Not already a member?
Join our community and - Rate & review pubs - Upload pictures - Add events JOIN for free NOW

Chat about:
Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Saturday, 20^th July 2024
With picture contributions to 5437 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (19 more images)

Only members may add pictures, click to receive free membership

Detail Pages

Pub map
Pub reviews (5)
Pub pictures (20)
Page updates

Blakes, Dover

52 Castle Street
Dover
CT16 1PJ

Phone: 01304202194

Correct details

Served areas

Dover Town

Reviews of Blakes (Average Rating: 7 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Quinno _ left this review about Blakes

Not a GBG pick for 2024 but has plenty of positive reviews so thought I'd check it out and I’m glad I did. It’s a cellar bar which is accessed down some stairs from the porchway of Blakes restaurant. Dimly lit and atmospheric when you make landfall - exposed stone and brick with a bit of varnished wood panelling. Classic ephemera of old pump clips strung up and foreign currency nailed onto the beams; could have done without the tacky Home Bargains style signs though. 70s-esque fake black beams and Artex on the ceiling give you a pretty good clue as to when the place was last refurbished. More modern is the surprisingly contemporary rear garden area. One old fella behind the bar not taking any bantz from the American tourists and their English guide and he didn’t say much to me either. Three pumps with two ales on, Adnams Ghostship and Wantsum Bitter with the third taken up by a local cider. My Wantsum was in good shape (NBSS 3.5). This one really is a Dover must-visit.

On 14^th August 2024 - rating: 8
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

E TA left this review about Blakes

An easy to miss cellar bar under a restaurant and B&B in a Georgian terrace, Blakes has a well-deserved reputation for quality ales and is a GBG regular. There are flagstone floors throughout, and there are stairs at the back leading up to the garden. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, a couple of the locals were hostile but I put that down to in-breeding. The atmosphere was calm overall, and the tv screen was switched off. Six ales on, 3 from gravity fed casks, this time I had a pint of Cottage Brewing's MGA which was a truly excellent pint. Well worth finding and an essential part of a town crawl.

On 28^th July 2013 - rating: 9
[User has posted 3516 recommendations about 3480 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Manky Badger left this review about Blakes

Visited yesterday, In the past I’ve encountered a very conceited attitude from the bar staff and the locals. There was none of that on this visit: in fact the bar staff were very helpful. I've put the rating up to 7/10. Had I visited for the first time yesterday it would have got 9/10, but I'm afraid the history counts against it.

On 6^th February 2011 - rating: 7
[User has posted 155 recommendations about 154 pubs]

View more reviews of Blakes (5)

External web links for Blakes

Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.