Fitzgeralds, Sunderland

The last time I was here was after watching a football game at the Stadium of Light back in November 2014. I remember it being absolutely rammed with hardly any space to move. Whilst the beer range was good, a visit was not particularly enjoyable. Visiting on a quiet weekday afternoon was a much more satisfying experience and allowed me to enjoy the solitude of the pub, that was until some random nutter decided to enter shouting his head off. He used the gents and left again shortly after, still mouthing off, before peace resumed. Ales on were Three Brothers Sabro & Idaho 7 Session IPA, Blackjack Dark British Stout, Maxim Raspberry Porter, Anarchy Cult Leader, Black Sheep Special Ale, Durham Apricity, McColl's Solace & Allendale Pennine Pale. The cider was Thistly Cross Whisky Cask. Be sure to check the listings on the blackboard behind the main bar, as the Solace and the cider were both clipped in the smaller room down a couple of steps to the side of the bar. With a couple of stouts on, I decided to cancel my plans to cross the river and instead stay and try both. The Dark British Stout was lovely, whilst the Solace was pretty poor. It was supposed to be a cherry stout, but I guess the lines had not been cleaned through properly. Repeats of football matches were being shown on TV screens. But these were unobtrusive. Another decent Sunderland pub that could possibly be the best in the city.

Enjoyed our visit to this 2019 Good Beer Guide pub last month where we enjoyed Great North Eastern Graphite and Great Corby Signal Peak from the cask ales available

Previous reviewers have described this pub far more eloquently than I could hope to, but the thing that struck me is that from the outside it looks like it would be quite a small pub yet on entering it is actually rather big. And this is even before you notice that it has extended into the building to the right at some point. The unassuming outside hides a rather grand interior with dark wood, stained glass and a rather ornate bar back with a built in clock. Six hand pulls for cask in the main bar and apparently a further two in the separate room to the right, though I did not investigate. I didn't note all the beers on offer but I had a half of the Porthole Coffee Porter by Cullercoats at a rather reasonable £1.60. There were a handful of customers in on Monday evening around 5:30pm. It's one I would happily go back to.

Situated in a part of town that has its fair share of drinking barn style establishments, this is actually a very smart, up-market pub from the Sir John Fitzgerald pub group responsible for the likes of The Bodega, Crown Posada and Bacchus in Newcastle plus pubs of the same name in Newcastle and Whitley Bay. The pub has two distinctly separate areas - the main bar and a dedicated seating area called the 'Chart Room'. You enter into the main bar, a part carpeted, part mosaic tile floored space with the servery down the right hand side. The bar back creates a grand spectacle, with some etched glasswork amidst a vast amount of well worked dark wood, some whisky and brandy barrels and a rudder suspended from above. The area opposite is open plan and offers a good amount of seating, with padded banquettes around the perimeter and a nice tiled fireplace on one wall. Black and white photos line most of the walls and there are numerous nods towards a seafaring theme, although this becomes more apparent in the Chart Room, where more comfortable seating options can be found under a series of wall mounted nautical charts. The place has been fitted out very nicely, with excellent partitioning creating the illusion of privacy whilst dark wood combines with stained and patterned glass to good effect. There was a good crowd in here on a late Saturday evening, ensuring a good buzz right up to closing time. As with most pubs in this chain, the foundations of the pub's popularity are built upon a strong ale range, which on this visit comprised Purple Moose Dark Side of the Moose, Glastonbury Thriller, Durham Smokin' Gun, Thornbridge Jaipur, Fat Cat Chocolate Porter and Consett White Hop. The Dark Side of the Moose was in great shape and a fine way to finish an extensive crawl of the best pubs Sunderland has to offer. I probably didn't do this pub justice by visiting it at the end of a long crawl around town, but it was clear that this is a fine establishment, offering something a bit more refined in a convenient central location. I liked this one and felt it was a better all round pub than it's award-winning namesake in Newcastle.

Upmarket pub in a nice terrace, aimed squarely at the middle class punter (turns out there are some in Sunderland) and discerning students. Sumptuous entrance porch with green glazed tiling and lovely stained glass doors, leading through to an impressively tiled floor. Two rooms, main bar on left which has a magnificent dark carved wood and etched glass bar back as well as plenty more dark wood and glass walls. Six pumps here with five ales; Maxim Maximus, Alchemy Pale, Durham Pale, Dark Star Hophead and High House Farm Black Moss which was in decent form. The 'chart room' is down a step to the right on entering which is for dining, however to my chagrin there were three more ales down here - Tim Taylor Boltmaker, Titanic Plum Porter and Allendale APA (noticed later all ales were marked on a blackboard by the main bar). Pub grub food at competitive prices, within a few pence of Wetherspoons in some cases so worth putting your cash here IMHO – shame this was the final pub of the tour, not the first! For possibly the first time ever in a proper pub, ladies outnumbered the gents and there was a nice friendly community vibe. Live music Tues and Sun. Really worth doing this one.

Large rambling pub near the shops, split level with main bar room & a chart room at lower level, with louvered windows & a captains locker type feel. Really nice pub with reasonably priced food. Big screen sports. Good beer too.