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Beer of the Week (w/e 14th June 2026) with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Canalhouse, Nottingham
Nottingham
NG1 7EH
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Canalhouse
I would suggest that anyone suffering from Coulrophobia avoid the cluster of pubs at this canal location. Every trendy clown in the East Midlands seemed to have converged on these pubs and their surrounds.
I had initially gone in the Fellows pub next door which was also rammed but had a dull beer selection so I left without ordering anything. This place looked like some sort of warehouse conversion and actually has a part of the canal within it. Surely having a stinking old canal in a pub is some sort of health hazard?
It was too busy to get a note of the beers but I spotted a Boss Brave which I had tried in a Cardiff Spoons a month earlier. I thought the one I tried in Cardiff was just as good if not better. It cost me £3.60 in here including 20p CAMRA discount whereas it was £2.50 in the Cardiff Spoons.
Despite being GBG listed I didn't take to this place, I thought it wws trendy, uncomfortable and expensive. I doubt that I would return.
On 9th July 2015
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about Canalhouse
Large canal-side pub with part of the canal inside for the mooring of boats with a bridge taking you over from the entrance.A very good selection of Castle Rock beers which were in very good condition.
On 19th June 2013
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Canalhouse
There are plenty of reviews detailing this unique pub below so I'll confine myself to saying that I have never been in a pub within which was moored a narrowboat until now.
The building is magnificent but I'm not convinced that the sofas in the bar make the best use of space or that showing Doctor Who with subtitles on the large screen early on Saturday evening adds to the atmosphere.
Beers on: Castle Rock Harvest Pale, Sheriffs Tipple, Yellow Archangel and Preservation, Flipside Dusty Penny and Purbeck Solar Power. Everything we tried was at best so-so but I'm sure that the location, building and food attracts plenty of custom without having to keep tip top ale. And it is a very good place to enjoy the canal views on a nice day with a beer.
I'd treat it in the same way as Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, nip in for one and a look around then head off elsewhere for a decent pint.
On 17th April 2013
- rating: 6
[User has posted 694 recommendations about 693 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
A B left this review about Canalhouse
Definitely a top 10 Nottingham pub. great venue, great beer (both real ale and foreign bottles) and good food - I recommend the pizzas. its got a nice outdoors area by the canalside for when the sun is out. Had a brilliant pint of Moorhouse Black Cat Mild here.
Good place for a session with the mates or also to take a girl on a date.
On 8th January 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 27 recommendations about 26 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Canalhouse
Can safely say this is the first time I have visited a pub that has had a working boat in the middle of it.
But it works very well as a pub and is good to see a fine Victorian building continue life in this guise.
As other reviewers have mentioned the large internal space has been well utilised, allowing plenty of space for dining and a large area for vertical drinking by the long central serving bar. And a very pleasant outside tabled area by the canal that I would imagine is a great spot on better weather days than the one we had.
Six Castle Rock beers available during our visit and the Screech Owl IPA was well kept. Only slight negative was that the barmaids gave the impression of suffering for their profession, but overall well worth a visit and highly recommended.
On 17th November 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2351 recommendations about 2197 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Canalhouse
If you're on a Nottingham crawl, you can't miss this one out, as there is a lot to see inside. Quite surprised how big the place is with plenty of room for diners and drinkers alike. Went for the Castle Rock Screech Owl, a good IPA. Castle Rock Elsie Bo was on the turn though and was not pleasant, just like one of the bar staff on the day, but will give it another chance. Will return.
On 15th November 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3747 recommendations about 3747 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Canalhouse
Enjoyed our visit to this converted canal museum, and it felt strange walking across a bridge over the canal inside the building. The Castle Rock Harvest Pale and their Preservation ale went down very well. Friendly staff had no problem taking members of our party up to the gents on the second floor in a lift so that was a plus point, but I would imagine it to be difficult if the pub is crowded. Food menu looked good and the outside seating area will be popular in the summer.
Above was written on 18.11 10. Revisited on Friday and tried their Castle Rock William "Bendigo" Thompson which was very good. Still worthy of a visit on a crawl of Nottingham.
On 14th November 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Canalhouse
A somewhat austere looking detached former Victorian canal-side warehouse in brick with rounded windows. There is a large covered patio area where the old wharf equipment is a feature. I believe it was a former canal museum.
The interior has two stories, with the main bar being approach via a bridge over a loading bay complete with two canal barges, which makes for a pretty unique feature. The main bar room is in the cold, exposed brick of the warehouse, with wood floor, and a wood ceiling supported by black painted iron columns. There is a mix of stools, tables and chairs, as well as a couple of sofas in case you need to feel at home. Further seating and the bogs are upstairs. The ceiling has a collection of beer mats, which slightly brightens a rather uninspiring room. They do food here, but we had must the deadline for serving, so can't comment on that. There was a large screen TV which wasn't on at my visit and the music was general and at a decent level. The service was functional, and the clientele a small mixed crowd for a Sunday afternoon.
Beer; usual tap stuff with Castle Rock Harvest Pale Ale, Preservation, Elsie Mo a decent Black Gold, as well as Batemans Spring Goddess and Blue Minkey's 99 Red Baboons.
A great feature in the boats, a good beer choice and an excellent MILD - again, the review was written in May and i re-visited the other day - with the Clayton's next door, you would be hard pushed not to do it.
On 12th November 2011
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3141 recommendations about 3136 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Canal House Bar & Restaurant
Famously quirky canalside ex-warehouse with its retained unloading dock and narrow boats. The main bar is a large open room, with a bit more seating available on the entrance side of the bridge. Apart from the heritage features, the main attraction is probably the Castle Rock brewery beers on offer. However, only four of the six handpumps were in operation - Harvest Pale, Preservation, Screech Owl and Elsie Mo (£3.00). Food-wise, the menu isn't extensive but I enjoyed the meal I had. Would definitely visit again.
On 24th September 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 9165 recommendations about 9165 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Canal House Bar & Restaurant
There are already a number of excellent reviews below,I would only add that the unloading dock in the bowels of the building is thankfully preserved and is a real feature.On my Saturday night visit ,the two banks of three handpumps were serving 5 from Castle Rock ,namely Harvest Pale,Elsie Mo,Preservation Bitter,Hemlock Bitter and Screech Owl while Bath Ales Gem was the sole guest.No problem with beer quality and given the warm evening we headed out to the large cobbled canalside terrace which is awash with bench seating and is a great location to watch boating traffic and the antics of the many revellers visiting the canalside bars and clubs for the younger drinkers.Fair comment from others about the steep 2 floor climb to the gents,quite a challenge if well oiled.
Much better than I thought it was going to be given the neon pubsign and doormen at the entrance,I would pop in again for the decent ale and that bit of canal porn.
On 1st August 2011
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3178 recommendations about 3178 pubs]