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

Chat about:
PuG Reviews - Appreciation Thread with sheffield hatter on the Pub Forum

Image posted by Alastair Barter
Submitted on Wednesday, 21^st February 2024
With picture contributions to 1836 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (38 more images)

Only members may add pictures, click to receive free membership

Detail Pages

Pub map
Pub reviews (14)
Pub pictures (39)
Page updates

The Kings Head, Carlisle

Fisher Street
Carlisle
CA3 8RF

Correct details

Served areas

Carlisle Central

Reviews of The Kings Head (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Will Larter left this review about The Kings Head

I couldn't believe I'd never been to the King's Head before, but search my memory banks and my notebooks and there's nary a mention. There I was in the Crown & Thistle in Stanwix with an hour to kill before my train, thinking "what shall I do next?" And so I found myself in the KH with a very good pint of Cumbrian Esthwaite Bitter, a beer that had never really been on my radar, given the ubiquity of the same brewery's Loweswater Gold, but this knocks the Gold for six (NBSS 4). Really good bitter finish, and only £3.80 for a pint after paying £5 for a crap Thwaites Smooth in local CAMRA's Winter Pub of the Season yesterday. (How you can win a CAMRA prize for real ale in winter and not put any on for a Monday in summer is beyond me. But I digress.)

The Kings Head is one of those oddities: an old pub with an established history that feels the need to put in fake old beams, joists and doors and paint them sloppily. Just stop it.

Service was brilliant, but the smell of the unseasoned wood in the bench seats was causing an allergic reaction. So, a mixed bag: I think a 6 is reasonable.

On 29^th August 2025 - rating: 6
[User has posted 4437 recommendations about 4075 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Quinno _ left this review about The Kings Head

Carlisle's main town centre is deathly quiet during the week but there's some life here after Tuesday. Located in the narrow pedestrianised area and the building looks tidy. Relatively nice place though the dreaded snot green paint has been glooped over the 70’s style beams and trim. At the far end is a cosy upper level with banquettes. A very nice Cumbrian Esthwaite Bitter (NBSS 3.5) offset by a horrendously pitted glass and the epilepsy inducing flashing of the fruit machine. GBG listed. Almost a classic, and could be with a couple of small changes for the better.

On 16^th February 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 5695 recommendations about 5676 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Brainy Pool left this review about Kings Head

on first approach it looks like an old historic pub and probably is, but inside it’s quite uninspiring with sparse decor and only limited character. But as a pub I quite liked it - friendly staff and local ales on the bar, including a decent Carlisle Porter. Good jukebox and a typical unpretentious town centre pub atmosphere. For Carlisle, it’s good.

On 11^th December 2021 - rating: 7
[User has posted 1174 recommendations about 1136 pubs]

View more reviews of The Kings Head (14)

External web links for The Kings Head

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