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The Royal Oak, Bath
Bath
BA2 3BW
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
E TA left this review about The Royal Oak
As described below in terms of layout. There was a fairly feeble open fire in the larger room, where three of the fireplaces from the original layout still exist; only the one was lit and it didn’t really add much warmth. It was full of students, meaning it took longer than was comfortable to get served. The barmaid was the spitting image of Meg Griffin, even down to the hat, meaning I wondered if it was a Family Guy theme night – it wasn’t. The jukebox was playing student music so was quite irritating. Ales on the 8 handpumps were Barbus Barbus and Jester from Butts, Downton Chimera, Plain Ales’s Inndependence, and 3 of their own Ralph’s Ruin beers: Dark Side of the Ralph, Sirius and Ivory Tower. There were around 9 real ciders on offer plus 2 keg and 2 non-alcoholic beers. Worth coming here for the beer, which is rather good and justifies their GBG entry, but be aware they don’t seem to open lunchtimes.
On 2nd February 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3285 recommendations about 3250 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Royal Oak
After reading Blackthorn's review below, the interior décor and layout of the pub hasn't altered since his visit 2012. The pub still focuses on a varied range of ales across eight handpumps and also features as a music venue, with a lot of live music played throughout the weekend. We went for ales from Butts Brewery, which were Barbus and Jester, both were well kept and prices reasonable.
On 16th October 2016
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blackthorn _ left this review about The Royal Oak
A prominent, stone built pub on the main road towards Bristol, but a little way from the centre, this is popular with the Camra types due to it’s wide range of beers, although on this occasion it didn’t have quite as many as I was expecting. Nonetheless, the ones that they did have were quite unusual.
It’s a fairly basic pub, with a large central room, and a smaller room down a couple of steps to one side. The main room has black wooden boards on the floor, a mustard colour paint scheme, a small fireplace, piano, juke box and a book shelf in one corner. The ceiling was covered in beer mats, presumably ones that have been previously served in the pub. Music seems to feature prominently here and there was some sound equipment off to one side as well as numerous posters detailing upcoming bands.
The smaller room also has a piano, and is perhaps a little cosier. The flooring here is part natural stone and part wooden boards and it also has a fireplace. Outside is a smallish, and slightly shabby, courtyard garden with an unusual mural covering the wall behind the smoking shelter. There is also a barbeque, although whether I’d actually want to eat anything that had been cooked on it is another matter.
There were three Beers from Butts on tap with their Barbus Barbus, Organic Jester and Blackguard Porter. These were joined by Smart Brewery’s Wild Thing and Red Cuillin from the Isle of Skye. Ciders were Kingston Press, Bee Sting Pear and Lilley’s Fire Dancer.
On 3rd April 2012
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1948 recommendations about 1861 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Royal Oak
I’ve expected great things of this place, what with all the local CAMRA branch awards and general hype. I’ve been twice. The first time we came across it mid-Saturday afternoon. A bit of a barn and quite scruffy inside, including sticky tables and uncollected glasses. There were a long line of handpumps including three heavy beers. My Sarah Hughes was in good form and I also noted a real cider and perry. It was very quiet however. The last time we got there bang-on what should have been opening, only for it to remain very closed despite us giving them quarter of an hour and seeing someone peering out from an upstairs window. Presumably to ignore us.
There’s been enough negatives to make me wonder if I’ll bother traipsing out there again next time I’m in Bath.
On 6th February 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Royal Oak
I counted 11 hand pumps, of which nine were in use on my visit. There were quite a few dark and strong beers, but unfortunately I only had time for one, Art Brew Tempest Stout 4.8@, which was spot on. There were five other Art Brew beers plus two guests and a cider. The original small rooms of this very old building have been opened out into one, though there remains a cosy feel to the place, despite the bare boards. There's some eccentric art on the walls, a couple of fire places, a piano and (non-functioning) jukebox, though if you think that implies there was no background music, think again. One of my friends was disappointed that none of the Belgian fruit beers prominently advertised on a blackboard were available, and neither was there any brandy - and it was her birthday! So I've deducted a point from the seven I would otherwise have awarded.
On 9th January 2011
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Royal Oak
Popular with the local CAMRA mob and, with a blackboard outside that reads "10 real ales, 3 ciders, 0 Fosters", you can see why. Inside, it's fairly basic and it's clear that they offer music nights. I just had time for one - an Art Brew "Hip Hop" if memory serves - which didn't slip down as easily as I'd hoped. With more time available, I'd have been more quite happy to investigate alternatives, however.
Note for wheelchair users - probably not accessible. Don't know if there's another entrance, but there's steps up to the front door, and several more down to the toilets (which aren't the best you're ever going to encounter).
On 17th November 2009
- rating: 6
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]