as there used to be, but still very much a good pub.
On 31st October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3622 recommendations about 3620 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Dispensary
the rumour that real ale is no more appears to be bogus, but the pub will be making attempts to market itself to the young students that mostly inhabit this area of town. The usual good ale selection was present today and the new owners are friendly so do give them a visit. Still a fine traditional ale house based on this visit.
On 22nd September 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1183 recommendations about 1143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Dispensary
Enjoyed our visit to this 2019 Good Beer Guide pub. Good beer selection with beers from Titanic, George Wright, Rat, Fernandes and Fyne. We chose Fernandes Black Voodoo which was the best beer we had over the last couple of days. Popular locals pub.
On 21st August 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about The Dispensary
great pub serving great beer and nothing more or less. completely traditional in every way. loved it but suspect it was unusually quiet this afternoon - we were the only ones choosing to sit down whilst 12 or so bar blocking regulars chatted away.
On 23rd May 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1183 recommendations about 1143 pubs]