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Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 2nd August 2026) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Dolphin Hotel, Plymouth
Plymouth
PL1 2LS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
The Dolphin felt a bit more rough around the edges than other places on the Barbican. Flooring is slate tiles with a chequerboard skirt around the bar. Walls and the bar are painted blue. World Cup buntings were up with a TV above a fireplace presumably showing World Cup games. There are a few black and white pictures of Plymouth in the section to the right of the entrance with paintings from a local artist on the left-hand wall. A large dolphin can be found hanging from the ceiling behind the bar. Music was playing for my visit and there was at least one games machine. Further seating can be found to the front of the pub on the pavement.
The pub features in the Good Beer Guide but the range seemed to be a bit pedestrian when I arrived - Proper Job, Tribute, Doom Bar, Atlantic, Jail Ale & Bass. Ciders were Thatcher's Stan's Big Apple & Cheddar Valley. Whilst there are handpulls on the bar, I'm not sure they are in active use. Having seen the Jail Ale in many pubs throughout the day, I decided to have one, as I'd not tried it for several years. The barmaid fetched it from the cellar and it was in perfect condition, making it my favourite beer of the day.
Rough and ready it may be, but this was probably my favourite pub in Plymouth. Although, I still have many more to get to!
On 26th June 2026
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3569 recommendations about 3567 pubs]
E TA left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
Easily the best bet among Plymouth’s harbourside pubs, the Dolphin is well described by others, below. We were very pleasantly surprised by the welcome, the convivial atmosphere and the helpful young bar staff. Ales on were Jail Ale, Tribute, Landlord, Atlantic, Proper Job and Doombar. The non-cask ale drinkers could choose from John Smith’s, Amstel, Fosters, Thatcher’s Gold and Haze, Guinness and Bass. Definitely worth a visit or inclusion in a crawl, and I’ll be back next time I’m passing through.
On 19th September 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3816 recommendations about 3774 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
Classic basic alehouse. Less rammed on this visit (though still very busy) so I got a better feel for it. Opened-out a little but retains bags of character. Blue and white colours, coal fire, leaded front windows. Bulges in the ceiling betray a problem with water ingress. Six cask (five local) and two ciders. I only had eyes for the stillaged Bass which was exemplary (NBSS 4.5) - I now realised I missed it last time as there's no PoS pump but a jumbo sign behind the bar instead. Detractions are the piped music (pub doesn't need it) and a large screen showing nothing in particular. It's a quality pub though and probably the best in the ‘Muff. GBG’23 listed, as standard. 8.5
December 2016
Basic but popular drinkers pub with slate flooring, whitewashed walls, Octagon Brewery stained glass windows, ale direct from the cask, bar blockers, disgusting slush green ceiling and faintly chaotic service. Knocked-about inside but retains a harbourside character. Ales on were all regional staples – 2x St Austell (Tribute and a good drop of Proper Job), 2x Sharps (Doom Bar and Atlantic), Dartmoor Jail Ale and Skinners Betty Stogs – no sign of the Bass mentioned copiously elsewhere. The busiest pub we did on Saturday night, with a mixed clientele and a raucous atmosphere. Whilst the ale choice wasn’t much to get excited about, it’s certainly one of Plymouth’s more distinguished watering holes. Rated 7.5
On 21st June 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6249 recommendations about 6228 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
The Dolphin has a U shaped bar on the right hand wall with an area out of sight behind where the gravity fed cask is stored. Sharp’s Doom Bar and Atlantic, Dartmoor’s Jail Ale, St Austell’s Tribute and Proper Job, Timothy Taylor’s Landlord and two Thatcher’s ciders from their Stan’s range were the cask options during a recent Tuesday afternoon visit. A standard and premium keg range was also available.
The frontage with the leaded windows is inviting, but the interior is pretty basic, although it very much feels like a coastal pub. The seating is found around the walls and there is plenty of standing room in the centre, so no doubt this place gets busy at weekends. I’m sure that I’d use this pub if I lived locally.
On 22nd August 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6782 recommendations about 6744 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Mapp left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
Great place for people watching and real ale - although most was gravity fed - which is not my preferred.
Draught Bass and Dartmoor Jail Ale were two on offer and in good nick.
Perfect place to sit outside on a summers evening.
Visit blogged at http://bit.ly/2MsN5nm
On 8th August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1883 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Dolphin Hotel
Small building wedged between others overlooking the marina but looking a bit worn. Its very basic inside, with a flag/tiles floor, ill fitting furniture and little comfort, but with very good quality beer, deserving an extra mark
On 11th October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1616 recommendations about 1593 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about Dolphin Hotel
Called into this 2013 Good Beer Guide pub while in Plymouth for the beer festival. It is an old pub with character and well situated in the popular Barbican area. We had the well kept St Austell Tribute.
On 29th July 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Blue left this review about Dolphin Hotel
A real drinkers' pub in the heart of the Barbican, full of local characters and very friendly with it. Basic, unspoiled interior. For many years renowned for an excellent pint of Bass straight from the barrel behind the bar, it now also has Tribute behind the bar, and Summer Lightning, Doombar and Abbott hand pumps. The hand pumps aren't connected to anything, so if you order one of these the staff will go round the back and get it out of the barrel for you. Undoubtedly one of the best pubs in Plymouth.
On 11th May 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 271 recommendations about 270 pubs]