Shiraz Palace, Liverpool

as a pub, clearly no, unless you really like having a drink inside ersatz Persian palaces. it’s a restaurant and, apparently, a good one.

This is one of the best bars and places to eat in Liverpool. The atmosphere of the place is great, just like their other (smaller) place on North John Street which I have been to many times. You get a good mix of people here, very down-to-earth and unpretentious. I will definitely suggest this place for my next work's night out or Christmas dinner. The interior of this place is really breathtaking, I have to say, I spoke to the manager and he said the wood and stone decorations he got them made and shipped from his home city....guess where? Shiraz in Persia! (Home of Cyrus the Great!). We sat outside on a lovely sunny afternoon (my wife and I) and drank a bottle of the house wine (only £11) and we had a couple of happy hour cocktails - superb! I am impressed with their wine list and their drink prices in general. The cocktails are great and cheaper than all the hipster cocktail bars in the city. They serve the best full English breakfast in the city (all day, until 4pm). Their specialty though is the magnificent charcoal fired BBQ grill...you can watch your food being cooked on it. Amazing kebabs and mixed grills. The staff are very friendly (just like the small one on North John Street) - I think because the management are nice people, this filters down to the staff and creates a nice, warm atmosphere among the punters. They serve Birra Moretti on draft. The bar is well stocked. The food has that great mediterranean feel (like you're on holiday). There is no Persian-specific dishes on the menu (apart from the kebabs), I asked the manager why - he said for now they are serving food in the more familiar mediterranean/middle-eastern style...then in future they hope to introduce some authentic Persian dishes (which not many people have tried). Fingers crossed because Liverpool really needs a great Persian restaurant serving the old Persian stews and dishes. Anyway...I would heartily recommend this place because it is somewhere different and not at all like the predictable hipster place which are cropping up everywhere which claim to offer authentic street food or something. Shiraz Palace is somewhere real, down-to-earth people go to get a bite to eat and a drink which really hits the spot!

Not sure if I should add this as its more restaurant than bar but as there seems to be a load of these type of things on here then I may as well. Its basically a Persian restaurant on 2 floors though you can just have a drink. Why you would though is another thing. Lots of Persian imagery inside and there is a fancy pavement area out front with fancy carved tables and seats so if you like watching Arriva and Stagecoach buses going past this is for you. No real ale but pretty expensive fizzpops available.