Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
New Pub with Lady Grey
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
Pen Factory, Liverpool
Liverpool
L1 9BQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Rob Hunter left this review about Pen Factory
Visited on a Friday back in May. The entrance immediately guides you down some steps into a basement level lobby area; from here you can access the main bar, toilets or beer garden. Into the main bar, six hand pulls await you, at the time of my visit offering five ales and one was clipped for cider, though this was just for advertising as the cider is dispensed from room out the back so was presumably a 'bag in a box' job. Mainly bitters and pales on the cask ale front, with nothing too exciting on offer, which led me to go wild and choose the cider at £2.75 for a half.
It was pretty empty around midday, although there is a beer garden which may have had a handful of people using it. It looked to be a nice little sun trap.
Wi-Fi is advertised. Food is served, and the smell from the semi open kitchen was pleasant. Seating is mainly leather chairs at low tables, with some leather or leather effect bench seating. Long high banqueting style tables with high chairs were present in front of the bar. There is a semi industrial underground feel to the place. Quiz and open mic nights advertised.
The hand dryers in the gents are very effective!
On 7th September 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1003 recommendations about 750 pubs]
Old Boots left this review about Pen Factory
A subterranean bar, go down some steps then through a big iron door into a long basement with the counter on the left almost the full length of the room. This houses six pulls with beers from Kirkstall, Three Acre, Higsons and an Ossett/Amity co-lab, as well as two T-bars with mainly German and UK craft kegs. There’s also a double Guinness fount and a double Erdinger, plus one called Myrrah which I’m unfamiliar with. Iron I girders hold up a girdered ceiling which also has some big air-con pipes. Mostly furnished with long tables with chairs, there’s a couple of long taller tables with stools down the centre. A food servery is at the far end beside more tables with menus and cutlery, most tables were reserved for two “do’s” later in the day. To the right is a pleasant garden.
On 21st June 2026
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 4214 recommendations about 3874 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Pen Factory
The Pen Factory was completely empty during a bank holiday Monday evening visit, which I think also surprised the barman because he asked me if everywhere else was quiet, I lied and said yes. Although this place is usually closed on Sundays and Mondays so maybe they didn’t put the word out enough that they’d be open. Anyway, the rectangular interior is open plan with brown banquettes and chairs along its length with fairy lights wrapped around the exposed HVAC overhead. There’s an open kitchen in the right-hand wall, unfortunately due to it being so empty the fat from the kitchen hit the nostrils. The counter across the right-hand side of the rear wall supports premium keg and six hand pumps that were drawing Kirkstall’s Bitter, Arbor Ales’ Mosaic and Shangri-La, Ossett’s Jet, Rooster Brewing’s Birds of a Feather and Lilley’s Cherries. One interesting feature was a log burner behind some glass in the wall that had the look of a furnace from a distance. It’s hard to judge somewhere when it’s completely empty, but the decent ale choice and friendly service gave me good vibes, so I’d pop back in if passing for a second look.
On 14th May 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6826 recommendations about 6787 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about Pen Factory
I did as BS below.... nearly walked past the subterranean bar. Down a flight of steps and into a room on the left which had all the appeal of a brightly lit school canteen. Rows of bench seating - but three comfy chairs in the far corner. The only place I wanted to sit.
From my Oakham Citra - a justified choice for the GBG. Also Titanic Plum Porter and keg Sierra Nevada could have been picked on a different day.
Nice courtyard, sheltered garden.
So much choice in Liverpool, I wouldnt choose to come back again.
On 5th July 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1911 recommendations about 1872 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Pen Factory
It's very easy to walk past this bar without noticing it, even if you're actually searching for it. Also, be aware that the bar only opens 5 days a week (closed Sunday and Monday), something which has caught us out a few times before.
This is a subterranean bar that still manages to attract lots of natural light and it also has a pleasant courtyard garden to the rear, which we sampled for the first time yesterday.
Whilst it has the feel of a cafe bar, the Pen Factory still has a good selection of real ales and ciders and regularly features in the Good Beer Guide. Titanic Plump Porter is the regular beer. Guests yesterday were Lister's IPA, Beartown Lit, Salopian Shropshire Gold & Kirkstall Pale Ale. The 3 ciders were Farmer Jim's Dry, Thistly Cross Whisky Cask & Seacider White Peach. In addition, craft beers are also represented with The Kernel Table Beer and Beartown Rinse & Repeat.
Staff are friendly and there's a nice, relaxed vibe about the place. If it wasn't so far from the station, with a reasonable hill to negotiate on the way, I think we'd be here much more often. As it is, if you are doing the pubs in the Hope Street area of Liverpool, this one should be close to the top of your list.
On 8th October 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3596 recommendations about 3594 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Pen Factory
Open plan cellar bar specialising in food but also serving good beer. Softy industrial finish with school canteen tables and chairs but does have a certain charm
On 11th February 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1620 recommendations about 1597 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Pen Factory
Finally got to visit this place during an afternoon trip to Liverpool on a Tuesday. Much bigger than it looks from the outside. You go down a few steps to a large refectory style room with refectory style long tables. Loads of bare brick and an industrial look ceiling. 6 handpumps on the bar, all on, one of which was a cider. There's an outside courtyard, but as it was raining this wasn't an option. My pint was in good nick, but I didn't feel at home in here at all.
On 4th September 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3414 recommendations about 3320 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Pen Factory
According to the opening times on their door, this was supposed to be open until 18:30 on a Sunday. Definitely closed at 17:30 and looked like it had been all day.
On 14th February 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3414 recommendations about 3320 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Pen Factory
This pub always has a decent choice of cask ales and are always well kept. The two young barman are extremely passionate about the quality of their beers, which shows. The pub also serves food which is at a very high standard and not overpriced. Six pumps with four on serving Castle Rock In Bloom, Neptune Nelson Sails Again, Listers Best Bitter, Titanic Plum Porter. I enjoyed the Neptune and they were putting another beer on as we were leaving. This pub is close to the Philharmonic, so this is the better choice, unless you're sightseeing.
On 1st March 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3766 recommendations about 3766 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Pen Factory
Difficult to find,down a flight of stairs the large glass door opens into a refectory area to the right with ranks of dining tables and a seating area to the left with large tables and metal chairs a bit like you might find at school.The ceiling is high and the flooring industrial but the long bar does indicate that this is more than an eatery although it doesn't have a traditional pub vibe.
I suppose you could call it a modern and trendy bar.There are 6 handpumps offering on my trip Five Points Pale,Moor Raw,Wild Beer Madagascar Milk Stout,Higsons Porter (NBSS 3.5) ,Mallinsons Mosaic and Amarillo (NBSS 4).That's a very decent line up for Liverpool City Centre with a mix of styles .There are also 4 genuine craft keg beers too.
I would certainly return,it deserves it's GBG listing and IMHO is one of the best ale houses in a City that can sometimes disappoint.
On 9th February 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3252 recommendations about 3252 pubs]