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The Old Arcade, Cardiff
Cardiff
CF10 1BG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Old Arcade
Back in the GBG so thought I might as well have a look despite my sign-off back in 2015. It’d reached 5pm on a Saturday by the time I arrived and this place had turned into a full-on boyo pub to the extent that I was driven outside by the racket – best visited at a quieter time. The interior is not without charm however and it is * CAMRA NI listed. My Brains Dark had long ran its course (NBSS 2) and I decided to dump half of it and head off for the greener pastures.
October 2014
Another Brains outlet (there are so many in the area). This one has an unremarkable interior (bar the nice servery), reminiscent perhaps of an older JDW. Full Brains range plus one of their craft offerings. My Brains Dark was in fair condition but tasted tinny. Kudos to the barman who found us with a delayed drink order in a busy pub. Not one I’d make an effort to re-do, really. Rated 6
On 5th December 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Ian Mapp left this review about The Old Arcade
Head and shoulders above any of the other Good Beer Guide 2025 ticks I visited today.
Very busy on a Monday Lunchtime. Maybe the £2.70 Brains SA Promotion (very good condition), where the landlord talked me out of a half as it was more or less the same price for a pint.
Interesting rugby memorabilia and entertainment provided by a rumbustious landlord who was genuinely entertaining.
On 29th October 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1563 recommendations about 1543 pubs]
David Walton left this review about The Old Arcade
I haven’t been here for years, generally preferring the really decent Head of Steam next door. In fact I had almost forgot it was still here. Still here it most definitely is. Layout wise, well described below. I think it is a decent venue, although the tables are v close together and would mean the place was claustrophobic when there were a lot of punters in - not something I have to contend with this evening.
As noted v much a Brains pub, 6 hand pumps operational dispensing 5 of their ales. I went for the one that was doubled up as I had never tried before, the Dark. I really enjoyed it. Others were SA, SA Gold, the standard bitter and the Reverend James. They also had their keg version of the Standard bitter and their own lager called Bayside. Other keg choices included Barry Island IPA, another Brains quaff, and the now seemingly ever present on the venues I go to, Cruzcampo!
I’m not a great Brains beer fan, but I think the venue itself is more pleasant than the Head of Stem next door. Especially on a spring evening where the balcony doors here are thrown open to let in the South Wales gloom! Lush.
On 16th May 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Old Arcade
This place is something of a Cardiff institution that I've been to more than once before but not for well over thirty years. It's a shrine to Welsh Rugby and I wouldn't care to visit it when there was Rugby or any other event on at the nearby stadium. The wide two bar layout has been well described below and I stuck to the front bar which had a fair crowd in.
The six hand pumps had one unused, Brains Dark, Bitter, SA, SA Gold & Rev James. I went for the Dark (£2.70) which was first class.
It's well worth a look especially now there is competition next to it.
On 3rd December 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Old Arcade
Decent old Brain's pub, retaining two bars - both very traditional, with the front one having slightly lighter decor and open windows above the pavement tables having a wider clientele than the back bar being fuller of rugby memorabilia and older blokes. Behind this, there is also a small designated patio smoking area. The six handpumps in each bar are entirely devoted to the brewery's own beers, from which selection I went for the 'house' Festival Ale (£3.45).
On 30th July 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Old Arcade
This city centre pub, dating back to the 1840’s, retains a pleasant two bar layout, despite some fairly extensive modifications over the years. Entering into the L shaped front bar, you find yourself in a bare boarded room with some decent high wooden panelling around the walls. A mix of standard chairs and high tables with stools, provide plenty of seating options around the room’s perimeter and the front wall has a series of folding doors which open out to a small roped off seating area on the pedestrianised street. The pub has a strong sports theme, with the flags of the six nations on the ceiling between a number of rugby jerseys, whilst several screens were showing horse racing and no doubt cover most major sporting spectacles. The room retains a few interesting inter-war features such as the bar counter and a smart fireplace. Two doorways lead into the smaller rear bar, where the Victorian servery is the undoubted highlight, especially the mirrored bar back. The room seems set up more for vertical drinking, as there was just the one row of high tables and stools and a couple of standard tables on the rear wall. Some nicely framed rugby shirts continue the sporting theme and menus were laid out detailing the chef’s homemade pies among other such pub classics. A door leads out to the rear, partially covered patio, although it’s not the most appealing space and you would do well to bag a table out the front instead.
Five Brains beers occupied the hand pumps on both bars – Bitter, SA, SA Gold, Dark and Rev James. I opted for a pint of the Dark which was a wallet friendly £2.50 and in pretty good nick. The bar staff were efficient if not exactly very friendly or welcoming.
This is one of Cardiff’s few remaining Heritage pubs, but don’t expect it to match up to the Golden Cross or the now departed Vulcan. It’s a decent enough pub with a few nice features, especially in the rear bar, but it didn’t have enough to make it truly memorable and if you’re after Brains’ beers, you’re better off at the nearby Goat Major.
On 24th June 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Bonser left this review about Old Arcade Hotel
Located in a narrow, pedestrianised side street off the High Street is The Old Arcade, a pub which proclaims itself as being “renowned as one of the most famous rugby pubs in the world”. We learn that the pub was built in 1844 as The Birdcage Inn, although externally, it has something of that typical City Centre “yoof” bar look to it.
Inside, there’s two Adjoining, but distinctly different bars. The front bar has a relatively traditional feel and, on the basis of my visit, is evidently a popular lunchtime venue for meals, with fish and chips proving exceptionally popular. Of particular note in this area is “Sloggers Corner” – a small area of the pub dedicated to a now deceased rugby player who played for Penarth against the Barbarians in 1963 and whose local The Old Arcade was.
The back bar has a more modern feel with a polished wood floor and plenty of framed rugby shirts and Welsh flags on display on the ceiling, walls and above the bar.
The usual range of 5 Brains beers was on. The Bitter - £ 2.40p – was in good condition.
This is yet another centrally situated Brains pub that is in the CAMRA 2011 Good Beer Guide, but I didn’t particularly take to this one.
On 22nd November 2010
- rating: 6
[User has posted 560 recommendations about 560 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Old Arcade Hotel
Fairly large 2 bar pub off the main street. does the full range of brains beers with S A Gold being in good form
On 2nd October 2007
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Old Arcade
The Old Arcade is a decent looking pub that is situated on a narrow pedestrianised street.
Once inside i went in the front room which was quite nice,the floor was bare boarded and the seating was normal tables and chairs.
The pub is a Brains tied house,there were three real ales on the bar,i had a drink of Brains bitter which was a decent drink,the other beers were Brains Dark and Brains SA.
The pub had a nice laid back atmosphere on my early Saturday dinner visit,i quite enjoyed my time in here.
Pub visited 28/5/2005
On 28th May 2005
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]