Old Queen's Head, Chester

An interesting and attractive looking medieval building built in 1508. The interior of the pub was quite bland and tacky looking. Once up to the bar, the beer choice became dire. Two handpumps with one in operation serving a Hardy and Hanson's bitter. Quite a lot of people were dining on our visit, which ranged from curry to a full roast diiner, the smell of cooked food was overpowering.

There were three handpumps on the bar, with only one in operation, dispensing GK IPA. Very disappointing. Hot food was available from the usual pubco style glossy menu. Standard pub grub stuff is £7 - £8 or so. This is another Chester pub that looks great from the outside but flatters to deceive, being very ordinary inside. It could be a bogstandard Taylor Walker pub, but without the ale choice or the CAMRA discount. Fruit and games machines abound, and unnecessarily loud pop music was being played. I can’t see much to recommend this pub, although it is right next to the bus stop to catch a bus back to our hotel by the station. The food was good quality for the price though.

It was very busy when I called in here at Saturday lunchtime, the atmosphere being rather fuggy with a mixture of food smells and warm humanity. I made my way to the bar and quickly reversed my steps on finding the solitary real ale on the pair of hand pumps there to be Wychwood Hobgoblin.