Black Cat, Liverpool

Blue Scrumpy left this review about Black Cat

I was last here in 2018 when it was still the Craft Taproom. Little has seemingly changed inside, but this bar is now one of 2 Black Cat bars in the city. I would say that the main change is the improved range of beers.

A couple of cask ales at the end of the bar immediately next to the entrance were Wigan Brewhouse California & Black Lodge Tick Followed Tock, a nice dry stout. Keg beers were Farm Yard Oui Chef & Gulf, Tiny Rebel Clwb Tropica, Northern Monk Northern Spirits, Black Lodge Ch-Ch-Ch Cherry Bomb, Glen Affric Black Cat Goes To Smithdown & Camden Off Menu IPA. All beers are listed above the bar. Coffees and teas are also available and there were also cakes for sale on the bar.

The Craft Taproom sign can still be seen on the right-hand wall. A main seating area at the front overlooks the Smithdown Road. There is a TV in the front corner. To the rear right is a raised area split into two parts with another big screen TV in the front part and some book shelves on the rear wall. Off to the rear left is more seating on the way to the toilets.

TVs were both showing rugby on mute, with some rather annoying music playing instead. Quite a few customers were working on laptops and iPads giving it more of a cafe/coffee bar feel, but I guess this changes in the evening.

As with the previous reviewer, I was asked if I had or wanted a card where you could buy so many pints and get one free. I explained that being from London, I don't get to visit that often and that it was a bit pointless for me. But that did get us engaged in a long conversation about why I was there!

Not a destination pub, but perhaps one to do along with the excellent Handyman Supermarket a little further along the road.

On 18^th March 2025 - rating: 6
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