Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Still & West, Portsmouth
Portsmouth
PO1 2JL
Pub Type
Fuller'sReviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Still & West
A hugely touristy pub in an unbeatable location overlooking the harbour and all its comings and goings. On two levels, both extensively windowed to make the most of the view, plus a quayside patio outside. Beers are from the wider Fullers range, especially the Gales-badged brews whose house it once was. Usually busy.
On 13th August 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Still & West
A large Fullers Pub and Restaurant which due to its commanding location at the Point in the cobbled Portsmouth Old Town operates more as a restaurant for the tourists than a pub for drinking.
Very modern décor throughout there is a pleasant wooden floored bar area but the commanding feature is the very large all glass conservatory restaurant section bolted onto and running the length of the river facing part of the pub that gives commanding views of the estuary. Then additional to this is another dining room known as the Vanguard room at the very back.
If you are only after a beer then I would say this pub is best used on a fine weather day, such as the one we were blessed with, when you can use the outside drinking area, known as the Lower Deck, with its fine views towards the Spinnaker Tower.
The bar has four pumps with Pride, Seafarers and HSB as the permanent beers and then the Fullers seasonal brew was on the fourth, and the Seafarers went down well in the sunshine.
On 8th April 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Still & West
Large Fuller's pub with Harbour views, much like its Greene King next door neighbour The Spice Island Inn it's another tourist centric pub, four sticks on the bar serving Seafarers,HSB,Pride and Front Row, It may be an iconic pub but it left me unimpressed, there are much more interesting back street boozers not so far away, and with more interesting beer.
I wouldn't plan a revisit.
On 2nd March 2016
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1871 recommendations about 1844 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about Still & West
This iconic Fullers (was Gales) pub is well described below. It continues to provide reasonable food, including a good seafood menu, though it is a bit overpriced and I’m sure the standards have slipped over the last 3 years or so. The views across the Harbour to the historic Fort Blockhouse the other side and the ability to watch the waterborne traffic at all hours make it a restful and pleasant escape from the bustle of the City centre. The staff were a bit amateurish and inefficient on this occasion. There is free WiFi and a range of teas. There were 4 ales on, all from Fullers. I had faux-HSB in another doomed attempt to recapture the Horndean Brewery’s golden years, but alas, HSB – like nostalgia - isn’t what it used to be. It’s well worth seeking out and makes a good addition to a City crawl.
On 22nd April 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3280 recommendations about 3245 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Still & West
Out in the pleasant cobbled streets of old Portsmouth, hemmed in by the sea wall and commanding a view over Portsmouth Harbour’s surprisingly narrow entrance, this pub has a dramatic location that makes it both iconic and a complete nightmare to actually get to. If you do manage to get out here under your own steam, you’ll probably be grateful for a drink and if you’ve done so in the summer months, you can enjoy it from a paved garden area which overlooks the harbour. The pub itself is considerably less impressive than its location, with a rambling interior that, for the most part, lacks the charm and cosiness you would hope for in such a traditional venue. The main bar area has a quarry stone floor and the servery along the back wall. Seating options are rather limited here, but there is a semi partitioned space to the right, forming a carpeted strip behind sections of dividing wall where you will find a row of standard table and chair seating underneath a massive naval themed ceiling mural. This is a pretty good spot, as the windows on this side afford good views out to the Isle of Wight and watching the ferries drift in and out of the harbour is a relaxing way to pass some time. The room extends a long way to the rear from here, into a slightly cosier space where you can find plenty of additional seating. There are plenty of old pictures on the walls throughout the ground floor area, covering a range of subjects, but mainly focussed on local themes. Stairs next to the bar lead up to the first floor restaurant which offers elevated views out over the Solent and harbour areas, assuming you can bag a table next to the window. We couldn’t so made do with a window seat in the bar, where we tried some food from the seafood-led menu. Results were a bit of a mixed bag – my poached haddock was lovely but the seafood platter less so. One dish was served cold and had to be sent back and to their credit they sorted it out quickly and offered us free coffees when we’d finished.
This is a Fullers house (formerly Gales), so no great surprises on the bar – London Pride, Seafarers, Red Fox and HSB on handpull and happily my HSB was in reasonably good condition. My Dad tried the Red Fox which he said was in good shape too.
If you manage to make it out to this part of town, this seems like a pretty good option for both food and drinks and certainly appeared preferable to the neighbouring Greene King pub which was empty. Worth a visit, even if it’s just to watch the ships go sailing by.
On 26th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Still & West
A superb location overlooking the harbour. Another Fullers pub ( which seem to dominate this area since the take over of Gales some years go) but there is a god selection of les in this foody pub and the service is slick. All seating was taken at lunchtime o sat outside right next to the water watching the ferries Come and go.
On 29th September 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Still & West
Iconic pub - the last proper watering hole you see when leaving Portsmouth for France on the ferry, offering some fantastic views of the harbour traffic in return. 'L'-shaped bar maximising the potential of the waterside windows, supplemented by a patio beer garden in good weather. Fish and chips menu. Four real ales from the Fullers/Gales stable - Pride, ESB, HSB and Discovery (£3.40). In Old Portsmouth, a long walk from the modern city centre, but well worth seeking out.
On 26th June 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8086 recommendations about 8086 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Michael Wright left this review about Still & West
Saturday October lunchtime visit, off season so no problems with getting served or seating. This pub has not really changed over 40 years, same views of course, much same interior, an iconic pub for all the right reasons
Now a Fullers [ex Gales], so only Fullers offerings available, but they are well kept and tasty
The prices, for beer & food, in common with the area, are above average, £3.20 for a pint of HSB for instance,, but that is tourism for you
As you enter it a sort of sprawling reversed L shape, with the vertical leg having views over the harbour entrance. The outside area is good for gawking, but be aware that at high tide, with wind & sea spray, your pint may be saltier than you want, sit nearer the road to avoid
To second Roger, worth a visit for views alone. Parking is minimal, you may have to park near Cathedral & walk, cobble stones in keeping with historic theme, so wheelchairs may have a bumpy ride. Irregular buses stop nearby
On 9th October 2010
- rating: 5
[User has posted 526 recommendations about 382 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Still & West
Like most harbour side pubs, the Still & West claims to be the haunt of many a smuggler and press gang over its 200 year existence. These days it is rather stuck out in the middle of nowhere and not very accessible from the town. Its main asset is its commanding views across the waters to the Isle of Wight one way and the Spinnaker Tower the other. The outside seating is ideal on a warm evening to idle away a few hours watching the ferries pass by but in winter perhaps not such a good idea. The interior is quite rambling although there are a few screened off areas for a relatively intimate pint even though it all comes over as being extensively refurbished and contrived. Unsurprisingly the theme is generally nautical with boat pictures, knots, navy shields and seafaring murals on the ceiling. A decent range of Fullers beers: HSB, ESB, Pride and a seasonal offering (Winter Warmer on my visit). The piped music was a bit bland and, interestingly, I did not notice any TV's. The restaurant upstairs seems to specialise in fish and chips and whilst I can't comment as we did not eat here, I would imagine a nice window seat here would enhance any dining experience. I have not been here in the summer when I suspect it would be heaving and the “we welcome well behaved children” sign is usually a reason to avoid but this is a pub that is worth visiting, even if only for the views.
On 29th March 2007
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]