Harbour House, Bristol

Official site of Harbour House - hhbristol.com

Official site of Harbour House - hhbristol.com

A long established restaurant/bar just off Queen Square, I’m a bit surprised it hasn’t been added to the site previously. That said, although I’ve eaten in here on a few occasions, I don’t recall just popping in for a drink previously, so perhaps most people view it more as a restaurant. There is though a dedicated bar area which takes up roughly one third of the pub which is segregated from the remainder by some open shelving which serves as a backdrop to the bar counter. I seem to recall hearing when it first opened that the bar counter floated on a cushion of air and so could easily be moved as requirements dictated, but from memory it’s always been in pretty much the same position. Other than the divider between the bar and restaurant, it’s all one open plan room internally with a high, arched ceiling and supporting iron and timberwork clearly showing it’s origins as a shed (actually a river police station I believe), although overall it has quite a contemporary feel rather than anything more traditional. The flooring is some type of concrete screed, although it has chippings mixed in with it making it slightly more attractive than would otherwise be the case. Much of the walling is clad with wooden planks which gives something of a nautical feel, and in addition to this there were a few other bits such as an oar affixed to the wall and thick ropes hanging from the ceiling. Seating is a mixture of high tables and chairs and some low level sofa’s, whist the small outside terrace overlooking the river is a pleasant spot in the warmer weather. A quick glance at the menu showed a good selection of dishes including several pizzas, with most of the main courses being somewhere around the £12 mark. Unfortunately there were no ales on tap, real or otherwise, with the only draught offerings being a couple of premium lagers and the splendid Orchard Pig Reveller cider. I did though notice that they had bottles of Bath Ales Gem in the ‘fridge. Prices seemed expensive though with two pints coming in at £9.90. Service at the bar was a little slow, with the solitary barman spending some time making cocktails for the previous customer before he could serve us, although he was at least friendly and apologetic.