Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Top 100 with ETA
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Dolphin, Canterbury
Canterbury
CT1 2AA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Dolphin
Attractive alehouse-style pub / restaurant, with main bar counter at the front and several small dining areas further back (and the patio beer garden beyond). Mix of furniture and decoration, but the blend seems to work quite well. Just Hophead available from the three handpumps on this first revisit for nine years, but this place still has a pleasant and convivial atmosphere.
On 1st March 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 9063 recommendations about 9063 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Dolphin
Very quiet here just afternoon on a Saturday, or it would be quiet without the roadworks going on outside. This seems like a pleasant pub, though the beer offering is a little pedestrian: just Landlord when I arrived, but very soon that was taken off (end of barrel perhaps, though mine seemed clear and fine. NBSS 3.5 but over &£6/pint) and replaced by Hophead. The only other beers I saw poured were Guinness. Maybe it'll pick up after the road workers knock off for the day.
On 14th February 2026
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4674 recommendations about 4283 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Dolphin
Much as described below, this is a really good ale house with a warm welcome and a great, convivial atmosphere. It's also convenient for Canterbury West Station so provides a useful break for a rail journey. The ale selection was a bit lacklustre on this occasion, but what was there was well kept and enjoyable - Doombar and Landlord, plus Old Rosie on draft. I'd be very happy to come back and include in a crawl.
On 29th April 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3717 recommendations about 3678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Dolphin
Good Beer Guide 2019 Entry and easily the best of the beer from the four establishments visited on our mini break.
TT Landlord in tip top condition - and topped up from a little half glass after pulling. Nice touch!
Seemed very popular with diners.
Quirky interior - plenty of car related metallic adverts and little Michelin men balanced on the dado rails.
Nice experience.
On 11th March 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1774 recommendations about 1747 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Dolphin
This is a back street pub that from my old Kent guide looks like it may have been a Whitbread house. It seems to be done up like one of those trendy places in Islington or Hackney with bare boards and grey walls. They even had a cliched blues soundtrack playing. The one item of memorabilia that caught my eye was a Meccano model of the Blackpool Tower.
The bar has five hand pumps which had one unused, a cider. Doom Bore, Gadd's Green Hop and Landlord. I went for the Green Hop (£4.25) which was excellent. The price of this locally brewed 4.8% ABV beer was daylight robbery and completely unacceptable in my book.
One of the best things about this pub is that it doesn't appear to have any TV screens but the prices would deter me from coming back.
On 17th October 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Dolphin
Backstreet pub but only a couple of minutes trot from the town centre. Nicely light and airy inside. Some 1970s retro stylings such as an old Walls Ice Cream shop wall mount, Michelin Men, Bertie Bassetts, Fred the Homepride Man, model trucks, model trains. The stylised bird wallpaper caught Mrs Quinno’s eye. Bare boarded bar room, with a couple of carpeted areas to the rear leading to quasi-conservatory and a lovely grassed beer garden which was well-populated on our Tuesday afternoon visit. Other items of note included an upright piano (looks used), tasteful flowers on tables, railwayana, and board game selection (the sign by which amusingly says ‘where board games come to die’). Food is offered and gets good reviews. GBG listed for 2014, though not an overly inspiring choice of TT Landlord and Doom Bar (was a weekday afternoon I suppose), plus two varieties of Westons cider. But of course it’s quality no quantity and I had no complaints about the standard of the Landlord. Would have happily stayed longer if time permitted and I’d be prioritising this one for a revisit. Apparently used to be one of Cantab’s dodgiest pubs so it shows what a bit of effort can achieve.
On 22nd May 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Manky Badger left this review about The Dolphin
Four ales on, and a well kept beer garden. And handy for the station too... (if you know the back streets)
On 22nd October 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 155 recommendations about 154 pubs]