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Pub Of The Month - August 2025 with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
Lower Red Lion, St Albans Central, St. Albans
St. Albans
AL3 4RX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Graham Coombs left this review about Lower Red Lion
Excellent old pub in a quiet area with a gently historical feel, with traditional furnishings and bits of old partitions or walls. The handpump all face the room to the left - we went in the right hand side but the barmaid obligingly laid out the pump clips for us. There were 4 changing ales and a couple of ciders, plus a wall of a dozen keg taps with an interesting selection. I went for the Tring Fanny Ebbs as this had run out at a previous pub; good condition but I won't bother again. The pub definitely warrants a revisit though.
On 3rd August 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3774 recommendations about 3707 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Lower Red Lion
Old fashioned but pleasant pus hidden down the hill from the town. Good Beer Guide entry and did have a selection of beers. Child free and with an outside space, though this is within the car park but big enough to be separate.
On 18th September 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1567 recommendations about 1544 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Lower Red Lion
The Lower red Lion is a nice looking pub that is situated on the very nice looking Fishpool Street.
Once inside there are two separate rooms,the room to the right is square shaped and carpeted,there is comfy bench seating and normal tables and chairs,the right side of the room is up one step.
The room to the left is also square shaped and carpeted and has bench seating and chairs.
There were four real ales on the bar,i had a drink of 3 Brothers Blonde,which went down well,the other real ales were Dark Fox Bitter,Tring Gazelle and Vale Brill Gold.
I had a good chat with the friendly young couple who were behind the bar on my Saturday dinner visit,they also gave me directions to the Ye Olde Fighting Cocks.
I thought this was a very pleasant and comfortable pub to have a drink in.
Pub visited 24/6/2017
On 10th September 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Lower Red Lion
Another classic pub in St Albans. How spoilt they are!
Two rooms and I always seem to pick the one where the action isn't.
Tonight, I missed out on joining the Hertfordshire Whisky Tasting society!
Made do with an excellent Paradigm Win Win.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2tMDBNJ
On 6th July 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 277 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Lower Red Lion
Just a short walk in the opposite direction to the town centre from St Albans Cathedral, this is a smart and friendly two bar pub with a good ale policy. The entrance porch offers doors to each bar on either side. The right hand door takes you into the Albans Bar – a smart Public Bar with a simple bar counter to the left and a good mix of seating in a spacious open area opposite. Walls have been painted in fairly neutral colours, enlivened a little by some sparse decor including old pictures, a few mirrors and a series of dark wood struts which act as an effective form of semi-partitioning from the far right part of the room. A unique feature has to be the pub dog wall, which comprises a section of wall next to the bar covered in photographs of various dogs that have seemingly visited the pub down the years. A few old boys were sat at the bar here, enjoying some noisy banter with customers spread around the rest of the room. The quieter Verulamium Bar to the left, accessed by a passage behind the servery, is carpeted and has exposed brick and stone walls with a few more of those drab wall panels to the rear. There is a large inglenook fireplace on the back wall with a nice little stove inside and a Newcastle Brown Ale mirror to one side. Elsewhere, decor is limited to some small photos on the end wall, whilst there is a boxy dark wood servery to the right. Music played quietly in the background and the locals all seemed like a friendly bunch.
On the bar I noted XT 6 and one other beer from the same brewery, Watling Street Pale, Three Brewers of St Albans Classic English Ale and Tring Side Pocket for a Toad. A very friendly and welcoming barmaid served up a pint of the XT6 which was in great shape and I really savoured it whilst reading my paper in the quieter left hand bar.
This is a quality local’s pub with a lively public bar and peaceful saloon which should appeal to a decent range of customers. It’s far enough in the wrong direction to avoid the tourist masses, but still close enough to town to add to a crawl or seek out in its own right. I enjoyed this one and would be happy to settle down over a pint or two in here again.
On 24th April 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3375 recommendations about 3375 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Lower Red Lion
Fishpool street is one of St Albans most attractive streets and the 17th Century Lower Red Lion sits comfortably within it with its welcoming white washed exterior. Inside the original two roomed interior either side of the central serving area remains and both rooms have a different feel and character to them.
The pub has had a focus on real ale for many years and I sampled very well kept Dark Star Hop Head from the available beers. Can continue to recommend this one for a visit when in St Albans.
On 23rd August 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2279 recommendations about 2135 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Lower Red Lion
A very traditional pub located in a picture-postcard street linking the modern city to the site of Roman Verulamium. Retains a two-bar layout with a compact central servery, with further seating outdoor in the rear beer garden. A total of six handpumps are divided between the two bar counters, with cask offerings including Pale+Four and Kotuku from Tring and a local scrumpy. Well worth a visit.
On 23rd August 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8858 recommendations about 8858 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Lower Red Lion
A revisit found this place almost the same as the 2009 review - including being almost empty again! Genteel atmosphere with no background muzak, TV or bleeps but plenty of old photos of the pub on the walls. Six ales over the two bars; XT15, Haresfoot Sundial (very good nick), 2x Tring, Dark Star Hophead. Millwhites cider also on. I do like this place but it really is an odd little enigma (maybe best visited after 7pm??). 7.5
July 2009
The pub is a traditional two-room affair served by a central bar with characterful dark varnished panelling, exposed brick walls etc. Six ales (Doombar, Cotleigh, Harveys Best, Oakham JHB, Querus and Springhead) plus a real cider in very good condition. Sadly, we were the only punters in there - bad news for a Sunday lunchtime! Where was everyone? The place was like a morgue. The basics are all there - clearly something has gone awry at some point in the recent past as in almost any other town there'd be plenty of customers on a Sunday afternoon. Most of the other pubs visited in St Albans that day had at least 20+ punters at any one time. If you like your beer, it's well-worth the visit but you may need to bring to your own atmosphere. Rated 6
On 1st August 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5677 recommendations about 5658 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Lower Red Lion
A very nice pub this one , traditionally set out with two separate bars. My Pale+ Four from Tring Brewery was in great shape and most enjoyable.No problems returning here again.
On 28th July 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2215 recommendations about 2181 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Lower Red Lion
A good traditional pub this one, where I enjoyed two very well kept ales, which were XT15 and Berkhamsted Brewery Sundial Golden Ale. The pub had a welcoming and friendly atmosphere and you could spend some time in here.
On 26th July 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3716 recommendations about 3716 pubs]