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Reviewing milestone with Bucking Fastard
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Shakespeares, Sheffield
Sheffield
S3 8UB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about Shakespeares
A real old skool pub, the multi-room interior of which is a bit beaten but holds a fair amount of charm with a lot of old heritage features including Wards’ stained glass windows and a hundredweight of breweriana. Seven cask over seven pumps - not quite the home run as I was anticipating, my My Silent Brew Banshee was par (NBSS 3) and Mrs Quinno’s Three Blind Mice keg was flat, either through age or over-venting. Mixed bag. I’ll try it again for sure as I want it to click.
On 4th January 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5964 recommendations about 5943 pubs]
Old Boots left this review about Shakespeares
One of the outstanding pubs in the Kelham Island area and certainly a don’t miss venue. Multi-roomed and eclectic it is adequately described in the previous reviews. On a recent Saturday afternoon visit the only down side was the family friendly nature of the place, plenty of pushchairs cluttering the place up but no screaming from the punters small or adult so it’s a minor point and the quality and range of the beer means it can be forgiven. The apostrophe problem can also be overlooked, it’s sometimes referred to, by Camra and on the pub’s sign as “ale & cider house”.
On 25th November 2025
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3859 recommendations about 3526 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about Shakespeares
I first came here in 1999 when I was working nearby and popped in when on a break. This was after Wards Brewery had closed and there was only keg beer available. It has much improved since then, with a beer offering that is among the most eclectic in Sheffield, and that's saying something. Also eclectic would be the furniture, with normal bench seating in the front bar room, and various repurposed benches, tables and even barrels elsewhere. The garden, more a yard and stable block, is popular, and there's a function room upstairs. The pool table is upstairs too. Sadly, the vintage juke box is defunct - every time it is repaired it breaks down again, so it is now just decorative.
On 23rd October 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 4598 recommendations about 4212 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Shakespeares
The walls of Shakespeares are caked in old beer signs and the most pump clips I think I’ve seen in one place. The central U shaped serving counter faces banquette seating to the front, flagstone floored seating in the left front where a grandfather clock also resides, and a couple of small areas at the rear, one with high tables and the other with sofas. I ended up sitting in a long seating area in the right rear next to a dartboard, an old style jukebox and some portable cask dispensing units. There’s a lot going on in here, including a bit of stained glass that I took the time to note down for some reason. I counted seven hand pumps on the counter, which concurred with a board up on the wall that listed the house cask as Abbeydale’s Deception and the guests as Big Trip Brewery’s Eat Sleep Drink Repeat, Byatt’s Phoenix Gold, Liquid Light Brewing’s Less Dangerous, Blue Bee Brewery’s Hillfoot, Moorhouse’s Witches Cauldron and North Riding Brewery’s Parkin Porter. The service was friendly, the atmosphere was good and I enjoyed my pint.
On 19th November 2024
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6377 recommendations about 6339 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Shakespeares
Excellent alehouse in an old, multi-room Wards pub with a mix of plain furniture and traditional decor. Two regular beers - Abbeydale's Deception and Feckless from RedWillow - plus five interesting guests. In the end I went for Chadkirk's Citra (£4.50) which proved an excellent choice.
On 13th March 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 9017 recommendations about 9017 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Shakespeares
a swift visit but I liked what I saw of this multi roomed ale house. Well-worn, eclectic decor, wide range of craft and cask beers. My half of 11% imperial stout from Beatnikz Republic (part of their final ever batch of beer) went down very nicely. An obvious must-visit if you’re in the vicinity. Number of ales is now up to 6719 btw.
On 13th May 2022
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1180 recommendations about 1141 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Shakespeares
A solid looking pub exterior gives way to a multi roomed interior that can only be described as a pleasure. There was around nine cask ales on during both of my visits here, my choices were Abbeydale Deception and Blue Bee American Five Hop both in very good condition. Brilliant pub.
On 14th September 2021
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2257 recommendations about 2222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Shakespeares
Yes, little can be added to that below, the number of ales sold passed the 5,000 mark in 2017 so God only knows what number they're up to now! A very attractive and commanding exterior gives way to a wonderfully atmospheric interior. There's a minimum midnight licence, extending to 1.00am on Friday and Saturday and live music every night.
Ales: see below, my half of Blackjack's Dead Man's Hand was excellent and was £1.70 a half, slightly above the average price of our 13-hole crawl.
Obviously this is a destination pub for anyone who likes real ale and heritage pubs with interesting interiors, though it's strange that CAMRA doesn't seem to be quite so enamoured.
On 19th July 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2303 recommendations about 2249 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Shakespeares
Another fine Sheffield Georgian pub originally built in 1821 as a coaching inn. A well worn excellent traditional multi roomed interior that has to be explored in full and then a spacious external courtyard garden area for alfresco drinking when the weather permits.
A very good mixed style ale range on offer as detailed by the reviewer below and I do like a good chocolate porter and in this respect the Wilde Child Gimmie S’more was truly gorgeous.
A pub that a real ale drinker can just blend into with ease, this is indeed an outstanding pub and one of the best beer drinking haunts I visited during my two days in the city.
On 16th July 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2317 recommendations about 2167 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Shakespeares
Outstanding pub both for it's interior and for it's ale selection.The internal layout is traditional ,with a front tap room,a corridor winding around to two snugs,one with a most impressive clock and the corridor ending at a darts board area.So many original features,you must spend time wandering about.
9 handpumps were operational on my crawl visit offering Wild Child Gimme S'More,Firebrand Double IPA,Weird Beard Morning Light,Wild Weather False Sense of Security,Abbeydale Deception,Wild Beer Pogo,Stancil Barnsley Bitter,Anthology New England Session Pale and Blackjack Dead Man's Hand (good nick).That's a more than impressive line up,and next time I will spend a session in here,possibly to upgrade to full marks.
A must visit and for my money the best pub in Kelham Island.
On 13th July 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3112 recommendations about 3112 pubs]