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Beer of the Week (w/e 15th June 2025) with Mobyduck
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Detail Pages
Arcade Street Tavern, Ipswich
Ipswich
IP1 1EX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
Ipswich's take on the craft beer bar, this is a two-room pub reminiscent of a larger micropub with some first-floor overspill seating. The pub is located next to the large archway into the eponymous arcade, and you enter into a parquet floored front bar with two-thirds height wall panels, plain uppers, large shop style windows to the front and right and a compact servery to the left. The bar has a tongue and groove panelled counter with extensive shelving across the bar back and a TV screen in the centre listing all the draught beer options. Pew and chair seating stands under the windows to the right, with a few mirrors and other such decorative bits around the walls. A door to the rear leads you on into a back room with high stool seating in a slightly darker space thanks to the limited natural light on this side of the building. The arcade is to the right of the pub and offers some sheltered al fresco drinking space if you're happy to stand under the impressive arch. The first-floor overspill room is a compact space with good seating options and muted lighting, but it’s rather removed from the lively atmosphere downstairs and was relatively empty as a result.
They had two cask ales alongside the far more extensive craft keg range - Kelham Island Easy Rider and Lacons Encore (£5.30 a pint). The Encore was in fine shape and the cask seemed to be selling at a roughly proportionate rate to the keg range, which included brews from the likes of Deya, Brew York and Thornbridge as well as a couple of house brews. The staff seemed friendly and industrious, keeping things ticking over nicely in the face of extremely high pre-match demand ahead of Ipswich Town’s home fixture that afternoon.
I really liked this place, from the striking appearance of the arch on approach, to the comfortable interior, solid beer range and friendly service – it ticked a lot of important boxes. In a town blessed with a number of fine, traditional ale houses, it’s good to have a different option to add some variety to the local scene, and I felt this place filled such a gap nicely and is a must-do for fans of craft keg beer.
Date of visit - 8th December 2024
On 28th March 2025
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3361 recommendations about 3361 pubs]
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
The Arcade Street Tavern feels like a fairly small place on initial inspection. Arriving immediately after a football match early on a Saturday evening, it seemed like an achievement just getting up the step and into the door, such were the crowds who had descended on the pub. The whole front room was packed to capacity, with the vast majority waiting to be served.
In fairness, there were enough bar staff on duty and they had the entire queue cleared very quickly. Just a couple of real ales are served. On this visit, these were Bishop Nick Heresy & Shortt's The Cure. Keg beers included Adnams Blackshore Stout & Ease Up IPA, Pipeline Forgotten Dreams & Burnt Mill Pintle.
We retreated outside and ended up standing outside the front door. So, I didn't get to see the rear rooms in the pub. The arcade itself stretches for some way back alongside the pub and that's where most of the crowd of customers had dispersed to. There were a few tables and also some kind of food stall to feed the masses.
This pub is probably best visited at quieter times, but I saw enough to see why it is listed in the Good Beer Guide.
On 22nd October 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3111 recommendations about 3109 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
A nice place with an almost Georgian feel outside with its powder puff sky blue paint job. Modern (if characterful) interior which feels a bit like a converted wine bar at times. Three rooms inside, one behind another. Neutral greys and natural wood decor. Two cask on; my Earl Soham Brandeston Gold was a bit over-vented (NBSS 2.5). Of more interest was a comprehensive Belgian, German and American beer list. So we came back later and did a beer from the 1001 Beers To Try Before You Die book, a 2014 bottle of AleSmith Decadence, which was a huge boozy figgy bomb and set us back 25 quid, though we had the satisfaction of the landlord making a point of serving us personally on hearing the order and fetching the bottle direct from the cellar and chatting to us for a few minutes afterwards (he said he was ‘sorry to see it go’ but was pleased it was drunk by a pair of beer professionals! A more upmarket atmosphere in the evening and I must say I enjoyed our second visit much more than the first. I’d recommend this one as the final pub you do in Ipswich, and enjoy a nightcap beer.
Visited early August.
On 12th September 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5589 recommendations about 5570 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
Turns out to be quite an interesting place with the main bar and subsidiary Tasting Room separated by a small central seating area. There is also some additional bench seating outside, partially under cover of the archway at the end of the street. Although more of a craft keg / gin type of place, they had two Bishop Nick ales on handpump - Respect (£3.80) and Divine - and a beer festival was advertised.
On 28th October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8733 recommendations about 8733 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
Small micro pub style with curved bar. Gets busy & beer choice is a bit limited
On 1st October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1556 recommendations about 1533 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about Arcade Street Tavern
Fair array of keg but couldn't get close enough to see what was on hand-pump. The keg was tasty enough but too cold. The bar is on your left as you enter and there is a decent sized room towards the rear which was playing some good music and not too loud.
On 13th November 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]