The Phoenix, Southsea

Hidden down a side street just a short distance from the busy Albert Road, the Phoenix is a quality two bar side street pub. The public bar to the front of the building, is the slightly more restrained of the two, with bare floorboards and some good sturdy banquette seating around the perimeter. There is a darts area at one end and loads of pump clips around the servery and ceiling. An incredible number of photos line the walls, many relating to Portsmouth FC, whilst the darts area has its fair share of trophies. The rear lounge bar is smaller and felt a bit more cluttered but somehow more homely as well. A table top arcade machine was the first thing I spotted as I entered, beyond which there was a sofa and a couple of tables with standard chairs. An upright piano on the rear wall suggests that the occasional sing-a-long might occur and there were a number of traditional pub games scattered around, perhaps exiled from the games room which is housed in an outbuilding previously used by a small brewery. The main draw of this rear room has to be the enormous collection of framed and signed photos from various celebrities, all of whom have played the nearby Kings Theatre at some point. Numerous signed panto posters are on display as well as an old sign from the theatre itself. Other points of interest include the heavy drapes on the windows, an ancient telephone on the end of the bar and an enormous England flag on the ceiling. Outside there is a quirky little garden with picnic bench seating and some shelters for the smokers. There are loads of hanging baskets, making it a colourful summertime spot and the look is enhanced by lanterns, junk sculptures, old road signs and other bric-a-brac. Music was playing quietly throughout my visit, but as with any pub worth its salt, this was drowned out by the general hubbub of Saturday evening chatter. There were just the two ales on the bar – Exmoor Ale and Oakleaf Nuptuale. The latter set me back a very reasonable £3.30 for a pint and was in fantastic condition – with beer this good, there really is no need for a long row of handpulls. I was tempted to return for a second pint, but sadly had to press on. The bar staff were very friendly and welcoming and seemed to have a very efficient and professional approach to their work. This was the pick of the nine pubs I visited on my recent visit to the area and it stands up there as one of the best that Portsmouth/Southsea has to offer. I loved the various collections of memorabilia and thought the garden was somewhere I could quite happily settle down for a long afternoon. A marvellous pub with great beer and high on my list for a return visit.

An old fashioned Victorian backstreet boozer,one of the very few in this area that has retained its two original bars. It also has a cobbled yard at the side which a fine selection of planters and wooden tables. The small rectangular saloon bar also has a 1970s Space Invaders machine in table form, while the larger L-shaped public bar has a dartboard and gaming machines. Copies of old GBGs are dotted around for perusal. Both bars are carpeted and have various photos of actors – some famous – who have played at the nearby Kings Theatre on the walls. Staff were a bit grumpy, while the locals appear to be a decent, normal bunch. Three ales on draught – Ringwood Mauler and Fortyniner, and Black Lion, plus a boxed cider. All were in very good condition. Well worth including in a crawl.

This is a cracking little back street gem of a pub just off the main Albert Rd through Southsea, inside, two rooms are split between the bar, the front room is boarded and has a dartboard with a stack of trophies above on a shelf, some Portsmouth FC memorabilia and of note, a real vintage wooden bar football table suspended from the soffit of the staircase passing through. A TV had the football scores running through, muted. The beer pumps are in this room, to the side, three in all, Tetley Cask, Directors and Itchen Valley Pure Gold. Through to the rear, carpeted room, more seating in here all of the regular type, loads of stuff around to look at. The walls are covered with framed photos of various celebrities that have appeared in the nearby Kings Theatre, many are autographed, There is a wall mounted wooden telephone with the separate mouthpiece and earpiece, an old post box of the type that was built into a wall, a 1980s vintage sit down video game, shelves of jugs, pewter tankards, steins, panto flyers, a shelf of GBGs going back years, even a mini walnut faced piano on the end wall. It doesn't end here, beyond to the rear is a walled patio garden which has pub signs from presumed long gone places, beyond again is an outbuilding which forms a games room, pool and darts in here, the walls are covered in pictures of old Portsmouth and Southsea as well as old metal advertisements. The pub is dog friendly with water bowls provided, a couple were in, and allows well behaved children until 8pm. As well as the beer there is an extensive range of whiskies, all listed on a board. Disabled access via the garden and rear bar, step free. I have visited a good number of superb pubs on my travels over the years, this one is right up there with the best, unfortunately only having three ales on it won't get my best score but judged purely as a pub it is simply fantastic. A 9, but really about 8.6.