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Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Tris39
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Blackthorn _
Submitted on Thursday, 24th April 2014
With picture contributions to 5179 other pubs
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Requested be closed with reason - Other: Closed according to Pints West, Winter 2016/17. Application submitted to turn in to flats.
Detail Pages
The Red Lion, Clifton, Bristol
Clifton
Bristol
BS8 2UE
Served areas
Reviews of The Red Lion (Average Rating: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Red Lion
As Will has mentioned below, this is now back to a proper pub after it’s fairly brief outing as a trendy wine bar. Decor wise it has changed little, if at all, although obviously the deli counter has now gone to be replaced with a few tables and chairs and the hams are no longer hanging in the wine cellar.
A couple of plasma screens were dotted around showing the rugby, and there was a trophy shelf at the rear along with a couple of signed football shirts. The landlord was very hygiene conscious and pounced on tables with a bottle of cleaning solution as soon as anyone had vacated it. This is all very well, but it left the pub with a distinctly unpleasant disinfectant smell – something I recall from a previous visit but hadn’t realised why.
Beers on tap were Doom Bar and Dartmoor IPA whilst the solitary cider was Thatcher’s Gold with Thatcher’s Dry appearing to have run out.
On 14th March 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Red Lion
Thankfully now reverted to a proper pub after a two year "experiment" as a wine bar, the Red Lion now sports two sets of three hand pumps, with Sharps Doom Bar and Coaster plus Hook Norton Lion available when I was here recently. There was a TV showing a rather one-sided boxing match, and there was some very incompetent darts going on, in a game, I was informed, that had been going on for some hours with seemingly no end in prospect. It was quiet for a Saturday night, possibly on account of the rain, but this seemed like a pleasant enough pub to me, albeit with a few remnants or reminders of its recent past in the form of wine racks and the odd picture or two of vineyards on the walls. Worth including in a mini-crawl with the other pubs in this area just off Whiteladies Road.
On 28th October 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Red Lion Wine House
As it’s name suggests, this is very much more of a wine bar now as opposed to your traditional pub, and this is clearly reflected both in the ambience and the drinks selection (or lack of). At one time it was a bit of a cider house, so it would have been nice to see at least one choice of cider available in a nod to it’s past, but alas not. Then again, I can remember when there was a gentleman’s club further up the road (now an apartment block), so clearly the area is moving up market.
The front bar is slightly larger and has whitewashed walls, an old flagstone floor, low ceilings and large windows at the front. There were various old advertising signs on the walls and all the tables had candles in old wine bottles, which created a pleasant ambience. The smaller rear bar seemed a little cosier with it’s black walls, old prints on the walls, a brick fireplace and some old leather sofa’s. There was glass viewing window in to the wine cellar, and this also had a couple of hams hanging from the ceiling.
Food choice appeared to be limited to just a platter of charcuterie and cheeses. These were available to select from a deli style counter in the rear bar, and I believe came with a few hunks of bread and olives. Although I didn’t try it myself, it seemed a little pricy at £11.50 for a choice of three, or £20 for six.
No ales on tap unfortunately, real or otherwise. In fact, nothing on draft at all. There was a barrel on the end of the bar, but this is apparently not in use yet and in any case is destined to hold wine, not beer. A large blackboard listed a good choice of wines, many available by the glass, but these too seemed a little on the steep side with a small 125ml glass costing £3 - £4. There was a very limited selection of bottles available, on this visit it was just Hop Back Summer Lightning and a Samuel Smith’s organic lager, although the friendly barman did say that they’d had a busy night the night before. A bottle of each cost me £8.50, so I don’t think I’ll be in any rush to return.
On balance, it’s nicely done out, and it is of course nice to see it re-open, but unless you’re after a glass of wine and a plate of charcuterie, and don’t mind what you pay for it, I’d suggest that there are other far more appropriate places nearby.
On 28th November 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1947 recommendations about 1860 pubs]
No known official website for this pub.
- Facebook - The Red Lion
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Red Lion - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Beer Garden : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Car Park : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Darts : Yes last updated 28 October 2013 by Will Larter
- Function Room : No last updated 20 August 2015 by Jonathan Wilde
- Jukebox : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Karaoke : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Micropub : No last updated 20 August 2015 by Jonathan Wilde
- Pinball : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Pool Table : No last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Quiz Night : Yes last updated 13 October 2013 by Jonathan Wilde
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 28 October 2013 by Will Larter
- Real Cider : No last updated 28 November 2011 by Will Larter
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 20 August 2015 by Jonathan Wilde
- WiFi : Yes last updated 20 August 2015 by Jonathan Wilde
