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The Jolly Fisherman, Hastings

Pub added by peter ashworth

3 East Beach Street
Hastings
TN34 3AR

Correct details

Served areas

Hastings Town, Old Town

Reviews of The Jolly Fisherman (Average Rating: 8 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Pub SignMan left this review about The Jolly Fisherman

This cosy seafront micropub occupies an unusual old building, offering a very intimate setting that came with a few space issues during a busy Saturday evening visit. Inside, the pub presents a bare-boarded room with rustic-looking wall panels and an exposed brick fireplace to the right-hand side, whilst the compact servery stands along the rear wall. Seating is limited to pews, benches, and stools arranged down either side, often broken up by partitioning screens that lend a surprisingly private feel not often associated with micropubs. The bar features a short, plain counter with beer boards mounted on the canopy above, and keg taps and cider lists spread across the bar back, along with a few old drawers whose former purpose is left to the imagination. The front windows are stacked with empty bottles, while the walls are decorated with old storefront photographs and fish-themed drawings. A small recess to the rear right houses a few board games. Radiohead provided the background music during my visit. The pub was so busy on arrival that there was initially nowhere to sit or stand, but two blokes who recognised me from a previous pub kindly offered me a seat, close to the pub's Toad in the Hole table.
The beer selection included Kirkstall Bitter and Arbor Mosaic on cask, alongside an impressive range of ten craft keg options sourced from Belgium, the UK, Germany, and Estonia. The barman was friendly and welcoming, and both dogs and children are allowed inside. After my two friends departed, another punter was quick to take advantage of a free seat and we also got chatting, such is the nature of this type of friendly boozer.
This is a top quality micropub which ticks just about every box you'd want from such a venue. I particularly enjoyed the convivial atmosphere on a Saturday night, but thought the beer was great too and the building seems to be a characterful spot that offers something a bit different to your typical shop-converted micro. A really great visit and for me, this was the pick of the pubs that Hastings has to offer.

Date of visit – 21st December 2024

On 28^th April 2025 - rating: 9
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]

paulof horsham left this review about The Jolly Fisherman

Diverging from the East Kent micropub template, The Jolly Fisherman features just 2 cask ales, but 8 keg taps (6 of them in action today) and they are all pretty much indistinguishable on the back wall. A blackboard makes it clear what's what, however. Plenty of wines and ciders too, if that's your preference.

Seating is basic, being the usual micropub fare of wooden pews and stools, with one or two cushioned seats for the lucky few.

While genre purists might be appalled, beer quality can't be faulted, so you'd be a fool to miss out.

On 7^th August 2024 - rating: 8
[User has posted 554 recommendations about 516 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Moby Duck left this review about The Jolly Fisherman

A very "pubby" micropub, three cask beers on including Marble Lagonda, I also had some very good keg beer, the Export Stout from The Kernel was magnificent among others.The place was understandably very popular so space was hard to come by under current covid restrictions but worth the effort to get in.A marvelous pub.

On 12^th October 2020 - rating: 9
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]

View more reviews of The Jolly Fisherman (7)

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